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V.I.Pleeease! Paris Hilton brought a whole new meaning to the term fashionably late when the hotel heiress arrived to her much hyped, much anticipated grand opening of nightspot Club Paris in downtown Orlando almost six hours after her sister Nicky cut the pink ribbon. And it would have been nice if someone informed the crowd of people lined around the pink carpet – yeah, I know -- at the front of the club that Paris missed her flight from Switzerland before they stood there for two hours (come on, the owner and staff didn't know what was going on ahead of time?). But since the A-list celebs that were invited were no-shows, I guess they didn't want to lose the whole kit and caboodle. With the exception of 'NSyncer Joey Fatone and Catherine Bach, the original Daisy Duke, the star gazing was causing me to doze. I mean Carrot Top wasn't even there and he's at most backyard barbecues in this town. But owner Fred Khalilian reminded the VIP-only crowd – that's right, I'm VIP – the free drinks and beautiful surroundings would make up for Paris' tardiness and she would stay for the entire New Year's Eve event the following evening. Yeah, after waiting two hours without any sort of food or beverages for the crowd, I don't think it made up for it. We're VIP right? And Orlando Commissioner Daisy Lynum didn't let it slide either, announcing to the crowd she was going to blast Khalilian's butt out later. Can I get a VIP pass to that please? But Khalilian did live up to his word on the club – it's stunning. Paris' favorite hue danced along the silver iron stairwells and stained glass as the crowd was herded in to the main room. The DJ spinned '70s and '80s to the crowd below and I ran up the stairs as fast as my tootsies could take me to the bar, ready for my free drink. But it turned out there was no need to rush – the wait for a drink at the bar ran up to 15 minutes. It was getting so bad people were actually paying other people to order for them if they got the attention of the staff first. Hate to see what happens when actual monetary transactions take place. But it wasn't the fault of the bartenders, it was opening night and the place was packed with all of us "important people." They just need to hire more bartenders -- two at the upstairs bar just ain't gonna cut it. And they also need to increase the amount of bars in the club – with three separate rooms in a space as big as Club Paris, two bars total in the whole joint will guarantee no one will be getting too schnockered at Paris' palace anytime soon. Two hours and two drinks later I caught a gander at Nicky Hilton text messaging on her cell phone. She looked as bored as I was – if we don't keep that alcohol IV kicking under the old handcuffs, Kelly gets sleepy kids. Plus, the free nuts weren't exactly what I call dinner. Don't they feed us important people at these dealys? I would have been happy with pizza rolls at that point. I stuck around a bit longer to see if Nicky and her gang would leave Paris' private area – a cozy little hang that overlooks the club opposite the DJ. But of course they didn't – why in the world would they mingle at a publicity event? I'm so silly sometimes, geez! So with the fear of braving the bar once again for another drink,
I decided I had done enough waiting for one evening and headed
out to another club downtown where I wasn't so important.
andPOP's Top 10 Interviews of 2004 (andPOP) - Choosing 10 interviews out of about 100 that we conducted last year has been a challenge. Some interviews stick out for their star power (Shaggy, Good Charlotte, Chingy), while others may not be as famous but were more entertaining to watch (Nellie McKay, John Legend, Sugarcult). The final list incorporates the two characteristics. It’s been a good year; we look forward to more great interviews in 2005. 1. Wyclef Jean- This former Fugee has been a target of ours since andPOP started in 2000. Wyclef was our very first interview that we requested—also our first interview request that was denied. Four years later, we were excited to finally conduct the interview and it turned out to be one of the best andPOP has ever been a part of. Wyclef was talkative, he freestyled for 2 minutes, and he revealed for the first time that The Fugees were reuniting. That piece of news was mentioned in newspapers and on radio stations across the world. This will be difficult to top in 2005. 2. Five for Fighting- John Ondrasik, the Grammy-nominated genius behind Five for Fighting, is without a doubt the most gracious artist we've ever had the pleasure of dealing with. Our 15-minute conversation seemed like a chat between two old hockey-loving friends. Too bad his Kings don't stand a chance against the Leafs if the NHL ever resumes. 3. Shaggy- This is where the star power comes in. Shaggy kept us waiting for 2 hours while he ate and spoke on the phone. When the interview finally got underway, he warned us that he was a little intoxicated, which was a positive since it meant he was more honest in the interview. 4. John Legend- At the time of the interview in November, nobody knew who John Legend was except us. People are still just catching on to this music marvel, but when we look back at this interview in a few years, we'll realize how lucky we were to talk with Legend before he reaches the superstar status. During the interview, Legend performed a medley of songs on which he sang the chorus or hook, plus he performed a little of two new songs. 5. k-os- It's always great to speak with k-os. Although we bump into him all the time downtown, our interview in August was our third official interview with the singing rapper. k-os has made it clear that he is not the biggest fan of being interviewed, but our interviews always go very smoothly and people have emailed us saying how much they learn from him while watching our conversation. His views on the music industry are worth paying attention to. 6. Nellie McKay- Nellie is an artist that sold about 500,000 albums this year but should have sold much more, if only radio caught on sooner. She is the most mature 19-year-old one will ever meet. And she was a lock for our top 10 list when she asked, "do you get beat up a lot?" (Watch the interview to hear the quote in context. It will make a little more—though still not perfect—sense.) 7. JC Chasez- This 'N Sync member was relaxed and willing to answer anything. 8. Ashlee Simpson- This interview was conducted early in the summer with Ashlee on the line from New York before her album was released and before the whole lip-syncing scandal. Little did we know then that she'd outsell her sister. 9. Kaley Cuoko- Another phone interview, this time with Kaley speaking to us from a movie set in Toronto (why we couldn't meet up will forever remain a mystery). She spoke in detail about John Ritter's passing and her feelings about his sudden death on the set of 8 Simple Rules about a year earlier. She said that she almost quit the show. 10. Tamia- Our third phone interview to make the list is with Mrs. Grant Hill, R&B singer Tamia. She makes the list for being so candid about her battle with multiple scleroses. Honourable mentions: Chingy (because he's a Balla, Baby), Hanson (because they bring thousands of girls to the site), Andrew WK (because there's nobody quite like Mr. WK), Yellowcard (see: Hanson), Natasha Henstridge (because she was thankful to get away from another "celebrity" at her dinner table), Bret Hart (because he could kick our asses), Doug Gilmour (because he was highsticked by Wayne Gretzky), Morris Peterson (because he wants to party with us and Paris Hilton), and Jerry Stackhouse (because he was the only NBA player willing to sing on camera for us this year).
Hilton arrives late for Fla. club opening ORLANDO (AP) — The pink carpet was rolled out, the pink spotlights danced through the crisp night air of downtown Orlando, and everything seemed in place for the opening of Paris Hilton's first nightclub. Notably missing: One pink-loving hotel heiress. Hilton arrived six hours behind schedule — after many guests had left. At least she had an heiress-appropriate excuse handy. "I was in the Swiss Alps skiing and I got caught at the airport with all the holiday travel so I've been trying to travel for the past 24 hours," a smiling Hilton said after stepping out of a stretch SUV in front of the club shortly after 1 a.m. Friday. After her friends, shouting "WOOOO," ran out of the nightclub to hug and kiss her in greeting, she apologized for her tardiness. "I'm so sorry I'm late." Hilton's sister, Nicky, took her place at the pink-ribbon-cutting ceremony for Club Paris Thursday evening with hundreds of local officials, leading Orlando businessmen and guests. "Believe me, we have free drinks inside," co-owner Fred Khalilian nervously told the crowd after he announced that Hilton had missed a flight back to the United States. "This kind of stuff happens — you miss a flight," said former 'NSync singer Joey Fatone, one of the few celebrities to show up despite promises from Khalilian that a list of celebrities had been invited. Other patrons of Club Paris were less forgiving. "(Khalilian) better get Paris here or this club isn't going to last," said Nancy Chepenik. The Simple Life star was obligated to make four appearances a year at the Orlando location, the first of what is planned to be a chain of Club Paris nightspots, said Hilton's entertainment attorney, Peter Lopez. If all goes well, other clubs will open in Las Vegas, Miami, New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta, London, Paris and Madrid. Khalilian put almost $3 million into upgrading the space. Hilton
didn't put up any money and was made a partner. She also received
a substantial up-front payment and a Ferrari, which Hilton described
as "hot" after jumping into it to pose for photos.
Most dubious moments of sports Er, Mr. Chatham? Justin Timberlake is over there Also, it was JC Chasez
The watering holes of today’s trendsetters are popular places for celebrity-watching in Britain’s capital cities. In London, Edinburgh and Cardiff new hotels, restaurants, bars and night clubs have quickly established themselves as favored haunts of pop singers and movie and television stars, and even some younger members of the Royal Family. The watering holes of today’s trendsetters are popular places for celebrity-watching in Britain’s capital cities. In London, Edinburgh and Cardiff new hotels, restaurants, bars and night clubs have quickly established themselves as favored haunts of pop singers and movie and television stars, and even some younger members of the Royal Family.
Timberlake was among a glittering line-up for the MTV Europe Music Awards and he hosted an after-show party in the Opal Lounge, which evolves during the day from chic restaurant and bar to night club. Apparently, Prince William, elder son of the Prince of Wales, is a regular patron. Timberlake’s spontaneous appearance was at the City Edinburgh night club, which is in the basement of the former home of The Scotsman newspaper, whose upper floors are now largely occupied by the new, and also trendy, The Scotsman hotel. Where presses once roared nightly, the city’s nightlife cognoscenti and local and visiting celebrities - Vin Diesel, Missy Elliot and Minnie Driver were there for the MTV show - now commune. Opal Lounge is on Edinburgh’s fashionable George Street in the city’s New Town district, home to a number of other new restaurants and bars, among them the Living Room, a piano bar with live music daily, and Oloroso, a top floor restaurant with stunning cityscape views and Edinburgh’s first Bollinger Bar. Beluga, located opposite the National Museum, is another favorite of Prince William; with its impressive sweeping staircase and slate waterfall this bar attracts international DJs including DJ Smash from New York’s Blue Note records. London’s night life continues to re-invent itself as fashions ebb and flow. Hotel bars, particularly those in newer boutique establishments, are currently in vogue, including the Met Bar in the Metropolitan Hotel, the Zeta Bar in the Hilton Park Lane, both in Mayfair, and the Light Bar in St. Martin’s Lane Hotel, in the theater district. London’s West End clubs such as the Funky Buddha, Chinawhite, where Princes William and Harry have been spotted, Kabaret, a favorite of Madonna and model Kate Moss, and the new Tantra appeal to the chic hip-hop crowd. Among recent additions to the restaurant/bar scene, Aura Kitchen and Bar in St. James Street, is noted for its exotic cocktails (it is owned by award-winning mixologist David Serlui) and its self-described “intimate yet funky” ambience. This is another favorite of Justin Timberlake. Other newcomers include Harlem, a New York-style diner in the Notting Hill district, specializing in soul food as well as American-style breakfasts; CC Club, in the West End theater district, a popular celebrity party spot (Lisa Marie Presley and Lenny Henry among them); and Destino, in Mayfair, a Latin American restaurant which features hand-painted Spanish tiles donated by the King of Spain in 1929 when the building opened as Britain’s first Spanish restaurant. The latest buzz in Cardiff, capital of Wales, surrounds the Big Sleep Hotel, part-owned by American actor John Malkovich, and described by one magazine reviewer as “super cheap but sexy chic.” The 81-bedroom hotel’s design is said to be “modern retro” with spacious, but unfussy rooms at affordable rates and its guests include sports, show business and media people. Elsewhere in Cardiff, the new Sugar bar is the brainchild of Vince Power, a leading live music promoter. Sugar is set over four floors connected through a glass atrium and, since opening last month, has already become a favorite of singer Charlotte Church. The Hard Rock Caf?ecently opened in the city’s Brewery Quarter
in the restored Brains’ Brewery district, which also has
a good selection of lively bars. A number of Welsh actors, including
Rhys Ifans, who appeared as Hugh Grant’s flatmate in the
movie “Notting Hill,” and Ioan Gryffydd ("Titanic”
and television’s “Hornblower") frequent the Backpackers
Bar in Cardiff’s Riverside district. There is a wide choice
of new dining options in the redeveloped Cardiff Bay waterfront
area, including the acclaimed Tides restaurant in the five-star
St. David’s Hotel & Spa, and Turkish, Japanese, Chinese
and Mediterranean establishments.
The issue of a key to the city for Paris Hilton has divided Orlando City Hall. Does Orlando love Paris? That's what politicians at City Hall are trying to figure out, as they bicker over whether party girl Paris Hilton will receive a ceremonial key to the city tonight at the VIP opening of the downtown nightclub that bears her name. Mayor Buddy Dyer decided not to give the billionaire hotel heiress one of the foot-long keys that have been handed out to everyone from Elton John to Vigdis Finnbogadottir, who was president of Iceland at the time. "The mayor is thrilled that the club is coming but didn't think the event rose to the level of awarding a key to the city," said Joe Robinson, the mayor's deputy chief of staff. But nobody told City Commissioner Patty Sheehan. She planned to attend the invitation-only opening of Club Paris and had already decided to give Hilton a key herself. "I'm just trying to recognize someone who is making a significant investment downtown and bringing worldwide attention to Orlando," Sheehan said. "It's not my job to judge anyone." That's apparently a reference to some of Hilton's more infamous flubs -- perhaps the sex tape she made with a former boyfriend that ended up on the Internet, or the time she was reportedly caught on video using the "n-word." One of the mayor's aides asked Sheehan not to give Hilton the official honor. "The key to the city is something reserved for the mayor to bestow," Robinson said. But Sheehan said her mind is made up. Still, Paris' key won't be as big as others. Only the mayor has access to the big keys that come in a decorative wooden case. Since 1989, 66 of those have been handed out -- the list includes Delta Burke; George H.W. Bush; Bill Clinton; Paul McCartney; and the Backstreet Boys, 'N Sync and their manager, Lou Pearlman. Boston Red Sox centerfielder Johnny Damon got one last month. There's a bin of smaller keys that commissioners can hand out. Sheehan said she has had Hilton's key mounted on pink velvet. Paris likes pink.
LOOKING BACK: Best Quotes of 2004 (12/30/04) Las Vegas Review-Journal "I just wish people would love everybody else the way they love me. It would be a better world." Muhammad Ali (Esquire, January)
Bob Lutz, 71, chairman of General Motors, North America (Esquire, January)
Jack Welch, 68, former chief executive officer of General Electric (Esquire, January)
Brian J. Steinberg, family law attorney in Las Vegas, on the whirlwind marriage-to-annulment caper of Britney Spears and Jason Allen Alexander. The marriage lasted 55 hours. (San Jose Mercury News, Jan. 6)
Robert Goulet, 70-year-old baritone, on the difficulty of appealing to the younger crowd (San Jose Mercury News, Jan. 6)
Jim Caviezel, on starring as Jesus in Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ." (Us, Jan. 12)
French figure-skating champion Surya Bonaly, who became a U.S. citizen in Las Vegas (San Jose Mercury News, Jan. 12)
Tina Fey, "Saturday Night Live" (Newsday, Jan. 15)
Howard Dean, presidential hopeful (U.S. News and World Report, Jan. 19)
Paul O'Neill, fired treasury secretary, on the lack of dialogue in President Bush's cabinet meetings. (U.S. News and World Report, Jan. 19)
Elizabeth Edwards, the candidate's wife, on dying her hair. (U.S. News and World Report, Jan. 26)
Christopher Reeve, 51 (Esquire, January)
Jerry Seinfeld (Reader's Digest, February)
David Kay, who resigned after six months heading the CIA-led team that sought evidence of banned weapons in Iraq. Kay testified before Congress and called for an independent inquiry to find the failures that led to erroneous intelligence reports that Iraq was hiding biological and chemical weapons. (San Jose Mercury News, Feb. 1)
President George W. Bush, in his State of the Union address, on evidence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq (Newsweek, Feb. 2)
David Kay, after stepping down as the U.S. special adviser leading the hunt for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, on the lack of evidence proving Saddam Hussein's alleged arsenal. (Newsweek, Feb. 2)
Justin Timberlake, after the negative fallout from his Super Bowl halftime performance. (ABC News, Feb. 2)
Britney Spears, on why she got married for 55 hours. ("Entertainment Tonight," Feb. 5)
Novelist Walter Mosley (New York Times Magazine, Feb. 8)
Mayor Oscar Goodman, on arranging a special party during the National Council of Mayors' convention where fellow mayors were asked to consider buying his son's computer software. (Newsweek, Feb. 9)
Sean Penn, on fellow actors who did not stand up for him when he was attacked for going to Iraq in 2003 (San Jose Mercury News, Feb. 10)
Bill Maher, "Real Time with Bill Maher" (Newsday, Feb. 12)
Comedian Dennis Miller, commenting on President Bush (San Francisco Chronicle, Feb. 15)
Mel Gibson, defending his film "The Passion of the Christ." (CBS network's "Prime Time Special," Feb. 16
Barbara Bush, describing her son, President Bush (San Francisco Chronicle, Feb. 24)
Jessica Simpson, when asked what is her biggest challenge (Us, March 1)
Paris Hilton (Us, March 1)
Jon Stewart, "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart," on the gay marriage ban. (Newsday, March 4)
Vice President Dick Cheney (San Jose Mercury News, March 8)
Donald Trump (Us, March 15)
Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson, on being the church's first openly gay bishop (Newsweek, March 15)
Marilyn Manson (Rolling Stone, March 18)
Jimmy Kimmel (Entertainment Weekly, March 26)
Rapper 50 Cent (Playboy, April)
Sen. John Kerry (U.S. News and World Report, April 5)
Sen. John McCain, on the backlash surrounding the statement that he'd "entertain" the idea of being John Kerry's running mate (Us, April 5)
Hussam Abdo, a 16-year-old Palestinian, on deciding at an Israeli checkpoint not to detonate the bomb he'd strapped to his chest. (Newsweek, April 5)
Jessica Lynch, former Iraq POW, on her life a year after her rescue. (Time, April 12)
Madonna, describing the spiritual awakening she began to experience seven years ago (People, April 12)
Britney Spears (Rolling Stone, April 15)
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, responding to the number of U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq as the Pentagon announced longer deployments for thousands of soldiers (San Jose Mercury News, April 18)
Howard Stern, after Clear Channel Communications dropped his show in response to FCC pressure (U.S. News and World Report, April 19)
Stephen Gentry, an Auburn, Wash., employee of Boeing who was laid off -- and says he was asked to train the worker in India who would replace him (Time, April 19)
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, at a Pentagon briefing about Iraq. (Newsweek, April 19)
National Security Adviser Condoleeza Rice, stopping abruptly in midsentence and correcting herself at a party hosted by The New York Times District of Columbia bureau chief and his wife. (New York, April 26)
Johnny Depp (Playboy, May)
Rush Limbaugh, radio talk-show host, on the behavior of the U.S. soldiers accused of abusing Iraqi prisoners. (Time, May 17
Sixty-year-old Roger Daltrey of The Who, who once sang, "Hope I die before I get old." (Newsweek, May 17)
Bill Cosby, speaking to an audience in Constitution Hall in Washington at an event celebrating the 50th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education (UPI, May 21)
Bill Clinton, at a fund-raiser in Harlem, encouraging attendees to support Sen. John Kerry's bid for the presidency (Time, May 24)
Bono, upon receiving an honorary degree from the University of Pennsylvania (MSNBC, May 27)
NHRA drag racer John Force (San Francisco Chronicle, May 28)
Craig Kilborn (Entertainment Weekly, June 2)
Ron Reagan, son of the late President Ronald Reagan (New York Times Magazine, June 3)
O.J. Simpson, telling Fox News' Greta Van Susteren how he recently observed the memory of his slain ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson. (Newsweek, June 5)
Jack LaLanne, fitness guru, just before this 90th birthday. (San Francisco Chronicle, July 1)
Vice President Dick Cheney, in an interview with Fox News on an exchange with Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., in which he used an expletive, while both were on the floor of the Senate for the annual group photograph. (Time, July 2)
Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys on why the band never cursed. (New York Times Magazine, July 3)
Reigning "Jeopardy" champ Ken Jennings, when Alex Trebek asked what had changed since he started winning on the game show (Entertainment Weekly, July 4)
Monica Lewinsky, on former President Clinton's account of their liaison in his book, "My Life." (Newsweek, July 5)
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, describing his Democratic opponents in the Legislature (AOL News, July 19)
Martha Stewart, after her sentencing, when asked by Barbara Walters if she could cope with prison life (Time, July 26)
Nelly (Us, July 26)
Comedian Paula Poundstone (Entertainment Weekly, Aug. 13)
Ben Affleck (Us, Aug. 16)
President Bush on John Kerry's proposal to rescind tax cuts for the wealthy (Time, Aug. 23)
David Letterman ("Late Show," Aug. 24)
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, on members of the anti-AIDS group ACT UP who stood naked in the city chanting, "George Bush, drop the debt and stop AIDS now." (Newsweek, Sept. 6)
Rocker Alice Cooper (Newsweek, Sept. 6)
Ralph Nader, speaking at a Las Vegas library during a campaign appearance (Time, Sept. 13)
Darrell Jackson, Seattle Seahawks wide receiver, on how his focus changes once the regular season starts. (Sports Illustrated, Sept. 20)
Barbara Walters (U.S. News and World Report, Sept. 27)
Ashley Judd, on not being a fashion junkie (Us, Oct. 4)
Elton John, commenting on the nomination of Madonna for the Best Live Act at the Q awards in London. John was accepting the award for songwriting (New York Times, Oct. 5)
Rob Lowe, on his youthful appearance (Us, Oct. 11)
Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia (U.S. News and World Report, Oct. 11)
Katie Holmes (Us, Oct. 25)
Sen. John Kerry, in the final presidential debate (Newsweek, Oct. 25)
Cher, on getting older (Us, Nov. 1)
Former President George Bush, telling an audience that his wife is angry about Kerry's attacks on her son, the president (U.S. News and World Report, Nov. 1)
Roseanne, on her new stand-up comedy act (Village Voice, Nov. 2)
Conan O'Brien (Entertainment Weekly, Nov. 5)
Kelly Preston, on her marriage to John Travolta (Us. Nov. 8)
Billy Bob Thornton (Us, Nov. 15)
President Bush, praising his predecessor during the dedication of the Clinton presidential library (San Jose Mercury News, Nov. 21)
Humorist P.J. O'Rourke, remembering his thoughts on covering the war in Lebanon for Vanity Fair in 1984 (Pages, November/December)
Tom Cruise, on his religion, Scientology (GQ, December)
President Bush, on his reception in Ottawa ("The Daily Show," Dec. 2)
Bob Dylan, on being called a "prophet" by the media ("60 Minutes," Dec. 5)
Marine Staff Sgt. Russell Slay, giving instructions to his 5-year-old son, Walker, in a letter to his family shortly before he was killed. He was one of 12 soldiers from Texas killed in Iraq in November (Newsweek, Dec. 6)
Leonardo DiCaprio (Us, Dec. 6)
Dennis Leary, on what men hear when women talk (People, Dec. 6)
Morgan Shepherd, NASCAR driver, on why the NBA brawl would never
happen in his sport (Sports Illustrated, Dec. 6)
Timberlake and Nelly still leading wild life Superstar pals Justin Timberlake and Nelly enjoy a wild life of partying, the rapper has revealed. Despite Timberlake's supposedly solid relationship with actress Cameron Diaz, the pair still enjoy cavorting with girls and gambling when they go out on the town. Nelly says: "You know I had to smooth my man out. Justin's a good guy. We did a Grammy party in New York. Me, Justin and the rest of 'N Sync. "There were girls getting naked, dancing on tables. It was a crazy a*s party. I think everybody enjoyed it. "I do a little bit of gambling but not so much it's gonna put me in trouble. "Me and Justin will go out to the casinos when we're in
Vegas."
DON'T expect the celebrity wattage to be especially blinding
on Tommy Hilfiger's upcoming reality show, "The Cut."
The designer has approached the likes of Sean Combs, David Bowie,
Jennifer Lopez, Naomi Campbell and Kate Hudson to join him as
guest judges, but so far, only Russell Simmons and Joey Fatone
have signed on. "Tommy has the power to get these people
to sit in his front row, but not to be on his CBS show,"
our source shared. "CBS is not happy because it was pitched
as a celebrity-driven show." A rep for Hilfiger shot back:
"We have 14 celebrities for 13 episodes. They're really good
names and we're really excited about it."
So it was with 2004, which began with the wardrobe malfunction watched -- and watched and watched -- 'round the world. So offended were the masses by that surprise appearance of Janet Jackson's bejeweled breast during the Super Bowl halftime show, it became the most replayed moment in the history of TiVo, the ubiquitous digital video recorder. After 12 hilarious, excruciating, head-scratching, inspiring, and downright dopey months, 2004 is nearly at an end. It was the kind of year that found Martha Stewart behind bars and Osama bin Laden still on the loose, the kind of year where our little Commonwealth finally enjoyed a world championship by its beloved Rex Sox, and less than a week later, endured a nasty case of the Red State-blues after Senator John Kerry lost his bid for the White House. Not to be outdone, hip-hop's Ciara sang about her ''Goodies," thousands behaved as if Nicollette Sheridan actually flashed her goodies during a badly conceived ''Monday Night Football" promo; Whitney Houston went into rehab, Bobby Brown went to jail (again); and we argued about whether it was anti-Christian to wish someone ''Happy Holidays" instead of ''Merry Christmas." And as if there weren't already enough problems to worry about with the still-raging war in Iraq and potentially dangerous prescription medications all over the place, Destiny's Child reunited for a lame album, ''Destiny Fulfilled." So before we kick this ill-behaved year to the curb, let's get right to the Grahammys for dubious and distinguished achievement in pop culture: Person of the Year -- Jon Stewart of ''The Daily Show." For his razor-sharp savaging of the pompous yet clueless mainstream media, mendacious politicians and the voters who love them, and a country that may be losing its mind but not its sense of the ridiculous. Also, for verbally popping CNN's dreadful Tucker Carlson and all the ''partisan hacks" (in Stewart's words) who substitute political spin and half-truths for thoughtful analysis. Wimp of the Year -- Justin Timberlake, for being the simpering little punk who allowed Jackson to endure most of the blame for the halftime show fiasco. Yes, it was Jackson's breast, but who ripped off her clothing? A Last Goodbye -- Musicians Ray Charles, Rick James, Illinois Jacquet, John Whitehead, Coxsone Dodd, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Izora Rhodes Armstead, Johnny Ramone, and Elvin Jones; performers Marlon Brando, Tony Randall, Christopher Reeve, Janet Leigh, Ron O' Neal, Paul Winfield, Isabel Sanford, Rodney Dangerfield, Ann Miller, Alan King, Bob ''Captain Kangaroo" Keeshan, Spalding Gray, and Fay Wray; authors Iris Chang and Joseph Hansen. We Love Him, We Love Him Not -- Michael Moore. Loved the message of his documentary ''Fahrenheit 9/11," could have done with a lot less of the messenger. If Kerry had defeated Bush, the egomaniacal Moore would have taken all the credit. Was That the New Testament or the New Tarantino Flick? -- ''The Passion of the Christ." Mel Gibson makes zillions turning the crucifixion of Jesus into the first religious splatter film. Funny, but I don't recall arterial spurts in my Sunday school Bible. Girls, Inc. -- Who needs talent when you can be a corporation? Bad reality TV shows (''The Ashlee Simpson Show") beget bad albums (Simpson's ''Autobiography"); modest hit movies (Lindsay Lohan's ''Mean Girls") morph into record contracts (Lohan's ''Speak") for teenagers who can't sing, can't dance, and, judging by some of their TV performances this year, can't even lip-synch. Protecting the Sanctity of Marriage -- For her third trip down the aisle, Jennifer Lopez married singer Marc Anthony. In January, Britney Spears married some guy in Vegas, only to have the marriage annulled two days later; then, in September, she married some back-up dancer. Oh, on the positive side, Britney announced she was putting her career on hold for a while, and I think that's something we can all feel good about. Guilty Pleasures -- MTV's ''Battle for Ozzfest" and ''Made," everything by Maroon 5 (yeah, like you haven't belted out ''This Love" when nobody was looking), Terror Squad's ''Lean Back." Best TV Program -- ''Chappelle's Show." Apologies to Chris Rock, but there isn't a funnier comedian on the scene right now than Dave Chappelle. He created sketch comedy that's as astute as it is outrageous, and he performed a most unlikely feat in making Wayne Brady cool in a skit with Brady riffing on his own deracinated public persona. Guess He Shouldn't Expect Too Many Christmas Cards This Year -- Sir Elton John, who spent most of the year behaving like a petulant queen. He branded ''American Idol" racist, suggested performers who lip-synch should be shot, called Taiwanese photographers ''rude, vile pigs," dropped an F-bomb live on BBC radio, and criticized George Michael for wasting his talent. Wishes for 2005 -- World peace, Pedro winning it all for the
New York Mets by beating the Sox in Game 7 of the World Series,
and ''The Rockford Files" on DVD. Drop it like it's hot.
Happy New Year.
Cameron Diaz and Justin Timberlake are countersuing the two photographers who claim they were attacked by the couple after trying to snap them together on a Hollywood night out. The paparazzi duo have alleged in court papers they were beaten when they tried to take photos of the celebrity couple last month, adding Diaz stole one of their cameras. But now the actress is fighting back, claiming the two snappers jumped out on her and her boyfriend and tried to provoke a fight in order to take better pictures. In the suit, Diaz insists she only took a camera "for purposes
of later trying to identify the men”.
Separate celebrations JC Chasez told Us Weekly magazine he won't be spending
New Year's Eve with his honey, "Desperate Housewives"
star Eva Longoria. "She'll be with her family, and I'm going
to be with mine," he said. "But I'm sure we'll talk
a lot!"
One Series Just Wasn't Enough! A New Batch of Comics, Rock Stars,
Actors, and NEW YORK, Dec. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- It's two more snaps and a
King Size bag With the same style and charm as VH1's "I Love The '70s,
'80s, '80s Each one-hour episode of "I Love the '90s: Part Deux"
is a dope ride
New PARADE Magazine Poll On Pop Culture Finds Halle Berry
Best Looking Actress In Hollywood; Oprah Top Choice For Prez Poll Finds Britney And Kevin-Relationship Least Likely To Last
The Longest; NEW YORK, Dec. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Americans are obsessed with
pop culture * Halle Berry was voted best looking actress in Hollywood with
28% of the * When asked which celebrity they'd most like to see run for
President of * Speaking of The Donald, many online Americans believe Trump's
tresses * Bill Cosby as Cliff Huxtable on The Cosby Show was voted favorite
TV * Americans have little confidence in the Britney Spears / Kevin * When asked to choose one superhero as a protector, nearly
half (46%) * Asked to choose one type of music, one movie and one TV show
to * The scariest movie of all time is The Exorcist, with 28% of
the vote, Methodology Harris Interactive(R) conducted the survey October 29 through
November 2, In theory, with probability samples of this size one can say
with 95%
A GOOD CAUSE: Naming a new business after an endangered species might not be the smartest choice. After all, with just one misstep, a startup company -- just like an animal -- can be extinct. But that didn't stop Blue Frog Mobile, a Seattle startup that delivers ring tones to mobile phones, from choosing a moniker based on the blue poison dart frog. The species, which can be found in Central and South American rain forests, is dying out as its natural habitat disappears. In addition to distributing Blink 182 and 'N Sync ring tones, Blue Frog Mobile is doing something about the frogs. The company pledges a portion of its revenue to the Amphibian Conservation Alliance, which is attempting to protect the species. "It would be a shame to let these species disappear forever," according to a statement on Blue Frog Mobile's Web site. It adds that the poison from the frog could have medicinal purposes as a painkiller. Last week, a representative from the company dropped off a Beanie Baby blue frog to promote the company and its philanthropic cause. A GOOD CAUSE, PART TWO: Speaking of philanthropy, two Seattle organizations are listed in the January issue of Fast Company as part of the magazine's second annual "Social Capitalist Awards." Social Venture Partners and the Program for Appropriate Technology in Health were chosen from among 226 nominations. PATH was chosen for its leadership in developing new medical technologies and programs in developing countries, including a Kenyan radio soap opera about reproductive health issues and an Indian immunization program in which syringes are disabled after one use. Social Venture Partners, which was started in Seattle but has spread to 23 cities, was chosen for creating "smarter, more engaged donors and stronger non-profits."
2004: The Year Boob Janet Jackson's 'wardrobe malfunction' was all the ammo American puritans needed to launch another ice age ... and the chill was felt all across the entertainment biz By JIM SLOTEK
Think of it in terms of that "chaos theory" butterfly whose tiny wings beating in China lead to a hurricane in the Caribbean. And come to think of it, didn't that "nipple shield" that Jackson was wearing that fateful Super Bowl Sunday look kind of like a butterfly? Or was it a spider? But while blame for last season's Florida hurricanes is kind of a stretch, Jackson's breast clearly affected the choice of the Leader of the Free World and helped split the U.S. into its now famous Blue and Red halves ("the United States Of Canada and Jesusland," according to a widely circulated Internet map). To watch the fallout of Janetgate -- in which Justin Timberlake ripped off a piece of Jackson's top during the song Rock Your Body and exposed her breast to a hundred million football fans -- was to see American culture in all its contradictions. Or as comedian Lewis Black said, summing up the results of the Nov. 2 election, "Americans remain free to pursue their dreams, so long as that dream doesn't make Midwesterners feel 'icky.' " The U.S., a country paradoxically founded by freedom-seeking Puritans, is the world's biggest consumer of "adult entertainment," to the tune of $10 billion a year. At the same time, it plays host to the most prurient strain of Fundamentalist Christianity in the world, a hellfire-obsessed "sex for procreation only" message of self-control and self-denial that has found an unprecedented voice in the current U.S. administration. Look no further than then-Attorney General John Ashcroft, who had the exposed breast of the famous statue of Blind Justice covered with a sheet for photo ops. Janet's boob pretty much put in overdrive the career of one previously little-heard-from Republican -- Michael Powell, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (and the son of Colin Powell). It was a confluence of events and personality that could inspire Tom Wolfe to write another Bonfire of the Vanities. On the day in question, Powell says, he watched the Super Bowl with his family and was taken aback by a "classless, crass and deplorable stunt." Almost forgotten in the furor over Jackson and Timberlake was the fact that there were other artists on the bill, including Kid Rock (who wore an American flag poncho) and the crotch-grabbing Nelly. Powell didn't overlook them though. "The whole performance was onstage copulation," said the FCC boss, who launched an obscenity investigation of the entire halftime show. In September, the results of that investigation came down. Federal regulators fined CBS a record $550,000 for those few seconds of boob -- the maximum of $27,500 against each of the network's 20 owned-and-operated stations. It opted not to fine any of more than 200 affiliates which are not owned by CBS's parent company Viacom (which also owns MTV). But clearly, Powell and Co. would have fined CBS more if they could. A few weeks after the Super Bowl, contrite execs from Viacom and the NFL were hauled in front of a House subcommittee on telecommunications and the Internet, which was considering a request by the FCC to multiply its fining abilities tenfold. That measure passed Congress the following month and sailed through the Senate (in a 99-1 vote) in June as the Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act. It gave the FCC power to fine a company $275,000 per station to a maximum of $3 million "per single act or failure to act." Empowered, the FCC became busy little smut guardians indeed. In April, broadcast giant Clear Channel reportedly paid a $2 million settlement for indecency rulings against Howard Stern (whom the company had dropped from six of its stations in February), Washington morning host Elliott Segal and Florida deejay Bubba the Love Sponge. And in March, at Powell's behest, the commission overturned an earlier ruling that NBC hadn't aired an indecency when U2's Bono accepted his trophy at the American Music Awards with the expletive, "F--ing brilliant!" All this and the FCC still kept up with the small stuff, like a $7,000 fine against Infinity for the broadcast of a hip-hop concert on WLLD-FM in Holmes Beach, Fla. But the real impact came in the area of "self-policing," as obscenity-chill settled in almost immediately post-Super Bowl. Timberlake's 'N Sync pal, J.C. Chasez, was dropped as a halftime act at the Pro Bowl the following week (they replaced him with a Hawaiian theme featuring hula dancers and conch blowers). Janet Jackson either bowed out or was axed from the Grammy Awards, which imposed a five-second "enhanced" tape delay on the program for the first time. The Oscars quickly followed suit, announcing their own tape delay. On NBC, the network quickly excised a shot of an 82-year-old woman's breast from an examination scene on ER. And last month, 66 ABC affiliates refused to air Saving Private Ryan on Veterans Day. Seems a group called The American Family Association objected to the graphic violence and 21 uses of the F-word. One complaint (and sometimes no complaint at all) is all it can take for an American broadcaster to find itself looking at millions of dollars in fines. In Canada, the it-can't-happen-here reaction to Janetgate was epitomized by Alanis Morissette, who came out to emcee the Juno Awards "naked," wearing a body suit with painted-on nipples and pubic hair. Her opening words: "I am overjoyed to be back in my homeland, the true North, strong and censor-free." True enough, as a country we don't seem to be fazed much by nudity or cusswords. But broadcast-chill was in the headlines here, too. Don Cherry went one "Chicken Swede" too far when he opined that most NHL players who wear visors "are Europeans or French guys." The comment prompted an inquiry by Canada's official languages commissioner and led to the imposition of a seven-second delay on Cherry's Coach's Corner segment of Hockey Night in Canada. "(CBC) categorically rejects and denounces the personal opinions Mr. Cherry expressed," network exec VP Harold Redekopp said in announcing the decision. An overreaction? Maybe. On the other hand, the CRTC served notice in the summer it wouldn't be bluffed when it rescinded the licence of CHOI-FM, Toronto's most popular radio station. The main offender: Morning man Jean-Francois Fillion, about whom the commission says it received 47 complaints between 1998 and 2001, mostly in the area of racist commentary. Fillion would get a sympathetic ear from Howard Stern, who went from pro- to anti-George Bush the week Clear Channel dropped him from six markets. With his main syndicator, Infinity Broadcasting, also facing more than $1 million worth of indecency fines in his name, Stern decided to bolt the public airwaves altogether. In October, he signed a $500-million deal, effective 2006, with Sirius Satellite Radio -- the radio equivalent of pay-cable. Typically humble, he hailed the deal as "the death of FM radio and the death of the FCC." If Stern does turn out to be the X factor in satellite radio's success, it could rewrite the rules in the broadcast world. Score another one for Janet's nipple.
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