GRAMMYS 2021: A New Type of Awards Show?

 One major thing happened at the 2021 Grammy Awards. I know what you're thinking.  No, it's not just the first time Trevor Noah  dressed in more than a hoodie and left his house in months. No, it's not the random appearance by a very tired-looking and grammy-less Beyonce and Jay-Z. 

I'll tell you what happened: Music was actually celebrated on music's biggest night!

via GIPHY

 Yes, most music award shows these days are glorified over-the-top performances that look like they belong at halftime of the big game. With a small, intimate audience outside the STAPLES center in a still locked-down Los Angeles, artists could have been left scrambling. Some of them haven't performed in the last year and now they're relegated to a closed indoor set without the limited show audience to cheer them on. What's a musician to do? 

They had to perform for (brace yourself) each other.  Performances and interview videos of the most nominated artists of the year went in a  round-robin style, 2 to 3 in a row. Artists sat near their performance spaces after, often with drinks in their hands, making eye contact with their fellow nominees, making me believe that is is just an honor to be nominated. Gone are the days of Taylor sitting front row and dancing with her model BFF's like they're at the club.  Gone are the days of  people wiping tears from their eyes while they pretend to be moved by an Adele song. And I'd like to think that with this new feeling of inclusion, there will be less camera catching Chrissy Tiegan falling asleep during the Oscars.  Here was a night of actual human connection, and about 4-5 televised awards. We may still be in the middle of the pandemic, but this was more of a real celebration than any other awards show I've seen.  

One Paragraph Movie Review: Crazy Rich Asians

Crazy Rich Asians is the movie America needs right now. with romantic comedies only popping up on Netflix these days, its nice to see a love story on the big screen. As an audience, we can put aside all of the fighting an unite against two legendary movie villains, the mother in law and the mean ex-girlfriend. Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) is a completely relatable heroine;  an educated, average woman who wants to make a good impression on her boyfriend's family. Here's where the crazy rich part comes in: Nick (Henry Golding) forgot to mention he is living in America to avoid having to take over his family business; and they are one of the richest families in Thailand. While Rachel fights mean girls and wins the heart of Nick's grandmother, she is supported by her college roommate Piglin (Awkwafina), and her kooky family. It's a enjoyable escape filled with fabulous destinations, beautiful clothes, and the message that money can't buy happiness.  Plus, there's a chase to the airport. What more can a girl ask for?

Crazy Rich Asians was adapted from the novel by the same name, written by Kevin Kwan. 

The One: The Backstreet Boys Residency in Las Vegas

At TRL, 2000 for the Backstreet Boys
(c) PipPepPop

  Some people go to a concert once a year. Some go to a concert a couple of times a year. Other people get in the car and drive somewhere  to see their favorite band. I hopped a plane to Las Vegas to see The Backstreet Boys, and I'm so glad I did it! I came, I saw, and I rocked my body right at the Axis at Planet Hollywood on St. Patrick's Day. Today is BSB's 24th anniversary, according to the timeline on their website and social media channels. On this day, Brian officially had joined the band and cemented their place in history.

 

(c) PipPepPop

     I began my BSB journey back in 1998. I was a 4th grader and I was obsessed with the song Quit Playing Games with My Heart. I still may be obsessed because that song rocked at the concert. While the audience was in no danger of getting carded, the crowd around me swayed and screamed like a bunch of teenagers. My friend gave me a shrug when the girl next to us yelled "The Call! That's my JAM! That's my song!" **

     The BSB has been a part of the cultural zeitgeist for well over 20 years now. They ruled the pop charts and MTV's video-heavy Total Request Live countdown show. In a related note, live shows like this are getting new life later this year. I want it that way is consistently on the top song lists. Rolling Stone's list of top boy band songs of all time (including acts like the Jackson 5 and the Monkees) ranked the 1999 classic, I Want it That Way, as its 5th entry. While they're never taken home the coveted Grammy award (7 time nominees), they have won countless fan awards such as MTV Video Music Awards, Billboard Awards, Kids Choice Awards and Teen Choice Awards. They're also left us pondering what exactly it means to "want it that way" or why the "loneliness is tragical." As of early April, BSB proved they still have it. They were back, taking the stage at the ACM Awards  with friends Florida Georgia Line. The septet performed their new single, God, Your Mama and Me and everyone enjoyed it. Then they music changed and all 7 guys launched into Everybody (Backstreet's Back) complete with dance moves. I have never seen Tim McGraw so into a performance before. He and his wife Faith were like a young Taylor Swift, dancing and singing in the front row.

A Vegas Take on Suits. (c) PipPepPop

     The concert was filled with memories. Nearly all of the songs from the self-titled Backstreet Boys album were played, even forgotten favorites like Darlin' (with Kevin's sexy talking intro) and uplifting ballad, Anywhere for You. We were dancing in our seats during the Euro-pop hit, Get Down, which lends itself to AJ's bad-ass rap portion. There was a heavy amount of dancing in the show, and it was more impressive than all the other BSB concerts I've seen combined (6 or 7), with the possible exception of NKOTBSB. The "chair dance" from As Long as You Love Me was perfection.  There were fedoras present during the mid-tempo ballad, All I Have to Give. The songs from Millennium and Black and Blue were represented, bringing the boys and their 10 dancers together for driving dance tunes like Larger Than Life, The Call and the not heard enough Get Another Boyfriend. , and subduing the crowd with sweet songs like Drowning and Incomplete. The only song from the non-Kevin years performed was the heartbreaking and haunting song, Undone. I have been listening to this non-stop. The show concluded with Everybody (Backstreet's Back), which you can find following the below link to you Youtube channel. We made some new memories that night and I will not soon forget this show.

At the show, 2017
(c) PipPepPop

** The reason I found this comment to be disturbing is that The Call is a song about cheating, and she screamed this directly in her boyfriend's face.

Read more reviews of the show on Ticketmaster. Mine is in there somewhere.
Read the Billboard.com review of the show.
See more of my concert footage on Youtube.

The ACM Awards: Like the High School of Country Music

Imgur GIF from "Not Another Teen Movie" 

   Sometimes the adult world feels a lot like high school. Award shows are no exception to this rule. Tonight we're exploring the stars of the Academy of Country Music Awards (ACMs) and comparing them to characters from teen shows and movies. Get those tropes ready, we're going to see them in full force. Consult the below dictionary for you favorite country star. * These titles are all bestowed with Love!


Brett Eldredge
A true showman who, will run rhoguh the audience and serenade showgirls during his song.  Brett has the soulful eyes of a heart breaker and the deep emotions of a guy that will do anything for love. Character: Patrick  (Heath Ledger) from 10 Things I Hate About You

Brothers Osborne
I love brothers Osborne. They have a great album of songs that are great for chilling, like Rum. They have a great band energy as well because they're brothers. I'm bestowing on them a double teen movie honor: best bad comprised of the same guys in multiple movies. In Can't Hardly Wait, both Breckin Meyer and Donald Faison are in the band playing at the big party. In Josie and the Pussycats, the same two are in the boy band DuJour, along with CHW cast member Seth Green. I love that there is an unofficial band reunion for these guys in multiple movies!

Carrie Underwood
Carrie is one of America's literal idols. She sings sweetly, but if you get on her bad side, she's going to bash in your car (Before He Cheats) or possible murder you with poison (Church Bells). Part of me really wanted to bring Carrie together with vengeance demon Anya (Emma Caufield) from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I considered it again, and Anya starts out as a villain and becomes endearing to the audience (fear of bunnies and all). But Carrie is on another level, so I have selected Rebecca Bunch from Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. Rachel Bloom's Rebecca charms us with every song she sings, even if she's plotting unspeakable revenge. She says, "She's just a girl in love and can't be held responsible for her actions, (faking a pregnancy, faking a break-in, faking a relationship)  and the creepy Josh drawer that played The Entertainer.

Darius Rucker
I feel like Darius Rucker is the cool teacher in this scenario for a variety of reasons. He already had his first career as a touring pop band vocalist, then reinvented himself as a country star. Since then, he has won Grammys and become one of the most active members of the Grand Old Opry. His teacher spirit would be like Mr. Turner (Anthony Tyler Quinn) on Boy Meets World.

Dierks Bentley
He's always up for helping out a buddy. Dierks performed his own song, sang with Cole Swindell and co-hosted the show with Luke Bryan. When does this guy sleep? When he's not getting Drunk on a Plane, Bentley is serenading his wife Katie in the sultry song Black. Dierks is a lot like Lucas Scott in One Tree Hill, a jack of all trades. Chad Michael Murray's Lucas plays varsity basketball, writes a novel, helps his mom run a cafe and later also a music venue, and manages to be everyone's best friend before gradating Tree Hill High.

Faith Hill and Tim McGraw
They just put a new duet out this week, and they've been been married for 21 years. The McGraw-Hill group's (publishing joke) idea of a good family adventure is going out on tour for a year together. These two are just like Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick) and Sloane Peterson (Mia Sara) from Ferris Bueller's Day Off.

Kelsea Ballerini
The girl next door that's starting to show her true feelings. Ballerini is the female vocalist of the year! Her cute and flirty songs like Dibs and  Yeah Boy reminds me of  Joey Potter ( Katie Holmes) singing All By Myself, knowing that she has feelings for Pacey on Dawson's Creek.

Jason Aldean
He's quite the opposite on stage from the persona in his party anthems. Aldean is a sensitive soul buried under a scowl and a wounded soul. He is the essence of the Friday Night Lights troubled footballer Tim Riggins (Taylor Kitsch), who falls in love with his paralyzed best friend's girlfriend.

Keith Urban 
As an Aussie, I would love to put Urban in the "cool foreign guy" category, but I would probably have to go back to Saved by the Bell to find a cool foreign guy. Scratch that, Screech once pretended to be a Russian chess player, so this category is not going to work. I think Urban is best suited as the cool actor guy, like Josh Duhmael's Tad in Win a Date with Tad Hamilton. As soon as he shows up in a small town, all the girls are falling over him.

Kacey Musgraves
Mentioned for her nomination, but not shown during the show, Kacey is no stranger to being an outcast. She last won an ACM in 2014 for best album, The also nabbed countless wards and a Best New artist Grammy. Musgraves has lost a lot of radio support for just being herself. I love her desire not to be part of The Old Boy's Club and she has earned the title of Veronica Mars. Kristen Bell's likable loner was misunderstood by her peers, but she solved more mysteries than the town sheriff's department and she always got the last laugh.

Florida Georgia Line
FGL 's Tyler and Brian represent the bro-iest bros around. But they're definitely the little brother  in this situation looking for some camaraderie with their older brothers. FGL and the Backstreet Boys united together for their new single God, Your Mama and Me, then brought down the house with Backstreet's Back. Stay tuned this week for my review of #BSBVegas, because it was epic. I'm going to honor this southern brotherhood with the Brothers of Kappa Tau (honorable mention to Scott Michael Foster as leader Cappie) on the show Greek.

Little Big Town
This band represents the  rock-solid couple from freshman year. They are as sweet to each other as they are to everyone around them. They even show up in coordinated outfits, which looks great in their Group of the Year winner photo. I'm going to give them Murray (Donald Faison) and Dionne (Stacey Dash) from Clueless, minus the fighting.

Luke Bryan
Bryan is the All-American boy. He can sing, dance, host, cry, laugh, and pose with a Chippendale dancer all in the same night. Luke is well liked, but she is completely approachable. He has a huge heart, looking after his orphaned nieces and nephew. Luke is like Freddie Prinze Jr.'s Zack in She's All That. Everyone loves Zack as the soccer team captain, head of the class and student body president. He can look past the shy girl and see the hotness beneath. As a bonus, Zack's hackey sac performance art reminds me of Bryan's recent soul-bearing Tonight Show song about how to pronounce  the Greek delicacy Gyro.

Maren Morris
This girl's got edge, and I'm not just talking about her Joan Jett-inspired wavy bob and nose ring. He breakout single last year My Church likened Johnny Cash to a spiritual awakening. Her most recent hit 80's Merdeces is light and breezy. I think Morris is best repented by Oscar Winner Emma Stone's Olive in Easy A. She may seem pretty tough on the outside, but she's just a bit misunderstood and she runs with it.

Miranda Lambert
This album of the year winner wrote a double album about her divorce, titled "The Heart" and "The Nerve." She's no stranger to falling apart (Mama's Broken Heart, Vice), and she's trying to dig herself our of a hole from a very messy public divorce from Blake Shelton. She's a dark horse, a Blair Waldorf (Leighton Meester) in Gossip Girl. Stay on her good side, or you might find your house doused in Kerosene.

Old Dominion
Their addictive hit from last spring Break Up with Him was Back to the Future themed! This is just another teen drama fact. I'm going to classify these guys as Josie and the Pussycats (movie version) because they are always checking pop culture and other music in their songs, like in Song for Another Time.

Reba
Reba is the fairy godmother of country music. She looks down on everyone offering motherly advice, and now she sings gospel songs. I'm going to credit Reba as the wise Iona, played by Annie Potts in Pretty in Pink. Iona offered Andie guidance while she tried to work out her feelings for Blaine, although she should have stepped in when Andie created that monstrous pink prom dress.

Sam Hunt
Mr. Hunt has become well known for his sexy sing/talk mix, called "sam hunting" by some radio DJ's. He wrote an album of  breakup songs about a girl, and now they're engaged. Tonight during his Body Like a Back Road, Hunt sat in the audience with his arm around Hanna Lee, serenading her as he described how well he knew her curves. Hunt is totally Dan Humphrey (Penn Bagley, aka Gossip Girl), who pines after Serena van der Woodsen for years. While publicly pursing Serena, Dan  almost destroys the lives of all their friends and family on their way to eventual marriage.

Taylor Swift
She's not at the awards in person tonight, but it's like she almost was there. She's like that girl that moved away to another school that you still think about. Even though she's off in a new scene, she's still sending songs like "Better Man" to Little Big Town, cinching their Group of the Year award win. I would say she is similar to Amy Jo Johnson's character Julie on Felicity. She became friends with Felicity, made the Felicity-Ben-Noel triangle into a rhombus, wrote some songs, and then split before college was over.

Thomas Rhett
This guy doesn't do anything halfway. He set the world record for largest twister game for the release of his 2015 Tangled Up album.  He sings that he would die a happy man just holding his wife Lauren's hand, then he announces his wife is having a baby and they're adopting a child from Africa. This family has been taken to another level! Rhett is the ultimate romantic, which is why he is the boombox guy,  Lloyd Dobbler (John Cusack) from Say Anything.

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. 

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.

Former Mouseketeers Turn Up at Golden Globes

Image of Timberlake and Gosling from Giphy

    A little show titled The New Mickey Mouse Club was a serious deal on the Disney Channel in the early 1990's. I'll admit, I was a bit more invested in Nickelodeon's edgier Canadian show Round House, but that show produced no stars. I would have to go into another entirely separate post to discuss Nick's comedy show All That, and I will do that very soon.  The MMC launched the careers of some of the most well known pop stars in the last 20 years: 2/5 of N*Sync, Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears. Does anyone talk about the rich acting history that began on this musical sketch show? Not often.  I'm here to remind you that these kids are award nomination-worthy. This year the golden globes honored several former mouseketeers for their projects.

     In a post-MMC bubble world, we had no idea if these kids would have the chops to be adult performers. One woman constantly defying those odds is Keri Russell. After winning a Golden Globe in 1999 for her portrayal of  "fickle pickle" college student Felicity, Russell came back to television (with her hotly contested straight hair) as a sleeper spy mom in FX's The Americans. Russell was nominated for Best Actress in a TV Drama this year. The show picks up on March 5th for its 5th season. We last left  Elizabeth and her husband Phillip (Matthew Rhys- also nominated for a Golden Globe) delicately dealing with their teenage daughter discovering they are Russian spies in 1980's Washington, D.C. This show is phenomenal and I can't believe it's only getting award buzz for its fourth season. Russell was also nominated for a Primetime Emmy in 2016 for the same role and won a Teen Choice Award in 1999.

My Gosling Meme - With Timberlake lyrics

     Ryan Gosling walked out of the 2017 Golden Globes with the Best Actor in a Movie trophy. This was his 4th nomination in recent years. Gosling came on the scene as an adult in 2004 in the movie that makes me bawl and turn the TV channel, The Notebook.  This movie earned Gosling the "Best Kiss"  trophy with Rachel McAdams at the 2005 MTV movie awards, as well as several Teen Choice Awards that same year. His critical acclaim has come more in recent years, where he is referred to colloquially as one of "the Ryans." To my knowledge, there are only two, Gosling and Ryan Reynolds. Gosling shas just been nominated for an Oscar for this year's sweeping movie musical LaLaLand, which had cleaned up at the globes. This is Gosling's 2nd Oscar nomination. That begin said, not all of movies are winners. I thought Drive was one of the worst movies in recent years. In my old teen magazines, Gosling was always mentioned with Tony Lucca. I'm pretty sure Tony Lucca doesn't have any awards aside from the MMC cast's  Young Artists Award nomination. Tony Lucca is also not the star of multiple "Hey Girl..." Internet memes (mic drop).

     The third MMC member at the Golden Globes was jack of all trades, Justin Timberlake. He was in MMC, he was in N*Sync, and he bounced back into America's heart after the Janet Jackson 2004 "Big Game" incident. Timberlake was at the show as a nominee for the Best Original Song in a Movie category, with the Summer 2016 anthem Can't Stop the Feeling. This may seem like a technicality to qualify for this piece, but Timberlake voiced a character in the Trolls movie that launched this song. Timberlake has won multiple awards for his music and this song is an Oscar contender in a few weeks.

Golden Globes 2017- Fashion or Foe

     I have reviewed countless photos of outfits from last Sunday's Golden Globe Awards. I'm ready to review my picks for my favorite and least favorite outfits. We'll also review some trends for the 2017 season. To make our lives easier, please refer to the Refinery29 Golden Globes Photo Galley.

The Best:

Image from Giphy

5. Brie Larson in Rodarte
Last year's gold-carpet queen (and Golden Globe winner) shined in a fitted chiffony strapless gown. Even better, it was a sweetheart neckline, which I adore. It was a deep crimson, reminding me of last year's raved-about color of red. The most amazing part is the crisscross panels of sequins in the front of the dress. If this was a bridesmaid dress, or even remotely affordable, I would wear it in a heartbeat.

Image from Giphy

4. Millie Bobby Brown in Jenny Packham
I wish I had dressed like this for my junior prom! This 123-year-old star of Stranger Things was all-class in a Silver A-line cocktail dress. It had attachments that were very sparkly and she had a clean bob. Did you see her shoes? I love those silver Sophia Webster sandals and would wear them to a wedding. In fact, I own wedding sandals that look just like that...

Image from Giphy

3. Kristen Bell, also in Jenny Packham
Wow, Ms. Bell brings it in this tuxedo-like black dress. It is all sequins from the long sleeves to the hems with that gorgeous silky collar. She brought the girls out in this deep "U" dress. She balances the open top with a simple hairstyle and beautiful earrings. This look is a far cry from her ordinary look on The Good Place.

Image from Giphy

2. Emma Stone in Valentino
This tan dress with silver embellished stars remind me of my high school senior prom dress. I loved that dress and I love Valentino so I am all in. Sometimes, I'm afraid to wear something too close to my fair skin tone, but Ms. Stone pulls off the looks flawlessly. She also compliments with a beautiful teardrop choker. It's the very essence of LalaLand.

Image from Giphy

1. Felicity Huffman in Georges Chakra
The legendary actress wowed in American Crime Story this season as a tough school headmistress. I was shocked when I saw Ms. Huffman looking beyond glamorous in a jumpsuit that looked like a dress. The dress could have fit in at any disco or fancy party with the Gold/Silver V-necked top and flowy, white bottom. With a chic blowout, I'm granting Huffman the fashion award of the night.

Honorable Mentions go out to:

• Viola Davis in Michael Kohrs
• Drew Barrymore in Monique Lhullier
• Amy Adams in Tom Ford (designer and director)

The Worst:

Image from Giphy

Tracee Ellis Ross in Zuhair Murad
     Ms. Ross left the show with a deserved best actress in a TV comedy trophy for Black-ish, but I kept thinking her dress looked like a birdcage. I love the top of the dress with the strapless neckline intricate beading. Also I'll give props, the dress was in this year's it color of White/Silver. But it's drawbacks included too sheer of a netting on the bottom of the dress. It was distracting. If the bottom flared out more, I could be on board.

Image from ReBloggy

Michelle Williams in Louis Vuitton
     I like lace just as the next gal, but not when it's done like this. The top of the dress had a lace corset AND off-the-shoulder pieces to give a "cold shoulder" look. The simple piece of ribbon tied around Williams' neck seems like it's missing a pendant. The lace has a black under layer that makes it look more like a coat than a dress. If it flared out and ended at a tea-length to cocktail-length, I might like it better, but I'm calling a miss.






Trends for 2016:

• White/Silver colors : An Ode to Winter 
• Bringing "the girls" out
• "V" There:  Jennifer Lopez once wore a dress that had a V of cleavage down to her bellybutton. Nothing was quite as deep, but actresses such as Jessica Biel and Gina Rodriquez brought their A-game to a deep V top. 
• Visible Legs in a long dress:  I have often heard, a woman can show cleavage or a little leg, but not both. Many actresses such as Kristen Wiig had cutouts or sheer columns in their dresses that showed a bit of leg in a classy way. 

Mariah Carey's NYE Performance was "Amazing" and Other Live Fails

     I'll be honest, I was occupied and missed Mariah Carey's now legendary train wreck of a performance on Dick Clark's Rockin' New Years Eve. I watched so many videos and news clips yesterday, I feel like I saw it live. Mariah has long been known for "Diva-ing" out during live events. First there was her 2001 appearance on TRL, stripping out of an oversize T-shirt. She lamented how this was her "therapy session." I also reminisced about a 2002 episode of MTV Cribs, where Mariah was just bizarre. Some of her antics are highlighted in this MTV article. I also remember vividly her wearing heels while working out a on a machine in her home gym. To put it lightly, she had a few breakdown a while back. She took some time off recover, married Nick Cannon, and had kids. Then she took over as a judge on American Idol. She continued to be a Diva there, often fighting on camera with fellow judge Nicki Minaj.

     Back to the present, Mariah's poor performance on the NYE countdown was the result of a complete lack of professionalism.  First of all, she was not dressed appropriately for a woman of her age. She is over 45 and does not need to wear a dude see-through bodysuit (same goes for you, Ms. Britney). It was obvious that there was a track for some of the songs. I understand that, fair enough. Mariah could have chosen to lip sync along to every song (since the venue was cold, dark and outdoors). But instead she picked and chose what she wanted to sing. When she couldn't keep up with the music, she just closed her mouth and tried to make conversation with the crowd. "(Emotions) went to #1...." It was also obvious that she was such a diva that she  didn't show up for rehearsal or sound check. The stage choreography was also pretty bad, as evidenced by the lazy dove-feather fans fans spinning around and the dancers wincing while trying to lasciviously hold her leg while she leaned back. Maybe this was a blessing in disguise, 2016 went out on a low point, which a lot  of people sympathized with via social media.

     Have no fear, Miss Mimi is not the first diva to flop on a live stage. She is not the first person to start making weird comments on New Year's Eve. That honor goes straight to co-host Jenny McCarthy, who seems drunk from the moment the broadcast goes on. This will certainly not be the last time.Here are 2 of my favorite worst live performances on live TV.

Meghan Trainor falls on The Tonight Show
     This summer, Ms. Trainor wiped out after finishing a choreography-challenging performance of her song, NO.  I was pretty worried during the song that she was attempting to dance in 5-inch heels. I almost thought my worry was for nothing.  She rolled her ankle when moving back to the microphone stand and dropped to the floor, spreading out like a snow angel. This overall wasn't too bad. MS. Trainor did make it through the song.

Ashlee Simpson lip syncs on SNL
     I was reminiscing with my friends a few weeks about about Ashlee's tragic debut on Saturday Night Live in 2004. It seems like just yesterday, Ashlee Simpson-Wentz-Ross had a famous sister, an MTV biopic show, Ryan Cabrera on her arm, and a lot of acid reflux. (I can relate to the girl, stomach acid can really mess you up.)So, a wise decision was made for Ms. Simpson to lip sync to her debut single Pieces of Me on the live show. What she didn't count on was the track malfunctioning the second it started. A back beat and her vocals began, and Ashlee immediately knew the show had to go on. What did she do? She began dancing a jig like a pirate. When the band finally caught up with the music, she waltzed offstage. That being said, my friends and I jumped into a circle and clapped our hands as Ashlee's LOVE rocked out at a wedding. Time can heal all wounds.

My Murtaugh List: Too Old for the VMA's

Image Courtesy of  Pintrest. 

     First off, let me explain a few things about this post. I was home sick earlier this week and looking for something entertaining on the DVR. So naturally, I chose the MTV Video Music Awards, which has been on my DVR since August 28th. It was not just the cough medicine, but something in my head tipped me off to a very clear fact: I am too old to appreciate these awards any more.

      As you approach our 30's, you begin to list the things you can and can no longer do with pride. An episode of How I Met Your Mother outlines this theory and presented it as "The Murtaugh List." This list refers to the times when Danny Glover mutters "I'm too old for this s**t!" in the Lethal Weapon movies. Ted and the gang make a serious list of things they cannot do in their 30's. Why am I too old for the VMA Awards? Here are a few cliff notes to my list. Firstly, I don't know who about 30% of the people presenting awards. I can identify nearly all of the performers, but I can't say I like most of their music. Secondly, I keep flashing back to previous award shows and comparing things. Basically, I've seen too much.  But I am still transfixed every time Beyonce steps on the stage because I am a child of destiny.

My Murtaugh List for the VMAS: I am too old for...

1. Key and Peele hosting

VMA Hosts via Giphy Image. 

     In their defense, I like Keegan Michael Key and Jordan Peele. They won an Emmy award this year for their comedy!  But to my dismay, they were playing obnoxious characters as they hosted the show. When I see an award show, I don't want the presenters to be part of the spectacle. They were mildly funny in the beginning, suggesting Twitter hashtags for Rhianna's performance (below) such as getting Tom Brady to deflate the large cloud like structures on the stage. There were a bunch of forgettable correspondents backstage and in the cheap seats that added nothing to the coverage.

2. Rhianna's performance
     When you see the opening performance, you want to be wowed. I was disappointed and vaguely insulted by Rhianna, who received the night's highest honor, the Video Vanguard Award (like a video lifetime achievement). First of all, she and the dancers were dressed in bubblegum pink. Rhianna herself  had a waist cincher with arms unattached and dangling from the legs. They dancers had the aforementioned cloud beanbag chairs behind them, which was weird. The two songs in this first performance were Rhianna's more upbeat songs (We Found Love, Don't Stop the Music). She danced well to her music but there was not much singing. There was little singing. It was more like she was on Lip Sync Battle or emulating Britney Spears.

3. Live voting for best new artist via Twitter.
     When I was a young'n, you had to go to a website to vote.

Gif from Single Ladies' Dance Blog

4. Arianna Grande's Workout
     Unlike many other celebrity "singers", Ariana can sing. But she also is the girl that licked a doughnut and then said she hayy-ted (sic) America. She may be bold, but she is not regional. Her performance presented like a 2016  glammed-up, Olivia Newton-John's Let's Get Physical. It began with a spin bike class and ended with guys in skimpy wrestling unitards lifting barbells.

 5. Kanye West
      I know this guy believes he is the second coming, but I do not understand the appeal. Specifically I took issue with his nominated video, which the same I cannot remember and choose not to Google. Secondly,  He had a long and pointless intro to his music video, still referencing the time her cut off Taylor swift in the middle of her speech. He then proceeded to premier a video that was a rip-off of Flashdance (newsflash, the 80's workout movement is "in" right now). The part that concerns me is whether or not Kanye thinks this is a brand new concert.

Image from Giphy

6. People not showing up to accept Awards
     In the words of Stephanie Judith Tanner, "How rude." Are people like Drake and Calvin Harris so busy that they can't make it to New York for one night to accept an award that may or may not have been voted on via Twitter?

 7. Rhianna's 2nd performance (Rude Boy)
     This time she tried singing! She also had had pants, so this performance was a drastic improvement from the show opener.

8. Leave Britney Alone
It's Britney, and she's boring! I've seen her look better, first of all. She sad yellow bodysuit and very tanned back were not part of her best look. To make matters worse, this mother of two was groping her collaborator like a high school prom date. I daresay that Britney is too old for this, like a sad Vegas showgirl.

9. Using the local NYC scene as part of your performance

Image from Rockoranything.com

     Nick Jonas began his performance in a diner on 34th street (Tick Tock) and ran into the closed street across from Madison Square Garden. The street has a giant tractor trailer stage blocking the crosswalks and cars on hydraulics (not sure why that was important). When the awards used to be presented art Radio City, Eminem bravely implement this outdoor performance method 16 years ago when he led an army of Slim Shadys into Radio City. More recently,  Taylor Swift's 2009 "You Belong with Me" performance had her coming to to Radio City from the subway stop next door (see Kayne incident above).

 10. Rhianna's third performance
      I'm not familiar with this song but it was pretty awful. She began wearing a North Face-style puffy coat with sleeves that looked like an additional puffy coat. I thought for a while there might be a plastic bag on her thighs, but it turned out her thigh-high boot had flopped over her leg and it was not the same color inside and outside.

Emmy Fashion- 5 Best

As usual, Emmy dresses are one of my favorite parts of Fall. Here are my 5 best!

Image from StyleBistro.com

5. Claire Danes (Homeland) in gold Schiaparelli

     I'm a sucker for a gold dress. so much, in fact, that I wore one to my high school prom. It was not as glitzy as Ms. Danes, but it had some sparkle. The gathered fabric in the center of the skirt can be a funny thing for some women, but it looks regal on Danes. Her legs look sensational under this fabric. I wish the necklace hung a tad higher, because it blends into the dress a bit. I really do like this dress, but Danes looks pretty awful. Her skin tone seems to clash with the dress for some reason. It's like a fake tan gone wrong. Her hair looks like it effortlessly fell into place around her shoulders. B-

Image from LaineyGossip.com

4. Shiri Appleby (UNREAL) in blue Diane Von Fustenberg

     They don't call DVF a classic for nothing. It's sleek and sexy without being too revealing.This dress is s beautiful shade of blue for the Fall, not too "ocean" and not so dark that the detailing gets lost. Ms. Appleby has only dressed up once in the series so far (for an award show), but it's nice to see her wearing a gown that could hold its' own against the contestants on the fake reality show "Everlasting." Ms. Appleby has had long hair since her Roswell days (I'm jealous) and it literally shines on the red carpet.  B+

Image from StyleBistro.com

3.  Julie Bowen (Modern Family) in white Lela Rose

     As Claire Dunphy, Ms. Bowen doesn't dress up much in her day job. This white dress looked flawless against her skin and was elegant and simple, perfect for a black tie affair or a beach wedding. Some may call it safe, but I would pinpoint it as more "retro" in a classic 1930's meets Cleopatra style. Her T.V. daughters, Sarah Hyland and Ariel Winter went a much more bold route in their clothing choices.  The hair is nicely blown out in a fresh anti-bob, which I hope to achieve most mornings but end up failing to accomplish. A-

Image from Tom and Lorenzo Blog

2. Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black) in red Alexander Wang

     First time Best Actress winner Maslany plays a series of clones on a daily basis. She is used to changing her appearance, but she looked beyond fierce at the Emmys.  She is rocking the color red, and she understands the "less is more" value. It's a simple halter-style top with a tasteful cutout into the cleavage area ( a rarity) and a barely-there midriff cutout. The bottom flows straight down, grazing the hip area. Best of all,  a simple up-do lets her diamond earrings show through and take the spotlight. A

Photo from Tom and Lorenzo Blog

1. Priyanka Chopra (Qunatico) in red Jason Wu

     The thing that drew me into the dress is that it's done in this year's popular color, Red-carpet Red. Aside from that, I love the flow and lines of the skirt, how it wisps down to the ground at a variety of angles and lengths. The top is fresh take on the one-shoulder dress with multiple straps, and a cutout wrapping around to the back. The crowning glory on this dress is how wonderful it flows when Ms. Chopra spun around. This photo from US Magazine shows her in a full twirl. If I have my vote, every bridesmaid dress should be this beautiful. Her hair also had to be up to show of the magic of this dress! A+

CMA Fest- Like the Awards But With More Music

     A month ago, ABC showed its broadcast of June's CMA Music Festival: Country's Night to Rock. The event kicks off summer in Nashville with a week of events and concerts. Basically, it brings today's biggest country stars on one stage in a stadium for the coolest weekend-long country music festival.This event  began in 1972 but has taken off in the last few years as country music has become entirely more mainstream. There are various CMA events in Nashville and many opportunities for up and coming artists to show off their talents (but that's not getting airtime yet). I've been to a few CMA-sponsored songwriter events and they are fantastic and highly recommended. This link is for my video of Brett Eldredge playing a CMA event on the cusp of his first single "Don't Ya" taking over the radio. 

     CMA Fest has become a big deal in the last few years. Tickets for the 2017 fest are already on sale for next June. The T.V. airing of the concert is part of ABC's lead-off to the CMA Award nominations, which broke last week. Please note, Jason Aldean has been snubbed. Yes, this huge concert is just a halfway point in the year between CMA award shows. For November 2nd's 50th anniversary awards show, we can look forward no further than usual duo Carrie Underwood and  Brad Paisley. 

Not CMAs, but some country awards won by Dierks Bentley (c) PipPepPop

Not CMAs, but some country awards won by Dierks Bentley (c) PipPepPop

CMA Fest Best Performances:

1. Luke Bryan

Luke began shaking his booty for his new song "Move", which is always reason to celebrate. But during another song, he showed off his guitar skills only to be shown up by banjo god Keith Urban. Keith then guitar battled and jammed with Luke's band. 

2. Lady Antebellum  and Cam

Lady A has been taking a bit of a hiatus this summer while they spend time with their babies and pursue other projects, but their moving collaboration with Cam was delightful. The trio joined Cam on her ballad "Burning House" and brought tears to our eyes.

3. Carrie Underwood

Carrie greeted fans while performing this spring's "wife-turned-murderer" ditty, "Church Bells." For her newer single, she soloed on the harmonica and explained a crime for the ages in the "Chocktaw County Affair." 

4. Hank Williams Jr., Chris Janson, Justin Moore
I've seen 'Ol Bocephus before and I was not particularly excited about it. But these guys had a very upbeat (an not overly redneck) 'ole ruckus on stage with a full brass section backing them. Rolling Stone called Hank the top act to see at the fest.