After exploding onto the Pop Music scene in the early ’00s, Aaron Carter certainly knows a thing or two about surviving the often cruel Entertainment World. Known best for his Hits Aaron’s Party (Come Get It), That’s How I Beat Shaq and I Want Candy and platinum-selling Albums, the younger Brother of Backsteeet Boy, Nick Carter, for a good duration had an entire demographic of Pre-Teens at his mercy.
After some highs and lows and honest attempts to revive his Career, the Star is now leveraging success on his own terms. And his truest Fans have been loyal and he knows it.
Currently on tour after a successful run with his After Party Tour last year which saw him play smaller club venues across North America, Carter made a quick visit to KISS 92.5 earlier today on the Roz & Mocha Show.
Fans waiting outside in the rain were rewarded as he took a few minutes to stop and say “hi”, graciously thanking everyone individually for waiting for him. He even complimented me on my Cardigan!
Carter plays Lee’s Palace tonight. More details here on how you can get Tickets!
See our Snap:
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
After hosting a The Chippendales Event in Las Vegas to rousing success, 98° Member Jeff Timmons is now in Toronto taking it one step further with his MEN OF THE STRIP Tour! Touching-down at Uniun Nightclub last night, the Troupe of Exotic Male Dancers teased and pleased a packed Crowd of Women, demonstrating the choreography of Co-Founder Glenn Douglas Packard.
Las Vegas-Resident Timmons, Packard a sampling of the Dancers on the Tour including Keith and Joel, were out and about promoting the sizzling Affair around the City this morning. Stop-offs included KISS 92.5‘s The Roz & Mocha Show and also a visit to Global Television‘s The Morning Show (National Edition).
Just in Toronto earlier this year for the Megashow known as The Package Tour alongside New Kids on the Block and Boyz II Men, the future currently is uncertain for 98°, one of the biggest Boy Bands of the ’90s, after releasing their latest Disc 2.0, which charted the U.S. Billboard Hot 200 Chart.
Still looking in top form, Timmons came-out and hugged a Fan he recognized from his Show last night, coming-out to support him again today. Perfect for the Holidays, we took a Snap by Shaw Media‘s gorgeous Holiday Tree, just put-up this weekend. Timmons et al. were of course amazingly nice, getting Billy in on the fun!
Click here to learn more about Men of the Strip. A Reality TV Series based on the Troupe also currently is in development!
See our Snap:
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
Success and popularity literally came overnight for Madeline Brewer, who is known best as Tricia Miler on the first Season of Netflix‘s Orange is the new Black, the Prison-Drama Series based on Piper Kerman‘s best-selling Memoir. The 21-year-old from New Jersey sadly exited the Series prematurely, capturing the attention of Fans as a Cornrow-donning, drug-addicted Lesbian with Kleptomaniac tendencies. Her world unravels after her Lover Mercy (Katie Iacona) completes her sentence before her and her dependency on corrupt Prison Guard (Pablo Schreiber) deepens.
It was just announced recently that talented Brewer was a casting addition to Netflix‘s Hemlock Grove, currently in its second Season and filming in the City till late February. She plays a Graphic Novelist arriving in the secretive Town, taking-on a recurring role. Believe it or not, this is only Brewer‘s second acting credit.
The Actress/Singer made a rare appearance at KISS 92.5‘s Studios today on The Roz & Mocha Show and was absolutely sweet to Fans, who despite it being extremely cold waited for her. Sporting her naturally curly blonde locks, she stopped to take Photos with Fans, familiar and new. But was she nervous being new to the Press thing, I asked? “Not really, I woke-up at six today” she says, “But I am hungry!”.
Billy and I were lucky enough to get a Snap with the Cat Lover, who is thinking seriosuly about returning home to bring to Toronto her beloved Pet!
See our Snap:
Follow Madeline Brewer on Twitter here.
Hemlock Grove (Season Two) is set for a release around March 2014.
(Photo credit: Netflix/Mr. Will Wong)
A National Hero, an Internet Phenomenon and now an Author. Commander Chris Hadfield has been in Toronto this past week promoting his first Book, An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth, which details his experiences as an Astronaut and Commander of the International Space Station. Hadfield captivated the World with mind-blowing Photos shared via Social Media from his Expeditions, including his final one in which he aided scientific experiments dealing with the low impact of gravity on Human Biology. A slick, self-made Music Video for his Cover of David Bowie’s Space Oddity recorded in Space to date has garnered over 18-million views worldwide on YouTube.
As an Homage to Bowie, who has been front-and-center of late in Toronto with his popular Art Gallery of Ontario Exhibit taking place right now, Maclean’s features Hadfield on the Cover of their October issue made-up as Bowie in his Aladdin Sane Era. Earlier in the week, he also did Interviews out of the Venue to be fully thematic.
See the Cover below:
Fans got a chance to connect with Hadfield last night as he met in-excess of 600 Fans at Indigo- Manulife Centre, signing Copies of his Book, while earlier in the day he head to the West-End for an appearance at Kobo‘s Headquarters. Generous in allotting the Media face time, he went on a blitz which included appearances on Global Television‘s The Morning Show (National Edition), 104.5 CHUM-FM’s Roger, Darren and Marilyn, KISS 92.5’s Roz & Mocha Show, City’s Breakfast Television, eTalk, CBC‘s Q Radio and George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight. Although he’s scheduled to visit New York for a quick minute Thursday, he’ll be back in Toronto again this weekend to face Fans again at an Event hosted by Maclean’s at the MaRS Discovery District this Sunday at 1:00 PM. Details here.
As he jogged across Bloor Street following a TV appearance yesterday into a silver Mercedes Benz, he apologized profusely as he didn’t have a moment for a Photo. This morning though, I spotted Hadfield and his Assistant grabbing a Coffee at Starbucks as they head-off for another day of Press. Recognizing me right away, he came out of his car and shook my hand, taking a minute kindly for a Snap. “Are we gonna be able to manage a Selfie?” and after a failed attempt, he was more than patient to Review the Photo with me. “That one will do!”, he gestured at the winning Pic on my LED Screen.
See our Snap:
Order a Copy of on Hadfield‘s Book here!
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong/Chris Hadfield)
Mr. Will Wong and Sony Music Canada are thrilled to give Readers a chance to attend one of this Summer’s hottest Events, the KISS 92.5 WHAM BAM! We all know how much I love KISS 92.5, Avril Lavigne and Robin Thicke! Lavigne and Thicke will be co-headlining this year’s Show which features also Shawn Desman, Classified, Nikki Williams and also Set It Off Live with Mocha & DJ Clymaxxx.
Proceeds from Ticket Sales go to Red Cross in aid of Calgary Flood Relief efforts.
The Show starts 5:00 PM at Toronto’s Molson Amphitheatre. It’s not too late to get tickets here still!
This Contest runs only for a few hours, so hurry! To enter, simply click “like” on this Post at Mr. Will Wong on Facebook. Share this Post right away with your Friends to increase your chances, or Re-Tweet the below:
http://www.mrwillwong.com/kiss925whambam @MRWILLW wants us to #win Tickets to tomorrow’s #KISSWHAMBAM featuring #AvrilLavigne and #RobinThicke!
Have you checked out Lavigne‘s awesome new Video for Rock N Roll? Watch here.
Good luck.
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
If there was one Person I absolutely had to meet this year, without question I would say it is Robin Thicke! For years I’ve enjoyed his Music but no one can deny that this is his year, breaking Airplay records (242.6 million Listeners to be exact) with his Single Blurred Lines, the Song which would define singlehandedly the Summer of 2013.
The R&B Star’s Canadian connections are deeply-rooted. Like his Father, Actor/Singer/Songwriter Alan Thicke, he also holds dual American-Canadian citizenship and the Proud Pop actually accompanied him on his Toronto Press Tour today. Thicke‘s sixth Studio Disc, Blurred Lines released just last week, went on to become his first ever release to reach the summit of the Billboard Hot 200 Albums Chart. And he is going all out in terms of promotion to ensure we all know how great an Album it is (it really is amazing – read my Review here)!
In addition to visiting CHUM-FM earlier today, Thicke arrived fashionably late with a three-vehicle Entourage to his KISS 92.5 Interview on The Roz & Mocha Show, where both Rogers Media Staffers and Fans awaited with eagerness for his arrival. Looking devastatingly handsome in his Aviators and Blazer, he was absolutely amazing – promising to spend a moment with his Fans on his way out. And he delivered of course – cool, calm and collected! Even his Father was generous to stop and pose for Fans, while younger Brother Carter got a glimpse of what greatness his future could hold, being a part a Family with a firmly-planted place in the World of Entertainment. Did you know that the Father and Son Duo partnered in writing the Track Ain’t No Hat 4 That on the Disc?
In case you missed Thicke, do not fret. His two-day visit to Toronto includes several stop-offs including appearances on CITY‘s Breakfast Television tomorrow, Global Television‘s The Morning Show, an appearance also on CBC‘s Q Radio with Jian Ghomeshi later this week, plus also an intimate performance tonight at an undisclosed location. Basically, he’s running the City this week and we know we want it (!).
Thicke was super-thoughtful to sign a Photo for my Readers. If you want it (I know you want it!), head on over to Mr. Will Wong on Facebook and click “like” on this Post to enter! All are welcome to enter. Double ballots if you share the Post on Facebook! Good luck.
See our Snap below:
Order Blurred Lines on iTunes here!
Thicke headlines the KISS 92.5 WHAM BAM on Saturday, August 31, 2013 at Molson Amphitheatre. More details here!
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
His Career couldn’t be any hotter right now! Yes, that’s James Badge Dale, known also as Badgett Dale, whom those of us who grew-up in the early ’90s will remember him from Boys-turned-Savages Thriller, Lord of the Flies. After a bit of a hiatus which saw him focus on Hockey, fate could not be avoided as his Star would rise once again with successive Blockbusters lined one right after the other.
Although he’s in town to promote Gore Verbinski‘s The Lone Ranger which has him starring as Ranger Dan Reid alongside Armie Hammer and Johnny Depp, he also has a little Zombie/Apocalypse Movie called World War Z coming out this weekend. That Film is expected to debut huge with Brad Pitt front-and-center, going head-to-head with Disney Heavyweight in Monsters University. And did I mention the record-breaking success of Iron Man 3, in which Dale stars as the villainous Savin?
The Actor arrived at KISS 92.5 Studios super-early this morning, casual in a Button-Down, Jeans and Toque, bringing some of that effortless New York City Style to our City. Although strapped for time, he still made time to stop for a Photo, heading right over after greeting Roz & Mocha Show Producer, Maurie Sherman. Shortly after, he head over to City‘s Breakfast Television to chat with Jennifer Valentyne, singing the praises of Co-Star Johnny Depp stating that The Lone Ranger will be a complete surprise for Moviegoers.
A busy day of Press is scheduled ahead for Dale in advance of the Wednesday, July 5, 2013 release of The Lone Ranger from Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.
Dale can next be seen in Parkland, produced by Tom Hanks, about the Events of Parkland Hospital the day John F. Kennedy was assassinated. Colin Hanks who also stars in that Film, also currently is in town filming RomCom, No Stranger Than Love.
See our Snap:
Headlining his first ever Tour, Glee Star Darren Criss hits Toronto’s Phoenix Concert Hall Tonight. The Listen Up Tour features a combination of songs performed on that Series, plus original Music – old and new – as he preps the release of his long-awaited full-length Solo Disc.
The friendly and personable Criss, whom we’ve had the pleasure of meeting on a few occasions in the past (the last time exactly a year ago), made two appearances early this morning including a visit to KISS 92.5 where a large crowd of Fans awaited, followed by a visit to Global Television‘s The Morning Show (National Edition), on the same Canadian Network which airs his hit Series.
Spotting me right away, he asks me “Nice seeing you again! Are you still getting those amazing Photos?”. I don’t believe he remembers! Aww! Some even traveled from as far as New York to see their Idol and he was super-thoughtful taking his time to chat with each and every Fan.
See Criss greet his ardent Fans below:
Watch Criss’ Interview below on The Morning Show:
Criss’ Listen Up Tour wraps June 30, 2013 in Maryland.
Canadian Megastar Avril Lavigne is back in town to promote her brand new Single, Here’s To Never Growing Up. Lavigne beat her Fans to the punch, getting to her first appearance of the day before 7:00 AM. After a quick touch-up by her Make-up Artist upon existing her Suburban, she donned her famous Aviators looking Military-chic, to pose for some Photos. Although quiet, she actually is really, really nice and after trying for the past 10 years, finally I got my Snap with her and even Billy was a part of the fun!
On the itinerary this morning were to back-to-back Interviews at KISS 92.5‘s The Roz & Mocha Show and 98.1 CHFI. Catching wind of her appearance just in time, Fans arrived catching the Singer/Songwriter/Fashion Designer and Actress who not only has sold over 30 million Albums, but also 50 million Singles in her eleven-year Career.
Lavigne arrived this weekend from Los Angeles with soon-to-be Husband Chad Kroeger, Frontman of Nickelback and today she was sporting proudly her 14-carat Diamong Ring while doing Press. Later today she will make a highly-publicized visit to MuchMusic‘s New.Music.Live, inviting Fans on Twitter to come down to see her at 6:00 PM, when she is expected to greet Fans by the window.
Here’s to Never Growing Up (co-written with Kroeger) continues to climb the charts and already is at number 17 on the Canadian Hot 100, while in the U.S. the Track is at number 30 on the Billboard Hot 100. The Singer’s still-untitled fifth Studio Disc is due this September via Sony Music Canada and a second Single already has been slated, titled Rock and Roll. It is said that Lavigne was courting a famous Female Vocalist to collaborate on the Track.
Just last month, Lavigne was voted one of Canada’s 50 Most Beautiful People as per Hello! Canada. More on that here.
Lavigne also was just announced to perform at the 2013 MuchMusic Video Awards on Sunday, June 16, 2013 here in Toronto!
See Lavigne with Fans earlier outside KISS 92.5 Studios:
See our Snap below:
Toronto finally gets a serious dose of Starpower this week and Selena Gomez certainly caps everything off in a huge way for us! The Actress, Pop Star and overall Megastar arrived from Paris yesterday, causing a commotion at Toronto Pearson International Airport midday. Fan reports indicate pushing and shoving, but alas all was safe and Gomez was spotted later in the day enjoying some Lunch at Hooters. While we were at the Scotiabank Theatre Red Carpet Advance Screening of Now You See Me with Jesse Eisenberg, Gomez managed to sneak into the theatre almost unnoticed to enjoy a Movie on her Day Off!
Gomez was at it early today, doing a round of Radio Interviews including 104.5 CHUM FM, KISS 92.5 and 99.9 Virgin Radio and everywhere she went, she drew a huge crowd of her primarily female Fans. Her Handler was awesome to keep order, having everyone line-up tidily in front of KISS 92.5 Studios after her appearance on the Roz & Mocha Show. No Fan left disappointed as quickly she made her way through the line, posing for Selfies with everyone. Even Billy and I got a Snap with the Pop Princess and we’ve been longtime Supporters! “Oh my God, he’s sooo cute!”, she says about Billy!
See our Snap below:
Gomez‘s first Solo Disc Stars Dance will get a Summer release via Universal Music Canada and we’re stoked from what we’ve heard. First Single Come & Get It is a bit of a Top 40 Monster, already hitting reaching the Top Ten of both the Canadian and U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Charts!
Slow Down has been confirmed as the next Single from Stars Dance (Video shot in Paris). The Disc is scheduled for Tuesday, July 23, 2013 via Universal Music Canada. Cannot wait to hear it! Complete Tracklisting here.
(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong/Michelle Moon | Audio Content: Universal Music)
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