"Unsilent Night": Boombox-Toting Parade-Goers Carol Through the Village

The procession began at Washington Square Park near the Christmas tree.

Photo by: Brooke Niemeyer

This was one of the most unique events I have attended and I am so glad I got the chance to cover it. We have all heard of groups Christmas caroling and singing their favorite seasonal songs. But how many of us have ever seen or even heard about groups serenading their city by caroling with instrumental music? That's exactly what this is and it was a really neat experience.

Phil Kline started this event in 1992 with a few friends and a song he composed and now thousands of people turn out with their boom boxes, iPods, and all other types of speakers to electronically carol around the Village - from Washington Square Park down to Thompkins Square Park.

If you ever are in New York (or any of the other cities participating in this event) I highly reccomend you go!

Check out my NBC photo gallery from the event.

Rivals Joy Behar, Bill O'Reilly Pal Around at White House Christmas Party

Co-hosts of 'The View' Barbara Walters and Joy Behar

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

By: BROOKE NIEMEYER
'Tis the season to bury the hatchet.

"The View" co-host Joy Behar said she and outspoken pundit Bill O'Reilly came face to face at President Obama's Christmas party at the White House last week and were able to move beyond their bitter back-and-forth stemming from O'Reilly's remarks about 9/11 that caused the daytime talk show host to walk off the set of her ABC show in October.

"I took a picture with him and I even gave him bunny ears," Behar said Sunday night during an appearance at the 92nd Street Y. "Let bygones be bygones."

During the Christmas party, she also lobbied Michelle Obama to get the commander in chief to make a cameo on the show.

"I said, 'Listen, he was on a show called 'Myth Busters' last week and now he needs to come on my show,'" Behar quipped. "She told me, 'I'll see what I can do.'"

Behar, 68, is best known for sitting alongside Barbara Walters, Whoopi Goldberg, Sherri Shepherd, and Elisabeth Hasselbeck as co-host on the daytime talk show "The View," a group she calls a "big family." She and Goldberg both walked off the set after the Fox News host said, "Muslims killed us on 9/11." The incident led to both sides trading barbs in the weeks to follow.

"Barbara didn't like it, but I did it anyway," Behar said of her walk out. "It was a complete impulse in a moment of rage."

She added: "They're my family and that's one of the reasons I'll never leave. It's fun mostly. I don't feel stressed about that job."

Aside from doing "The View," Behar started her own celebrity and news commentary show on CNN called "The Joy Behar Show." She says that if she could have any guest on her show, dead or alive, she would pick Jackie Kennedy.

"I probably could never get her on the show though," Behar said. "But Barbara could get her. You know her... she's relentless."

This story ran on NBCNewYork.com's NiteSide.

"30 Rock" Star Judah Friedlander: Tina Fey Is Always "Several Steps Ahead"

Judah Friedlander refers to himself as "the world champion."

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

By: BROOKE NIEMEYER
Judah Friedlander, who is best known for his role as Frank on the hit NBC series "30 Rock," revealed over the weekend that his favorite part of working on the show is interacting with the other actors and writers -- especially Tina Fey.

"Tina is great, and she she's so smart," Friedlander told Niteside. "She's such a clever writer and is always thinking several steps ahead. It's so nice to work on a project like '30 Rock' where they've thought ahead on just about everything."

Alec Baldwin is also someone Friedlander said he enjoys working with on the show, especially when they joke around on set.

"He's so much fun to hang out with and goof around with on the set," Friedlander said. "He's got great energy and great charisma and when you get to work with him, he brings out the best in you."

Friedlander, who did two stand-up comedy shows at Comix in the Meatpacking District Saturday night, also said that he personally designs all of the iconic trucker hats his character wears on the show.

"Some are jokes I've thought out in advance, others are jokes I've thought of last second and some are inspired by what's going on within the script," Friedlander said. "One to three times per season, [the writers] will write the hat and work it into the storyline and do some jokes with it, but pretty much it's me doing all of these."

He added, "I always try to make it add to the show and not to distract from it."

Friedlander recently released the book "How to Beat Up Anybody," which teaches readers how to fight foes such as ninjas and Bigfoot and even your very own shadow.

He often refers to himself as "The World Champion" and said he has an "extra dark black belt" in karate.

This story ran on NBCNewYork.com's NiteSide.

Victoria's Secret Model Selita Ebanks Scores New BET Show

The kind and glamourous Selita Ebanks.

By: BROOKE NIEMEYER
Victoria Secret fashion model Selita Ebanks revealed to Niteside recently what she has in store for the future.

"I'll be hosting a fashion show on BET," Ebanks said at a holiday benefit in Manhattan, where celebrities helped wrap over 2,000 toys for younger foster children.

Ebanks was mum on any further details of the show, but did share news of a book on female empowerment she is working on, which is due out next year.

"The book is real personal," Ebanks said. "It's little antidotes and things I've learned. It's not just about modeling. It's about being successful as a young woman."

This is Ebanks' seventh year as a Victoria's Secret Angel and she said she was "stoked" to watch the annual fashion show with her "Angel family."

While one of her favorite perks of modeling for Victoria's Secret is the free underwear, she says that being able to learn from the pros makes her job ideal.

"I have had the opportunity to work alongside Gisele [Bundchen] and Tyra [Banks]," Ebanks said. "I've worked with some of the most beautiful women in the world and they've taught me a lot. They're all my heroes."

This story ran on NBCNewYork.com's NiteSide.

Singer Jay Sean: I Am Prepared to Face My Digital Death

Singer Jay Sean faces a social media death.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

By: BROOKE NIEMEYER

Singer Jay Sean detailed his plans to stage his death on social media last night. 

"I'm officially dying on social media," Sean told Niteside before performing at the New Yorkers for Children's 8th annual "Wrap to Rap" holiday gift-wrapping event at The Ainsworth in Manhattan Tuesday night.

"If we just tell them they're not allowed to get any tweets from us until they donate some money [to charity], we're not going to come back on Twitter."

Sean said that he and other celebs staging social media deaths -- Justin Timberlake, Lady Gaga, and Kim Kardashian, among them -- home that some of their combined 28 million Twitter followers will donate to the "Keep a Child Alive" charity, founded by Alicia Keys, who started this Digital Death Campaign. 

"I think it's an amazing tongue-and-cheek way to give everyone a nudge to do the right thing," Sean said.

Sean recently recorded the song "Every Part of Me" with British pop sensation Alesha Dixon, who he said he has wanted to work with for a long time.

"We have wanted to work together for ages," Sean said. "We got this smash of a song together and I'm super excited about it."

He also said they will be filming the music video for this song in New York City in about three weeks.

This story ran on NBCNewYork.com's NiteSide.

Designer Zac Posen Reveals His Prediction for Fashion's Next Big Trend

Fashion designer Zac Posen.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

By: BROOKE NIEMEYER

Designer Zac Posen revealed last night what he believes will be the next major fashion trend: homemade, vegetable-based dyes.

"I think people using their own dyes will become a trend," Posen told Niteside at the Wrap to Rap holiday gift-wrapping event at The Ainsworth in Manhattan Tuesday night. "I think people will find their own color and take cues from home decor, which is always interesting."

He added, "[Vegetable dyes] and other certain dyes are such a s trong influence on eco and these techniques are very useful and exciting."

Posen said he is currently working on his fall collection, finalizing patterns and fabrics. He said all the details aren't in place yet, but that he sees a definite theme among his pieces.

"I think there's a strong architectural and anatomical quality to them," Posen said. "We make clothing that always relates to the body and glamour and quality."

This story ran on NBCNewYork.com's NiteSide.