Remembering WHITNEY HOUSTON with a Bevy of Stars at Hollywood SPARKLE PREMIERE

Last night’s Sparkle premiere at the legendary Grauman’s Chinese Theater in Los Angeles was simply magical!  I felt so honored to be in the star-filled room for a Whitney Houston film premiere!  As I walked over the footprints and cemented autographs of Hollywood royalty, including Bette Davis, Will Smith, Joan Crawford and Kevin Spacey, I was as giddy as a kid in the candy store as my life’s dream unfolded before my eyes.  Inside Vivica Fox and I sat in row L, seats 100 and 101, directly in front of Angela Bassett and her husband Courtney B. Vance.  Elise Neal and Loretta Divine sat across from us and the films stars like Omari Hardwick, Tika Sumpter, and Jordin Sparks were peppered throughout the crowd.  Popcorn and soda was served, and after a few speeches from producer Debra Martin Chase, director Salim Akil, and Pat Houston, Whitney’s sister-in-law, the film began at approximately 8:20pm.

The film was magnificent!  With Whitney in the role as Emma, the stern mom of Sparkle and her two sisters, it was obvious this was the most comfortable she had ever appeared in a film.  In terms of acting, Whitney made her final film appearance her BEST film appearance.  She was poised and meant for that part!  Through the ’60′s turmoil and aspiration, the undeniable glamour and the toe-tapping music, this film will take you back in marvelous ways.  It’s gritty, it’s fun and it’s absolutely stupendous!  I’ll be back for more in NYC this weekend!

While free popcorn and small sodas were provided for the premiere’s movie goers, it was at the after party across the street at the esteemed Roosevelt Hotel where the drinks were served, the food was more comfy, and the celebs partied the night away poolside under feeble lighting and palm trees as a cooling LA breeze whispered through the air.

For a major Hollywood premiere, I must admit the food at the after party was a bit limited for my taste!  Is this how the LA screen gems maintain their physiques?  Had this been New York there would have been sliders, crostinis, dim sum, salads and crudites!  Not to mention the salads and carb-laden dishes at last night’s event were served buffet style!  If you know me, you know I can’t stand a buffet, but I endured the short lines (as there were multiple food stations lining the pool), and served myself some of both salads and mac & cheese.  I avoided the penne dish, and said no to the bread basket and cheeses.

The mac & cheese was pretty much the best mac & cheese ever!  The salads were light and flavorful and the champagne and red wine flowed like fountains in Paris.  So much liquor, in fact, I had the nerve to ask a few celebs for their pics!  I mean, I entered this business because I was a fan of the art and the stars, so why not ask for some photos during this once in a lifetime night, right?

Garcelle Beauvais looked stunning, Ray J was a bit solemn but he is always very friendly (a former Coleman Entertainment Group client), and Keke Palmer is as charming and beautiful in person as she comes across on screen!  Bobbi Kris & Nick Gordon came over to the table we snagged with D’ondre Whitfield, his wife Salli Richardson, and The Game stars Hosea Chanchez and Wendy Raquel Robinson (who attended with her husband).   Tika Sumpter, Lisa Raye, Ulysses Carter, Meagan Good, and Rockmond Dunbar all chatted, snapped photos, and laughed it up nearby.  Everyone had Whitney on their tongues and she was celebrated and honored at this tasteful and elegant party.

As you can imagine, I had an amazing time!  I stopped by the desserts table and grabbed a white chocolate macadamia nut cookie, and escaped the tempter’s snare of brownies, s’mores and mini-cake lollipops!  I hurried away from the desserts dish successfully to avoid gym time today!

The glamour and bittersweet tone of the party cannot be captured in photographs or words, but it was a stunning affair, full of celebrities and good moments of laughter, memories, and tales!  And while the food may have not met my expectations, nobody does it like Hollywood.  It’s a world unto it’s self that’s definitely worth the hype, appeal, luster and celebration!

Sparkle is an amazing movie.  I could rave all day about it, but it’s really this simple – JUST GO SEE THIS FILM!  Celebrate the legend and the life of Whitney Houston.

BJC.

 

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