Journalist, Author & Syndicated Columnist
You’d think Keith Johnson — who spent his early years traveling around Europe with his art dealer father — would want to spend all his free time exploring boutiques and museums. “No,” says the 53-year-old star of “Man Shops Globe.” “I surprisingly am not a big shopper or museumgoer. New York fills my need for constant visual stimulation. I love the variety of sights and sounds. It also reminds me how big the world is and how I need to get out and see it.”
Aaron Zigman’s music isn’t as flashy as the designer wardrobe that Sarah Jessica Parker wears in “Sex and the City 2” — opening in theaters on May 27. But his score does set the tone for the film, whether Carrie and her girls are in New York City or gallivanting around the world. Based out of Los Angeles, the 47-year-old composer (whose previous work includes “The Notebook” and “The Proposal”) talks about his own love of traveling, whether it’s to Paris or Charleston, S.C.
Andrew Friedman’s knowledge and love of food and sports comes through loud and clear in his latest book, Knives at Dawn: The American Quest for Culinary Glory at the Legendary Bocuse d’Or Competition (Free Press, $26). The 42-year-old author covers the rigorous international competition — which by comparison, makes “The Iron Chef” look like a kiddie cooking show — with gusto, flair and suspense.
His high-pitched voice and shaggy bangs are as much his trademarks as his dry, sardonic wit. And Emo Philips, 53, a comedian for most of his adult life, can’t imagine doing anything else. “It’s just something that works for me,” says Philips, who resides in Los Angeles. “I get to travel and tell my stories on stage. It’s the ideal life for me.” Though he executive produced the original 1992 version of “Meet the Parents” (the film that didn’t star Robert DeNiro) and dipped his toes into film and television work, Philips isn’t looking to make a mark for himself as an actor.
“I’m a good stand-up comedian and can’t say the same about my acting abilities,” he says. Philips talks about his travels, including a trip to Nepal where he got to witness — among other things — a cremation ceremony.
Ever since her 1995 hit single “One of Us,” Joan Osborne has remained a strong presence in the music world, collaborating with members of the Grateful Dead, participating in the Lilith Fair concerts and appearing in the documentary “Standing in the Shadows of Motown.” The 47-year-old singer-songwriter is now playing dates nationwide to support her latest CD “Little Wild One.”
“Music is a byproduct of experience and if I have an experience, it’s usually musical,” says Cory Chisel, 27. “To me, traveling goes hand in hand with music. Travel is just an intriguing aspect of music itself, and I’m not just talking about the touring part. It’s hard to explain. I’ve been to so many places, but I think that if I wasn’t a musician, I might never have left my hometown.”
Academy Award-winning actress Mary Steenburgen has a lot on her plate these days. Besides co-starring in Sandra Bullock’s romantic comedy “The Proposal,” which opens in theaters on June 19 — she’s the co-owner of the California home design store Rooms & Gardens (www.roomsandgardens.com) and the candle company Nell’s Compass (http://nellscompass.com/), which she owns with her daughter Lilly McDowell.