interview with HARMONICA SUNBEAM
1. Are you a native New Yorker? I was born and raised in Newark, New Jersey. I currently reside in Jersey City. I have no thoughts or interest in living in the city until I hit mega millions. Its way too expensive (even in the ghetto) and I enjoy the thrill of going to the city, having a good time and then heading home to peace and tranquility (yes you can find that in Jersey City!)
2. You are definitely the "Queen of Comedy". How has that title been for you? Have you felt pressured to always be funny? To be truthful, I gave myself the title so it’s something I created and made myself live up to. There are lots of people in the business of female impersonation so the only way you will survive or stand out is by having a gimmick to your act -- the ability to look like a celebrity, being able to handle yourself on the microphone, or just being pretty!
When I’m Dorian, I think people pressure me to be funny and sometimes it can be a little much (wrong place, wrong time). As Harmonica, I don’t feel pressured because that is my goal: TO ENTERTAIN.
3. Have you found it difficult to date or do you not date people that you entertain? It is very difficult to date in this field. Back in the day I would think it was easier. If I met someone while I was “working”, it would be one less thing to tell them. But, you find that the person falls in love with what they see and have a hard time dealing with the other side. My ideal boyfriend/lover/soul mate would be someone who appreciates and respects my Harmonica side but they don’t have to come to every show and assist me in trivial tasks. You know like steaming gowns, polishing my nails or blow-drying my testicles after a long night.
4. What has been your biggest challenge/struggle with HIV? Is there a message that you'd like for people to really get? Having HIV and dealing with it on a day to day basis can be quite a challenge --- personally I just prepare myself for anything that may come up and deal with it through prayer and education --- staying on top of your HIV knowledge and having a direct relationship with your doctor are also very important --- most people don’t even know what they are on and will do anything the doctor suggests --- this is your life and your treatment so be an active participant of it --- I personally am not too keen on western medicine and all of its side effects so I incorporate lots of holistic healing modalities in conjunction with the meds --- such as acupuncture, positive thinking, massage and exercise --- nutrition also plays a big part in healing and recovery from chronic disease.
5. What are your views on HIV/AIDS? I'm a little on the other side of the coin - I feel that with the testing there are a lot of false positives out there due to our now hectic lifestyles --- I feel that people including myself are not necessarily immune suppressed due to HIV/aids but due to horrible eating habits(malnutrition), recreational drugs and overuse of prescription drugs --- these things tend to wear your system down and cause u to have a positive HIV reading --- there are many others who feel this way and I am not here to tell u what to do or think but make sure u research things for yourself --- if u have tested positive it is YOUR responsibility to be on top of your disease --- don’t take every word from the doctor for granted --- know what meds are out there and what u are on -- ask questions and then if u are still confused hit the internet(its a wonderful learning tool) --u are not alone in your situation- help and advice are avail through support groups and websites--step out and find alternative ways to help heal yourself-- in the western medicine world doctors tend to overmedicate their patients-- some things can be changed/taken care of by diet, exercise, positive thinking as well as other healing modalities that don't include side effects--- think about it cuz in the end its your life not the doctor's!
6. You've done radio, movies, cds, and shows. What has been your most successful accomplishment to date? My most successful accomplishment to date is just the joy and humor I am able to bring to my audiences. Radio, television and film are nice perks for my resume and career but I pride myself on making people happy as well as forgetting their daily situations and that’s something many people can’t pull off easily.
7. Since you spend a great deal of your time entertaining others, what do you do to entertain yourself? What makes YOU smile? Quality time around true friends makes me smile. I also love to travel. No matter how much the trip costs those memories will always outweigh the expenses. I have a list of several places that I would like to visit in the near future: Greece, Rome, Japan and Thailand. The list of places I would like to visit would have probably been completed by now but I kept going back to certain places since I enjoyed them so much. I think it’s great for all of us to experience different cultures and races; it’s a wonderful learning experience. Don't go through life and realize when u are 80 that u never left your own zip code! Go out there and get your passport even if you don’t plan on using it soon you never know what may happen. Life is too short so why not embrace it with travel.
Be sure to check out: www.harmonicasunbeam.com for more with this HOT New York DIVA!
2. You are definitely the "Queen of Comedy". How has that title been for you? Have you felt pressured to always be funny? To be truthful, I gave myself the title so it’s something I created and made myself live up to. There are lots of people in the business of female impersonation so the only way you will survive or stand out is by having a gimmick to your act -- the ability to look like a celebrity, being able to handle yourself on the microphone, or just being pretty!
When I’m Dorian, I think people pressure me to be funny and sometimes it can be a little much (wrong place, wrong time). As Harmonica, I don’t feel pressured because that is my goal: TO ENTERTAIN.
3. Have you found it difficult to date or do you not date people that you entertain? It is very difficult to date in this field. Back in the day I would think it was easier. If I met someone while I was “working”, it would be one less thing to tell them. But, you find that the person falls in love with what they see and have a hard time dealing with the other side. My ideal boyfriend/lover/soul mate would be someone who appreciates and respects my Harmonica side but they don’t have to come to every show and assist me in trivial tasks. You know like steaming gowns, polishing my nails or blow-drying my testicles after a long night.
4. What has been your biggest challenge/struggle with HIV? Is there a message that you'd like for people to really get? Having HIV and dealing with it on a day to day basis can be quite a challenge --- personally I just prepare myself for anything that may come up and deal with it through prayer and education --- staying on top of your HIV knowledge and having a direct relationship with your doctor are also very important --- most people don’t even know what they are on and will do anything the doctor suggests --- this is your life and your treatment so be an active participant of it --- I personally am not too keen on western medicine and all of its side effects so I incorporate lots of holistic healing modalities in conjunction with the meds --- such as acupuncture, positive thinking, massage and exercise --- nutrition also plays a big part in healing and recovery from chronic disease.
5. What are your views on HIV/AIDS? I'm a little on the other side of the coin - I feel that with the testing there are a lot of false positives out there due to our now hectic lifestyles --- I feel that people including myself are not necessarily immune suppressed due to HIV/aids but due to horrible eating habits(malnutrition), recreational drugs and overuse of prescription drugs --- these things tend to wear your system down and cause u to have a positive HIV reading --- there are many others who feel this way and I am not here to tell u what to do or think but make sure u research things for yourself --- if u have tested positive it is YOUR responsibility to be on top of your disease --- don’t take every word from the doctor for granted --- know what meds are out there and what u are on -- ask questions and then if u are still confused hit the internet(its a wonderful learning tool) --u are not alone in your situation- help and advice are avail through support groups and websites--step out and find alternative ways to help heal yourself-- in the western medicine world doctors tend to overmedicate their patients-- some things can be changed/taken care of by diet, exercise, positive thinking as well as other healing modalities that don't include side effects--- think about it cuz in the end its your life not the doctor's!
6. You've done radio, movies, cds, and shows. What has been your most successful accomplishment to date? My most successful accomplishment to date is just the joy and humor I am able to bring to my audiences. Radio, television and film are nice perks for my resume and career but I pride myself on making people happy as well as forgetting their daily situations and that’s something many people can’t pull off easily.
7. Since you spend a great deal of your time entertaining others, what do you do to entertain yourself? What makes YOU smile? Quality time around true friends makes me smile. I also love to travel. No matter how much the trip costs those memories will always outweigh the expenses. I have a list of several places that I would like to visit in the near future: Greece, Rome, Japan and Thailand. The list of places I would like to visit would have probably been completed by now but I kept going back to certain places since I enjoyed them so much. I think it’s great for all of us to experience different cultures and races; it’s a wonderful learning experience. Don't go through life and realize when u are 80 that u never left your own zip code! Go out there and get your passport even if you don’t plan on using it soon you never know what may happen. Life is too short so why not embrace it with travel.
Be sure to check out: www.harmonicasunbeam.com for more with this HOT New York DIVA!
posted by C.R. Knight on Thursday, June 01, 2006
3 Comments:
great!
Excellent Interview Nathan!
I'm really glad you did this interview... I have seen Harmonica on many occasions and loved it, when I found out she had HIV, I was shocked, but glad she came forth, because it made me realize, she is not just someone with HIV, she is Harmonica!
She has done things far MORE GREATER! I just hope that motivates other people who have HIV that you can still conquer your dreams! You don't have to be a stigma, and looked down at...you can still do all the GREAT THINGS YOU DESIRE!
I wish more people would read this interview.
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