A year ago I started withjosh.com as an outlet to interview several interesting people who have or are currently making their mark in pop culture. After 30 interviews and a few unexpected moments, I’ve realized withjosh has become more than just another entertainment driven site. You, the viewer, have allowed us to embark on a journey with some of the most fascinating untold stories of the guests we have featured. “Everyone has a Story” has been the tagline and your interaction through comments, emails, and twitter have not only given me important feedback but have also shaped my own story. As a thank you, I wanted to share with you some unseen footage, celebrity bloopers, and some classic moments from the first year of withjosh.com. “Everyone has a Story” and I want to say thank you for being a part of mine.
Always,
Josh

In November, 2008, Jeff Parshley and his partner, photographer Adam Bouska, watched as Proposition 8 passed into law in California, banning same-sex couples to marry. Instead of taking their heartache and anger in protest, the couple went back to their apartment and took the first NOH8 photo. Bouska had Parshley pose in front of a white background with the words “NOH8″ written on his cheek and duct tape on his mouth, symbolizing Prop 8 and similar legislation’s attempt to silence the voices of the LGBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender) community. Although it started as an artistic expression for their social networks, Bouska and Parshley’s “NOH8″ began to explode into a grassroots campaign for equality. The campaign has gained recognition not only locally but also on a national level as over 4,400 NOH8 photos have been taken featuring members of the LGBT community, heterosexuals, families, and celebrities.

American Idol’s season two finalist Kimberly Caldwell has an innate gift of staying in the media spotlight. Although it has been seven years since Idol, Caldwell’s infectious humor and undeniable confidence has made her a regular as a television personality for networks like Fox Sports, MTV, and the TV Guide Network. Hosting not only allowed Caldwell the opportunity to redefine herself as a host but when the time was right, to debut her music as a new artist and not just another product of the Idol machine.

I was beyond excited when Don Lemon invited me to spend a day with him on the temporary Los Angeles set of his weekend prime-time show, CNN Newsroom. Lemon and his show are based at the network’s world headquarters in Atlanta, where he also serves as a correspondent across CNN/U.S. programming. He has covered many breaking news stories including the Inaugural of the 44th President in Washington, D.C., Hurricane Gustav in Louisiana in 2008, and the Minneapolis bridge collapse in 2007. Last year it was no surprise when Ebony Magazine named Lemon as one of the most influential African American men in America.

I was a bit apprehensive about reading psychic/clairvoyant Dougall Fraser’s book, “But You Knew That Already: What A Psychic Can Teach You About Life,” for my latest withjosh interview. As I have mentioned in previous interviews, I grew up in a very religious home and have spent my twenties breaking the stereotypes that organized religion unknowingly places on those who think outside the box. Dougall Fraser definitely thinks outside the box and I was pleasantly surprised to find his work fascinating and witty. I was sucked in by the vulnerability of his honesty and story.

On March 11, 2010, I sat dumbfounded in front of my television as American Idol fan favorite and Texas native Alex Lambert, 19, was eliminated from making it to the final twelve. The cast off was such a shock that media outlets, fans, and celebrities took to the web to share their opinion; Lambert even became a trending topic on Twitter.

Florida native GloZell Green came to Hollywood to pursue her dream of being an Actress/Comedienne. Like many others, she watched her dreams crumble and found herself living in a small room with no heat, no bed, and a rat that would make the occasional appearance. Every night she laid on the floor, covered not by a blanket but by a coat, dreaming her way out of poverty.

Dancing With the Stars is ABC’s mega-hit dance-competition show that is now in its tenth season. The show pairs celebrities with professional choreographers and has taken America by storm season after season, even beating American Idol’s ratings this year. Last season, I was glued to my television to watch reality star/singer Kelly Osbourne and her professional partner, Louis Van Amstel, start as the underdog and finish as one of the last couples standing at the season finale. America watched Osbourne and Van Amstel go on an emotional journey that blossomed Osbourne’s rough around the edges image into graceful and beautiful lady.