Happy Valentine’s Day! Guess what? It’s time for another edition of Only in Jersey!
If it’s filming in Jersey, takes place in Jersey, or is about celebs from Jersey, you will find it here.
Whitney Houston: "One Moment in Time" was all too brief.
Singer Whitney Houston returned home to the Garden State for the final time last night. The Newark-born, East Orange-raised, former Mendham resident’s body was flown to Teterboro Airport aboard Tyler Perry’s jet, according to People. From there it was transferred, via gold hearse, to Whigham Funeral Home in Newark. Whitney, who sadly died at 48 on February 11 from what all accounts appears to be a fatal mixture of alcohol and prescription drugs, will be eulogized in a private ceremony Saturday at Newark’s New Hope Baptist Church, adds People, where she and her mother, gospel singer Cissy Houston, sang in the choir. There is also talk of a public memorial, possibly at Newark’s Prudential Center, as well. On Sunday’s Grammy Awards, Jennifer Hudson paid beautiful tribute to Whitney. Watch:
And if you’d like to listen to Whitney’s greatest hits, you can, thanks to her website.
It’s Wednesday, and I’m back with another edition of Only in Jersey!
If it’s filming in Jersey, takes place in Jersey, or is about celebs from Jersey, you will find it here.
Yes, they do grow 'em like this in the Garden State./Photo credit EW
The very definition of "Sophie's Choice."/Photo credit EW
Forget about country boys – thank God for Jersey boys!
That’s what I’m sure millions of women will say when this week’s issue of Entertainment Weekly hits the stands and they feast their eyes on Paul Wesley, star of The CW hit series “The Vampire Diaries.” Paul, who was born in New Brunswick and raised in Marlboro, graces the magazine with (depending on which one of three covers you pick) costars Nina Dobrev and Ian Somerhalder. Paul’s character, Stefan Salvatore, the show’s resident “good” vampire, went rogue this season while his brother, Damon (Somerhalder), has taken over the hero vampire role. Don’t expect it to last.
This is the face I was expecting to see but didn't last night at Stress Factory./Photo credit Getty Images
In the past, I’ve been lucky enough to have seen Chris Rock AND Wanda Sykes try out new material on Central Jersey audiences. And last night I was there again, this time to see one of Comedy Central’s favorite roasters, Greg Giraldo.
Except that never happened. Following opener Melvin George, Stress Factory owner/comedian Vinnie Brand came on stage. But instead of introducing the headliner, he announced that Greg had been taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (also in New Brunswick). That was it; no other information was provided.
If the only thing you know about New Jersey is what you see on television – aka “Jerseylicious,” “Jersey Couture,” “Jersey Shore” and “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” – you may be under the false impression that everyone in the Garden State wears bedazzled animal prints 24/7.
Jersey native Lloyd Boston shared fashion tips and fall/winter clothing from Jones New York during Fashion's Night Out in New York City last week./All photos by Ava Gacser
That’s where you’d be wrong – and Lloyd Boston is proof of that. The New Brunswick native is a fashion style expert with four books and a TV show, “Closet Cases,” under his belt. His latest tome, “The Style Checklist: The Ultimate Wardrobe Essentials For You,” dropped earlier this month. A regular contributor to the “Today” show, Lloyd appeared on the morning program twice last week alone to talk fashion. He will add to his list of TV appearances when he drops by “The Wendy Williams Show” on Sept. 15 (check local listings) and “The Martha Stewart Show” on Hallmark Channel at 10 a.m. Sept. 22.
Lloyd also took part in New York City’s Fashion’s Night Out on Friday, which is where I met up with him. As spokesman for Jones New York, Lloyd dazzled Lord & Taylor shoppers with a fashion show and commentary, and later offered tips – as well as photos and autographs – to his admirers.
Ava Gacser is a freelance writer in Central New Jersey. She is a former television columnist and features writer for several Gannett-owned daily newspapers in New Jersey.
Ava is an avid couch potato with a special affinity for reality TV, and she can't believe how many shows feature New Jersey residents!
She was a member of the Television Critics Association from 2005 to 2010.
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