2nd Annual Breaking the Silence Awards Ceremony & Luncheon [VIDEO]

On Sunday September 24, 2017, Studio Q covered the 2nd Annual Breaking the Silence Awards Ceremony & Luncheon held at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalow in Santa Monica, CA. Breaking the Silence Awards (BTSA) a fundraiser event, which ecognizes corporations and community leaders who use their platform of influence to advocate for Sexual & Domestic Abuse Awareness. BTSA raises funds to provide supportive services to GLBT survivors of sexual & domestic abuse. BTSA, a fundraising program of the I Love Me Foundation (ILMFDN), was established in 2015 by Hollywood publicist, Robert Harrell, to utilize the industry’s resources to engage the public in supporting new research efforts and to increase awareness about sexual trauma in the GLBT community.

Honorees included: William Institute Founding Executive Director, Brad Sears, Former West Hollywood Mayor, Abbe Land, OUT Magazine Managing Editor, R. Kurt Osenlund, Celebrity DJ & Music Producer, Zeke Thomas, Pulse Orlando Nightclub Shooting Survivor, Angel Colon.

Other guests included: Benjamin Patterson (OWN 'Greenleaf'), Jay Alexander (ANTM), Laith Ashley (NBC 'Strut'), Leeza Gibbons (Entertainment Tonight), James Wright Chanel (Youtube Personality, Pattie Pie Guy), Perez Hilton (Entertainment Blogger), Tammy Townsend (Disney 'K.C. Undercover'), Laura Govan (Basketball Wives LA) and many more.

Watch the Studio Q red carpet interviews below:

Follow me: @quencie on Twitter | Quencie on Facebook | @quencie on Instagram | YouTube

Opening Night of #TheBodyguardTheMusical at The Hollywood #Pantages Theater [VIDEO]

Last night, Tam and I (Studio Q) covered LA's premiere of the hit musical, THE BODYGUARD at The Hollywood Pantages theater.  It is an award–winning musical based on the smash–hit film of the same name. Who could forget Kevin Coster as Frank Farmer, the former Secret Service agent turned bodyguard hired to protect superstar Rachel Marron, played by the late great Whitney Houston? It was Whitney's first film, so I was super excited to see this show.  

Judson Mills and Deborah cox

Grammy® Award-nominated and multi-platinum R&B/pop recording artist and film/TV actress Deborah Cox stars as Rachel Marron. In the role of the bodyguard Frank Farmer, is television star Judson Mills. I am such a huge Whitney Houston fan so I am very biased when it comes to other people singing her songs, but as soon as Deborah Cox opened her mouth - I was sold! Based on Lawrence Kasdan’s 1992 Oscar nominated Warner Bros. film, and adapted by Academy Award-winner (Birdman) Alexander Dinelaris, THE BODYGUARD featured songs recorded by Whitney Houston including: One Moment in Time, I Have Nothing, I Wanna Dance with Somebody, Saving All My Love, Run to You, So Emotional and her cover version of Dolly Parton's I Will Always Love You.  What I loved most about this show is that Deborah Cox was not trying to be Whitney Houston.  She made the songs her own all while celebrating Whitney at the same time. If you love Whitney Houston, then this is a MUST-SEE! If you love the film, The Bodyguard then you are going to like how they adapted it to the stage. If you love and appreciate musical theater and amazing singing - this is a MUST-SEE! And if you are a Deborah Cox fan, you will be in heaven from beginning to end. You will find yourself singing along and celebrating Whitney in a positive way. 

Quencie (Host, Studio Q) and Tam (Producer, Studio Q)

Tam and I had a great time at the show and on the red carpet. The long list of stars who came out to see Deborah Cox in THE BODYGUARD include: Angela Bassett, Courntey B. Vance, Margaret Cho, Bill Bellamy, Mary Mary (Erica and Tina Campbell), Erica Ash, Loni Love, Loretta Devine, Yvette Lee Bowser, Kym Whitley, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Dawnn Lewis, Michael Costello who designed her red carpet gown, plus many more. Scroll down and check out my interview with Deborah Cox and some of the celebrities who attended the event. Add me on snapchat (StudioQTV) to see footage from the whole night!  

Angela Bassett

Erica Ash

Loretta Devine

Photo courtesy of Yvette Nicole Brown Instagram 

Watch below. 

Follow me: @quencie on Twitter | Quencie Thomas on Facebook | @quencie on Instagram

Quencie Interviews Michael Jai White

I interviewed Michael Jai White on the red carpet at the NAACP Theater awards and since his show For Better or Worse was on OWN I had to ask him about Oprah Winfrey. Check out what he said about Oprah. Watch below. 

Quencie Interviews Syleena Johnson

I interviewed R&B Diva and soul singer Syleena Johnson at the Daughters of Soul event held at Maverick Flats in LA. She was so cool and down to earth. I loved her on the reality show R&B Divas and really connected with her when she and her family were on an episode of Iyanla's Fix My Life.   Check out our conversation along with her performance from that night below.

Check out our conversation along with her performance from that night below.

Quencie Interviews Actor, Joe Morton

I spoke to veteran actor Joe Morton who is nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series (Scandal) on the red carpet of The 47th annual NAACP Nominees luncheon.  We talked about his feelings about the Oscar controversy and people calling for Chris Rock to step down as host. His reaction echoed the same sentiments of Whoopi Goldberg when she shared her comments on 'The View.' "Why boycott Chris Rock?" says Joe Morton right off the bat. He goes on to say,  'I think it's too late to boycott the Oscars."  Watch the rest of what he says below.

Sidebar: I love Papa Pope.