Louisiana native Brian Edwards has enjoyed a successful career in the entertainment industry as a multi-award winning celebrity talent executive, producer, writer and occasional performer. Over the past thirty years, he has worked with such celebrities as Joan Rivers, Donna Summer, Cindy Crawford, Susan Sarandon, Melissa Rivers, Whoopi Goldberg, Farrah Fawcett, Sharon Stone, Shirley Jones, Naomi Judd, Pam Tillis, Ali Landry, and Vanessa Williams - just to name a few. His autobiography "Enter Miss Thang," published in the fall of 2013, became a national best seller winning several awards along the way, including top honors at The National Indie Excellence Awards, The International Book Awards and the IBPA Awards, ultimately becoming the most honored LGBT non-fiction book of 2014. That same year, as part of the promotional tour for "Enter Miss Thang", Edwards finally returned to his hometown of Covington, LA after nearly a two-decade absence. He received several honors during his "Homecoming Week" including the key to the city, presented to him by Mayor Michael Cooper, who declared it "Brian Edwards Week in Covington" and the "2014 Honorary Life Patron Award" from Playmaker's Theatre, Inc. Edwards recently produced two highly acclaimed exhibits on iconic legends Joan Rivers and Donna Summer at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles: The Grammy Museum Presents Donna Summer: Four Seasons of Love and WE: Women's Entertainment Networks as their Manager of Celebrity Talent for five years, where he served as Talent Executive / Talent Producer for three Emmy Award winning shows: In 2001, "Reel Models: The First Women Of Film", Hosted by: Barbra Streisand - featuring Susan Sarandon, Hilary Swank and Minnie Driver; In 2002 - "Beyond Tara: The Extraordinary Life of Hattie McDaniel", Hosted by Whoopi Goldberg; and in 2004, for the series "When I Was A Girl," Narrated by: Charlize Theron and Kristin Davis. Other work includes Talent Executive / Talent Producer for over 30 CMT: Country Music Television specials. An active member of The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences and The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, Brian also supports various charitable organizations including God's Love We Deliver. While continuing his work in the area of Celebrity Client Relations for various networks and select clients, Brian divides his time between Los Angeles, New York and London.
Submitted Ali Landry for the Superbowl "Doritos Laundromat" commercial that sky-rocketed her to stardom in January 1998. After not being available for the initial castings, Edwards called her with a last minute request to meet with the ad executives who were in town from Chicago. Landry almost missed the appointment as she was en route to the gym when she got the call, with plans to leave town that afternoon to visit her boyfriend. Landry was reluctant to go at first, but Edwards remained firm and insisted that she change her plans. Within 15 minutes of arriving at Beth Holmes Casting, Landry was booked in the commercial and the rest is history.
Arranged for Academy Award winner Whoopi Goldberg to receive her star on the "Hollywood Walk-Of-Fame" on her birthday - 13 November 2001.
Arranged for Donna Summer, the legendary "Queen of Disco" to receive her star on the "Hollywood Walk-Of-Fame" - 18 March 1992. Edwards worked as one of Summers assistants for six years.
Co-starred in the Pam Tillis video "I Said A Prayer," which won The CMT Music Award as one of the "Top Ten Videos of 1998"
Arranged for Vanessa Williams to receive her star on the "Hollywood Walk-Of-Fame" - 19 March 2007 in front of the historic Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. Edwards first met Vanessa in September 1983 while in Atlantic City for the Miss America Pageant, where she was the first African American to win the title. The two remained friends over the years. In 2006, Edwards signed on as Vanessas Client Relations Rep - based in Los Angeles.
On behalf of Edwards continued support of the pageant system in his home state, he was honored with "The 2003 Outstanding Career Achievement Award" from The Miss Louisiana USA Pageant celebrating his 20th anniversary in the entertainment industry. Held in Lafayette, LA in October 2002, the award was presented by Edwards longtime friend Sabrina Lott-Miller who introduced an industry video tribute that included such stars as Joan RIvers, Daisy Fuentes, Ali Landry and Cindy Crawford.
Received the Andy Roddick Foundations "2005 Distinguished Honoree Award" at the 5th Annual Charity Gala Event in Boca Raton, Florida.
Graduate of the Maggie Flanigan Studio.
