Much more interesting (and seriously dramatic) to me than Star-gate is Spelling-gate. Oh boy, those Spellings took the dramas Aaron produced to heart cuz they are acting out a live one right now. Unfortunately, it's very sad when a loved one passes and you are still on bad terms with the remaining members of your clan. However, Tori and Candy have come out swinging. If you haven't read the latest issue of Us Weekly, Tori basically comes right out and says she only got to see her Dad once since last September BECAUSE OF Candy. She refuses to name a specific event that caused her and Candy to become archrivals, but she does allude to the fact that her affair with a married man a year into her own marriage (in which her parents threw her a lavish million dollar wedding) and her reality show didn't help. Interestingly enough, she claims that her feud with her mother is not affected by her reality show.
This was a really shocking (and sad if it's true) excerpt from this week's Us Weekly article:
Then during dinner, came the heartbreaking news, received in the inbox of her BlackBerry: "A friend of mine had seen a TV report and e-mailed me, 'I'm so sorry. I just heard your father died.' And I was just in total shock." The strange truth, says Tori, is that she had not received a call from anyone in her family before the death was made public. Her sorrow quickly turned to anger. "My first thought was, I can't believe my mom didn't call me!"
Honestly, I believe Tori's side of the story. If you've ever watched an episode of her reality show, So Notorious, you can't help but believe the depiction of her self-centered mother. You don't even have to know Candy to believe it or not. It's more about the depiction of Hollywood life, mogul fathers, former model-wives, child actresses, and public feuds that we all DO know. It's hard to believe that Tori has SUCH a wild imagination that the things Loni Anderson (who plays her mom in the show) does are made up. They are out there. Tori was essentially raised by her nanny (in the show) and her relationship with her mother suffers greatly while her father loves her so. I can SO see that being the way it was on the Spelling compound. PLUS, it doesn't make it any better that her mom, in trying to help her own image, threatened to sue Tori after the show aired since she claimed the way it made her look was terrible and fabricated. Right. It makes you look SO much better to SUE YOUR DAUGHTER. I mean, what is this? Eminem's family? Right then and there I knew Candy wasn't all that sweet. :)
To make matters worse, her family has now issued a press release in response to Tori's Us Weekly article. Granted, it might look shady to some for Tori to tell her side of the sordid tale on the cover of a weekly tabloid but I think she needed to get her words out there. She was skewered in the press after the initial press release following Aaron's death last weekend said that he did with his wife and son by his side. Everyone wondered where Tori was and why she wasn't there with her father and so she told them.
You can read all about the latest piece in this puzzle here.
Friday, June 30, 2006
Spelling Saga
Doubletalk
Ok, there's a lot of back and forth going on with this whole Star Jones / Barbara Walters / ABC thing and I don't have the time nor interest in posting about all of it HOWEVER there is one thing I'd like to discuss.
Star keeps saying her reason for announcing to People magazine that she was indeed fired was because ABC wanted her to lie and she just couldn't do that to her viewers.
WHAT?!?!?!?!?!
STAR DID NOT WANT TO LIE TO HER VIEWERS?!?!?!?!
What did she call all that crap she's been feeding people about her weight loss then? The truth? Stop girl. Just stop! You are hurting no one but yourself.
Read this excerpt from her interview last night on Larry King...it's just painful...
KING: You lived with it. She mentioned the skinny thing and part of the development, and Barbara told me this, that when they did the surveys of when you were losing favor with the audience was when you discussed your weight loss as if you had done it with portions and eating and that no one believed that.
And that the crew of "The View" kind of covered for you that they sort of knew there was some sort of surgery involved, couldn't understand why you wouldn't just say that rather than go into this thing which they didn't believe and apparently the audience didn't believe.
REYNOLDS: You know that's very interesting, Larry, because when you and I talked about this we actually talked about it for an hour last time I was here with you. You quoted from my book where I specifically say that because of my health I couldn't breathe. I couldn't walk. Talking was difficult. That I needed a full scale medical intervention and that my doctors had to step in and save my life. I've said it in writing. I've said it in person. I said it to you. You all brought it up on the screen. And so for anybody to suggest that I...
KING: You're saying you always said there was surgery?
REYNOLDS: I've always said that there was a medical -- I mean look at me for goodness sake. I've been...
KING: So where was the impression given that you did this on a diet?
REYNOLDS: I have no idea why anybody would suggest that that's the statement that I've made. I actually have always said it was a medical intervention always.
KING: That means surgery right?
REYNOLDS: What else could it mean?
Oh brother. :)
You're Making Me Blush
As you recall from my previous post on "Boi-ing", I love Benefit Cosmetics. It was my sister and sister-in-law that both got me into their stuff. They have some really cute products. So now is the time for me to recommend something else from them. It's Benetint and really you're just plain silly if you don't have some already.Bene-tint is a liquid "tinter" that you can use as blush, eyeshadow, or lipstick. I only use it in place of blush. I don't wear traditional blush so it's perfect for someone like me. I've never really seen the importance of blush and I like to keep my beauty regimen as simple as possible so I couldn't picture buying MORE stuff. Plus, I always found blush so 80s. Anyway, my sister told me that I should try Benetint since all you needed was a little dab which you dotted on the tops of your cheekbones so that *voila* you had the look of an innocent blush. You could also buy it in a convenient little tube called a "pocket pal" which has Benetint on one end and clear lip gloss on the other. (This way you could also put some tint on your lips and then cover them with a clear gloss if you want.) Tried it. Loved it. Live by it now. Get some today.
Lil Kim Only In A Lil Longer
Miss Jones gets out on Monday people so throw an extra hamburger on the grill at your 4th of July BBQs. Yes, that pic on the left IS Lil' Kim's mugshot but not from the latest charges. That was from yeeeeeeeears ago when there were arrests made at Biggie's house in Jersey over some weed and other minor things. Anyhoo, Kim is gon' have to say goodbye to her volleyball team and pack up her wigs because she's getting sprung from the pen in just a few short days.
Thursday, June 29, 2006
Time 4 Even More Celeb Lookalikes
Actress Nicole Kidman and actress Rebecca Romijn:
The "New Superman" Brandon Routh and actor/director/soundtrack supervisor/all-around funny guy Zach Braff:
Model/actress Jamie King and the "New Lois Lane"Late Bosworth:
Super Sales!
That's Bath & Body Works right up there and if you haven't stopped into your local store to pick up some INSANELY priced lotions and assorted beauty products, do so now. The cool thing is that they have brought back a lot of discontinued scents for this sale so you may be able to stock up on that Peaberry fragrance you used to love. :)
Thanks to my friend Victoria, I also know that the Jimmy Choo boutiques in NYC are also holding a sale right now so HURRY UP and grab some cute shoes for a price that won't cost you as many c-notes as usual. :)
Also, Bluefly.com is sponsoring a different sale each day to commemorate July 4th...you know, so we can be freed from our heavy credit card statements. LOL. Anyway, today is shoes and that's my addiction to you know I'll be checking it out.
Rapid Fire
Hot Shoes
Believe it or not, these hot little pumps I'm rocking today are from The Gap! Yes, I know. They've really stepped their game up trying to be trendy. I had no idea they even carried stuff like this. I thought they did flips and some higher-end sandals but that's it. I know that can be a hindrance to some though. My friend Nicole recently said that The Gap was the one place you always knew you could stop in for a quick basic t-shirt or sweatshirt but now it's not always easy to find any basics there. Anyways, these particular shoes were from last season so don't go try running to get 'em for yourself. I just wanted to alert you all now so you'll keep your eyes open in the fall.
Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead
So while the drama on and off-screen with "The View" continues to sizzle, their website content manager was called in almost immediately to remove all traces of Star from the homepage PRONTO:
Star, in usual Star fashion, just continued to post cheap, laughable modeling shots of herself with a stupid quote:
Sorry Star-y, but you just don't mess with B. Walters. You try to get slick on THAT chick and she will put you in your place faster than Al can tear through the latest issue of Cosmopolitan.
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
It Was The Prince Show
The BET Awards aired last night and ......... well that's all I'll say about that. Actually, no, I'll say a few things.
(1) Beyonce sounded really good during her show opener debut performance of her latest single "Deja Vu" however she's catching a lot of slack for her outfit, her seizure-like dancing, and the fact that she let Jay-Z [the man she still refuses to admit is her boyfriend] slap her ass like she was a video ho. Well...I guess I kinda agree. It was weird to see her act so stripper-ish around him rolling into a back-bend by holding onto the rim of his jeans when their relationship is supposed to be so "private" but whatevs. The duet on Sunday night was more my speed. You could see the awe and love in her eyes but there was limited touching and they weren't throwing it in everyone's face quite so much. Again, she sounded much better than I expected. Her new song has a lot of "scream singing" in it and it's gotta be tough to do live but she pulled it off. The writhing on the floor and thrusting her ass and hips like she was getting attacked by bees though, not so hot.
(2) Jamie Foxx made out with Fantasia on stage as part of their performance. There's nothing else to say.
(3) Was BET serious with that aftershow? They couldn't be serious. Right? It was a joke? An SNL skit? AND THAT CRAP IS SUPPOSED TO BE A REGULAR WEEKLY SHOW STARTING IN JULY?!?!!?! WTF?!!?!? They were MAKING T-SHIRTS backstage. I'm not lying. Some dude was cutting up a shirt like were in Wildwood, NJ circa 1988. What place did that have backstage at an awards show? Thankfully, Will.I.Am's face said it all when the host cut him off from talking about Prince to say something along the lines of "we just doin' it up back here right? we making t-shirts and everything! what's up man! we're gonna show you how to make t-shirts too in a little bit...right Will?". The camera zoomed in on his face which looked like this:
But bottom line, the show belonged to my man Prince. He led the band along with Stevie Wonder in an outstanding tribute to Ms. Chaka Khan.
He won the award for best R&B male (even though his music transcends all genres). And might I say, he also looked gorgeous while he did it.
And he performed the title cut off his latest album, 3121, to close the show. It was SOOOOO hot. It was funky. It was visually stimulating. It was exciting. Will.I.Am jumped on stage to freestyle at the end, his back-up chicks The Twinz had some interesting choreography, and he held the crowd captive while the credits rolled. Go 'head Mr. Nelson.
Where O Where Has Beyonce's Fashion Sense Gone?
We all know that Destiny's Child were known for their slightly outlandish and sometimes all-out tacky outfits back in the day. But they fixed it up as time went on and eventually became more polished. Beyonce as a solo artist usually seems to be pulled together beautiful. She usually exudes class as a fashionista and a grown and sexy woman - NOT a tart. However, she's really disappointing me so far with the direction she seems to be going in with this new album. True, I'm kinda reaching with the suggestion that this is part of a new larger image for her but I have now seen three different outfits all in the same week that look sooooooooo cheap and hooker-ish to me. Was she trying to tell us something with the raunchier-than-usual dance moves with Jay last night? I mean, lame? Minidresses that look to be made of spandex? Teased out hair? It's perplexing to me. She looked SOOOO great on Sunday performing @ Radio City. Maybe Jay put his foot down that night since it was his show though....
Anyway...you can decide for yourself.
This was her on Sunday:
Then this was her in a recent photoshoot for Spin magazine:
MISS TLC SAYS: I mean, is it supposed to look like you can almost see between her legs in that pink dress? Is that supposed to be sexy? Cuz I just think it looks like something the hookers in the meatpacking district would wear. And are those CLEAR HEELS in the second pic???
This was her outfit for last night's performance:
MISS TLC SAYS: SILVER LAME?!?!?! SILVER LAME?!?!?! And there are flowers or something going up her sides with lace or something and ... forget it, you can all see for yourself. But honestly, this looks like something Destiny's Child would wear circa 1999.
And lastly, this was her "sitting in the audience" outfit last night:
MISS TLC SAYS: NOOOOOOOO. WHAT ARE THOSE SHOES?!!?!? Oh Beyonce Beyonce Beyonce. Shoes are my thing so I'm ESPECIALLY offended by these Frederick's of Hollywood specials. What is that outfit??? Did you get that from a Mariah Carey yard sale or something. YOU'RE SOOOOOO MUCH BETTER THAN THIS BEYONCE!!!
Sorry B, I love ya for your talent and beauty but this look you got going on lately has just got to go.
Take That! Take That!
Bad Boy Entertainment CEO Sean "Diddy" Combs will be honored with a star on the legendary Hollywood Walk of Fame it was announced today (June 24) by organizers. Combs was one of 200 nominations entered for the prestigious award and was among the 23 finalists selected to be honored with a terrazzo and brass star on Hollywood Boulevard in 2007. The mogul said he was aware that his name had been among nominees two years ago, but revealed he was taken by surprise when his agent informed him of the announcement today. "That's just something you dream of, especially being from the East Coast," Combs told AllHipHop.com. "Being from New York, there's three things you know about Hollywood. You know about the Hollywood sign, you know about Sunset Strip and Hollywood Boulevard with the stars. Just to see my name down there, it's really an honor, it's really humbling."
For the full story log on: AllHipHop Story.
Chart Chat
The Top 10 albums on this week's chart:
1. NELLY FURTADO "LOOSE" (218,711 units sold)
2. UNDEROATH "DEFINE THE GREAT LIN (97,602 units sold)
3. DIXIE CHICKS "TAKING THE LONG WAY HOME" (86,811 units sold)
4. KEANE "UNDER THE IRON SEA" (75,483 units sold)
5. BUSTA RHYMES "THE BIG BANG" (68,598 units sold)
6. HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL "SOUNDTRACK" (66,213 units sold)
7. FIELD MOB "LIGHT POLES & PINE T" (63,415 units sold)
8. GNARLS BARKLEY "ST. ELSEWHERE" (57,609 units sold)
9. A.F.I. "DECEMBERUNDERGROUND" (57,062 units sold)
10. CARS "SOUNDTRACK" (55,807 units sold)
Nice to see Gnarls Barkley back in the Top 10. Go 'head Cee and Danger.
Field Mob must be dancing all over the place as well. I'm not sure they would have expected to debut so well.
Nelly Furtado however is DEFINITELY partying. I am so happy for my girl with her #1 debut!!! Not only did she start out on top, but she also sold REALLY well. Yes, I said that almost the same amount was not good enough for Busta Rhymes just last week but they are in a totally different league. Busta's released a lot more albums and he's been in the game a loooooooooot longer as well. Nelly has remained just under the radar for years. She had some big success with her first album and "Like A Bird" and "Turn Off The Light" but her new image and sound has taken her to bigger heights than ever before.
And I have nothing more to say about the "High School Musical" soundtrack.
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Throw Your Diamonds Up
Jay-Z is the king of hip-hop. I don't wanna hear otherwise. If you don't believe me, then you clearly weren't in Radio City Music Hall on Sunday night. Cuz he RAN it. He showed NY that there is no need for tears. The South may dominate the charts right now but the leader, the man, the sire, the hit-maker, the record-breaker, the pioneer, and El Presidente is from NYC. Brooklyn to be exact. And if you haven't checked my side panel profile in a while, now's the time. See that? Yes folks. I'm from BK as well. BABY BABY!!! :)
Back to Sunday night. My brother and I rolled up on the area and instantly you felt the excitement in the air. Jay-Z was about to attempt something never done before. First, he was going to hold an anniversary celebration of his first album, "Reasonable Doubt". It was a very smart move considering most artists' fame builds throughout their careers meaning that they are not able to hold a show at Radio City when promoting their debut CD, but can later on after releasing several hit albums. Wait. Scratch that. Because even after releasing several other hit albums, most rappers STILL can not headline at Radio City Music Hall. No, it's not racist so hold your horses. The fact is that hip-hop is grimy. It's an "urban" form of music. A lot of it reflects on street life, the ghetto, and sometimes violence. Before you go attacking it KNOW that it is poetry, and can be extremely beautiful and real (when the right people are doing it). Either way, it's not exactly the type of music you would perform in a fancy theater with ornate balconies, tuxedo-ed bartenders and ushers, and red carpets. But Jay-Z done did it. Granted, Jay-Z has ascended WAY above just being a rapper. Jay is a businessman, a brand name, an artist, an NBA team investor, a clothing line owner, a club manager, and an executive among other things. So it's a different thing entirely for the President of Def Jam Records to hold an event at Radio City as opposed to a run-of-the-mill rapper. However, outside of the business ventures and the multi-million dollar deals, Jay-Z is first a rapper. Above all else, he is the former hustler from Brooklyn blessed with a remarkable talent for wordplay. So for this man to don a white tuxedo and stand in front of an orchestra in Radio City Music Hall to perform "Ain't No Nigga" is outstanding. It's groundbreaking and SO meaningful for him and for hip-hop as a whole.
On to the actual show.
THE HOTNESS #1:
The curtain lifted to reveal a pretty blue-lit stage with a 30-member orchestra (The Hustler Symphony Orchestra to be exact) along with the musical director of the show ?uestlove and his Illadelphonics band, a female conductor, and one female back-up singer Chrissette Michele (a new Jay-Z/Def Jam signing). The crowd was already hype. You have to understand, Jay-Z's TRUE followers were in the audience. Of course there were the normal celebs, producers, and executives. But for the most part, Jay-Z called upon his longtime fans for this one. When he first announced this one-off show, he warned those who just look for the newer "hits" to stay away. For the most part, NYC listened. Everyone around me rhymed along to almost every line of "Reasonable Doubt". It was a beautiful moment in hip-hop.
THE HOTNESS #2:
A spotlight hit one of the side balconies where Jay's "Scarface"-like narrator Pain In Da Ass came out in a tux to recreate the beginning of "Reasonable Doubt" complete with the background heartbeat. That was HOT.
THE HOTNESS #3:
Jay rolled up on the stage in a '96 Lexus. Let me give you some time to let that one sink in.
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So Jay rolled up on stage in a '96 Lexus. FOR REAL. It was SERIOUS from that point on. 
THE HOTNESS #4:
He got out of the car in a white suit complete with black tie and scarf (the complete color-contrast opposite of his outfit on the cover of the album he was performing) and walked the stage with his chest pumped out and his head held high. The crowd was at a fever pitch. He grabbed the mic and held it at a diagonal so that it struck an image of a Frank Sinatra concert in the 50s. Yes, he was about to do it "his way" people.
THE HOTNESS #5:
The band started to play "Regrets" and Jay was off performing the entire album from back to front. I think this made the best sense since I was discussing the album with a friend prior to the show and said that it started more hard than it ends. Don't get me wrong. I have been telling people for the last 10 years that "Reasonable Doubt" is my favorite hip-hop album so I don't see anything wrong with the album. I was just unsure how to perform something like that if all the hype energy was up front and then it cooled out (in a smooth, grown, reflective way). Leave it to Jay to work it out. By doing it backwards there was a slow build towards "D'Evils" and "Dead Presidents II" and "Brooklyn's Finest" and "Can't Knock The Hustle". While Jay began to rhyme, sharp images of Brooklyn street signs and bodegas on the corner shone brightly behind him. The Brooklyn-heavy audience showed their appreciation throughout.
THE HOTNESS #6:
Sauce Money came out to join Jay on "Bring It On". If you know the deal, you know this is big. Sauce and Jay are estranged comrades. It was a shock to many to see Sauce walk out on stage in all black to recite classic lyrics like:
"Said we was garbage, so fuck college,
Street knowledge amazin to scholars, when we coin phrases for dollars".
Nevertheless Jaz-O, another "former" friend of Jay-Z, did not come out to perform his verse on the track.
THE HOTNESS #7:
Memphis Bleek joined Jay for "Coming Of Age" and the crowd rapped along word for word to their famous exchange at the end of the song which foreshadowed their still-strong relationship.
THE HOTNESS #8:
Foxy. Yes, Foxy Brown came out to join Jay for their most famous collabo ever, "Ain't No Nigga". Unfortunately, it became evident to the crowd pretty early on that Foxy is indeed hearing impaired now. She was off the beat and her voice sounded muffled and off. It was sad but beautiful as well that Jay still asked her to join him for this special event. He also took time out to acknowledge her as a pioneer and told the crowd to respect her for this. Aw Jay.
THE HOTNESS #9:
"22 Twos" became "44 Fours" right in front of our eyes as Jay stopped mid-song to say "nah nah nah, shut the music off, I want them to really feel and understand what I'ma bout to do". The big screens on the stage automatically went to black with big white numerals flashing a running count as Jay ran off 44 separate uses of the word "four". When he finished, the crowd went bananas for the 50th time.
THE HOTNESS #10:
"D'Evils". Wow. If you don't know, "D'Evils" samples my favorite Snoop Dogg song ever, "Murder Was The Case". Not only did it sound AMAZING to hear the live orchestra jam to this classic but it sounded EVEN BETTER when they let loose and let it get louder and louder when Jay's lyrics were done so that they could harness the energy of the whole audience onto the stage where bright red lights zig zagged across the bandmembers and focused on the images being projected on screen. Images of a gospel choir singing and clapping mixed with riot scenes and situations of violence. YES.
THE HOTNESS #11:
"Feelin' It" is my favorite Jay track. Yes I know there are TONS of others that are hot ta death as well but "Feelin' It" was the first Jay track I fell IN LOVE with so I hold it dear to my heart. As I mentioned before, Jay had his new signing Chrissette Michele on stage with him and this is where she was put to good use. She sang the hook to the song but then JAMMED ragtime-jazz-style at the end while Jay went offstage to take a drink of water or kiss Beyonce or something. ;) Seriously, Jay is SO classy and refined that he doesn't even do the typical rap thing and drag a towel with him all over the stage to constantly wipe his sweaty brow. Instead, he has someone stand in the wings of the stage with a bottle of water and a towel for whenever Jay needed a fix. He would simply excuse himself for a minute, take care of business, and get right back to it.
THE HOTNESS #12:
Everyone knows that "Brooklyn's Finest" was a duet with Biggie. How would Jay do that being that Biggie has passed on? Respectfully was the answer. Jay rhymed the whole song himself but on the lines where Biggie was the original flow-er, Big's image performed on the big screens behind the stage as if he was really with us that night. Naturally the audience erupted once again whenever Big's larger-than-life image appeared sunglasses on and mic in hand. Interspersed throughout the song, black and white photographs were also shown of Big and Jay hanging out or playing around in the studio. It was also at this point that Damon Dash was acknowledged for the only time througout the show. (Now you know Dame probably snuck in with a bushy mustache and blond wig so that he could sit in the top mezzanine unnoticed. THIS would be the time tears would spring to his eyes. Images of him and Jay laughing along with Big and shots of Brooklyn and the Roc-a-fella logo. Oh well.)
THE HOTNESS #13:
For the last "Reasonable Doubt" track of the night - "Can't Knock The Hustle>" - the crowd waited with baited breath for Mary J. Blige to appear. However, they were surprised instead with BEYONCE. Oh yes people. Beyonce came strutting out in a white gown complete with old-school style to match her "secret" boyfriend. At first, I wasn't sure how to take this. Mary made that song a classic along with Jay. Mary grew up in quite the same manner as Jay. Beyonce didn't. While Jay and Mary (and many others in the audience including me) grew up on the New York City streets listening to hip-hop blaring out of boombox speakers while hanging in a schoolyard or on a park bench with your friends who were drinking 40s or puffing away, Beyonce was being prepped for superstardom by her manager/Joe-Jackson-in-training/Daddy who was snapping the whip on her "Star Search" rehearsals. Not quite the same thing. But I'm not gonna lie. 
Beyonce did her THING. She worked HARD at trying to impress her hustler turned boyfriend Jay and she definitely succeeded. She stared at him with love and awe in her eyes as he held the crowd in the palm of his hand with his poetic tales. She strutted across the stage in true Mary-style - arms waving in the air, lips curled in a hard stare. Beyonce freestyled on the bridge and Jay called out "sing it girl". It was definitely a hot surprise.
You can watch an audience member-filmed clip here:
THE HOTNESS #14:
So Jay's first album was in the can. He thanked the producers and those who were around him at that period in his life. He took a few breaks throughout to "take it all in" and you could really feel that this was a special moment for him. However, when Jay left the stage the crowd just knew it wasn't over. Even though Jay warned ticketholders beforehand that this was going to be a "Reasonable Doubt" show and not a traditional Jay show where you should show up expecting all the hits, he couldn't help himself and he wouldn't let his public down. Funkmaster Flex DJ'd for about 45 minutes before Jay took the stage and came back out when he left. To the crowd's eager ears, Flex said "you can all get up and stretch your legs if you want but Jay is gonna come back on stage in 10 minutes". Flex then played for another 5 minutes before Just Blaze came over the sound system to say "Hey Flex, we're ready, cut it". And then "The Hits" portion of the night began. 
Those who were part of the lucky 5 or 6,000 to score tickets were treated to almost 25 of Jay's hits back to back to back to back. Jay told Just to just "put on a record" and Just would pick from Jay's deeeeeeep catalog. Whatever came on, Jay would begin to spit. It was an amusing tour-de-force of stamina and Jay-ology from both Mr. Carter AND Mr. Blaze. Considering Jay doesn't write down any of his lyrics, this was a sight to behold. Without knowing what was next, Jay would instantly jump into that beat's mode and ride it til the wheels fell off. On lyric-heavy tracks with a quick beat (like "Nigga What, Nigga Who") it was especially impressive. At several points, Jay would tell Just to cut the music so that people could "really hear him" break it down a capella style. The highlights were obviously "PSA" and "Encore" (which rightfully ended the show). Though "You Don't Know" tore the walls to shreds as the crowd went BERSERK and jumped up and down with fervor singing the lyrics along with Jay. In the background, images appeared on the screens of Kurt Cobain tearing his own stages to shreds crashing guitars and kicking over mic and lyric stands. When he broke down old gems like "Streets Is Watching", "Imaginary Player" and "Where I'm From", I felt chills. The most touching part of the hits portion of the show though was "Big Pimpin". The beat started and the crowd began the bounce. As soon as Jay's verse was about to start the crowd LOUDLY and CLEARLY began to rap his verse for him. Jay kept pretending like he was gonna jump in at the start of each line but then just gave up and smiled wide with his arms crossed. He felt the love. He knew his music made a difference. And he knew we were all true fans. His grin was as big as the Cheshire Cat's. Aw Jay. But when he told Just to "take 'em home", "Encore" began and the diamonds were up in full display. It was perfect how the night ended with everyone's hands in the air chanting "HOV-A! HOV-A! HOV-A!".
So I tried to write down as much as I could from that set. I pretty much got it all except for maybe 1 or 2 a capellas. I've listed it for you below since Miss TLC always comes through for her readers. I understand. You live for this stuff. As do I. So without further adieu, here is the setlist:
Act I: Reasonable Doubt:
Regrets
Bring It On
Cashmere Thoughts
Coming Of Age
Friend Or Foe
Ain't No Nigga
Can I Live
22 Twos
D'Evils
Feelin It
Dead Presidents II
Brooklyn's Finest
Politics As Usual
Can't Knock The Hustle
Act II: The "Hits":
What More Can I Say
Jigga My Nigga
That Nigga Jigga
Hola Hovito
It's Hovi Baby
PSA
You Don't Know
In My Lifetime
Streets Is Watching
Where I'm From
Imaginary Player
Money Ain't A Thang
Who Run This
Best Of Me (Remix)
Who U Wit
I Just Wanna Love U
Excuse Me Miss
Nigga What Nigga Who
Big Pimpin
Encore
And lastly THE HOTNESS #15: 
As my partner-in-crime T. Coles said after we walked in, "now THIS is class ... Jay's a real class act". See, Jay had special limited edition commemorative Rocawear T-shirts, posters, and magazines printed up with the tagline "One Night. One Man. One Album." with the picture of the "Reasonable Doubt" album cover and the new Roc-a-fella logo (which has been altered to read '10th Anniversary'). It made the night even more special to know that you were getting souvenir goodies to help you remember it forever. OH, and it was all filmed for a DVD to be released soon. Put your diamonds up people.
PS - To the Radio City security team and the NYPD: Just cuz Jay is "hip-hop" doesn't mean you need to bring out the cops in riot gear armed with machine guns. Seriously. That was just way too much. Nary a fight or argument broke out. Folks were too busy with their eyes glued to the stage in front of them. But on the other hand, I understand that concert security is ALWAYS needed - hip-hop, rock, or otherwise (cuz you KNOW them Barry Manilow fans can get buckwild when they want). However, Radio City didn't so much as pat anyone down. They just told you to open your bag and keep it moving. It was silly really. To have the hip-hop cops outside and nothing inside. Work that out people and get it together. We want to be protected, we just don't need the National Guard and 'dem standing on the corner of the theater ruining the moment for all of us just excited to arrive.
"THE HIP-HOP FRANK SINATRA"
Thursday, June 22, 2006
Pharrell Vuitton
I unveil to you...the new Louis Vuitton ad featuring Pharrell Williams:
MISS TLC SAYS: Umm...I love Pharrell...but...umm...I'm not really loving this ad. Sorry Louie.
The Knicks Try Again
Surprise surprise. The Knicks organization just announced that they fired Larry Brown as their coach and were going to let the general manager, Isiah Thomas, coach next season. I just wish they would get their act together for real. I would like to be a Knicks fan. Really I would. I love my city. I actually was a Knicks fan at one point a loooooong time ago. It was around the time I loved Marcus Camby. Yeah, I know. What was I thinking. Well whatever, I was young. And I know it's not a very nice thing to admit but I can't consistently root for a team that sucks. There, I said it. I was just getting tired of saying "maybe next time". I have since moved on to other teams (cuz I still do love my basketball) but I would love to see The Knicks bring it home again.
It's Just Like On The Show!
Tony Soprano's getting angry with Silvio and Paulie. They still haven't signed their contracts......their TV show contracts, that is! In a real life twist on "The Sopranos" mafioso sit-downs, James Gandolfini has scheduled a meeting with the two men who play his left and right hands - Steven Van Zandt and Tony Sirico. Neither one has closed their deal yet for the final season and it's holding up production. Naturally, David Chase needs to know who is going to kill off and if both guys hold out, there may just be a bloodbath.
You can read all about it here.
Sample Sale Alert
Carolina Herrara is holding a sample sale along with some other lines as well starting this Sunday. Enjoy!
(Click to enlarge for details)
***If you know of any other sample sales and/or fashion events you would like me to publicize, simply shoot me an email and I'll try to hook you up @ misstlcworld@gmail.com.***
And Now He's #1 Bitches!!!
I know. I know. I seem to mention Taylor a lot. But just look at him. He's one cool ass mutha. Winning American Idol, topping People's Hottest Bachelors list, performing with Snoop, and now topping the charts!!!
You can read all about it here.
Poor Nicole
This was one of the latest UsWeekly.com polls:
MISS TLC SAYS: Honestly, I wouldn't even know who to pick. :)
And Another One...
They are just flying in people. Miss TLC gets alerts from all over with presales and passwords for upcoming concerts. I am a concert addict (see the new side panel for details) and I pride myself on staying tuned in. So without further adieu, you may begin to buy tickets for John Mayer and Sheryl Crow.........
.........NOW!
They are performing on Sunday August 27th @ PNC Bank Arts Center and at Jones Beach Theater on Wednesday August 30th.
The presale runs starts today @ 10am and ends tomorrow @ 5pm. The password is LIVENATION.
I'm sure Sheryl throws down in a live show since she has such a big catalog and is truly a great singer but I know for a FACT that John does it up real big in his performances. The boy can play guitar for real and he's got that blue-eyed soul thing down pat as well. Enjoy!
HA HA HA HA HA HA
In an ironic twist on his reputation as a golddigger, Kevin Federline has joined the plight to save the penny. You see the penny apparently costs more to make than it is worth according to some lawmakers who are trying to cease production on the one-cent coin. There are literally some people who just throw them out (like Anna Wintour) and others who stash them for decades in piggy banks. Either way, many of them are out of production or sitting at the bottom of tip jars in Starbucks. When I first heard of this movement, I actually took the side of the penny. I am one of those people who tries to give exact change out of my wallet if I have it so that they will go to good use. Then as I thought about it more, I realized that they would have the change the prices of everything if they got rid of pennies. So in other words, I wanted pennies around in case something cost $134.56, but it wouldn't be able to be priced like that if pennies didn't exist in the first place since the store wouldn't be able to give you change. So then I thought, "oh ok, get rid of 'em then". It's less to carry in your wallet and they don't match all of the other change anyway. :)
But getting back to K-Fed. He's SUCH a tool. It's not his doing to try and organize a petition to save the penny. It was actually Richard Branson who came up with the idea. You have to understand though that Richard Branson has more money than all of us put together so he really has nothing better to do. If he feels like traveling the world in a hot air balloon, so be it. If he feels like paying Kevin Federline to kiss pennies all over the country, so be it. Plus, he's probably sitting at home laughing at the Fedster screaming "I love pennies!" all over the place. I'm not joking. This was actually one of his quotes: ""I feel good about the penny". Sure you do Kev. It's the only money you've probably earned on your own. You can read all about it here.
TopShop Is Tops
My friend Janine will LOVE this one. One of London's most popular (and most fabulous) stores has been scouting space in NYC to open an American outpost of TopShop. Following in the footsteps of other successful European-originated shops like H&M, Mexx, and Zara, TopShop will no doubt make a splash in the Manhattan scene as well. If you don't know much about TopShop, or if you just want to read a great article on the subject, click here.
Good 4 Her
Reese Witherspoon sued Star Magazine yesterday for publishing a fabricated story that she is preggers. Ok look. I know I've said in the past that most of what you read in the tabloids will be denied only until the celebs themselves want to admit the story on their own terms. I still stand by that story HOWEVER there are also instances where they just lump together a bunch of celebs and random pictures for a theme story (like "Look Who's Pregnant!"). Most of the time they do not even bother to get confirmation or even a source to begin with on these blurbs. Instead, they just peruse recent red carpet pics and candid paparazzi shots looking for the slightest hint of a bump. What's really ridiculous is that (1) fabric sometimes tends to crease and bubble in certain lights when it falls a certain way, (2) a celeb could be packing on some pounds so leave them alone, or (3) they could just be bloated that day. For real people. The "is she pregnant?" thing should be kinda left alone. It's a private, personal matter.
Also, did you ever think that they may be keeping the scoop under wraps until they pass that all too fragile first trimester? Heaven forbid they have a miscarriage at the same time you are running a cover story with a pic of their baby bump with a picture of a stroller next to it. Honestly, lay off with these "exclusives". So in the end Reese is suing 'em. She is fuming.
PS - I know that Britney Spears and Angelina Jolie were two high-profile stars who were publicized to have been pregnant WAY before they admitted it as well and it did turn out to be true in the end. However, for every two these tabloids get right, there are like four others they get wrong.
PPS - You can read all about the Reese story here.
Chart Chat
The Top 10 albums on this week's chart:
1. BUSTA RHYMES "THE BIG BANG" (208,773 units sold)
2. DIXIE CHICKS "TAKING THE LONG WAY HOME" (130,242 units sold)
3. A.F.I. "DECEMBERUNDERGROUND" (103,562 units sold)
4. HIGH SCHOOL MUSIC "SOUNDTRACK" (79,368 units sold)
5. THREE DAYS GRACE "ONE-X" (78,073 units sold)
6. CARS "SOUNDTRACK" (74,822 units sold)
7. RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS "STADIUM ARCADIUM" (73,983 units sold)
8. RASCAL FLATTS "ME AND MY GANG" (72,804 units sold)
9. YUNG JOC "NEW JOC CITY" (69,880 units sold)
10. ICE CUBE "LAUGH NOW CRY LATER" (63,693 units sold)
This is a pretty good chart. It's balanced with some hip-hop, some rock, some country, and some soundtracks.
Naturally, everyone in the world doesn't have enough copies of the "High School Musical" soundtrack so they are still on line in your local Coconuts tearing them off the shelves. The "Cars Soundtrack" also held on nicely and the other chart regulars - The Dixie Chicks, Rascal Flatts, and Red Hot Chili Peppers are also still standing their ground.
As for Busta Rhymes, it's nice to see him debut at #1 but he didn't sell well AT ALL. After such huge publicity for "Touch It" and its million and one remixes (and the subsequent shoot-out at the video), the current single "I Love My Bitch" which is doing pretty well, coupled with the fact that he's a legend, and has been on the cover of some magazines recently, AND has taken a hiatus before releasing this album - his first Aftermath release, he should've done better. I'm just saying.
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Lindsay Pisses Off Diddy
From UsWeekly.com...
Lindsay’s Fight With Diddy
It seems Lindsay Lohan can’t go anywhere without making a new enemy. On June 16 at a Prince concert at NYC hot spot Butter, Sean “Diddy” Combs took a seat with Lohan’s pals at her table while she was in the bathroom, sources tell Us. When Lohan, 20, returned, one source says she jokingly asked Diddy, 36, “ ‘You’re sitting at my table?’ She was being funny, but Diddy flipped out!” The source says Diddy screamed at her and said, “How dare she talk to me like that?”
Another source recalls the fight a little differently: “Lindsay was in party mode. When he ignored her, she became rambunctious.” According to an eyewitness, as Lohan walked out, she yelled, “No one can treat me like that! I don’t care if you are Puffy!” Neither Lohan’s nor Diddy’s rep could be reached for comment.
MISS TLC SAYS: OK, so this didn't really happen like that people. I hate to disappoint you but that was all my peeps up in there (after all, it was a Prince thing) and most of the celebs (including La Lohan) left pretty early and didn't even pay attention to their surroundings. Diddy came in late and was mingling but I HIGHLY doubt that he intentionally sat at Lindsay's table, pissed her off, and got into a fight. Whatever with the media drama here. Also, it wasn't really a Prince concert per se. It's called an "aftershow" and it was in a very intimate setting with no real stage. Kinda like Prince was performing at your house party. Holla.
Sucks 4 Kobe
Miami took home the championship last night. It was their first. Shaq now has 4 rings. Riley has 5.
Oh, and the Lakers got knocked out in the first round.
You can read all about it here.
Pre-Sale Concert Alert
If you heard anything about last year's Sugar Water Festival shows at Jones Beach, then you know it was hot. The Sugar Water Festival started as a way to bring together Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, and Queen Latifah for one concert tour aimed at their very similar fanbase. For the most part, if you like Erykah, you like Jill, and vice versa. When I first heard about this event, I was amped. I have seen these performers apart but never saw them vibe together. Unfortunately last year on the date the tour stopped at Jones Beach, I had a previous engagement. After reading the reviews afterwards, I knew it was on and popping. Many people actually said Queen Latifah stole the show (and I can believe that when listening to her throw down on her jazz-infused "The Dana Owens Album"). Either way, I felt the movement even more after seeing Erykah and Jill verbally battle each other on "Dave Chappelle's Block Party".
So I say this all to say that the girls are back together for The Sugar Water Festival 2006. The tour will be coming to Brooklyn's Prospect Park Bandshell on Saturday, August 17th and yes folks, once again, Miss TLC is going to hook you up with a presale. The normal peeps can start buying tix on Friday @ noon but YOU my dear readers can buy tix tomorrow if you'd like. The password is BROOKLYN.
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Bringing The Sexy Back 2 Music
Justin Timbo's album seems to be on its way for real y'all people. He hasn't released an album since his debut Justified in 2002 so it's LONG overdue. The new single is entitled "SexyBack" and it will be shipped to radio on July 7th...which probably means it will hit the 'net in about a week. ;)
Considering how happy I was to watch the video for his lead single "Like I Love You" while in my hotel room before my cousin Chrissy's rehearsal dinner back in 2002, I can only imagine how happy I'll be to watch this one. Justin's like a fine wine - he only gets better with time. If you don't believe me, check this out:
And you can read all about his upcoming album here.
I Told Y'All He Was Gangsta
From MTV.com:
"...Snoop Dogg was joined onstage by "American Idol" title holder Taylor Hicks Saturday, during a performance at Birmingham, Alabama's City Stages festival, The Birmingham News reports. Hicks played the harmonica on "Gin and Juice" and rolled out his famed dance moves with a second appearance later in Snoop's set...."
MISS TLC SAYS: That's hot.
Friday, June 16, 2006
Prince Funks Up Bryant Park
This morning Prince tore the roof off of Bryant Park as part of Good Morning America's Summer Concert Series. Oh wait, there wasn't a roof on Bryant Park to begin with. Well either way, Prince ROCKED 'round 8am like it was midnight on New Year's Eve. Miss TLC is a lover of Prince to the fullest extent (as you all must know by now) so I was SERIOUS about making sure I was right in front of the largest crowd Good Morning America has ever seen for their musical performances. Luckily, I got the hook-up from an ABC employee to be added to a VIP list which entitled me to earlier entrance to the stage area than the thousands of "regala folk" who were lined up around a four block radius surrounding the park.
Unfortunately, I am the victim of crappy cameras (the one in my cell phone ain't nothing special and I have not got around to buying a digital yet) so I only bought a random disposable on my way over there. I have posted some of my pics just to give you an idea of where I was (RIGHT UP AT THE TIP OF THE STAGE) and also for you to get an idea of the setup. 
Prince is just the man. His swagger, his voice, his guitar shredding, and the way he can rock a pink and teal suit is just undeniable. His stage was loaded with his two backup go-go type chicks "The Twinz", his newest protege Tamar (who performed the track "Red Headed Stepchild" from her forthcoming debut album), the legendary Sheila E., the equally legendary Maceo Parker, and his current band including drummer Cora and keyboardist Morris Hayes. It was a full-on onslaught of the funk and I'm sure TV-watchers everywhere just weren't ready.
As Prince has a tendency to do, he struts out on stage, smirks at the crowd, and BLOWS YOU AWAY. But again, this was early early in the morning people. I arrived at 5am for pete's sake. But the crowd was hype and the NPGMC was in full effect - dancing while Prince ran a soundcheck with the band, chanting while the group warmed up to "Pass The Peas", and busting several smooth moves while tracks from 3121 blared from the speakers and Prince yelled "NEW YOOOOOOOOOORK" from backstage. So basically, if you missed it, you missed out.
Oh, and apparently I was onscreen a lot during the audience shots. I got several calls while I was shaking my ass to "Get On The Boat" telling me that I was in full effect on the ABC network. C'mon Prince, I know you told the cameraman to keep it on me so that you could watch the tapes at home over and over again and see me. ;) Just playing with you.
And Just Because...
...Prince is a badass mofo, I give you some hot high-resolution shots from this morning:
Jacob The Jeweler Put On Ice
Uh oh. From MTV.com...
Hip-hop's favorite iceman has found himself wearing the kind of bracelets that nobody likes: handcuffs.
Jacob Arabove, known to the music industry as Jacob the Jeweler, was arrested by DEA task force officers at his 57th Street store in New York on Thursday (June 15). According to an affidavit from the U.S. attorney's office in New York, an arrest warrant had been issued in Michigan's Eastern District Court last month on money-laundering charges.
MISS TLC SAYS: Money-laundering is some serious ish. That's all I have to say about that.
Can't Knock The Cristal Any Longer
Cristal is dead to Jay-Z. In a recent interview, the managing director of Louis Roederer (which makes Cristal) Frederic Rouzaud made some comments that Jay considered racist. I laud him for standing his ground and formally boycotting the product he once loved because of his uneasiness about the situation. However, I'm most interested in how this will be approached with other hip-hop artists. It seems like there's more protesting going on than ever before with rappers (as in the Oprah situation) and I can only be happy about that. Rap music makes a lot of money. Therefore, it's only right that the rappers making the songs should use their own bargaining power to their advantage. Band together brothers and pick a worthwhile cause. It's all for the good.
You can read all about the Jay-Z/Cristal feud here.
Is This The Movie "Face Off"?
Standing in line at Whole Foods today, I saw the latest Elle Magazine with Hilary Duff on the cover. Instantly, I knew I had to post something about it.
Look, I know she's grown up and all but this is just mind-bloggling to me. Losing baby fat is one thing. Looking like you have a completely new face is another thing entirely. Oh well. I just felt like getting that off my chest.
Thursday, June 15, 2006
Dash Is In A NY State Of Mind
In this week's New York Magazine, Damon Dash is profiled. Interestingly enough, the lead-in to the article says this:
He has a $400,000 car, a cook, a butler, and 1,300 pairs of sneakers. He gives his once-worn socks to charity. But when Jay-Z, his friend and partner, pushed him out of the company they founded, he realized what money can’t buy.
MISS TLC SAYS: OH, THE DRAMA!!!!!! Some of my favorite parts include the constant reiteration that DAMON was the one behind Jay's success, DAMON was the one who found Kanye, DAMON was the one who organized 1999's hugely successful "Hard Knock Life" tour.
Like here:
Under Dash’s supervision as his manager and business partner, Jay-Z recorded nine No. 1 albums and won four Grammys. West—Dash’s discovery, Jay-Z’s protégé—sold 3 million copies of his first album, The College Dropout. In 1999, Dash put together a 54-city sold-out tour with Jay-Z and other artists (DMX, Ja Rule, Redman, Method Man, Eve) that netted $19 million in profits and revolutionized touring for the hip-hop business.
MISS TLC SAYS: Now I have been around both Damon and Jay-Z enough to know that even when they were cool, Jay knew he was the talent. He knew he was the breadwinner in the relationship. Damon was a hustler, yes, but he didn't have any talent. Jay had the talent but wasn't really interested in the business at first. However, once he started to get on his J-O-B and learn the ropes, he probably realized he didn't need Damon anymore. Is that how you are supposed to treat your friends? Probably not. But it's business. Unfortunately, Damon thought they were immune to that.
From the article:
When Jay-Z decided to split, “he said, ‘It’s business,’ ” Dash says. “But we were always supposed to be about more than business, Jay especially.”
MISS TLC SAYS: Interestingly enough, as much as Damon doesn't seem to have as much going on as Jay does lately (considering Jay's in the public eye so much as the head of Def Jam, concert performer, and boyfriend of "the hottest chick in the game" Beyonce), people still believe in him.
Take Russell Simmon's quote from the article:
“I know Damon will figure something out, because he’s Damon Dash,” says Russell Simmons, Def Jam’s founder (he no longer owns the company). “The thing you have to understand about this guy is, he thought the whole thing up. Jay-Z just came from Damon’s imagination. The man is a visionary.”
MISS TLC SAYS: No matter what, Dash still makes it sound like he is "in it" throughout the whole article. He still flaunts his wealth and brags about what he found and what he introduced to the world. Granted, it could all be true. Damon could've been the puppetmaster and now that Jay is without him the curtain is pulled back for the whole world to see that he is Samson without the hair. 
Dash tries to point that out in the article as well:
As for his former artists, he points out that none have put up better numbers since they moved with Jay-Z. “Kanye’s second record did fine, but no more than his first, and it had a lot more muscle behind it by that time. Memphis Bleek ain’t what it was, Young Gunz sold about a quarter of the number of records with their new album than their last one did with me. I always went gold.”
Either way, it remains to be seen what will happen with both Jay and Damon in the future. Sure, Jay looks like he's on top now. He's a music industry darling. He can still rock a crowd of thousands without breaking a sweat. And he has been exceling as a businessman as well with his 40/40 clubs and part-ownership of the Nets basketball team. However, Def Jam is floundering. How long they will allow Jay to remain at the helm, I don't know. Then again, Jay's always got his rap career to fall back on. At least for a little while. He's almost pushing 40 and it was him who said many people weren't interested in hearing an LL Cool J record anymore because he's too old. My vote is on Jay. I don't see what Damon's doing enough to truly believe in him. But you just never know. We shall see people...we shall see......
You can read the whole article here.
Hot Hicks
By now you've probably heard that this year's American Idol, Taylor Hicks, was voted 2006's Hottest Bachelor by People magazine. Unfortunately for Taylor (and for People) loads of people are laughing at this choice. I for one don't see anything wrong with it. Ladies were going wild for him night after night on the show and he is not a wet-behind-the-ears child. He is 29 and has been performing for YEARS. C'mon, you know about groupies. There are a ton of women out there who go wild for any man with musical talent who gets up on a stage night after night and holds the crowd in the palm of his hand. Like it or not, that's Taylor.
Also, I've posted the pic from People above to show you just how cute Taylor can be. I would kiss him here. Sing to me Taylor!!! ;)
Hot Shoes
This is kinda like a Me In A Cab SLASH Hot Shoes post since as you can see, I was actually in a cab when I took this one yesterday. These shoes are adorable, comfortable (even though they are pretty high) and about three years old yet they are still in style today. Surprisingly enough, they are Steve Madden so they weren't that expensive (maybe $90) and I can rock them with skirts, pants, and dresses.
David Gest Is Gay?!?!?!?
I mean, make your own judgements here but a MAN is suing him for sexual harrasment!!! I am floored!!! ;)
The best part in this suit is that the guy claims David Gest would leave directions in his calendar like "shake my penis" and "dip it in chocolate fudge". WTF?!?!?! It's possible the guy is lying just to get $$$ from a celeb (like Gest's lawyer is claiming OF COURSE) but HOW and WHY would he make something like that up? Saying he grabbed your butt or spoke about sexual stuff in front of you is one thing but writing notes like "dip my penis in chocolate fudge" in your calendar?!?!?!? I am confused and sick to my stomach.
You can read all about it here. (It's the top story in yesterday's Page Six so you may have to go back and choose Wednesday on the Post's homepage first.)
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
So Not Sexy
So that was Denise Richard's get-up while performing with The Pussycat Dolls last week. Umm...is it just me or does it look more scary than sexy? I think Denise Richards is a beautiful woman, but this is just unacceptable to me.
Call me crazy but she just doesn't fit in with these chicks below:
(click to enlarge)
I know some people think PCD are trashy themselves but I don't think so. I think there is a huge difference between Denise's cotton candy 80s prom hair and her satin necktie and the above chicks with their more comfortable sensual look. Anyway, try again Denise.
Miss TLC Record Recommendation
Nelly Furtado is releasing her third album next Tuesday, June 20th. The album is entitled Loose and is supposedly in reference to her being more open - with her music and her sexuality. I'm sure you have all heard the first single "Promiscuous Girl" by now so you know what I'm talking about. Now I LOVE LOVE LOVE the single and I love the video even more. Nelly is beautiful and seems fun and cool to be around. But she's also a mother now and that sometimes means a more reserved, reflective, life experience album is coming. Thankfully, this is not so with Nelly. This is her youngest sounding album and most current to date. Timbaland did a lot of the production and she experiements with hip-hop sounds, electronica sounds, 80s sounds, and Reggaeton sounds.
The predicted second single (which she also performed on Saturday Night Live) is "Maneater" which is HOTTER than the first single. It's SO 80s and it's SUCH a banger. Do yourselves a favor and buy this track off iTunes when its released next week even if you are not interested in getting the whole album. It's a definitely summer party song. I will be blasting it out of my truck fa sho.
There's also "In God's Hands" which I hope will be the third single (if Geffen knows what they are doing!). The song is a beautiful ballad which could see big time mainstream exposure. Sadly reflecting about a love lost, Furtado gently sings the following chorus:
Our love floated out the window
Our love floated out the back door
Our love floated up in the sky to heaven
It's part of a plan
It's back in God's hands
Back in God's hands
Other tracks such as "Glow", "Say It Right", and "Wait For You" keep the cool vibe flowing and sustain the summer-y feel to the bright album. I was a huge fan of Nelly's sophomore album, "Folklore" which was a bit darker and more reserved. Unfortunately that album didn't get the exposure it deserved because Furtado became pregnant around the time she should've been doing promotion. Either way, Ms. Thing decided to come back with a more pop-oriented brighter album this time around to grab the attention she so deserves. There is still plenty of international flavor (like there was on her two former efforts) but there are also catchier hooks. There also aren't too many guest stars (which could get tired pretty quick) however, the best use of a guest is Juanes who appears on both the English and Spanish versions of "Te Busque".
So will she succeed? Well, there will be plenty of references to Gwen Stefani. However, Gwen's album had more strong singles. Therefore, Nelly may have to bear the brunt of the "not as good as Gwen" claims. But "Loose" is still strong and should be heard. Do pick it up next Tuesday (a) if you are a Nelly fan, (b) if you are a Timbaland fan, (c) you need a nice chill summer album for backyard BBQs and girlfriend brunches, or (d) you'd just like to try something a little different.
Random Miss TLC Piece Of Info: Chris Martin of Coldplay was originally dueting with Nells on "All Things Come (To And End)" but because of some relationship problems with his record label, EMI, his clearance was denied and he was subsequently removed from the track. That's a shame because Chris rocks. Also, while Nells was in a Miami studio with Timbaland a few months ago, Justin Timberlake stopped by. (Timbaland is also heavily producing Justin's sophomore album "Future Sex Love Sound" due in the fall.) Since they were hanging out together, the two singers decided to mess around and record something. The finished product was a song entitled "Crowd Control" but unfortunately Nelly's album was already wrapped. Justin said it may be used as a bonus track on his CD. Here's hoping.
"Loose" Standout tracks:
You can listen to the whole thing streamed on MTV's The Leak now.
Happy Father's Day
In celebration of Father's Day, and also to honor his pop, Tiger Woods teamed up with Nike for a special commercial dedicated to Dads everywhere. It will air this weekend but just because I love you, I have the link to watch it now.
Be touched here.
Chart Chat
The Top 10 albums on this week's chart:
1. A.F.I. "DECEMBERUNDERGROUND" (182,337 units sold)
2. DIXIE CHICKS "TAKING THE LONG WAY HOME" (174,738 units sold)
3. YUNG JOC "NEW JOC CITY" (148,217 units sold)
4. ICE CUBE "LAUGH NOW CRY LATER" (144,490 units sold)
5. HIGH SCHOOL MUSIC "SOUNDTRACK" (86,536 units sold)
6. RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS "STADIUM ARCADIUM" (86,016 units sold)
7. CARS "SOUNDTRACK" (68,387 units sold)
8. RASCAL FLATTS "ME AND MY GANG" (65,659 units sold)
9. RIHANNA "GIRL LIKE ME" (51,489 units sold)
10. VARIOUS "NOW 21" (48,547 units sold)
Now not only is the "High School Musical" soundtrack up there pumping but now the "Cars" soundtrack has joined them? Kids are really running it nowadays huh? They are just PUMPING it this summer with hot tunes. I mean, I do get that the High School Musical soundtrack is all the music from the mega-popular Disney Channel TV movie but "Cars"? What the heck is on that soundtrack?
Ok, I just looked it up and I get it. I think it was definitely tailored more to the parents who are accompanying their tots to the theater. The soundtrack has Sheryl Crow, Chuck Berry, Brad Paisley, John Mayer, Hank Williams, The Rascal Flatts and James Taylor. Wait - my friend Vic would LOVE this soundtrack. (Check it out Vic - lol).
Back to the chart......
There were no MAJOR sellers this week with the top spot bringing in only 182K copies. Dixie Chicks, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and The Rascal Flatts are still holding on strong and Rihanna looks to be holding her own this time around as well. I guess the Beyonce-"Single White Female" thing is working for her.
And rap tried to come back with a vengeance this week with Yung Joc and Ice Cube. Go 'head Cube. Oprah may call you up now for an appearance after all. :)
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
People!!! People Who Sue People!!!
From yesterday's NY Daily News Rush & Molloy section...
"Barbra Streisand's emergence from "retirement" has set off a buzz among longtime Streisand fans, who say they paid exorbitant amounts of money for her last "retirement" tour and may file a class-action suit against the legend for tricking them into thinking they were seeing her for the final time. Babs visits the Garden Oct. 9 with the Italian hunks of Il Divo. Tickets, which went on sale yesterday, run from $104 to $754."
Look, I know it's BS when stars announce their "FAREWELL" tours nowadays so I can kinda understand the madness. However, in a day and age where artists like Cher and The Rolling Stones tour OVER AND OVER AND OVER again through their 50s and 60s, you should expect this "return to the stage" nonsense. Sometimes the stars themselves are bored at home doing nothing but political blogging (Streisand). Sometimes they need the money (I'm not naming names). Sometimes they are simply addicted to the stage (Jay-Z). But whatever the case may be, you can NOT take their word for it any longer.
Don't get me wrong, I do side with these fans in the Streisand case because her final tour was a long time ago and it was heavily billed as the end. Therefore, many people did spend an arm and a leg to get tix. But actually you know what? If you're a fan of Babs in the first place then I can't have any pity for you period.
PS - What's up with the fans of gay icons suing their beloved anyway? A while back there was a story that Clay Aiken's fans were filing a class action lawsuit after that man came forth and said they had crazy unprotected man on man sex together. Apparently his fans thought they could get away with a fraud claim saying that he presented himself as something he was not. I'm not saying anything.
Rihanna Loves Sausage (With Pasta & Peas)
I just wanted to bring everyone's attention to something I read this weekend that got me thinking. It is from Ben Widdicombe's Gatecrasher section in the NY Daily News.
Monday's Council of Fashion Designers of America Awards seemed to be the perfect stop for celebs who couldn't decide whether to go out or order in.
Like Rihanna, who's climbing the charts with her single "S.O.S."
Finding the halibut not to her liking, she had her manager send out to Da Silvano for her favorite pasta with sausage and peas. The Barbadian beauty stepped out and discreetly consumed it in her limo before returning to the dinner.
What got me wondering here was the Da Silvano reference. True, that's a popular restaurant in NYC (been there a load of times myself) HOWEVER if it wasn't for the current rumors that Rihanna is the third piece in a love triangle with Jay-Z and Beyonce, I might have ignored this piece. See Da Silvano is one of Jay-Z and B's fave spots. They have been photographed countless times coming out of Silvano Marchetto's place so it's no secret. Now rumors have been rampant that either (a) Jay is cheating with Rihanna, one of the artists on the Def Jam label he helms; (b) Rihanna is purposely crafting her look after Beyonce because she is trying to position herself as Jay's new chick; or (c) Beyonce has been arguing with Jay in public about the frequency of calls from Rihanna whenever they are together. Jay claims it's just business but sleeping with a new starlet can sometimes be a lot of work. ;)
Either way, I had to smirk when I saw that Rihanna's favorite NYC dish (that she apparently just can't live without) is from Da Silvano. What made her go there in the first place? True, it's a popular place but it's small and in the village (far from most of the trendier hot spots usually frequented by the young, music set). There are thousands of restaurants in NYC. Did Jay take her there? Or is she just trying to faithfully play her role as Mrs.-Carter-in-training? Things that make you go hmm......
Prince Of The World Wide Web
Y'all know how I feel about Prince. Well you should know. He's my boo. Anyhoo, last night in NYC he received a lifetime acheivement award at the Webbys, the internet awards. Prince was the first artist to exclusively release an entire album on the 'net ("Crystal Ball" in 1997) and the Webbys wanted to big him up for that. He only spoke a few words (very few) but then he launched into a performance of "Don't Play Me". (I won't boo, just give me a call!)
Here's some gorgeous pics:
Rapid Fire
A Miss TLC Note of Nutrition
What'd I tell you? I know I can be a nutritional info maniac sometimes but it's all for the right reasons. I care people. And I don't want to have to live in this country by myself in 50 years. ;) I need y'all around with me!!!
Trans fats are evil people. I don't know why they are not illegal here yet (like they are in other countries). Either way, the info is slowly trickling down to the common folk to STAY AWAY. Here is an excerpt from yesterday's WebMd article on the subject:
June 12, 2006 - Want a big fat belly? Eat lots of trans fats.
Trans fats make you fatter than other foods with the same number of calories -- but that's not all. Researchers at Wake Forest University find that trans fats increase the amount of fat around the belly. They do this not just by adding new fat, but also by moving fat from other areas to the belly.
To read the whole thing (which you should), go here.
A Personal Shout-Out
A big bad HAPPY ANNIVERSARY goes out to my cousin Patty and her husband Brian today. She is a big fan of The Wonderful World of Miss TLC so I know she'll see this. Congratulations guys! You are still one of the cutest couples ever! Break out the polyester 70s suits and save a dance for me! :)
I Love Conan
If you watch Conan O'Brien, you know he has a segment where he talks to celebs on a flatscreen TV (by satellite) and they just have someone else moving their lips behind a stagnant pic of the person. It's hilarious.
Anyway, this week he spoke to President Bush about the death of Zarqawi and it was very funny. You can go here and click on the vid clip to watch.
Spears Sobs
Make sure to tune into NBC this Thursday, June 15th to see Matt Lauer interview Britney Spears about her life, her marriage, her baby, and the press stalking and attacking her as a mother. I've seen a clip of the interview and I gotta admit, I feel bad for her. She's obviously a wreck and her life (and what is left of her career) is spinning out of control. I've pasted the pic of her crying here to illustrate just how sad she gets. :(
DISCLAIMER
A little while ago, I recommended a new mascara made by Maybelline (Lash Stylist). I am now going back on my word. Don't get me wrong. The brush that comes with this mascara (which is in the shape of a comb) is great. The color was vibrant and bold. The mascara went on evenly and thick. HOWEVER, it doesn't come off. Seriously. It puts like a plastic coating on your lashes. To some people, this could be a good thing. A pool party...your wedding day...etc. But for most people, this is hella annoying. I have tried twice to use my standard eye makeup remover pads with this (Almay) and it still stays on strong. I also had two of my girls come to me with the same problem. So I just wanted to get all the true info out there. I am not an expert. I am just a living information bank and it is my duty to come back to you with follow-up info if available. Hey, it happens.
Friday, June 09, 2006
Time 4 More Celeb Lookalikes
Reality TV show star and aspiring singer Brooke Hogan and fashion designer Donatella Versace:
One of the best designers in the world (I mean it, I love you Mr. Chanel!) Karl Lagerfeld and the Tim Burton character Jack from "The Nightmare Before Christmas":
Don't Hate, Donate
Did you know you can donate sneakers to Nike so that they can be recycled into materials for soccer fields, basketball courts and playgrounds across the country? Neither did I, until I read my latest issue of Domino magazine. Such a great tip and so great for the environment.
Click on the image below (an actual scan of the Domino article) to enlarge so you read about all the other recycled charitable contributions you can make.
Good stuff. 
Leather Love
People Magazine reported this week that Alanis Morrisette and her fiancee of two years, Ryan Reynolds, have broken up. That's nice. But more important than all that is......
......Is Alanis seriously wearing a leather shirt in this picture???
Yep. It's leather.
Even worse...as I was working on this post, I stumbled upon this recent pic of La Lohan......
And those are DEFINITELY leather shorts.
What's going on people?!?!?!?! Leather is OK for shoes, bags, jackets, and in some instances, pants (although that's still a stretch for me). But shirts?!??! SHORTS?!?!?!! No.
Go Doctors! Go Doctors!
An announcement was made today about the discovery and approval of a vaccine for cervical cancer. This is HUUUUUUUUUUUUGE news because it is the first ever vaccine for any form of cancer EVER.
Instead of just posting an article about the new drug, I have linked to a Q&A administered by WedMd. Hopefully, this will inform you of all the ins and outs of this major medical coup.
Click here for cervical cancer vaccine info.
A Casting Message From Miss TLC
To all my aspiring actor readers......
There's a major motion picture shooting at the Nassau Coliseum this week and they're looking for some extras to work tomorrow, Friday, June 9th @ 10 AM
If you are between the ages of 20 - 35 and can play All-American concert goers, you should come on down!
Pay is $85 for the day and you must be prepared to stay and work 12 hours. You must also have 2 forms of ID, a social security number and valid driver's license or passport to get paid. You will fill out a voucher and the check will be mailed to you.
Please come dressed in nice, casual, concert-going clothes.
So, if you want to make some dough, see some movie stars, hear some great music, be in a major motion picture, have some great complimentary meals and maybe win some free stuff being raffled off....then show up tomorrow @ 10 AM.
When you arrive, you will need to line up outside the Nassau Coliseum at the Box Office entrance next to the Expo Center entrance.
The first 400 people can be in the movie.
When you check in, make sure to tell them that you were sent by the Coliseum Connection.
Good Luck!
Thursday, June 08, 2006
Skinny Mimi
Mariah Carey made an appearance last weekend @ Hot 97's Summer Jam concert in Giants Stadium and WHOA, she looked AMAZING.
Mariah received a lot of flak last New Year's Eve when she performed in Times Square in a silvery-skin-tight-bodysuit-showgirl-type getup. The press had a field day calling her fat. Mariah admitted that it made her feel terrible and therefore triggered her to embark on an intensive fitness regime that would hook her body up right.
In the past few months, Mimi has been photographed in even less clothes than she was known for wearing including spandex mini-dresses and bikinis. She has been looking real good but the Summer Jam appearance blew everyone away. She looked 10 years younger and happy. Check it out below.
She went from this:
Mariah @ New Year's Rockin' Eve (12/05)
To this:
Mariah @ Summer Jam (6/06)
Diddy's Divas
They might not have picked a group name yet OR released a single but nevermind all that, Diddy's girls are coming back for another season of Making The Band on June 15th!
This is how MTV.com describes the new season on their website:
"Making The Band is back for Season 3, and you better believe the drama runs deep. Five girls handpicked by Sean "Diddy" Combs for his all-new pop group live together in a luxury Soho loft as they record their first album and prepare to go on tour."
So I ask you, WHY don't they have a name??? Is it because Diddy wants the group to be simply called "Aubrey" and the other girls aren't really having that? LOL.
Chart Chat
Here are the top ten spots on this week's Top 200 Albums Chart:
1. DIXIE CHICKS "TAKING THE LONG WAY HOME" (271,179 units sold)
2. HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL "SOUNDTRACK" (102,822 units sold)
3. RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS "STADIUM ARCADIUM" (87,345 units sold)
4. RASCAL FLATTS "ME AND MY GANG" (78,882 units sold)
5. AMERICAN IDOL "SEASON 5: ENCORE" (67,577 units sold)
6. VARIOUS "NOW 21" (55,001 units sold)
7. TOOL "10000 DAYS" (54,889 units sold)
8. CARRIE UNDERWOOD "SOME HEARTS" (53,634 units sold)
9. JAMES BLUNT "BACK TO BEDLAM" (51,144 units sold)
10. SHAKIRA "ORAL FIXATION V2" (50,544 units sold)
# # #
The American Idol CD is still holding on strong and so is Carrie Underwood. Go 19 Recordings!!!
The Dixie Chicks also held on to the #1 spot for a second week with a respectable 271K units. This pushes the chicks to around 800K in sales which puts them on track to go platinum in 3-4 weeks.
And I have no words for the High School Musical Soundtrack. Someone must be playing a joke on me and the whole music industry.
Lot 'O Lotto Winners
Dylan McKay returns to TV tonight with NBC's "Windfall". The show looks like it could be really good. You can read all about it here. The storyline of 20 people winning a $386 million lottery is exciting when they promise to follow each person as their life changes considerably. However, the analyst in Miss TLC had to break this down and I came up with a confusing result.
If you win $386 million in a lottery, you are really only winning $190 million. The reason for this is that the lottery works as an investment. If you leave the money with them and let it grow at around a 6% rate per year over 20 years it will add up to $386 million in the end. However, at the time you win the jackpot, it's street value is around half of what they advertise. THEN, if you decide to take a lump sum payment instead of an annuity, it will get taxed at about a 48% rate.
Therefore, the jackpot in the "Windfall" has a face value of about $190 million from jump. Then, if they decide to take the lump sum payments, it comes out to around $10 million each (when divided by 20 people) and gets taxed by that 48% rate before they can take home a check. In the end, they would all be getting about $5 million. Don't get me wrong. Miss TLC could do A LOT with $5 million. However, they may have wanted to downgrade the cast a little and maybe make 5-10 people win the jackpot instead. Oh well. Too late.
Rapid Fire
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
Miss TLC Musical Recommendations
I am always getting requests for what are the best songs/albums out right now so I've decided to give y'all a taste of the hotness across many genres. I've listed two of the "must haves" from each genre with a one sentence description of each song. Some are older, some are really new. Some are out on CD already, some can only be purchased as a single off of iTunes. Either way, ALL of these are essential. I've also included vid clips of one song from each genre for your viewing pleasure.
ROCK:
Prince - "Fury"
A track off of his latest album 3121. His performance of this song on Saturday Night Live (below) in March was the best musical performance on the show EVER.
Arctic Monkeys - "I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor"
The definition of a buzz band, Arctic Monkeys have received a ton of press and critical acclaim. A British band who have been compared to other popular British buzz bands Baby Shambles and Hard-Fi, Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not is their debut effort and "I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor" is their first official single.
ELECTRONICA:
Paul Oakenfold ft. Brittany Murphy - "Faster Kill Pussycat"
A track off of his latest album A Lively Mind. The actress Brittany Murphy really sings on the track and is featured heavily in the video (below).
Psapp - "Cosy In The Rocket"
A snippet of this track was used as the Grey's Anatomy theme song. The opening theme music segment was hardly ever shown in the second season but you can get this song on the show's soundtrack.
ALTERNATIVE ROCK:
Keane - "Somewhere Only We Know"
An instant classic. This song was released on the band's debut album Hopes & Fears back in 2004. However, it's just as popular now as it was back then. It is commonly used in emotional movie and TV show scenes (like the current "The Lake House" movie trailer) and it is so unbelievably beautiful. The band's performance of this track on Saturday Night Live helped the album explode in sales. It's a difficult song to sing but the lead singer, Tom Chaplin, nailed it live on the show with ease. I've included their live performance of the song on Live 8 below.
The Fray - "Over My Head (Cable Car)"
A current MTV favorite. The song is from their debut album How To Save A Life.
R&B:
Cassie - "Me and You"
A new artist released through Bad Boy Records by way of Next Selection (the furnishing company). She's young, she's pretty, she can dance, and she's got a hot first single in "Me and You". Now if only she can keep it up... :) You can watch the video below.
Megan Rochell - "Floating"
Another new, young, pretty girl except this one is signed to Def Jam. Her first single "The One You Need" featuring Fabulous is blowing up on the radio but this track is a nice mid-tempo relaxing follow-up. Her debut album has not been released yet but is due to come out with the title You, Me & The Radio.
POP:
Nelly Furtado - "Promiscuous Girl"
The first single off of her Loose album (due to be released on June 20). Timbaland produced the track, duets on the song, and appears in the video (below). Justin Timberlake also makes a cameo in the video towards the end. This song is also being used in the current Verizon campaign.
Gnarls Barkley - "Smiley Faces"
This is from the debut album from the duo made up of Cee-Lo (of Goodie Mob fame) and DJ Danger Mouse (the famous producer behind the Jay-Z/Beatles bootleg release "The Gray Album"). The album is entitled St. Elsewhere and if you don't have it, you are seriously missing out.
RAP:
T.I. - "Why You Wanna"
The second single off of his platinum plus King album. The video (below) is hot and was directed by his regular man-behind-the-camera Chris Robinson.
Remy Ma ft. Ne-Yo - "Feels So Good"
This is the second single off Remy's debut album There's Something About Remy. Ne-Yo's voice is always hot so he definitely adds the fire to this hip-hop love song.
So that's it folks. Notice how I didn't mention Paris Hilton or Christina Aguilera's new tracks? Yep, there's a reason for that.
A Miss TLC Movie Review: "The Break-Up"
"The Break-Up" is a great movie. I went to see it this past weekend even though I was slightly put off by the critical negativity. Usually I don't take what professional movie critics say to heart (since I know there are a lot of politics involved as well as personal opinion) but I was nervous about this movie myself beforehand anyway. After the horrific showing of a vehicle called "Gigli", couples movies have gotten a bad rap. Vaughn and Aniston fell in love while filming this movie and that could make for some great chemistry or something that just falls flat on screen. Luckily for Vaughniston, the former is true for them. I wasn't sure about them as a couple before (wasn't sure if they complimented each other and if they really looked good together) but I can safely say after watching this film that I love them together (and that means A LOT coming from me since I'd love Vincey for myself). The acting is strong and believable from everyone involved in the film and the story is SOOOOOO realistic. EV-ER-Y couple that lives together will laugh, blush, or cringe during some of the scenes in this movie. In fact Jeffrey Lyons (from NBC's "Reel Talk") joked that his side was still hurting him a couple days after going to see this movie with his wife because she kept elbowing him throughout the flick.
Unfortunately, after the success of such films as "Wedding Crashers", "Old School", and the cult favorite "Swingers", Vince Vaughn is associated with raucous comedy. The trailer for "The Break-Up" does make it seem like a joke-per-minute movie but it's actually much more poignant than you'd think. Yes, there are some very funny scenes. For instance, Vaughn and his "Swingers" co-star Jon Favreau have some GREAT dialogue together and fans of the duo will be excited to see them together again for the first time since 2001's "Made".
In the end, the movie is actually a powerful depiction of a waning relationship. It is truthful and real and Vince's erratic style of quick talk peppered with funny random lines is almost always present so there are many hard laughs as well. I definitely recommend that you go see this movie REGARDLESS of what some critics have said. After all, it did come in at #1 in the box office this past weekend and made $39.2 million so it definitely didn't "Gigli" (used as a verb).
Interesting MISS TLC tidbit: Joey Lauren Adams stars in this film as Jennifer Aniston's best friend (whom she goes to for advice on her relationship with Vince). Many people don't know that Joey and Vince dated for some time and even lived together for a while years ago. Vince had a hand in writing and producing "the Break-Up" as well as starring in it so he clearly had a hand in giving Joey this role as well (because she hasn't been in anything for a while so what are the chances she randomly landed this part on her own?). Either way, it's nice to see that they are still friends but weird that Jen was working with Vince's ex on a film where she played Vince's girlfriend and then Vince's ex while she was actually becoming his real-life girlfriend during the course of filming. Did you get all that? ;)
School Them
We wonder why our youth is so clueless when it comes to infectious diseases and unwanted pregnancies. The problem is that they are not getting proper sex education in school. I understand that some parents may disagree with their children learning too much while in school but I tend to believe that those same parents would disagree even more with their child NOT learning anything and coming home with a baby at 14 or 15 years old (or even worse, a disease).
Proper sex education is a must in this world. Excuses about limited budgets or staff shortages are not acceptable. In the meantime, please educate your children. It's definitely worth it in the end.
You can read all about what I'm talking about here.
Go Nicole! Go Nicole!
UsMagazine.com has posted the following to their website as their latest "Hot Hollywood Poll". This is the first time I've seen such a HUGE difference in the results. 80% is almost a landslide. 
Uh Oh
BRANGELINA PICTURE LEAKED!!! ALERT THE AUTHORITIES!!!
Honestly, the mad rush for pictures of a famous baby are a bit much. First of all, many babies look alike in their first weeks AND almost all of them change considerably during their first year. I understand Brad and Angie are extremely famous and both commonly referred to as two of the most beautiful people in the world but am I DYING to see what their baby looks like? Absolutely not. I'm curious to see what she'll look like when she's like 14, but I really don't care now.
HOWEVER, I understand that whenever the press builds something up SO much, most of the public has no choice but to get hysterical about it. "SHOW US SHILOH!!!!!!", the whole world is screaming. But Brad and Angie wanted it done on their own terms (which is pretty much what all smart celebs are subject to doing at this point because once you release a picture to a major magazine, you alleviate the pressure from the papparazzi outside your house). They sold the U.S. rights to People Magazine for upwards of $4 million. I commend them for that ONLY BECAUSE it was all going to charity. That's an amazing charitable contribution and it will be used for many good deeds. Unfortunately for the Jolie-Pitts, paparazzis everywhere were not happy about this development. The Mr. & Mrs. were able to negotiate deals all over the world for different amounts so that their take in the end would be closer to $20 million. However, all of the deals are contigent on EXCLUSIVES, meaning the pictures are definitely not worth that much if everyone's seen them already.
The following is an excerpt from a Reuters article on the leak:
LONDON, England (Reuters) -- The celebrity magazine Hello! launched legal action on Wednesday against Internet sites that printed a leaked exclusive shot of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt with their infant daughter.
Just as People magazine announced it had landed exclusive North American rights to the first pictures of the baby, an image of the newborn Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt and her parents popped up on at least two Web sites as the cover shot for Hello!
"We were very shocked and horrified to see that this embargo has been breached," Juliet Herd feature editor for Hello! Magazine, which sells in Britain, Spain, Turkey, Russia, Dubai, Thailand and Greece, told Reuters.
You can read the full article here.
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
A Sopranos Q&A
"The Sopranos" are now on hiatus again until January. I thought Sunday's episode was great. There was so much to devour and I am not one of those barbaric peeps who need constant killings to keep me tuned in (so I am not going to write a negative review with the main complaint that no one was whacked).
This show has been for a long time and there was enough crazy bloodshed in the past to pull the viewership in before delving deeply into each character's psyche. Tony has been so complex and conflicted this season that it really seems as if he is finally aware. He is not shoving anything under the rug any longer. He is in touch with his feelings and it is pissing him off. He is loyal to his wife (to an extent) and he's mad about it. He is doing good things for his son despite the fact that he says he hates him. And most of all, he has seen the other side (literally) and doesn't want to go back before becoming a better person. He is trying to become a calmer, non-violent human being but it's hard when his crew counts on him to make powerful decisions in a quick complex serious
I am fully aware that many writers, watchers, fans, and random folks have complaints about this season. I thought this post would be much more constructive if I just took the time to answer some questions that I know a lot of you and your friends have been asking rather than just cheerlead the show. So here we go...
***
RANDOM FOLKS: Why would Agent Harris tell Tony that someone was going to be whacked in his crew?
MISS TLC: It's actually illegal for the Feds to allow a murder to happen when they know something about it beforehand. Yes, this show still used creative license in the way they portrayed the interaction between Soprano and Harris. It was as if Harris was baiting Tony to do something violent about it before his own guy got whacked, but this kind of relationship does exist between Feds and mobsters. Believe that.
***
RANDOM FOLKS: Why would they make Tony call a truce with Phil while he's in the hospital after viciously fighting all season?
MISS TLC: There are two possibilities here. One - Tony started off on the right path after getting out of the hospital at the beginning of the season. He wanted to be a better person and actively tried to diffuse angry and violent situations from occurring. However, it was inevitable as time went on that he would be once again surrounded by criminal acts of violence. Stealing the wine and shooting at the biker guys, ordering the hit on Vito (which Phil infringed upon anyway), agreeing to off Rusty, walking in on two of his men and a dead body (Dom from the NY crew in Satriale's), etc., all took a toll on him. But it really took Phil landing in the hospital for him to snap back into a recollection of the purgatory he existed in while in the coma. It definitely scared him (as he admitted to Phil) and it was a reality check of sorts. He wanted to get back on a straight path and thought the best way to do so would be to call a truce with Phil since all of the tension and violence this season was between the two crews. Two - It makes for a better storyline. It's very possible that they will kill off Phil in the hospital at the beginning of the next 8 episodes, and then no one will ever know of Tony's plea. Instead, Phil's men will enact violence on someone in Tony's crew right away and Tony will have no choice but to fire back and abandon his nicer, softer life.
***
RANDOM FOLKS: Why did so much stuff look like it was edited so shoddily this season (and especially in this episode)?
MISS TLC: Two of the show's longtime writers (Robin Green & Mitchell Burgess) left the show on bad terms in the middle of Season 6 so there had to be a lot of scrambling on David Chase & Co.'s end trying to piece together what they already had in the can and where he still wanted to show to go. He has admitted himself that he wasn't satisfied with this bunch of episodes and that's why he agreed to shoot 8 more after originally saying this would be the end. He knew there was a lot more that had to be done for the characters. It definitely explains major plotlines starting out without ever being revisited (like Artie Bucco, the credit card scam, and his beef with Benny). My guess is that they took the show on location to New Hampshire (or wherever they really filmed the Vito stuff) and shot a ton of stuff before returning and realizing they were going to be ass out for a while (without those two major writers) so Chase decided to really flesh out the gay Spatafore storyline since he had so much material. Then I'm sure new writers came on staff and started to get into the swing of things just as the season was supposed to end. Therefore, there seem to be a lot of little plotlines crammed into the last few episodes. I could be wrong but I'm usually right. (Just joking.)
***
RANDOM FOLKS: Why were they off with the seasons this time around? It's Christmastime in Jersey?
MISS TLC: Well, if you recall all the previous two seasons took almost a year and a half to come back after hiatus. If you don't recall, I've listed the original air dates of ALL seasons below to orchestrate my point...
Season 1: 1/99 - 4/99
Nine months later...
Season 2: 1/00 - 4/00
Eleven months later...
Season 3: 3/01 - 5/01
Sixteen months later...
Season 4: 9/02 - 12/02
Sixteen months later...
Season 5: 3/04 - 6/04
Twenty-one months later...
Season 6: 3/06 - 6/06
If Chase/HBO were planning on following the same formula for Season 6 that they used between Seasons 3 & 4 and Seasons 4 & 5, then the first show should've debuted in October '05 instead of March '06. There were some contract disputes with the actors and Chase himself while they were also trying to figure out when the show would end. Once they missed the original deadline for getting the show on in late '05, I believe it got pushed back to HBO's next open scheduling date in early '06. If the show had come on in October, then this past Sunday's episode would've come on in late December/early January making the holiday theme more relatable.
***
RANDOM FOLKS: Why throw in that whole eleventh hour storyline with A.J. and Blanca?
MISS TLC: Because the whole season showed A.J. as an asshole. He was a lazy loser who fought with his parents about everything. He did not want to grow up and he continued to act childish and silly with his friends rather than look for a real job and take responsibility for anything. By putting him with Blanca, we instantly saw another side of A.J. You couldn't really hate him after seeing him deal with the hoods outside Blanca's apartment WITHOUT resorting to violence. That's a REALLY big deal considering his entire life is plagued with it. You also could not hate A.J. when he picked up Hector in his house on Christmas and spoke to him in a sweet, fatherly manner. He also seemed to shy away from Tony's lifestyle when the boys were teasing him about the necklace he bought for his girl. Tony said "You should've told me, I got a guy" and A.J. automatically replied "I got a job". It showed amazing growth in A.J. and demonstrated to the viewers that A.J. was not above maturity, he just needed to fall in love to find it.
And "at least she's Catholic." ;)
***
Hopefully that has cleared up some confusion for my readers. Please feel free to send this out to your friends and colleagues who have inquired about the show as well. I love to be of assistance! :)
Random Question
WHY was "Cruel Intentions" on the ABC Family channel the other night?!?!?!? Ummm...I LOVE that movie but there is nothing "family" about it. ESPECIALLY not when the following lines are uttered...
***
Blaine Tuttle: He used to sneak into my dorm room drunk every month. We'd go at it for a little while, and then, as soon as he'd come, he'd start freaking out. "What are you doing, man? I'm not a fag. If you tell anybody, I'm gonna kick your ass!" God. The only reason I let him keep up the charade is because the man's got a mouth like a hoover. Ooh!
***
Kathryn: Sebastian, that little wager you mentioned earlier. Count me in.
Sebastian: What are the terms?
Kathryn: If I win, then that hot little car of yours is mine.
Sebastian: And if I win?
Kathryn: I'll give you something you've been obsessing about ever since our parents got married.
Sebastian: Be more specific.
Kathryn: In English, I'll fuck your brains out.
Sebastian: What makes you think I'll go for that bet? That is a 1956 Jaguar Roadster.
Kathryn: Because I'm the only girl you can't have, and it kills you.
Sebastian: Put it away
Kathryn: You can put in anywhere.
Sebastian: [Bites his lip] You've got yourself a bet, baby.
[they shake hands and Sebastian exits]
Kathryn: Happy hunting, Sebastian.
***
Kathryn: The parental units called while you were out.
Sebastian: How IS your gold-digging whore of a mother enjoying Bali?
Kathryn: She suspects your impotent, alcoholic father is diddling the maid.
Sebastian: Good.
***
Kathryn: I wanna FUCK!
Sebastian: And I don't.
***
The cable stations are getting out of control lately. A lot of them don't stick to their original format AT ALL anymore. ABC Family playing "Cruel Intentions"? What's next? American Movie Classics (AMC) playing "Twins"??? Oh wait. I spoke too soon. That Arnold Schwarzenegger/Danny DeVito gem is actually being shown on that channel @ 10pm EST tonight. SUCH a classic.
DMX Has To Be Kidding Me
He got arrested AGAIN for traffic violations??? He must really love going to court. Why else would you constantly get arrested over such stupid shit? Driving around without a license, speeding, AND not wearing a seatbelt??? EVER?!!?!? I understand it maybe happening once...maybe twice...but NEVER more than that. At least put your seatbelt on and make sure you have your license on you if you are going to speed. (PLEASE NOTE, THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF MISS TLC DOES NOT CONDONE SPEEDING BY ANYONE.)
Anyway, you can read all about it here.
Reeves Opens Up
From today's NY Post......
June 6, 2006 -- KEANU Reeves has suffered more than his share of tragedy, with his baby being stillborn at 8 months and the baby's mother dying in a car crash. "Damn it! It's not fair!" he tells Dotson Rader in Sunday's Parade magazine. "When the people you love are gone, you're alone. I miss being a part of their lives and them being a part of mine." Reeves, an admitted loner, also discusses his upbringing - his father abandoned the family, his mother moved around a lot and married a number of times. "I'm trying not to be alone so much. And, man, it's a struggle. I want to get married. I want to have kids . . . I'll do it. Just give me some time."
MISS TLC SAYS: Wow. I'm floored. That's really a terrible tragedy having your baby die and then her mother. I really feel bad for Keanu. Unfortunately, it doesn't change the fact that he's one of the worst actors ever. I'm not trying to be mean. I genuinely feel horrible about those tragic events. I just wanted to also mention that he couldn't act his way out of a paper bag if he tried. Lucky for him, he didn't need to show much emotion for "The Matrix". That saved him for a while.
Monday, June 05, 2006
Pharrell Fa Real
Pharrell Williams was supposed to release a solo album a looooooong time ago. Now I love me some Pharrell. I love The Neptunes' production. I love a lot of stuff from N.E.R.D. (including "Lap Dance", "Rock Star", "Maybe", "She Wants To Move" and several others). I love when Pharrell does hooks for other people. And I loved "Frontin" (his first song where he was just singing through the whole thing). However, his song with Gwen Stefani ("Can I Have It Like That?") came out a WHILE ago and that was supposed to be his first single from his long awaited solo effort. It didn't really take off at radio or anywhere else for that matter so the record label sent another follow-up single to radio to test (which they usually do if your first release doesn't really hit). The problem was that the second song they sent to radio was "Angel". If you never heard that one, it's probably for the better. See, Pharrell originally claimed that his album was going to be a half and half effort with half being him as a rapper and half being him as an R&B singer. "Can I Have It Like That?" was supposedly the "rap" single and "Angel" was the R&B single.
Ok, like I said above, I generally love Pharrell's hooks (which usually involve Pharrell's singing) but he is not really a GOOD singer. He is more of a cute, play, half-sexy, half-cocky singer. It works to an extent when most of the notes are off-key because you don't really take him seriously that way. But apparently HE takes himself seriously that way. "Angel" was...how should I put this...terrible. It did worse than "Can I Have It Like That?" and the label was nervous. They then did what most labels do when they aren't sure an album is in the best shape to come out, they "pushed it back". That means that the release date was changed to another date further down the line. This album went from November, to January, to February, to TBD. TBD means that it is indefinitely shelved for the time being. Either the artist wants to retool some of the tracks (because it's been so long since they recorded them that their opinions on the records have changed) or the label wants the tracks retooled. I'm not really sure what happened between Interscope and Pharrell in this case but either way, we are all winners in the end because we have now received "Number 1" as Pharrell's third first single. :) It includes a lil bit of Pharrell singing, a lil bit of Pharrell rapping, a lil bit of Pharrell calling in a star friend (Kanye West), and lil bit of Pharrell acting cute and sexy in the video. Pharrell sings the verses but it's his "Frontin" singing style which is hot...and makes me want to kiss him. LOL. Seriously though, Pharrell could get it from me after watching this video. I'M JUST JOKING. Well...my "partner-in-crime fellow NYC socialite T. Coles" knows how I really feel about Mr. Williams. ;)
Either way, the video is really nice. I really enjoy Kanye's verse and ad-libs on the song too but his skin-tight clothes in the video confuse me. Kanye was cool when he was rocking the Lacoste shirts and preppy look and then again with his sharp "Jesus Walks" and "Gold Digger" suits but I don't know what's up with his new look. Lately, he's either wearing a neckerchief like Jesse James, his shirts opened down to his belly like Fabio, or skin tight leather jackets and v-neck sweaters like someone straight out of "Saturday Night Fever". It just doesn't work for me.
Check out the video below:
A Random Question 4 "America's Next Top Model"
How could this person win one year?
And then this person win the following year?
This person...
Then this person...
Winner Season 3...
Winner Season 4...
It just doesn't seem right to me......
Now before you go saying two OTHER people have won since then (Season 5 and Season 6), I know that. It's just that Naima and Eva hit the party scene more than any of the other winners so I see a lot of pics of them floating around day in and day out. And they are night and day.
Oh well.
Friday, June 02, 2006
Even More Celeb Lookalikes
Actor/Director/All-Around Sex Symbol George Clooney and American Idol Taylor Hicks:
Actor and Katie Holmes' ex Chris Klein and Uh...Kevin Federline:
Late Night Talk Show Host/Emmy Awards MC/One Of My Faves Conan O'Brien and Fast Food Icon Bob's Big Boy Mascot: 
What Happened To Katie Holmes?
Looking back, I never thought of Katie Holmes as a looker (I guess because I always associated her with the plain jane Joey Potter). But in searching for some Chris Klein pics to compare to the K-Fed-Up-With-You ones above, I naturally came across a lot of the two of them together attending events back in the day. And then it all came back to me. There was a time (post-Dawson's and pre-Tom) that Katie was actually a fashionista-in-the-making. She called Carolina Herrara her fairy godmother and walked the red carpet looking together and stylish. So why does she look like such a mess lately? And don't tell me it's because she just had a child. You can refer to pics of Heidi Klum, Madonna, and I'm sure Gwen Stefani and Angelina Jolie soon enough and see that that doesn't have to be your fate after giving birth. Anyway, I don't have an answer for ya. Just wanted to put it out there.
Before:
After:
Before:
After:
A Personal Shout-Out
One of my very best friends in the whole wide world is embarking on a new career path today and I just wanted to take a moment to wish her well, congratulate her on a fine choice, and tell her that I can't wait to test the goodies!
In case you haven't guessed already (by the goodies comment and the picture of the paper hat to the right), she has decided to train to become a chef and is enrolled at the French Culinary Institute starting today.
About a year ago, I could hardly cook an egg. It was something I was famous for: not cooking. However, I became a nutrition maniac sometime last summer and therefore started to cook (since the healthiest way to eat is to make light fare with organic ingredients in your own home!). Soon after, I was making molten lava cakes, eggplant lasagna, ricotta crepes, and raspberry oatmeal bars in healthy versions (amongst many other things). I started to watch the Food Network and "Top Chef" obsessively and became a regular at Williams-Sonoma.
I say all this to say that I admire chefs IMMENSELY and I am fascinated by this trade. So Nicole, do your thang girl and you'll be opening your own restaurant soon enough!!!
What Are You Wearing?
It's time to introduce yet another new feature on The Wonderful World of Miss TLC. What Are You Wearing will periodically appear when I see someone in a getup so bizarre or wrong that I just HAVE to snap a pic and get it up here for educational purposes. In other words, I need to educate my readers as to what's acceptable and what's just plain ridiculous.
This idea just happened to pop into my head this morning while waiting for the bus near a 40-something year old woman in knee length shorts, a floppy hat, plain glasses, and a sleeveless t-shirt that simply said "Just Do Me" (written in the same font as Nike). I'll give you time to laugh.
Ok. So I didn't get a chance to snap a pic of that one since she was crossing the street rather quickly but I DID happen to get one of someone else I saw about an hour later in a local Starbucks. Yes, two in one day! That's when I just knew I had to do this feature.
I know this is NYC. I know we are an eclectic bunch and I actually revel in that fact. I tend to view myself as "Carrie Bradshaw Lite" myself. I like to experiment with different looks and I love accessories, fashion, and especially shoes. I will take some risks, but some things are just too bizarre for public vieweing. I know this. Unfortunately, others do not.
In the future, I might just post a pic with the title "What Are You Wearing?" and leave it at that (kinda like my "No Comment" feature). But in some cases, I might have to say something.
Like with this:
Ok, I know it rained hard last night in NYC but are the knee-high rain boots really necessary? We aren't in the swamplands after all. But in addition to the boots, must you show off the rest of your thigh with them? If the weather's that bad, and you are trying to protect more of your leg than the average boot covers, then why would you expose more skin? It's not that hot. And what's with the suspenders over the wifebeater tank? Are you a fireman? If that's the case, then you might want to get some sort of protective gear on your legs pronto. Short shorts are not going to protect you in the fires.
DISCLAIMER: Please know that all of this is said in jest. Faces and heads have been removed from the pictures in order to protect identities (kinda like the black line across the eyes thing you see in many fashion magazines...I'm just taking it a step further and being extra cautious...I am only critiquing the clothes, not the person). If by chance, you are the person in this pic and you want it removed, please contact me and I will do so immediately. :)
Talk About The Mile HIGH Club
Pete Doherty, the embattled lead singer of the group Babyshambles (and the ex-boyfriend of Kate Moss who was commonly blamed for her own coke scandal) gets arrested CONSTANTLY. (If you are more of a hip-hop/R&B kinda person, then you can consider him the UK Bobby Brown. I know Bobby hasn't been arrested in a while but he had quite a run a few years ago so that's what I'm going by.)
Unfortunately, he almost had a perfect record of one arrest per month in 2006 but then blew it by ONE DAY and got arrested on June 1st instead of May 31st. Oh Pete!!!
The interesting thing about Petey is that no one can ever call him boring. His arrests generally revolve around his wretched and intense drug problem, however, they vary in dimension. Sometimes he gets arrested in a car with drugs. Sometimes he gets arrested coming out of a courthouse and buying crack. Sometimes he gets arrested for shooting drugs into a sleeping girl and taking a picture of it. Sometimes he gets arrested for leaving bloody needles in an airplane bathroom......yes, that was the latest arrest people. You can read all about it here.
Thursday, June 01, 2006
"The Price Is Wrong Bitch" (from Happy Gilmore)
Last night on CBS, a new program debuted called "Game Show Marathon". Now see I'm a game show LOV-ER. I seriously can watch the Game Show Network for hours. I am a much bigger fan of the older stuff rather than the newer ones though (meaning I'd rather watch The Newlywed Game as opposed to Greed) but one of my all-time faves is The Price Is Right (tied neck and neck with Press Your Luck). If you know me, you know I even play The Price Is Right nickel slots in a casino. It's that deep. They only come in nickels people. And I still play them. Just for the chance to spin the big wheel or play Plinko. LOL.
Anyway, I didn't know what this "Game Show Marathon" was about but they mentioned The Price Is Right last night so I tuned in. Whoa. It was sacrilege. First of all, Ricki Lake was the host. Now I loved me some Ricki back in the day ("Go Ricki! Go Ricki!") but her doing Bob's job??? WTF is that??? She was on the stage trying to say Bob's lines and it just wasn't working for me. It was awkward but not as awkward as it was to watch the players and the audience. THEY WERE ALL B-LIST CELEBS. Yes. Not that I don't like the people that were there but it was mucho strange to see Kathy Najimy, Leslie Nielsen, Tim Meadows, Lance Bass, Paige Davis, and Brande Roderick (are you kidding me?) in contestant's row. They were all overacting and trying to be extra funny for the cameras and it was just awful. What was worse was the fact that they got to play some of the best games on the show (including Plinko - damn u Paige!!!) and they acted like idiots doing it. I mean seriously, it's PLINKO - ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS GAME SHOW GAMES EVER AND YOU ARE JUST TOSSING THE CHIPS DOWN THE BOARD HAPHAZARDLY LIKE YOU DON'T EVEN CARE TO WIN THE $20,000!!! They spun the big wheel lazily, they didn't understand what it meant when they went "over", they weren't sure who had the best bid in contestant's row, and they didn't even understand the Showcase Showdown prizes.
Brande Roderick (who ended up winning by the way) actually asked upon seeing her showcase which included a hot tub, a boat, and a trip to Australia if the trip to Australia was on the boat or by plane. Yes, Brande, you are going to hop aboard your sailboat and head for Australia. You should make it there in SEVEN MONTHS. LOL. Better yet, she kept asking "But wait, is the trip to Australia by boat?" and Ricki replied "No, you win A boat and A trip to Australia separately" so then Brande asked again "Yes, but is the trip by boat or by plane?". Ok, Brande, you might find this hard to believe but there is no direct boat to Australia from L.A. True, there are Australian cruises. And true there are plenty of ports with ships that go directly to Australia and New Zealand.........FROM AFRICA. You'd have to fly to South Africa, or Singapore, or somewhere else far, far, away in order to get there in the first place. OR you can fly to Australia and then take a cruise around to Auckland, and Sydney, and New Zealand also. Silly girl.
But anyway, the show had me feeling bad for Bob who MUST HAVE been in front of a TV somewhere with a scotch in his hand, a Barker's Beauty on his lap, and a sneer on his face muttering "THIS SHIT IS A TRAINWRECK". The most cringe-worthy moment of all though was when Ricki Lake actually grinned like the cat who ate the canary at the end and said "This is Ricki Lake asking you to help control the pet population. Have your pets spayed or neutered. Bye bye." Whatever bitch.
Mind you, I've said all of the above "tongue-in-cheek" and in jest. I don't have anything against Ricki (except that she is NOT Bob Barker) and the actual concept of the WHOLE show (which I found out later on) is actually interesting. Over the course of seven shows, those same celebs will take part in a tournament which includes one game of The Price Is Right, one game of Let's Make A Deal, one game of Beat The Clock, one game of Press Your Luck, one game of Card Sharks, one game of Match Game, and one game of Family Feud. They are all playing for charities of course (even though I think Paige should be playing for herself, no? AGAIN, JOKING) and CBS is running a contest where a lucky winner at home can win what the celebs win on the show. Considering I told you all already that old shows are my faves and that is what they are playing, I am EXTRA-SPECIAL JELLY (jealous for those of you who don't know TLC-speak). Why wasn't I called for this? Miss TLC is getting to be a qualified celeb, no? ;) I would've LOVE LOVE LOVED the opportunity to play any and all of those games. (So PS - if you work for any game shows and the contestant casting department, PLEASE contact me ASAP. Miss TLC would love to do The Price Is Right, Whammy (the new version of Press Your Luck), Family Feud, Jeopardy, Lingo, Wheel Of Fortune, and/or Deal Or No Deal. Just hit me on the email.)
Also, you can check out the full schedule and all the info about Game Show Marathon here.
Lisa Turtle Does NOT Do Drugs
Former Saved by the Bell star Lark Voorhies has filed suit against the National Enquirer, claiming a story published last summer alleging that she was battling a cocaine addiction was libelous and untrue. Holy Moly!!! I don't read the National Enquirer so I didn't see the story (although my dearly departed amazing grandmother used to LOVE it so I used to read her copies when visiting back in the day - peace and love goes out to the beautiful Alice).
Generally, stories published in the tabs (as they call them) always have a grain of truth in them. Celebs will try to tell you differently but that's only because they have a secret pact when entering the world of stardom that they will always refer to tabloids are silly, false, and full of lies. Obviously, the celebrities themselves get more face time in front of cameras than the editors of the mags so they can get the message out to more people, but I'm here to tell ya that it ain't always the case. Think about it. Almost all of the stories (well, a good portion of them) are announced in the tabloids months before the star's people admit that they are in fact true. It's like they are just pissed that the announcement was made without them (see Anna Nicole story below) so they deny deny deny until they . Brad and Angelina dating, Britney's pregnant again, Whitney Houston's on drugs, Nick and Jessica are divorcing, Jen and Vince are a couple, Denise Richie is dating her best friend's ex, Nicole Richie is anorexic, they have all been broken in the tabs months before the celebs themselves start to admit it. But I digress.
There are definitely times when the tabs are totally off as well as is with the current "Elizabeth Taylor has Alzheimer's" story also recently run in the Enquirer. So with this Lark Voorhies story, I do believe they were off. Usually, the telling sign that something is wrong is when the celeb will actually file a lawsuit. No self-respecting celebrity is going to bother with a public lawsuit if they know they are in the wrong. They are smart enough to know that in the age of the internet and thesmokinggun.com, the court preceedings will be made public and before long everyone will know that they are lying (if they are). So naturally lawsuits = false story.
And besides, everyone knows that it was Jessie Spano who took the drugs, not Lisa Turtle.
Remember this?
"Put your mind to it, go for it, get down and break a sweat
Rock and roll, you ain't seen nothing yet
Mind to it, go for it, get down and break a sweat
Rock and roll, you ain't seen nothing yet"
(Yes, that was from Jessie, Lisa, and Kelly's singing group Hot Sundaes in the same episode that Jessie chugs the caffeine pills.)
And I Thought I Was An Idol Fan
A man in Plattsburgh, NY struck his Mom in the head with a sharpened, cross-shaped object attached to a bicycle chain......
......because of a disagreement over American Idol. Yeah, I know. Go back and read that again. I'll wait.
His Mom apparently upset him when she said she thought Katharine McPhee would still have a successful career despite losing to Taylor Hicks.
I guess he didn't want her to.
You can read all about it here.
This Is Great
US Weekly Magazine did a "What The Stars Will Look Like In 20 Years" feature and I think they are right on the money for all of them. Instead of using digital photo technology to actually alter the pics (which other sites and publications have done in the past), they choose another older celeb to represent the future. Loves it.
Here is one example:
Click here to view the rest.
Speaking Of Anna Nicole......
You may have heard the recent rumors that she is pregnant. Up until yesterday, the story wasn't that fleshed out and so I never mentioned anything about it. Anna already has a 20-year old son from a two year long marriage back in the 80s. There were no children born from her 10-month marriage to her 89-year old husband J. Howard Marshall II. Big surprise.
Either way, Anna always mentioned back in the day on her E! Online reality show that she hadn't had sex in years and was desperate for a date. I definitely believed her because, after all, she looked like this back then and that was her crew with her (the blue-haired assistant, the obsessive attorney, and her grown son):
Not that there isn't someone out there for everyone but if you combine that person with a lot of slurring words, incoherent babbling, silly giggling, and vapid stares, it makes the whole package even harder to "set up" with someone. :)
Needless to say, Anna doesn't look like that anymore. Thanks to Trimspa, or a certain white powder (I'M KIDDING!!!), she is now hot to trot. I really believe she is beautiful. She is just unfortunately still famous for the slurring words, incoherent babbling, silly giggling and vapid stares. However, it's a lot more tolerable when the person looks like this:
Anyway, I believe that she may have finally started having sex again so being pregnant is not far-fetched. It is supposed to be a "secret" though until Anna is ready to announce the information herself (according to an exclusive news item on TMZ.com). Unfortunately for Anna and her team (see the blue-haired assistant and the obsessive attorney above), the supposed baby daddy is already running his mouth. He wasn't going to say anything at first but also "didn't deny it". But then because of a dispute with Anna's attorney/secret admirer, he opened his trap.
You can read all about the juicy details here.
