Journalist, Author & Syndicated Columnist
“I had planned to go to a wedding in Jamaica after completing all the work on ‘A New York Christmas Wedding,'” said Otoja Abit. “That was going to be a much-needed vacation. And also all the film festivals – Miami, Martha’s Vineyard, North Carolina, Wichita, Kansas! I missed a lot of opportunities to see our film play on a big screen with local audiences.”
“I was right in the middle of my Hymn world tour and had to postpone various tour dates in China and South Korea, which I hope to have rescheduled some time in 2021 to 2022,” said Sarah Brightman. “I do love touring and visiting incredible countries around the world and seeing fans, but I have enjoyed spending time at home with my dogs, as it is such a rarity.”
“I’d love to spend a month in Thailand,” said “Archer” actress Amber Nash. “We had a trip scheduled for 2020, but that’s not happening. I want to spend time at an elephant sanctuary and on the beach. It’s incredibly affordable once you get there.”
“So many people travel and get upset when it’s not like America,” said Dexter Darden, who is one of the stars of the “Saved by the Bell” reboot. “Abandon all privilege and immerse yourself in their lifestyle.”
The South China Morning Post recently interviewed me to chat about BTS and the upcoming Grammy nominations: “If BTS aren’t nominated this time, it’s not because of their lack of talent,” said Jae-Ha Kim. “All it will mean is that the Grammys are as clueless as they were in 1989, when they handed the trophy for best hard rock/metal performance to Jethro Tull, rather than Metallica.”
“I do miss my international travel opportunities, which I usually have at this time of the year,” said Daphne Maxwell Reid. “I have had the pleasure of taking a few plane rides under very strict precautionary measures, the last being to Los Angeles to shoot ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Reunion’ special for HBO Max (for) our 30th anniversary.”
“(Starring in ‘Twenty-Twenty” was) a very precious and unforgettable memory,” said A.C.E’s Chan. “The role of Sohn Bo-hyun was the best fit for me and the personality was the same as myself in real life. I enjoyed every second of the shooting. I am also very happy that I could play this role with great actors, actresses and staff.”
“Working on ‘Snowpiercer’ was very special, considering the current climate,” says actor Garfield Wilson. “Casting was very cognizant to have an incredibly diverse cast and how that diversity can be portrayed on the show as a commentary on our present-day society.”
4 Non Blondes vocalist Linda Perry said she is a light packer: “I can leave with only a toothbrush. I am a light packer. I don’t like to bring a lot and I feel (like) if I need something, I can just buy it. That’s what you end up doing anyways when you go somewhere — we consume.”
“I first traveled (to Japan) as a kid with my father, who was a flight captain for a big German airline,” said “Devils” star Pia Mechler. “I was lucky to have seen many exotic destinations already at a young age, but Japan took my breath away. It’s a culture clash between the hyper-modern and the extremely traditional. I have loved it ever since and I cannot wait to travel there again.”
“I remember taking the train from Boston to Miami to visit my grandparents when I was four,” said “Rockabye Baby” co-founder Lisa Roth. “We stayed in a hotel with a huge pool, which was all very exciting. I clearly remember climbing out of the pool with a tummy ache, climbing into my mother’s arms and throwing up into the front pocket of her polka dot, terry cloth coverup. It was a perfect aim and a great trip.”
Photographer Bob Gruen says photographing John Lennon and Yoko Ono in New York City was easy, because even though people recognized them, the famous couple was left alone.
“Eat where the locals eat and do what the locals do,” said singer-songwriter Bonnie Whitmore. “That’s the only way to have an authentic experience.”
“My experience in Ghana was like nothing else,” says “Why Didn’t We Riot?: A Black Man in Trumpland” author Issac J. Bailey. “Even amid some devastating pockets of destitution, the smiles and greetings residents there had for visitors like me made it feel as though I had returned to Myrtle Beach.”
Former Girls’ Generation member Jessica Jung tackles the world of K-pop in her Young Adult novel, “Shine.” “I took a lot of inspiration from what it was like for me,” says Jung. “I wanted it to be entertaining and authentic at the same time, so there’s a balance of real details and escapist fictional elements.”
Musician Cheryl B. Engelhardt said working on “Luminary” in Greece was an experience she will always cherish.
“K-Pop Confidential” author Stephan Lee said his numerous trips to South Korea helped him when it came time to set the tone for his young adult novel.
“I love camping,” says “The Vanishing” actress Lily Anne Harrison. “I’m from Oregon, so I love anything that takes me outside. I grew up appreciating the outdoors. Also, I just love the adventure of an RV trip.”
Pop star Wonho has traveled the world. But the Korean musician says once this pandemic is over, he would love to travel around the United States with his family: “I want to show them all the great things I experienced.”
“Traveling reaffirms my belief in humanity and that as a species, we are worth saving,” says “The Last Story of Mina Lee” author Nancy Jooyoun Kim.