Clever Boobs-Selling Breast Cancer Awareness

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Duh. It’s pretty hard to miss.

I am always curious as how see the various approaches to “selling” Breast Cancer Awareness. It’s a touchy subject, societies attitudes toward discussing breasts in general are …uh.. bumpy at best. Both functional and sex object, the topic causing grown men to squirm in mixed company or boast when with the guys. Just ask any breastfeeding Mom, to go public or not? That is the question. Or if you don’t see the big deal try this exercise: next “breast cancer awareness” commercial try replacing “breast” with “scrotum” and you pretty much see why people are little gun-shy.

I personally wince at just about every erectile dysfunction ad. That’s mostly over the Massingill-like execution of the ads themselves. Dueling bathtubs? Really?

But I stray… You have to give them credit. Every October, breast cancer organizations valiantly attempt to both raise awareness about breast cancer as well as reduce the public stigma around the topic.  Not easy. I look forward to see their efforts as I do Super Bowl commericals– sometimes you’re treated to some really clever, innovative and just plain good ads and grassroots outreach.

Some do by facts.

Some do by color.

Some do by shock.

Some do by touching appeal.

Some do it by being just plain authentically real.

Like my chica Jamie Inman.

Her  Stay In the Pink website dedicated to raising awareness about a cancer that affected her not once, but twice. Her earnestness and I’ve-been-there experience is so authentic, so charming, the delivery cannot help but hit home.

Recently she put her message where her mouth is on YouTube.

Lastly, some do it with humor.

Which of all ways to “sell” an uncomfortable topic, nothing beats humor in my book.

It breaks the ice. It gets RT and YouTubed and forwarded on in email. It gets chatted up by the boys over beer. It spreads like wildfire and eases viewers into the message. Perhaps making them a bit more receptive to the next encounter or impression, and with something like Breast Cancer, I doubt any organization cares who got you to go get the mammogram, just that you got one.

Check out a few faves straight from the humor dept.

An Argument for the Questionable

I love Questionable TV and Media in all forms.

If I’m stressed, toss me an US Weekly and I’m happy. Working on marketing strategy? Gossip Girl please.

It’s in the genes.

My grandfather, a doctor and well-known diagnostician, used to have a subscription to MAD magazine. Imagine this picture: one patrician and very reserved gentleman gleefully huddling with his  5 year old grand-daughter over Alfred E. Newman. “What, Me Worry?” It’s one of my favorites.

The everday of work requires the yin of idea parsing, sythesizing, creating– one need the yang of the questionable. It resets the brain. Calibrates it. It’s also a catalyst for inspiration.

I’m not saying Questionable is the only show in town. Some people work out, play golf, travel, shop (hence the name “retail therapy”)- I do some of these in moderation. Quick aside:  I’ve been known to play hide n’seek with the kids in the neighborhood and hit the batting cages (the latter is really key if you’ve hit freaky freak levels of stress. Innocent baseballs you get to hit the hell out of.)

But offer an alternative of the Questionable, especially when a quick hit is needed. And with a DVR, the Internet, and a newsstand,  questionable is readily available: Perez Hilton, Pimp My Ride, US Weekly, ATM, Oprah, Cat Fancy (just kidding,) MTV’s True Life, Mad Magazine, VH1′s Celebrity Rehab, HGTV, Iron Chef America, Star Magazine, The New York Observer, Rock of Love, Crazy Days and Nights, O Magazine, Rescue Me, Nip/Tuck, BSG and so on and so on- depending on my whim.

So spill it. What’s  in your Questionable playbook? (but totally PG please)

And if you don’t do Questionable. Embrace it. Whatever that might be.

Action. The New To-Do.

Don’t just put stake in the ground, you got to stake your claim.

Stand up for what you believe in, act upon the decisions you make.

Seth Godin recently talked about Making Decisions.

As Seth said, “not make a decision is making a decision.” Same goes for not acting upon it.

It takes guts to not only have an opinion or make the decision but to act upon it. You’re putting yourself out there for skepticism, ridicule, failure. Or all three.

Learn from the mistakes. They happen whether you do anything or not.

Successful people make decisions and run with it. If it doesn’t work out of the gate, they make adjustments, fine tune their approach or revise their original position.

But  the one thing they all do?

They act.

(I totally wrote this after watching a very inspirational VH-1 Behind The Music on 50 Cents. That man is a true American Hustler. I wouldn’t step in the way of him and his next goal, that’s for sure. Then I read Seth’s post and was shamed into writing something less verbose than my usual fair. Could TheBetsy be succinct in a couple of sentences? Yes, I think she can. Cheers.)

Act Like You’ve Been There Before

A piece of sage advice.

You got to act like you’ve been there before. Play it cool baby.

New to the executive ranks? You got to act like you’ve been there before.

Huge success? You got to act like you’ve been there before.

Made an incredible save, scored the winning touchdown, won the Presidential Election?

You got to act like you’ve been there before.

Confidently cool. Touch of humble even.

This all hit home while watching an episode of MTV Cribs (before you pass judgement, I was just passing the time with the kind of crappy, questionable TV that makes me happy. So judge however you like.). I was struck by the obvious and painful bravado of the rapper Soulja Boy. Blinged out, chirping Gucci “dis an dat” (seriously this was the vernacular he used,) all he was missing was the requisite video vixens with thonged badonkadonks booty shaking and Cristal in his Pimp cup.

Honestly, I have no freakin’ clue who Soulja Boy is, nor do I care, he’s just represents a class of celebrity and personae proving my point.

Check out a snippet of Soulja Boy and you’ll get my drift:

Why?

He once said in an interview, when he first started he was pulled aside by one of his coaches after he ended a particularly brilliant catch with some in-your-face celebratory antics.  He was told to “act like you’ve been there before.” Bravado spoke rookie. When you’re superior, a touchdown is just that. A touchdown.

Originally attributed to Darrel K. Royal, the winningest coach at University of Texas Longhorn, I like to think it as truly sage advice that translates to all facets of life.  To act “like you’ve been there before” means to class up and move with scary confidence. Play it cool. It’s impressive when you meet someone who REALLY embodies this, it’s just a level of confidence that has been reinforced year over year by success.  They don’t need the trappings — a Maserati or a diamond-encrusted mouth “grill” –to show they’re important — they embody it in their demeanor and actions.  The multi-millionaire who drives himself to work and occasionally answers the phone himself. The film star who shows up consistently on time, ready to work and treats everyone with respect. The star athlete does charity work as much as he can, all without fanfare.

Now for the rest of us that are in the “fake it until you make it” category. The feint of “act like you’ve been there before” is sound advice. When success does bless us with it’s presence, it is exactly the time to play it cool. Inside you maybe go “Oh HELLL YEAH!” but channel your inner Barry Sanders for your outer demeanor. Act like you’ve been there before. They say dress for the job you want, I say act like you’re already there.

Sure there are times for celebrating: you made your first million, first billion, saved someone’s life, found the cure for cancer, after the birth of your first born (and second, and third…,) or just safely crash-landed an entire jet plane of people in the Hudson.

Until then, just play it cool.

Natural Law of the Jungle: Dirty Old Men & Gold-diggers.

You know I speak the truth. As I see and have seen it.

So here we go-

On topic with the whole David Letterman “Jeepers… I’ve Been Sleeping With Subordinates” speech (which got him crazy ratings, and millions of YouTube viewings, but that’s a whole other post.)

To think men sleep with younger women, and not only that, with younger, nubile things that work with and/or for them.

Shocking. Simply shocking!

Uhh. No, not really.

I’ve worked both in entertainment and in business,  and to say two over-the-age-of-consent co-workers having a relationship, even an affair, is soooo not shocking.

It’s boring.

Look it’s pretty much the law of nature. Men of power/wealth/stature/fame (or some combo of all of the above) can pretty much sleep with anyone and, frankly, most the time… they do. Same goes in the wild kingdom- just watch Animal Planet and a few shows about Lions and Tigers and Bears.

Alphas get the chicks.

Oh my!

We humans have our own jungle and jungle laws. Affairs like the ones David Letterman have their own currency system. Just as the man may have some combo of power/fame/or fortune, the woman usually has a similar mix of youth and beauty. Each can draw off the other so to speak.

For fun, let’s just scan a few of the more May-December couplings. A few are from work.

Clinton and Lewinsky, Trump and Maples (& now Knauss,) Clooney and [just insert model/actress], Hugh Hefner and any “blond,” a male Kennedy and etc. etc. etc.

And the girls? Let’s face it, to sleep with one’s boss for personal gain– whether it’s for their career or bling or a “Mrs.” title– is such a cliché people just assume “gold-digger” first and “wide-eyed innocent” a real distant third or fourth.

Now, sure there are some that are seduced, or fall prey to the idea that what’s actually going on isn’t just an ordinary, vanilla-type affair, but the gosh-darn real thing. Some know an affair is just that- an affair. It has a beginning, a middle and it ends. Both parties walk away friends.

I hate to point out that, as long as both parties are at least 18, no matter how smarmy the deets may be, as long as both parties truly consent it’s fair game.

And none of our business.

Let’s move on.

And it works both ways. If it didn’t,  a Mae West, an Elizabeth Taylor Hilton Wilding Todd Fischer Burton Burton Warner Fortensky or the lyrical Barbara Hutton Mdviani von Haugwitz-Reventlow Grant (as in Cary) Troubetsky Rubirosa Gottfried von Cramm Doan wouldn’t exist.

Courtesy of The New York Observer

As for this sudden uproar over David Letterman’s confession, let’s put some perspective on the situation.

David Letterman likes young women. Roman Polanski likes young girls. David Letterman probably didn’t drug any of them have sex. Roman… did.  David had affairs with adults- if it was any more, believe me we probably would have heard about it either from his arrest or via The Star. News like that is just too juicy, worth too much (hence the $2 million blackmail.) Roman Polanski, on the other hand, is a convicted criminal.

Now there’s always the possibility there’s more there than him just having affairs. The crisis PR pro in me says if there were more “there” there, the public mea culpas he did on October 1 and October 6 were brilliant. Text book. Basically “I did wrong, I’m sorry, and I will try to make amends to those I’ve hurt.” But it could also be nipping any leaks of further information or exposure by 1) arresting the blackmailer 2) turning the story focus on the who, what, where and why of the affairs not “the terrible things I’ve done” 3) He ends the mea culpa by firmly announcing he won’t talk about it again, though he does only to apologize to his wife and staff. There is always the gamble that the story could grow bigger, but the immediate to longer-term focus will be on the affairs with his female coworkers. But this is just me being my nasty cynical self.

As for public outcry for him to be “fired”… this Puritanical view that people in position of power or fame should be perfect is ridiculous. It only adds increases the likelihood of extortion- which, for someone like David Letterman would probably be monetary, but for public figure, say a Senator or President, could be of a much more serious nature, such as compromising military or state secrets or influencing public policy.

But for Letterman? As he said, “I have my work cut out for me” with respect to making amends to his wife. Not only am I sure he wants to heal the emotional rift his transgression have caused to his marriage, but I’m pretty sure that, given his the demise of his first marriage happened after similar circumstances, there’s motivation both financially and legally not to trip any prenuptial “cheat” clauses, should this marriage end as well.

‘Cause in our jungle, there’s only one thing that trumps an alpha male, it’s a killer divorce lawyer wielding an iron-clad prenup.

But again, that’s really between him, his wife, his God, and their lawyers… and  none of my damn business.

And the take-away,  just because I’ve been humming it since I typed the title…

It’s a TVBETSY Interview- Holy Salsa!

This is seriously good stuff.

It is divine, heaven-sent, hence the “Holy” part.

Unpretentious, not fancy. Super mild. I nicknamed it “Gazpacho Salsa”– and you will drink the juice after.

Promise.

Tammy Johnson “Chopper” is the guilty party. She makes it at The Carpenter Farm Stand in Matunuk, RI.

She also loves Mickey Mouse, drives a school bus in the winter, and works at the Carpenter’s Farm Stand in the summer. Tammy’s an Old Swamp Yankee or “Bogger” and damn proud of it.  Which I find this utterly charming. Swamp Yankees are, by nature, ornery and cantankerous, loyal and give the shirt off their backs, but don’t cross them. Named for the Yankees that, during the Revolution, hid in the swamps from the British, using peet moss from the bogs to keep warm and cook food.

Tammy in her Mickey Apron- LOVE IT!

Tammy’s a character in the finest sense of the word. Oh, and she makes some damn fine salsa.

This is her first summer working for the stand’s owner and farmer, David Carpenter. She started working the register and helping harvest the corn and during the down time, she’d go through produce and take out bruised, unsaleable fruit and veggies. Being the beloved Swamp Yankee, she just couldn’t throw good produce away. Too beautiful, too fresh, and it was just bruised.  So she took the big basket of fresh tomatoes, corn, basil, cilantro, and created a Matunuk legend.

How good?  People take buy Tammy’s salsa and try to pass it off as their own at parties. Now to TheBetsy, that’s the highest accolade.

Tammy and her fabulous tattoos

Covered in tattoos, she jokes she’s the “tough, rough lady that makes salsa.”  Rough? The rose tattoos are a part of memorial garden honoring members of her family who died of cancer. A work in progress, every Sunday, she visits her son, a tatoo artist, he spends 3 hours adding to it. Her father’s ashes were used in one of them.

Seriously, how could you not love this lady?

The roses were inspired by her daughter’s art project and a picture drawn by one her high schoolers she buses. Again, she’s an old Yankee.

Her salsa secret? “Doesn’t have to been top of the line, just FRESH.”

Amen sister.

Her salsa is $12 per 2lb deli container. Pricey? You bet. When Tammy first started making her salsa,  the price was much lower, but “Value Pricing” took in effect, and with the salsa selling out, the boss (Farmer David Carpenter) raised the price,  people kept buying, and he raised it again, and it still sells out. I ate it all in one day- it was THAT good. Plus. I’ve scored you the recipe (see below)  so quit yer whining and enjoy.

When she first proposed the idea of turning the bruised veggies into salsa, David Carpenter asked if she knew how to make salsa. Not surprisingly, Tammy replied, “Nope, But I can learn.”

Her first batches started out doing it all in food processor. Too mushy,  the flavors too blended. Too much like Gazpacho. So she went chunky.

She looks for very ripe, very fresh tomatoes. Just cuts out bad spots. Use fresh corn and cheap cans of black beans. After several tries (and errors) Tammy ended up with this.

So check out a LiquidBetsy interview of Tammy Johnson and her amazing Carpenter Farm Stand Salsa (a.k.a. Ole’ Swamp Yankee Salsa or  Heavenly Gazpacho Salsa.)

Now I’ve made several test batches, post-interview. Both good and bad. Best were based on fresh. Fresh tomatoes, corn, basil,  all fresh, fresh fresh. Did I say fresh? But winter approaches so this isn’t happening. So when you try to make this,  keep that in mind. You do get pretty close with major market tomatoes, corn and salsa so it isn’t a total loss. Close enough, and  I’m happy with that. As a base, this salsa is fantastic. Add jalapeno for heat, or just puree the extra for Gazpach0. Great with fish, it is also amazing with eggs (hello healthy breakfast burrito!)

Know this before you start. Tammy:

• Never measures, whatever looks good. Because measurement here is iffy so use your best judgement, erring on less. You can always add more at the end.
• Tastes when done. Then she adjusts salt/pepper, veggies when done.
• Measures her “batch” by a salad or mixing bowl. That, and a 2 lb. deli container. See the accompanying pictures.

Carpenter Farm Stand Salsa, a.k.a. Ole’ Swamp Yankee Salsa or  Heavenly Gazpatcho Salsa

Layer the following in a standard size salad bowl:

• Tomatoes: Here is the real secret- the tomatoes must be almost gone. Even a few black spots. It is at the height of it’s tomatoey goodness. Cut out the black spots etc.
• Lime juice from 2-3 limes.
• Salt /Pepper
• 2 Ears Corn: Tammy cooks her fresh-off-the-farm corn for six mins in microwave, no cleaning necessary. Says it comes out clean, and when I tried it,  it does! Let it cool to at least warm.
• 1 Can of Black Beans. Don’t rinse beans throw the whole can juice and all. How freakin’ easy!

Dice the following finely in a chopper or food processor and add to mixture. Not pureed, but  finely chopped as it infuses the flavor and really makes strong flavors subtle. See the accompanying picture to get a sense of how much.

• 4 cloves of Garlic (put in food processor)
• 1/2 Onion
• Add to mixture

Next Chop in a Chopper/Food Processor (see the picture of the 2lb deli container to get an idea)

• Cilantro
• Basil  (I’d say this is THE secret ingredient, it really adds something special)

At the end it should basically look like this:

Again, you can customize this recipe by adding your own jalapeno pepper (Tammy recommends only one) or as I suggested a fire-roasted hot or bell pepper. Tammy even slips in some zucchini and no one is the wiser. a great idea for sneaky nutrition!

Easy to make, awesome to taste, great to share.

Please, please, please  share what YOU did with Tammy’s salsa- it’s easy, just comment on the blog.