Popular culture is the patterns of human activity highlighted by the mass media and entertainment outlets that give such activities significance and importance thus driving awareness and popularity. That activity, person, behavior or thing that is most strongly represented by a large or highly exposed segment of society is usually perceived to be more popular.

Popular culture often contrasts with a more exclusive, even elitist high society group, that reflects the culture of the ruling class. The earliest use of “popular” in English during the fifteenth century in law and politics, meaning “low class”, “poor”, “vulgar”, and  reflective of the commoners. Several hundreds of years later it began to mean “widespread” and became looked upon more positively.

Pop culture finds its most common expressions in the mass media touted areas of fashion, music, sports and film. The world of pop culture has had a particular influence on art from the early 1960s on, through Pop Art. Today, most adults, their kids and grandchildren “participate” in pop culture directly or indirectly everyday.

As you can see, pop culture is an integral part of the media and entertainment industry. We participate in it; we are part of creating it. Pop culture spans all of our market niches, urban, anime/comic, fine art, toys and games, etc. Our niche pop culture networks are where our members intentionally participate in the creating and impacting of tomorrow’s pop culture. Post your content, comments and thoughts about your favorite celebrities, fashions, books/comics, music, films or artists.

GSEConnect has positioned itself in the mainstream of global media and entertainment with its pop culture social networks.

So pop on in and join us by having your say on what is tomorrows pop culture, why not create some pop culture and post it in one or more of the niche pop culture networks, you never know what will catch on and become famous and be part of pop culture.

Join one or more communities where you can contribute your works and your thoughts while keeping track of what’s going on in this trendsetting, very hot and ever changing pop culture niche.

GSEConnect.com is the most comprehensive collection & network of niche online communities focused on the work that media and entertainment professionals around the world live with, have fun with and work on everyday. The users of this site understand that this is the only place on the worldwide web where content creators, actors, producers, fans and consumers can come together in professional communities and participate, teach, learn, share at the niche (example: urban) level and at the sub-niche (example: urban music) level in a professional environment. Niches include corporate, global,anime & comic, urban, pop culture, heritage & western, family, and fine arts. Each niche has an extensive list of sub-niches.

GSE’s global media and entertainment strategy is focused around the following core principals:

Leadership

Lead in aiding global media and entertainment entrepreneurs, businesses to access and grow through understanding and participation in global markets.

Planning and Development

Working with global businesses to plan and develop trend forward quality acceptable content for the Global markets.

Cultural Heritage Development and Promotion

Utilize media and entertainment resources, knowledge and our users’ content to develop and promote the content and cultural heritage of all countries to the global market.

Scale and Capacity

Developing with our partners the largest community of media and entertainment professionals in the world. Promote with our users/members the importance of media and entertainment in aiding the adding of balance to our lives with comedy, drama and performances and in addressing the social problems (poverty, racism, aids, violence etc.) of the world at a capacity and scale not yet seen.

Multi-Cultural Brands and New Custom Programs for Multi-Media, Publishing, Retail, Apparel, School Supply & Toy Companies Available

June 09, 2008: GrapevineStar, a next generation, globally focused media and entertainment company drives the leading edge of content and character development for TV, film, and books.Its expansive brand offering is presented with properties that promote environmental & social responsibility, poverty elimination efforts, and other positive growth education all while having fun. These international, eco-friendly, and positive lifestyle properties are integrated with social networks and virtual-world platforms. This year’s featured properties fall into three high demand categories:

• Intentional Global Focus (Featuring Africa and China)

• Expansion of Niche Properties (Featuring Western/Cowboy and Multi-Cultural/Urban)

• Integration of Engaging Virtual-World Platforms (Featuring Children and Tween Focuses)

‘We are very excited about this year’s International Licensing Show. We are featuring six of our properties; although, we have many properties for potential licensees to choose from. The ability to customize our offerings to meet our partners needs and our integration of next generation web technology brings tremendous incremental value to our partners”says Jacob R. Miles III, CEO, GrapevineStar Entertainment Inc.

Beautiful Africa™ and SunnyLuv™ lead a line of properties that have intentional global focus and appeal. These properties were designed from the ground up to be internationally focused with integration of their messages & content into global social networks. Each represents a movement of positive change.

Beautiful Africa™ is specifically a movement to change the way the world looks at Africa. It consists of children’s books featuring the famous French-based, Vietnamese artist, Lap Ngo, and includes a curriculum plan that supports national standards. Video and interactive education components are planned. The property will be launched in Paris, New York, São Paulo, London and various cities throughout Africa itself.

SunnyLuv™ is a warm-hearted movement to spread sunshine and love around the world. The property was inspired by Chinese love stories and embraces social & eco-friendly causes to promote peace among all mankind. Plans include inspirational books for young girls, plush, toys, clothing, video games and accessories in addition to immersive virtual-world activities.

Tex Dunright™ and Scruples™ take GrapevineStar and its licensees into two of the hottest segments in licensing today, western/cowboy and multi-cultural. These properties capture the popularity and growth of cowboys & rodeo and the urban, multi-cultural niches.

Tex Dunright, The World’s Favorite Cowboy™, is a Jim Henson style puppet that has appeared on TV, at rodeos and festivals nationwide and is ideally suited for gender neutral stationary, back to school products, books, comics/cartoons, TV and more.

Scruples™, a multi-cultural property created by highly recognized cartoonist, Joe Young, is an action packed, pro-literacy, and positive lifestyle line of animated videos and comic books that tell the stories of kids living in an orphanage where they learn the importance of financial & reading literacy and the true meaning of family with valuable life lessons of hope, respect and more.

The Emotionals™ and MeMe & My World™ lead GrapevineStar’s virtual-world property initiatives. These properties are also globally focused, reflecting multi-cultural children and environments.

The Emotionals brand targets moms and young children. It’s a next generation property similar to Pokemon® and Hello Kitty® in that there are a multitude of fun characters perfect for toys, stationary, cartoons, books, etc. Children can experience the world of The Emotionals through an online virtual-world similar in nature to Webkinz™ and Neopets®. The Emotionals’ storylines are entertaining yet are educational, promoting eco-friendly, relational, and other positive growth values.

MeMe and My World is a tween & teen manga/anime property with an online, semi-immersive, social network for teens from all parts of the world to come together in a new-gen penpal community to share stories that address the issues of teen life while promoting positive lifestyles, learning and experiencing of different cultures. The MeMe and My World™ manga/anime adventures feature MeMe Yoshida, a 15 year old girl who comes to America after having lived in Japan all of her life. These are her stories and the stories of every other child who has been transplanted to some place new and must meet new friends, deal with diversity and differences all while experiencing the complexities & hormones of teenage life. This virtual-world integrated property is suited for books, TV, film, stationary, gift products and clothing.

About GrapevineStar Entertainment Inc.
GrapevineStar is a globally focused media and entertainment company that develops and represents content for TV, film, internet, publishing and licensing. It also operates a network of niche focused social networks and is developing social networking/virtual-world platforms for young children, tweens/teens, and adults for entertainment, education, and for business. Content creators worldwide work with GrapevineStar, who helps them develop and monetize their work. GrapevineStar is headquartered in Grapevine, Texas and has offices in New York, Los Angeles, Beijing and Paris. It provides services including development, production, and distribution in the media and entertainment industries. The company has over 30 years experience working with major companies and represents over 50 entertainment properties. For more information visit www.GrapevineStar.com To join one of our communities visit www.GStarSite.com

Contact:
Jacob R. Miles III
CEO, Grapevine Star Entertainment Inc.
JMiles [AT] GrapevineStar.com

DALLAS, Texas, Oct. 9, 2006: Grapevine Star Entertainment Inc. representing MeMe and My World™ and Tex Dunright™, has teamed up with QuietYell LLC to launch the all new created, limited-edition “Think Pink” line of Grapevine Star, MeMe and My World, and Tex Dunright items in support of October’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

The products are currently available through www.QuietYell.com. Grapevine Star Entertainment Inc. will donate profits to various breast cancer charities in the north and central Texas regions, including Grapevine, Dallas, Ft. Worth, Austin and Houston.

Product lines consist of graphic T-Shirts, Coffee Mugs and collector buttons featuring the various property graphics on pink backgrounds or graphic treatments. All products will be exclusively available through QuietYell.com.

About Grapevine Entertainment Inc.

Grapevine Star Entertainment Inc. is an entertainment company that provides services including licensing, toy, product development, content production and distribution. The company has over 25 years experience working with major companies. It supports positive family values. Grapevine Entertainment owns’, licenses and/or manages over 25 entertainment properties. For more information visit www.GrapevineStar.com

About QuietYell LLC

QuietYell LLC provides Urban Asian & Anime/Manga Merchandise: Clothing & Cosplay, Figures & Toys, Posters & Lifestyle, Snacks & Drinks. Products are a collection of Japanese, Hong Kong, and American styled designs from various companies, including corporate partners, and products designed by and specifically for the QuietYell brand. For more information, visit www.QuietYell.com.

About MeMe And My World

MeMe & My World™ features MeMe Yoshida, a gifted 15 year old Japanese girl that has been relocated to America and the multi-cultural friends she makes while dealing with the trials and tribulations of teen life in a new country. From comedy to drama to action/adventure, the very silly to the very serious in a style that has fascinated animation fans worldwide and of all ages. For more information and licensing opportunities visit www.GrapevineStar.com.

About Tex Dunright

Tex Dunright, “America’s Favorite Cowboy” is a puppet character similar in style to Jim Henson’s adult focused Muppet characters. Created by Historic Grapevine, Texas writer and producer, Jacob R. Miles III, a toy and entertainment industry veteran experienced also as an engineer, developer of products and TV programs that include Star Wars, Care Bears, Strawberry Shortcake, SEGA, Tonka, Cultural Toys, Hollywood Hounds™, Hip Hop Bobbleheads™, C’Bear and Jamal™, Hallmark Mahogany’s Penda Kids™, Mr. Bandman™, Double Scoop, Main Street Stories™, Little Puffy the Steam Engine™, Chubby Cubbies™, and other properties for TV, Film, books, music, toys, videogames and more. For more information on Tex Dunright and licensing opportunities visit www.GrapevineStar.com.

Contact:

Jacob R. Miles III

CEO, Grapevine Star Entertainment Inc.

JMiles [AT] GrapevineStar.com

The World’s Favorite Cowboy, Tex Dunright™, Tween Girl’s Manga brand, MeMe and My World™,  Kid’s emotions at play, The Emotionals™, Elementary school favorite, Mr. Bandman™ and Hip Hop Properties™’ Urban Hit, Hip Hop Bobbleheads™ are Available for Licensing

Dallas Ft Worth: Grapevine Star Entertainment announced the brands it will make available for licensing at the 2007 International Licensing Show to be held in June at the Javitz Convention Center in New York.

Tex Dunright™, a Jim Henson Muppet styled character, positioned as the World’s favorite cowboy. Tex Dunright, born in Historic Grapevine, Texas has been featured on television, cartoon strips and live performances. Tex Dunright™ and his Texas Done Right™ brand is available for licensing in the toy, school supplies, leather accessories and apparel categories. Tex is targeted at cowboys globally of all ages.

MeMe and My World™, a tween girls focused property is multi-cultural and is a favorite of girls nationwide and in Asian countries. MeMe is available for licensing to book publishers, TV and film studios, retailers, apparel and school supply companies.

Elementary school favorite, Mr. Bandman™ is being featured at the licensing show as the perfect licensing brand for toy companies, music education products, online music education, school supplies and musical instruments.

The Emotionals™, cute soft animal and insect representations of the amplified emotions of kids and tweens is being introduced at the licensing show and is positioned with a planned online component line that has the potential to make it as attractive commercially as the Webkinz™, Neopets™ and Care Bears™ franchises. It is open for licensing in all categories.

The urban hit, Hip Hop Bobbleheads™ brand, previously featured in Playthings Magazine is making its licensing debut at the licensing show. This music themed brand of collectables is open for licensing for TV, Film, School supplies and Apparel. With expanded characters, TV programs and Hip Hop music releases planned featuring leading hip hop artists, the awareness of this brand will increase dramatically.

“We are extremely excited about this year’s offering for the 2007 International Licensing Show. Our licensing opportunities are uniquely suited for a Global audience. Western/Cowboy, Tween/Manga, Education and Urban/Hip Hop are brand categories that will continue to grow nationally and globally…” says Grapevine Star Entertainment President, Jacob R. Miles III

About Grapevine Star Entertainment Inc.
Grapevine Star Entertainment Inc., provides services including licensing, toy, content and product development, production and distribution in the media and entertainment industries. The company has over 30 years experience working with major companies. Grapevine Star Entertainment represents over 25 entertainment properties. For more information visit www.GrapevinStar.com

Contact:
Jacob R. Miles III
CEO, Grapevine Star Entertainment Inc.
JMiles [AT] GrapevineStar.com

Grapevine Star Entertainment Introduces Groundbreaking New Global Licensing Brand MeMe Yoshida™ and her Emotionals™ to Young Girls/Tweens

Dallas, Texas, January/Feburary 2005 – By blending stunning Japanese anime, a true diva-in-the-making and a circle of diverse, captivating friends, MeMe and My World™ uniquely captures today’s hottest trends in colors, clothes and music while exploring the emotions and relationships of young girls/tweens through MeMe’s Emotionals™, an irresistible set of imaginary animals triggered by MeMe’s innermost thoughts. The limitless potential for this global entertainment property includes Publishing, TV and Video Entertainment, Consumer Products, Apparel, Electronics, Toys, Games and so much more.

“This property represents a powerful, fresh approach to understanding and connecting with today’s global young girls/tweens. There’s no question that every young girl or boy will be able to find a reflection of themselves in the fascinating, warm-hearted world of MeMe Yoshida,” said Jacob Miles, President and Founder of Grapevine Entertainment Inc., “The MeMe brand combines entertainment, values and appealing characters in a compelling, distinctive format sure to drive teens to every retailer’s and potential licensee’s business.”

Executed in a vibrant Japanese-influenced animation style, the delightful world of MeMe Yoshida begins just outside Tokyo. MeMe, a young Japanese teen, finds her life taking a sudden, exciting and, at times, overwhelming turn when her father’s job transfer brings her to America. Her adventures in self-discovery produce comedic and dramatic results as she experiences the diversity in America, its fashion, culture, food, music and most importantly, its people. MeMe quickly makes friends with a wide range of girls and boys, from grunge to valley girl to urban hip-hop. Her trials and successes lead to an engaging series of friendships, love interests, relationships and self-awareness. And as a result of her swirling feelings within, MeMe finds the sudden appearance of a new set of characters: the never-ending array of lovable, huggable Emotionals, a set of dreamlike creatures representing the full variety of emotions, both good and bad.

Grapevine Entertainment Inc. is pleased to be the exclusive licensor of MeMe and My World and her Emotionals. MeMe and My World Inc. is truly a one-of-a kind-property, capturing the diversity, energy, emotional relationships, music and fashion of young teens across America and the world. This exciting, new brand will be launched at KIDSCREEN and The International Toy Fair in New York through private meetings with potential licensees in Retail, Toys, TV/Film, Publishing, Videogames, Sportswear, Stationery and many, many more arenas. Grapevine Entertainment’s initial focus will be on building the brand through long-term licensing and marketing programs with industry leaders across all product categories.

To build the most intense buzz and excitement on the street and in the stores, Grapevine Entertainment and its partners will launch a comprehensive marketing and licensing campaign for MeMe and My World beginning in the spring that will include girl and teen publications, national advertising and promotions and a comprehensive, extensive outreach to the anime community. Licensees can expect full brand support through celebrity seeding, endorsements and promotions in the Music, TV, Film, Fashion and Anime industry and an interactive web environment at www.MeMeAndMyWorld.com, featuring interactivity as unique and compelling as the characters themselves. Grapevine Entertainment welcomes every retailer and potential licensee to share in the excitement as it launches one of the most memorable, influential brands in anime history.

About Grapevine Entertainment Inc.
Grapevine Entertainment Co. was founded by Jacob Miles, a Toys and Entertainment veteran with over 29 years of world-class industry experience as an engineering, development and operations executive. He was part of the team that pioneered licensing in the toy industry, having worked with American Greetings, The General Mills Toy and Entertainment Group, Tonka Toys, SEGA, BANDAI, HASBRO, Cultural Toys, Hallmark, DIC Entertainment, Film Roman, and The Family Company among others. Through Jacob, Grapevine Entertainment has been part of some of the world’s most popular properties and brands in children’s toys and entertainment, including Star Wars™, Care Bears™, Hollywood Hounds™, Strawberry Shortcake™, MeMe and My World™, C’Bear and Jamal™, Tex Dunright™, Little Puffy the Steam Engine™, Chubby Cubbies™, GoBots™, Pound Puppies™, and Mr. Bandman™ among many others.

Grapevine Entertainment is a global entertainment-based company whose services include property development, merchandising, licensing, design, production, distribution, and media buying for films, TV, video games, trading cards, apparel and other Toy and Children’s Entertainment opportunities. Global interests include Toys and children’s entertainment, trading cards and licensed apparel. With representatives in Dallas-Ft. Worth, Texas, New York, Los Angeles and Tokyo, Japan, Grapevine Entertainment is headquartered in Grapevine, Texas, and more information is available at www.GrapevineStar.com.

Contact:
Jacob R. Miles III
CEO, Grapevine Star Entertainment Inc.
JMiles [AT] GrapevineStar.com