Michelle Valentine TV Show - BLOG

Single in the City: Online Dating Disaster Stories

05/11/2012 12:09:00

Does online dating really work? In this Tampa Bay Metro Magazine article, read stories from singles who have ventured online, and learn about their good & bad online dating adventures - plus Author, Advice Columnist, and Matchmaker, Michelle Valentine provides some helpful tips.

"SINGLE IN THE CITY" by Emily Leinfuss

Tampa Bay Metro Magazine

It’s been weeks, but calls are still coming in from friends and acquaintances asking, “How did your date go?” I’ve moved on emotionally, believe me, but these phone calls keep bringing me back. “It didn’t,” I have to reply and then launch into the whole story once again.

I guess that’s what I get for becoming really excited about this man I met (almost) through the Internet site. It was going really well: late nights on the phone, fabulous conversations sharing our “stuff.” Then, we set up a date. Not simple, since he lived in Miami and I’m on the west coast of Florida. But we agreed to meet in Naples on the day following Thanksgiving.

But he bailed. Oh, he had an excuse––he’d been in an accident on his bicycle. It was serious, and he was hurt, so it was a very good excuse. Except that I basically didn’t hear from him again. This, in Internet dating lingo, is called “the disappearance.”

With electronic media, it doesn’t take much to exit a relationship, no explanations, no nothing. Apparently, the old rules of polite company just don’t apply. I’m told that my experience is common, that many times people on-line are, shall we say, less than truthful about their appearance, employment or marital status, and so on. I recall one online date who told me he looked like actor Andy Garcia. Actually, he looked more like Jerry Garcia.

“Persons who like to go on-line are generally noncommittal people,” says Michelle Valentine, author of "How to Find Love Online: Secrets, Tips, and Lists for Getting the Best Response" (written four years ago, when internet dating was new & more controlled) and a Professional Matchmaker. “They like to e-mail back and forth, but they never get to the next level, and it can be kind of heartbreaking,” she says.

That certainly doesn’t stop us all from trying. Spending on on-line personals and dating sites nearly tripled from 2001 and 2003 and, according to comScore Networks, which monitors behavior on the Internet, 40 million Americans visited at least one online dating site last August. Their choices included giants like Yahoo! Personals and Match.com, which has 12 million users worldwide, to smaller, special interest sites that address specific ethnic and religious groups and for Hispanics.

ENTERTAINMENT OR TRUE LOVE?

“My opinion of the Internet dating scene is it just doesn’t work,” says Tampa resident Nicholas De Stefano, a self-employed market research expert. “It might offer a venue for entertainment, but on a scale from 1 to 10, it rates about a 2.5.” Why? “Think about why someone would go on the Internet: they are looking for an easy way to meet people and the bottom line is, there is no easy way,” he observes.

De Stefano did manage to get face to face with three different women by using Match.com, one very nice lady and two very strange people. “Bizarre” was the word he used, but declined to get specific––something about their “vision of the world.”

Of course, it all depends on what you are looking for. Karren Brooks, an African American woman who loves southern rock, admits, “In the back of our minds, we are all looking for a soul mate.” But, she adds, “Right now, a date would be great…” Brooks looks at Internet dating as a way to learn more about a person, which is a positive. “The way I see it, even if there is no spark after you’ve met, at least you’ve made a new friend and you never know who he might know,” she says.

Certainly, not everyone visiting an on-line dating site is looking for a life partner. According to U.S. News & World Report, fully half of Match.com’s members are under 30 and are just seeking a fun date or companionship.

For Sue Moyers, a teacher and nutritionist in Tampa, the Internet was a mixed and ultimately, negative experience. After a divorce, she was anxious to begin dating. Using Yahoo.com, she met two men she went out with for short periods of time. But the third experience was shocking. “I started to go out with someone and we had three dates. After the third, I got a phone call from his wife,” Moyers explains. “The wife had picked up his cell phone and hit redial.”

Valentine says there are a lot of people out there who may not be legitimate. “People really need to take serious precautions when on-line dating,” she says. Valentine adds about 30 percent of people on line are actually married. Some good rules of thumb include using an anonymous account to e-mail on-line date. If you go to meet someone, make sure people know where you are and have a friend call you during the date.

ADVICE: Bases Loaded, Strike Three, You’re Out!

05/09/2012 19:56:00

Dear Michelle Valentine,

I am a 43 year old woman and married for the third time. I just recently married this man for the second time. It is a long story. I am very affectionate and am really starting to feel like the more I buy new sexy outfits, or get close to him, he rejects me and the less interested he is in me. I am not overweight and try to take care of myself all of the time and fix myself up a lot to look good for him. He doesn't seem to notice.

When he does want to have sex, he has been drinking and I really wish we could just be in love like at first.

What could I be doing wrong? Please advise.

Wondering Why

Dear Why,

There is nothing wrong with what you are doing or the way that you look. Your new husband has a drinking problem. He needs to attend a program to help stop this destructive behavior. In your long letter, you stated the reason you divorced him the first time was because of his problem, but he stopped on his own. Unfortunately, it is clear he needs professional help to stop his drinking problem. I hope you consider professional counseling for yourself as to why you would live with this abuse.

READERS: HAVE YOU BEEN IN A SITUATION THAT INVOLVED ALCOHOL ABUSE? YOUR COMMENTS ARE WELCOME. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO POST YOUR COMMENTS IN THE BOX BELOW.

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Read the “Dear Michelle Valentine” advice column in Orlando Woman Newspaper, available at Walgreens, Panera Bread, Whole Foods Market, and other fine locations.

Nyuk, Nyuk! Romantic Comedy: The Three Stooges

04/13/2012 11:56:00

Yes, "The Three Stooges" is a romantic comedy... based upon "through thick & thin" family bonding, the happiness in having close friendships, and human nature desire to seek never-ending love... all these things are romantic. The storyline starts with (very adorable) newborns Moe, Larry and Curly left on the doorstep of an orphanage run by nuns, and grow up finger-poking, nyuk-nyuk-nyuking and woo-woo-wooing their way to uncharted levels of knuckleheaded misadventure. Now, out to save their childhood home, only The Three Stooges could become embroiled in an oddball murder plot… while stumbling into starring roles in a phenomenally successful TV reality show. The movie interweaves modern-day attitudes, products, situations, and pop culture references.

Over a twenty-five year span at Columbia Pictures (1934-1959), The Three Stooges poked and slapped their way through 190 original two-reel comedies, each of which could have provided the filmmakers with storylines for the new film. But instead of recycling material from The Stooges’ short films, co-writers (with Mike Cerrone) / directors Peter Farrelly and Bobby Farrelly were inspired to come up with a new and contemporary story. Still, their Stooges look, sound and talk like the originals.

“One of the great things about this movie is we added a new dimension to these beloved characters,” notes Sean Hayes. “The Three Stooges shorts never explored any kind of emotion, or had a real story line. They were all about the laughs. Our film infuses their story with emotion, while retaining all the fun. So, nobody's seen this version of The Three Stooges before.”

The filmmakers, Peter Farrelly & Bobby Farrelly, has a catalogue of additional hits including "Dumb & Dumber", "There's Something About Mary", “Kingpin,” “Outside Providence,” “Me, Myself & Irene,” “Osmosis Jones,” “Shallow Hal,” “Stuck On You,” “Fever Pitch,” and “The Heartbreak Kid.”

Principal photography on "The Three Stooges" began in May 2011, on location in the greater Atlanta area. The company concluded filming on July 22 at the popular marine life park, Miami Seaquarium, in Florida – on “porpoise” -- to capture a scene in the facility’s dolphin tank.

If you're looking for a super-silly romantic comedy, go an see "The Three Stooges" this weekend!

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A SHORT HISTORY OF THE [ORIGINAL] THREE STOOGES

The Three Stooges debuted on the big screen in the 1930 black-and-white feature, “Soup to Nuts,” in which they appeared opposite veteran vaudevillian Ted Healy (1896-1937). It was Healy who accidentally discovered the Howard brothers (Moses and Samuel Horwitz, nicknamed, respectively, Moe and Shemp) during a 1922 stage performance in Brooklyn (the third member, Larry Fine, whose birth name was Louis Feinberg, came into the fold in 1925). Initially billed as “Ted Healy and His Stooges,” the concept had the trio (Moe, Larry and Shemp) act as foils, or “stooges” to Healy’s jokes. It may have been Healy telling the jokes, but The Stooges were getting all the laughs.

Constant contention between The Stooges and Healy forced Shemp (1895-1955) to leave the troupe and seek out a solo acting career, in which he succeeded, appearing on his own in dozens of features and shorts between 1934 and 1946. In his search for a replacement, Moe (1897-1975) suggested his younger brother Jerry (1903-1952), a comedic orchestra conductor on the vaudeville circuit. Once cast, Jerry reluctantly shed his thick red hairstyle in favor of a shaved noggin, earning the nickname “Curly” when Moe misinterpreted a comment about his brother’s new coif from vaudevillian Healy.

After a series of shorts for MGM in 1933 and 1934, the trio’s popularity captured the attention of Columbia Pictures boss Harry Cohn, who signed the three comic actors, sans Healy, to a bona fide Hollywood contract in 1934.

Now christened The Three Stooges, Moe, Larry (1902-75) and Curly debuted for their new studio in the 1934 comedy short “Woman Haters,” the first of the 190 two-reelers they would make for Cohn over the next 25 years. (Their contract called for eight films per year). Their third title, 1934’s “Men in Black” (“...calling Dr. Howard, Dr. Fine, Dr. Howard” being its famous catch phrase) earned producer Jules White an Oscar® nomination for Best Short Subject, the only such accolade ever bestowed upon their films.

In 1946, Curly, now firmly recognized as the trio’s comic star, suffered a debilitating stroke on the set of the film “Half-Wits Holiday,” which ended his acting career. He would make one last cameo appearance a year later in “Hold That Lion.” (His role in 1949’s “Malice in the Palace” was deleted). That 1947 title marked the comics’ 100th short for Columbia, and was the only film that featured all four Stooges (Shemp relinquished his successful solo career in 1946 and reunited with Moe and Larry following Curly’s illness). Curly succumbed to his afflictions at age 48, in 1952, at which time the trio had been reborn as “Moe, Larry and Shemp.”

Upon Shemp’s fatal heart attack in 1955 at age 60, Moe and Larry recruited veteran funnyman Joe Besser (1907-1988) to step into the act. Curiously, Besser’s contract dictated he could never actually be slapped by Moe in the 16 shorts in which he appeared, the last being 1959’s “Sappy Bull Fighters.” Following the termination of The Stooges’ contract with Columbia, Besser left the trio, after which the final member of the Three Stooges was drafted -- veteran vaudevillian and comic actor Joe DeRita (nicknamed “Curly Joe,” 1909-1993), who stayed with the act from 1959 until its demise in 1970.

During his tenure with The Stooges, DeRita starred with Moe and Larry in a half-dozen feature films (but, ironically, no short films), which include “Have Rocket, Will Travel” (1959), “Snow White and the Three Stooges” (1961), “The Three Stooges Meet Hercules” (1962), “The Three Stooges in Orbit” (1962), “The Three Stooges Go Around the World in A Daze” (1963) and “The Outlaws Is Coming” (1965). The threesome also made uncredited appearances in Stanley Kramer’s epic 1963 comedy, “It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World” and the 1965 comedy-western, “4 for Texas” with Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin.

Once their big screen career waned, the trio turned to television, where their original two-reelers had found a new home (and audience) in reruns when the Columbia subsidiary, Screen Gems, syndicated a package of 78 original short films in 1958. In 1965, The Three Stooges debuted on the small screen in a new animated TV series entitled “The New Three Stooges,” for which the troika voiced their movie characters.

Another TV pilot (a travelogue featuring The Stooges called “Kook’s Tour”) was filmed in 1970, during which Larry suffered a paralyzing stroke, ending his career and the anticipated TV series. Moe proposed longtime comedian Emile Sitka as Larry’s replacement, an idea that never materialized. As plans developed for another Stooges feature, “Blazing Stewardesses,” Moe was felled by lung cancer and succumbed to the disease in May 1975. (The Ritz Brothers, another popular comedy team of the 1930s and 1940s, replaced the Stooges in the 1975 film.)

DeRita attempted to redefine the Three Stooges in the early ‘70s, recruiting burlesque and vaudeville veterans Mousie Garner and Frank Mitchell to replace Moe and Larry for nightclub engagements. The act failed and DeRita retired.

With the renewed popularity of the comedy trio in syndicated television, it made sense to revive the franchise in a brand new motion picture.

“It's been quite a journey, there's no question about that,” states Earl M. Benjamin, President and CEO of C3 Entertainment, the official licensing and merchandising company for The Three Stooges brand. Benjamin is one of the new film’s executive producers and happens to be DeRita’s stepson.

“The movie project dates back at least fifteen years,” Benjamin continues. “We wanted to reinvigorate the franchise. The Three Stooges are the greatest comedy trio of all time. Sadly, we can't make any more films with the original guys. But we wanted to bring the great comedy routines of The Three Stooges to a new and younger generation. The best way to do that was to make a whole new film with Moe, Larry and Curly – as a great tribute to the original guys.”

“The Stooges always wanted to make feature films,” Benjamin states in reference to their long tenure at Columbia Pictures, where studio boss Cohn relegated their comedy formula to the two-reel format. “Feature films were always their passion. It wasn't until the 1960s that they finally got to make feature films. Unfortunately, Curly and Shemp had passed away.”

Ongoing Answers to "Boyfriend Getting Cold Feet"

03/07/2012 22:54:00

Join in the fun! Give us your "two cents"!...A woman writes in, questioning if she should move in with her boyfriend... Read the original "Dear Michelle Valentine" question here.

What's your answer? Be sure to comment!

Have a question for Michelle Valentine? Send your relationship question about love, life, career, or family issues - now at this form. Your question may be featured in an upcoming "Dear Michelle Valentine" column!

Rigoletto: a "Concert Opera" Sunday, March 4, 2:00pm

03/04/2012 12:16:00

Have a Sunday "Romantic Escape" with the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra - presented in collaboration with the Florida Opera Theatre to relish Giuseppe Verdi’s "Rigoletto"... a compelling story of Rigoletto, the hunchbacked court jester and the womanizing Duke of Mantua, as they weave a fascinating tale of seduction, treachery, curses and vendettas. Rigoletto is detested by everyone but his loving, innocent daughter, Gilda, who the corrupt Duke has set his sights on as his next conquest. Now it is up to Rigoletto to do everything in his power to protect her.

Featuring stars from The Met and other world-class performers. The cast:

Rigoletto (Mark Walters): the hunchbacked court jester, vengeful and unkind to all but his sweet, innocent beloved daughter Gilda, whom he keeps hidden from the world.

The Duke of Mantua (Russell Thomas): a scheming womanizer, hated by husbands, fathers and brothers everywhere.

Gilda (Maureen O’Flynn): Rigoletto’s sweet, innocent daughter, who falls in love with the manipulative Duke.

Sparafucile (John Cheek): the assassin, whom Rigoletto hires to murder the Duke

* WHAT IS A CONCERT OPERA?

Unlike traditional opera, the Orlando Philharmonic’s opera performances are fully-staged “Concert Operas,” with the orchestra performing on stage rather than in the orchestra pit. This places a greater emphasis on the musical expression and virtuosity of the musicians and vocalists, rather than on sets, costumes and movement. The moods and setting of the story are portrayed using lighting effects, rather than elaborate sets and costumes. In all other respects, concert operas are similar to traditional operas—singers come on and off stage and interact with each other the same way they would in a fully-staged production.

Tickets start at only $15.75. Purchase tickets here.

Rose Petals + Hot Tub = De-Stress

02/24/2012 12:51:00

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Rose Jucuzzi

Detoxification (detox for short) is the physiological or medicinal removal of toxic substances from a living organism, including, but not limited to, the human body.

Using a a hydrotherapy tub for treatment to de-stress and relax tired muscles is a fantastic way to "detox", but most of all, simply to have a pleasant experience. Add some beautiful red rose petals to the swirling water of your hot tub, and you have a blissful & romantic escape!

According to Serenity Day Spa, in order to have a true "day spa" by day spa standards, requires a spa to have a Hydrotherapy Tub as part of their services/equipment. A Hydrotherapy Tub is not a normal jacuzzi, in that it has very powerful jets that day spa owners believe promotes the cleansing of the lymphatic system, a part of the circulatory system, comprising a network of conduits called lymphatic vessels that carry a clear fluid called lymph (from Latin lympha "water") unidirectionally toward the heart.

By "detoxing" - either soaked in mud, a seaweed cleanse, or hydrotherapy tub - day spas believe you can cleanse your lympathic system through these unique services. In fact, "some plastic surgeons may suggest "detoxing" before your surgery to stimulate the lymphatic system."

So whether you choose to "detox" via elaborate spa services or a simple hot bath at home - it certainly is a fantastic way to de-stress! When is the last time you treated yourself to a well-deserved day spa service?

Romantic Recipe: Shrimp Scampi

02/24/2012 11:53:00

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Shrimp Scampi

Shrimp Scampi

INGREDIENTS:

8 oz whole wheat pasta or pasta of your choice
2 Tbsp Wildtree Roasted Garlic Grapeseed Oil
1 1/2 Tsp Wildtree Scampi Blend
1 lb shrimp, shelled and deveined
2 Tbsp Wildtree Roasted Garlic Grapeseed Oil
1 Tsp Wildtree Scampi Blend
Dry White Wine (Optional)

Cook the pasta using the package directions; drain reserving 1/4 cup of the liquid. Combine 2 Tbsp Garlic Grapeseed Oil and 1 1/2 Tsp Scampi Blend in a cold skillet and blend well. Add the shrimp and cook over medium low heat until the shrimp turn pink, turning often. Remove the shrimp to a bowl using a slotted spoon and keep warm.

Add 2 Tbsp of the Garlic Grapeseed Oil and 1 Tsp Scampi Blend to the liquid in the skillet. Add the pasta and cook over low heat until the liquid is absorbed, adding the reserve pasta liquid or the white wine if the pasta seems too dry. Combine the pasta and the shrimp in a bowl and serve.
Click to shop for the ingredients now or to join the Wildtree group.

White Castle for a Romantic Valentine's Day Dinner?

02/20/2012 13:40:00

Have you seen the much-publicized Valentine's Day promotion put on by White Castle, the (very) casual hamburger diner known for their "sliders"?

The promotion was titled "Hot & Steamy"... and the demographics were going after young couples wanting to celebrate the romantic holiday, but also desiring to stay within their financial budget. White Castle promised a romantic atmosphere with your burgers and fries. Was that possible, I wondered? Growing up in the north of the US, I'm familiar with the bargain-burger chain and have been inside to order my share of burgers & fries. The interior certainly lacks a romantic atmosphere, so I was curious to find out if someone indeed has done this unique event. Sure enough, after posting the question to my 6,000+ Facebook followers, I received a reply - complete with a photo!

Megan Watts from Michigan submitted her romantic dinner photo, as celebrated by her and her boyfriend last Valentine's Day. Awfully cute, isn't it? ; )

Wonder if McDonald's and Taco Bell are planning something special for next year Valentine's Day... Would you consider having your next Valentine's Day dinner at White Castle?

Contraband: Tough-Man Romantic Movie!

02/20/2012 12:30:00

WOW! I went to AMC Theatre in Altamonte Springs to see a movie screening of "Contraband" starring Mark Wahlberg. Normally I'm not much into the tough-guy movies, but after seeing this, I couldn't wait to write a romantic review! Romance with smuggling, grand theft, and espionage, you ask? You know the tough-guy movies almost always have some sort of love story in it. Contraband is an action-packed, fast-paced thriller, mean-guys, at-the-edge-of-your-seat drama, a love story of a strong bond between unique-living spouses, lots of wit to make you laugh - and a pleasure to view Mark Walhberg's rock-hard body. Treat yourself to see this movie! It'll leave you breathless!

Romantic Recipe: Chocolate Lava Cake with Whipped Cream

02/17/2012 17:30:00

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Chocolate Lava Cake with Whipped Cream