POZ Event - Helping A Cause

The entertainment industry has lent overwhelming support through their efforts to help those with HIV /AIDS. POZ events seem to get bigger and brighter every year. Love Out Loud West is a fund-raiser in support of AIDS Walk Los Angeles 2008. Cops 4 Causes - a beacon within the fund-raising and artistic community - has joined us in promotion and organization.

Helping the cause

Appearances are dependent on filming schedules.

Nadia Bjorlin

This striking beauty has mighty fine references: Patrika Darbo (ex-Nancy, Days) has seen firsthand the closeness of the Bjorlin family. Darbo attended a family get-together, and was amazed by the talent in the house. "They are absolutely incredible people who have graciously taken us into their family. There's a lot of love there." Adds Kevin Spirtas, who played Craig on Days: "Nadia knows where she's at and where she's headed. She has great inner strength...I think she has a big future if she chooses to keep doing it. She has quite a gift." Love Out Loud West has the good fortune of having this extraordianry person with us on October 16th at East/West Lounge in West Hollywood. While Nadia was ranked # 3 on TV Guide's list of Soaps' Sexiest Women, it certainly isn't her biggest claim to fame. She keeps busy by guest appearances and working on film in addition to her stint on Days of Our Lives and she has a crystal clear soprano singing voice, she won first place in the Metro Lyric Opera Competition in New York City. She has now lent us her voice.

Website: Nadia Bjorlin: The Official Website

Les Brandt

Les Brandt was raised in Amarillo, Texas. Deep in the heart of this Texan is an actor and an entrepreneur, for here is a man with a lot of heart and a lot of depth. His mother was from San Pedro Sula, Honduras giving new meaning to Latin passion. They co-inhabit quite nicely within him.

He began acting immediately after graduating high school. He no sooner relocated to study in New York City at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy than he booked a three year contract on Another World on NBC as Rafael Santierro and has since portrayed numerous characters ranging from comedy to the most dramatic of roles on many network shows.

He played opposite 'Maria Conchita Alonso' as Martin Rivera in Smoke. He has his own clothing line, Brandt Skinz, Inc. He is absolutely one of the good guys and, therefore, somebody to have on your side. This is the second year in a row that Mr. Brandt is helping us out and we are twice blessed.

Patrika Darbo

Love Out Loud West has the good fortune to have Patrika Darbo as the evening's MC. Her good friend and former co-star, Kevin Spirtas, called her and she was there for us in record time. Days of Our Lives aficionados know her as the ruthless Nancy Wesley. She has amassed feature film credits in Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Hatchet, Charlie Wilson's War, In the Line of Fire, Leaving Normal, Corinna, Corinna and Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. She also was the voice of one of the sheep in Babe. Her TV movie credits include She also starred as Aunt Penny in Step By Step, Gilmore Girls, Wedding Bells, Unfabulous and The Minor Accomplishments of Jackie Woodman. She also guest-starred in Seinfeld, Sisters, and General Hospital.

She has won numerous awards including Favorite Newcomer in 1999 at the Soap Opera Digest Awards, she was voted as TV GUIDE'S 16 Sexiest People in Television for 1999-2000 season. In 2006 Darbo was on tour with Del Shores' stage production of "Sordid Lives" in which she appeared in the original production 10 years ago. Accolades aside, generosity and giving seem to be part of this good woman's DNA we are to tell you. With so much on her agenda she is here for AIDS Walk Los Angeles. Her upbeat personality is sure to make this evening of giving memorable.

Ted Detwiler

Anyone who grew up on a surf board and turned professional at the tender age of 16 is worthy of attention. There are more than enough reasons to pay attention to this fine young gentleman who turned to theatre after an ankle injury. It was Ted Detwiler’s and Del Shores’ mutual good fortune that they both were working on the situation comedy Ned & Stacy where they met. Their friendship and collaboration has led to our good fortune in enjoyable art with both Sordid Lives and Southern Baptist Sissies. He has starred in numerous musicals and plays. TV credits include Crossing Jordan, Sliders and Hyperion Bay. His film credits include: Must Love Dogs, The Ring 2, After Sunset, Chasers and Blood Money.

Michael Fairman

In June of this year, this very creative individual launched his new website: Michael Fairman On-Air On-Soaps. With over seventeen years experience in the soap opera genre, the words expertise and innovation might come to mind regarding Michael Fairman. He has been a producer and writer for several soap oriented series and projects ranging from, E! Entertainment Television's daily live soap-talk show, Pure Soap to SOAPnet’s Soap Center as well as a writer/producer in the on-air promotions department for ABC Daytime and SOAPnet. Additionally, Michael has been the Communications Director for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

In the past, Michael has produced many celebrity high-profile fundraisers for: Outfest, The Humane Society of New York City, AMFAR, Para Los Niños, Northern Lights Alternatives, and The Make-A-Wish Foundation to name a few. Back at the height of the AIDS epidemic, Michael was the first to initiate the annual AIDS Fundraiser in New York City, Night of the Daytime Stars. Blades for AIDS, was held at the world famous Roxy night club in New York City, featuring soap stars and sitcom celebrities on roller skates. Love Out Loud’s “Soaps in the City” is Mr. Fairman’s contribution to our West Hollywood soiree co-produced by Cops4Causes to benefit AIDS Walk Los Angeles on October 16 at East/West Lounge. Look for some interesting repartee and highlights on the part of the creative Mr. Fairman.

Daniel Goddard

Thanks again to soap maven, >Michael Fairman, one more handsome man will be joining us at East/West Lounge on October 16th. From his official website: “A native of Sydney, Australia, Daniel Richard Goddard was one year away from a career in Finance at the University until he pursued acting. He transferred to the Ensemble Actors Studio and performed in local theatrical productions before landing his first major television role as 'bad boy' Eric Phillips on the popular European primetime soap opera Home and Away. His work on the show quickly won him recognition as one of Europe’s biggest heartthrobs. Although he enjoyed his fame in Australia, Daniel felt it was time to set his sights on Hollywood. The transition from soap star to a virtual unknown in Los Angeles was difficult for Daniel -- he literally had to start all over again.” He has since made his presence felt on The Young & The Restless as Cane Ashby, Jill Foster Abbott’s long lost progeny. Handsome is as handsome does and we look forward to being in his company for a good cause. Many thanks to the fetching Mr. Goddard.

Adam Grimes

Adam Grimes took up acting because he was inspired by his high school drama teacher. It is now this Vermont native's turn to do the inspiring and inspire he does as General Hospital: Night Shift's Doctor Kyle Julian.

He is a member of the long-form comedy group, Supermodel, as well as an alumnus of 10 West Improvisational Theater indicating that this is a rising talent with range and versatility. Add generous to his many attributes, because it didn't take much for him to agree to be part of Love Out Loud West's "Soaps in the City" on October 16th at East/West Lounge in West Hollywood

Jack Myers, who also posts on the Huffington Post, had more than one encouraging word bout Adam’s current place of work:

“The stories of these characters may not be ground-breaking, but they are totally engaging, some in a fun and relaxed way, others on a level of surprising emotional connection. The same holds for the many different patients who move through the hospital in every episode, often touching the lives of the doctors and nurses with whom they interact. For example, tonight’s episode further explores the difficult relationship between brothers Leo and Kyle when they become caught up in a conflict between a young woman seeking to honor the wishes of her dying partner and the partner’s homophobic parents.

I’ll close with another line I’m surprised to find myself writing: Night Shift is such a pleasant surprise that I wish SOAPnet would run it one night a week all year long! It has made Port Charles fun again.” Read all of it here.

Carolyn Hennesy

Carolyn Hennesy (Diane, General Hospital) is someone to take seriously. About.com tells us that she comes from a distinguished show business family. Her dad, production designer Dale Hennesy, won an Oscar for his work in Fantastic Voyage in 1967 and was nominated two other times. "I really decided on acting when I was visiting dad on the sets," she says. "I was exposed to the studios first. I was only four, but I knew this was what I wanted to be a part of …” From her aunt, the beautiful Barbara Rush, she picked up a few acting tips. So acting and standing before an audience or a camera are a strong part of Hennesy's DNA. There’s more to this woman than that. She’s a trapeze artist! She's written a book that is already in its second printing, though it was just published recently. Called Pandora Gets Jealous, about a curious little girl named Pandy, a box of evils, their unleashing, and Pandy's quest to save the world by collecting all of them again. The book is the first of a series about Pandy and her two best friends. One could fill a book with all the experience that is wrapped up in Ms Hennesy. In the meantime check out sponsor Michael Fairman’s interview. Love Out Loud and Cops4Causes are proud to have her with us and kudos to General Hospital for keeping her in the public eye.

Bruce Kimmel

There was no hesitation on Bruce Kimmel’s part to become part of POZ magazine’s World AIDS Day event, Bacharach to the Future. Since 1993, Mr. Kimmel has been one of the leading producers of theatre music on CD, having produced over 160 albums and as such he is a purveyor of many things Bacharach, in particular The Burt Bacharach Album: Broadway Sings the Best of Bacharach. He was nominated for a Grammy for producing the revival cast album of Hello, Dolly! and his album with jazz pianist Fred Hersch, I Never Told You, was also nominated for a Grammy. He is also one of the more delightful people one might run into. He is endowed with a big heart.

Bruce Kimmel wrote, directed and starred in the cult movie hit, The First Nudie Musical (available on a Special Edition DVD). He also co-created (with David Wechter) the story for the hit film, The Faculty, directed by Robert Rodriguez.

His musical, The Brain From Planet X (written with David Wechter) has been seen in Los Angeles, New York, and the United Kingdom. He is currently at work on bringing The First Nudie Musical to the stage for 2009. He’s also recently directed concert acts for Kevin Spirtas, Linda Purl, Joan Ryan, and a new two-person show for Mr. Spirtas and Sean McDermott.

As an actor, Mr. Kimmel guest-starred on most of the long-running television shows of the 1970s and he is the author of seven novels – his acclaimed Benjamin Kritzer trilogy (Benjamin Kritzer, Kritzerland, and Kritzer Time), his four mysteries, Writer’s Block, Rewind, his two Adriana Hofstetter mysteries, Murder At Hollywood High and Murder At The Grove, as well as his collection of short fiction, How To Write A Dirty Book and Other Stories.

He is a Renaissance Man. He has come on board as the director for Bacharach to the Future working with his good friend Kevin Spirtas, among other good friends of his who have agreed to be part of this because of their respect for Mr. Kimmel. He will also be on hand for the AIDS Walk Los Angeles fund-raiser at East/West Lounge in West Hollywood. Come shake his hand.

Ilene Kristen

Ilene Kristen a New Yorker through and through has lived in just about everywhere there. She found herself living on the Upper West Side for some of her formative years. As many an urban child, especially of that era, she and her sister were given directives regarding which streets could be traveled.

One street that had 100% permission for her young adventures was Broadway, which served as inspiration for the luminous and joyous noise she gave forth in a duet of Boogaloo Down Broadway after her show one evening at the Triad where she often performs.

Ilene's shows are full of reminiscences in which she relates to her audience as if they were in her living room. She herself says so. Nonetheless her music is sultry, smooth and funky at one and the same time. Still this smoothness wraps itself around complex and sensitive lyrics in her original material. As fortune would have it, one of her songs "Flesh & Blood" is found on the Hurricane Katrina Benefit Recording One Life Many Voices that she and her co-stars from One Life to Live have put together.

"Hold on to the earth with your own two hands and never say goodbye" are the lyrics she wrote in response to The World Trade Center tragedy and the loss of her good friend Nancy Addison from Ryan's Hope. Speaking of inspiration, Ilene Kristen's fans would do her and themselves a great service in encouraging her to record more of her moving and intelligent sounds in a project all her own.

She has lost many friends to AIDS and is very much impacted by the disease which has now ravaged the world for over twenty five years. It's no wonder that this vibrant, diminutive powerhouse was the very first to commit to our fundraiser. To know her is to love her.

Website: The Official Ilene Kristen Website

Christopher Landavazo

Sometimes it seems that good people happen into one's life, when circumstances permit. The good fortune in this circumstance is being in the right line of work at the right time. POZ came to collaborate with Christopher T. Landavazo when his non-profit organization Cops4Causes asked for sponsorship of their efforts for AIDS LifeCycle. When Christopher T. Landavazo himself happened thirty-two years ago in El Paso, Texas future circumstances took him to Yucaipa, California where he grew up.

Prior to joining the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, Mr. Landavazo served six years with the Ventura Police Department and seven years in the United States Navy as an Air Traffic Controller. Christopher earned a Bachelor of Science in Applied Science and Technology from Thomas Edison State College. Not content to rest on those laurels he is currently at work on a Master in Executive Leadership at the University of Southern California.

Now a resident of Los Angeles, serving as a Deputy Sheriff for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department this is a modern gay man who says and does all the right things, for example, he is the President and Founder of the nonprofit organization Cops 4 Causes, an organization which represents the giving hand of law enforcement and seeks to raise money and awareness for children, adults, and law enforcement personnel with life altering circumstances.

This is a man who gives new meaning to gay pride. While Christopher is most proud of his family—proud to serve alongside his brother Michael, who is a Deputy Sheriff in San Bernardino County, and his brother Sean, who is a firefighter in Riverside County, California—this is a man who is all about the ultimate expression of the best qualities in human nature. It is an honour to have the co-sponsorship of Cops4Causes for Love Out Loud West with the participation of Deputy Landavazo. There is little wonder that Frontiers included him in their hot issue.

Official Website: Cops 4 Causes

Sherri Lewis

"The tale of how Sherri has come to a place in her life where she can help women living with HIV seems one part VH1: Behind the Music, another part Ripley's Believe It or Not! From her California home, she shares her many-layered saga, hoping that it will inspire—and protect." (Kellee Terrell)

Read about her story here: HIV: Behind the Music

It was only natural for Sherri to join us and she readily accepted when asked. She is the host of the pod cast, Straight Girl in A Queer World and is an inspiration as an AIDS Activist in Hollywood having come up from the trenches. She is the kind of person that shows that getting and staying well is what this struggle is all about. She has moved forward by virtue of living a life that looks back only to help learn what the future is all about. Look for Sherri to be doing interviews for Love Out Loud West helping to spread the good word.

Website: Straight Girl in a Queer World

Kate Linder

Kate Linder joined the cast of The Young and The Restlessin April, 1982, as Esther Valentine, confidante and housekeeper to Katherine Chancellor (Jeanne Cooper). On April 10, 2008, Linder was honored with a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Lee Phillip Bell and Jeanne Cooper spoke at her well-attended ceremony.

She was named celebrity spokesperson for The ALS Association in 2005 and recently established Kate's Club to get fans and other actors involved in the fight against ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease, following her brother-in-law's ALS diagnosis. Linder is also active with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, among other charities, and has visited troops on USO tours to Afghanistan, Pakistan, South Korea and Guantanamo Bay in addition to military bases in the United States Linder is a founding member of TV Cares, the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences AIDS awareness and fundraising arm. She was also the only daytime actress to be featured in Portraits of Life, with Love, a coffee table book published to raise funds for various AIDS organizations.

In addition to her role on the daytime drama, Linder also works as a United Airlines flight attendant, flying mostly on weekends. She was also the first daytime celebrity to compete in the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach's Pro/Celebrity Race. She is married to Ronald Linder, a leading expert and author on drug abuse. The couple, married on Valentine's Day in 1976. Kate is well known and very much respected among her peers and we are blessed to have her on our team.

Martha Madison

In 2005, Martha Madison was named an ambassador for the National Multiple Sclerosis Foundation and helped re-design their website. Madison's mother has been living with multiple sclerosis for nearly 25 years. Her being part of POZ Team West seems to have come naturally to her. From BellaOnLine.com: "Martha graduated from Texas A&M with a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology, August 1999; head of the dance team; American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City; Chris Wilson’s Acting Studio in Houston, Texas; TUTS Humphrey School of Music Theatre and excelled in music & dance. Silverado’s Dance Team for four years. Motto: 'To thine one self, be true'. Nobody has to live your life but you. Make the choices in life that will make you the happiest. You can't go wrong if you only listen to your own heart. I believe your first instinct is usually the right one. Go with it!
Hero: There are a lot of people whom I admire, but my mother is my all time hero. She’s the most strong-willed person I know. She has certainly shown me the kind of person I'd like to become."
She has been Belle on Days of Our Lives since 2004

Official site: Martha Madison

Kimberly McCullough

Kimberly McCullough has won two Emmys for her portrayal of Robin Scorpio. It is difficult now to imagine anyone else in the role although when she auditioned as a young girl the producers had her come back twelve times. The beauty and talent of Ms McCullough has alit many a prime time show. It is no surprise that producers wanted to have her on their shows. Hers is a valuable presence.

A year ago in a POZ magazine on line article, McCullough said that she believes, that "soap operas are an ideal forum for addressing complex issues like HIV because the daily format gives you the extra time and the real-life context to bring people around gradually. 'There are a lot of steps you have to go through to explain how a person with HIV can have a sex life.'" Like her co-star and on screen romantic interest, she has stepped out of her role as the only HIV positive character on television to foster awareness for the disease that has ravaged the world for over twenty-five years. Many thanks are due and there’s no doubt her many fans will have the opportunity to do so come October 16th.

POZ Article: POZ

Sean McDermott

Sean McDermott makes an impression. Establishing himself as one of Broadway's leading performers, Sean has performed in many a leading role. He simply looks like a leading man. His wonderful tenor voice has been the delight of many a venue. On the road, he has performed with stars like Barbara Eden and Robert Goulet. He has also played the leading role of Joseph in Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat and Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar. On television, Sean has appeared on Monk, Reno 911, Charmed and starred as Heart Jessup in the long-running daytime soap opera Guiding Light. His recording career includes original material on albums such as, New York Nights and My Broadway, produced at Abbey Studios in England. He has also had the honor of sharing the stage with Bernadette Peters at her debut in Carnegie Hall. So you see, he does make an impression and he will continue to do so when he joins POZ and Cops 4 Causes on October 16th to help us raise funds for AIDS Walk Los Angeles.

Billy Miller

Billy Miller is no Richie Novak, his manipulative alter ego on All My Children the show he left last summer. It is our good fortune that he is very different and taking the time once again to join us for a fund-raiser. This time in West Hollywood. He was quite popular among his cast mates and quickly built a following among the show’s fans. Billy now gets to repeat that success on The Young & The Restless. He holds a degree from the University of Texas in Austin as one of only twenty students in the film department's Intensive Production Sequence. Intensive is the operative word here. For example, like many an actor before him, Mr. Miller is no stranger to bartending, and his approach to that experience is to have his own company building and operating bars in Austin, TX and South Bay, CA. As a true denizen of the Southwest, this young man doesn’t let any grass grow under his feet and now after taking New York by storm, he is taking the Left Coast much the same way. Billy Miller is the real thing. He defines intensity, intelligence and generosity. He is genuinely one of the good guys.

David Moretti

David Moretti does indeed look like an Italian movie star as someone once opined. Perhaps it’s because his surname comes from Italy. Wherever his origins are, the man seems to be doing all the right things. He is the star of here! TV's The Lair and the purveyor of his own web log on gaywired.com. From his website: [he likes] the idea of being part of the new movement in gay television. "I'm proud to be part of a show that is entertaining our culture. Gay heroes and villains are a concept not often explored and here! should be commended for being the first network to make it happen." Since debuting on The Lair, Moretti has also appeared as a guest star on Dante's Cove.
He admits to being happier now than ever before. "I have the best of both worlds. I get to step outside of myself and play different characters on the set each day and then when I head home, I actually respect the person I see in the mirror." Speaking of respect, he has earned some in these parts. Come meet him at East/West Lounge on October 16th. Many thanks to Michael Fairman for reaching out to this fine man.

Kristoff St. John

Emmy Award winning New York native Kristoff St. John has been an integral part of The Young and the Restless as Neil Winters for more than a few years. In 1992, St. John won his first Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series. In 2008, Mr. St. John won his second Emmy, as Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. Over the years, he has also won numerous NAACP Image Awards. Mr. St. John is an avid supporter of animal rights an active member of PETA. An active spokesman for the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, Mr. St. John has graciously answered the invitation to become part of POZ/Cops 4 Causes fund raiser for AIDS Walk Los Angeles, Love Out Loud "Soaps in the City" thanks to Michael Fairman. Mr. St. John is a noteworthy and valuable addition to this effort.

James Scott

Today, Scott is wowing fans and critics as the latest DiMera spawn on Days of Our Lives — and having the time of his life. Arguably, Scott is the most talented leading man the NBC soap opera has ever employed. As the enigmatic EJ Wells, Scott brings class and confidence to a role that could have easily become a cardboard caricature.

Born in Newcastle Upon Tyne, England, the 28-year-old thespian began his career in the music industry before catching the acting bug. After studying at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, Scott was a model before landing the role of the much-maligned Ethan Cambias on AMC in 2004. (From TV Guide) He is a welcomed and much welcoming addition to POZ Team West.

Ann Walker

Award-winning actress Ann Walker is currently starring in the very popular LOGO TV series Sordid Lives― The Series as LaVonda Dupree. Ms. Walker is reprising the role which she originated in Del Shores 1996 play and 2001 movie by the same name.

Previously, she appeared in a 10-month run of Del Shores' play, Southern Baptist Sissies, both in Los Angeles and Dallas, Texas. Her portrayal of Odette Annette Barnett garnered her a Robby Award, a Maddy Award, as well as the prestigious Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award.

Los Angeles. theatre-goers have also enjoyed her in other award-winning productions such as Ballad (for which she received a Drama-Logue award and the Robby Award for Best Actress in a Drama), How the Other Half Lives, Steel Magnolias, The Glass Menagerie, and Daughters of the Lone Star State also by Del Shores.

Some of Ann's other film credits include: Lone Rider, Father of the Bride II, The Fanatics, It Takes Two, Soulman and The Jagged Edge. Ann was invited to Love Out Loud by good friend Patrika Darbo. We are happy to have yet another great actress and generous lady along for the ride.