What Does John Novaria Think about the Seahawks' Cornerback Richard Sherman? Well . . .

John Novaria shared his thoughts today on the brief but notable post-NFC championship interview by Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman. Titled, "Will the Real Richard Sherman Please Stand Up?", the commentary appeared on Novaria's "Insights" blog, part of his Novaria Communication consulting business. He discussed his initial reactions to Sherman's outspoken interview, the feedback he got, and his reconsideration of Sherman's comments. Novaria wrote,

I posted my outrage on Twitter and Facebook. Just to show you the difference, tweeters I don’t know personally responded with things like “haters gonna hate” and “lolol we goin to the super bowl shut up” while Facebook friends supported me with “likes” and supportive comments. Over dinner, however, I started to second guess myself. Glass houses and all that. After all, I’m a communicator and should understand better than anyone that my objections were now laid bare and will remain public forever. 

I decided to not to delete my posts. No, I’m sticking with my opinion that Sherman’s rant was classless and when the Seahawks don’t muzzle him he brings dishonor to himself and his team. As a communications consultant, I would jump through the TV screen if I saw a client behaving that badly.

Bernardo Ferdman Profiled in Two-Part Article in San Diego Jewish World

Bernardo Ferdman was profiled in a two-part article that appeared in the San Diego Jewish World on January 12, coinciding with the publication of the book he co-edited and partially wrote, Diversity at Work: The Practice of Inclusion. Titled "Latino Jew Makes the Case for Workplace Diversity," the article starts,

As a Jew who has lived in Argentina, Puerto Rico, and in different states in the mainland United States, Bernardo Ferdman has absorbed portions of numerous cultures and belief systems. Add to that the facts that he also is a professor, psychologist, and family man, among other roles, and one begins to understand Ferdman’s teaching that people need to bring to the workplace all of their identities, not just one or two aspects. Similarly, he counsels, employers will benefit from a heterogeneous work force.

Bernardo is a professor at the California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant University

Doug McGrath Named "Tiger of the Week" as His Carol King Musical Debuts on Broadway

The Princeton Alumni Weekly tabbed Doug McGrath as its "Tiger of the Week" on January 8, as he prepared for the premiere of his new play Beautiful: The Carol King Musical, about the singer-songwriter's rise to stardom. The play debuts at the Stephen Sondheim Theater on January 12, following previews and a run in San Francisco. PAW wrote,

In working on the production, McGrath interviewed King, her ex-husband Gerry Goffin, and their fellow songwriters and friends Barry Mann (played by Jarrod Spector ’03) and Cynthia Weil. “It was quite emotional for all of them at different points, because they are talking about their youth, they’re talking about triumphs, and they are also talking about a lot of things that went wrong in their lives,” says McGrath. 

A filmmaker and playwright, McGrath wrote and directed the adaption of Jane Austen’s Emma for film, as well as Nicholas Nickleby, Company Man, and Infamous. With Woody Allen, he wrote the screenplay for Bullets Over Broadway, which was nominated for an Academy Award. 

McGrath listened to King and Goffin’s songs in his youth and was interested in the Brill Building, where songwriters of that era worked. The Brill Building sound, he says, really refers to two buildings on Broadway. King, Goffin, Mann, and Weill worked out of 1650 Broadway. “I was always fascinated by this idea that there was an office building … that was essentially a creative beehive,” he says,  “kids in cubicles with pianos and keyboards and desks, writing music.”