DARREN HAYES COVERS AN OLD-SCHOOL MADONNA CLASSIC

Here is Darren Hayes, former frontman of Savage Garden, covering the Madonna oft-forgotten, under-appreciated classic from her 1984 album Like A Virgin,the #5 hit Angel. It appears as a bonus track on his current single Talk Talk Talk. This is one of my personal faves of Madonna from any album, any period. Glad to hear it caught Darren's ear too. This is good stuff. You can get this and Madonna's version on iTunes.

OUR NEIGHBORS AND WE HAVE CUTE DOORMATS

PAUSE: I HAVE A WEDDING TO PLAN

All right. I am going on semi-retirement for the next few months from the blogging. While I will be posting here and there, my main focus (aside from my ACTUAL job, which I do have) will be not killing myself while planning for MY WEDDING!! Yes, now that it's legal in New York, my fiance and I are finally getting married....QUICKLY! So I have lots to do. GET OFF MY BACK!! Sorry, that was wedding stress talking. So check in with me and I may verball abuse you or a random celebrity to get my freak-outs under control. Fun!! Well, for me and hopefully for you too once in a while.

NEW YORK PASSES MARRIAGE EQUALITY BILL

THAT'S IT. WE'VE DONE IT. NEW YORK HAS PASSED THE MARRIAGE EQUALITY BILL. WE HAVE OVERCOME. ALL NEW YORKERS ARE NOW EQUAL IN THE EYES OF THE LAW AND A NEW DAY HAS COME FOR NEW YORK AND THE COUNTRY. EQUALITY IS COMING FOR EVERYONE!! THE VOTE WAS 33 - 29!!!

WATCH LIVE: NY SENATE TAKING A VOTE ON MARRIAGE EQUALITY TONIGHT

It's not happened yet, but tonight the New York Senate will take a vote on marriage equality, and even some of those Senators against it are saying that it is going to pass. Watch now BELOW.

nysenate on livestream.com. Broadcast Live Free

K.D. LANG COVERS LITTLE RIVER BAND'S REMINISCING

I had the special privilege of seeing k.d. lang at the Beacon Theatre this past week and I must say it was the most incredible live vocal performance by anyone I have ever seen. She has complete command and control of her instrument and kept the entire, diverse crowd in the palm of her hand for the entire performance. I was a true master class in performing. What an incredible pro. My fave little part was when she said she loved being in New York City because of "all the freaks" and if you're at a k.d. lang show "you're a freak". Ha. She was enchanting. One of the best surprises was her cover of Little River Band's Reminiscing. It is a bonus track on her website version of Sing It Loud, her new amazing record. It is truly outstanding and beautiful work. I have looked all week for a clip of her singing Reminiscing and finally found one from an Australian tv show. They love her Down Under!! So here is the incomparable k.d. lang singing the classic song. (ps... in case you don't know, k.d. lang always writes her name in lowercase letters, so I'm not being disrespectful.)

J.K. ROWLING INTRODUCES POTTERMORE

What? I still don't know exactly what it is, but J.K. Rowling, the author of the beloved Harry Potter series, is starting a website that will be an online reading experience with "the same story with a few crucial additions. The most important one is YOU." Cool. Apparently there are details about the world of Harry Potter that Rowling has kept under her talking hat for years, and we're gonna find out about them. Watch below for more details.

DO NOT TRY TO STEAL BEER IN ALVIN, TEXAS!!

If you wanna walk into WalMart (strike one) and steal (strike two) cases of beer, do not do it in Alvin, Tx. Three brothers tried to do just that and a dowdy looking but brave/stupid woman tried to smash out their windshield with her feet for it. Of course she only ended up smashing the pavement with her face, but it's the thought that counts. Monique Lawless (ironic name, no?) pulled up her already boob-high shorts and ran out to their car after seeing them leave and telling the cashier to "WATCH MY PURSE". I cannot make this up, y'all. Now I get being fed up with crime, but why in the name of all that is tacky would an adult chase three possibly-armed criminals over three cases of beer? Pick your battles, honey. Oh well. Her heart was in the right place. She's like Xena... if Xena was a middle-aged lady with a black eye who lived in a Texas suburb and cared about beer. (strike three)

IS KATY PERRY ON HER WAY TO 5TH CONSECUTIVE #1 HIT?

Katy Perry's latest single, Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.) gets a big boost from its video release into the top 5 of the Hot 100. Sitting at #4 this week, one spot ahead of her other song on in the top 10 E.T., this marks Perry's 5th top 5 song from her album Teenage Dream and I don't think it's out of the question it could be her 5th #1 from that album soon, following California Gurls, Teeange Dream, Firework, and E.T. The song is tearing up the Radio Play chart and is already #1 on the Digital Chart. Katy is a non-stop single making machine this year!! The video, meanwhile, has alread netted 28.6 million views on youtube. Go, Katy. [source] Here, give it another one.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CYNDI LAUPER!!

Yay!!! One of my favorite singers of all time, the incomparable Cyndi Lauper turns 58 today!! Cyndi is a true one-of-a-kind artist and set the mold for many ladies who came after her. Since hitting the charts with her debut album, the iconic She's So Unusual, back in 1983, Cyndi has been a non-stop performing machine. Her hits Girls Just Want To Have Fun, Time After Time, True Colors and I Drove All Night have become modern day classics and there's no stopping her. Her last album, Memphis Blues, was the #1 Blues album of the year on the Billboard charts last year. Go, Cyndi!!! Here are a few of my faves of Lauper's throughout her amazy career, including the two-part video for Goonies 'R Good Enough. Happy Birthday!!!

NEW VIDEO: BRITNEY SPEARS - I WANNA GO

Here is the new video for Britney Spears new single I Wanna Go. First of all, funny opening, Kudos, Brit for showing some personality. Secondly, the movie ad for Crossroads 2: Cross Harder is hilarious. I'm SOOOOOO happy with this video. They didn't put in a bunch of fake dancing or armography to cover up the fact that Britney doesn't dance anymore. She smiled, she flirted, she was slutty. It's like 1998 all over again. Ha. Watch the video for the excellent single I Wanna Go.

TRAILER FOR THE FOOTLOOSE REMAKE

Here it is! The remake of the 1984 film Footloose is on the way, like it or not. The trailer actually doesn't look bad though. There are some differences, like that Ren has some weird accent, the death of Ariel's brother is part of the film and there are black people in town. OH, and all the grownups are hot now. I am a tad confused because I thought that this film was a movie version of the Broadway musical, but no one is singing in the trailer. Hmmmmm. The beginning does have a Glee-like version of the song Footloose playing in the background, so..... Who knows. Anyway, check out Julianne Hough, Kenny Wormald, and the dreamy Dennis Quaid in the trailer for Footloose. The film is due out October 14th.

Tags: Movie Trailers, Movies Blog

TOP MARINE TELLS TROOPS TO "GET OVER" IT, SHOW "DIGNITY .. AND RESPECT"

This is an amazing man, amazing statement and an amazing soldier. Top Marine Sgt. Maj. Micheal Barrett addressed troops in South Korea recently about the repeal Don't Ask Don't Tell, and he did not mince words. In part he said:

"Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution is pretty simple,...It says, ‘Raise an army.’ It says absolutely nothing about race, color, creed, sexual orientation. You all joined for a reason: to serve. To protect our nation, right?...How dare we, then, exclude a group of people who want to do the same thing you do right now, something that is honorable and noble?...Right?...Get over it. We’re magnificent, we’re going to continue to be. … Let’s just move on, treat everybody with firmness, fairness, dignity, compassion and respect. Let’s be Marines."

Exactly as you would expect a Marine to say it. How proud I am of this message to the troops and from someone so respected in his field. Here's to you, Sgt. Maj. Barrett. You are a true American hero. [source]

JUST BECAUSE: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MR. & MS. KEATON

Meredith Baxter and Michael Gross, who played Elyse and Steven Keaton on the 80s sitcom Family Ties, are both 64 today!!! Of course, now Ms. Keaton likes the ladies, but hey, they were hippies weren't they?? What would Alex say? Happy birthday to one of the most beloved tv couples of all time.

HEIDI MONTAG SAYS SHE WORKS OUT 14 HOURS A DAY: I DO 15!

Since when does crazy classify as cardio? Heidi Montag recently revealed that she works out 14 hours a day to keep her plastic in the right places. I call bullshit, but you know what? I work out more than Heidi. Check this out. 7 AM: I get up in the morning and climb the Mount Everest in my backyard. I pause at the top for some air-popped popcorn and a tic tac and then I climb back down. Throw up. 10 AM: I chase my tail in the tightest circle possible while screaming obscenities at children in the park, licking it twice for a mid-morning snack. Throw up. 12 PM: Lay on 9th Avenue and let cars run over my stomach while holding in farts. I vomit in my mouth for lunch. 2 PM: Yoga and a sensible fruit cup. 5 PM: Violently vomit for three hours. Really clinch your butt cheeks and work your abs while doing this or it's just a waste of time and fruit cups. 8 PM: For the last two hours I take off all my clothes and run through Central Park and ask strangers to punch me in the face while covered in feces. Why feces? Why not. The walk back to my apartment is the cool down, so it doesn't count. 7 AM to 10 PM = 15 hours, Heidi. SUCK ON THAT!!!

LADY GAGA PERFORMS BORN THIS WAY & EDGE OF GLORY AT THE MUCH MUSIC AWARDS

Gaga took off up North to perform at the Much Music Video Awards. The Canadian Music channel scored a major coup by getting Mother Monster the perform twice on their awards show. First with Edge of Glory, second rehatching Born This Way. Work, girl!

VIDEO: WEIRD AL YANKOVIC - PERFORM THIS WAY

Remember a while back when there was all the mixup about Weird Al's parody of Gaga's Born This Way? Well, here is the final result of his allowance to use her work. The video for Perform This Way is a hilarious tribute/send-up of Gaga and I bet she loves it. Al's head on a woman's body is HYSTERICAL!!! The costumes, the hair, the egg. All funny. Watch and love.

BALD LADY GAGA SINGS HAIR AT A FURRY PIANO

Need I say more?

THE NUMBER ONE SONG TEN YEARS AGO TODAY WAS...

Lady Marmalade from the Moulin Rouge soundtrack. Christina Aguilera, Mya, Lil' Kim and Pink sang the bejeezus out of the Labelle classic in 2001 with help from producer Missy Elliot. Well Xtina and Pink sang, Mya coo'd and Kim grunted and rapped. Ha. Still impressive to hear in 2011, the song topped the charts for five consecutive weeks in June 2001. This song was right before Christina's Stripped album and right before Pink blew up with Mizunderstood. I'm sure this song helped both those ventures explode. Here is the video for the song that was #1 this week 10 years ago, Lady Marmalade.

DEXTER GIVES US A SEASON SIX TEASER

OOOOOOOOOO!!!!! I love Dexter. Can't wait to see what they have in store for us this fall. Creepy!

MADONNA FRIDAY: BAD GIRL

I needed to give you two Madonna Friday posts today. My neighbor, fiance and I had a moment over this video and song last night, so..... Okay. The fact that this song was never a GIGANTOID hit still bothers me to this day. Bad Girl was the third single from the superb Erotica album. Much like the album itself, the single did not receive the attention it deserved. YES, I'M BITTER ABOUT IT!!! The song peaked at #36. F-that!! Okay. I took a deep breath and I am calm now. The song is a ballad about a girl who is having a wee little problem with promiscuity. She is a party girl, sleeping with man after man (so far, so good) who is tired of her lonely lifestyle (okay. you lost me). The video is truly a masterpiece. It's a mini-film in itself with Madonna, looking drop-dead gorgeous, playing "Louise Ciccone", a business woman who is also a nymphomaniac, picking up men and keeping underwear in her purse and an extra suit at the office, just in case. Christopher Walken is her guardian angel/angel of death who is trying to save her from danger that is lurking in the city. Just watch and marvel. I would go as far as to say that Bad Girl is my favorite Madonna video of all time. I can watch it over and over. If you don't like it, you clearly cannot be trusted to make your own decisions in life. Here's Bad Girl.

Madonna - Bad Girl by Warner-Music

VIDEOS: BRITNEY OPENS HER FEMME FATALE TOUR

WARNING: IF YOU ARE A DIEHARD BRITNEY FAN, DO NOT READ THIS, BUT YOU CAN WATCH THE VIDEOS BELOW:
This is negative, and I'm sorry. For what it's worth, here are some videos of Britney's opening night in Sacramento on her Femme Fatale Tour. Arm-ography, half-assed backbends and head whipping were apparently the themes of the night for our Brit. I especially like the move where she walks up the stairs. Groundbreaking. And the flaccid lapdance was a nice touch as well. It's really sad to see her doing the choreography, or NOT doing it, to I'm A Slave 4 U. Why???? The costumes are not very flattering either. Time to cover up. I hate to say it, but stop performing on stage, sweetie. It's fine. I don't know who is forcing you to do this, but they should be brought to court immediately. I'm sure the people actually at the show had a good time watching all the pyro and dancers, but C'MON!

HERE'S THE LAST HARRY POTTER TRAILER EVER

AHHH!! It's almost over. Here is the very last trailer for the very last Harry Potter movie. I get chills every time I see a trailer for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt. 2 and this one especially gets me. And yes, I tear up a little. The film is out in less than a month on July 15th. Are y'all ready?

MADONNA FRIDAY: DRESS YOU UP

Ah, MADONNA-MANIA!! I LIVED IT, I LOVED IT!!! This was the 4th single from Madonna's super-album Like a Virgin. Dress You Up was my favorite song when I first bought the album and I listened to it ALL OF THE TIME!!! This song continued her streak of top 5 Hot 100 hits and was her first live video. This clip is taken from The Virgin Tour and you can see that Madonna's 80's look was in full swing. Dress You Up was added to the "Filthy Fifteen" list of the Parents Music Resource Center, due to the perceived sexual nature of its lyrics. Hilarious! If only they knew what she had in store later on. Erotica anyone? Fun and so clever. A classic. Enjoy Madonna's Dress You Up.

REVIEW: VIDEO: LADY GAGA - THE EDGE OF GLORY

FANTASTIC!!!! Simple, stylized, nice use of Clarence, very New York. I have to say that it's lovely to see Gaga in a simple video. We've become so accustomed to all the bells and whistles in her videos (not complaining. Love bells and whistles), but it's great to just have Lady Gaga, dancing with abandon. ALSO, she totally looks like she stepped out of the biker scene in Showgirls. Right?? Love it. I know that this song is very emotional for Gaga since it's about the life/death of her grandfather, so simple was the way to go. Dance, girl. Just dance.

GAGA HITS #1 ON DANCE CHART WITH JUDAS

Lady Gaga has hit #1 again, this time on the Billboard Dance/Club Play Songs chart. The song Judas takes the top spot this week, making this her 8th consecutive song to top that chart. The only song not to reach the summit was first single Just Dance, which of course hit #1 on the Hot 100. Congrats, Gaga!

MY LETTER TO THE NEW YORK SENATORS

Dear Senator,

Hello. My name is Wendell Odom and I am a gay New Yorker. My fiance Ben and I have been together for almost three years and have been engaged since February. Marriage equality in New York is very important to us for many reasons, but most of all so that we are a family, with the same legal rights as any family. Aside from the simple statement of standing up in front of our friends and family and saying "I Do", we also need the security of knowing that LEGALLY we are there for one another in case, goodness forbid, something should happen to either one of us. This is not a religious argument to me. It is strictly legal. I would never dream of infringing on anyone's beliefs and religion, nor would I expect or ask anyone to perform a legal ceremony that was against their religious beliefs. I think the religious exemption added to the bill is an excellent step towards protecting everyone's freedom. Please, as a leader of the great State of New York, vote YES on marriage equality. It is the only way that ALL New Yorkers can truly be equal in the eyes of the law. I love New York and I want to be married in my HOME. New York is that home. As a state worker, I see the rights of people upheld every day. I want to be one of those people today. If you haven't already, consider the legal precedent we can set for equality for every region, not just in the US, but around the world. It's time for New York to a leader. Thank you for reading this and I hope to hear from your office.

Sincerely,
Wendell Odom

COPY AND PAST THESE EMAILS, BCC THEM, AND SEND AN EMAIL TODAY:
gball@nysenate.gov,
fuschill@senate.state.ny.us,
hannon@nysenate.gov,
lanza@senate.state.ny.us,
little@nysenate.gov,
grisanti@nysenate.gov,
saland@nysenate.gov,
flanagan@senate.state.ny.us,

NEW VIDEO: RYE RYE FT. ROBYN: NEVER WILL BE MINE

Rye Rye, who looks more than a little like Fantasia, has a super-cute new song Never Will Be Mine ft. Robyn. Of course Robyn is the greatest, and this song actually has a bit of the acoustic version of her song Be Mine! in it, so Rye Rye was smart enough to get Robyn herself to be in the video. Yay!!! Adorable. Rye Rye's debut album, Go!Pop!Bang!, is due out this summer.

SINCE GAGA IS DEBUTING THE EDGE OF GLORY TONIGHT...

Here are some recent, awesome performance of The Edge of Glory and some other hits from Born This Way she's done in Europe recently. Girl knows how to put on a show. She's got SPUNK! Remember to watch So You Think You Can Dance tonight for the premier of the video for The Edge of Glory. Now watch these, little monsters.

The Edge of Glory & Judas on X Factor France. This one is copyright protected, so click on the link to watch. It's worth it.


Scheiße, Born This Way & The Edge of Glory On Germany's Next Top Model, with an interview with Heidi Klum

The Google Chrome commercial featuring Gaga and The Edge of Glory.

PLEASE CALL THESE SPECIFIC SENATORS AND URGE THEM TO VOTE FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY IN NEW YORK

The New York Assembly, as expected, passed the marriage bill yesterday in an 80-63, but we must call the senators who are still undecided or in opposition and let them know that New Yorkers, the MAJORITY of New Yorkers want marriage equality in the State! It's almost here! New York should be a leader in this country on equality and this is our chance to show that we are leaders. We believe in freedom and equality for ALL our residents. These are the Senators who need a little nudge:

Senator Gregory R. Ball of Putnam County (845) 279-3773 gball@nysenate.gov

Senator Charles J. Fuschillo Jr. of Suffolk County (516) 882-0630 fuschill@senate.state.ny.us

Senator J. Kemp Hannon of Nassau County (516) 739-1700 hannon@nysenate.gov

Senator Andrew J. Lanza of Staten Island (718) 984-4073 lanza@senate.state.ny.us

Senator Betty Little of Glens Falls (518) 743-0968 little@nysenate.gov

Senator Mark Grisanti of Erie County (518) 455-3240 grisanti@nysenate.gov

Senator Stephen M. Saland of Poughkeepsie (845) 463-0840 saland@nysenate.gov

Senator John Flanagan of Long Island (518) 455-2071 flanagan@senate.state.ny.us

I DID ANOTHER INTERVIEW FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY IN NEW YORK WITH NBC

My fiance Ben and I being interviewed by NBC 4 in New York. CALL YOU SENATORS, NEW YORKERS!!!!

BOOK OF MORMON MAKES CHART HISTORY

Aside from winning a butt-load of Tony Awards this week, Book of Mormon, from the creators of South Park, has now made Billboard chart history. The soundtrack to the mega-hit musical leaps up the charts, selling 61,000 this week, to #3 on the Hot 100. This is the first time in 32 years that a Broadway cast album has cracked the Top 10 on that chart! The last cast album to do so was Hair in 1969, and it spent 13 weeks at #1. Wow. 61,000 also makes it the most albums sold in a week for an cast album since Neilson SoundScan began tracking in 1991. The prior record was 52,000 set in 1992 by the original cast recording of the London cast of Phantom of the Opera. Book of Mormon,with music and lyrics by "South Park" creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone and "Avenue Q" co-writer Robert Lopez, opened on March 24 at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre. If you can get a ticket, go see it! [source]

LADY GAGA TO DEBUT EDGE OF GLORY VIDEO ON SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE

Lady Gaga tweeted a little loveliness for us today. Another masterpiece on its way!!!!!

"Tomorrow during America's So You Think You Can Dance, I will premiere the video we made for you. The Edge of Glory debuts 8pm ET/PT on FOX.

June 15, 2011 9:16:09 AM
from Twitter for BlackBerry®"

MADONNA HEADING BACK INTO THE STUDIO NEXT WEEK

Madonna has some new music on the way soon!!! Guy Oseary, Madonna's manager, tweeted the news yesterday. Madonna's last full-length album, Hard Candy, was released in April 2008, went on to sell 3.8 million copies, and as far as I'm concerned we are WAAAAAAAY overdue for some new Madge. DUH!! Of course, the Sticky & Sweet Tour that resulted from that album went on to become the highest grossing tour by a solo artist of all time. Work it out! I can't wait to hear what the Queen has in store for us with this new music.

JUST BECAUSE: STRAIGHT ALLY BEN COHEN ON THE COVER OF GAY TIMES

Straight ally and athlete Ben Cohen on the cover of Gay Times.

I'M FAMOUS! HA. WATCH MY FIANCE AND I SUPPORT MARRIAGE EQUALITY ON FOX 5

Here is the interview my fiance Ben and I gave last night to Fox 5 News in support of marriage equality. Remember to CLICK HERE TO CALL YOUR SENATORS and get this passed. It's time for New York to lead the way to a better future for ALL Americans.

N.Y. Gay Marriage Legalization Closer: MyFoxNY.com

GOVERNOR CUOMO SENDS MARRIAGE BILL TO SENATE

He has said before that he wouldn't do it unless we had enough votes, so it's sounding good!! Governor Cuomo has sent the marriage bill to the senate for a vote. We heard earlier today that Republican Senator Alesi predicts the bill will pass with 35 votes. Included in the bill is a religious exemption that "guarantees that religious institutions and benevolent organizations such as the Knights of Columbus remain free to choose who may use their facilities for marriage ceremonies and celebrations or to whom they provide religious services, consistent with their religious principles." I think that's fine. Who the hell wants to get married somewhere that doesn't want them anyway. This is very exciting news. Call your senator NOW and push this through. HERE is contact info.

REPUBLICAN SENATOR IN SUPPORT OF MARRIAGE EQUALITY PREDICTS WIN

Sen. Alesi predicts gay marriage bill will get 35 votes - NYPOST.com

ROBYN ROCKS BONNAROO

Starting around the 2:50 mark of this recap video of Bonnaroo, watch Robyn rock the crowd at the music festival. She is truly amazing. Billboard gave their top 10 moments at the festival and placed our girl Robyn firmly at #1. Go, girl!!! They wrote:
"Swedish pop star Robyn celebrated her 32nd birthday on Sunday, June 12, and she celebrated by bestowing upon Bonnaroo the gift of an impossibly high-energy set. Her 'Body Talk' CD series proved that she is capable of pushing electro-pop in exciting new directions in the studio, but from the moment she walked onstage in a West Point football jersey and puffy yellow jacket, Robyn proved that the records can't compare to the real thing. The singer purged her sorrow on "Dancing On My Own" by joyfully twirling in place at the end of the track, navigated through a glitchy remix of 'Be Mine', and somehow made eating a banana seem badass on 'Don't Fucking Tell Me What To Do'. But best of all, Robyn masterfully connected with the audience, leading claps and fist-pumps as electronic blips floated around her. In the end, the birthday girl helped make Bonnaroo's 10th anniversary an unforgettable one."

REVIEW: OWL CITY - ALL THINGS BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL

If you are looking for a completely different sound from this Owl City album, you are not going to find it. I think that's all right. All Things Bright and Beautiful, out today, picks up right where Ocean Eyes left off. Pretty, bright, synth-heavy melodies coated in compressed vocals and simple lyrics. Adam Young, the multi-instrumentalist who IS Owl City, doesn't reinvent the wheel here, but what he DOES do is give us another entire album of dreamy, chill out tunes. The lead single, Alligator Sky (ft. Shawn Chrystopher) is a worthy follow up hit to Fireflies, and it does switch it up a little with Canadian rapper Shawn Chrystopher added for funk. You can literally listen to this album and Ocean Eyes together and not know where one ends and the other begins. Just know that. Now enjoy the gorgeous Galaxies, the exuberant The Real World, and the short but touching January 28, 1986 which is just a speech by former President Reagan about the space shuttle Challenger deaths on that date with pretty music. Honey and Bee, and duet with Breanne Duren, is also the prettiest little ditty you could want and perhaps my fave song on the album. So if you loved Ocean Eyes, you will love All Things Bright and Beautiful. They are, for all intents and purposes, the same album. Watch the adorable video for Alligator Sky below featuring Shawn Chrystopher.

WATCH PROCESS BEHIND REAL-TIME WRITTEN CLOSING RAP AT TONY AWARDS

This is cool. If you watched the Tony Awards -- and you should have. They were great -- you saw Neil Patrick Harris come out right at the end and do a rap that recapped the whole night. It was hilarious, intelligent and it was written as the awards were happening. He nailed it too!! The rap was written by In The Heights star and writer Lin-Manuel Miranda and Tommy Kail, and Miranda filmed most of the process backstage while it was happening. Color me impressed!!! One of many great moments at the Tony Awards this year. Watch the process and the actual rap below. Yay!

JUST BECAUSE: PRINCE HARRY IS SKIN-TIGHT WHITE UNDER ARMOUR

Feast your eyes! Could he BE any hotter? No.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BOY GEORGE!!

80s pop star, gay icon and self-proclaimed (then un-proclaimed) drag queen Boy George is 50 today!! It seems like only yesterday I was super-confused by the cover of Culture Club's Kissing To Be Clever album. Why was that male voice coming out of that painted lady? ha. Well George rode that persona, along with one of his band members, all the way to the top of the charts. Now, sure, he later became addicted to heroin and (recently) handcuffed a male escort to a wall and beat him with a metal chain for allegedly hacking his computer, but that doesn't make him a bad person. I mean, who HASN'T done that, right? Just like his fellow superstars from the 80s Madonna, Prince, George Michael, et al, George is still kickin', having released new music, Ordinary Alien - The Kinky Roland Files, last fall and he appears on Mark Ronson's album Record Collection. Here are some of my fave Boy George/Culture Club moments throughout the years.

KIDS REACT TO LADY GAGA

Watch this video of some pretty smart kids (except the one who can only say "big eyes") reacting to David Letterman's interview with Lady Gaga and giving their opinion on the pop star. Some pretty wise words from this young kids. A couple of things I learned: A) Kids have no ideo who David Letterman is and B) No one gets music videos from MTV anymore. Watch and learn.

COMPLETE LIST OF TONY AWARD WINNERS

SURPRISE!!! Book of Mormon cleaned up, y'all.
AND here is Neil Patrick Harris with the best opening number ever. Winners below.


Best Musical
The Book of Mormon

Best Play
War Horse


Best Book of a Musical
The Book of Mormon

Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
The Book of Mormon

Best Revival of a Play
The Normal Heart

Best Revival of a Musical
Anything Goes

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
Mark Rylance, Jerusalem

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play
Frances McDormand, Good People

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Norbert Leo Butz, Catch Me If You Can

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Sutton Foster, Anything Goes

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play
John Benjamin Hickey, The Normal Heart

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play
Ellen Barkin, The Normal Heart

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
John Larroquette, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
Nikki M. James, The Book of Mormon

Best Scenic Design of a Play
Rae Smith, War Horse

Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Scott Pask, The Book of Mormon

Best Costume Design of a Play
Desmond Heeley, The Importance of Being Earnest

Best Costume Design of a Musical
Tim Chappel & Lizzy Gardiner, Priscilla Queen of the Desert

Best Lighting Design of a Play
Paule Constable, War Horse

Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Brian MacDevitt, The Book of Mormon

Best Sound Design of a Play
Christopher Shutt, War Horse

Best Sound Design of a Musical
Brian Ronan, The Book of Mormon

Best Direction of a Play
Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris, War Horse

Best Direction of a Musical
Casey Nicholaw and Trey Parker, The Book of Mormon

Best Choreography
Kathleen Marshall, Anything Goes

Best Orchestrations
Larry Hochman and Stephen Oremus, The Book of Mormon

NEW VIDEO: KATY PERRY - LAST FRIDAY NIGHT (T.G.I.F.)

Katy Perry has released the hilarious, nerd-tastic video for the fun summer jam Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.) and it's a doozy. Really funny with some fum cameos by Darren Criss, Kenny G, Kevin McHale, Debbie Gibson,Hanson, Corey Feldman and, of course, Ms. Friday herself Rebecca Black. Good for you Katy. You are NOT vain. Ha. Oh, the guy with the abs is my new obsession.

JUST BECAUSE: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TONY WARD

One of the hottest guys on earth, and still a male super-model, Tony Ward is 48 today. I needn't comment much more, just click his name on the labels below and look at pics of this stud from his beginnings. So hot. 48!! And these are recent pictures!!! What????

MADONNA FRIDAY: OH, FATHER

I have always loved a good Madonna ballad (Live to Tell, La Isla Bonita, You Must Love Me, et al). There is nothing like it. Like a Prayer had a couple of amazy ballads that really stand the test of time, but the depth and sorrow that accompanied Oh Father was mesmerizing. A tale about her, it also shed light on the abusive relationship she had been in with her ex-husband Sean Penn and the feelings of guilt that come even from being a victim. The song itself, the fourth single from the Like a Prayer album, is one of Madonna's most beautiful ever. Unfortunately, it didn't connect with her audience at large and only hit #20 on the billboard Hot 100, becoming Madge's first single since Holiday in 1984 not to go top 10. Boo!! The video is a masterpiece. It never fails to bring a tear to my eye. Semi-autobiographical in theme, we see a young girl in an abusive relationship with her father after her mother's death, and Madonna as the adult version in a bad relationship with her boyfriend. It was directed by David Fincher. So if you are in the mood, watch an emotional video below, then go back and search for a "happy" Madonna Friday song. BUT WATCH THIS ONE NOW!! I COMMAND THEE!!

VIDEO: ALEX GAUDINO FT. KELLY ROWLAND - WHAT A FEELING

Beyonce can't have all the glory today. I wrote about this summer-tastic song a few weeks ago and now here is the video. I am telling you, if this song doesn't make you happy, there is something severely wrong with you! Much like When Love Takes Over in 2009, Kelly teams up with another DJ, this time Alex Gaudino, for What a Feeling ,pumping out a glorious melody over a pounding beat. Kelly sounds amazy on this track, looks super-fantastic, and it's a feel-good anthem for the summer to come. Oh, and HOT GUYS DOING SOME HOT DANCING TA-BOOT!!!! Rock out!!!

REVIEW: BEYONCE - 4

Yes, Beyonce is back. I have obtained the widely leaked copy of her new album 4 and I have to say, I am very pleasantly surprised. While I don't sense a gigantic, radio-friendly hit, it's a solid, well produced album as a whole. Much like Gaga, maybe Beyonce is focusing on making albums instead of singles. There is a lot of retro influence form the Prince-esque 1+1 to the smooth 70s, Tina Turner R&B of Love on Top, and the harder spark of Start Over. Now, just because there isn't a Single Ladies kind of single doesn't mean there aren't huge songs that deserve to tear up the listening public. I Care is a sexy, write-off song to a lover who done her wrong. It's big, it's sassy, it's sensual and angry and it WORKS!!! In a big, big way. In my opinion one of the finest songs Beyonce has ever done. I Miss You also hits a high note on the album with it's simple, bubbling background and lovely vocals. Of course, the vocals are always spot-on with Beyonce, so that goes without saying. The much maligned lead off single, Run the World (Girls) grows on you after a while, I have to say. It's staccato beats catch on and groove with me now. Another song that made its way to us ahead of time is Best Thing I Never Had. It's not exactly exciting enough to be a single, but would have fit in great on the Dreamgirls soundtrack. I wonder if she considered it back then? Hmmm. Party (ft. Andre 3000 and Kanye West) is about as 70s as you can get. Rich, deep bass line and lava-lamp grooviness abounds. I could do without Kanye. It's not quite a party jam, but it's about as close as you're going to get on 4. All in all, there is not a bad song on this record. It's not a single-heavy piece though. It IS however a record you can listen to all the way through, and we don't get too many of those from artists that have become popular in the last 15 years. So rejoice! Or don't. I don't care. I like it. Good job, Bey.

THE #1 SONG 20 YEARS AGO TODAY WAS....

....More Than Words by Extreme. Extreme were known as a funk/metal band, much in the vein of Red Hot Chili Peppers, up until the release of this, their most successful single. From the album Extreme II: Pornograffiti, More Than Words showed the softer side of the band. Mostly guitar work by Nuno Bettencourt and the vocals of Gary Cherone & Bettencourt, the song was simple and lovely. The video, a performance of the song shot in black and white, was the perfect fit for the song. More reached #1 on this very week in 1991 on the Billboard Hot 100, also hitting the top spot in New Zealand and Canada. Extreme didn't hit #1 again, but More Than Words is definitely one of the most beloved songs of the '90s. Check it out.

WATCH THE OPENING FOR SNL JAPAN

Yes, it exists!! Not only that, but the opening is VERY similar, right down to Don Pardo's beloved voice. I read that the comedy on the show is more geared toward the Japanese humor (i.e. a little more slapstick), but the opening is adorable. The set looks a little flashier too (again, Japan). The show debuted this month in Japan and the pic on this post is the cast of SNL Japan. Watch this!!

ROBYN & KATY PERRY SHOW LOVE

Awwwww. Robyn is currently opening for Katy Perry on her California Dreams World Tour and the two exchanged some twitter messages that are the sweetest!! Looks like some mutual lvoe and respect going on between the two pop princesses. Nice.

"@katyperry Thank you so much for having me on the tour. You have the cutest audience. And what a singer you are!

June 7, 2011 11:39:04 PM
from Twitter for iPhone
_______________________________________

@robynkonichiwa so THRILLED to be sharing the same stage with you tonight!#KILLIT
June 7, 2011 6:59:41 PM
by katyperry"