RÄ€R Media
Comedian. Videographer. Writer.
All About Rachel Rowan
Profile and video reel
My mother was a horse-race jockey when I was a child. My dad went to prison for conspiracy to traffic drugs internationally around the same time.
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So, one summer my mother had to sent me to theatre camp because I wasn’t interested in either family business. I stayed in performing arts till high school. In my twenties, I moved to Los Angeles to chase my comedy writing and directing dreams.
After two years of background work and odd jobs, I ended up having to move back due to my mother’s second divorce and my best friend’s first child.
My dream of working in the industry was over, or so I thought. When I returned to Florida, I began working at Publix Inc. I thought I could have a career there, but I could never get over wanting to write and create interesting content.
I worked a few years as a cake decorator at Publix. Then I went to culinary school thinking I would get a job in food. It did not take more than a year at the Art Institute of Tampa for me to figure out that I was hungry for much larger creative challenges.
I have always been involved with videography, comedy and writing growing up in theatre, so I decided to get my bachelor’s in journalism and become a comedian. Also, I have been doing my own video production over the years. It is important to be versatile to be an asset. Ever since I was a kid, I have wanted to move to the city, New York City.
At the moment, I am still at the University of South Florida majoring in Mass Communications with a concentration in magazine journalism. I am also receiving the undergraduate Certificate of Visualization and Design. I will be graduating May of 2018. I am a hard worker, and I am dedicated to my crafts.
"When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro."
Hunter S. Thompson
French pastry flourishes in downtown St. Pete
By Rachel Rowan
PETERSBURG, Fla.—Downtown streets along the Tampa Bay waterfront flood with a mixture of tropical colors. Hues of greens, blues and yellows pop against the cloudless sky on Beach Drive.
Skyscraping condos and small businesses share the small spaces between the land and the bay. The streets are littered with cars and small motorized bikes. The sun shines on shoppers eagerly entering and leaving the intricately decorated stores while strolling the sidewalks during the bright and humid afternoons.
Nestled directly in the middle of all the bustle and excitement is a taste of France.
Cassis bakery is part of what used to be called Cassis American Brasserie. Its new name is Cassis St. Pete to avoid confusion and connect with the local culture. Cassis Bakery’s pastry chef, Katherine Williams, says the French-style restaurant is very convenient.
“Brasserie is sort of a thing in France that caters to all different times of the day.” Williams said. “Whether you want to get a cup of coffee, you want to come in and get breakfast or you want to come in and have a nice dinner and a glass of wine, a brasserie caters to all that.”
Williams became the pastry chef at Cassis after her boss stepped down in January of 2017. She was an English graduate of USF but decided to pursue pastry at the Art Institute of Tampa after falling in love with her college hobby. She now manages the bakery, with her responsibilities including scheduling, ordering inventory and recipe testing.
“I like to make sure we have seasonal stuff that’s fresh, Florida flavors, which we didn’t have much of before.” Williams said. “But also keeping a balance of French traditional style.”
In a way, the Cassis bakery is a completely separate business from their savory counterpart. Which is a French-American style restaurant that is one swinging door away from the quaint French bakery. Chef Jeremy Duclut runs the kitchen and offers some classically French fare, like French onion soup, braised escargot, and a Croque Monsieur. But he also offers Bahn Mi sliders, fried chicken and a roasted cauliflower head to appeal to every palette.
Cassis is not only a region in France, but it is also a food ingredient known as black currant. Which carries as a dark grape or a sour blueberry. The bakery and restaurant enjoys including the flavor into food and drink recipes to carry on the Cassis namesake.
According to Williams, Cassis's recent modernization of its brand shows that the restaurant and bakery are dedicated to bringing fresh flavors to the locals even though the brasserie is still deeply dedicated in its French culinary traditions with a light American twist.
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French pastry flourishes in downtown St. Pete
This is a small food documentary about the French-American restaurant and bakery Cassis St. Pete, which is downtown on Beach Drive. Video courtesy of Rachel Rowan
5 Reasons why everyone should attend roast battles
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Comedy competitions are mean, but friendly.
Roasting has been around for decades. But, the excitement-inducing rap-battle/Friars Club Roast hybrid is only a young, alternative addition to the comedy world. It is believed to be a product of the Los Angeles comedy scene, but has spread across country like wildfire.
Which is an interesting
coincidence because some of the things the comedians say to each other are like searing balls of fire spewing from their mouths. But, oh how it is entertaining.
There are other battles in places like New York and other big cities, and the interest is growing among comedians and audience members.
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2. Roasts are a big part of comedy history.
Formal roasts with then Roastmaster Dean Martin would be a glamorous event including a dais of men and women comedians. Each of them would approach the podium and delver the meanest yet funniest jokes that their minds could conceive. It became a way to honor a comedian or person of interest. Some of the biggest names in comedy and pop culture have been roasted, like Don Rickles, Bob Hope and even President Donald Trump had his life held to the flames.
Comedy Central started doing their own roasts years ago and have continued to do them, which has made them a big part of pop culture.
3. Everyone secretly wants to be a little mean.
It is human nature to get angry, sometimes. It is just a common emotion that human beings have to deal with on a regular basis.
But our society has created laws, manners and a social decorum that most try to live by. Although, on occasion, people don’t care about those things.
It is evident through the constant evolution of crime and war over human history, that anger isn’t going anywhere.
Maybe that is the reason Ann Coulter said yes to the Rob Lowe Roast, when she knew she would be targeted.
4. Roasts are great with friends.
The show is perfect for a group of friends that loves messing with one another’s self esteem. Although, it may not be the best place for a date. If a girl sees a guy laughing at an extremely dark or mean joke, it could affect him negatively. But then again, it could bring someone closer.
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5. It is the best entertainment when drinking.
If a person gets mean when they’re drunk, maybe instead, one should attend and even participate in a roast battle. They help focus one's anger on a productive outlet. Even if you are a happy drunk, it is a cathartic time for most.
5 Reasons why everyone should attend roast battles
A Small Documentary
This is a small documentary about the Tampa Bay roast battle called The Spit Show. It is featured the last Wednesday of every month at Fubar in downtown St. Pete and is hosted by Justin Cupo, who was interviewed.
Todas Las Flores Peligrosas
A Small Parody
This is a parody about telenovelas. I turned an assignment into a crazy new show. Don't mind the acting.
A Day in Hillsborough County
A Commissioned Video for HCFLGov.net
I edited, narrated and wrote the script for the Eastern part of this video, and shot video and edited for the Western side.
The Tampa Theatre
I edited and researched this video, which was made for social media platforms, like the Dodo or NowThis.
Florida Focus/ WEDU
Reporter Packages
I edited and tracked the park opening and restaurant news packages for one of the 13th largest media markets, WEDU, via the USF new program, Florida Focus.
Radio Hosting Reel
I hosted and worked for WUSF and the Bubba Radio Network.
Videos produced by me for fun
The Wedding Pact
A Short Film
This is the first comedy sketch video I fully produced by myself. The story is a bit abstract, but it was my first try. This was done for the Campus Movie fest.
For The Kill: One Man, One Liner
A Small Documentary
This is the first of many small docs that I want to do. The video focuses on a 3-year comedian grinding at open mics in the Tampa Bay comedy scene. This was also a Campus Movie fest submission.
