Asa Somers

Asa Somers grew up on Sullivan's Island, SC, and attended high school at Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire before receiving his Bachelor's Degree in English at Yale. All along, he was actively involved in performing. At Yale, he played the title role in Stephen Sondheim's magnum opus Sweeney Todd and spent his senior year singing concerts with the University's premier a cappella group The Yale Whiffenpoofs, which kicked off a nine-week world tour with a sold-out performance at Carnegie Hall.

Asa has appeared in more than ten independent films, most recently in Jennifer Westfeldt's Ira and Abby, which had its premiere at the LA Film Festival in June. He has had principal roles in Change of Climate; Lust Bird; Paper Thin; and No, Not Now from award-winning French director Olivier Lecot.

After college, Asa took time off from stage and screen to join the world of rock and roll. He has played in numerous bands since graduation, most recently as lead singer and co-songwriter of the popular four-piece rock group Moneyshot, which routinely played sold-out shows at Arlene Grocery, Mecury Lounge, Brownies, and other East Village clubs. The band released three self-produced albums: the EP Teaspoonful of Love (1999); the full-length Bliss (2001); and the EP As Seen on TV (2002), which found a loyal audience in Japan, thanks in part to the band's affiliation with Blythe -- a doll released by Kenner in 1972 that has recently enjoyed newfound popularity.

Asa lives in New York City with his wife Gina Garan, the photographer and doll aficionado who first introduced Moneyshot to Blythe. Gina's book This Is Blythe has sold nearly 100,000 copies worldwide and is responsible for the rebirth of this cult icon, which has been re-released in over 20 incarnations in Japan and is now finally available in the U.S. The couple has a rockin' son named Carpenter.