It’s been awhile since we’ve caught up with actress and model Candace Kita. The last time we touched base, she was co-starring in “I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry” with Adam Sandler and Kevin James. Today, she’s continuing her acting career having just wrapped two films: “Christmas in Beverly Hills” and “Do Me a Solid”. And she’s currently in pre-production on the martial arts film, “War of the Dragon”.
Since we last spoke to Candace, she’s also been heavily involved in women’s safety issues. She is the host of a live, weekly, call-in radio show, “Hottie Help with Candace Kita”. Each week she invites a celebrity guest and they discuss a topic pertaining to women’s safety. Recent guests have included: “She’s Got the Look” winner and Amazon Top 100 author Cindy Day, ESPN host Genvieve Chappell and Logo Network comedian Cat Davis. “I really wanted the show to be exciting. Women’s safety may not immediately sound like fun, but with our guests it’s a blast. ”says Kita.
In her spare time, Kita has created a charity organization, “Hotties With a Heart”. This organization is comprised of women who want to donate their time and resources to charity events throughout the greater Los Angeles area. Recent events have included Read Across America, The USO, The Salvation Army, The Burbank Animal Shelter, Toys for Tots and the Frank Jordan Mission. “Hotties With a Heart has been one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done. It all started when someone bet me I couldn’t do one charity event a month. One thing led to another, and the support has been overwhelming. A Marine at the USO recently called me the Ann Margret of today’s generation. I wear that title proudly.” said Kita.
Kita is also the author of the upcoming book, “The Hottie Handbook: A Girl’s Guide to Safety. This is a safety primer for women of all ages. Topics include travel safety, surfing the internet, dating, online dating, campus safety, workplace safety and keeping your personal information private. We interviewed Candace about her book and her interest in women’s safety:
Candace: No. As a sexist term used to describe beautiful young women, I realize the term “hottie” has had negative connotations. However, I want to reclaim “hottie” to describe any woman that is getting attention, wanted or unwanted, from the opposite sex. This is a book for any woman and for all ages.
Candace: I’ve spent the past five years researching inappropriate behavior. My research included meetings with the FBI, LAPD Threat Management Unit, threat management specialists and numerous interviews with women from all walks of life. I interviewed not only actresses and models, but housewives, school teachers, stay-at-home moms and career women.
Candace: It might. But one of the main ideas I convey in “The Hottie Handbook” is understanding the motives behind courtesy bias – that is, the tendency to tell people what you think they want to hear in order to avoid hurting their feelings.
As young women, we are taught to be nice, kind and sweet. We learn to be accommodating. Polite is good; being impolite is bad. We don’t want to refuse the guy who wants our phone number, even though we’re not interested. We don’t want to appear “rude,” “stuck up” or “snobby.” But if a weirdo is intent on playing hardball with you, you need to fight back. You need to learn how to react properly in an uncomfortable or threatening situation. Time-appropriate bitchiness is a good thing. We need to be aware of people’s underlying motives. And remember, inappropriate behavior is someone making you so uncomfortable that you feel the need to comply or respond in hopes this person will stop their actions toward you.
Candace: If someone is behaving inappropriately toward you, don’t let them have the upper hand. Remember to listen to your gut instincts, sixth sense or woman’s intuition. If someone appears to want something from you, they do. Don’t second-guess yourself; it’s really that simple.
Candace: Topics include dating, travel, surfing the internet, car safety, safety at home, online dating, campus life and safety in the workplace.
Candace: No. Being sexy and beautiful does not preclude your right to be safe.
Candace: Jessica Simpson and Paris Hilton are going to be who they are and I’m not here to change them. They are among the current icons for fashion, music and pop culture. I’m certain Mae West was racy for her era. They are not sending any more of a wrong message to us than Marilyn Monroe or Jayne Mansfield did in their time. “The Hottie Handbook” doesn’t judge current cultural icons. Rather, it deals with keeping women safe in today’s modern world of online dating, cyber stalking, cyberbullying and identity theft.
Candace: Yes. Gone are the days of burning bras and no makeup. I embrace beauty. But I believe being beautiful or sexy does not give anyone the right to behave inappropriately towards you.
ere is a video of Candace’s charity, Hotties With a Heart, when we were invited to the Bob Hope USO to welcome USMC troops being deployed to bases around the US.
Candace: I wrote “The Hottie Handbook” as a collection of top 10 lists to make it easier to use. Going on a trip? Flip to the Travel section and look up the top 10 list that pertains to your situation. Read it and off you go.
Candace: Yes. They come from more than five years of interviews with women from many different walks of life. The names and locations have been changed, but the stories are candid and real.
Candace: Yes, thank you so much for taking the time to check back with me. I’m going to be overhauling my website during the next few months so please take a peek soon for a brand new look! www.candacekita.com [1].
Links:
[1] http://www.candacekita.com