You know you’ve made it when your ass goes viral. In Sean Murphy’s case, it was the butt-slap heard around the world, and it neatly earns him this Dazzler of the Day. Murphy plays for the Oakland Athletics, and in a recent game he got hit with a pitch – more specifically, his ass got hit by a pitch – and suddenly that butt was everywhere for any number of reasons. Who doesn’t like a good piece of cake? Let’s play ball.
From her supernova-making heroine in ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’ to her exquisitely multi-faceted jewel of a semi-villain in ‘Crazy Rich Asians’, Michelle Yeoh has been devouring scenery for years. Her most recent role in the brilliant ‘Everything, Everywhere All at Once’ is the stuff of legend – and for that alone she earns this Dazzler of the Day honor – go see it and tell me it’s not dazzling.
His popular turn on ‘Chicago P.D’ has made him known to millions, but this crowning of Jesse Lee Soffer as Dazzler of the Day is mostly due to my pal Elizabeth’s request. And for bringing him to my attention, as well a being a dear friend for about four decades, I owe her more than this post. Be sure to follow Soffer on Twitter as well because give good Tweets too.
We love a multi-hyphenate wearer-of-many-hats in the realm of the dazzling, and no one’s hats demand a more hyphenated form than current Dazzler of the Day Damon L. Jacobs. A licensed marriage and family therapist, relationship expert, speaker, author and advocate, Jacobs keeps his journey filled with all sorts of activities. He’s also done a series of ‘Tub Talks’ which are just as described – talks that take place in his tub. That’s the best interview format I’ve ever seen. (Check them out on his YouTube Channel here, and then dive into his website here for a more comprehensive look at his accomplishments.)
In the magical way with which she does just about everything, Tess Collins provided the perfect segue into this Dazzler of the Day with one of the photos from her feature. Most people in Albany need no introduction to the magnificent Matt Baumgartner and his storied career (from starting the Bombers enterprise with a single casino win to his current raging success at June Farms). For all his business successes and acumen, he has an equally-powerful philanthropic side that more than justifies his ability to dazzle (many of us still recall the billboard he erected in support of marriage equality, back when New York teetered on the edge of not passing it into law). For a beautiful glimpse of the spell Baumgartner has cast on upstate New York, check out the idyllic majesty of June Farms this spring and summer, and visit their website for all they have to offer.
The fabulous Mother Hen of all Albany misfits, celebrities, restaurant workers and just about everyone who has played a part in this fair city over the past couple of decades, Tess Collins is long overdue for this Dazzler of the Day crowning. No matter how many setbacks or knockdowns that are thrown her way, she gamely deflects and defies, rallying over all adversity in the take-charge manner for which she is rightfully adored and admired. Generous of spirit and industry, she has crafted a one-woman enterprise that is a foundation of all that is good in this city, and remains a font of wisdom for anyone seeking guidance or some tough love. She is one of my favorite people in Albany, so be sure to say hello the next time you catch her working her magic at McGeary’s.
Recently confirmed as the newest Supreme Court Justice, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson will hopefully bring some sense to the very-questionable highest court of the land. (Though given its right-leaning majority, we may not be so lucky). At any rate, Jackson is one of the most qualified justices we’ve seen in recent years, and is the first black female the court has ever seen appointed. It’s woefully past time for that, and her dignity in the face of ridiculous questioning by the GOP makes her more than worthy of this Dazzler of the Day.
He first caught my rapt attention in the devastating film ‘Promising Young Woman’ starring Carey Mulligan. Bo Burnham managed to form the heart, and ultimately the heartbreaking dissolution, of that amazing movie, and that alone would be enough to earn him this Dazzler of the Day. But there’s so much more that he’s done, including the direction of the recent HBO special ‘Rothaniel’ featuring Jerrod Carmichael. Great talent inspires great talent.
There aren’t enough superlatives for certain Dazzlers of the Day, and that is no more apparent than in this post honoring Viola Davis. She earns her long-overdue Dazzler of the Day feature thanks to a career of formidable performances. Every time she is on stage or screen, she commands the attention and enthrallment of the viewer – so transfixing is she that even when her characters are designed to be meek or downtrodden, she can’t help but steal all her scenes, summoning an emotional ferocity and incandescent power that somehow melts into whichever character she is portraying.
Theatrical force-of-nature Ramin Karimloo is an Olivier and Tony Award nominated stage icon, who earns his first Dazzler of the Day thanks to his upcoming role in Broadway’s revival of ‘Funny Girl’. If there’s one show I want to see this season, that is definitely it. Check out Karimloo’s website here for a more comprehensive view of his impressive accomplishments.
Feeding a fellow human being has to be one of the most heartwarming things one person can do for another, and Brandon Styles has made a career of it. Proprietor of Mr. Bumbles Cafe, Brandon previously headed up chef duties at the Tipsy Moose Tavern. Mr. Bumbles is a work entirely of his own creation, and his enduring talent at crafting delicious plates easily earns him this Dazzler of the Day. (Bonus: Mr. Bumbles Cafe just revealed a new spring menu, so stop by to check it out – the wraps and sandwiches look amazing.)
Jerrod Carmichael is hosting Saturday Night Live this evening, and his new stand-up special on HBO, ‘Rothaniel’ is earning acclaim (he officially comes out as gay in it). All of that, and more, is why Carmichael earns his first Dazzler of the Day crowning, and this seems to be only the beginning. Watch his star rise.
Actor, singer and up-and-coming aerialist Chris Salvatore is a Renaissance man who earns his first Dazzler of the Day thanks to a career of reinvention and evolution. He’s been in movies, television, and live shows, while honing his singing and songwriting (witness some of his popular covers, as well as his original songs, for evidence of his brilliance). He’s also had a line of underwear out, which originally put him on this website’s map. Fortunately for all, he still likes showing off, and his burgeoning OnlyFans site is further proof of that.
While some chose violence at this year’s Academy Awards, Lady Gaga chose kindness and grace, ending the night on a hopeful note in which she took careful care of a wheelchair-bound Liza Minelli, gently keeping her on track when she seemed slightly lost. It was a heartwarming moment of delicate humanity on a night otherwise bereft of it, and it earns Gaga her first Dazzler of the Day. Like Madonna before her, crowning Lady Gaga as a Dazzler feels like a bit of a redundant let-down when you think of all her other accomplishments, but it’s all I have to give.
The magic of ‘Encanto’ crests with tonight’s broadcast of the Academy Awards, in which Sebastián Yatra just performed a song from that now-Oscar-winning movie. Yatra earns his first Dazzler of the Day thanks to his impeccable way around a ballad, which he just proved in front of the world.
