Behind The Photo: Just 10 Seconds Oprah!

I have met Oprah 4 times in my life but this is the only picture I have to prove it.

My journey to meeting Oprah Winfrey began with my dream interview with Whitney Houston. After witnessing one of Whitney’s awe-inspiring performances, I finally found the courage to submit my video to MTV’s FANatic. When my episode aired, my family gathered around the TV like it was the Super Bowl. Watching myself interact with Whitney felt surreal—I was frozen in shock while my house erupted in cheers.

That moment changed everything. Suddenly, I was being recognized by Whitney fans everywhere and invited to speak at schools and churches about following dreams. I realized my experience wasn’t just mine anymore—it was inspiring others. And I had one person I desperately wanted to thank: Oprah Winfrey. Her words, “God can dream a bigger dream than you,” had guided me, and I knew I had to express my gratitude in person.

Determined, I called Oprah’s studio for weeks until I secured a seat in the audience. My goal? Get ten seconds with Oprah. On April 20, 1999, I walked into The Oprah Winfrey Show and prayed for my moment. Seated front and center, I boldly held up ten fingers during a commercial break. Oprah noticed.

“Ten what?” she asked.

“Ten seconds with you before the show ends,” I blurted out.

She smiled and moved on. I had no idea if she’d actually give me those ten seconds—but I refused to give up.

After the show, Oprah was leaving when I locked eyes with her again. “I gotta go,” she said, pointing to her watch.

Before she could take a step, I called out: “Uh, uh, Oprah!”

The room fell silent. I could feel people staring, but I didn’t care.

“Oprah, please. Just ten seconds,” I pleaded.

She paused, then sighed. “Alright then. Go ahead.”

I couldn’t believe it. I had just convinced Oprah Winfrey to stop and listen to me. My prayer had been answered—even if she didn’t know why.

Photo courtesy of the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

As Oprah walked back to her big yellow chair, I stood there in disbelief—she was actually going to listen to me. Though the show had technically ended, a camera operator was suddenly at my feet, filming. My only thought was, Quencie, you better make this count.

By some miracle, the words flowed effortlessly. My ten seconds turned into ten minutes—perhaps Oprah’s fear all along. When I finished thanking her for inspiring me to chase my dreams, the audience erupted in applause. I hadn’t expected that kind of love, especially when they were supposed to be heading out.

Oprah walked over and gave me a big hug. I handed her a picture of me and Whitney with the words “You will win when you believe” written at the bottom.

She smiled and read it aloud. “You will win when you believe. Fantastic!”

I floated out of Harpo Studios, thanking God the entire way home. That day taught me an invaluable lesson—never give up five minutes before the miracle. Oprah had been on her way out, but I wasn’t rude, just persistent. And in the end, she gave me more than the ten seconds I had asked for. Once again, she proved her own words true: “God can dream a bigger dream than you.”

This wasn’t my first Oprah encounter—just the first time I stopped her from leaving her own studio. I’ve met Oprah four times, but only have one photo to prove it.

My First Oprah Encounter

The first time I saw Oprah, I was in college. My high school teacher—who had taught me to drive a stick shift—invited me on a road trip to Chicago for a taping. It remains the only time I’ve ever driven a manual car.

At the studio, I sat in the far-left section, close but not ideal. When Oprah opened the floor for questions, I eagerly raised my hand. A producer rushed over, deemed my question worthy, and instructed me to stand by the mic. But just as my turn came, Oprah announced, “We’re out of time.”

I threw my hands up in disappointment. My reaction made the whole section groan in protest. Oprah laughed and asked, “Did you just turn the whole section against me?” Then, to my surprise, she walked over and hugged me. I handed her a note and a picture of myself. No cameras captured the moment, but Oprah Winfrey had spoken to me and hugged me. Epic.

The Best Friends Show

In 2011, during The Oprah Winfrey Show’s final season, my best friend Tam made sure we attended at least one taping. She wrote a heartfelt letter about our friendship, and out of thousands of submissions, we got selected for a special Best Friends episode featuring Gayle King.

We flew to Chicago, buzzing with excitement. Even though I had been to Oprah’s show before, this felt brand new. Before the taping, we ran into Oprah’s Executive Producer, Sheri Salata—the mastermind behind Oprah’s legendary finale at the United Center. We even got a picture with her!

Each of these Oprah encounters reminded me that dreams unfold in ways we can’t predict. Sometimes, you just have to ask, be persistent, and let the universe do the rest.

The entire experience was magical—from standing in line to chatting with fellow audience members to sitting just three rows back from Oprah, dead center. It felt like angels were orchestrating every moment.

The show was all about best friends, with Oprah and Gayle sharing hilarious stories. After taping, they stuck around for a 30–40 minute Q&A with the audience. I had prepped the perfect question for days, but each time I raised my hand, Oprah called on someone else. Forget it, I thought.

That’s when Tam stepped in. She waited for the perfect moment, raised her hand, and—boom—Oprah called on her. Without missing a beat, Tam said, “My best friend has a question,” and turned to me. I had no part in making this happen, but there I was, face-to-face with Oprah.

Nervous, I stumbled through my question, but Oprah answered it—and Gayle chimed in too. Their response lasted over six minutes, longer than any other question that day! Later, I found out that Oprah.com had posted the entire exchange. I had no clue until Tam’s sister tagged me on Facebook. Seeing that video online was surreal—like my very own Oprah interview!

And then, Oprah blew our minds. She gifted the entire audience a two-day stay at Miraval Spa in Arizona—one of her all-time favorite retreats. But she didn’t stop there. She covered roundtrip flights, airport car service, and even pajamas. Oprah thought of everything.

For over 20 years, I had watched her give away incredible gifts on TV. Never in a million years did I think I would be on the receiving end.

When Tam and I decided to go to the spa over Memorial Day weekend, I tweeted Oprah, not expecting a response. At the time, she had 5 million followers. No way she’ll see this, I thought.

But she did. And she replied.

Oprah Winfrey replied to me.

It was the perfect ending to an unforgettable experience.

When Tam saw Oprah had replied to my tweet, she immediately tweeted her too—and Oprah replied again! Tam had sent Oprah a thank-you gift for the trip and wanted to know if she received it. We both asked, but never expected a response. Oprah rarely used Twitter, so for her to not only be online but to reply twice felt like a miracle.

Tam and I had an unforgettable time at Miraval Spa—even spotting Ellen DeGeneres and Portia! You know it's top-tier when Ellen is there too. I’ll forever be grateful to Oprah for this incredible gift. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience!

When Oprah replies to your tweet, you never forget it! After that, I started live-tweeting my favorite OWN shows, and soon, my tweets made it onto TV promos for Oprah’s Next Chapter, Iyanla: Fix My Life, and Super Soul Sunday. Seeing my words on OWN was surreal—like being part of the shows I loved!

My Tweet Reads: @IyanlaVanzant is doing great TV @Oprah thank you got knowing that and putting her on @OWNTV

I was even invited to live-tweet for OWN one Saturday night, taking over the @OWNers handle and leading the conversation with fellow fans. Social media kept my Oprah connection alive in a way I never imagined. Growing up, all we could do was talk back to the TV—now, we could actually tweet the star! Who knew my Oprah journey would include Twitter takeovers and a world-class spa trip?

At Lifeclass, Tam and I sat less than 12 feet from Oprah and her guest, Iyanla Vanzant. During a commercial break, I caught Oprah’s attention and silently asked for a photo using only eye contact and hand gestures. She immediately understood and nodded yes—it felt like our little secret! When the show wrapped, I gave her a desperate “But…” look, like a kid reminding their parent about a promised trip to McDonald’s. Oprah didn’t miss a beat—she motioned for Tam and me to come over, and an OWN staffer snapped our picture. Finally, after four encounters, I had photo proof!

Oprah didn’t have to do any of this, but she did. So many celebrities wouldn’t, but she always made time. Across decades, she remained kind and consistent—exactly as she appears on TV.

That day, I also gave Oprah my favorite pen, a Uniball. Before I could say the brand, she guessed it! I was shook. She even held it throughout the episode, and I beamed with pride like I had gifted her a car.

This Lifeclass taping was my final Oprah encounter. Unlike before, I was the one who wrote in and secured two seats. Since it was in L.A., we didn’t have to fly to Chicago. It was taped in the OWN offices’ lunch area, with a much smaller audience. When we arrived, I looked up and saw Arianna Huffington—fancy crowd! Later, she even served the audience snacks. Only at an Oprah event, right?

We were the last ones seated but somehow ended up in the front row—right next to Oprah’s sister, Patricia Lofton. The Oprah magic never ran out!

Tam, Patricia Lofton (Oprah’s sister) and me

a candid shot I took of Iyanla and Oprah before taping began.

Exclusive: Quencie Interviews Whitney Houston's Former Bodyguard on His Revealing Memoir, 'Protecting Whitney' [VIDEO]

Over the weekend, I had the incredible honor of interviewing David Roberts, Whitney Houston's former bodyguard (1988–1995), about his new memoir, Protecting Whitney. This revealing and heartfelt book takes you behind the scenes of Whitney's life during the height of her legendary career. It’s a captivating page-turner—I couldn’t put it down and finished it in less than 48 hours!

In our conversation, David shares untold stories, insights, and his personal experiences working with one of the greatest icons of all time. You don’t want to miss this! The book will be released January 28th and you can click here to grab your copy. Prefer to listen instead? Click here for the audio version! 📖 Interested in reading? Grab the Kindle version here.

Watch our conversion below!

I Finally Got The Exact Same Watch Whitney Houston Wore During Our MTV Interview [VIDEO]

In 1998, I had the incredible honor of interviewing Whitney Houston on MTV, and during that unforgettable moment, she wore a watch that for the last few years I dreamed of owning —a small but meaningful connection to that special day.

I searched everywhere, enlisted help, and even scoured the internet with no success. Then, out of nowhere in 2024, BOOM—there it was! Huge shoutout to my bestie, who went above and beyond to secure this treasure for me.

It’s even more special because it’s an Adidas watch—the only sports brand I wear. Now, every time I look down at it, I’m reminded of Whitney and that magical day.

Watch my reaction in the short clip below, taken from an Instagram livestream where I celebrated the 26th anniversary of my interview with Whitney. This watch is more than an accessory—it’s a cherished memory. 💖⌚

Quencie and Riz Washington Talk Whitney Houston [VIDEO]

I went live with fellow Whitney Houston fan, Riz Washington (@RizWashington/ IG) to discuss all things Whitney, which is my absolute favorite topic to talk about. Press play and listen to our live conversation below!

Quencie and Tam Talk Whitney Houston and Celebrate The First Red Carpet Event Studio Q Covered! [VIDEO]

On February 9th Studio Q covered it's first red carpet event, which was also the last red carpet that Whitney Houston walked. It was at a pre-grammy party given by Kelly Price and Jason Lee called 'For The Love of R & B' at Tru night Club in Hollywood.

This was a very special event because it marks the last time I got to hug Whitney Houston before she passed just 2 days later. Check out our conversation where we shared memories about that day, that moment, and everything that led up to it.

A Deep Dive Into Whitney Houston's Favorite Perfumes!

One of the questions I have repeatedly been asked over the years in regards to meeting Whitney Houston was, “What did she smell like?” Well now, over two decades later, I finally have an answer. Initially, I would always be thrown off by that question because what Whitney smelled like was the furthest thing from my brain when I met her. My only goal was to hold it together so that I wouldn’t pass out in front of her! Lol!

Recently, I received a bottle of Whitney’s signature perfume, which is named “Worth” by Je Reviens from Sedef Aygun who is a fellow Whitney Houston fan from Germany. She was beyond kind to send me a bottle. I never intended to wear it, but rather just have it as a keepsake. Before Sedef sent the bottle to me, she told me that she had communicated with Whitney’s sister n law, Pat Houston and actually confirmed that Whitney did wear “Worth” by Je Reviens. However, I already knew it was true, because both Bobby Brown and Robyn Crawford mentioned Whitney’s signature scent by name in their memoirs.

I was really curious to see what this fragrance smelled like and share with you what I thought about it. I loved the way it was packaged. The blue bottle with the gold top screamed elegance. But when I actually smelled it, I was taken aback. I would have never pictured Whitney choosing this scent. It smells like something a nice older lady would wear to church. A literal bouquet of bright florals is the best way I can describe the scent . I could see Cissy wearing this before Whitney.

But here’s the thing about fragrances. How it smells in the bottle might be completely different then when the scent mixes with your body chemistry. So, that’s my guess as to why it smelled so good on Whitney that it became her signature scent. But, just smelling it by itself, I was extremely underwhelmed.

But don’t get it twisted! I am still thrilled to own a bottle because it’s what Whitney wore! And at the end of the day, that’s all that matters to me. So, now going forward, anytime someone asks me how Whitney smelled I can honestly answer them and refer them to “Worth” by Je Reviens

Below are a few other fragrances that google claimed Whitney wore. You can check them all out in my amazon store on my “All Things Whitney Houston” list

Quencie Interviews Liamani Segura on Whitney Houston's Heavenly Birthday [VIDEO]

Courtesy of Liamani Sings Facebook page

On August 9th I interviewed 12-year old singing sensation Liamani Segura on my For The Love of Whitney Facebook page. Liamani performed two Whitney songs and sang Happy Birthday to celebrate Whitney Houston’s 58th heavenly birthday!

Check out our chat and her performances below!

Floyd Marshall Jr. Interviews Founder and Host of Studio Q, Quencie Thomas [VIDEO]

I am always the one doing interviews so, when Floyd Marshall Jr. of The Independent Film Association of Philadelphia asked to interview me I was very reluctant! That’s absolutely no shade to Floyd that is always my first response to anyone who wants to interview me.

My first question is always the same, what are we going to talk about? Floyd replied, your interviews of course! And that’s just what we did. I had a great time talking about how I got started interviewing celebrities, how I founded Studio Q and sharing some behind the scene stories.

You can either watch the interview above or listen to it in podcast form by scrolling down below!

Whitney Houston's Estate Plans Hologram Tour and New Album 7 Years After Her Death

According to The Jasminebrand, for those who wish they could have had the chance to see iconic singer Whitney Houston perform live before she passed in 2012, that chance is coming. The “I Will Always Love You” singer’s estate has inked a new deal with Primary Wave Music Publishing, a boutique music company, specializing in the marketing of classic artists’ catalog. Some of their clientele include Bob Marley, Smokey Robinson, and Def Leppard. Their first massive project for Whitney is a hologram tour.

The show will feature Whitney Houston’s image and voice as a hologram, performing her classics backed by her original band and backup singers, including her brother Gary Houston. Whitney Houston’s longtime manager and sister-in-law, Pat Houston, says the estate is finally ready to feed the singer’s fans with new ways to honor her legacy while re-polishing her image. Pat told the New York Times:

“Before she passed, there was so much negativity around the name; it wasn’t about the music anymore. People had forgotten how great she was. They let all the personal things about her life outweigh why they fell in love with her in the first place.”

Primary Wave founder, Larry Mestel, added:

“Whitney was America’s sweetheart, and the idea now is to remind people that that is what her legacy is.”

Pat says that as the executor of the estate, she has turned down several deals pitched for Whitney after her death, including a traveling museum. She said:

“Everything is about timing for me. It’s been quite emotional for the past seven years. But now it’s about being strategic.”

She also reveals the reason Whitney Houston never wanted to be included in the Hollywood Walk of Fame:

“[Whitney] didn’t want people walking on her name.”

Primary Wave is organizing many upcoming Whitney Houston projects, including a Broadway musical, and an album of unreleased music.

Would you attend a Whitney Houston hologram concert?



My Review of The Whitney Film [LISTEN]

I went to see the Whitney film last week and it still has me in my feelings! I had to travel 2 hrs just to see it because it was not playing in any theater close by me. I would only travel this far to see a film about Whitney Houston.  Listen below to my anchor podcast review of the film and let me know your thoughts.

This is my review of the Whitney Film .

Check out my fan documentary For The Love of Whitney below.

Joy Rovaris and Nadji Jeter Talk About Bobbi Kristina Movie on TV One

Yesterday, I had a great time interviewing some of the cast from the upcoming TV One movie, Bobbi Kristina, premiering on TV One Sunday, October 8th at 7 p.m. ET/6 p.m. CT. Joy Rovaris stars as Bobbi Kristina and Nadji Jeter plays Nick Gordon. The story delves into Bobbi Kristina's struggle to come to terms with her mother's sudden departure as well as the complexities of her own life. Opposite Joy Rovaris, Bobbi Kristina stars Demetria McKinney who embodies the heart, flair and essence of the legendary Whitney Houston. The film also stars Hassan Johnson as Bobby Brown, and Vivica A. Fox as Pat Houston. It is directed by child actor Ty Hodges and Executive Produced by Tracey Baker Simmons and Wanda Shelley, who were the creators of the docu-series Being Bobby Brown and The Houstons. 

If you are a Whitney Houston fan, some of you might be put off by a movie about her daughter only two years after her passing.  Krissi's father, Bobby Brown and The Whitney Houston estate even sued to try and stop this movie from being aired.  But I say give it a chance, because this film really aims to share Bobbi Kristina's story which was often overshadowed by her larger than life parents.  Although I have not seen the film, I did get a look at a 10 minute trailer which really impressed me. The acting was great and I was eager to see more. What I loved most about this cast is that they are all Whitney Houston fans and would not be a part of something that bashed Bobbi Kristina. I will definitely be watching on Sunday. 

Check out my Studio Q interview below. 

Quencie Interviews Sheléa Frazier

I interviewed Sheléa Frazier after experiencing her sing one of the best tributes to Whitney Houston I've ever heard on YouTube first then live at The Grammy Museum alongside super producer Narada Michael Walden.  She's accomplished so many  great things in her career since this interview that it would just blow your mind.  I am super proud of her.  She's living her dream.  Check out my interview with Sheléa below. 

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

Quencie Interviews Nicci Gilbert

I interviewed Nicci Gilbert at Roland Martin's launch party in Beverly Hills. You may remember Nicci from the girl group Brownstone who gave us some great R&B hits. She also was a part of the R&B divas reality show which appeared on TV One.

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

We talked about her fashion line Curvado, R&B Divas and the late great Whitney Houston. Check out our conversation below.  

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

Quencie Interviews Kiki Haynes

I interviewed Kiki Haynes of Tyler Perry's 'For Better or Worse' on the red carpet of 'Divas Simply Singing' which is a Aids charity founded by Sheryl Lee Ralph. I talked to Kiki about what is what like working with Whitney's daughter Bobbi Kristina when she had a small role on the show.  Find out what she says in out conversation below. 

Wayne Linsey Remembers Whitney Houston

Wayne Linsey is a consummate musician, producer, arranger, songwriter and artist who plays keyboards, guitar, bass and drums.  He worked with the late great Whitney Houston for years and I got a chance to interview him for my documentary 'For The Love of Whitney' in which he talked about the years he worked with Whitney.  He even got a little emotional during reminiscing about Whitney. Watch our conversation below. 

The Best of Quencie in 2016 - A Year in Review

I cannot believe 2017 is upon us.  This year literally seemed to fly by.  2016 was full of unbelievable surprises and devastating heartbreak, from Hillary Clinton losing the election to having to say goodbye to icons like Prince, George Michael, Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds who passed away this year.  In the words of Charles Dickens' novel, A Tale of Two Cities, "It was the best of times, It was the worst of times."

Before we ring in the new year, I wanted to take a moment and reflect on what has been an incredible year for Studio Q.  I'm proud of how we've evolved this past year.  If this is your first time visiting Quencie.com, allow me to introduce myself.  My name is Quencie and I am the founder and host of Studio Q, which is an online show where I interview the stars you love! You can subscribe to my YouTube channel or my VHX channel to watch some of the great conversations I've had with some of your favorite celebrities.  

If you already know me and have ever taken the time to watch one of my celebrity interviews, re-tweeted any of my content, added me on snapchat or shared one of my posts on Facebook or Instagram, I thank you and appreciate your support.  I am so grateful that I experienced yet another amazing year of doing what I love.  I look forward to becoming better at my craft and taking Studio Q to the next level in 2017.  Scroll down and take a quick look back at a few of my wins in 2016.  Happy New Year!  I'm wishing you nothing but love, good health and happiness in 2017!

How You Can Rock The Red Carpet eBook

Tam and I co-wrote an eBook together sharing our tips and tricks on 'How You Can Rock The Red Carpet' when covering Hollywood events.  For those of you who don't know Tam is, she is my best friend and Studio Q producer.  We've both made so many mistakes that we thought we could maybe spare you a few.  If you sign up for our Studio Q newsletter, you can download it for FREE. This eBook serves up as number two on my top Studio Q moments of 2016.

Mr. Church Premiere

This year I received the distinct honor of interviewing comedian legend Eddie Murphy on the red carpet at his movie premiere for Mr. Church.  As you can see from the pictures above I was beyond excited.  Who didn't grow up with Eddie Murphy making them laugh.  It was the first time I ever interviewed him or Arsenio Hall, which was a double treat.  Watch my red carpet interviews below.

The Screen Actor's Guild Awards

2016 was the the first year Studio Q ever covered the Screen Actor's Guild Awards.  It was an interesting experience.  The red carpet was enormous.  There were so many stars and media outlets there that it would make your head spin.  Tam and I were more interested in taking in the sites than getting interviews, which turned out to be a good thing, because most of the celebrities never stopped to talk.  They either walked by quickly with their heads down trying to avoid you or waved bye like they were in a parade on top of a float.  There were a few stars that would stop and  talk here and there, but for the most part they kept it moving.  It did feel like there were a million media outlets vying for interviews, but thank God we weren't one of them.  We just watched in awe at how rude or kind someone was. It was like reality TV. 

Now to be fair,  I'm sure most celebrities spoke to big outlets like Entertainment Tonight, E! or Extra! but for everybody else it was a crap shoot.

I also got to hang out in the press room after the stars won their SAG award. So overall, it was a great experience! Check out our photos above and our coverage below. 

Loretta Devine Interview

Loretta Devine is one of my favorite actresses, so quite naturally I am always thrilled when I have an opportunity to interview her.  I have never had a sit down conversation with her yet, but I have been fortunate enough to interview her a few times on the red carpet.  This year after I interviewed Loretta Devine at the NAACP Nominees' luncheon she looked at me and said, "You're such a great interviewer!"  Um, did I hear her correctly?  Did Loretta Devine just give me this kind of love on the red carpet?! She did! She did!

I can think all day long that I'm the greatest interviewer of all time, but that doesn't mean anyone else agrees with me.  The reason I am always grateful for compliments such as this is because I really work hard at my craft.  I do admit that I am a natural when it comes to connecting with people, but I work extra hard at taking it to the next level when I'm interviewing them.  I do my homework.  So, when they notice and compliment me like Loretta Devine did, oh yes people, it's a big deal for me.  Celebrities are interviewed all the time for every project that they do. So, it's awesome to get love like that and on the red carpet too.  There is never enough time to interview stars on the red carpet the way I like to do interviews so, to make a connection, where I get a compliment like that is priceless.  Thanks Loretta Devine!  I hope to do a sit down interview with her in 2017.   You can check out the love she gave me below.

Sheryl Underwood Interview

I love interviewing Sheryl Underwood who co-stars on the Emmy award winning talk show, 'The Talk'.  She is funny, smart and a bunch of fun to talk to.  Usually, after I interview a celebrity I ask them if they will do a drop for Studio Q.  A Studio Q drop is when they hold the mic, look into the camera and say, "My name is Sheryl Underwood and you're watching Studio Q."  But when I gave Sheryl Underwood the mic she said so much more.  I was in shock.  You would have thought we were friends or that I slipped her a $20.  But neither is true.  I've only interviewed Sheryl Underwood one other time before this so it was quite a wonderful surprise.  First Loretta Devine with the compliment, then this.  Press play and feel the love. Thanks Sheryl Underwood!

The 47th Annual Image Awards Luncheon

Studio Q attended the 47th NAACP Image Awards Nominees' Luncheon at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, CA.  We've attended a few times before and it's always a lot of fun.  The luncheon was co-hosted by Black-ish (ABC) stars Marcus Scribner and Yara Shahidi.  Other celebrities in attendance included: Anthony Anderson, Tyrese, Laverne Cox, Loretta Devine, Joe Morton, Sheryl Underwood, Naturi Naughton, Teyonah Paris, RonReaco Lee, Cornelius Smith, Jr., Miles Brown and many more.  Watch my Studio Q coverage below:

The Black-ish Kids

It was such a highlight this year for me to talk to the smart, adorable, fun kids from ABC's hit show Black-ish at The NAACP Image Awards luncheon.  Even though I don't know the creator of the show Kenya Barris I am super proud that we graduated from the same college, Clark Atlanta University.  It makes me love the show just a little bit more. Check out my Studio Q interviews with these pint sized stars below.

Oscar So White Controversy

A major trending topic during the time we covered the 47th NAACP Image Awards Nominees' Luncheon in Beverly Hills, CA was about the lack of diversity at the Oscars.  The hashtag #oscarsowhite was currently trending on Twitter and I got a chance to ask singer, Tyrese, actress, Loretta Devine, and actor, Joe Morton about how they felt.  At the time people were calling for Chris Rock to step down as host.  "Why boycott Chris Rock?" says Joe Morton right off the bat. However, Tyrese felt the complete opposite.  This was a highlight for me this year because I love the fact that just by asking these stars a question, I was participating in a national conversation that was going on about race, diversity and Hollywood.  It's one of the many reason why I love my job.  Pure awesomeness.  Watch below.

Queen of Katwe

I was invited to a special screening of Disney's Queen of Katwe and it was a highlight this year because I was so moved by this movie.  There were so many great performances from Lupita Nyong'o, David Oyelowo and newcomer Madina Nalwanga.  This definitely should be on your watch list as well as a new Disney classic.  I got a chance to speak with a few others who came out to the screening including, Kat Tat from VH1's Black Ink Chicago and Edwina Findley of Tyler Perry's 'If Loving You Was Wrong' featured on OWN.  Edwina also hosted the screening. Check out my chats with both ladies below.

Celebrity Connected Luxury Gifting Suite - The Emmy Awards and The American Music Awards

This was the first year Studio Q attended the Celebrity Connected Luxury Gifting Suite at the W Hotel.  The event honored The Emmy Awards and The American Music Awards with celebrities, bloggers and athletes.  What are Celebrity Gifting Suites? Gift Suites provide exposure to products or businesses to celebrities.  The day before an awards show, the invited celebrities visit the Celebrity Connected event.  They are each provided with their own personal guide to escort them to various booths which display businesses products.  As each celebrity comes by, they are given gifts and the businesses take photos or videos with them for product endorsements.  

It's so crazy that the main people who don't need free gifts always get them.  The cool thing about this event was that the media also gets those same gifts.  I even shared some of my free goodies with someone who watched along as I live streamed the event.  Check out all the fun I had with stars like Jackee' Harry, Derek Rose, Essence Atkins and more at the event and on the red carpet.  Watch below.

'Almost Christmas' 

Right before Thanksgiving I went to support the movie 'Almost Christmas' with my best friend Tam and Godson, Jayden.  As soon as we walked into the theater we saw the director and writer of the film, David E. Talbert and Omar Epps, who co-stars in the movie.  Only in LA can you run into the stars of the film while you're going to see the film!   I would say this happens everywhere, but not so.  This never happened in my midwestern hometown of Springfield, IL.  They were all pretty friendly and even agreed to do a future Studio Q interview.  People always ask me how I get interviews, this is one of the many different ways how.  Whenever I find myself in a unique situation like this, I open my mouth and ask for what I want.  As the old saying goes, A closed mouth don't get fed. Check out the photo below. Jayden has no idea who these people are. Lol! 

Eddie Levert (The O'Jays), Bryce Wilson (Groove Theory) and Miki Howard Interviews

I had the pleasure of doing sit down interviews this year with the legendary Eddie Levert, Groove Theory's Bryce Wilson and Miki Howard who had her life story premiere on TV One this year.  I like doing red carpet interviews but it's the one on one interviews that give me life.  It's the reason why I created Studio Q.  Eddie Levert was my very first Skype interview and even though I wasn't in the room with him like I was with Miki or Bryce it felt like I was.  He was a bunch of fun. It's nothing like interviewing legends.  They have so much to talk about and so much wisdom to share.  My goal in every interview is to show another side of the celebrity you love so that you can connect with them in an even more authentic way.  We are so much more alike than we are different - real talk.  In 2017,  I look forward to doing even more sit down interviews and having them all be sponsored reaching massive audiences like never before.  Oh yeah people, I got big dreams!  To check out all of my exclusive interviews subscribe to my  VHX channel by clicking on the button below. For $5 a month you can have access to all of my exclusive Studio Q content, but if you're reading this right now I will send you every one of my exclusive interviews for free. Just email me at Studioqtv@gmail.com and mention that you saw the offer from this New Year's Eve post. 

Gerald Albright Interview

Skype interview with Gerald Albright

I had a great time Skype interviewing jazz great, Gerald Albright.  We talked abut his illustrious career which spans over three decades.  Gerald has worked with Whitney Houston for a number of years so, you know I was super excited to hear him talk about his time with her.  I loved this guy's spirit and his new album, G , which is the perfect CD to listen to as we slide into 2017.  Check out our conversation below and buy his album on his website, geraldalbright.com. You won't be disappointed. 

Premiered 'For The Love of Whitney' Documentary on YouTube

I premiered our 'For The Love of Whitney' documentary on Whitney Houston's birthday this year. Tam and I created the documentary back in 2013 and we finally shared it with the world.  You can now watch it on our YouTube channel or by clicking below. Thank you to everyone who supported our Kickstarter campaign back then to even make this tribute to Whitney. I am so proud that this exists for her.  If you are a real Whitney fan you will really appreciate watching it.  So far, it's the best thing you never saw about Whitney.   But you can change that by pressing play below.  

I created a Facebook page back in 2013 to support our For the Love of Whitney documentary.  It was a great way to keep everyone in the loop of all that we were doing.  Even though the main purpose of the page was to promote the documentary I would also post Whitney pictures and videos to help keep her legacy alive.  I grew a small tribe of Whitney fan supporters in those three years but it wasn't until this past June that the page climbed to 10,000 likes on Facebook.  I was pretty excited that I was able to grow the page to that many people who loved Whitney even after the documentary had long been completed.  I have know idea what happened over the summer but in just 6 short months the page grew from 10k to over 50k. I am stunned but happy that fans have supported the page. I never intended to keep the page going past the documentary but I'm so glad I did.  Recently, I recruited some Whitney fans to help keep the page growing in 2017. A big thank you to fellow Whitney fans, Devron Ford, Doc Reich and Benja Diaaz who now post for me on a regular basis.   The only Whitney page that has more fans than we do is Whitney's official one with 14 million fans. Pretty awesome for someone who had no idea what she was doing.   If you're a Whitney fan visit and like our page  For The Love of Whitney on Facebook. 

Quencie Interviews Grammy Winning Music Producer, Narada Michael Walden

I was thrilled to have the opportunity to sit down with Grammy award winning producer, Narada Michael Walden at the Grammy Museum in LA.  I was there for an event honoring the release of a book he wrote about Whitney Houston.  

He is responsible for a lot of Whitney's number one hits.  We discussed music, his new book, and working with Whitney. Watch our interview below.  

Quencie interviews The Late Great Whitney Houston

It's been 18 years since I interviewed Whitney Houston on MTV.  She was and is still my favorite singer of all time.  This was not just your average interview, but more of a moment in time where I was afforded the opportunity to express just how much I loved Whitney.  Anyone who knows me can never forget how much I grew up loving Whitney Houston.  So, this was a big deal, not just because it was Whitney, but because I had been a lifetime fan.

Even though the MTV show I interviewed Whitney Houston on was entitled, 'FANatic,' I absolutely hated that word because to me it highlighted more of the crazy side of a fan instead of the love. So, the first chance I got, I told Whitney I was a friend not a Fan.  From that day on whenever Whitney and I saw each other, "Friend" is what she called me.  I will always love her for that!  Let's go back to 1998 and experience my dream come true interview with the one and only, Whitney Houston!