Oscars 2017 : A Snafu In Brief

Well said, Gosling meme.

     See below for my favorite of the many Oscar memes over the Best Picture snafu, where La La Land was incorrectly given the ward by Warren Beatty, but the envelope he was holding the Best Actress envelope. Producers stormed the stage to announce that  Moonlight won for Best Picture, and then the program wrapped. 

Cop Fridays 3: It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Bones

Image from Pintrest

     It's time for another installment of Cop Fridays! This time we take a look at the rapidly approaching series finale of my most beloved cop show, Bones. Aside from COPS and American Idol, the 12-season running Bones may be one of the longest-running shows FOX has ever had the pleasure of airing.

      I'm going to get sentimental for a moment and explain why the show is so emotionally enmeshed in my viewing past. The show premiered in the Fall of 2005. I was a college freshman looking for new friendships and television shows. All you had to say was that David Boreanez "Angel from BUFFY" was playing a hunky FBI agent, and I was hooked. I invited my close friends over for a viewing party of the first episode. We all cheered when Emily Deschanel's Dr. Temperance Brennan grabbed a gun and shot a suspect in the leg to prevent him from getting away. It was illegal, it was wrong, and it was awesome! Remember, she is the forensic scientist - hence the name Bones- and she should not have done that at all for various ethical and legal reasons.

The show became a bonding experience over subsequent seasons, I had regular Bones dates with a group of friends. We held out hope that one day Brennan and said hunky partner,  FBI agent Seely Booth, would get together. It took years... She was with child before the audience discovered they were fooling around. From that moment in the 6th season finale, Booth and Bones seemed inseparable. With two kids, several kidnappings, and trips to faraway places like Peru and London for cases, it seemed like they could handle everything. They even tried giving up their crime solving at the end of season 10, quitting their jobs in an attempt to give their family a normal life (it didn't last).

     This week, it all stopped making sense. Brennan's ex-convict father Max (the incomparable Ryan O'Neal) died at the end of last Tuesday's episode. In another psychotic revenge plot, Max protected his grandkids from an attack at home. [Sounds like just another day at the F.B.I, right?] He came through surgery for a gunshot wound, passing suddenly as he talked with Bones. After that moment, Bones lost it. The father she spent years not knowing (due to her parents faking their deaths and going on the lam, leaving Bones and her brother to grow up in foster care), was gone and died doing what he could to protect his family.

      What would someone do after suffering a tragic loss? She would be the subject of this week's episode "The Grief in the Girl." Bones flipped out, becoming distant from her husband, telling him that he should go to Canada to work a case, and it's really not important if he makes it to the memorial. She catches up with an ex-boyfriend (sorry, I forgot you existed, FBI Agent Sully). She works the case from D.C. She writes a eulogy. She is at best, her pre-Booth robotic self. She is at best, completely falling apart in her own Bones way. I really can't understand why she is/was so into Sully. By the time she reaches the memorial, Bones is finally ready to open up to Booth like most normal people do when they lose a parent. Bones justifies her time with Sully, saying that relationship prepared her for a relationship with Booth. That's cool, but I thought his coming to town just for her dad's funeral and putting in a several-day hang was odd and inappropriate. It seemed bizarre that he left the FBI, skipped town and ghosted Bones, and then wanted to be there in her hour of need. He has a girlfriend he might want to marry back at home. For the record, their relationship was not a Buffy/Angel after Joyce's death situation. It was also odd that Bones would abandon her evolved emotional arc and become so distant from her husband. I have not been this upset over and episode since  Dr. Hodgins got confined to a wheelchair, and before that, when Dr. Sweets unexpectedly died.  While I'm willing to give this episode a pass, I hope this is a justified  plot device that will help the characters move on as we go to the last episode.

I was okay with Bones through this weekend. Then, I got upset again. David Boreanez appeared on The Huffington Post's Build Series this Monday. It was a delightful interview, until he teased there might be several  more deaths in the last few episodes. I went right back into a glass case of emotion. and I cannot keep doing this again. Usually Bones is known for keeping death to the corpses in the lab. Do we as an audience need the schadenfreude of the writers killing multiple characters to help ua walk away from a show? Absolutely not, no bones about it.

*Updated 2/28
See the amazing Forbes recap of the episode here.
See the first COP Fridays post here.
See the second COP Fridays post here.

Hospital Saturday: Too Much Death on TV

     In addition for this week's Cop Fridays, I'm adding a new recurring column. It's been a tragic death week on television, so we will celebrate Hospital Fridays and pour some out for the homies. 

Gif from 1051fm.

   After last night’s blindside passing of Rayna James on Nashville, I went into a glass case of emotion, like Ron Burgundy (left). It was a complete and utter shock. This is Rayna's (Connie Britton) second almost deadly car accident (stale plot writers). Last time, her beau Deacon crashed the car drunk while the two fought for the wheel. This time, it was far more devastating. We have sat though episode after episode of this season with Rayna facing an unknown stalker. When she finally confront him last week, she had a terror-inducing experience convincing him not to hut her. If they had to kill her off (and they did according to this Huffington Post interview), why not just have the stalker off her? She comes out of the ordeal, quite shaken, and gets in the backseat of her police escort to come home. Then someone T-bones the car. Was it an accident? I've learned to believe car accidents on TV are suspect to some hinky stuff. I'm convinced this is some sort of deeply connected plot that ties back to Rayna's ex-husband Teddy and what landed him in jail. I may be wrong because this sounds more like a plot from old Nashville, where the stakes were unbelievably high.

     We also went through a whole  and Tuesday’s passing of William (Ron Cephas Jones) on This is Us, I am completely in a glass case of emotion, like Anchorman's Ron Burgundy.  I knew William would have to die at some point, because when we met him in the pilot, he announced he had cancer. Still, it was shocking to see him wither away after taking Randall on a road trip to meet his biological relatives. We learned all about William's past, growing up close to his single mother and singing in a jazz band. William cared for his mother in her final moments, vowing not to make his family suffer the same fate. We also got to see William (who is gay) meeting Randall's mother and falling in love with her, only to succumb to drug use to cope with the loss of his mother. It made more sense why he gave up Randall at the hospital, he knew he could never do the same job raising a child that his mother did. It was beautiful and emotional.

     I will be hiding out in my glass case this weekend, thinking about happy sitcoms.

Sometimes You Must Shake It Off: The Taylor Swift Experience

Lyrics for Welcome to New York
(c) PipPepPop

Swift's guitar and MTV award
(c) PipPepPop

     Last November, I learned that a Taylor Swift-themed exhibit was Welcome to New York, and I freaked out like a tween. The Taylor Swift Experience came to Fulton Street and it was good, campy fun! I went with my 'squad' a few weeks ago to check out the multimedia travelling show, which began at The Grammy Museum in Los Angeles. After the New York turn, the exhibit is on the way to the Mississippi Grammy Museum. The price tag couldn't be beat, for 11 dollars we got more entertainment than a typical exhibit.

Red dress
(c) PipPepPop

     The first floor had a gift shop full of Swift swag and the singer's memorabilia. There were more recent stage costumes (see the RED dress below) and the very cute and sparkly ringmaster suit from the Red Tour. There were lyrics (see left) for the song Welcome to New York. Swift penned other tracks for the Red album with Ryan Tedder. Read more about Tedder's collaboration in my past post. Swift's famous glitter guitar was included in the exhibit. I have been coveting this beautiful 6-string since I saw it at the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2013. Swift has contributed a beautiful educational wing to the CMHOF. Childhood items were also on display for the singer.  There was a saddle from Swift's early horseback riding days, report cards, and a baby baby blanket. There were media pieces in the display area including early home movies from the Swift family.  The walls of the area were covered with listings of each tour and venue locations, with total number of fans attended.

Promo card (c) PipPepPop

   The second floor of the exhibit was interactive and our favorite part. The feature attraction was a multi-colored tile dance floor. The tiles changed color in time to the pulsing music. As swift hits played on the screen, the lit-up dance floor changed as you stepped on each tile. We waited each time times until  Shake it Off cycled through, then busted out our best moves while singing along. It was very therapeutic and it may become part of my new stress-reduction routine. The media floor also had a recording studio where we recorded We Are Never Getting Back Together and played it back with the music video. Outside the studio, there were screens with headphones that let you playback Swift's country-tinged Mean, with individual voice and audio tracks that you could control. The Grammy winner has taken a 21st century take on a museum, making the most of audio and video to engage fans. The second floor auditorium was playing past Swift's past performances performances and concerts. I recommend this to anyone who is a dreamer or who is looking to inspire the next generation of dreamers!

Shake it Off on the video dance floor
(c) PipPepPop

Grammy Performances- Grading the 'Wow' Factor?

     People will always differ in their opinion of what makes a great award show performance. Is it something that brings them to tears, or does it encompass a surprise guest star? Is it a tearjerker, or a breakaway pop hit with tons of dancers? Sometimes there is a drum line marching down the aisle, and sometimes there are multiple Eminems storming the stage. At last night's 69th Annual Grammy Awards, all is fair in love and award show performances. I've ranked all of the performances by grade.

Adele- Hello: B; Fast Love: A
     This song has been played so many times, it no longer resonates with me.  I apologize to people that still are on the Adele train, but it was a slow opener. Yes, I recognize that she won multiple awards for her album, but it's full of heavy songs, and Hello is the heaviest. It's just not a crowd opener.
     With all else being said, I strongly love Adele's personality. She is my kind of performer and she says what she thinks. Things more interesting during Adele's late in the show tribute to George Michael. In the middle of the song, she cursed, cut off the music, and asked the conductor of the orchestra to start the song again. It was reported she felt the song had gone off-key. She began the whole thing again, which takes a lot of guts.

(c)PipPepPop- Keith Urban Live

Keith Urban and Carrie Underwood- The Fighter: A
     I'm a big fan of duets. After Urban's amazing duet with Miranda Lambert a couple of years ago (We Were Us), I thought nothing could top it. I was wrong. The legendary pairing of Urban and Underwood will be one for the country books. The song has a disco-influenced pulsing beat and an uplifting and effortless message about being there for your 'Bae. The paid effortlessly passed lines of devotion back and forth as Urban wailed away on his guitar. The simple set was full of lights and geometric designs.


Beyonce- Love Drought and Sandcastles: A+
     I'm not 100% sure I understood Beyonce's performance, but it was an immersing experience. It was the Lemonade album of award shows. There was confetti, epic dinner tables, rocking chairs, tons of dancers, and the set of her recent pregnancy photo shoot. Queen B literally dressed like a Queen complete with a gold halo, speaking about mothers and children, life and rebirth, and glory. She ended with a simple voice-over: "Let it be Glorious." Just watch the video here because I can't do it justice.

The Weeknd (Featuring Daft Punk)- Starboy/ I Feel It Coming: C
     I was not impressed with the performance. All I can contribute to the conversation is that I kept hoping Daft Punk would finally pull off their helmets so I could prove they are genius robot producers and not real humans.

(c) PipPepPop - Ed Sheeran Live

Ed Sheeran- Shape of You: A+
     Sheeran is a no-fills type of performer. I saw him in early 2013 for his first album, +. He came onstage at Radio City with a guitar and  a loop pedal. He made all of his own background music with his voice and guitar. He orchestrated each piece as needed, looping it in on his sound system, and it was breathtaking. His new song is a bit more clubby than his earlier stuff, but every bit as raw and real in this guitar and voice-only version. This performance showed Sheeran's true musicianship.

Kelsea Ballerini and Lukas Graham- Peter Pan/7 Years: B+
     I am the first person who will admit, I thought Lukas Graham was a person and not a band until quite recently. I'm not a big fan of their song 7 Years, because it's very repetitive, and for my taste its too whiny, or maybe just too European.  I'm a county music fan, and I like Ballerini's Peter Pan, although it's not her most ear-wormy hit. Both songs are slow and wistful, but when they were mixed together, both became much stronger and had a poppier driving force.

Bruno Mars- That's What I Like: B / Let's Go Crazy: A+
     At first, I was underwhelmed and unimpressed by this Bruno Mars performance. Some of his recent hits have included full brass lines and choreographed dance moves. But I know that not every song can be Uptown Funk. This slow, sensual song led Mars and two of his background singers sweet-talk the ladies in a Motown-style "sway and sing."  They took to a stage in the audience toward the end of the song to break it down. I thought he  would pull Jennifer Lopez up on stage at the end, because she was standing front and center swaying along. I'm seeing some chemistry here and that's why  this performance will be memorable.
     I read that Bruno Mars used to impersonate Elvis as a child, singing with his dad's band. I imagine seeing that would be similar to seeing him knock the closing Prince tribute out of the Staples Center. Mars came on stage for Let's Go Crazy, which has become one of the most posthumously-played Prince songs played since the artist's death. Here, we found what was missing from his earlier performance, the "Mars Effect", as I'm calling it. This time, he was singing and dancing in a purple suit, ruffly shirt and swinging a white guitar. It brought back the spirit of the great purple artist.

(c) PipPepPop - Katy Perry Live

Katy Perry- Chained to the Rhythm: B
     From a house in the sky to a mirrored broken fence, Katy Perry's sets fell away faster than a house traveling to the land of Oz. At one point, I thought the spinning stage was forming a disco ball, so I'll go with that.  The new song is pretty simple where the lyrics are concerned: "Turn it up, it's my favorite song. Dance dance dance to the distortion."* Perry also looked unusually plain: a white suit, blonde hair, and rose-colored glasses, which were flung off during a song lyric. Truthfully, I thought this was not as impressive as some of the performances on her Prism Tour (there was an animatronic camel). Nonetheless, it was a solid and understated effort (except the out of place reggae feature) and not how Perry typically does things. Then came the dramatic end: the words of the constitution projected on Perry and the set. This was Perry's moment. As Nick Jonas said, "I try to break the chains, but the chains are gonna break me."

*I swear this lyric sounds like:
 "dance to the discotron."

Maren Morris and Alicia Keys - Once: A-
     Duets involving Alicia Keys is always a crowd pleaser. I will never forget the first time it happened. I was at a John Mayer concert in 2007 and Keys strode onstage and began harmonizing on "Gravity."  I still get chills thinking about it. Keys has also sung the Rolling Stones classic with Adam Levine of Maroon 5, and it's a tearjerker. This is the first time I remember Keys singing with another equally talented female artist, and the result was epic. This was Morris's first appearance at the Grammys and she took home a trophy! She began alone on the sweet, blusey tune, and Keys walked on, taking a verse and bringing the house down with their harmony.

Lady Gaga and Metallica - Moth Into Flame: D
     This was a true rock star moment. Gaga, dressed like she came out of a strip club in 1994 (denim and flannel) carried much of the song since Metallica front-man James Hetfield's mic was not working. The performance was the weakest of the night. It was loud, firey, and encompassed everything I hate about grunge and metal- loud chaos and noise. Hetfield went across the stage to share the mic with Gaga, going all "Axel Rose," knocking over his mic and  tossing his guitar offstage at the end. I'll give Gaga a slight pass on this, considering her epic performance the week earlier at the big game, but there is no excuse for Metallica.

Sturgill Simpson and The Dap Kings brass line - All Around You: A
     Simpson has the voice and presence of a seasoned country star, even though not many people know who he is. You have to learn more about him! His electrifying voice and guitar playing remind me of a younger Vince Gill. It was a perfect all-around performance.

(c)PipPepPop- Demi Lovato and Little Big Town live. 

Demi Lovato, Little Big Town, Tori Kelly, Andra Day -The Bee Gees Tribute: A

     Let me get this off my chest, this was not The Barry Gibb Talk Show, a SNL/Tonight Show skit that I absolutely adore. Secondly, I think it is a complete shame that they waited 40 years to honor the brothers Gibb at the Grammys, as only one brother is still alive. Where was the 20th or 30th anniversary of Saturday Night Fever tribute? Enough about tragedy, I'll focus on the flawless tributes and the excitement on Gibb's face. In true Grammy glory, each artist brought their A-game like the Bee Gees did in their epic "One Night Only" concert (in 1998).
     Demi Lovato has been called many things and has been subjected to a lot of criticism since her Disney Channel days. Despite that, I saw her live his summer with the Boston Pops, and I was impressed. She was also nominated this year for best pop vocal album. Lovato led the tribute with You Should Be Dancing and it was a solid entry! As one of last year's new Grammy performers, Tori Kelly shined in the disco classic Tragedy.  No Bee Gees tribute would be complete without a sweet 70's love ballad. That honor went to the delightful vocal styling of country mega band Little Big Town. I also got to see this 2-time best country duo/group performance winners with the Boston Pops this summer and their harmonies were the sweetest lullaby of Bean Town. Andra Day, famous for singing with Stevie Wonder in a holiday commercial, wowed with Night Fever. The whole group came together for what has been called a "killer" rendition of  Staying Alive, and I loved every minute of it. 

A Tribe Called Quest w/ Busta Rhymes and Anderson .Paak
     "Movin' Forward/We the People : B
     I was getting a little sleepy by the time this came about (in the later 10:30-11:00 P.M. block), so I was losing focus on the whole show. The show started slowly and innocently enough with the tribe dedicating the song to their deceased member, Phife Dawg. Suddenly  "A Tribe" woke me up with with a politically-charged rant against President Trump, referring to him as to as "Agent Orange." They led up people representing many groups that have been persecuted and spoken against by the president, filling the stage with women in Hijabs and Latinos etc.. By the end of the show, Tribesman Q-Tip chanted "Resist" over and over again and WE GOT THE MESSAGE.

Pentatonix- ABC: B
     This gang has been everywhere lately- parades, award shows and  everything in between. Their short a capella tribute to the Jackson 5 was oddly placed, but well performed. I had a lot of flashbacks to high school a capella choir during this time and was still trying to process how Pentatonix won an award for best country duo or group performance.

The Time (B) followed by Bruno Mars (see above, A+), - Prince Tribute
"Jungle Love/The Bird"      "Let's Go Crazy"      
     I didn't know the first two songs from the tribute too well. I love and respect The Time and their intense years of collaborating and performing with Prince, but I felt totally lost during their set. I was yelling at the TV: "Don't Appleonia me like that!" Then the performance abruptly ended and I felt empty. When I thought it was over, I was delighted  by the appearance of  Bruno Mars. See full report above.

Chance the Rapper -How Great/ All We Got: B+
     I only know Chance the Rapper from his Kit Kat commerical, but I was happy to see his humbling Grammy speech. He won a little (3 awards) Grammy bling and seems like he has a good head on his shoulders. Over a sweeping choir, he rapped with little effort and full heart. I read after the fact that Chance's album was released only though streaming and he was offered a lot of money this week to sign a real record deal, which he turned down. Bonus points to Chance for using a choir!


James Corden and Friends Carpool Karaoke- Sweet Caroline: B+

(c) PipPepPop - Tim McGraw Live

     This was very cheesy, but I still found it adorable. Corden adapted his late night skit for prime time with a car cutout and some very musical friend. Guests roped into the scene included the originator Neil Diamond, J-Lo, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Ryan Tedder, John Legend, Chrissy Tegan, Keith Urban and a guy with a coat perched on the edge of his shoulders that reminded me of a young Puff Daddy (or whatever he will answer to today). By the end, the entire audience was supplementing the BUM BUM BUMs in the background and Blu Ivy Carter was dancing in front of the camera.This is truly one of those moments that only happens in Hollywood.

Cop Fridays 2: When Partners Fall in Like

     Welcome to February. It's time for COP FRIDAYS, a little holiday this month I will celebrate every Friday night, saluting my favorite cop shows. This week's entry is about CBS's family police drama, Blue Bloods. The next paragraph highlights a powerful episode from January.

     "I don't want to get you jammed up," said Jamie Reagan (Will Estes) to his partner Edit Marie 'Eddie' Janko (Vanessa Ray). The two had a conversation after witnessing another male/female set of partners fighting in the street. One half of the other couple requested a transfer after the female partner was held at knife point by a suspect. Their parting words to Jamie and Eddie were that the whole precinct believes they are sleeping together. Eddie fluffed her blonde hair and suggested to Jamie that they should just got for it, pulling a Bonnie Raitt and giving them something to talk about. Jamie, whose father is the city police commissioner, shook his head and said it should never happen. But I have to ask why? Even CBS thinks this couple should be together.

Jamie: "We're paying for something we didn't get any benefits of..."

Eddie: "If you tap this (points to her bum), there's going back."

Image from Pinrest.

     This is why I watch Blue Bloods. Well, not for the dialogue, I definitely don't the in for the dialogue. That particular November episode was rife with terrible dialogue that sounded like it was from a 20's gangster and gun moll movie. Jamie makes a comment about the relationship between the two, likening it to trying to out toothpaste back in a tube if it didn't work out. Really, I would like to meet with their writing staff. I could see this type of talk coming from Jamie's widowed father and grandfather, which I refer to as the senior members of "the bachelor club," a nickname I used when Jamie and the two older generations lived under one roof together. But this is not the way a hot, single 30-something year old Harvard-educated lawyer (that became a police officer to serve a higher purpose). But I digress...

     There is a real reason I watch Blue Bloods. There are tons of procedural shows and cop dramas out there, but Blue Bloods is different.  It's a family drama and the family just happens to be filled with cops and lawyers with a strong (read too strong) sense of ethics. At first, season 1 brought us a murder mystery. We had to explore the conspiracy in the police department that led to Jamie's brother Joe's death.  The action on the murder cases can move fast, but this couple has been slow burning for years and that's what makes me come back (aside from Donny Wahlberg's Danny kicking ass and taking names). Jamie and Eddie have been buddies since season four, trading bad date stories and grabbing beers after patrol. They were partnered at the beginning of that season after Jamie's partner Vinny was killed in the line of duty.

     The couple kissed late in season four, but it's taken three years for them to pick up some steam as most of their talks have ended with a hug, like when Jamie comforted Eddie after her inconsequential boyfriend took a swing at her. A few months ago, they kissed after a double date and said they "had feelings," but chalked up the kiss to too much alcohol. (Read more from EW.com about the kiss.) Eddie came with Jamie to a wedding and Jamie punched a guy who was hitting on Eddie or making lewd comments. Then they slow danced. In last week's episode, Eddie reveals a deep secret to Jamie. She shares that she is a Philadelphia Flyers fan. Jamie, who comes from generations of Rangers fans (as well as cops),  is disgusted but forgives Eddie. This is surely not normal behavior for people that are "just friends."

      I also have to reflect on a pivotal episode from 3 weeks ago. Eddie complains to Jamie about her new boyfriend ghosting after she shot a would be robber on a date. It's a typical complaint, right? Eddie laments that she isn't comfortable being a damsel and she's frustrated she hasn't found a guy who appreciates her four her tough exterior. But there may be someone who sees her tender side, and is not threatened by her pulling out a gun and doing her job, even off-duty. It's JAMIE!! It's HIM!! He basically says as much while comforting Jamie. Eddie says they can't be each other's consolation prize. WHY??? It can't be because they're partners. Danny and his many female partners have always had an appropriate work/personal life balance in the detective squad. Whether it was party girl Jackie (Jennifer Esposito: 2+years), Kate (Megan Ketch: a few episodes), Mac (Megan Boone: a few episodes) and his current partner Maria Baez (Marisa Ramirez: since 2013). It's time to man up Jamie Reagan, take a chance with Eddie!
I would ship that!

See the first COP Fridays here. 

Technology Fail

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Cop Fridays 1: Live PD

     I may have expressed an interest in cop shows in the past. I would say I'm a fan of some. I, however, have never been a fan of the live-action FOX show COPS, which has run for 29 seasons. I'm here to talk about Live: PD, an A&E show that takes COPS one step further, because it's Live. The program is hosted by ABC's Chief Legal Correspondent  Dan Abrams (catch him on Good Morning America) and he guides viewers through live Friday night feeds and pre-recorded ride-alongs in locations like Mission, TX, Calvert County, MD, Columbia, SC, and Tulsa, Oklahoma each week. Some weeks, the show is on The show is also on Saturday nights most weeks, which means 3-6 hours a weekend of live PD. The show's clear star is Officer Sticks, a member of he Tulsa PD Gang Unit. I had no idea until a few weeks ago that there are gangs in Oklahoma, it just didn't seem like that kind of place. But it absolutely is, and Officer Sticks is right in the think of it.

     At best case, the night is filled with traffic stops (DWI) and calls for domestic disturbances (Uncle Billy) and crazy neighbors fighting. At worst case, it's police chases (I have to admit there was a pretty interesting one in Columbia) and  officers putting their lives in danger in some form or another. When the show turns off at midnight, there is always a case still brewing that we don't get resolved.