Journalist, Author & Syndicated Columnist
When Tony Hawk started skateboarding, he never dreamed that the sport would grow to what it is today â or that his name would become synonymous with skateboarding to so many people around the world. âI just always loved it and still have such a passion for it,â says the laid-back 42-year-old champ.
Itâs not easy to travel incognito when every tween and teenage girl in the world knows what you look like. But Justin Bieber gave it a good shot during a recent trip to the Bahamas. When the 16-year-old pop star wanted to try out the waterslides at the Atlantis resort in Paradise Island, he wrapped a beach towel over his trademark mane of floppy blond hair.
Often referred to as the shiest member of Destinyâs Child, Michelle Williams defied that description with her solo album âUnexpected.â The singer, who has a penchant for gospel tunes, had no problem belting out dance-friendly pop songs on the high-energy CD. “I had boxed myself in as a gospel singer and didnât think anyone would be interested in hearing me sing a different way,â says Williams, 29. âIt was either Destinyâs Child or gospel.â
âTraveling is a wonderful perk of my job,â says singer Al Jarreau. âI wouldnât trade it for the world.â A recent tour took him to Seoul, Beijing, Shanghai, Manila, Bangkok, Hong Kong and Jakarta, but not Tokyo â one of his all-time favorite cities. The seven-time Grammy Award winner in jazz, pop and R&B is best known for his smooth hit singles âNever Givinâ Up,â âMoonlightingâ and âAfter Allâ and his greatest hits album âAl Jarreau â The Very Best Of: An Excellent Adventureâ will be in stores on Sept. 29.
He already has a Pulitzer Prize and a New York Times best seller under his belt, but author Jeffrey Marx isnât resting on his laurels. His latest book â âThe Long Snapper: A Second Chance, A Super Bowl, a Lesson for Lifeâ â is a page-turner that succinctly captures the true-life story of football player Brian Kinchen. Marx, who has traveled to more than 20 countries for work and play, says that Italy is his favorite destination. But Greece is one country he canât wait to visit.
Chris Isaak has had hit singles (âWicked Game,â âBaby Did a Bad, Bad Thingâ), acted in feature films (âSilence of the Lambs,â âThe Informers,â âFrom the Earth to the Moonâ) and toured the world. Now add talk-show host to his resume, as he interviews other musicians on the Biography Channelâs series, âThe Chris Isaak Hour.â Born and raised in the Bay Area, the 53-year-old entertainer lived briefly in Tokyo when he was a college student.
Once known as that other blonde girl who wasn’t Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera or Jessica Simpson, Mandy Moore has managed to grow up in public and carve out a strong career for herself without finding her face splashed in the tabloids. After releasing her debut album a decade ago, Moore won roles in such films as “Saved!” and “A Walk to Remember.” She hits the road this month to promote her latest album, “Amanda Leigh,” which will be in stores on May 26.