LA Comedic Actress is Finding the Funny in a Covid-Safe Search for Love

LA Comedic Actress is Finding the Funny in a Covid-Safe Search for Love

by | Feb 9, 2021 | Feature, General, News

A feature story: Los Angeles, CA.  Some singles put romance on hold to avoid Covid-19, but Isabel Klein just went on 52 dates—a date a week for a year. “I dated through the pandemic and did NOT get COVID! Take that, Covid!” Klein exclaimed. “It was a simple screening process. Imagine a windowless interrogation room, naked lightbulb swinging overhead, and me screaming in a guy’s face ‘You got an N95? You sing your ABC while you wash your hands?’ But seriously, it’s all about communication.”

The LA-based comedic actress became an authority on dating while waiting for the entertainment industry to re-start.

Klein blogs about her journey on Date-A-Week.com. “A lot of cringe-worthy things happened, so I used it as fodder for TikTok videos, and they took off.” The 24-year-old plays multiple parts as she recreates dates at her handle, @frizzyhairizzy. One of her #dateaweekla TikToks has already been viewed over 2 million times.

Klein explained, “I went on 52 dates! Speed dating on an app, blind date setups, virtual cookie making, I’ve done it all. I got stiffed by a guy who ‘forgot his wallet’ and went on over a dozen of social distance walks. But I never found a sexy way to pick up my dog’s poop.”

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, the serial dater is offering advice to singles:

Top Three Valentine’s Dating Tips:

  1. Start with a FaceTime date. It’s safe and helps prevent romantic letdowns. Pre-screen with a ‘Covid talk’ to ensure prospective sweethearts are using best practices.
  2. Make a commitment to date regularly. It takes the pressure off individual dates so you’re freer to be yourself. If a date’s a bust, even on Valentine’s Day, there’s always next week.
  3. Put yourself out there! It is not an act of desperation; it’s a bold, empowering, and intentional search for love!

“Look, if I can do it, you can do it,” Klein said. “Before I committed to go on a date a week, I got so nervous would dry heave before walking out the door. Last year I finally made overcoming my fears a priority.” It’s a technique that’s also working for readers who are trying it for themselves. Many offer Testimonials on Date-A-Week.com.

Like other singles, Klein had to pivot during the pandemic but didn’t want to stop meeting new people. “It’s a hard time to be alone. There’s not much to do because of Covid and we all need human connection.” Klein has a list of safety tips on her blog. “I’m not taking any chances. Covid-19 is serious business. Also, I can’t lose my sense of smell and taste, because Frappuccinos and chocolate croissants are my life.”

Academy Museum of Motion Pictures Exceeded Pre-Opening Fundraising Goal of $388 Million

Academy Museum of Motion Pictures Exceeded Pre-Opening Fundraising Goal of $388 Million

by | Nov 13, 2020 | Feature, General, News

The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures is a museum currently being build by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Los Angeles. It’s set to open on April 30, 2021, and will be the nation’s first large-scale museum entirely dedicated to the art, science, craft, business, and history of film.

The permanent and rotating exhibits will provide an immersive experience for visitors to explore the cultural and creative contributions that Hollywood and the film industry have made around the world.

 

Gallery of Oscar statuettes in Stories of Cinema, ©Academy Museum Foundation/Image by wHY architecture.

The museum is on the corner of Wilshire and Fairfax on Los Angeles’s Museum Mile. Photo Courtesy of Joshua White Photography ©Academy Museum Foundation

Located in The Sphere, the 1,000-seat David Geffen Theater will represent the relationship between art and technology. The theater’s programming will include presentations illuminating the art of filmmaking, film premieres from new and established filmmakers, and other high-profile events. Photo Courtesy of Joshua White Photography ©Academy Museum Foundation

For the fundraising campaign goal more than 13,000 donors contributed to the Campaign for the Academy Museum, with gifts coming from individuals, corporations, foundations, and government entities. Cheryl and Haim Saban made the largest contribution with a transformative $50 million gift for which the Saban Building (formerly a May Company department store) was named.

Campaign chair Bob Iger said, “This is a great day for the Academy Museum and the entire world of film. Thanks to the wonderful generosity of a broad community of donors, and to the commitment of co-chairs Annette Bening and Tom Hanks, we have proudly achieved our goal. The way ahead is clear, as we move at full speed toward an unforgettable grand opening in April 2021.”

“Closing this fundraising campaign is an important and exciting milestone for the Academy Museum,” said Bill Kramer. “We are deeply grateful to our campaign leadership and to our Trustees, donors, and partners who have made important commitments to the campaign. Their support is helping to make the Academy’s long-held dream of building the world’s premier film museum a reality.”

Ted Sarandos, Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Academy Museum, said, “Thanks to the strong leadership of Bob Iger, the enlightened support of the Academy’s Board of Governors, and the dedication of the Academy Museum’s Board and staff, this new institution is now poised to deliver on its promise as the world’s premier museum of film. To all the donors who have stepped up to make this happen, on behalf of the Board I offer our heartfelt gratitude.”

Newly named at the Academy Museum is the LAIKA Gallery, dedicated to special collections, which will debut with The Path to Cinema: Highlights from the Richard Balzer Collection. This exhibition will showcase the world’s foremost collection of pre-cinema artifacts. Metro Goldwyn Mayer is providing support for the museum’s core exhibition, Stories of Cinema.

Eric and Melina Esrailian led a campaign effort to develop a program to provide access and opportunity to under-represented communities. Drs. Kathy Fields and Garry Rayant have contributed to the museum’s general education fund in honor of Sid Ganis and Nancy Hult Ganis.

New donors to the Pillar Campaign, co-chaired by museum trustees Laura Dern and Kimberly Steward, which names the support columns in the Saban Building, include Julia and Ken Gouw in honor of Miyoshi Umeki, the Oneida Indian Nation, New York in honor of Native American musician and advocate Buffy Sainte-Marie as well as Kimberly Steward and K Period Media in honor of Hattie McDaniel.

From Academy Museum of Motion Pictures:

When it opens, the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures will be the world’s premier institution dedicated to the art and science of movies. Global in outlook and grounded in the unparalleled collections and expertise of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Academy Museum will offer exceptional exhibitions and programs that illuminate the world of cinema. They will be immersive and dynamic and will tell the many stories of the movies—their art, technology, artists, history, and social impact—through a variety of diverse and engaging voices. The Academy Museum will tell complete stories of moviemaking—celebratory, educational, and sometimes critical or uncomfortable.

Designed by Pritzker Prize—winning architect Renzo Piano, the Academy Museum’s six floors feature exhibition spaces, education and special event spaces, a conservation studio, a café, and a museum store. In addition, the museum’s 1,000-seat David Geffen Theater and 288-seat Ted Mann Theater will present a year-round calendar of screenings, film series, member programs, panel discussions, family programs, and symposia. Programs will include retrospectives and thematic series that illuminate the artistic and cultural contributions of an international selection of movie artists.

Every decision made at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures reflects a carefully crafted set of guiding principles that begins with the Mission Statement. These extend into the design of its exhibitions, the development of its public and educational programs, the creation of its publications, the hiring and growth of its staff, and the development of its board of trustees and committees.

These supporters join other generous philanthropists who have made leadership gifts to the museum, including: Cheryl and Haim Saban (Saban Building), The David Geffen Foundation (David Geffen Theater), Rolex (Rolex Gallery), Dalian Wanda Group (the Wanda Gallery), Hobson/Lucas Family Foundation in honor of Sid Ganis, Dolby Laboratories/Family of Ray Dolby (Dolby Family Terrace), The Walt Disney Company (Walt Disney Company Piazza), Marilyn and Jeffrey Katzenberg (Marilyn and Jeffrey Katzenberg Gallery), Steven Spielberg (Spielberg Family Gallery), Patricia Bellinger Balzer, Shirley Temple Black and Family (Shirley Temple Education Studio), East West Bank (East West Bank Gallery), Gale Anne Hurd (Hurd Gallery), Bob Iger and Willow Bay (Bob Iger and Willow Bay Terrace), NBCUniversal, Netflix (Netflix Terrace), Participant, Cecilia DeMille Presley (Cecil B. DeMille Founders Room), PwC, Richard Roth, Gerald Schwartz and Heather Reisman (Gerald Schwartz and Heather Reisman Terrace), The Simms/Mann Family Foundation (Ted Mann Theater), Jeff Skoll, Wendy Stark of The Fran and Ray Stark Foundation, Barbra Streisand (Barbra Streisand Bridge), Steve Tisch (Steve Tisch Terrace), Warner Bros. Entertainment (Warner Bros. Gallery), Wasserman Foundation (Wasserman Bridge), and Wolfgang Puck Catering and Events LLC/Compass Group USA, Inc. Additionally, the Academy Museum’s Digital Engagement Platform is sponsored by Bloomberg Philanthropies. A post-opening campaign to raise new endowment, programming, operating, and capital funds is being planned.