This may be the juiciest "Penn Alumni You Should Know About" edition yet!

After the jump, check out exciting news about the latest from 19 Penn alumni with projects in TV, film, stage, web, apps, and print.

Plus, more stories of Penn alumni working together on entertainment projects ....an alum who dishes on what happens backstage as a Jeopardy contestant ....and an alum who is body doubling for a major Hollywood star!

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We've got another story of Penn alumni working together ....for a good cause!

After the jump find out more about their great idea and how we Penn alumni can vote them into becoming a "fan favorite"!

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The last time we checked in with Penn alum Hollywood actor Alex Weber (C'09, Lacrosse), he had a cameo on "The Young and the Restless".

Recently, Alex has starred in a commercial that needs your vote ...and he made a music video for Taylor Swift that you'll want to check out after the jump!

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I've covered stand-up Matt Ritter (L'02) on DT before and all the great viral videos he's created (my favorite one being THIS one).

If you recall, like many Penn alumni making career changes, Matt has transitioned careers from being a lawyer to a standup.

After the jump check out "Bottom Rung", his new web series based on his experiences working in "document review" at a big LA firm  ....and find about his other Penn alumni co-stars and some of his unbelievably(!) true working experiences that will be feeding into this series.

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12 DT vlogs and 2 years later, it's official.

Ben Naecker (C'09, Water Polo) and Blake West (W'09, Jazz Combos), the Penn alumni friends who moved to Austin to pursue music and swore that "real jobs were not my forte" have split up because of "real jobs".

After the jump watch their final episode where:

• Ben and Blake talk about the wisdom they've gained
• Listen to and download the 3 of their new songs
• and find out what their individual future plans are

On behalf of all Penn alumni musicians and Penn alumni daring to live out a dream, thank you Blake and Ben for letting us follow you on your journey over these past 2 years and best of luck in the future!

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One more day 'til Halloween and as part of our Halloween series, I've got a somewhat wrong, yet very funny treat for you all.

After the jump, watch a short about "racist zombies" from Carlin Adelson (C'09, West Philly Tutoring, Sigma Kappa) and her Upright Citizens Brigade trained sketch comedy group "The Charlies".

Watch until the end!

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The news from "Glee" is not getting our starter actress Jess Garvey (C'09) down.

Jess has already shot "Blowin Up", a TV pilot described as "Entourage" meets "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" that is being shopped around for development season.

Her role: "Camilla- bubbly, positive and spoiled. Sincere in her convictions which are usually 95% retarded. Makes her lovable. Seeks guidance from best friend Morgan".   Jess actually got the role in large part because of the Starter Actress reality series; per Jess, "the pilot is like my series but in scripted form"!

After the jump, check out fun behind-the-scenes video from the pilot and look out for the bucket of fake blood poured all over Jess!

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A couple weeks ago Penn alum actress Jess Garvey (C'09) shared her singing audition video that got her a callback on "Glee".

Since then, Jess has some good news, not such good news, and then "amazing" news.

After the jump, catch up with the ups and downs of being an LA actress!

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The last time we caught up with Penn alum actress Jess Garvey (C'09), she wiped out on her Nickelodeon surfer audition. That's the biz.. some days are better than others, but in today's installment of "Starter Actress",  Jess has had some (more) good news.

Today, Jess fills us in about her journey auditioning for "Glee"!

After the jump,
1) watch the passionate audition tape that helped get her a callback
2) find out how she got the audition and what it was like going into her audition for Glee casting directors
3) and learn what the current status of this whole journey is!

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Over the course of us following actress Jess Garvey (C'09) in her "Starter Reality Star" series on DT, she has achieved quite a bit (from going on lots of auditions to booking commercials).

In today's episode, Jess starts a new day job and brings us on an audition that didn't go as well as she had hoped.

After the jump, watch the episode with special guest star and pal Penn alum Jeni Sue Birnbaum (C'08) and then find out what other exciting audition she had since this episode was filmed!

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Over the past three years (2008 coverage and 2009 coverage and 2010 coverage) DT has given you an insider's look at the films and politics of the Cannes Film festival from the perspective of our Penn in Cannes program correspondents.

This year DT correspondent Jonah Stern (C'13) recently returned from the 2011 Cannes film festival with coverage of this year's winner and loser films plus more! A local Philadelphian, Jonah aspires to one day enter the film industry and, hopefully, become a very successful filmmaker.

After the jump check out Jonah's coverage on:

• difficulty getting into movie screenings
• the good films
• some (highly marketed) big films to avoid
• hobnobbing with celebrities and what Faye Dunaway said to Jonah(!)
• advice from 4 Penn Hollywood alumni about the business

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As you know from reading DT, I love following the path of actors who come out to LA.  No two journeys are ever the same.

Cut to our first vlogger: Alex Weber (C'09, Lacrosse).

We haven't heard from Alex since November when he shared with us the 5 important pillars any actor should take to heart before getting into the business.

To catch you up, what started out as a good year for Alex, has gotten even better. He booked a commercial with some of his idols, won a meeting with a hollywood casting director and and he landed a commercial with Sprint.

After the jump, watch Alex's latest vlog and check out clips from his new appearances on a popular daytime tv show, and the fun new award-winning tv pilot he stars in about "bros" becoming activists about pressing national issues. (feels very MTVish and very marketable!)

Like many of the alumni I cover on DT, you gotta love Alex's perseverance!

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Since she started "Starter Reality Star" for DT, actress Jess Garvey (C'09) is making some great strides.

In her last episode, Jess told us about a national commercial she booked.

Since then she booked another one! (yep, another Penn alum to add to my growing Penn alumni on commercials list.)

After the jump find out:

• about Jess' feature film audition
• her "Funny or Die" shoot with Jordana Brewster
• the chat about the frustrations of being an actor with good friend Penn alum Jeni Sue Birnbaum (C'08)
• and watch the commercials she appears in (and find out how she and her Penn boyfriend, Matt Ritter (L'02) got cast together in one of the commercials)!

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A few months ago we introduced you to Jess Garvey (C'09), DT's "Starter Reality Star".

In the last episode, Jess brought us to her manager's office as they planned for pilot season.

Well since that meeting, Jess has been keeping quite busy!:  She's booked a national commercial, will be starring in a Funny or Die short and auditioned for another successful Penn alum's pilot.

Plus she is pitching her reality show to Project Runway producers!

After the jump, watch Jess's next episode and read a special, somewhat cryptic note from Jess herself.

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Last month we introduced you to Jess Garvey (C'09), DT's "Starter Reality Star" and watched her go on an actual audition for a Special K commercial.

Today, Jess brings us her next installment and you're going to see her be quite the busy actress filled with a week of auditions and meetings..

After the jump, watch Jess' video and find out about:

• the notable Hollywood table reads she was a part of and what caused her to almost "pee in her pants"
• the new play she'll be starring in
• her upcoming Sundance films
• the golfcart she tried to hijack on the Universal Lot

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After one year of vlogging for DT about his journey as an actor living in Los Angeles, Alex Weber (C'09, Lacrosse) is now able to share with us 5 important pillars any actor should take to heart before getting into the business.

Actually, most of them apply to any personal endeavor, really.

Find out what they are and why he quotes a country song after the jump!

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Yesterday I featured a Penn alum dating expert who rapped his way into a Bravo TV show "Millionaire Matchmaker" mixer.

Today, I've got another Penn alum dating guru blogger full of advice who also recently appeared on TV.

After the jump check out this JDater's advice on "first date no no's".

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Over the past year, I introduced 2 exclusive DT vlog series from recent Penn alumni guys as they continue to pursue a career in music and acting.

Starting today, we brings you another DT exclusive "actor" LA journey series, but this one is told from the perspective of a female. 

Also, this series is less "sit-down vlog" and more documentary style.

After the jump, learn more about Jess Garvey (C'09), and watch Episode 1 of DT's "Starter Reality Star" where she takes us on an actual audition for a Special K commercial!

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A tale of another ambitious recent Penn grad who went from involved undergrad to following his ambition to become recently published.

More about this alum after the jump!

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A few months ago I introduced you to Penn alum Abdi Farah (C'09) as a contestant on the Bravo TV show "The Next Great Artist".

Well, after 10 weeks, last night Abdi was crowned the well deserved winner of the show!   This guy has some major, major, talent.

After the jump check his final pieces of art that helped win him the competition!

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