B. Scott

B. Scott
Born Brandon Scott Sessoms
(1981-03-21) March 21, 1981
Franklin, Virginia, U.S.
Residence Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Ethnicity African-American, Irish, Jewish and Meherrin Indian
Years active 2007 - Present
Known for Internet, Radio, Television Entertainment
Website www.LoveBScott.com

Brandon Scott Sessoms, best known as B. Scott (born March 21, 1981 in Franklin, Virginia) is an American television personality, radio show host and internet celebrity who is known for his YouTube videoblogs and website LoveBScott.com.[1] He is also a contributing editor to The Glam Network, and an Ebony Magazine advice columnist.[2]

Scott, who is a gender non-conforming androsexual,[3][4][5] has become a popular internet personality through his video blogging and his website, LoveBScott.com.[6] Scott's internet presence has contributed to his ability to interview celebrities such as Mariah Carey, Ne-Yo, Chaka Khan, Aubrey O'Day and Ashanti. Following his Internet-based success, has appeared in mainstream media, making appearances on The Tyra Banks Show,[7] and shows on Oxygen and BET.[2][8]

Early life

Scott was born in Franklin, Virginia, and was raised in Hertford County, North Carolina, by parents of African-American, Irish, Jewish and Meherrin ancestry. As a teenager Scott was selected to attend the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (NCSSM), a two-year public residential high school for students with a strong aptitude and interest in mathematics and science, located in Durham, North Carolina. After graduating from NCSSM in 1999, he attended University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, came out as gay in his sophomore year.[3] He said in a video blog that he had feelings and was questioning previously but when he was a sophomore pre-med, he got his first romantic kiss from a man and realized he was attracted to men, and that he was using the intense pre-med education to distract himself from his sexuality.[3] He stopped efforts to become a physician from the realization that it was a self-invented distraction.[3] Scott graduated in 2002 with a B.A. in Psychology.[9] Scott moved to Washington, DC where he briefly practiced as a licensed realtor in the Capitol Hill area.

In June 2005, Scott moved to Los Angeles, California where he continued his work in real estate and as an interior designer. It was during this time that he began his interest in the entertainment industry, while briefly working in print ads as a fashion model.

Video blogging and LoveBScott.com

On January 1, 2007, Scott launched LoveBScott.com which primarily focuses on five pillars in pop culture: celebrity news, fashion, music, nightlife, and miscellaneous entertainment. The intent is to approach entertainment and celebrity news with a positive spin. The name lovebscott.com was selected in an effort to give his website a readily-identifiable personality with the mission of conveying a positive outlook.[10] In May 2007, B. Scott started incorporating YouTube videos into his website to personally connect with readers. The videos include personal observations, celebrity news, musical performances, political commentary, interviews and messages of encouragement to the audience. The videos are produced out of his Los Angeles residence. His YouTube channel has over 90,000 subscribers, and has won numerous awards for viewership and subscriptions.[11] Scott has won the Best Video Blog by The Black Weblog Awards[12] in 2007 and 2008. In January 2008 Scott became a YouTube company partner.

In 2009, he created The B. Scott Show, a talk/variety-style internet show that ran concurrent to the original videoblog. Interview subjects included celebrities and important figures in the LGBT community. Interviews are conducted in Scott's home and broadcast on both the YouTube channel and the website.[10] Celebrities interviewed have included Ne-Yo, Ashanti, Eva Marcille, LeToya Luckett of Destiny's Child, Mariah Carey, Jordin Sparks, and Chilli (of TLC). Scott’s YouTube channel has led to recognition from numerous celebrities. Popular blogger Perez Hilton in 2007 named Scott his “Favorite New YouTuber”.[13] In addition, on June 19, 2009, Academy Award winner Jamie Foxx declared on his Sirius Satellite Radio channel “The Foxxhole”, “I love B. Scott. He’s very attractive. He looks like a cross between Prince, Rosario Dawson and Lenny Kravitz.” This unsolicited acclaim helped open B. Scott to a new level of recognition.[14]

Radio

In April 2010, he premiered The B. Scott Show on Jamie Foxx's channel, The Foxxhole, on Sirius XM Satellite Radio. The premiere guest was former Destiny's Child member, Michelle Williams.[15] The show was broadcast on Monday nights at 9PM ET on Sirius 106 and XM 149.[16] It was announced via Twitter that Scott would be discontinuing his radio show for personal reasons.

Television

In 2010, Scott appeared on The Tyra Banks Show[7] as part of the "Ambush Stranger Makeovers segment" and Oxygen (TV channel)'s Hair Battle Spectacular[8] as a guest judge. Prior to these appearances, Scott was a featured contributor to Extra. Scott was also featured in "Too Hot to Handle," a 2013 season 2 episode of Chef Roblé & Co. on Bravo.

2013 BET Awards: 106 & Park Pre-Show controversy

In 2013 Scott served as a red carpet correspondent for Style Stage at the 2013 BET Awards: 106 & Park Pre-Show.[17] They were aired live at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on June 30.[2] Prior to the awards show itself Black Entertainment Television (BET) aired the a pre-show with Scott as the sole style correspondent.[2][18] He was to have at least 12 one-on-one interview segments scheduled but only completed the first one, and was pulled from the stage in the middle of the second.[19] Scott, who regularly shares personal and public experiences with his fans, went public with allegations that after the first segment of the show he was pulled backstage and forced "to pull my hair back, asked me to take off my makeup, made me changed my clothes and prevented me from wearing a heel."[2][20][21] The outfit had been pre-approved, but he was told it was unacceptable, Scott acquiesced changing into men's clothes but was never put back on air, instead being replaced by singer Adrienne Bailon.[2][20] BET issued a statement that it was a matter of miscommunication and they regret any offense.[21][22] Scott dubbed the BET statement as a non-apology.[20][23]

In August 2013 Scott sued BET and parent company Viacom for discrimination on the basis of gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation.[17][20] He is seeking $2.5 million in damages.[20] In January 2014 TMZ acquired and release internal emails showing BET executives had corresponded with each other before the show that they did not want him looking like a woman.[24][25] Network Vice President Rhonda Cowen wrote back that she would "speak to him about being less 'womanly.'"[24][25] After the show another BET executive, Monica Ware, wrote, "Unless we can make public the reason we didn't want him dressed the way he normally does, I would stay away from suits, suit selections, etc."[24][25] Huffington Post also received copies of the emails and confirms TMZ's reporting.[25]

In April 2014 BET won the lawsuit when Los Angeles Superior Court judge Yvette Palazuelos determined that BET's rights to control its creative expression through managing the attire of on-screen talent was protected by the First Amendment, and ultimately trumped the discomfort and discrimination Scott alleged he suffered as a result of being forced to change into more traditionally masculine attire.[26]

Scott appealed and reached a settlement with BET in February 2015.[27] The terms were not disclosed so it is not known if he was paid the $2.5 million he sought.

Other appearances

Since March 2007, Scott has been hired as a celebrity talent; contributing to several publications[28] and hosting events.

On June 7, 2007, he hosted the "White Party" at the Hollywood Black Film Festival[29][30] in Los Angeles. He also hosted this event in Summer 2008.

On April 4, 2008, Scott kicked off gay Pride month at Yale University. [31] During the festivities he was at the forefront of three events. Scott hosted a Master's Tea at Yale University's Silliman College, a "Pride Meet and Greet" at Bespoke Restaurant and "After-party" at the Center Street Lounge in New Haven, CT.

On October 19, 2008, Scott lead a team for the AIDS Walk Los Angeles and hosted the official AIDS Walk Los Angeles afterparty[32] at Eleven Restaurant & Nightclub in West Hollywood. CA.

On February 28, 2009, Scott attended the 14th Annual Black Solidarity Conference at Yale University as a featured panelists on the “Disrobed: An Exposé of Black Sexuality” panel.[33]

In early 2010, following his interview with Mariah Carey, Scott appeared in her video for "Up Out My Face" featuring Nicki Minaj.[34]

In March 2010, Scott was the featured panelist for the first "Out in the Spotlight" panel discussion at Morehouse College. This appearance, hosted by Morehouse's Safe Space LGBT Organization, was the college's first step at creating a bridge to the LGBT community.[35][36]

Awards

In 2014 Scott was included as part of the Advocate's annual "40 under 40" list.[37]

References

  1. ↑ Woods, Meghan E. (March 5, 2007) Daily Tar Heel UNC alum becomes Internet celebrity
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 B. Scott, Host Of BET Awards Pre-Show, Allegedly Told To Remove Makeup, Heels By Network (UPDATE)
  3. 1 2 3 4 My Coming Out Story by B. Scott
  4. ↑ http://genderqueerid.com/post/8570810808/answering-gender-questions-genderqueer-or-bi-gq-and
  5. ↑ A Conversation with B. Scott on the power of Defining Yourself August 9, 2013.
  6. ↑ Broadway, Donna (August 10, 2009) The Baltimore Times The Man Behind the Media Empire
  7. 1 2 "Queerty: Wherein B. Scott Goes On Tyra To Tell New Yorkers They Dress Like Crap"
  8. 1 2 "B. Scott Joins Hair Battle Spectacular as a Guest Judge"
  9. ↑ "UNC Dean's List Fall 2000"
  10. 1 2 Ochalla, Bryan (October 20, 2009) The Advocate Don't Call Him The Next RuPaul
  11. ↑ A New Internet Celebrity has Risen
  12. ↑ "Best Video Blog"
  13. ↑ "Perez Hilton's Favorite New YouTuber"
  14. ↑ Arceneaux, Michael (August 27, 2009) The Root Loving Gender Bending Internet Personality B. Scott
  15. ↑ All Radio News
  16. ↑ B. Scott
  17. 1 2 B. Scott Files Multi-Million Dollar Gender Identity Discrimination Lawsuit against BET and Viacom (Court Documents + Personal Statement)
  18. ↑ Leaked Emails Support B. Scott's Claims of BET Discrimination
  19. ↑ Breaking Binaries With B. Scott: The TV, radio, and Web personality opens up about the BET Awards he was pulled from for dressing too femme, and explains how he came to terms with his recently claimed transgender identity.
  20. 1 2 3 4 5 B. Scott, Gender-Nonconforming Host, Sues BET After Being 'Forced' To Wear Men's Clothes
  21. 1 2 BET ‘Regrets’ B. Scott ‘Miscommunication’: ‘We Embrace All Gender Expressions’
  22. ↑ GLAAD speaks with B. Scott and BET regarding BET Awards incident, network issues statement
  23. ↑ "BET's non-apology statement has added more insult to injury. It was not a 'miscommunication' and what they did to me was intentional."
  24. 1 2 3 BET: We Don't Want Male Host B. Scott Looking Like a Girl 1/9/2014
  25. 1 2 3 4 BET Emails About Host B. Scott Suggest Network Didn't Want Him 'Looking Like A Woman'
  26. ↑ http://www.advocate.com/transgender/2014/04/18/b-scott-appeal-ruling-finding-bet-didnt-discriminate
  27. ↑ http://www.advocate.com/politics/2015/02/20/b-scott-settles-discrimination-lawsuit-bet-viacom
  28. ↑ Honey Ask B. Scott
  29. ↑ "The Hollywood Black Film Festival - White Party"
  30. ↑ "Black Talent News scouts B. Scott"
  31. ↑ Chen, Sophia (April 7, 2008) Yale Daily News B. Scott: Ostracized, Pressured, Inspired
  32. ↑ "Wireimage Coverage at the 24th Annual AIDS Walk Los Angeles After Party hosted by B. Scott"
  33. ↑ Domingue, Michelle T. (March 13, 2009) Dartmouth Free Press Black Sexuality: Overcoming Homophobia
  34. ↑ Carey, Mariah-Up Out My Face
  35. ↑ HBCUdigest.com
  36. ↑ Bossip.com
  37. ↑ http://www.advocate.com/40-under-40-emerging-voices/2014/08/21/40-under-40-b-scott-cares-about-making-best-version-yourself

External links

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