By: Jacob Elyachar, jakes-take.com
It is hard to believe that tonight officially ends 2014!
This year has been an impeccable roller coaster ride that has featured numerous highlights both professionally and personally.
Interviewing the Queen of Country Music was a huge highlight in my professional career! (Photo courtesy of Sony Records & Dolly Records)
Interviewing the Queen of Country Music
My favorite female country singer of all-time is none other than the Queen of Country Music herself: Ms. Dolly Parton! When the incomparable seven-time Grammy winning singer-songwriter and Kennedy Center Honoree announced that she was going to release her 42nd studio album, Blue Smoke, I knew that I wanted to fulfill a life-long dream: interviewing Dolly! Ms. Parton was incredibly kind and what made the interview so special is that she sang the first few notes of “Kansas City” to me and revealed that despite all the technological advancements in the recording industry, she wanted to be in the studio with her band to “feel the music.” My interview with Ms. Parton will be something that I will always treasure!
Birthright Israel
Seven years ago, I first went to the Holy Land with my youth group. Unfortunately, I battled exhaustion and contracted a small case of mono during the trip, which forced me to recover at the youth hostel. I desperately wanted a second chance, but until this past spring, I could never go back. However, when my brother, Aaron, told me that Birthright Israel is giving BBYO alumni a second chance to go to Israel (and for free this time)…I grasped at the opportunity! On this trip, I met so many lifelong friends and did some remarkable things that included swimming in the Mediterranean Sea, rafting down the Jordan River and facing my acrophobia head on as I faced down Masada, walking down a cliff and riding on top of a camel.
I got to say my celebrity moment of the summer was giving The Script’s Danny O’Donoghue–a high-five! (Photo property & courtesy of Courtney Oliver)
Danny O’Donoghue steals OneRepublic/Script concert
My friend, Debbie, gave me one of my best birthday gifts this year! She gave me her tickets to the One Republic/Script concert at Starlight Theatre. This was my first time seeing both bands perform live! While One Republic put on an impeccable show, it was Script front man Danny O’Donoghue that made a lasting impression on me. His vocal ability not only rivaled JT, Robin Thicke, Adam Levine and possibly Usher, but also his showmanship could not be contained. In multiple instances, Mr. O’Donoghue ran off the stage and interacted with the crowd! As he gave me a high-five during the final bars of “Hall of Fame,” I realized that Danny O’Donoghue is one of the coolest artists in the world!
A “View” Of A Lifetime
Two of the most powerful women that I admire in the entertainment industry are View co-hosts Whoopi Goldberg and Rosie O’Donnell. Both of them never fail to make me laugh and think! So, when I was in New York…I made sure to visit the long-running ABC talk show! It was a treat to watch these two icons talk about Ebola, same-sex marriage and the War of Iraq with Nicolle Wallace and Rosie Perez, While I was in awe of Whoopi and her superb remarks, it was Rosie O’Donnell that made my trip to the show one of the true highlights of my trip! When I asked her how The View helped her become a better interviewer, she responded: “The show has helped me get along better with people and rely on the power of Xanax!” The whole audience roared at that comment and it meant the world to have a mini-interview with one of my all-time favorite talk show hosts!
Kevin Conroy voiced The Dark Knight for over 22 years! It was a true highlight of the 2014 New York Comic Con. (Photo property of Jacob Elyachar)
Meeting Batman
For pop culture aficionados, the New York Comic Con is the hottest ticket in the Big Apple! Over 150,000 fans headed to the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center to see some of the biggest names and creators in the pop culture world. For countless Batman fans, one of the highlights of the four-day weekend extravaganza was meeting Kevin Conroy! For 22 years, Mr. Conroy voiced the Dark Knight on numerous forms of media and is the most recognizable Batman for the Millennial Generation! It was an honor to talk to him about the precious memories I had watching Batman: the Animated Series and Justice League with my dad and I shared the fact that every time I read a Batman comic, I used his Batman as guidance as I read. I hope to see (and possibly interview) Mr. Conroy in the future.
What are your favorite memories of 2014?
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