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9 Things You Did Not Know About Brian Friedman
As he’s about to enter the jungle, we thought we’d take a look at who Brian Friedman is and uncover 9 things you didn’t know about the famed creative director.
Brian is engaged to his long-term boyfriend Daniel Brown, they plan to get married in the near future.
He’s choreographed music videos for Britney Spears– the latest was Hold It Against Me, but he’s also the mastermind behind her Slave 4 U, Me Against The Music and Toxic.
He was born in 1977, making him 38. He was raised in the United States in Illinois.
He was offered a contract to become X Factor’s creative director after appearing as a judge and choreographer on the show So You Think You Can Dance and on the X Factor series 4.
He’s been the creative director for X Factor for 9 years on and off.
He has admitted that he’s sad not to be involved in this year’s X Factor, but hopes that appearing in the Jungle that it will allow people to see him “in a more realistic light.”
In terms of what he’ll miss in the jungle Brian says, his fiancé, followed by his family and then luxuries. “My fiancé thinks I am absolutely crazy,” he says, roaring with laughter as he does. “He doesn’t get it at all. I am going to miss him, then my family, my bed, my dog, the food, the gym, my toiletries, my showers, fragrances… I have never done anything like this before and I am not used to living without the luxuries that I have been accustomed to now!
He’s a control freak and isn’t afraid of being honest. “It’s going to be a real challenge to take a step back and not be such a control freak,” reveals Brian. “I do everything at home. I cook and I am a very clean person by nature. I wouldn’t ever want the camp to be a mess.”
He’s got “no body fat” fat right now and he thinks this could be a problem, but he has been on a “regimented diet for the last three years and so I feel like I will have one up on the other contestants,”
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COMMENT: 7 Reasons Why X Factor Isn’t As Good As It Used To Be
Who doesn’t love The X Factor? Well, apparently 8 million less people than 5 years ago.
This year has seen the worst ratings for the show since it started and ITV are panicking.
Despite on the surface the show being the same as it’s ever been, a camp festival of fun and frolics with the best and worst singers the UK has to offer, a rot has set in and considerably less people are watching it this year. But why has Simon Cowell’s baby lost so many viewers? What has changed about the show that is putting people off?
It’s impossible to pin it down to one thing because that could be easily changed. A series of events in the history of the show has meant people aren’t as enamoured with the show. I’m going to take a look at what I believe has gone so terribly wrong.
1. The personnel factor. The first 3 series were the same judges of Simon Cowell, Louis Walsh and Sharon Osbourne, series 4 added Dannii Minogue then series 5, 6 and 7 kept with the same 4 judges after adding Cheryl Fernandez Versini who was actually relevant at the time after Osbourne left. But series 8 onwards has seen a rotating roster of judges changing year on year and constant changes in format to try and keep the show fresh and people can’t rely on what they know and couldn’t relate any more, and by the sounds of the reception of Nick Grimshaw this year, he won’t be back next year. Rita Ora also hasn’t made much of an impression; she’s just kind of there. The new presenters of the main show, Olly Murs and Caroline Flack, who went down well on the sister show The Xtra Factor, have even been compared to the car crash of a presenting team of Samantha Fox and Mick Fleetwood. The loss of Dermot O’Leary as main presenter and Louis Walsh as a judge has apparently really bothered people.
2. The contestant factor. In the early years the weird and terrible ones were always kept to the initial auditions and possibly made it through to boot camp, but didn’t make it any further. These were generally hilarious, and in some cases downright scary (Ariel Burdett anyone?) but we were safe in the knowledge that this would be the only time we’d see them ever again. It’s what made the show entertaining, you could cringe along to these poor idiots who had been told by their parents and friends they were amazing, only to be ruthlessly torn apart by Cowell and co. Yes there were the camp and cheesy ones like Chico and Same difference who made it tot the live shows in the first few series, but they actually could sing, and could be entertaining in a slightly cringey way, But in 2009, Irish twins John & Edward Grimes, who everyone could hear couldn’t sing a note between them, made it through to the live shows, and stayed far longer than was thought possible, and after that there had to be a contestant who wasn’t very talented yet the judges kept insisting were “entertaining”. Which leads me to…
3. The Fix Factor. Despite Dannii Minogue getting increasing annoyed, Jedward managed to survive to come 6th in 2009 and the whispers about foreknowledge by the judges started. Every time the twins ended in the bottom two, it would mysteriously go to deadlock or the judges would vote to save them, and they would get through another week. And year on year the same thing started to happen, contestants who were bad singers would survive much longer than expected and the whispers started to become chatter. The straw that broke the camels back though, was in 2012, when camp as Christmas contestant, Rylan Clark was dramatically saved by the deadlock vote after Louis was seen being talked too by a producer of the show during the save me song of Carolynne Poole. After he said he wanted to save Carolynne, the presenter Dermot O’Leary kept insisting that Louis say whom he wanted to send home, until Louis said he wanted to take it to deadlock. If you watch the video, you can hear a clearly exasperated Gary Barlow ask, “Why deadlock?” To which Louis appears to answer “Apparently I have to Gary” Seriously people go watch it. But it isn’t just the terrible singer contestants who were saved. After ranting on stage at the six chairs challenge this year, Mason Noise didn’t earn a chair, yet he’s on the live shows after Tom Bleasby quit before Judges Houses. There’s also the little issue of a picture of Seann Miley Moore being put up as part Nick Grimshaw’s final 3 before he was even announced. That could’ve been a technical hitch, but it raises questions.
4. The sustainability factor. Year in and out The X Factor promises to find the next big star, and fill their world with countless millions of fans and albums and money a plenty. But hold on a second, what are the odds actually like to get a sustained career out of The X Factor? Since 2004, 142 contestants (not including this year) have made it through to the live shows. Can you name me 10 of them who are still in the public eye without using Google? Don’t worry I’ll wait…How many did you manage? By my calculations, of that number, less than 15 of them have had a career that lasted over a year, and not always in music. These are not having the odds ever in your favour when it comes to getting a career, and I think the public has cottoned on to that fact and are rebelling against the format of all these types of shows. It remains to be seen if any of the 13 contestants from this year can forge a living out of it, but chances are we’ll have forgotten them by next year or simply not care enough about them.
5. The predictability factor. Once the live shows start you can usually see who the judges favour. They get given the best set ups, and the best songs and production value, and they are praised week after week, even if the performance is bland and predictable. Then there’s the same old phrases trotted out. When Louis was there, it was always, “You look like a pop star and you sound like a pop star”. But as the show progressed it became painfully obvious who was getting the most attention and who the public were being manipulated to like and vote for. As soon as I heard Mason Noise was coming back, I knew they would sacrifice someone more talented and likeable, like Simon Lynch or Josh Daniel in order to try and create headlines by having the bad boy back and showing his redemption of his past actions.6. The manufactured factor. Yes, yes I know, it’s reality TV and there is always going to be a certain amount of manipulation to make good TV, but it’s scary how many of the contestants are scouted by the producers rather than being a nobody who walks in off the street. Filipina girl group 4th Impact, have from the start been made out to be these four sisters who sacrificed everything to make it to the UK version of the X-Factor, but the truth is a little shadier. They have performed on various other talent shows in The Philippines and in South Korea and done reasonably well on them. The other side of it is that the genuine participants who haven’t been selected by the producers beforehand have been through at least 3 auditions already, before they even get to meet the main judges, so the reason why they seem so utterly put out when they are told they are awful is because they have been told 3 times they are good enough to meet the main judges.
7. The same old format factor. The show has become dull, despite the attempts to inject life into it; there is absolutely nothing new that makes it interesting any more. None of the finalists stand out for the right reasons, none of their voices are unique and even the celebrity duets aren’t anything like they used to be. In the past we’ve had Rihanna, Christina Aguilera, Beyoncé, George Michael and Michael Bublé singing with the final 3. Recently they’ve had to get the judges Nicole Scherzinger, Gary Barlow, Tulisa, and Kelly Rowland (hopefully they won’t let Cheryl do it this year) and previous contestants like Ella Henderson to do the duets. The whole show has become tired, and with one more contracted year to go, maybe 2016 should be the last time we see The X Factor.
How would you save The X Factor from certain doom? What would you do to breathe some fresh life into it?
by Andy Elliot Griffiths | @AndyEG1982Opinions expressed in this article may not reflect those of THEGAYUK, it’s management or editorial teams. If you’d like to comment or write a comment, opinion or blog piece, please click here.
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G-A-Y Club To Hold One Minute Silence For Paris Victims Before Show Tonight
One of the UK’s biggest gay clubs, G-A-Y at Heaven will hold a one minute’s silence before its show tonight.
G-A-Y boss, Jeremy Joseph tweeted that a decision had been made to show “respect” to victims of a terror attack in Paris yesterday by holding a minute’s silence before tonight’s show starring Fleur East and Seann Miley Moore.
The French capital of Paris was the scene of chaos last night as 8 reported terrorist members of ISIS killed scores of people and injuring at least 100.In a chilling statement where the Islamic State claimed responsibility for the atrocity, the Bataclan concert hall, where nearly 90 people were killed, was chosen specifically because “hundreds of idolaters were together in a party of perversity”.Islamic State have stepped up their executions of gay men, or men accused of being gay in 2015 in the regions in which they are in control. In the past ISIS has branded gay people ‘the worst of all creatures’.In a flash poll 43% of our readers said that the terror attacks on Paris made them worried about going out socially, raising questions about whether LGBT venues are safe from terror attacks both in Europe and in the UK.THEGAYUK reached out for comment from Mr Joseph on whether extra security measures would be taken.Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley, National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for counter terrorism, said:“We have been strengthening policing on the street. People may notice some changes at events at big cities across the country.
“We will constantly keep that under review in the forthcoming days and weeks but we can’t let the terrorists defeat us by becoming fearful and withdrawing from the streets.
“The term I would use is ‘to be alert, not alarmed’.
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FILM REVIEW | Tangerine, A Film You Will Not Want To Miss
★★★★★ | Tangerine
Two transgender prostitutes tear up Santa Monica Boulevard in the brilliant new film ‘Tangerine.’
In a week that also sees the releases of Michael Fassbender in Steve Jobs and Dame Maggie Smith inLady in a Van, Tangerine is far and above the best film of the three.
It is one of the most funny and original films of the year. and stars two transgender actresses in the lead roles, roles that will make them both stars.
Mya Taylor is Alexandra, and Kitana Kiki Rodriquez is Sin-Dee (yes, Sin-Dee), it’s Christmas Eve in Los Angeles, and Sin-Dee has just got out of jail after spending 28 days for holding drugs for her pimp boyfriend Chester (James Ransom). She finds out, from Alexandra, that Chester has been having sex with Dinah (Mickey O’Hagan), so Sin-Dee goes on a mission to find Dinah and then to confront Chester. And Alexandra is having her own drama – she’s performing at a local bar that night and has passed out fliers to everyone she knows. Meanwhile, she’s got one of her regular customers, Razmik (Karren Karaguilian), looking for her. Razmik has problems of his own, he’s attracted to transgender prostitutes, but he’s married with a young daughter at home. He’s also got his nosy mother-in-law visiting for the holidays.
Sin-Dee finds Dinah in a motel room with several other prostitutes and their naked male customers, so she literally kidnaps her and then heads to confront Chester. Alexandra, meanwhile, scuffles with a customer who doesn’t feel like he should pay her because he didn’t come. But she does have sex with Razmik in a brilliant uncut sex scene in a car wash. All these characters converge together at the local Donut Shop as they confront each other about infidelity in a very dramatic and hilarious ending. Tangerine is a Christmas tale not of the typical Christmas kind.
Shot on three iphone 5s’ on a $105,000 budget, Tangerine is not the sort of movie you would expect to be dazzling, funny, dramatic, adventurous and original, but it is. Thanks to the many elements that bring this 88-minute film to fruition which make it so; the guerrilla style filmmaking is excellently created by Director, Editor, Co-Cinematographer and Co-Writer Sean Baker (co-written along with Chris Bergoch). And the actors are fantastic. Baker initially met Taylor at the Los Angeles Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender and Queer Community Center, and she introduced him to all her friends, including Rodriquez, which is how ‘Tangerine’ came to be, and these two actresses more than carry the movie, they are the movie, you can’t take your eyes off them. The rest of the cast is also brilliant; especially Karaguilian (who is a professional actor) brings sympathy to his role as a man trying to do the right thing but who also harbours a secret, and O’Hagan as the ‘other’ woman who is literally dragged around Los Angeles by Sin-Dee in the search for Chester. The Los Angeles neighborhood where this film is shot feels like another character in the film; the hued and hazzy skies, cheap motels, strange people and very cheap fast food restaurants litter the area. And the music (and script) is cutting edge; pulsating, loud, sharp, a perfect match for a film with characters who are the same, who spew lines such as, “He just went from half fag to full fag” to “You forget I’ve got a dick too,” with copious amounts of the word ‘bitch’ and ‘whore.’
Tangerine is a smorgasbord of wit and sarcasm. It’s also brilliant and must be seen to be believed.
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128 People Killed In Cold Blood In French Capital of Paris
For the second time in 2015 a major terrorist attack has rocked the capital of France.
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10 Ways To Wake Up Happy
How we wake up, sets us up for the rest of our day.
Could blue light be keeping you up and creating a bad environment for you? CREDIT: Minerva-Studio-bigstock Sadly most people these days wake up as stressed as they went to bed. This means that we often wake up dreading the day instead of being ready to take it on. It is easy to change this by doing a few simple things in your early morning routine, but a lot of people think this might take too much time.
This is a misconception as in fact: taking a few minutes in the morning to get ready for the day will boost your energy levels and will make you work faster: leaving you with more time by the end of the day to do things you really want to do: like hobbies.
1. Avoid screens (1). Waking up clear headed begins with going to bed clear headed. Stop turning on your computer late at night thinking “I’ll just do that one last thing …” as we all know you’ll still be doing that one last thing at 3.00PM. Instead of pulling all-nighters you’ll be far more productive during the day if you avoid flashing screens altogether for at least half an hour before you go to sleep. Rest your mind with a book or listening to some soft music or a radio play.
Your brain needs to recover from the glare of the computer, followed by the glare of the TV. An overload of images right before going to bed is detrimental to a good nights rest.
2. Get things ready before going to bed. Choose what you’re going to wear the next day early the evening before. After this think about what else you might need and put it out. Getting details in order the evening before saves you precious time and stress in the morning.
3. Wake up at-least half an hour before you have to. It’s a myth to think that it’s that extra half hour of sleep that would help you to wake up feeling refreshed. You’d be surprised to know that this is not the case. Waking up a little earlier means you can start your day slow and relaxed, as you have some time for yourself instead of; jumping out of bed, rushing into the shower, wolfing down your breakfast and dashing out.
4. Do NOT set an alarm. This might sound odd, but there is a very good reason for this: when you use an alarm to stir you in the morning you do not wake up naturally. The sudden beeps of the alarm disrupt your sleep and you jolt awake abruptly, stressed out before you’ve even opened your eyes. Hitting the snooze button after this makes things even worse as dozing off means you will be waking up again ten minutes later at the beginning of the sleep cycle. The worst point to be woken up.
Instead of using your alarm try and exercise mind and body into resetting your biological clock so you’ll wake naturally. I do not advise to start training this during a working week as you may run into trouble.
5. Avoid screens (2). Do not reach out for your phone or laptop the second you wake up. Those e-mails, messages and Tweets can wait. Immediately going for the phone means you’re starting work the moment you wake up causing stress levels to rise abruptly. Reading Twitter does not equal time for yourself. The internet late at night you’ll be on that phone/tablet for the next 40+ minutes, losing precious time and will stressed for the rest of the day.
6. Begin the day with positive affirmations: Find a motivational meditation that speaks to you and play it the moment you wake up. Early in the morning, your mind is very susceptible and the affirmations will remain with you throughout the day.
Alternatively, if you do not like to play recordings early in the morning: reading positive affirmations instead will do just as well.
7. Go over your daily goals: What was it you had planned for the day? What is essential? Remember it and think about how you want to do it.
8. Do some exercise: Some people swear by exercising first thing in the morning: it is easy to see why: it gets done and sets you up for the rest of the day. It is also obvious why many more people feel quite queasy at the thought of doing strenuous exercise first thing in the morning.
Still, even if you don’t like working out first thing in the morning, it is a good idea to at least do something to wake up your body, your metabolism and your mind. Try ten minutes of easy exercise that suit you. A bit of yoga, for example, a few sit-ups a little cardio or pilates, even going up and down the stairs a few times. (Always, always stretch before anything you do though!!) Doing some moves early in the morning is like physical coffee that gets you going.
9. Practice Mindfulness: Take your breakfast and relax. Eat slowly and try to truly taste what you are eating. After you have finished don’t jump up immediately but slowly close your eyes and do a brief body scan. Take a few breaths and pay attention to what you feel and hear around you. This should take no more than two or three minutes: a mini meditation.
10. Talk to your loved ones: Take some time out to talk to your partner/family or live in friend. Give a kiss and a cuddle. The best way to start the day is with love.
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Someone Just Made A Portrait Of Donald Trump Out Of 500 Penis Pics
Someone made a collage of Presidential hopeful Donald Trump from dick pics… and it’s slightly amazing.
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RECIPE: Miel-Moutarde Pork Tenderloin
Serves | Prep 4 hours (minimum marinading, overnight is always good) | Cook 45 mins (+10 minutes resting)
I love pork tenderloin. It’s a really lovely bit of meat that I think can often be avoided as some people just don’t know what to do with it. Here, tenderloin is paired with a honey, mustard and rosemary marinade, which is delicious, and the dish as a whole is inexpensive!
There has been great debate as to whether you can serve pork pink. I am not a fan of this concept, thus cook my pork all the way through which is reflected in the recipe.
Pork is always well suited with something sweet and sticky, so why not try with my Balsamic Shallots.
PORK TENDERLOIN – Tenderloin is a good source of selenium and phosphorous. Selenium plays an important role in metabolism management, controlling thyroid hormones. 85g of pork tenderloin will contribute towards 48% of your daily recommended intake of Selenium. HIV has been associated with low selenium levels. Phosphorous will help healthy bones and teeth, digestion, energy levels, hormones, production of protein, and brain function. 85g tenderloin providing 30% DRI.
Ingredients.
Marinade
½ tbsp wholegrain mustard
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp honey
½ lemon, juice of
1 sprig rosemary
1 pork tenderloin (350g)
Method.
Preheat your oven to 210c / 190c (fan) / Gas Mark 6-7
- Mix all the marinade ingredients together in a bowl.
- Using a large freezer bag, place in the tenderloin along with the marinade and give the bag a squeeze to distribute the marinade. Tie the bag, pop on a plate, and into the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours.
- Remove the pork from the fridge 20 minutes before you are going to cook it.
- Heat a large frying pan with a few glugs of olive oil over a medium to high heat.
- Shake off any excess marinade from the tenderloin and place in the pan to sear it across every part. Do so for 10 minutes.
- Remove from the frying pan and place on a baking tray, and now into the oven for 35 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and wrap in foil, set aside to rest for 10 minutes.
- Remove the foil, transferring to a chopping board where you can begin carving the tenderloin on the slant. Serve.
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RECIPE | Chicken Tequila
Chicken Tequila
Serves 4 | Prep 10 mins | Cook 1.5 hrs (small chicken)
Tequila Twist on the Classic Roast
The sauce / gravy that this dish makes is so delicious. Spoon it on top of the chicken once you’ve plated up. Fuse the almighty British roast dinner with some interesting international flavours; tequila, lime, coriander, smoked paprika, cayenne. It’s a winning combination. Most of the roast chickens I do at home use this recipe or a rebased around the same ingredients. Yes, tequila is one of my staple store-cupboard ingredients.
To complete the meal, throw in some Jamaican inspiration and try my recipe for Black Rice and Beans. Served together you could call it something along the lines of “Ja-Mexican”. Although every time I say this, all I can hear is Nicole Scherzi screaming “amazing”. Try this recipe for yourself and you may even be screaming out AMAZING.
CHICKEN
About 115g of free-range chicken will provide the following of your recommended daily intake;
97% vitamin B3 (significant protection from heart disease, lowers levels of bad cholesterol, elevates “good” cholesterol HDL).
70% protein.
56% selenium (selenium deficiency, which some people who are HIV positive may have, has implications on immune function, depression, cardiovascular disease, cancer, hypothyroidism, infertility in males).
40% vitamin B6 (can prevent anaemia, and also used to treat heart disease, high cholesterol, cramps, skin conditions, and boosting the immune system).
36% phosphorous.
22% choline (liver protector).
21% vitamin B5 (great for acne and reducing oil production in the skin)
16% vitamin B12.
(SOURCE)
CORIANDER A great source of vitamin K (great for bones and teeth). It’s also high in antioxidant vitamins A & C, which are useful for healthy immune system function. Coriander is also beneficial for people suffering with skin disorders (eczema and dryness). Coriander is good for stimulating our digestion system and can also help to treat diarrhoea. There is a compound within this herb that can help protect us from stomach upset, even that which could be caused by Salmonella- more so than the antibiotic that would normally be used to treat it! (SOURCE : https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/herbs-and-spices/health-benefits-of-coriander.html )
Ingredients.
1 small chicken
100ml tequila
100ml olive oil
100ml chicken stock
1 lime, juice of
1 lemon, cut in half
4 garlic cloves, chopped
30g coriander leaves, chopped roughly
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp cayenne pepper
Method.
Preheat your oven to 200c / 180c (Fan) / Gas Mark 6
- Place your chicken in a casserole dish and smother all over with the smoked paprika and cayenne pepper.
- Combine the tequila, olive oil, chicken stock, juice of 1 lime, chopped garlic and chopped coriander in a bowl and mix well.
- Pour this on top of the chicken and ensure that there is a good covering of the coriander and garlic on the top of the bird and its legs.
- Place the fruit of the lime inside the carcas, along with a lemon that’s been cut in half.
- Cover the top of the chicken with a piece of foil and cook in the oven for 45 minutes.
- Remove the chicken from the oven, discard the foil, and start to spoon over the juices from the pan and replace in the oven for a further 45 minutes, spooning over the juices a twice more within the 45 minutes.
- Check that the chicken is cooked by piercing the thickest part and ensuring juices run clear. If in doubt, give it ten minutes more and check again.
Once the chicken has been demolished, don’t just throw the carcass away- use it the next day to make a lovely soup. I will be making a collection of Bone Broths soon and highlighting their fantastic medicinal properties.
