P o p M u s e

Whitney Houston's Greatest Hits

I'm sure you've read the latest on Whitney Houston right?  Well, Bobby's sister (Whitney's previous crack buddy) outed Whitney's EXCESSIVE crack use to the NATIONAL ENQUIRER.  The highlights...
- Cracky spends days locked in her bedroom amid piles of garbage, taking drugs and using sex toys.
- Cracky's so paranoid she sees evil apparitions and once drilled a spy-hole in her bathroom to look for 'demons'.
- Cracky beats herself till black and blue, then blames bruises on said demons.

SEE: More Pics of Whitney's Bathroom

This brought to mind one of my favorite pieces of media in the PopMuse Archives. Back in 2001 Whitney made a surprise phone call to Diva Shock Jock Wendy Williams.  In this 5 part interview Whitney swearing her head off, blasts Mariah, Monica Lewinski, Jungle Sex with Bobby, Diane Sawyer, drugs, drink, chicken, it's all there and IT'S INSANE!!!

LISTEN: WHITNEY VS. WENDY
PART 1 [mp3]
PART 2 [mp3]
PART 3 [mp3]
PART 4 [mp3]
PART 5 [mp3]

Redheads Live

Is it me or does Sandra Bernhard look a lot like Debra Messing in this poster?  Did she bring a pic of Messing to the photo shoot (or her plastic surgeon?)  Anyhoo, Sandy B. is back in NYC with a new show...  And she's back on BROADWAY, well, Off-Broadway.  If this show is anything like the last one she did in LA, you New Yorkers should check it out.

WATCH:  SANDRA BERNHARD SWEAR AT WILL & GRACE [mov]

BUY: TIX TO SANDRA'S NEW NYC SHOW

While we're talking about fun Redheads and theater...
Superstar Micah McCain's got a new show happening this weekend.  Me, Bloghungry, NilBlog and Nilblogette will be in attendance on Friday Night.  See you there!

BUY: TIX TO MICAH'S LA SHOW

Weight Watching

I've made my triumphant return to the gym this morning.  This happens every few weeks, I go for a while then I don't, then I do again, but I just like the sound of "Triumphant Return."   BUT, let's make one thing clear, my return to the gym had nothing to do with those terrible Weight Watchers Commercials.  Ya know the one with that Cher song, "Song For The Lonely".  Aren't those just so depressing?  And what exactly are they saying with that song choice?

WATCH: "LONELY NO MORE, CHER'S WEIGHT WATCHERS COMMERCIAL"

But faithful PopMuse readers, this is far from Cher's first turn in the world of Diet Commercials.  I dove into the PopMuse Archives and dug up this little spot from the early 90s when Cher was a spokesperson for "Holiday Fitness."  Check out her amazing gym set and look at what she is wearing?!?  Forget sports bra she's rockin' the bike chains!

WATCH:   "TURNING BACK TIME, CHER'S 1990 HOLIDAY FITNESS COMMERCIAL"[mov]

What Your Mail Says About You Part 2

Today on TTBS, Tyra Banks droned on and on about her hair weaves and wigs.  If you know PopMuse or have had the privilege of watching America's Next Top Model with him, you know that Tyra's damn wigs drive me bonkers.  They just do not sit right and the glue (or adhesive) is like a crescent moon framing her forehead, is her glam squad blind?  Anyway, it reminded me of a piece of mail I received recently... 

It's a catalog for GOLD MEDAL HAIR.  Now this isn't exclusively a Black Hair catalog, oh no, this catalog is a one stop shop for all things Banji Girl.  They have your favorite Adult DVDs like "Hood Ratz", a few sex toys and even a very intriguing Figure Controllers Section, where women (and MEN) can add some pad to their tops or bottoms.  (I'm seriously considering the Tummy Trimmer "Supports your back as it slims!"  Sold!)

But take pause as you begin to shop and consider how on earth POPMUSE got on this mailing list?  Lord knows I love black culture, (probably more than gay culture) but I am a white jewboy and much as I may think I'm black, hair relaxer is not actually something I've purchased, so why oh why did I get this catalog and how do I keep it coming?

Bonus: Read the previous "What Your Mail Says About You".

 

 

Prince Palace

Have you bought the new Prince CD yet?  Why not?  It's good.  You should.  Well (honestly) like every Prince CD since "Lovesexy" there are some real clunkers on it, but all and all it's worth your coin.  Frankly I believe we are all privileged to have him still recording, so support, damn.

Here's my favorite track (which reminds me of "Never Take The Place Of Your Man", doesn't it?):
LISTEN:  PRINCE'S "FURY" FROM "3121" [mp3]

Go check out POPBYTES for my other fav track "Lolita"

Here's a PopMuse Vid Clip from the archives featuring a few choice guests at the Purple Rain Premiere Party held at the Palace Theater in LA circa 1984.  Here's MTV VJ Mark Goodman sitting with members of Heart, Pee Wee Herman, and Lionel Ritchie?

WATCH:  MTV at Prince's Purple Rain Premiere Party [mov] 

Born Again

I'm still in Austin Texas at South By Southwest.  Tonight I got to see Morrissey in concert and it was a wonderful way to end this exhausting shoot.  MOZ was excellent, (although rumor has it he is a Born Again Christian now.)  Whatever, he sounded great and looked great (he kept taking off his shirt revealing a belly and some love handles; I guess no one can look like THIS forever.)  I totally can't figure out how to use my digital camera (as seen in the pic above) but I did record a few mini video clips with it, which don't look great, but sound OK.

WATCH:  MOZ HOW SOON IS NOW CLIP [mpg] 

WATCH:  IRISH BLOOD ENGLISH HEART CLIP [mpg] 

At one point during the show a co-worker turned to me and said, "Is there a better job than this?"  And I thought he was talking about Morrissey or being a Rock Star, but he was talking about us.  And let me tell you, there were moments during this long week where I would have replied "Yeah, you can have this damn job, I'm moving to India."  But standing next to the sound board, watching Morrissey, having just survived another location shoot with my soul intact (no matter what some may say) I agreed there is 'no better job than this'.  I am blessed, and I forget that too often.

In The Dark South

Hey PopMuse fans...  I'm in Austin Texas at the South By Southwest Film / Interactive / Music Festival.  I'm here for the day job, and very busy wearing my TV Producer Hat, so be patient if posts are coming on slow. 

Instead of posting a PopMuse Vid Clip I want to make you aware of a very special film that premiered here at the Fest.  It's called DARKON and I've been following the filmmakers around all week for a reality show I'm putting together.  Last night they WON the Documentary Audience Award (I am The PopMuse ya know, I can smell a hit from the first 10 seconds of the trailer.)  Now let's pray they find theatrical distribution soon so you can see what I've seen.  "ALL HAIL DARKON!!!"

WATCH:  THE "DARKON" TRAILER

READ:  MORE ON SXSW AT THIS FILM GEEK'S BLOG [pictured above]

BET IS ON FIRE!

BET is the new MTV.  "College Hill" is the new "Real World".  What is "College Hill" you ask?  Ugh, OK, it's seven strangers picked to live in a house (on a college campus) and have their lives taped to find out what happens when people stop being polite and start getting real, real Black that is. 

You'll even see a gay male cheerleader, and unlike the politically correct behavior on "The Real World" this kid is up against some serious playa-haters.  Oh yeah and there is a brand new take on the Jacuzzi, "Make It Clap."  Make. It. Clap.

WATCH:   "COLLEGE HILL" GAYS AND NAKED ASSES IN A JACUZZI  [mov] 

And while you're setting your Tivo, make sure you check out Lil Kim's new reality series "Lil' Kim Countdown to Lockup".  Lil' Kim is the Black Martha Stewart and like Martha she's about to spend a year in jail for nothing.  Our friends at BET followed Kim for her final days of freedom.  And instead of spending it with family and friends, she spent it barking at her label and obsessing on how she looks... D.I.V.A.

WATCH: "LIL KIM COUNTDOWN TO LOCKUP" TRAILER [youtube]

Depressed Housewives are the new Celebutantes

You turn to PopMuse for his extraordinary trend-tracking abilities...  Well let me tell you Depressed Housewives are the new Celebutantes.  Mention Lindsay, Jessica, Paris, or Nicole to PopMuse and expect a cold stare and a quiet snicker; because if you are still talking about these tired talentless messes, you are clearly WAY behind the curve.  Those girls are SO OVA Pink wrote a song about them, OKAY!?!

Their position has been filled by the latest It Girls: Housewives On The Verge, and I'm not talking about those Desperate Bitches with their plastic bodies and story-lines, I'm talking about miserable unglamourous ladies who are barely holding it together. 

Just take a look at my latest TiVo additions... "Big Love" (those are sure to be some miserable housewives) "Sons & Daughters" (see below) and of course the biggest and best thing on my TiVo "Starting Over".  Is it a guilty pleasure?  Yes, but lets face it, it's also GREAT TV.  Whether you are laughing at 'em or crying with 'em, you're gonna love these weepy women.  Just watch...

WATCH:   "STARTING OVER" JILL FACE TALKING CUPCAKES [mov]

 

WATCH:  "STARTING OVER" JILL FACE HER PUPPET FATHER [mov]

And on the comedic Depressed Housewives front check out these clips from new ABC show "Sons & Daughters".

WATCH:   "SONS & DAUGHTERS" INSULT MOM'S SEXUAL DYSFUNCTION [mov]

WATCH:  "SONS & DAUGHTERS" WIFE'S VINEGAR FACE [mov]

Bobby's Boys

I've been listening to foufour's New Jack & Jill Mix all week and thought it appropriate to post a PopMuse Vid Clip in it's honor.  I'm so bowled over by his choice to open this brill mix with THE BOYS (a band I worshiped back in the day) that I dove into the PopMuse Archives and found a clip of THE BOYS appearing on Oprah (circa 1988) with special guest Bobby Brown. 

This is Bobby circa "Don't Be Cruel" he still has a thick Bahston accent and brags about looking after THE BOYS like a father, [insert Bobby Fatherhood joke here.]  Get a look at Oprah's set, so pastel 80's.

WATCH:  BOBBY BROWN & THE BOYS ON OPRAH '88 [mov]

Christmas In L.A.

There is no Christmas in LA, the city just empties out so people can return to their homes to reenact Garden State.  Instead, Oscar weekend is LA's version of Christmas.   Everything is decorated with Mr. Oscar Statues (like Santa Claus in the 'burbs), traffic is impossible, stores are overcrowded, and just like Christmas everyone has a dead look in their eye.

Yesterday on the news, the producer of the Oscars said 'it wouldn't go a minute over three and a half hours.'  3.5 boring hours, seriously?!?  And it got me thinking... Why doesn't the movie industry have any sense of humor about itself?  I mean how amazing would it be if Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Anniston opened the awards by presenting together?  Where are the fun MTV VMA-style stunts?  As Nilblog said on this topic last night "Hollywood has no sense of show business."  How true.

And now, time for your PopMuse Vid Clip... Before all of you Gays start screaming that Brokeback and Capote are the first Gay Characters to win Oscars, let me remind you of this little moment... Ahhh, Tom Hanks' win for Philadelphia... 'rememba? 

WATCH:  WEEPY TOM THANKS GAYS FOR HIS OSCAR WIN [mov]