Here’s a great pic of me & chicago white sox coach ozzie guillen just seconds before I was asked to throw out the 1st pitch at a big game in front of tens of thousands of ppl last month. Man ozzie heckled the heck out of me (I still threw a strike!), and is all the strong, demanding, outspoken character you hear about & more!
There is a softer side to ozzie though that most don’t know about. take his event he is hosting “Salsa and Stars with Ozzie Guillen & Friends” – a great upcoming fundraising event to raise money for families and children in crisis. It will be hosted by the Ozzie Guillen Foundation and Chicago White Sox Charities and will feature a salsa jam session with ruben blads, tito nieves, Gilberto santa rosa and ocho y mas. Guests will also enjoy cocktails, hors d’oeuvers, and get amazing deals on a killer silent auction.
The event will take place at 6:30p on Monday, September 13th at the River East Arts Center and tickets are available at whitesox.com/community or by calling 312.674.5387! Spread & support!
Those of you who follow me on twitter & facebook got to see some amazing pics in real time on my recent African adventure and I appreciate all your raving reviews! For those who didn’t follow me (you really should click and follow now to stop missing out), I included a bunch here as people keep asking for more!
This video is kind of hilarious of me in Namibia last week getting out of my safari truck to walk around with animals.. and even take it a step further to mountain bike through the game reserve too! Then it cuts right to me on top of huge sand dunes in swakupmond on the west coast of dessert Namibia snowboarding down and wiping out… such a nerd I know… enjoy!
Here’s a quick little video mix of some of the amazing wild I came in close contact w/ while just in Africa a bit ago on safari! The rhinocerous charging me is a highlight… although all of it is outstanding especially since I was able to find all of the “big 5” including the super rare sighting of a leopard late night! The same leopard btw snuck into our camp shortly after we captured this footage, when I then had to be walked to my room by a guy w/a shotgun who said that he couldn’t whip it out fast enough if a leopard came running after us anyway.. yes, I freaked out a bit.
Shoutout to wendy Conlan my travel agent who worked with ker & downey, both who really know their way around Africa, who set me up to enjoy my amazing safari at kapama game camp who had the most amazing staff, facilities, food, guides, trackers, views,… everything! Highly recommend all…
If you followed me through all my celebrity interviews supporting the chicago 2016 olympic movement, you know I had the pleasure of interviewing my buddy andrew Zimmern from travel channel’s “bizarre foods” amongst the rest. And as you have probably seen on my facebook & twitter, we still get together from time to time to eat, catch up, tell stories,… and it’s always a blast! Here’s a little clip of me & andrew eating w/the locals at burning meat stalls when we were in Namibia last week while he was filming his show! I was shocked when I saw the animals being hacked up and left out too… but got to say, really tasty.. hope you enjoy!
Totally forgot I talked in to my intern’s camera (see video) the night we ran around lollapalooza for lady gaga’s concert before I hosted the rock the vote party later that evening with gaga’s dj lady starlight and her opening band semi precious weapons of her monster ball tour… looking back at this random silly video its pretty cool to see what it’s like to be that close, see how beautiful the skyline is looking back at it with 40,000 fans screaming, walking back into the middle of it all when hanging with friends in the crowns & pink feathers (one being Hayden Panettiere from “heroes”), and just feeling the energy from all perspectives! above all- lady gaga is an incredible performer & told an inspiring story of how 3 yrs ago, there were just a handful of people at her stage and people teased her & told her she couldn’t do it, but she had a dream & her persistence made her dream come true!
Lollapalooza brings over 80,000 people & raises $13 million for the city of chicago each year.. so shout out to c3 who produces lolla as they just do an amazing job, make huge contributions to the city of chicago in so many different ways, and really just make so many of us happy w/all their amazing efforts & talents— can’t wait til next year!
This is a video of me interviewing nba allstar dwyane wade about his thoughts on the Olympics, his love for chicago, how he would do if he played me one on one, & much more… we actually filmed it at a dinner last year that benefited his wonderful “wade’s world” charity group that raises money for Chicago-based organizations that teach, inspire and educate kids to give them a shot at a better life. If haven’t met him, Dwyane is super funny, genuine and completely dedicated to his organization whose motto is “every child deserves a shot.” He explains “I can’t just let basketball define who I am and what I am supposed to become,” and its obvious he is doing something big about it.
With that, he has completely won my support! I am passing on his invitation for all to come out and join him this year in his great hometown of chicago to light up the entire weekend of August 19th-22nd w/events that you are all invited to! It will be a fun-filled weekend w/Dwyane & his celebrity friends hosting a special benefit dinner, a bowling party & my fav.. a “Chicago’s Got Talent” competition! Speaking of the talent competition, I was actually asked to be one of the judges this year, but unfortunately I’m in Africa and will unfortunately miss it. but please, make sure you go, spread the word, and tweet or facebook me how it goes and what you liked best! Go to www.wadesworldfoundation.org for more info!
I tweeted this pic of these african lions letting us come super close on safari in kapama/kruger park a couple days ago and randomly amongst the shared appreciation for the beauty & closeness of these wild animals, i got more than a few retweets back complimenting the world cup hat I have on that i picked up in capetown last week. Random! You want one!?
I’d be happy to bring a couple hats back for some of you 24.3 million usa world cup watchers who have been following my african adventure on facebook & twitter, but even better, I want to represent as always and inspire all to cheer on our hometown team (as I have from here since everyone asks how our “football” team is), so got a bunch of tix to a chicago fire game that I’m giving away to fans for free!
Just have your friends hit me out here in africa on twitter &/or facebook telling me why I should choose you to win amongst the bunch by 5p tues aug 17th! Winners chosen by most support, will get 2 free tix, a free parking pass & free chicago fire soccer scarves.. All for the big match this weds aug 18th against the new england revolution!
also, check out video of me back in january w/ chicago fire forward brian mcbride and midfielder logan pause at rockit to unveil their new jerseys for this season! great catching up & talking with them because last time i saw brian, my buddy david schwimmer & i were in beijing for the olympics & actually ate breakfast with brian and the entire olympic usa soccer team every morning before the games! check the video to hear their thoughts about the season and chicago fans- who are the best!! read more to learn about the chicago fire & the world cup!
You must see this video of me submersed in a cage off the most southern tip of the Africa surrounded by great white sharks! It’s literally me being transported smack into the middle of shark week- live! I left the exact port area of gansbaai, traveled the same route south, passed the same seal island, dropped myself in the same cage,… all just like you see on shark week, but there is nothing like huge great white sharks staring you down eye to eye coming within inches as they bump your cage to get face to face forcing you to realize that they are there to check you out in their world now!
Speaking of spending the day face to face with great whites, I actually learned a ton about their lives, wants, needs, conservation efforts, natural beauty, strength & all around awesomeness! Similar to what I am learning about Africa actually!? It was another amazing eye opening experience after a perfect 1st day of exploring capetown & the entire cape point area, and a more chill day today where I can now take it down a notch and explore the wineland areas where I know there are some of the best pinotage & pinot noirs in the world, as I have already done my fair share of sampling, and am about to see & taste much much more… thanks to all following the adventure in real time w/me on facebook & twitter (click to follow me too) and too all of you sharing these stories, pics & videos with your friends & family.. hope you enjoy… more to come!
Macy’s present’s the glamorama fashion extravaganza benefiting Ronald McDonald House on Friday, August, 13th at 8pm at the Chicago Theatre w/ performances by my girl Grammy award winning singer Macy Gray (see pic of us at the grammys!), Eric Hutchinson, Chris March, Brian Friedman, Myron Johnson, & child ambassador Max Herrick. The show will open with designer Chris March, finalist on Season 4 of Bravo’s Project Runway w/ a “magical experience of high fashion set against a multidimensional theatrical production with surprises at every turn, introducing 3-D holographic effects, elements of flight, visual vistas and a sampling of controller-free entertainment by Kinect.” The fashion show will showcase collections from Jean Paul Gaultier, Jezebel, Just Cavalli, Felina, 2(x)ist, Issey Miyake, Marc Jacobs, Material Girl, Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti, Sonia Rykiel, Sportmax and Tommy Hilfiger followed by a dance segment choreographed by Brian Friedman of “So You Think You Can Dance?”
The party after the performance & show will take place on the 7th floor of Macy’s State Street store w/ DJ Rex (who will then keep the afterparty going at underground!), glow-in-the-dark hula-hoops, dancers, games, and guests will be able to view the results of the graduates of Chicago Fashion Incubator that blends newest trends with innovative function. Limited seating is available for the show & party level tickets. To purchase tickets visit: www.RonaldHouseChicago.org or www.ticketmaster.com.
UPDATE: my good friend Macy Gray will be Dj’ing the after party at underground!
