via my facebook,

"haven't seen it as yet....but i like your unbiased review...your right its a movie- not an activist documentary...good going blair...."
-- Billie Myers on my Bruno review


Awesome!

Sacha Baron Cohen has been the darling of the pre-release press ride of a lifetime now twice in an industry where you are lucky to get a billboard on Melrose. Cohen excels at the flamboyantly vicious, whether hamming it superbly in "Sweeney Todd," thugging out and auditioning in vain for Madonna in her 2000 "Music" video clip, or most famously, pushing the boundaries of immigrant acceptance in "Borat."

But while "Borat" was controversially celebrated, "Bruno" is faced with an unfortunate dilemma: it is in danger to not be liked simply because it is not cool to like it.

As much as I have read in other reviews or blogs, there is a plot and a fairly consistent one. Despite the fact that there are clearly chapters (others have called them a string of skits) to Bruno's story, it follows an exact one: Bruno would like to be famous (again, actually) and has come to America to achieve this dream and overextends his welcome in each scenario by being that irritating, irrational, or inept.

( spoilers but I don't think for anything past the trailers or press releases )

I like greatest hits albums like warm blankets and cool breezes, so when I hear one is coming out for an artist I like, I bounce around a little.

Aqua, who I loved while in middle school and throughout high school, just released their best-of:
Back To The 80's / My Mamma Said / Live Fast Die Young / Happy Boys And Girls / Barbie Girl / Around The World / Doctor Jones / Aquarius / Cuba Libre / Lollipop (Candyman) / Cartoon Heroes / Be A Man / My Oh My / Freaky Friday / We Belong To The Sea / Roses Are Red / Halloween / Turn Back Time / Goodbye To The Circus

Because Aqua is a group with 2 albums, it's not surprising that more than half of it are not actually singles. However all of the singles are in fact represented with the exception of "Bumble Bees," which sucks hardcore. Add 3 new tracks, and life is good. What they chose as best-of-worthy album tracks (Happy Boys, Aquarius, Cuba Libre, Be a Man, Freaky Friday, Halloween, Circus) are mostly top notch, although the last two are gimmicky and especially "Circus" is rife with over-concept. All this said, tho, you could've simply hit "random" for 16 of their previously released songs on iTunes and come up with the same tracklisting.

Most exciting today is the announcement that Madonna's next greatest hits collection is double disc. ( unnecessary Madonna rambling )

So. Twilight the movie.

Apparently Peter Facinelli had to do several takes where his character sires the lead character. To break up the monotony, he said different things before he bit Robert Pattinson's neck, in his ear (inaudible)... things like "I'm sorry" and "My son."

The final take they used (as evident by Rob's quick smile in the final version) is when Facinelli said "You're sexy."

It's my favorite (albeit 1 of maybe 4 I know) Twilight factoid.

I don't get the Twilight hullabaloo. I finally did see it and I thought it was amusingly bad. Like Lifetime movie of the week kind, where it's still totally watchable. It's a D class film that is actually very amusing and entertaining.

I may need to see it again in a group so that we all may enjoy it and laugh at it.

And then all the sequels.

Mollie Sugden, who played Mrs. Slocombe in Are You Being Served? and Oscar-winner Karl Malden, who will forever be the Walrus in my favorite version of Alice in Wonderland died today.

Genevieve and I just watched the Rosalind Russell Gypsy this past Friday, wherein Malden plays Herbie.

At 86 and 97, respectively, neither is a shock.

But it's still sad to see that people I've heard of have died.

It is very sad that Michael Jackson died. He died on the same day as Farrah Fawcett, who I must admit I knew very little about and was aware she was sick; it was still sad to see someone in the news deteriorate the way that she had.

Michael Jackson however always was an icon to me. He simply is, whether I bought every cassette or casually knew a song of his on the radio. It actually really, really bothers me when people laugh at his legal troubles or worse, condemn him for them when you either have to decide that the legal system works and he was acquitted so shut-the-fuck-up because it was not proven, or that he was a man with terrible choices and no one will be 100% honest with what happened with him on the nights he was accused of molestation.

Or, a third option: a troubled man does not negate genius. If it did, Lewis Carroll, Tolstoy, Lennon, Hemingway, TS Elliot, Walt Disney, and Picasso's legacies would mean nothing. The cheap shots irritate me; they aren't anything newer than 1993, and to me they imply child molestation is hysterical as long as the perpetrator is famous. I know, I hate generalizations too, but I could have had a drinking game to death if I continued to read some of the cynical TMZ or Twitter responses to his death, or my own friends' facebook statuses.

I remember, I suppose in 1992 or so, that my sister Sharon and I were talking about famous people dying. I don't remember exactly what the scenario was that brought this on; maybe Michael Jackson was on TV. Sharon said to me that the world would lose its mind when Michael Jackson died. We both pictured it, I think, as happening relatively soon (as who could imagine Michael Jackson at 94 on his deathbed, done up in epaulettes and rhinestones) and at a certain height of his fame (this was right after Dangerous where he had music video after music video of epic proportion). MTV was perhaps was running one of their weekend-long special programming of his tour, I think. I thought about it; yes, that would be weird.

Admittedly, I think Michael Jackson's best work ended in '92, but that's neither here nor there. There are a lot of retired individuals who will (and have) rocked the nation with their death 20-some years after their last visible success. I just remember listening to the Thriller album on vinyl, taping to cassette, being fascinated by some of his music videos, and above all, being aware he was simply alive. I still remember snatches of his bio on TV interviews or footage (one comes to mind: when he performed before Prince Charles and Lady Diana, he intended to not perform "Dirty Diana" out of respect, until she requested him to do so because it was her favorite of his songs).

He was a freakshow, make no mistake, but he was a humbling one all the same. I do not understand nearly a minute ten of his personal life, but his professional life, even in decline (2.1 million sold for his last album--his last album wherein no one can recall an actual hit single's title) is beyond respect.

Occurrences:

- Performed "Mack the Knife," "Missionary Man," and "Money Changes Everything," at Switch for their Prom Night yesterday. I was awarded Prom King (not for the singing, I am sure).

- My high school crush, Mike, is apparently getting married next August (I don't know if that means this upcoming, or in 2010). That just puts my head in a spin. Yes, I realize in no uncertain terms that one of my dearest and closest friends, Danielle, is getting married and she is younger than I am (altho will be my current age by the time it happens), but it's those Other People in the World That Aren't Me and My Bubble of Associates that surprise me. It is becoming increasingly unlikely that he will realize that he was also in love with me in high school.

- I have set all my LJ entries previous to January 1, 2007 to private. The me from 2002 needs to sit the fuck down and realize it's not that serious.

The awesome:
- Amanda Palmer was incredible, as per the norm. I also spent a brief amount of time with her and 20 others in the venue's bathroom. She sang my two favorite AP songs, "Astronaut" and "Guitar Hero" (the latter I'd never heard solo before), 1 of my favorite Dresden songs, "Delilah" (utterly gorgeous), and other simply wonderful songs, "I Google You," "Gravity," (again never heard it solo before!), "Missed Me," "Runs in the Family," "Oasis" (with band!), "Ampersand," "Thirty Whacks." She also did a relatively new song, I'm going to guess is called "Smaller Heart." Neil Gaiman was at the show, in the audience; they're dating. The Lisps opened the show and were charming. Jack Palmer, her dad, came out for the second encore, doing a cover of Leonard Cohen's "One Of Us Cannot Be Wrong." Gorge. Seriously. While they were allegedly planned, neither "Boston" nor "Glass Slipper" made the cut (it's ok-- she may've run out of time.), but we did get a random as awesome hell "Yakkety-Yak."

- WEBS show in Asbury Park for NJ Foreplay was extremely well-received and went off without a single hitch (pre-show issue included a challenging parking situation only). Applause, laughter, an unofficial invitation to next year's event... Seriously fantastic. Yay bears!

- Seeing Michael's parents and gorging myself on entirely too much food.

- General comradery of Michael, Danielle, Genevieve, and George that ran parallel to the early 2000's.

- Going to Dan's graduation party and seeing him, Katie, Esmeralda, and variety of other people I did not know but who were nice. Also amazing food and drinking love. I learned I liked alcoholic cider. And it likes me too.

--

The suck:
- Didn't get to see the Tony Awards.

- My legs, from their raw-rub like 2 weeks ago, are still sore but healing. Now just itchy and annoying... at least not extreme pain... but still, I'm about done with this shit.

FRIDAY: Amanda Palmer concert in New York City at 9pm

SATURDAY: WEBS Asbury Park show at 1:45, and then heading to Dan's graduation party, staying over at Michael's parents

SUNDAY: Staying at Michael's parents for a while, and then I expect a quiet, drinking night of the Tony's as hosted by Neil Patrick Harris



...then Mantua, then Padua, and we open again--where?--in Venice.

Highlights that look like Twitter posts:

Last night (I believe it was last night), I dreamt I was searching online for "Party Man" remixes from the Batman soundtrack by Prince.

I saw Star Trek... while it is a bottom rung in my fandoms, I very much enjoyed the film and look forward to more with the same cast and creatives. A solid B+.

White Elephant is performing on Saturday, and Viktor will be premiering a new number (expectedly) and we have a solid cast/song list. I am glad about that.

Viktor had a show in NYC on May 23rd but it got canceled hours beforehand. It has been rescheduled for June 19. The same bits I was planning on doing will follow.

My work computer contracted a serious virus the week of the 17th and it fucked everything server-related up really bad. The server's back to normal, but the computer needed to reinstall a whole bunch of things and I am down a disc drive and soundcard. So I am scrobbing using the computer next to me. One must have back-up.

I saw Katie, Dan, Erin, and Joe on the 24th at Kids+1's house and drinking, gaming, and zaniness occurred.

I rubbed the fuck out of my thighs while walking in New York City on the 25th after having grazed them while hiking on the 23rd. Ugh, it sucks. And may effect my costume for this Saturday as it basically looks like I have syph.

And that's all I have for right now.

I was having a bad day so I'm going to take some time and do this:

Pick 15 of your favorite artists and list 5 of their songs that you like.

Madonna
1. Deeper and Deeper
2. Something to Remember
3. Till Death Do Us Part
4. Frozen
5. Erotica

The Dresden Dolls
1. Delilah
2. Backstabber
3. Half Jack
4. Truce
5. The Jeep Song

Alanis Morissette
1. Wake Up
2. All I Really Want
3. You Oughta Know
4. Front Row
5. Versions of Violence

Amanda Palmer
1. Astronaut
2. Guitar Hero
3. Leeds United
4. Blake Says
5. Oasis

Tori Amos
1. Hey Jupiter (Dakota Version)
2. Parasol
3. Spark
4. Little Earthquakes
5. liquid diamonds

Garbage
1. When I Grow Up
2. 13 x Forever
3. You Look So Fine
4. Push It
5. Medication

Fiona Apple
1. Never is a Promise
2. Paper Bag
3. Sleep to Dream
4. Criminal
5. To Your Love

Regina Spektor
1. Fidelity
2. Somedays
3. On the Radio
4. Apres Moi
5. Us

Ani DiFranco
1. Napoleon
2. Little Plastic Castle
3. Untouchable Face
4. Outta Me, Onto You
5. As Is

Cyndi Lauper
1. Water's Edge
2. Money Changes Everything
3. When You Were Mine
4. Can't Breathe
5. I'm Gonna Be Strong

Shirley Bassey
1. The Living Tree
2. What Now My Love (Bugz in the Attic Mix)
3. This is My Life (Cagedbaby Remix)
4. Big Spender (NorthxNWest Mix)
5. History Repeating

Imogen Heap
1. Hide and Seek
2. Speeding Cars
3. The Moment I Said It
4. Glittering Clouds (Locusts)
5. Leave Me to Love

Scissor Sisters
1. Filthy/Gorgeous
2. Return to Oz
3. Laura
4. I Don't Feel Like Dancin' (Paper Faces Remix)
5. It Can't Come Quickly Enough

Cher
1. We All Sleep Alone (Dance Version)
2. When the Money's Gone
3. Runaway
4. Heart of Stone
5. Who You Gonna Believe

Celine Dion
1. It's All Coming Back to Me Now
2. A New Day Has Come
3. Us
4. Can't Fight the Feelin'
5. River Deep, Mountain High

The Sarah Connor Chronicles just got officially canceled. That sucks out loud.

Found on Twitter: r------u RT @s-----p: 100 people on the entire planet have swine flu & people wear face masks. millions have aids & no one wears a condom. think!

You don't exactly sneeze semen or vaginal fluid while on the subway. I understand the concern over overanalysis of the epi/pan-demic, but I can't say I'm totally digging the analogies people are coming up with. Remember when the news just weeks ago was us all making fun of teabaggers?

Oh, hey future George, for a bit in 2009, the US was in panic over this thing called Swine Flu and used the interwebs to proselytize.

Some of WE's videos got knocked down from youtube due to copyright claim. I sent our lawyer a note to take a look at it to see if we get them back up. "Crazy Bitch" and "White Rabbit" are disabled from view, and "Bathwater" and "More Human than Human" just got warnings today that they were likely to be disabled. In the case of "Blood," they kept the vid up but replaced the audio.

Blaaah.

Bea Arthur died over the weekend while WE was in Rochester. I got the news shortly before our 5pm show, which was dedicated to a cabaret theme. After our performance, a man came up to members of our group and approvingly commented that WE was to be commended for continuing the Kurt Weil tradition in our performances and that we clearly knew what we were doing.

This was particularly moving because Bea Arthur's originated the English-version role of Lucy in Weil's Threepenny Opera so I felt humbled by the comment alone and yet validated by being acknowledged for continuing the work of her and her peers.

I am sad that I never met Ms. Arthur. I had intended to write to her, but put it off and have missed my chance to throw out my voice in a large chorus of others for telling her how much she and her Broadway show meant to me. I never saw it live, but the CD recording I have indicates to me, alongside Elaine Stritch's At Liberty show (which I did have the privilege to see live), how to carry yourself alone on stage (even just verbally). I have oft-repeated her Soup Ladle story (not originally written by her) from her Broadway show as Viktor and have never matched her delivery, but at least attempted to pay my respect to her as a living legend. It is tragic that I can't refer to her as exactly that now--but she remains a legend in every sense of the word.

Her comic timing, her sensitivity, and her ability to fully inhabit a role is clear to anyone who watches The Golden Girls more than simply casually. She is consistent throughout the run and to watch her on screen when she is not the exact focus of the scene shows that she never drops out of character. She was always my favorite. Those who dismiss Golden Girls as a fluff sitcom for midwest housewives and campy gay men have never really watched the series as a series. The actresses were always quick to credit the writing saying that while they got the flashy press for their performances, that it truly belonged the writers. And yes, the writers managed to accomplish great things with those actresses--but no one could have delivered them the same way.

Damn, Bea--you will be missed.

My father reminded me via facebook (I know, right?) that today is the anniversary of Columbine High School. School shootings before and after never quite affected me as much as that one. 10 years ago would put me in freshman year.

We had 2 students, the following day, show up in trenchcoats (sans guns) because they thought it was funny. They were suspended; one I don't remember now if he ever came back (if that's not one of a final few straws for a parent, I'm not sure what is). It was a very big, scary deal at the time, and remains a really startling moment.

I remember a few weeks later that there were commentators that complained of the coverage of the event of a predominantly white school going through this tragedy when predominantly black or Hispanic school violence went unreported. As awful as it sounds, it really is a class issue. And it was more horrifying to the nation to see such primitive yet calculated violence in this setting. This wasn't a ghetto, or government-ignored slum. This was a sunny day in wherever, white collar Colorado.

And of course, Columbine villianized guns for a whole new generation--not exactly an appropriate response and something that remains to be pointed to in retaliation of noncriminal gun owners who aren't actually doing anything wrong. Truly, in addition to the students murdered, a certain death of responsibility went down as well.

locked in his bedroom . he saw the world a web of answers and cumshot girls
tick tick tick tick tick
don't bother blaming his games and guns . he’s only playing and boys just want to have fun
he picked a soundtrack and packed his bag . he hung his walkman around his neck
tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick
it is so simple the way they fall . no bang or whimper . no sound at all
tick tick tick tick tick . . . boom -- Amanda Palmer

There's this facebook application that lists things in groups of 5. I've used it several times, to illustrate my favorite musicals, favorite Madonna songs, lease favorite films, and more. I decided today to do the 5 Most Influential Albums in my 24th year (that's from September 1, 2007 to September 2008). That naturally spiraled into every year thereafter. I was able to trace back until age 8 when I started caring about music (and having my own cassettes.)

So, for nostalgia purposes, I'm going to go down memory lane and re-explore 17 years of music that shaped my life. Naturally, much of the music is based on release date as nothing is more fresh than when I first hear it. Some music that would affect my life and how I saw it wouldn't hit me until 2 years or more after it's original peak with the rest of the world; some many years later.

Year 25 has some contenders but there's no sense in jumping the gun. Some albums appear more than once. After all, they influenced me, not just were my top picks of the year. And naturally this is not the end-all of music that has meant something to me at different points in my life.

September 2007-September 2008 - Age 24 (quit HOH Oct 26, WEBS thrives; remains my stationary object)
• Amanda Palmer - Who Killed Amanda Palmer
• Alanis Morissette - The Flavors of Entanglement
• The Dresden Dolls - No Virginia
• Cyndi Lauper - Bring Ya to the Brink
• Shirley Bassey - Get This Party Started

September 2006-September 2007 - Age 23 (White Elephant begins, Matt dumps me April 13)
• The Dresden Dolls - Yes Virginia
• Mika - Life in Cartoon Motion
• Shirley Bassey - Get the Party Started
• Scissor Sisters - Ta-Dah
• Beyonce - B'Day

September 2005-September 2006 - Age 22 (Life is good)
• The Dresden Dolls -Yes Virginia
• Regina Spektor - Begin to Hope
• Maria Mena - Apparently Unaffected
• Rent OST
• Beth Hart - Leave the Light On

September 2004-September 2005 - Age 21 (Jamie enters the picture)
• The Dresden Dolls - selftitled
• The Killers - Mr. Brightside single
• Garbage - Bleed Like Me
• Kelly Clarkson - Breakaway
• Wicked OBC

September 2003-September 2004 - Age 20 (Moving in with Matt, stopping school)
• Alanis Morissette - So-Called Chaos
• Madonna - American Life
• tick tick Boom OOBC
• Nina Storey - Shades
• Liz Phair - whitechocolatespaceegg

September 2002-September 2003 - Age 19 (College Try, Matt Year 1)
• Tori Amos - Scarlet's Walk
• Liz Phair - Liz Phair
• Hedwig and the Angry Inch OST
• Poe - Haunted
• Chicago OST

September 2001-September 2002 - Age 18 (Senior Year, HOH Year 1)
• Rocky Horror BRC
• Rent OBC
• Alanis Morissette - Under Rug Swept
• Ani DiFranco - Little Plastic Castle
• Fleming and John - The Way We Are

September 2000-September 2001 - Age 17 (Junior Year, starting to come out to friends; RHPS explodes)
• Aida OBC
• Rocky Horror Picture Show OST
• No Doubt - Return of Saturn
• Garbage - Version 2.0
• Bjork - Homogenic

September 1999-September 2000 - Age 16 (Sophomore Year, started buying CDs with new CD player, get discman, came out to family in August)
• Dido - No Angel
• Tori Amos - Little Earthquakes
• Tori Amos - from the choirgirl hotel
• Fiona Apple - When the Pawn
• Dogma OST

September 1998-September 1999 - Age 15 (Freshman Year, starting making tapes for friends)
• Sarah McLachlan - Surfacing
• Billie Myers - growing, pains
• Madonna - Ray of Light
• Alanis Morissette - Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie
• Sheryl Crow - The Globe Sessions

September 1997-September 1998 - Age 14 (8th Grade, first admittedence I like boys [and still girls])
• Fiona Apple - Tidal
• Aqua - Aquarium
• Alanis Morissette - Jagged Little Pill
• Celine Dion - Let's Talk About Love
• Madonna - Erotica

September 1996-September 1997 - Age 13 (7th Grade, realizing I like boys [and still girls])
• Evita OST
• Jewel - Pieces of Me
• Mariah Carey - Daydream
• Celine Dion - Falling Into You
• Ace of Base - The Sign

September 1995-September 1996 - Age 12 (6th Grade v2, started buying cassettes in droves, my father introduces me to New Country music)
• Martina McBride - The Way That I Am
• Garth Brooks - The Chase
• Madonna - Something to Remember
• Pocohontas OST
• Sister Act OST

September 1994-September 1995 - Age 11 (6th Grade v1 in Catholic school, Dad moves out; I am largely depressed)
• Madonna - Bedtime Stories
• TLC - Waterfalls
• Madonna - I'm Breathless
• Mariah Carey - Music Box
• Baby OBC

September 1993-September 1994 - Age 10 (5th Grade; I begin to enact private plays and dance adaptations to music, creating imaginary operas and jukebox musicals)
• Meat Loaf - Bat Out of Hell
• Damn Yankess OBC
• Madonna - I'm Breathless
• Madonna - I'll Remember single
• Madonna - You Can Dance

September 1992-September 1993 - Age 9 (4th Grade, first full year in NJ, I get a walkman)
• En Vogue - Free Your Mind single
• Madonna - Deeper and Deeper single
• Cyndi Lauper - She's So Unusual
• The Bodyguard OST
• Dick Tracy OST

September 1991-September 1992 - Age 8 (3rd Grade, the Last Year in CT--I left in July, first year I had a tape player)
• Madonna - The Immaculate Collection
• Madonna - Like a Prayer
• Madonna - Like a Virgin
• Madonna - True Blue
• Mariah Carey - selftitled

"It's too late to correct it," said the Red Queen: "when you've once said a thing, that fixes it, and you must take the consequences."

-- Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking Glass

2 years.

NEW YORK – The dominant seller of music on the Internet has a new look: Pricing changes to Apple Inc.'s iTunes Store have gone into effect, with some popular songs now $1.29 apiece. Apple said in January that it would end its practice of selling all songs for 99 cents a piece and begin offering three tiers: 69 cents, 99 cents and $1.29. Record companies can pick the prices. In exchange for the ability to set prices, record labels agreed to sell all songs on iTunes without "digital rights management" technology that hampers users' abilities to copy tracks or play them on multiple computers. -- Y!

It's a step backwards ($) and forwards (format) but it's still an argument to keep utilizing Amazon (as I've begun to). That and Amazon uses mp3s already so I don't have to burn a CD and re-rip the track to have a flexible music file.

You know, when I actually buy my music. And even when I do, I almost never buy retail so artists never see any money from me. Sorry, guys, I just can't afford it. When I'm rich, I'll buy you all officially.