A week from yesterday will be Super Duper Tuesday in the U.S. and voters in California and 21 other states will go to the polls to choose who will be the likely candidates for arguably the most important election of our time. Whether you believe that cliche or not, this is certainly an crucial battle. George W. Bush has decimated the economy, and few realize how much worse the subprime crisis is going to impact the global economy. My quandary, as of today is who to vote for now?
I was prepared to vote for John Edwards next Tuesday, knowing full well that he was not going to be the nominee. As long as he was still in the race though, I was going to support him. Now that he’s withdrawn, I have to choose between Obama (BHO) or Hillary (HRC), neither of whom I’m prepared (yet) to support. I just bought Obama’s book “Dream From My Father – A Story of Race and Inheritance” to learn more about the man and his past, but have only gotten through 3 chapters, and doubt I’ll have time to finish before Tuesday.
Now, just today we’re learning more about Monday’s announcement by Ted Kennedy to support Obama. More important even than that I thought, was Caroline Kennedy’s endorsement of Barack. I did think it odd a few weeks ago when Hillary was praising Lyndon Johnson for his Civil Rights triumphs. “Wasn’t it John F. Kennedy who shepherded the Civil Rights Act of 1964 before his assassination?”, I thought to myself. Yes, it was, but it was LBJ’s “experience in parliamentary politics and the bully pulpit he wielded as president in support of the bill”, that got it passed so quickly. JFK’s civil rights record turns out to be a little fuzzier than I had originally thought. That said however, I can see how Teddy Kennedy might be pissed off at Hillary for distorting his brother’s perceived legacy.
Reading Caroline Kennedy’s op-ed piece in the New York Times, seriously made me take a closer look at Obama though. It also made me curious about civil rights and how LBJ & JFK really felt. Because of this, I started researching Lyndon Johnson’s presidency and found these fascinating FREE audio clips on iTunes (only available to iTunes users in the US I fear) that illustrate what a truly different time that was. It the following clip, President Johnson calls the widow Jackie Kennedy on December 2, 1963, a couple of weeks after her husband was assassinated and she was still living in the White House. Take a listen:
I’ve never been a big fan of Kentucky Fried Chicken or any fried chicken for that matter. But ever since KFC announced these ridiculously fattening, hedonistic and some would say disgusting mashed potato bowls, they’ve become a true guilty pleasure that I tend to treat myself to once every few months. These “heart attacks in a bowel” (get it) are so obscenely good that if I was ever on death row, they would surely make up at least part of my last meal. (Hell, you’re gonna die anyway! Skip the cheese though…that’s just disgusting. LOL)
So after a long busy morning at work, I decided to walk the few blocks over to this ratty little KFC on Sunset & Fairfax.
While I’m indulging in mashed potato decadence and listening to my “This American Life” podcast, a silver Mercedes McLaren pulls up to the door of KFC. Mind you, this KFC is small. There’s no drive-through, there’s not even a customer bathroom inside. There are parking spots however, which didn’t seem to matter to the driver of this $500,000.00 car. The car was not only blocking the entrance to the restaurant, but it was also blocking the entrance to the parking lot! As the angel wing door opened up (like a DeLorean), Kanye West stepped out. Even before I knew it was him, I started snapping pictures with my cell phone, because I knew this would be blog-worthy. I’m no starf**ker, but I am a responsible blogger!
Kanye getting out of his car. He’s wearing a camouflage hat and sunglasses.
Even though he was wearing the hat and sunglasses, his chipmunk cheeks were immediately recognizable. I tried to be discreet with my cell phone pics, but when I went outside to take a picture of his car, he glared at me angrily.
Fried chicken that don’t kill me Can only make me stronger I need you to move your car now Cause I gotta work a little longer I know I should eat a little better Cause this can’t get much wronger Man I been cravin’ all month now Mashed potatoes I’ve been on ya
And speaking of starf**king, maybe it would have been interesting to have been picked for jury duty last week. Can you imagine deliberaring with Steve Carell?
TMZ was in the courtroom when Steve Carell was picked for jury duty. Do you think his “Office” will pay him for that??
He’sbeen selected to serve on the jury in a civil case over some type ofemployment dispute. Both sides are Korean and non-English speaking, andwe’re told an interpreter will be present for the duration of thetrial. As a juror, he’ll be paid $15.00 a day — that’s at least something during the strike!
“The 40-Year-Old Virgin” is due back in court tomorrow at 9:00 AM PT.
No jury duty this week! I called every day, and each day I was told I didn’t have to report. Now I can’t be summoned for at least a year (I think). I honestly wouldn’t mind serving, but I’m really swamped at work through February. Guess I won’t have to be wearing these now:
Speaking of Britney, her record company EMI, REALLY needs to update their website!!
Thanks to Jess for sending this video from Australia in response to the whole Fred Phelps, God Hates Fags nonsense. This guy actually went to one of the anti-gay rallies and hit on Fred Phelps son. It’s great.
Not sure if this video is too little too late, but go Gore! He certainly has come into his own the past 8 years. Too bad he couldn’t have gotten his act together sooner.
Speaking of Al Gore, did you hear they discovered the true cause of global warming??
Had dinner with Lisa, Joel & the kids tonight…and goofed around with the Statue of Burger LIberty.
Tyson posted this yesterday and I’m copying it from him, because I thought it was interesting. The video can’t be embedded, so you’ll have to watch it on YouTube.
You know, I’m surprised that this question hasn’t been asked of the presidential candidates. If you believe abortion should be illegal, then what should be the punishment for women who have illegal abortions?
1. If it’s illegal, then by definition you are breaking the law and committing a crime. In society, it’s not a crime if there’s no punishment. Otherwise, why make it a crime?
2. If abortion is “taking the life of another person,” then do you treat it as a murder? What degree? An abortion is planned and premeditated, which makes it a first degree murder. Death penalty for women who have abortions?
3. If that’s extreme, then are we talking about jail sentence? How long of a jail sentence? A fine would be silly. Then, it would simply be a tax on abortions.
So yes, what is the punishment for abortions if they are illegal? Just because something is illegal, it doesn’t mean it goes away. People always violate laws, and society has to deal with it.
I’ll be gone for the next couple of days. Have a nice weekend everyone. Blogger out!
…As P.T. Barnum once famously said. So when I entered this photography “contest” a few months ago with the photo you see above , little did I know it was a racket! As it turns out, the whole contest was just a slick marketing ploy to get you to purchase a book of “published” winners. Here’s what I received in the mail, notifying me of my “win”:
Impressive enough, right? At least I opened it, something I rarely do with snail mail. Nice touch with the “VIP” too. LOL
Now for the sales pitch! Not only do I have an “excellent” chance of winning one of over 114 (??) cash or gift prizes, including the $1,000.00 Grand Prize; I could “even win” the $10,000.00 Annual Grand Prize. What I didn’t take a picture of was the P.S. on the back of the letter that states, “P.S. Carey, you should be genuinely proud of your accomplishment. Of the thousands of photographs we see each year, only a faction can be published (yeah right!). We are pleased that your “Boracay” photo will appropriately achieve the recognition that a national publication can give it.”
It looks cheaper than a high school year book, and they want $70 for it!!
Oh well. At least they didn’t sucker me! Anyone know of any reputable photography contests?
BTW, here were some of my other photos that I considered entering in the contest:
Lugano, Switzerland
Charleston, IL
Santa Barbara, CA
Crater Lake, OR
Charleston, IL
Florence, Italy
Oahu, Hawaii
Los Angeles, CA
Munich, Germany
Munich, Germany
Sunrise over Cocovado, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Victoria & Albert Waterfront, Cape Town, South Africa
Table Mountain, Cape Town, South Africa
Florence, Italy
Paris, France
Florence, Italy
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Full moon over Sydney Opera House, Sydney Australia
Sydney, Australia
Tokyo, Japan
Does anyone have an interest in seeing Wicked on a weeknight? I’ve seen it twice already, but this is a good deal if any of you guys are interested. We can’t go on Valentine’s Day though, so if anyone wants to propose to me after the show, that won’t work. LOL Let me know. I live close to the theater and can pick up tickets easily, so as not to be raped by Ticketmaster. –Carey
SAVE 50% on WICKED at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood on weeknights. HERE’S HOW: • Visit www.ticketmaster.com/artist/1185729and enter code 6WINTER • Call 213-365-3500 or 714-740-7878 and provide code 6WINTER • Bring a printout of this offer to the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood (6233 Hollywood Blvd. at Vine)
Orchestra tickets are just $47.50 for performances Tuesday – Friday evenings NOW – February 29, 2008. This incredible offer is sure to sell out fast, so if you want to see Broadway’s biggest blockbuster, you must act now. Subject to availability. Not valid on 2/14/2008. Limit 12 tickets.
You gotta love Fred Phelps! If I hadn’t heard a comment made by a Christian woman I know today, I’d be more surprised by this. The comment? “See, he shouldn’t have made that movie.” THAT is exactly why there’s no arguing with these people. God love the crazy Christians!
If you’re not lucky enough to go to the Brokeback funeral, there are plenty of other picketing opportunities at godhatesfags.com:
They were raised on small, poor ranches in opposite corners
of the state, Jack Twist in Lightning Flat, up on the Montana border, Ennis del
Mar from around Sage, near the Utah line, both high-school drop-out country boys
with no prospects, brought up to hard work and privation, both rough-mannered,
rough-spoken, inured to the stoic life. Ennis, reared by his older brother and
sister after their parents drove off the only curve on Dead Horse Road, leaving
them twenty-four dollars in cash and a two-mortgage ranch, applied at age
fourteen for a hardship license that let him make the hour-long trip from the
ranch to the high school. The pickup was old, no heater, one windshield wiper,
and bad tires; when the transmission went, there was no money to fix it. He had
wanted to be a sophomore, felt the word carried a kind of distinction, but the
truck broke down short of it, pitching him directly into ranch work.
In 1963, when he met Jack Twist, Ennis was engaged to Alma Beers. Both Jack
and Ennis claimed to be saving money for a small spread; in Ennis’s case that
meant a tobacco can with two five-dollar bills inside. That spring, hungry for
any job, each had signed up with Farm and Ranch Employment—they came together on
paper as herder and camp tender for the same sheep operation north of Signal.
The summer range lay above the tree line on Forest Service land on Brokeback
Mountain. It would be Jack Twist’s second summer on the mountain, Ennis’s first.
Neither of them was twenty. Read more…
Speaking of Godless sodomites…If anyone is going to the West Hollywood City Council meeting tonight, come say hi!
Carey Anthony
hola
4 messages
Carolina
Tue, Jan 22, 2008 at 2:49 PM
To:
carey
Hi Careyzinho,
Well, i obviously missed THE tour of tours Friday night … Alas, studies…
Loved all your photos on the site … Weren’t Luis’s photos of the kids just fabulous!??!
Studies actually leads to this email:
Have you ever been to a West Hollywood City Council meeting? Would
you ever be interested in going to one? And how about, for example,
um, tonight?
If the answer to either of the last 2 questions is ‘yes’, i’ll explain (if you care) … ))
beijos,
carolina
Alternately, how would it strike you as an idea to “craft” a
get-together (evening presumably but not necessarily) of “events” that
would introduce me to lifestyles of the gay and famous … i.e.,
“spots” in WeHo which you think I might not be familiar (or even
terribly comfortable) with that you’d go to with me ?? (again, will
explain if this is of potential interest — and I say this largely cuz I
don’t think of you as being one to “hang out” in the “scene” in WeHo
but rather to be more of your own independent agent — ahem …
Carey Anthony
Tue, Jan 22, 2008 at 2:53 PM
To:
“Carolina
Oi Carolina,
I’ve never been to a Weho Council
meeting, but I could go with you tonight if you want. So do explain!
I’d also be happy to show you around the haunts. What time are you thinking?
GLY Carey
Carolina
Tue, Jan 22, 2008 at 3:06 PM
To:
carey anthony
The meeting is at 6 pm (and a guy at the City Council said usually lasts about 2 hrs) …. at the West Hollywood Park Auditorium …
It’s a bit last-minute even for me (and having to come across town at
THE worst time in rush hour, grrr) but here’s the background:
One of my courses this term is an online course following up one we had
last term about “difference” (in every sense imaginable – social
class, religion, race, gender, sexual orient, physical (e.g. blind),
sociopolitical (e.g., REPUBLICANS !?!?!?) etc etc — and this term is an
experiential course where we are to do a total of about 30 hours out in
the community going to places in at least 3 of those “categories” of
lifestyles and then writing up our reflections on the experience etc…
One of listed suggestions on sociopolitical page was to attend Santa
Monica City Council mtg (which i did once actually about 30 yrs ago)
… which led me to think “AH! Why not a WeHo one where there would
also be presumably a “milieu” i don’t usually frequent as well and a
kind of – hate this expression — “kill two birds” (not to presume,
mind you, that a WeHo city council meeting is fabulously gay, or
whatever)
so, that’s the deal.
is that too, mmmm, ‘weird’ (?) a reason for such a trek? And I
thought, a) how could I go into your neighborhood, which i almost never
make it to (anymore anyway), without looking you up, b) I suspected you
might have never gone to such and would be curious yourself, and c)
your own pov in the meeting as regards your “neighbors” and community
politics, etc., would interest me as well, to get your take on whatever
comes up that i might only be able to see “straight” on … or
whatever…
beijos,
c
Carey Anthony
Tue, Jan 22, 2008 at 3:10 PM
To:
“Carolina
I’d love to go. You want to do an early dinner
beforehand or a later one after? You want to park here and walk over
or have me meet you there?
…to jury duty tomorrow that is. (Remember, I postponed it from New Year’s Eve!) Even though I’m “on call” this week, I phoned 1-800-SRV-JURY today and found out that I don’t need to be there tomorrow! Let’s hope I dodge that bullet all week. If not, I found this great guide to jury duty in LA today:
An unwritten rule about blogging is that if you’re called to jury service, you’re required to write about it.
1. Show up late. The summons tells you to arrive at 7:30am,
and to even allow enough time to get through security. However, they
don’t really start checking names until at least 8:30am. So, sleep in,
and grab McGriddle before schlepping it to the Court House.
2. Bring a book, an iPod, a pad of paper, and if you’re bringing a computer, bring an extra battery.
If you’re not assigned a jury pool, you could be in the holding room
until 5:00pm, where there’s no wireless internet access (WHAT????!!!!! WTF??) and only a
handful of power outlets.
3. Dress Appropriately. When you receive your summons in the mail, scan your juror i.d. badge and make it into a t-shirt.
Show that you’re proud to serve on a jury! If you want to be a little more subtle and avoid possible
contempt charges by a less humorous judge, you can make a golf shirt instead.
4. Be careful what you buy. If you grab a grande vanilla
peppermint latte from the Starbucks just outside the jury holding
room, be advised that if you’re assigned to a jury pool, you may have
to toss it before even sipping off the foam. That said, you may just
want to bring a thermos so you don’t have to ditch your $3.90 when the
judge is ready to see you.
5. Don’t want to serve? Shut the f up! When the judge asks if there’s a reason you can’t
serve, don’t think your time is more valuable that anyone else’s, even
if you’re a doctor, teacher, student, or have a vacation lined up. The
judge won’t care, and, frankly, its your civic duty. If you only want
poor people with a bad education to serve on a jury, then I look
forward to seeing what the verdict will be the next time you’re falsely
accused of a crime or have to sue someone who may need some suing.
(5000! wrote more about these people last year).
And in case you didn’t figure it out…I watched Dreamgirls again this weekend, for the first time since last year. I loved it even more the second time. How can you not love this??:
Luis was in town for business yesterday, and since he needed “space and double glazing“, he naturally he chose to stay at the premier destination for Hollywood movers and shakers, the Hotel Careyfornia. After a casual dinner at the churrascaria, I introduced him to Crackberry (which is now open at The Grove) and we then did a quick Hollywood tour, before retiring home to look at pictures of his beautiful children (and wife…hi Jennifer!), and Skype with Marcelo and Emily until the wee hours.
Welcome to the Hotel Careyfornia…such a lovely place…
Luis explaining (in Portuguese) to his family in Brazil, about where we went for dinner.
In Brazil, “we eat-a meat”
The newest Pinkberry convert. Watch for an Austin opening!
I’m also reposting these great photos of his son surfing in Brazil last year. He’s really growing up! This is a picture I took at Lake Michigan
in Chicago on Labor Day weekend 2001, the Saturday before
9/11:
It’s always been one of my favorite pictures. He’s
such a doll. It’s amazing how much they grow up in 6 years
though. Last summer the family went to Ubatuba Brazil (where
you might remember our gang spent New Year’s a couple of years ago),
and this is what that cute “little” boy looks like now.
By the way here’s Dad on a “business” trip
last week. Sorry ladies (and gentlemen), he
married! Thanks Luis. Abracos!
–Carey
And here are the kids snowboarding at Christmas:
Carey Anthony
RE: A Brazilian at the Hotel Careyfornia
1 messages
From: Luis
Mon, Jan 21, 2008 at 8:41 PM
To:
Carey Anthony
What a short and memorable visit! Hotel
Careyfornia is indeed a must go!
The blog is perfect and the double glazing and the pictures
are indeed a hit.
Brazilians do need space!!!
The return from LA went well and kids and wife are
well and sending you big hugs.
Have I got your attention? LOL. Remember when I fired my doctor a few months ago? It all stemmed from him not authorizing a refill for some psoriasis cream I needed to clear up some mild red spots on my scalp. He had prescribed it years ago, and since I hadn’t been in to see him in a while, he refused to refill the prescription until I made an appointment. As I was about to leave on a trip, I told him I would come in when I got back. That wasn’t good enough though, and being a greedy corporate bastard (he had recently joined a large medical conglomerate), he wouldn’t budge, so I got rid of him.
Fast forward to now. For the past few months I’ve been squeezing what I could out of several of the old tubes of medicine I had left. It seemed to do the trick up until recently when the redness wasn’t going away. Since I switched health insurance companies on January 1st, I finally made an appointment with a dermatologist. The office was in Beverly Hills, and when the doctor walked in, he looked like he was right out of central casting (as it turns out, he’s CNN’s “dermatology/botox consultant”). LOL:
He tells me his specialty is more “cosmetic”, so he was going to send in his associate, Dr. Saghari:
She comes in (like she’s just walked off a catwalk…gorgeous) and asks me what I’ve been using on my scalp. I tell her, and her jaw drops. She goes on to tell me that the cream I had been prescribed by my old doctor, was the strongest steroid cream they have for psoriasis, and that it should never be used on the face or scalp. “How long have you been using it?”, she asked. “Five years”, I replied. “You don’t have psoriasis anymore” she said, “You have steroid rosacea!” She goes on to say that my skin had become addicted to the steroid cream, and that she would have to wean me off of it. She told me it would likely get worse, before it got better.
My reply? “So what you’re telling me Doc is…
You say my scalp should go to rehab I said no, no, no. Yes it’s been a little red, but when I come back You wont know, know, know.
I ain’t got the time And if my daddy thinks im fine He’s tried to make me go to rehab I wont go, go, go.
So she prescribed some non-steroid creams…and here I am. There goes my baseball career!
I had to babysit for Tressa tonight…and we had fun hamming it up. American Idols eat your heart out!
Sorry I’ve been MIA the past couple of weeks. I’m going to be pretty swamped with work through February and have been trying to make time to get some other things done that I’ve been neglecting (not to mention a stack of unread books). Since American Idol starts tonight though, I thought I would post this article from VFTW about how the Idol machine has become increasingly supplanted with existing “talent”. I expect we’ll be hearing a lot more about this as the next 4 months unfold. It’s too bad, but maybe the show has run its course. At its best, it extolled the American Dream. At its worst, it brought out the schadenfruede in all of us. I still feel the same way about the audition shows, and I hope they don’t exploit any retarded people this year! I’m sure I’ll be at the finale again though, sneaking on to the red carpet for a photo of Sanjaya. Check out some of these great Simon Cowell insults though:
When American Idol debuted in 2002, its supposed goal was to find the
best undiscovered talent in America. Singers like Kelly Clarkson and
Clay Aiken, who had dreams of stardom but never had the connections,
were catapulted to megastardom. The producers found diamonds in the
rough and launched their careers. But a disturbing trend has surfaced
with the spoiled contestants of American Idol 7 – they’re no longer
even remotely undiscovered talent. A large percentage of them are
failed singers and entertainers who have already had their shot at
fame. Yet Idol thinks that repackaging these failures is a good idea to
make us watch their show. Gone are the days where you or your friends
could try out for Idol and make it big. Now you have to already have
connections. Read on to find out more about how this year’s show will
just be a boring hash of recycled pseudo-celebrities who weren’t good
enough to make it the first time around. And keep checking back as this
article is updated almost every day with new information.
Vote for the Worst has been checking out the contestants who have
allegedly made it to the top 50 of American Idol 7. The top 24 has not
yet been decided, and the dreaded chair episode has not yet been
filmed. But already, we’re seeing a disturbing trend. To try to combat
Sanjaya fever from last year, American Idol producers have gone out of
their way to place people into the top 50 who already had a shot at
stardom in the past. It seems like a good idea at first- they’re
stacking the deck with professionals to try to prevent a Vote for the
Worst takeover. But then you realize, if these people didn’t make it
big before, it’s highly unlikely that people will care any more about
them now. And if all of these people with industry connections made it
to the top 50, what about the average Joes who are looking for their
shot at stardom? Were they just cast aside this year to make way for
the plants? It’s likely that if you tried out for the show and failed,
or if a friend with an amazing voice tried out and was turned away, it
was to make room for the established professionals. This is not to say
that these ringers are any less deserving of stardom, or any less
decent or nice, but that the days of everyday people becoming the next
American Idol are over.
The biggest offender by far is Irish singer Carly Hennessy. During season 5, Carly was pimped by Simon Cowell
before the show even started as “the only person I can genuinely
remember from the auditions.” Simon said something similar about Carrie
Underwood the season prior. Carly was fortunately dropped from the ranks for not having a visa. Nigel Lythgoe, one of the obnoxious executive producers of Idol, is already back to hinting about her even though she’s never said a word on the show. So why is Carly getting so much hype, and what happened in her past?
Carly Hennessy is the epitome of a record industry failure. She was
brought to America by MCA Records and recorded a bland pop album that sold only 300 copies
(that’s not a typo). Then she faded into obscurity. Now, a mastermind
behind the scenes at Idol has decided that instead of just signing
Carly to an Idol-affiliated record label, she should be pushed down
America’s throats as a contestant on American Idol. Back with brand new
tattoos and an “edgier” sound, the record execs connected to Idol are
probably hoping that Carly will finally catch on when she’s featured on
the #1 TV show in the country. To make things even messier, one of the songwriters for Carly’s album
also wrote songs for the debut albums of Kelly Clarkson, Clay Aiken,
and Kimberley Locke. There’s a definite Idol connection here, folks.
So what’s wrong with this? Well, it’s forcing Idol to expose its hand
as the premiere marketing tool for struggling artists. Instead of
discovering the next big superstar, music executives are deciding who
should be popular and getting them on to Idol. Many people watch
American Idol because they think they can help make the next big music
star out of an Everyday Joe or Jane. But Carly and her large number of
has-been companions are merely failed artists who are being planted on
the show by their sources to promote themselves. Would the hundreds of
thousands of people who auditioned this year be happy to learn that
their spot was given to someone who already had connections?
American Idol judge Randy Jackson was quoted in a Rolling Stone article
as saying that people watch Idol for “the Rocky story in it…We’re not
out to find the poster kids and say, “Let’s sign them.” We’re out to
find the best undiscovered [talent] and really herald that.”
“The best undiscovered talent”, eh? Apparently that quote was only
valid back when it was said to Rolling Stone in 2006. And when he said
it here in 2005. And here. And about 1000 times on the show. Simon says it here,
that they ask every contestant when they try out if they think they are
the best undiscovered talent in America. What is someone like Carly
supposed to say? “Well, I’m talented, but technically not
undiscovered.”
The sad part is that Carly is not an exception this year. There are
many, many more contestants who are supposedly in the top 50 and have
failed careers. Michael Johns is another notable contestant. An Australian import, he was formerly the lead singer of a band called The Rising
and changed his name from Michael Lee. Michael was signed to Maverick
Records and was supposed to release a debut album in 2003 after
allegedly screwing over
The Rising by leaving the band. Apparently, many of the band’s fans
hate Michael for doing this and for claiming that he wrote some of
their most popular songs (he didn’t). This guy sounds like a real
winner. I wonder why he isn’t already famous?
It doesn’t stop there. Here are some more has-beens who have failed at becoming famous yet snuck their way onto the show:
Kristy Lee Cook was signed to Arista Nashville, had Britney Spears lined up to appear in her debut video in 2001, and is managed by Marty Rendleman,
who previously managed Leann Rimes. She also apparently loves to
alienate most of America by singing in front of a Confederate flag in a video. Looks like her connections may not help her after all…
Syesha Mercado was on the failed television show The One and is the daughter of a Motown backup singer.
Shaun Barrowes is an established songwriter and producer
for artists on Sony and Universal Records. His website states that he
has “recorded, collaborated, and trained with some of the best
musicians and music producers in the country; musicians with artist
credits such as Madonna, Michelle Branch, Destiny’s Child, Stacie
Orrico, Joe Cocker, ZZ Top, No Doubt, and many more.”
Joanne Borgella is a plus sized model and won the televised beauty pageant Mo’Nique’s Fat Chance in 2005. She previously sang with Patti Labelle, Mary Mary, and American Idol’s own Bo Bice for a Christmas special. Joanne also appeared on the Tyra Banks Show, Good Morning America, and Hot 97 with Miss Jones.
Samantha Sidley is currently pursuing her degree
at the Berkley College of Music, which seems innocent enough. But no,
in August of 2002 she performed “The YaYa Sisters – An Evening With
Samantha Sidley and Katharine McPhee” at the Gardenia in West
Hollywood. The same Katharine McPhee who became runner up during
American Idol’s 5th season. The site also says Sidley’s “first
tentative steps in the performing arts were as a 12 year old in a
performance workshop with Peisha McPhee at Los Angeles City College.
Samantha was also quoted
as saying she would never try out for American Idol because she’s a
jazz singer and not a pop singer. Odd that she changed her mind, huh?
David Archuleta won Star Search at age 12. During Idol’s first season, he met all of the finalists and even sang for Kelly Clarkson and the gang. A few days later, David met with a host of record labels and producers with connections to the show.
And last but not least, Jermaine Paul made the top 50, but according to JoesPlace, he smartly dropped out. The biggest plant of all,
Jermaine was already signed to J Records (home of Clive Davis, he who
signs most of the winning Idols) and was nominated for a Grammy for a
duet with Alicia Keys on her second album. Alicia Keys is known as
Clive Davis’s most recent pet project. Jermaine also appeared on a
remix to Kanye West’s “Gold Digger” as a part of the group Focus.
Jermaine’s website has mysteriously disappeared recently.
These are only the backgrounds from the contestants we know so far.
There are still plenty more names to come, and we’re sure most of them
have connections as well.
So were the auditions just a formality this year? Because we’re
fairly sure that if you have a Grammy winning duet with Alicia Keys, a
producer credit on famous artists’ albums, or a prior relationship in
show business, you probably weren’t waiting in line like the rest of
the people who mistakenly assumed American Idol was a competition to
find “the best undiscovered talent in America”. Then again, we all know
what happens when you assume.
And speaking of retards….this Aussie video of the day, had me ROTFL. I guess Americans don’t corner the market on stupid teenagers. He is funny though, especially at the end. God love his famous glasses! LOL.
Party boy Corey Worthington fled the studios of an FM radio
station this morning during an interview on live radio.
The 16-year-old from Narre Warren bolted out of the studio and
fled down a fire escape after radio host Matt Tilley tried to
remove his plastic yellow sunglasses, which he had kept on
throughout the interview.
He was chased by several news camera operators and an anxious
radio producer but disappeared.
Corey later returned to the studio and completed the on-air
interview.
Before making his escape, Corey was asked if he had anything to
say to his parents who might be listening.
“Sorry,” he said.
Asked if he was planning to return to home, he said: “To get my
clothes and stuff.”
Asked if he ever wanted to go home again, he said: “I do sort
of, but don’t know right now.”
Corey also said he had been approached by DJ Lako to run an
underage club in Melbourne.
The hosts asked Corey if he was merely a brat who couldn’t
handle the truth, to which he replied, “Nuh.”
Listeners who called the studio to speak to Corey were
overwhelmingly hostile, with one woman telling him he had no
respect for anyone else and a man calling him a “knob” and warning
him to “watch out”.
Corey, dressed in a white cap, fluoro yellow T-shirt and white
high-top sneakers, appeared tense while being interviewed.
The teenager threw a house party on Saturday night while his
parents were interstate, at which 500 teenagers spilled on to the
streets, damaging property and throwing projectiles at police
cars.
The out-of-control party and its aftermath have attracted media
attention worldwide and drawn speculation that the teenager could
earn big money by appearing on TV and promoting parties.
Victoria Police has threatened to bill the boy’s family $20,000
in damages.
Silvia and her new husband weren’t able to join us in Pacifica for New Year’s this year, as they were spending a quiet time at their new home in Boston, awaiting the Valentine’s Day birth of their first baby.
Who wants to be born on Valentine’s Day though? That would really suck. So little Maia Alexandra decided to pop out just after New Year’s, six weeks early, but remarkably healthy considering (5.67 lbs and 18″). Mother and baby are doing fine, and Maia will likely get to come home from the hospital this weekend. As soon as she’s healthy enough, I will have Silvia ship her to me in Hollywood (overnight, not 2 day, relax), so I can commence making her a star. World, meet Maia:
Congratulations Chiquiquita!! xoxo
The fact that I work with bankers does not mean that they’re always smart with numbers. In this case, the ones on a a clock.
Sent: Wednesday, January 09, 2008 9:11 AM To: Carey Subject: RE:
phone
Sorry, let me fill you in. I was
scheduled to attend an online webinar you were conducting @ 11:30 PST and
received confirmation and such. When I called the phone number provided and
entered the security password, the password I was provided didn’t work.
I’m hopeful to reschedule sometime soon as we
are new users.
Oh! That session is at 11:30 Pacific Time. It’s only
9:12 Pacific Time now. I’m not sure what time zone you’re in, but that session
doesn’t start for another 2 hours. –Carey
TMZ was in the courtroom when Steve Carell was picked for jury duty. Do you think his “Office” will pay him for that??
Sorry I’ve been MIA the past couple of weeks. I’m going to be pretty swamped with work through February and have been trying to make time to get some other things done that I’ve been neglecting (not to mention a stack of unread 
Check out some of these great Simon Cowell insults though:
The biggest offender by far is Irish singer Carly Hennessy. During season 5, Carly was 
Robbie Carrico is a failed singer from the pop group 
Samantha Sidley is currently 
And last but not least, Jermaine Paul made the top 50, but according to JoesPlace, he smartly dropped out. 
Sorry … Corey Worthington.
