Okay, okay, so of course after last year's Halftime Show by the one and only Madge, how can I not be a little critical of Beyonce's performance tonight. Yes, it was entertaining and yes, it was nice to see Kelly and Michele join Bey onstage for the first time in a long time, but that's pretty much where the good stuff ended for me and most people.
I watched the show from a friend's house where the Halftime Show WAS the Super Bowl for the four of us, and for the most part we all enjoyed it, but like many others, I'm sure, it was a little disappointing. As would be expected, the show was glitzy and glamorous, and the special effects were amazing. Bey kicked off the set with an acapella version of her 4 song, Love On Top, before kicking in the high energy with the frenzied Crazy In Love.
Next came the crescendoing opening to another 4 song, End of Time. For me, this was a great choice, but even the folks I was watching it with weren't too familiar with the pleasant, upbeat tune because it was never much of a hit outside the circle of Beyonce fans. Some very cool special effects followed as Sean Paul's voice echoed through the stadium doing his part in Baby Boy. The singer's image became multiplied five-fold as she got down and dirty to this former smash.
Kelly, can you handle this
Michelle, can you handle this...
As expected, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams materialized onstage as the music segued to the opening of Bootylicious, andthe three girls seemed to revert right back to Destiny's Child 2001 without missing a beat. Kelly and Michelle remained onstage to help Bey out with her biggest smash, Single Ladies, before fading off stage as the star of the evening segued into her moving Halo to finish off the set.
Watching it a second time gave me a better appreciation for the performance, though the critique I heard within my little circle still rings true: that the choices of song from both her solo and group catalog could've been a smidgen better. I would've loved to have heard Get Me Bodied or Run the World (Girls), and Jumpin Jumpin, for sure. Ah well, bottom line it was enjoyable, great choreography and lots of energy, and there's no doubt that Ms. B did sing!
This morning, celebrity blogger Perez Hilton shared some leaked information he dug up about Madonna's set list for her upcoming "M.D.N.A." World Tour, and for Madonna fans it's pretty exciting. Here are some of the highlights, according to Hilton:
The show will open up with religious undertones, replete with chants and coupled with the singer's intro "Act of Contrition" segueing into "Girl Gone Wild." Lyrics to "Material Girl" are gonna be worked in (interesting!).
Reworked versions of "Open Your Heart" (perhaps similar too what she did with it at Super Bowl?), "Papa Don't Preach" and "Hung Up" (mixed with "I Don't Give A...") are included, as well as the songs "Revolver," "Gang Bang," and a new William Orbit remix of "Justify My Love."
I'm sure that this is but a sampling of what to expect, but having seen Madge in concert on more than several occasions, I'm sure all of it is gonna be hella cool! I'll be seeing her twice in September at Yankee Stadium (and perhaps again at MSG in November!) and I can't wait!
For the rest of the story, check out Perez' post here.
To get a taste of what a Madonna show is all about, check out the opening sequence to her "Sticky and Sweet Tour" from 2008:
It's a snowy Saturday morning and I feel a rant coming on...
Fingers and birds
It all started on Thursday when I read this headline on Yahoo:
M.I.A. could be in breach of contract for lewd act during Super Bowl halftime show
During the "Gimme All Your Luvin" segment of Madonna's Super Bowl Halftime performance last Sunday, rapper M.I.A. flipped the proverbial bird, and this Yahoo news item was the first I'd seen or heard of the incident, even though I'd watched the performance a few times on my DVR. The crux of the article, of course, was speculation whether or not the NFL would fine M.I.A. for her 'crude move,' especially given the fact that the show was seen by 111 million viewers (a record!). To this question, NFL spokesman Greg Aiello would not comment.
In an interview with Ryan Seacrest yesterday, Madonna said she had no idea M.I.A. was going to do such a thing, and she didn't learn of it until after the show. '"I wasn't happy about it," Madonna told Ryan Seacrest. "I understand it's kind of punk rock and everything, but to me there was such a feeling of love and good energy and positivity, it seemed negative."' Is this the same Madonna I've known and loved for like ever?
Well, the answer to that question is both yes and no. Madonna herself has been no stranger to controversy during her 30 some- odd years in the public eye. From the racy photos of her "Sex" book to dancing amongst burning crosses and writhing on a stage floor in a wedding dress, Madge has had her own fair share of public faux pais. M.I.A. flips the very same bird in the video for "Gimme," during Nicki Minaj's sequence, and so if she could do it there, why is it so shocking that she did it at the Super Bowl?
Of course, Madonna had to publicly state that she was disappointed by the finger incident. After all this is America, where we are so tightly wound as a society that the most common of gestures become suddenly appalling when done in places where our kids can see them. Or maybe it's just where kids can see them in the company of adults? After all, no one complained about the very same bird in the video.
Nipples and Careers
Of course this Super Bowl thing has its roots in the same big show from 2004, when then-still-popular Janet Jackson's nipple became exposed in an incident that notoriously coined the phrase "wardrobe malfunction." The backlash that came after that one was huge, costing television stations millions in fines and ultimately decimating Jackson’s career from the bona fide superstar she was at the time to the unfortunate 'has-been' status she holds today.
Since that nipple incident, Jackson has had one, count em, one, top twenty single ("Feedback," which hit #19 in 2007). She had a total of 25 such songs before then, ten of which hit #1. You could argue with me all you want, but I have always been a big Janet fan and I can say without trepidation that she is no longer the star she once was and I point to that "wardrobe malfunction" as the culprit.
WTF?
I think that the Yahoo article about M.I.A.'s Super Bowl bird is unnecessarily stirring the pot, shining a spotlight on something that many people probably didn't even notice. I never saw it until I read the article and watched the accompanying video. By trumpeting it out there, they're making a bigger deal out of it than it should be. So far, the NFL hasn’t taken any action, and I hope they don't. It will only cause more people to see it and to talk about it, adding yet another ugly chapter to our hypocritically Puritan-like society.
If you ask me, American society is way too uptight. We like to think that kids don't know about things such as nipples, dirty words and gestures, but they know a lot more than we give them credit for, and the reason they know such things is because we make them 'dirty' by trying to shield kids from them. By making such a big stink out of such things, adults are telling children that they are taboo, thus causing an automatic interest in them.
If we don't make it a big deal, then it's not
When I was in Italy a few years ago, I saw television commercials on public stations that showed bare-chested women, and you know what, I'll bet that kids over there don't think it's such a big deal when they see it. If it's on the boob tube (pardon the pun), then their society must not think it's so taboo and so it's not for the children. Here, when we trumpet the 'evil' in such images and ideas, our children sense it as a no-no, and so they seek out ways to exploit them.
So maybe M.I.A. did perform an 'obscene' gesture at the Super Bowl. How is that any different than what we see in everyday life? How many times a day do you see a bird or hear a cuss word? I missed the bird at the Super Bowl, and I'm sure many others did, as well. By making a big thing of it, you're causing an adverse effect on the public than what your intentions were. Madonna, I think, had to say what she said about the incident. She's smart enough that she has to go along with societal norms the way they are or suffer a blow to her fame, and her wallet.
This commentary in no way endorses public displays of the things we generally consider as obscene. Giving the one-fingered salute, swearing, and showing off body parts in such an open way is classless, but in a society that claims to be so free, we need to not make such a big deal about it, for it will invariably have the opposite effect than what we want it to have. Period.
When it was over, all I could tweet was "WowWowWow..." And many of my fellow Tweeters, famous and not so famous, did much the same:
Wow best halftime show ever!!! Wow Madonna! Wow - Serena Williams
Wow Madonna is still the Queen of pop! Great show! - Heidi Montag
Madonna is crushing it!- Ashton Kutcher
Nothing I have watching musically has made my heart pump with so much joy then Madonna's performance #thesuperbowl f***ing amazing!- Kelly Osborne
I have no words. In 12 min, you gave me chills, made me dance, and cry. - Chris Yosef
Wow, just wow! Madonna...half time...EPIC!!! - Christiana
Madonna = perfection - Rosie O'Donnell
Madonna killen the superbowl her show is soo fresh. Wowoowowowowowoowowowowowow!- Snoop Dogg
Madonna was amazing tonight, there's no doubt about it. Unfortunately, though, this nasty war of words among diva fans came to front during and after the performance, as well. Kylie Minogue fans tweeted that she copied Kylie's Greek gear from her Aphrodite set of last year, even though Mo's garb was decidedly Roman...but that wasn't the worst of it. Of course it was Lady Gaga fans who ranted the most about the performance, using words like 'tired,' 'old,' 'sick,' or gaming on her for lip syncing and even 'copying Lady Gaga.'
Well I've got news for all of you Gaga loving haters out there. You're really kind of pathetic for hating on Madonna like you do. Believe it or not, it is possible to love both Gaga and Madonna, and like it or not, Madonna has been a huge star for almost thirty years now and undoubtedly Ms. Gaga has been influenced by Ms. M., that's plain to see. I'm sure that if she were not playing into this silly war of words between fans, she would say so herself.
I mean, things are so bad even Betty White (not really, lol) got in on the action:
You know right now Madonna is thinking, "F*ck you, Lady Gaga!" - Betty F*ckin' White
And as for her age? Ha...honeys there's this thing called karma, and believe it or not, all of you will be Madonna's age one day, and trust me you shouldn't be ragging on that. It'll come back to bite you one day cause karma is a bitch! May we all age as gracefully as Madonna.
And to Madonna fans who hate on Gaga, I say why? For copying our idol? That's kind of ridiculous, don't you think? Part of what makes music so great is the way artists are inspired and take some of what they've loved about an artist and make it into their own. Gaga, Britney, Christina and many others have been inspired by Madonna, whether musically, artistically, choreographically (is that a word?), or whatever, just like Madge was inspired by those who she listened to growing up. In the end, it's all a means of expression and we get to benefit from their work.
I own every single song Madonna's ever recorded, and I also own all of Gaga's records, and I listen to them both...a lot! Of course Madonna's my girl...I grew up with her...but I don't hate on Lady cause I love Madonna. I've got room for them both! My favorite answer to some of the hate was tweeted by former Seduction member and radio host Michele Visage:
Please. So the frig WHAT she didn't sing live!!! DONT HATE the sheer brilliance of the performance. Bitch was wearing HEELS!
Now that I've said my peace, I'd like to get back to the show. I wasn't sure what to expect from it, but I knew it would be good. I just didn't think it would be that good. To anyone who found fault with it, I say lets see if you can do it better!
Rather than comment on the performance, I'll steer you to towards some early reviews that were republished on madonnarama right here. In the meantime, enjoy the show all over again right here:
One of the best things about the Super Bowl are the commercials, and there's one commercial that's already been buzzing about on the Internet. Yes, Ferris Bueller is back, if only for a two-plus minute commercial for Honda. Matthew Broderick has reprises his most famous role as the hipster truant and it's sure to be one of the most talked about commercials of the night.
John Hughes' Ferris Bueller's Day Off was one of the most iconic films of the 80's, and this commercial pretty much captures some of the best of the movie. From the moment Ferris feigns sickness to avoid going into the studio, much of the same mayhem ensues as in the film, albeit with a more modern twist. If you've ever seen the movie, then you'll really appreciate the commercial. Take a look:
Pretty funny, huh? Of course, Ferris Bueller's Day Off was a great movie, with plenty of classic moments. Here are a couple of more videos, this time from the original. The first is one of my all-time favorite scenes from the movie in which Ferris jumps in on a float in the parade. You can't help but smile just watching it:
Next, here's a nicely put together video of some of the most memorable lines and scenes from the movie. After watching the clip, I think I may just have to watch the movie again. It's been awhile...
Why do they stop the game when there's too many men's on the field? To me that's party time!
Ah, yes, today is Sunday, February 5th, Superbowl Sunday, and so many other things... Aside from the big game, and the big halftime show, today is also the birthday of my old pal, Vera, and my two kitties, Dylan and Diego. I won't tell you Vera's age (she'd probably kill me!), but my two feline buddies are four years old today. Yesterday was my brother Dave's birthday, as well, something that I did not have a chance to mention before now.
Before I go into my birthday tributes, here's a little clip about the Super Bowl. It's from the old television comedy series "In Living Color," and it first aired during the halftime show on January 26th, 1992. I remember watching it at a Super Bowl party with Vera and her family on their new big screen TV, and this of course was my favorite skit:
Now say hike, then take the lil blue ball and start runnin...
There, now that I'm finished with that, I can get on with the rest of my post...
Happy Birthday Vera!
My pal Vera and I go back a long ways. She and I first met at Stern's department store where we both worked. I first got to know Vera really well through the softball games we all used to play together after work on Sundays in the summertime. At the time I didn't have a license, just a learner's permit, and I remember one night she and her sister MaryAnn let me drive their car (I believe it was an old Chevy Nova---cool!) home. That was the night when we really first became friends.
For the past 20-some odd years or so, Vera and I have been through a lot together: Friday nights dancing the night away at Spectrum, trips to Aruba and Virginia, lunches at the Good Steer (where she once ordered cottage cheese and French fries...she was on a diet, lol!), Madonna and Prince concerts, fun-filled evenings at home, dancing around the house and laughing all the way, and so many more.
Today, Vera's got a family and I'm still a single dude in my twenties (mentally, anyway), so we don't see each other as often as we used to, but she is still my dear old friend and I wish her a very happy birthday!
Dylan and Diego
Four years ago today, my little cuties were born. When I got them, I'd been looking for two cats to have as pets instead of one. Someone once told me that two are no more work than one and since I remember my first cat, Spike, always seeming so lonely, I knew that two would be a good idea. I found them online and instantly fell in love. They're brothers, but you'd never know it from looking at them.
Dylan is a tuxedo, just like Spike, only he's a poly-dactyl. That means he's got one extra digit on his two front paws. These cats are a whole breed named after Ernest Hemingway, the famous writer who cared for many of them. Diego is a big, fluffy thing and honestly one of the most beautiful animals I've ever seen, with virtually every color found in a cat speckled in his mane.
Dylan and Diego are just like real brothers. They fight like brothers and they take care of each other like brothers...it's so cute! I only wish I could share some of their cuter moments together somehow. Maybe one of these days I'll catch them on video.
Dave's Birthday, Saturday Night with the Family
Yesterday was my brother David's birthday and I was invited over for cake. Dave is 14 months younger than me and he and I have had a typical brother-brother relationship over the years, with plenty of ups and downs, and mostly now it's all ups, thankfully. He and I are the two eldest in our family of six, and so we've been together the longest. Happy belated bro!
I had planned on going out into the city after cake, and so I had a deadline for myself to leave Dave and Kim's (my sister in-law) house in order to get ready, but things didn't go as planned. Right when my mom and I were about to leave, we all got into a long discussion about family matters and before you knew it, it was too late to make my way into the city. Ah well, family is important and besides, I saved a little money and there's always next week!
The Big Show
Finally, tonight is the big show I've been anticipating for weeks. Yes, I'm talking about the Super Bowl. Well, not really the game, although the Giants being in it definitely makes it more exciting. Of course tonight's Super Bowl promises to be the most watched one ever by gay people, as our own Queen of Pop, Madonna, takes to the stage during halftime.
I've seen Madonna in concert several times in my life and I can promise you she always puts on an awesome show. Of course, this one is a tough one, as the crowd is so large and boisterous that even the Black Eyed Peas last year didn't sound so great. Nevertheless, with Nicki Minaj, M.I.A., LMFAO and who knows who else on stage, I'm sure it will be a spectacle to behold.
Here's another look at Madge's newest video for "Gimme All Your Luvin." I know, I know, I am a real dork sometimes when it comes to Madonna, but I've been listening and watching the video a lot these past couple of days and I'm liking it more every time...it's so campy and 80's!
Well, time to get off this pc and get going. Here's Madonna, and by the way, Go Giants!
