Tyson and I had dinner at the beach in Santa Monica tonight. He may be moving to another state soon, which would would be a bummer for me, but I hope he gets the job he wants. It’s funny, but had I never met Tyson, I wouldn’t have started my Xanga. The only reason I opened an account here was to comment on his blog. And had I not first seen Tyson on the reality show Beauty & The Geek, a few years ago, I wouldn’t have ever gotten to know him. (LOL, I just found out that he was the “Geek of the Week” on this website, geeksugar.com last year. What a hoot:)
Wonder where Will Smith picked up his impressive Rubik’s Cube skills in The Pursuit of Happyness? Thanks to one of the world’s top competitive Rubik’s Cube champions Tyson Mao, Smith was able to learn how to master the mind-boggling cube for his leading role.
When Mao’s younger brother Toby taught him how to solve the cube inJuly 2003, it was only a matter of time before Mao could solve thepuzzle faster then his brother…that is in less than two minutes-blindfolded of course. When not covering their eyes, Tyson and Toby are’speedcubing’ wizards, solving the cube in less than 20 seconds andtaking part in competitions all over the country. Twenty-two year oldSan Franciscan native Mao has only been beat by two of the world’s top3x3x3 blindfolded Rubik’s Cube competitors. This and the fact that hewas one of the ‘geeks’ in the hit reality show Beauty and the Geek last year, makes him a perfect geeksugar geek of the week.
Now that Tyson’s moving away, I guess I need a new reality show friend. Who should it be? Danny Noriega or Christian Siriano?? As Jad so artfully illustrates here, they’re both bottoms…which is more than I can say for Tyson. LOL
Christian was on Ellen yesterday, and Danny was on today. I recorded both, but haven’t watched yet. It would have been fun to see them on together, don’tcha think? LOL I also saw on YouTube that Ellen tried to call that idiotic Oklahoma representative Sally Kern, who made news recently by proclaiming that gay people were more dangerous than terrorists:
“I would like Sally Kern to move up in government, because if she thinks that homosexuality is a bigger threat than terrorism, then maybe she’ll get our troops out of Iraq and they’ll go invade West Hollywood! Anything to get our troops home!”
But wait, it gets better! Apparently, salacious Sally has a big ole’ GAY SON! As reported by Queerty:
At any rate, I still have American Idol (I suspect I’ll have another bottom to add to the mix…a gay stripper to boot) and Top Chef to watch tonight, so, back to reality.
Well, this election just keeps getting more and more exciting. I’m secretly hoping for a Clinton/Obama ticket, though that seems unlikely. I do still stand by what I said a few weeks ago. Although, on the surface it appears that America has a new black friend, last night proved (in Texas and Ohio of all places) that we’re not quite yet ready to hit the delete button on Hillary.
Speaking of the Lone Star Asylum (sorry James), I had a conversation yesterday with someone from Texas who told me they could never vote for a black Moslem. (Yes, Moslem, not even Muslim.) The conversation ended when the person insisted that George W. Bush had done his job by keeping us safe the past 8 years. I kid you not. This is the kind of thinking we’re up against!
Even Obama’s gay ad didn’t help him in Texas! Hmm, I wonder why??
Enough about politics though. The only election most Americans care about of course is the election of the next American Idol. Is it my imagination or is this the gayest season yet (even more than last year!)? Danny Noriega makes Clay Aiken (Gayken) look like Bruce Springsteen. Ryan Seacrest actually sounds butch next to some of these guys.
Gay friends have already emailed me “fan fiction” depicting a love affair between David Archuleta and Jason Castro that isn’t exactly blog friendly. LOL. That said, Jason’s was my favorite performance last night (minus the cheesy intro). I’ve always loved this song (though Damien Leith covered it better on Australian Idol last year).
He needs to cut the stoner act though. It will get old, just like David Archuleta’s giggling.
David & Hyun Ju were nice enough to make me a delicious Korean rice cake and kimchi potsticker dinner tonight.
Fine dining at the Hotel Careyfornia
After that, we went to see No Country For Old Men. Not much to say about that movie that hasn’t already been said. “Feel good picture of the year”? LOL, not quite, but the Coen Brothers are great filmmakers, and we all really enjoyed the movie.
When
they got home that night, she went to get the book. She’d ordered it
earlier in the week and meant to read it before they went to the movie,
but it was a hard week and things got away from her. This was happening
more and more.
Maybe if we look in the book we’ll be able to figure it out, she said.
Maybe we’ll find out what happened at the motel, he said. Why did it skip forward like that?
He said it’s the same in the book.
Who said?
I told you who. The guy I was standing with while I was waiting for
you to come out of the men’s room. He read the book and he said it’s
the same deal exactly. The sheriff pulls up and everybody’s dead. You
never see the scene where they all get shot. Maybe it’s because Javier
didnt kill them.
Who’s Javier?
Javier Bardem. The serial killer.
I thought it was Benicio Del Toro.
Well it wasnt. The guy outside the men’s room said there’s a scene
in the book that’s not in the movie. He said Javier goes to see a total
stranger in some office, who’s never been mentioned earlier. He gives
him the satchel of money and he says, Here’s your money back, now maybe
you’ll hire me to do things like this in the future.
Why did they leave that out?
How do I know? Write a letter to the Coen brothers.
She opened the book and started reading from the end.
He does this weird thing with contractions, she said. He uses
apostrophes for words like that’s and it’s but he doesnt use them for
dont and wasnt and wont. He doesnt use quotation marks, either.
Who?
Cormac McCarthy.
How am I supposed to know what you’re talking about with all these pronouns? he said.
He went to get ready for bed.
I cant believe you didnt know Josh Brolin died, she said.
Well I didnt.
He was lying there in the parking lot.
I didnt see him lying in the parking lot.
Well I didnt see him either, but then his wife turned up and Tommy Lee Jones looked sad, so you knew he was dead.
I thought he looked sad because the mother was dead.
The mother? The mother doesnt die till later.
I thought it was the mother in the swimming pool.
How could you think it was the mother? It was the girl with the beer
in the swimming pool. She was wearing a bikini. The mother was about a
hundred years old. What would the mother be doing wearing a bikini? The
mother dies of cancer. Jesus.
What happened to the satchel of money?
He gives it to a total stranger. I told you.
But in the movie what happens to the money?
She wondered if they’d ever know. Maybe the answers were buried in
the caliche, along with some character who had figured in a story
toward the end of the movie. She hadn’t been able to follow the story
about the character who was buried in the caliche because she was busy
trying to puzzle out what happened to the satchel of money, but the
word caliche stuck in her head. It was pronounced ka-lee-chee. Since
they lived in New York City and were not about to go dig a hole in
Central Park, it didnt seem like a particularly useful word, but you
never know.
He got into bed.
I cant believe you didnt know Josh Brolin died, she said. Who did you think was lying on that slab in the morgue?
The mother, he said.
The mother? she said. The mother?
He was asleep.
We came home and watched the Idol results show. I still laugh every time I see Danny Noriega’s facial expressions for some reason. He reminds me a lot of Daniel Kueblboeck from the German version of Idol who went on to quite a career for a while. Looks like we have our new Sanjaya. I think Danny can sing though, but I’m tone deaf, so what do I know. LOL
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.
Update: If you’re looking for my 2008 or 2006 Idol photos, Click Here.
Thanks to all of the Leona Lewis fans who have visited my site as a result of the posting at www.leonalewisfansite.co.uk. Feel free to look around. You guys are a big bunch, I’ve had hundreds of hits from the UK this week. For other Leona posts I’ve written click here and here. If you like what you see, please leave a comment or send a message. –Carey
Before I start, I’d just like to ask, when is America going to wake up and realize that voting for a President is more important than voting for an Idol? There were over 609 million (that’s 609,000,000) votes cast this season on American Idol. The finale alone brought in over 74 million votes. Wake up America. We are at a precipice. The world hates us because of our president, who invaded a sovereign nation on the basis of lies, to line his slimy oily pockets and those of his controlling cronies.
That said, I rant enough on this blog, but if you want to know why the President of the United States of America should be tried for war crimes, check out some of my more political entries.
So after 5 months, we can have our lives back again, not held captive by the spell of Sanjaya. The finals started at 5:00 here (8:00 on the east coast), so we walked the mile and a half from my house to the Kodak Theater (because parking was a nightmare). Once again, I sneaked on to the red carpet with my phony press pass (that didn’t even say American Idol, LOL). I had a much better position than last year, and got some great photos. A few observations about the red carpet:
All of the D list celebrities arrive 2 hours before the show and “mingle” on the carpet as much as possible.
Publicists are really funny. They walk ahead of the “stars” on the red carpet to announce who their clients are. “Diana Degarmo, Season 3 runner up”, “David Hasselhoff, still judging “America’s Got Talent”, despite his public drunkenness.” By the way, Diana Degarmo looks like a $2 whore these days! Plus you could see hair on the crook of her back. Disgusting!
The paparazzi can be VICIOUS! One minute they’re yelling at Jerry Springer to pose like a super model, but as soon as one of them spies a bigger celebrity, the cameras all turn, and poor Jerry Springer is left standing there like a lost Springer Spaniel!
They can also be downright mean. When Paula Abdul wouldn’t do a spin for one of the photographers, he asked her if she was too drunk! If looks could kill, that photographer would be dead (though she probably was drunk.) LOL
Men look ridiculous in bright sunlight with foundation and mascara and rouge on their faces. Especially if they haven’t just shaved!
Try to stand behind someone short when taking red carpet photos.
Stand behind the photographers that the “stars” know. I was lucky enough to be standing behind the Official American Idol photographers. The ones who take the kids’ photos every single week, and throughout the year on tour. Every former Idol contestant knows these guys by name, and consider them friends. That’s how I got such good closeups.
It’s amazing how fast these kids learn how to work the system. The way they parade down the red carpet and turn for the cameras is kind of disgusting. You can certainly tell the humbled ones from the affected ones!
Anyway, here are some of the better photos I took. Remember, I didn’t have a fancy paparazzi camera. All of these were taken with my trusty little Canon PowerShot SD800 IS.
The famous Kodak Theater at Hollywood & Highland. Also home of the Oscars.
Jordin looked absolutely beautiful. I haven’t really been a fan of hers this year, though I admit she’s got an good voice. She just always seemed phony to me. A bit too manufactured, like she was being groomed for this her whole life. What I saw tonight however, was the opposite. She was completely overwhelmed by all of it. Thousands of people screaming her name, flashbulbs popping, people yelling commands at her. We forget she’s only 17. She is very poised though for her age, and tonight on the red carpet she did emote star quality. She reminded me a little of Leona Lewis, who I met on the red carpet (see below). Watching Leona win Great Britain’s X-Factor, still gives me chills. She’s incredibly humble and deserves every accolade. Take a look at her win (and Simon’s reaction LOL). I think it’s cool how they show her first CD being cut right after she wins. The Brits always know how to do it right…that’s why all the best musicians come from there! The sheer size of America though is in its favor I guess that’s why everyone wants to come here. Over 70 million votes were cast for the American Idol finale. That’s just crazy. Leona was supposed to sing at the AI finals but she’s recovering from tonsilitis. Anyway, enjoy Leona’s win, then click below for Jordin’s.
Jordin flanked by Badgley & Mischka . The dress is perfect for her figure. She is actually a plus sized model as well.
Teri Hatcher from Desperate Housewives and her daughter.
Blake was running late, and rushed past us all.
Across from the Kodak Theater.
Lakisha’s Bazongas!
Ruben Studdard, Season 2 winner against Clay Aiken.
Taylor Hicks, last year’s winner against Katherine McPhee.
The “dawg”, Randy Jackson, LOL
See what I mean about the makeup, Simon Cowell??
This was the highlight of the night for me. Leona Lewis is someone I’ve written several posts about. (Check out Simon’s girlfriend Terri Seymour behind her….notice anything odd?? LOL). Leona was the winner of “The X Factor” in England (see above). They compare her voice to Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston and Christina Aguilera all rolled into one. She’s incredibly humble and sweet. Tonight, no one on the red carpet knew who she was (bloody uninformed ethnocentric Americans! LOL, yes I am American ). I was the only person who recognized her and when I yelled her name, she seemed genuinely surprised. I said to her, “You’re so beautiful”, and she thanked me and then posed for this picture. Here’s her cover of “A Moment Like This” Check it out.
Mr. Cowell is ready for his closeup.
Randy Jackson, Simon’s girlfriend Terri Seymore, Leona Lewis and Simon Cowell. Hmmmmm…..I wonder what Simon saw in Leona when he took her “under his wing” on The X Factor???
OK, brace yourselves for this disturbing revelation. The person who got more cheers and screams than anyone all night was Sanjaya. I was the only person who even got a picture of him, albeit a bad one. He had four bodyguards, and was whisked by us so fast, you would have thought he was the president of the United States. All of the paparazzi around me were swearing because Sanjaya went by so quickly they couldn’t get his picture. One guy told me that a good picture of Sanjaya can earn up to $10,000 dollars!!?? I don’t know if he was pulling my leg or not, but that’s what he said. CRAZY. (For video of Sanjaya at a drag show in Seattle last week, click “Next 5″ at the bottom of my page and keep reading.)
Paula, without her girdle apparently!
A closeup of Paula’s nose, that she supposedly broke this weekend while tripping over her chihuahua!
Jerry Jerry Jerry Jerry
Make way for the Diva!
The incomparable Jennifer Hudson.
Carrie Underwood Season 4 winner.
She’s gorgeous, but I liked her dress better last year.
I like big butts and I cannot lie. Whoa Mandisa!
Zak Efron
David Hasselhoff and his daughter who recently filmed him drunk off his ass!
The cut out a square of the red carpet so they didn’t cover Ryan Seacrest’s star!
Ace Young, season 4 finalist, who co-wrote “I’m Going Home” with Chris Daughtry and is now damn rich.
Me on the red carpet
Another gorgeous day in Hollywood!
And here are the best of the rest. If the slideshow below doesn’t work, Click Here:
And the winner is:This is AMAZINGLY good television! Make sure you watch at about 5 minutes when they almost start fist fighting! LOL Truly the Battle of the Century! Like her or hate her, you’re gonna have to miss her!
Rosie O’Donnell and Elisabeth Hasselbeck at each other’s throat on The View.
I took a night off blogging last night, so I have a lot to talk about today. I usually don’t post this many videos, but I think you will find them all interesting to say the least. I might start blogging every other day, not sure.
I finally uploaded this video I shot of Tyson at the “Kickin’ it Old Skool” Red Carpet Party two weeks ago. He was nice enough to invite me, as well as Christine, Jamie & Tammy. They had just arrived that morning from Green Bay, Wisconsin, and that afternoon we went to the American Idol Gives Back concert at the Disney Concert Hall downtown. It was quite an introduction to Hollywood. I think they assumed that all my nights in here were like that! (Shhhhh…let’s not tell them the truth.)
Screw MIT!!
I may have posted this one before, but he’s just so cute!
It’s down to the wire. I’m making plans to go to the finale next week. Incidentally if anyone wants to go to the “American Idol Tonight” show tomorrow, I have 2 tickets, first come first served. These are NOT tickets to American Idol. They’re tickets to another show called “American Idol Tonight” that’s hosted by Kimberly Caldwell and Justin Guarini. It’s pretty “D List” if you ask me, but if you’re a fan of either of these two former contestants, I have the tickets.
Are you wondering why we haven’t heard from Sanjaya lately? It’s because the poor thing has been doing drag shows in Seattle. I kid you not. This is almost painful to look at. Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you:
“Sanjina”
Bad huh? They might as well have kicked him out of the closet. It’s hard to watch…
BUT, not NEARLY as hard to watch as this: (Warning, hide the children!!!)
I still can’t watch it without screaming.
And then there were three…
So who do you like? I’m hoping it comes down to Melinda and Blake (though I don’t think it will). Although Jordin is a good singer and quite marketable, she’s a bit too polished for me. She’s only 17 and it feels like she’s been being groomed for this all her life. She’s already a plus sized model used to being in the public eye. She just seems a little plastic to me. I’m sure she’ll be a star no matter what. A lot of people like her. Melinda, who I didn’t like much in the beginning, has really grown on me. She comes across as a person of honesty and integrity. But has anyone else besides Ryan and me, noticed her resemblance to ‘Ouzzie of The Jeffersons?
Separated at birth?
Farewell Falwell – See you in Hell
Jerry Falwell was known for his commitment to right-wing causes of all kinds, and in particular, his hostility to civil rights, feminists and gays. Remember when he said the purple Teletubby Tinky-Winky was gay? Or when he blamed 9/11 on feminists, gays pagans, and the ACLU? Ah yes.
I tried to reach Tinky Winky the purple Teletubby before this blog posting went to press, but was told by his representatives that he was out celebrating at the local leather bar.
Though I offer Falwell’s family condolences, I’m glad he won’t be spewing his hate laden rhetoric any more.
Is Smoking a Civil Liberty?
If you saw (if not you should), the movie “Thank Your For Smoking” you know how downright criminal the tobacco industry is. If you read the New York Times article about tobacco companies actually increasing the amount of nicotine in cigarettes to make people more addicted; then you know how desperate they are.
Drinking is not a crime. But if you drink and drive and end up hurting or killing someone you go to jail. Being overweight is not a crime. You won’t end up hurting or killing someone if you’re overweight, except yourself. Smoking is not a crime. Yet every smoker who smokes in public runs the risk of hurting or killing someone through secondhand smoke. Do I sound alarmist? Of course I do. I’m really pissed off though. The past 3 weekends, I’ve had houseguests staying with me who smoked. Granted they were all extremely courteous about their habit. They only smoked on my patio. They never smoked around me. We even joked about them exhaling extremely deeply before they came back in the house.
My mother has always smoked. She smoked in our house the whole time I lived there, despite me being very asthmatic. The older I’ve gotten, the more allergic I have become to smoke and the more I’ve resented smokers. If I even get a whiff of it in a hallway or elevator,I feel my lungs begin to tighten. That’s how bad it is. Perhaps some of it’s in my head, but who cares? I have a physical reaction to smoke.
I understand that tobacco is one of the hardest addictions to curb. I understand that tobacco lobbyists are still huge political contributors. I understand that most smokers want to quit. But the more I have to walk past a building where people are huddled around smoking, the more I begin to hate smokers. I shouldn’t hate smokers, I should hate smoking. I know that. But I’m beginning to hate smokers, and that’s really scary and sad and I have to stop. It’s going to be something I have to deal with, because I know, like any addiction, people won’t quit until they want to, and I don’t want to hate every smoker I know.
So what is there to do? Since you’re not allowed to smoke inside any public places, including bars and clubs in California, people have to smoke outside. This means I am not able to eat outside anywhere. It means I can’t enjoy the beautiful California sunshine when I go to a park. When we went to Disneyland a couple of weeks ago, I told my friends that it was all non-smoking, and you should have seen the look of horror on their faces! Unfortunately I learned that there are a few smoking areas in Disneyland, and you’re allowed to smoke outside in Downtown Disney, which almost ruins the entire experience for me.
So, what to do? I guess I’m lucky I don’t live overseas. Although, now that Italy and even Ireland, as well as other notoriously smoke filled countries have gone the way of the U.S., the tide is slowly turning. Whenever I go overseas, I literally take 3 inhalers with me. That’s how bad it is.
If you were a smoker, smoking in a public place, and I walked past you fanning my hand in front of my face with a disgusted look; would you be angry at me? Offended? Would you think I was an asshole? What about if we were both at a restaurant sitting outside where smoking was allowed. How would you react if I came over to your table and politely told you that the wind was blowing your smoke towards me and that I’m allergic to smoke and it was really bothering me? Would you be angry? Offended? Would you think I was an asshole?
One of my best friend’s an I got into an argument recently when the above situation happened (though the big difference was that it was an outdoor restaurant that did not allow smoking). Instead of me going over to the table and asking them to quit, he wanted to do it. He thought it would be better coming from him, as he was a smoker. I think he also feared I would be a bit nasty about it. By the way, this particular restaurant in Disneyland did NOT allow smoking outside, so they were already breaking the rules, not to mention inconveniencing me. After my friend asked them to stop, they did. But they continued to give me dirty looks until they left. The crux of our argument was why, if I wanted to ask the girls across from us to stop smoking, why didn’t I go to the bar, and ask the people there to stop smoking? My answer was because I couldn’t smell that smoke, it wasn’t affecting me. If I did smell it, I would have had the same reaction. We argued about this for a while and never came to an agreement, which is OK. Friends don’t always have to agree.
Now, if I was an “activist” I probably would have gone to the bar and asked people to stop smoking because it wasn’t allowed (even at the outside bar of this restaurant). I’m not really an activist though. I think they are an important part of any divisive issue, but I would rather confront me “enemy” when they are directly impacting my rights. In this case my right to breathe clean air outside.
I’m writing about this because I’m literally at my wit’s end. It’s getting to the point where I hate going out to public places that allow smoking. Here in LA, all of the malls are outdoors. On a Saturday afternoon it’s like being in a wildfire in the Hollywood Hills! So, back the the original question. As defined by Wikipedia:
Civil liberties is the name given to freedoms that completely protect the individual from government. Civil liberties set limits for government so that it can not abuse its power and interfere with the lives of its citizens. See also civil rights and human rights.
So, is smoking a civil liberty? Please weigh in. I’m going to go get my inhaler.
Why are all of my favorite bands selling out to big corporations for advertising? I guess that’s a rhetorical question.
They’ve ruined some of my favorite songs. Comments?
Bush Gets Owned by CNN!
Don’t you love it! LOL
ON THE LIGHTER SIDE “I was going to have Mom come out [to New York] for Mother’s Day. I thought it would be great fun. But she doesn’t have enough Greyhound miles.” — David Letterman
“I think we’re dying. We made brownies and I think we’re dead, I really do.”
A Michigan policeman who took home seized marijuana and baked pot brownies with his wife WON’T be charged, despite confessing in hilarious 911 call (click the green arrow below).
From the story: “I think we’re dying,” he said, fearing a marijuana overdose. “We made brownies and I think we’re dead, I really do.”
I think we’re dying
Cuba, come here….She’s on the living ground right now
Time is going by really, really, really, really slow
Please send rescue!
How big was the pan?
She’s kneeling down in front of me
My wife takes vicodin though…like 6 a day
Are you coming????
Are there any animals in the house?…I’ll put them away for you
Are there any weapons in the house?…You already asked me that
Come on….Ginger
What’s the score of the Redwings game?
What’s the score say? I want to make sure I’m not hallucinating
My mother-in-law just got here too
Stephen Colbert vs. Rain (Bi) – You Decide!
From Seth Meyers:
In what has to be the worst Katrina related relocation ever…..a 75 year old black woman skies to the North Pole! LOL
By Meghan Barr Associated Press Published May 7, 2007
NEW YORK — The bone-numbing trek to the North Pole is riddled with enough perils to make a seasoned explorer quake: Frostbite threatens, polar bears lurk and the ice is constantly shifting beneath frozen feet.
But Barbara Hillary took it all in stride, completing the trek to the world’s northernmost point last month at age 75. She is one of the oldest people to reach the North Pole and is believed to be the first black woman on record to accomplish the feat. Read More…
Simon Cowell’s Protege & The Weird Side of Google
While writing the post below (about kinky searches), I revisited an entry I’d written in February after Jennifer Hudson won the Oscar. That moment was really amazing, and to think that 2 years before, she was waiting tables. Crazy. Likewise, Leona Lewis, the winner of “The X Factor” in England is being touted as the next Mariah Carey. The show is the same “rags to riches” story as American Idol, but this program, (which succeeded the original Pop Idol, and will likely succeed American Idol) is different, in that the judges, Simon Cowell, Sharon Osborne and Louis Walsh each take some of the contestants under their wing. In this hilarious clip Simon gets told off by an 85 year old grandmother. The “Jaws” music is great! LOL
I love Leona’s version of “A Moment Like This”. Unfortunately, I still have to learn how to place anchors in HTML and I didn’t want to put this player on this page, because there’s no way to turn off “auto play” and it annoys me. So if you want to hear it, you’ll have to click below, and scroll down, and then click on the song title. The video gives me goose bumps, but I’m a dork.
The Dark Side of Google
It’s fun having the ability to know what Google searches bring people to your site, but sometimes the searches are downright creepy!! I guess I’m perpetuating it though by pointing them out and letting the search engines find them again. Oh well, such is the Internet. Here’s a recent sampling of what people searched for to end up at my blog(with explanations).
We did run into Paulie Shore at that red carpet premiere the other night, maybe I tagged one of the photos inappropriately. Interesting search though. Maybe it was Paulie himself??
We did go to the bar on the roof of The Standard Hotel downtown, and my friend Mica is Romanian. Are there a lot of Romanian houses with rooftop bars Mica? I guess not, if they have to search for them!
I have a couple of videos of X-Factor winner Leona Lewis. It appears that X rated is embedded in the videos along with X-Factor. Somebody was being naughty!
I did have a post about a woman in London who cut off her husband’s penis in a pizza restaurant, with the joke, don’t have the pepperoni. But this guy was searching for “pepperoni penis”. Coincidence?
Speaking of Dark Google, check this out. There’s some environmental group that claims that if Google switched to a black background they would save 750 Megawatt hours a year (whatever that means), so they’ve formed “Blackle“. This may be taking things a bit far.
The Associated Press Thursday, April 26, 2007; 12:21 AM
BLACKSBURG, Va. — A senior at Virginia Tech said moral responsibility led her to add a stone for gunman Seung-Hui Cho to a memorial for his 32 shooting victims that was set up at Virginia Tech late last week. The stone was later removed, but was restored by Wednesday morning. Read More…
Letter to the Editor of the Collegiate Times, Blacksburg Virginia, by Curt Phillips, Abingdon, VA
This letter is regarding the letter “33rd stone,” (CT, April 25). I happened to visit Newman Library on Wednesday to do some research, and while on campus, I couldn’t resist walking around the Drillfield and other areas just to see for myself how the students and the school were doing these nine days after April 16. I wanted to see your faces and hear your voices for myself and to replace last weeks media supplied images of Virginia Tech with my own impressions. Frankly, I thought I would see a lot of anger, but I saw none of that. I saw grief certainly, and a great…Read More
Three unidentified people look at a memorial stone adorned with flowers and other mementos for Seung-Hui Cho on the Virginia Tech campus, Sunday, April 22, 2007, in Blacksburg, Va. Thirty-three stones have been set up in a semi-circle on the edge of the Virginia Tech Drillfield made of locally quarried rust-grey “Hokie” limestone. There is one for each of Seung-Hui Cho’s victims and there is one for Cho. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
Happy Anniversary George
1 in 40 Iraqi citizens have been murdered since you invaded their country. You lied to Congress and the American people about WMD and let your stooges like George Tenet lie to your cabinet. You are a war criminal and should be tried as such.
On the 4th anniversary of George W. Bush declaring that Operation Iraqi Freedom was “accomplished”, more than 655,000 Iraqis have been killed, and more Americans have perished than the number that died on 9/11.
As of January 12, 2007, for Americans there are 500 major amputees due to the Iraq War. Toes and fingers aren’t counted.[4]
As of September 30, 2006, 725 American troops have had limbs amputated from wounds received in Iraq and Afghanistan.[5]
A 2006 study by Walter Reed Medical Center, which serves more critically injured soldiers than most VA hospitals, concluded that 62 percent of patients there had suffered a brain injury.[6]
U.S. military: number unknown. The Pentagon reports that more than 1 in 4 returning U.S. soldiers have health problems that require medical or mental health treatment.[7]
When it rains it pours The day after we went to the Idol Gives Back concert at the Disney Concert Hall last week, I get the following email. Unfortunately we couldn’t go this week due to prior commitments. Guess I’ll hold out for the finale
From: Tickets [mailto:tickets@ocatv.com] Sent: Thursday, April 26, 2007 5:29 PM To: tickets@ocatv.com Subject: American Idol
IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ ALL INFORMATION CAREFULLY!
YOU MAY ONLY REQUEST CHECK-IN VOUCHERS TO ONE SHOW! REQUESTING FOR MORE THAN ONE SHOW WILL RESULT IN THE CANCELLATION OF ALL VOUCHERS.
This check-in voucher has no monetary value to its holder and may not be sold or exchanged under penalty of law; any such attempted or actual sale or transfer of the check-in voucher invalidates it and is grounds for seizure of the voucher.
IF YOU HAVE ALREADY ATTENDED A TAPING OF AMERICAN IDOL THIS SEASON, YOU ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO RETURN AGAIN THIS SEASON.
Due to your place on the waiting list, we are notifying you of seat availability to three tapings of American Idol next Tuesday, May 1st and Wednesday, May 2nd!!
On Tuesday we have two tapings; the first is a full dress rehearsal which is a taping of the entire show including all performances and Ryan Seacrest. The only thing you don’t see in the rehearsal is the judge’s comments. The second taping on Tuesday is the LIVE performance show. On Wednesday we are taping the LIVE results show featuring a special performance by Jon Bon Jovi!
Please click only one of the links below to request vouchers. And remember, they are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. Thank you and enjoy the show!!
PLEASE NOTE:All tickets are free. Due to the immense popularity of the show, there is a system in place to ensure that as many fans as possible get a fair chance to see the show. Therefore you will only have this one opportunity and then you will be removed from the waitlist. We are unable to make special accommodations. Therefore, if you click on the following link and the shows are already full or if you are receiving this email and are unable to attend this date, we suggest you rejoin the wait list any time after Tuesday,May 1st so that we may contact you again as soon as possible.
I had an interesting email exchange recently with about 16 of my close friends who live in different parts of the world. It involved the story of someone I met here on Xanga, a Korean woman who subscribed to my posts and commented or sent messages about them frequently. As is the Xanga custom, I always try to visit the sites and reply to people who leave comments on my site. When I first visited this woman’s site, I was struck by the beautiful photos of her baby, and said so in my comments. As the weeks went on, more comments were shared on both ends. She shared my friend Sabine’s sorrow for the friends she had lost at Virginia Tech. She even went so far as to tell me that I was like a best friend to her and a beautiful mentoring spirit on Xanga, whose posts were the highlight of her day.
Because this woman was married to a traditional Korean man, he soon became disturbed (not threatened) by the “friendships” his wife was forming with other people online. Though the husband was well aware of my situation and the fact that this was nothing more (and would never be anything more) than reading and commenting on a blog, he eventually decided to not allow her to communicate with me or anyone else he didn’t know on Xanga.
Though I was certainly flattered to be told that my writing made an impact on someone, I was also well traveled enough to recognize the cultural differences that caused such a reaction by the husband. (Many Americans can even see this clearly illustrated on the television show “Lost”.) Because I did not have anything personally invested in the situation, I tossed it out to my friends, some Korean, some American and others, mainly as an example, some might even say a humorous example, of the difference between western and eastern cultures.
The responses were varied and telling. The most interesting and informative response came from my friend David, a German citizen of Korean ancestry living in Germany. I thought it would be interesting to post in the wake of the Virginia Tech shootings and the discussions in the Korean American community about culture and perceptions of cultures. It is intended to spark a dialogue of different perspectives, which I hope it will do.
“Hi everybody!
Very interesting to see the reactions on Carey’s [sic] exchanges with the married korean woman.
Not allowing the wife to further [sic] correspond with Carey and his Xanga buddies (though this aspect was “lost in translation”, the reactions of Carey’s original email still remain, and I am referring to these very reactions), Carey’s encounter with the married south-korean woman and the reaction of her husband must undoubtedly look funny and ridiculous in western eyes.
As a Kyopo (a korean born and raised outside of Korea) Id like to give an explanation (or rather the attempt of such), why Carey’s outcome of the encounter may root far from ridicule and fun and give an insight into korean mentality.
South Korea is a very young democracy. Until 1987 it has been consistently characterised by military and/or authoritarian rule, a centralised economy and a high level of racial and cultural homogeneity. Korea’’s rapid economic development since the late 1980s has brought it into contact with new cultures and practises – from the globalisation of its economic structures to the influx of foreign migrant labourers. The [sic] inevitable process of adjusting to distinctly “modern” conditions has taken place, yet its public culture and morality still is deeply anchored in its ancient Confucian roots.
This translates, for example, in South Korea continuing to classify adultery as a criminal offence punishable by up to 2 years in prison. Not only that, once on criminal record and therefore public record also, the adultery law practically forces the termination of the marriage. And what I hear and read from Korea, the police [sic] are busy arresting cheating husbands or wifes. Most notably a famous korean actress was arrested for adultery 1 or 2 years ago and it subsequently ruined her career and social standing. Also, the Constitutional Court (equivalent to the US Supreme Court) also declared the adultery law constitutional and necessary on moral grounds when it was appealed in 1990 and 2001.
Public display of affection like kissing or of too much skin like wearing a mini-skirt can carry harsh reactions. 10 years ago, when I studied in Korea, a colleague student of mine (also a Kyopo) went out for shopping wearing a mini-skirt and got slapped in the face and sweared at in public. Another female Kyopo was spit on when she smoked in public. I myself got slapped in the face once for addressing an older person in “simple language” (in Korea an older person always has to be addressed in “high language” as an expression of respect). In my case “older person” meant a difference in age of 4 years. Another aspect, while studying in Korea I wasn’t able to open a bank account or get a cell phone contract due to the fact that I am a german citizen or “Alien”, how foreigners are still called in korean bureaucracy.
That was 10 years ago and the process of adjusting to distinctly “modern” conditions has of course brought changes. Changes carried mainly by the generations born after 1987. Marrying a non-korean has become socially acceptable, though it is still rare, wearing trendy and sexy outfits or females smoking in public are not uncommon anymore, and foreigners nowadays can open bank accounts or get cell phone contracts – in conjunction with a south korean citizen acting as a guarantor. And even then, foreigners receive different terms and (higher) rates.
Slapping someone for wearing a mini-skirt may not occur anymore, but it is far from being seen as appropriate behaviour by many. So called “Love Houses” are now being frequently monitored by civil groups and pictures of car license plates of visitors taken and posted on the internet. Old generations are striking back. The adultery law, originally intended to protect the marriage, has now become a common tool to sue the cheating husband/wife for money. And I remember reading in a korean newspaper that the divorce rate in Korea has exploded beyond 50% – mainly young couples.
It is a huge stress field of the generations’ morales and values and it is a fresh one, starting 15-20 years ago.
So external “modern” influences are mainly carried by young people whose roots lie more in global brands a la Coca-Cola, Microsoft, Manchester United and Tokyo Hotel. But the large majority of the korean population is still pre-1987.
So, what does this long intro (sorry guys) have to do with Carey?
Well, Carey is a stranger, a foreigner (an american even), [sic] and he was approached by a married korean woman. Bearing in mind the examples given above giving a glimpse of korean mentality, how does the reaction of her controlling husband look like? I would say pretty modern.
I am pretty sure, there are a lot of korean husbands who would have forbidden their wifes to have any further contact with you, Carey – no offence, buddy.
Plus, a person instantly making friendships with a stranger solely based on being told that her daughter looks beautiful… I would say, the husband has his reasons to be of controlling nature…
David”
There’s not much I can add to this….it kind of speaks for itself:
A nice, relaxing dinner at Chin Chin’s on Sunset Blvd.
Ah, the Spearmint Rhino…know it well…know it well
Sorry ice cream….
If you live anywhere near Southern California, chances are you’ve heard of Pinkberry. Here in West Hollywood, people have been raving about it for months. I personally never cared, because I’m not really a frozen yogurt fan, and I’m really not a yogurt fan! I thought it would be a nice place to take tourists though, so we went after dinner. I must say, that all of the fuss was warranted. This stuff is good! And supposedly it’s quite good for you. Very low calories, no fat, and the freshest, juiciest fruit I’ve ever tasted. If you’re ever in this neck of the woods, let me know and we can go. But be warned, it’s like yogurt heroin!
I have a feeling Sanjaya is going to be with us a long long time. LOL. Did anyone see him on Jimmy Kimmel the other night. Jimmy asked him why, at 17, he denied that he was gay, even though no one asked him the question. He didn’t miss a beat though, and artfully dodged the question then flashed that smile of his. Celebrity is such a randomly odd phenomenon. Look at Gary Brolsma, the Numa Numa guy or the Asian Backstreet Boys or even William Hung. They’re all making more money now than most of us could ever dream of making.
Everybody comes to Hollywood, they want to make it in the neighborhood. They like the smell of it in Hollywood. How could it hurt you when it looks so good?
Christine, Jamie & Tammy continued their invasion of LA yesterday with a fun filled trip to Laguna Beach. Jennifer & Lisa took them to lunch and they spent the rest of the day lounging at the beach like supermodels. After my workday ended we all met at Bucca di Beppo and had a family dinner with 25 of us. Good times.
Today we had lunch at The Ivy, surrounded by the Hollywood elite. Harvey Weinstein was at a corner table grooming the next Angelina Jolie and negotiating his next blockbuster. We had dessert at Sprinkle’s Cupcakes in Beverly Hills. After lunch, I went back to work and Tammy & Christine went to Hollywood & Highland for some Hollywood gifts. Jamie sat by the pool and soaked up the 90° Los Angeles sunshine (since the temperature in Green Bay today was 39° this morning)
We had tickets to go to Jimmy Kimmel tonight, but the girls opted for dinner & a movie. Here are some pictures.
Despite the “fluff factor” I think you have to give American Idol credit. It’s the most popular show in the world, and this week it tried to do some good for the world (at least Africa & the U.S, which I’m sure many people around the world were surprised to learn has squalor and poverty…though maybe not, after Katrina ??)
Though tonight’s show was rather “telethonic” and overwrought with malnourished children, AIDS babies, and heart wrenching stories that made you want to donate all of your earnings to them; the East coast viewing alone brought in more than 30 million dollars. That is a figure that cannot be undersold. As long as the money ends up in the right hands, this is a good thing. I do find it a bit disconcerting that companies like Exxon and News Corp are involved. They are a huge part of much of the world’s problems, methinks. But…I guess the giving has to start somewhere, and with participation from folks like Madonna (in Malawi no less) and Bono to Helen Mirren and The Simpson’s….it can’t be all bad, right?
So…as I mentioned yesterday, we had tickets to the show tonight at the Disney Concert Hall in downtown Los Angeles. Even though we had free “seat filler” tickets, they were excellent! We were about 50 feet from the stage and we all got to sit together for the full 2 hours. Last night over 70 million votes were cast for American Idol, and though I won’t reveal the results (until after the show), since many of you overseas haven’t seen it yet; suffice it to say, it was the most shocking result in Idol history (Ryan’s words, not mine). Since cameras or cell phones weren’t allowed inside the theater we took a few pictures outside. While waiting in line, we heard of a “rumored” Michael Jackson appearance. I was relatively sure that was not happening, but then I remembered that Sanjaya was gone, so they didn’t have to worry about Michael slipping him some Jesus Juice and sleeping with him. LOL.
The show was broadcast from 2 locations. The actual idols, with the judges and Ryan Seacrest were in their normal studio at CBS Television City. The main performances took place where we were at the stunningly beautiful and acoustic Walt Disney Concert Hall, and included:
Ellen DeGeneres as the host. She was actually quite funny, and was really loved by the crowd.
Kelly Clarkson with Jeff Beck on guitar, which was beautiful. She’s sure got some pipes.
Annie Lennox on piano, literally brought the house down with Bridge Over Troubled Water.
Josh Groban with the African Children’s Choir singing “You Raise Me Up” The kids were adorable and with the emotional stories about AIDS in Africa there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.
Il Divo, who I wasn’t particulary a fan of, sang “There’s a Place for Us” from West Side Story (one of my favorites), and I must say they sounded, and looked pretty good (since Rosie O’Donnell bought them suits that fit!)
Rascal Flats, who I had never even heard of before, probably because they’re a country band.
Earth Wind & Fire opened the show with a medley of their hits.
A couple of other observations. The crowd in the Disney Concert Hall erupted with laugher when they saw Paula on stage. Ryan made a joke about her height, but I guarantee you, no one was looking at her height, LOL.
The Jack Black bit was really quite funny and the Simpson’s appearance was great…poor Brian Dunkelman though. BTW, say what you will about androgynous little Sanjaya, but he’s certainly a good sport.
Not sure what to think of Holographic Elvis. Not a Celine fan either. I just wanted to see them hug! LOL
The Frank Gehry designed Walt Disney Concert Hall
Winter home of the L.A. Philharmonic
After Idol, we went to the Standard Hotel downtown. They have an amazing rooftop bar. We went at precisely the right time of day, and the sun was setting and the sky was that deep blue. This is my favorite time to take pictures!
I think the girls were impressed.
Waterbeds on the roof
Hard to believe they were in Green Bay, Wisconsin this morning!
My Harem
The U.S. Bank Tower at dusk.
I think any city can look beautiful at this time of day.
My favorite picture of the evening. Not bad huh Matthias?
Again….the colors. Wow.
Remember the movie Independence Day? This got blown up!
The rooftop bar of the downtown LA Standard Hotel
Night time falls.
While we were eating out skewers and mini cheeseburgers on the roof, I got a call from Tyson, asking where I was. It seems he had been invited to a red carpet premier at Hollywood & Vine. Though he could care less about that sort of thing, he knows I’m a star f***er, and wanted to invite me…bless his heart. When I told him I was with 3 girlfriends, he said he would make it work. He wasn’t even getting paid for this gig (why? because he didn’t run it by ME first! LOL). They wanted him to walk the red carpet and solve the Rubik’s Cube in his typical, though no less amazing, 15-20 seconds. We got to walk the carpet with him, and you would have thought he was Brad Pitt (no offense Tyson) with all the paparazzi screaming his name and the multitude of flashbulbs going off. Suffice it to say, look for “us” in US Magazine next week.
Tyson doing his thing
The cheese heads on the red carpet
“Tyson, over here”, “Tyson over here”!
The money shot!
Look who got their second wind!
I love this photo. Adorable!
Can you believe the photographers? And this was a B list event, at BEST!
The party was for the movie “Kickin it Old Skool” with Jamie Kennedy, though no one seemed to care!
An odd man with his dog on the dance floor.
Maria Menounos looking far too made up and later scarfing donuts like she hadn’t eaten in a week.
The incomparable Paulie Shore (OK maybe it was D list)
And there we all are pointing to ourselves in the American Idol audience.
ON THE LIGHTER SIDE “While Simon Cowell was in Los Angeles working on ‘American Idol,’ his home in London was robbed. Police say it was the work of professional thieves, but Cowell described them as ‘amateurish and uninspired.’” — Conan O’Brien
And last, but certainly not least,
Happy Birthday Lindsay
You’re going to have to find a way to get Sabine back on her birthday!!
Please Note: As this blog, and indeed America tries to move on from the tragic events of last week, we will not forget our friends and our fallen at Virginia Tech. As my postings from the last week move to subsequent pages, the ribbons above will be linked to those posts, as a reminder to live each day to the fullest, to be all that was not that horrible, cold, blustery Monday morning; to be kind.
As I think I’ve mentioned this past week, Sabine and I have a group of friends that we typically celebrate New Year’s with in different places around the globe each year. One of those friends is Matthias, from Munich, who is currently traveling with his wife Beate in Istanbul (not Constantinople :) Matthias is one of the best photographers I know, and he sent some photos today, which I thought I would show the world.
Happy Birthday Matthias!!
Hi Carey,
We had a nice and relaxed day, drank Cai at the banks of the Bosporus, ate Kebab, joked with some dealers in the Bazaar and a sundowner overlooking the Golden Horn and Istanbul.
Carey, your wish is my command ….
Here are some appetizer photos from our travel to Istanbul. Do you recognize something out of the ordinary???
The anglers are on Galata Bridge which spans over The Golden Horn, a natural harbour. The Mosque photo at dusk I took tonight, also from Galata Bridge. On the photo with Beate you see the two traditional drinks for Turks, Ayranis a drinkable yoghurt and Cai is the black tea everybody drinks several times a day. You can get it on every corner for a few Kurus. The pillars are in a cistern, which was built 532 A.D. The family photo was taken in the park between Haga Sophia and the Blue Mosque.
FREE, limited seat-filler vouchers are available for tomorrow’s (April 25th) taping of American Idol Gives Back at Los Angeles’s Walt Disney Hall!!
Featuring a star-studded extravaganza of celebrity artists performing at the prestigious Disney Hall, Idol Gives Back is an historic TV event- a special which will save and change the lives of children and young people in extreme poverty in both the USA and Africa!The arrival time is 3:30 PM and the minimum age to attend is 16.
Please be aware that this is an invitation to be a seat-filler, not a ticket.
For more information on how to be a seat-filler for this event and to request a voucher, please use the following link:
First and foremost, you must arrive on time and properly dressed. To be admitted into the audience as a seat-filler you must be at least 16 years of age, able to use stairs, willing to split from your party, and you must realize that you may have to give up your seat during the show. Seat-fillers are used to fill any open seats throughout the show and may be asked to change seats or exit at any time. In addition, seat assignments will be random and may not correspond with your place in line. Seat-filling takes place during commercial breaks, therefore there are times during the course of the taping of the show that you may have to wait in the lobby. We suggest you eat before attending this event. Please be aware that you will not be provided with compensation, transportation or accommodations. Once you are inside the theater, you will not be permitted to seek autographs, take pictures, or wander through restricted sites. These rules are in place to ensure the quality of the taping. While they are strictly enforced, don’t let them discourage you. Having said all of this, many seat fillers end up sitting in their seat throughout the show and have an enjoyable time!
ATTENDING THIS EVENT WILL NOT AFFECT YOUR PLACE ON THE AMERICAN IDOL WAITLIST.
Since my cousin Christine is coming tomorrow from Wisconsin with 2 of her girlfriends, we decided to go. The Disney Concert Hall is in downtown Los Angeles and is an absolutely beautiful. Here’s a photo I took of my Dad and StepMom there last year:
There’s all kinds of rumors floating around LA about who will be there tomorrow. One rumor has Sanjaya singing with Britney Spears (very doubtful, LOL). Another has Celine Dion singing with a holographic Elvis, LOL. I haven’t watched the show yet tonight, but I Tivo’d it. Guess I’ll go watch now. So…watch for me on TV tomorrow night
If you like Coldplay and Snow Patrol, check out this week’s free iTunes single from Vega4. Taken from the band’s second full-length album You and Others, “Life is Beautiful” is gaining radio play and getting great reviews. If you’re in the United States and have iTunes, download this free single of the week and decide for yourself. Check It Out
Tyson and I had dinner at the beach in Santa Monica tonight. He may be moving to another state soon, which would would be a bummer for me, but I hope he gets the job he wants. It’s funny, but had I never met Tyson, I wouldn’t have started my Xanga. The only reason I opened an account here was to comment on his blog. And had I not first seen Tyson on the reality show Beauty & The Geek, a few years ago, I wouldn’t have ever gotten to know him. (LOL, I just found out that he was the “Geek of the Week” on this website, geeksugar.com last year. What a hoot:)
Is it my imagination or is this the 
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.
The day after we went to the 
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