gervaise a williams

All Stars takes 'Victory Lap'

By Joan Rampersad Tuesday, May 24 2011

The Neal and Massy Group took time out last Friday for a “Victory Lap Celebration” in honour of the Neal and Massy Trinidad All Stars Steel Orchestra which captured the National Panorama 2011 title earlier this year.

Attending the event, held at the Hilton Trinidad and Conference Centre, were the membership and support team of All Stars, as well as executives of the Neal and Massy Group of Companies.

Gervase Warner, CEO, N&M Holdings, relived the joyous moments during his congratulatory remarks at the event. He said, “Final night, we in the track. Another band was playing where they should not have been playing, along the track so we couldn’t stop where we would normally stop to practise. The organisers say come forward, come forward, and just before the stage they say, alright, alright you could stop here and take your last practice if you like. Some people were pushing forward, some people stopping and telling Berry (manager Beresford Hunte) you could practice here. But Berry said, “We don’t need to practice, It’s Showtime!” laughter erupted from the guests.

Warner summed up his 2011 Carnival experience with the band, stating, “For me personally it was an amazing experience because I had the treat and delight to be on the stage with you all in the semi-final and in the final. And let me tell you something. It is a moment I don’t intend to forget and I intend to repeat.”

Warner continued, “This was a real double victory for the All stars because not only did we win Panorama but apparently Pan Trinbago’s Northern Regional Bomb competition on Carnival Monday we cleaned them up as well. So congratulations on that victory. And that is just part of the reason why the Neal and Massy Trinidad All Stars will always be the band to beat.

Ugly Betty on Channel 4

The latest hit comedy show to make its way to channel 4 from America is ‘Ugly Betty’. This heavily promoted fictional series is set in the world of the high flying fashion industry with the most unlikely of lead stars! Betty Suarez (played by America Ferrera) becomes assistant to Daniel Meade (Eric Mabius), the manager of the top fashion magazine ‘Mode’ and soon realises that the only reason she has been taken on is because his father (the owner of the company) wanted him to hire an assistant who he would not be tempted to sleep with.

Betty’s unconventional look, garish braces on her teeth and drastic sense of style mean that she is soon made an outcast in the Mode office but as Daniel and Betty work together they find that they actually make a pretty good team, and for once Daniel Meade may have finally found an assistant that he can truly trust.

And let’s face it, with tough opposition from fellow colleague Wilhelmina Slater and a mystery woman determined to see him fail, Daniel really does need all the help he can get!

Having seen the first two episodes of Ugly Betty I must say that I am pleasantly surprised with the series so far. Actress Salma Hayek is one of the producers on the show, and also has a hilarious cameo role in the soap opera that is always playing in the background on the TV at Betty’s house.

You can tell that Hayek really wants us to like the lovable Betty and you really get the feeling that no matter how much flack this character takes from her fictional workmates she is always going to take the moral high ground and become a much loved asset to the ‘Mode’ team.

I love the way that the show is obviously based around real life magazines like ‘Vogue’ and such, and it does make you wonder if the work environments in the fashion industry actually do have similarities to the world of Ugly Betty.

Another thing that makes the show great for us brits is that there are two of our much loved British actresses starring as key figures in Ugly Betty. Both just happen to have been co stars of the brilliant Ricky Gervaise and have probably been hired due to the popularity of shows like ‘Extras’ and ‘The Office’ in the states currently.

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