Can’t a company just stick to what they’re good at? I understand expansion keeps things interesting, but I draw the line at a book retailer becoming a movie studio. What’s next? — Aviation? Instead of Amazon Studios it will be Amazon Airlines. It’s bad enough that Google expanded from search engine to internet stalker, when they started taking photographs of my house to post online. But now Amazon will soil the movie industry. Actually — internet stalking seems worse than the movie studio thing — but I’m still angry. Imagine that.
Author: The Dishmaster
Brandy and Maksim Eliminated From DWTS — I’m not Surprised
Bristol Palin is inhaling a shit-storm of criticism for staying on Dancing With the Stars despite more successful dancers getting eliminated. Many blame the tea party for inflating votes, but I actually think voters got it right. If the competition was based solely on dancing ability, I could understand the outrage. But it’s not. It’s based on dancing ability, improvement, and personality. Brandy and Maksim both lacked the third element. Maksim is excessively arrogant, often talking back to the judges. For goodness sakes, he even defended slapping Brandy on the ass as part of his incredible teaching ability! You can’t win a voter-based competition and act like an ass. So congratulations Bristol — you deserve to be there.
Howard Stern Interviews Billy Joel — Magic Ensues
Howard Stern was at his best today — and so was Billy Joel. Stern asked Joel to come in for an interview about a month ago, and Joel agreed. The dynamic was particularly interesting, considering Stern and Joel are good friends off the air, and yet Stern was still mesmerized when Joel performed his songs in the studio, saying, “Billy, I’m not a woman but I want to blow you after listening to that.” At one point Stern even compared Joel to Beethoven, and Joel quickly brushed it off, saying, “don’t lay it on too thick.” Joel randomly played songs on the spot while discussing them. He explained his song-writing process, in a song-by-song format. My favorite question of the interview was when Stern asked Joel if he likes the piano, and Joel said he either loves it or detests it. He said that when he’s writing a song, and it’s going well, he loves the piano. But when the song isn’t turning into what he imagined, the piano is a gigantic beast that he has to conquer. I love Billy Joel and I love Howard Stern — does it get better? Listen to New York State of Mind below.
Update: Some of the songs discussed in the interview include: Uptown Girl; Allentown; Dear Mr. Fantasy (Steve Winwood); Vienna Waits For You; Miami 2017; Just the Way You Are; The Downeaster Alexa; Big Shot; and Goodnight Saigon.
Billy Joel – New York State of Mind by conorplaskitt2
Derek Hough & Jennifer Grey — The Best DWTS Partnership Ever
Every time I watch Dancing With the Stars I’m reminded that Derek Hough is an incredible dancer, who is way more talented than any of the other professional dancers on the show. Tonight was no exception. I looked up his history, and the most interesting thing I found is that all four of his grandparents were dancers, which leads me to believe he was dancing in the womb. His performance tonight with Jennifer Grey might have been his best ever. Watch below.
jennifer2 4 @ Yahoo! Video
Jessica Simpson & Nick Lachey’s Engagement Announcements a Coincidence? — I Smell a Rat
Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey announced their engagement within days of one another, and Simpson insists that the timing is merely a “coincidence.” Here’s what I know about announcements in the press — they are never a coincidence. Remember when Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson announced their divorce on Thanksgiving day? Do you think that was because they actually decided on their divorce at that time, or because they knew the press-attack would be at a minimum because entertainment news staffers were all on vacation. These announcements are always calculated, and they usually come out weeks or even months after the actual event occurred. My guess is that Jessica became engaged at least one month ago, and Nick Lachey’s engagement pushed her camp into releasing the news earlier than expected. The press said she was “saddened” by the news, and she insisted she was happy for Nick She obviously jumped the gun on the announcement because she was so annoyed by her “lonely girl” image She should have waited, considering even an idiot knows that the close time-frame would lead to the engagements being lumped together. It’s in poor taste.
Song of the Day — Gone in the Morning — Newton Faulkner
I heard this song while watching Morning Glory, and I Shazamed it immediately. And please don’t lecture me on taking my movie out in a movie theater — I’m The Dishmaster — and when duty calls, I go to action! I’ve never heard of Newton Faulkner before, but I Groovesharked the album, and the whole thing is pretty darn good. Faulkner was born in England and he’s apparently most known for his guitar playing skills. Listen below.
Morning Glory Movie Review — It’s Glorious!!
Rachel McAdams is so likable in this film, I found myself wondering what Starbucks she frequents so that I can stalk her into a conversation. Creepy? The movie follows Becky (McAdams) after she gets fired from her job when her company downsizes. She then gets hired at DayBreak as an Executive Producer, where she’s responsible for revamping the show to save it from cancellation. She’s in need of a co-host, and she solicits Mike Pomeroy (Harrison Ford), a hard-news legend who was recently fired from his gig. Pomeroy protests, but Becky contractually forces him into it. Ford’s sour attitude makes everyone miserable, including his co-host, played by Diane Keaton. The banter between Colleen and Pomeroy is so hilarious, I’m secretly curious if their angry exchanges are loosely based on Today’s Kathy Lee Gifford & Hoda Kotb, who many speculate hate each other when the cameras are off. I’m excited to see Ford in this role, because he’s had some trouble transitioning from his action star status. The mans a great actor, and he doesn’t need to save the world from destruction in every movie. I would also like to give the writer (Aline Brosh McKenna) major props for the ending. I won’t give it away, but let’s just say you won’t see a character running to the airport to keep someone from leaving forever. Contrary to every other movie on the planet, this ending was a unique spin on a traditional plot point. Go see it. You’ll love it.
Why is Charlie Sheen Invincible in the Press?
There’s a lot of theories floating around on entertainment news shows about why Charlie Sheen seems to get away with his bad behavior. Many people blame CBS, saying that they would never fire Sheen for bad conduct because the television business is all about ratings, and Two and a Half Men is still a big hit on the network. Though I’d take just about any opportunity to bash network suits, I’m going to make an exception this time around. Charlie Sheen is still likable because he owns up to his behavior. He was recently caught doing drugs with a hooker in a hotel room, which didn’t come as a surprise since everyone already knows Charlie Sheen does drugs and sleeps with hookers. He’s never tried to snow the public by presenting himself as an upstanding, moral family-man. Look at Oprah, for example. She’s practically Jesus, and she’s openly admitted to drug use and having sex with a married man. Mel Gibson and Tiger Woods are unforgiven because they tried to dupe the public into believing they were flawless. If Tiger presented himself as a womanizer from the very beginning of his golf career, I think he would have ended up just as popular as he ultimately became. So what’s the moral of the story? You’re free to snort cocaine off a hooker’s stomach — just own up to it.
Billy Ray Cyrus Reminds Us He’s a Badass — Storms Out of Radio Interview
If there’s anything good that can come out of Billy Ray Cyrus’ divorce, it’s an image makeover. In recent years he’s been in the press because of Miley Cyrus, and he’s come off as a doting father who borders on naive. If you’ve been a country music fan as long as I have, then you remember the days of Achy Breaky Heart, when women swooned for the country music bad-boy. In a radio interview with Woody Johnson of Woody and the Wake Up Call, Cyrus got pissed when asked about his divorce and stormed out of the interview. I imagine Cyrus’ anger had to do with being promised prior to the interview that he wouldn’t be asked about his divorce, presumably to reel him in and then zing him with the question for ratings. It’s not an uncommon tactic, but it’s pretty disgusting if it’s true. Congrats to Billy Ray — let the bad-ass return.