14 going on 30??

Ok, so I just happened onto her performance this morning on the Today Show. WOW!!!!! the girl can sing!!! Evidently I wasn't the only one who thought so, her album is now ranked #1 on Amazon. If you haven't heard her, she sings the old classics, like Summertime, Taking A Chance on Love, and What A difference a Day Makes. Seems to be a lot of new young singers are following this path and surely not all will make it. But Renee is only 14 and she has the acting thing("13 Going on 30" and "Still Standing") so she may have a better chance than others. Check out...Renee Olstead

Would you pay $300 to see Madonna?

Yes, that is what some people are paying to see Madonna on her current tour, which started in L.A. this past week. Her show has gotten "mixed" reviews and she has already cancelled one show because of a "stomach virus". Madonna is calling her tour "The Re-invention"(Isn't that what she has always done?) Most of the tour dates have been sold out and the tour is estimated to gross $120 Million. Madonna still rockin' at 45, but don't beleive I will be spending my allowance on a ticket to see her. I might spend $20 for the DVD next year.

Love Courtney fashion?

I guess Cortney Love is making a fashion statement here? Rock singer Courtney Love, who over the past few months has been accused of rampaging bad behavior, pleaded guilty Tuesday to being under the influence of cocaine. As Love stood in a Los Angeles courtroom listening to her fate, she wore a pale yellow floral print dress with a short lilac cardigan. The dress suggested the fragile, slightly off-balance demeanor of the classic woman in distress, perhaps something Roxie Hart might have worn for her day in a "Chicago" courtroom. The sad little cardigan, with its horizontal stripes, vaguely recalled a letterman sweater -- but one plucked from the Goodwill store. It had the poor look of something unexpectedly found rather than sought out, and it subtly suggested that perhaps Love's lawyer was working pro bono...Washington Post

Fantastic Fantasia finishes first

Diana or Fantasia?? I really didn't have a strong feeling this year, and didn't cast a single vote Tuesday night. I actually liked Latoya London more than both of these two. They say over 65 million votes were cast, and Fantasia won over Diana by less than 1% of the total vote. Congratulations Fantasia!!! And I predict good things for Diana also.

 

What's your score?

For Some Young Women, Love Is a Numbers Game

By Laura Sessions Stepp
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, May 22,2004

Some young women keep it in their head, others in a drawer of their bedside table. One even preserves it on a spreadsheet in her laptop.

We're talking about "the number," that sum of sex partners that college women either have had or hope to goodness they can avoid reaching. In the highly sexualized atmosphere of campus, a number gives them something to compare and dish about with their close girlfriends.

Jennifer Broussard, who graduated from the University of Pennsylvania a year ago, used to tally up her companions on a sheet in her organizer, attaching dates and footnotes. She'd dial up a girlfriend to ask things like, "What counts? What doesn't? I'm about to pass my benchmark. Is this guy worth it?"

Keeping score is not new, of course. Think belt notches of yesteryear or a general estimate, privately held. As some sexually transmitted infections increase among the young, keeping a number and names could even be the responsible thing to do.

But chatting about -- and even recording -- each incident in detail?

"We always talked about the number in high school -- in secret," says Broussard, who works in Manhattan for a consumer product licensing agency. "Now more and more of us are admitting that it is not something to be ashamed of. We're clearly more open about it with each other."

These women analyze their numbers as if they were comparison shopping for the right size and color of shoes. They tell each other that sex is separate from love. And few adults tell them any different. Sex education teachers lecture on body parts and disease, and we know that parents would rather throw themselves in front of a truck than talk in depth about sex and romance.

Read more...

Alias

Watched the season finale of Alias tonight and as always it left me with more questions than answers. But this is good TV and Alias is a very good show. Can't beleive they really killed-off Lauren and there by breaking that great love triangle of her, Sydney and Vaughn. You just know Sydney and Vaughn won't have a smooth sailing relationship next season. And speaking of next season, it is a long seven months away!! No, Alias won't be starting season 4 in September, because the "suits" have decided to wait until January 2005 to start the "new" season for Alias. Long time to wait to see just what made Sydney cry while reading that "Top Secret" file as this season ended. Well here is a nice pic of "Sydney" (Jennifer Garner)to look at until next year

Jelen with Ben

Had a chance to listen to Ben Jelen's debut CD and I really like it. Has a great voice (and I am sure you ladies will notice he's a "looker"). He is a singer/songwriter with an easy catchy style. Ben has lived in England, Scotland, Texas, and New Jersey and plays guitar, violin, and piano. He got his start with a self-produced demo while working as an engineer at a local studio. He was discovered by a Calvin Klein marketing executive at a Jane's Addiction concert who wanted to offer Jelen a shot at a modeling career, but Jelen wanted to make music and not model, so was offered a recording contract instead. Several cuts on the CD are worth a listen including "Come On", which is playing. Check Ben Jelen out.

Aloha Jasmine

American Idol contestant Jasmine Trias was voted off the show last night, leaving just Diana DeGarmo and Fantasia for the final showdown next week. I really feel that Jasmine was "forced" from the show this week by the constant negative remarks by the Idol judges over the past few weeks. Jasmine had become the "voting" fan front-runner this season just a few weeks ago, when the judges began to see her as a possible winner and started to downgrade her performances. And Jasmine's singing did start to suffer due to this stress added by these judges, who clearly favored Fantasia from the start of this season. Well, the judges get their way and Jasmine will not be in the final, but she is a winner. She has demonstrated a lot of maturity and class for a 16 year old from Hawaii, and I predict a bright future for her. Aloha Jasmine - I will miss you and wish you all the best.

Here Comes the Judge: Take Cover, Would-Be Idols

By VIRGINIA HEFFERNAN New York Times

Simon Cowell, the imperious judge of Fox's call-in talent show "American Idol," was raised just north of London, in a manor house called Abbots Mead. His father was on the board of the record company EMI; after graduating from high school, Mr. Cowell worked in the company's mailroom. He went on to create novelty musical acts of professional wrestlers, the Power Rangers and celebrities like David Hasselhoff. Mr. Cowell made pop stars, in other words, out of athletes, toys and actors.

But these days Mr. Cowell is known less for eccentric hit making than for high-hatting the contestants on "American Idol," which is now in its third season. (Last Tuesday the show drew 22.8 million viewers.) Sharing a panel with the music executive Randy Jackson and the performer Paula Abdul, he opines, often bluntly, about the live performances, presumably influencing the vote, which viewers register by phone when the live show ends.

Wrapping up a contentious season, during which the show was dogged by questions about fairness and procedure, two finalists will be named tonight. Who will be cut? Jasmine Trias, the Hawaiian underdog; Diana DeGarmo, the baby-faced power-singer; or Fantasia Barrino, the irrepressible former gospel singer? In the midst of the suspense Mr. Cowell talked about racism, $300,000 cars and the madness of Fantasia. Here are excerpts from the conversation.

VIRGINIA HEFFERNAN Who's going to win "American Idol"?

SIMON COWELL Diana DeGarmo.

HEFFERNAN Oh, good Lord.

COWELL I thought she was a stage-school brat when I first met her. But she's quite a nice girl. And she's our little Seabiscuit.

HEFFERNAN Why did La Toya London, who's such a good singer, get kicked off last week?

COWELL She was very cold. She could have been a robot for all the emotion or personality she put over. And she said something very stupid. She had a little bit of criticism, and she said: "I'm not the slightest bit worried. We're all winners now. We're all going to have successful careers." When she said it, I said, "She's out." Because America decides whether they're going to have successful careers. To say that was verging on arrogance.

HEFFERNAN You like to punish these people for hubris.

COWELL I don't like to punish them. But look, lots of them will get record deals. But will they make any money or have a career? I'm dubious.

I do try to encourage this winning mentality. And I've got to tell you, Clay Aiken is — whatever he says in interviews he is, or was — dreading someone as good as him coming through the ranks. And rightly so. Because he's a winner. It's like me seeing another talent show coming on, and pretending that I'm happy that another friend of mine has done it successfully. I'd be suicidal.

HEFFERNAN Do you agree with Elton John that the dismissal of the black singers, who have great, powerful voices, is evidence of racism in the voting?

COWELL That was a throwaway remark. The reality is that those people simply aren't getting enough votes. We have a lot of passive viewers on "American Idol" who enjoy watching, and enjoy the controversy afterward, but don't pick up the phone.

HEFFERNAN Unlike the other judges, you don't talk much about pitch when you comment on a performance. Why not?

COWELL I don't think I'm a music expert. I haven't got a clue whether I've got good or bad pitch, and I couldn't care less. I don't like that kind of criticism. This competition is not about who's singing in tune.

HEFFERNAN What do you like about a good pop performance then?

COWELL It's like drinking a Häagen-Dazs strawberry milkshake. Just delicious. Why do I like strawberry and not banana? I don't know. I just do.

HEFFERNAN Are you sentimental?

COWELL I don't know if I'm sentimental. But there are occasions when a song is sung and you sit back and you let it wash all over you. That's normally like a Tony Bennett song, a good Frank Sinatra song or a good Righteous Brothers song.

HEFFERNAN What about an "American Idol" song?

COWELL Could I sit there and listen to these kids sing in a concert? I couldn't stay there for two minutes. I couldn't think of anything worse.

HEFFERNAN Even a Clay Aiken concert?

COWELL Are you kidding? I wouldn't last a minute.

HEFFERNAN Several of the "American Idol" performers have gospel in their pasts, and in interviews they make frequent references to God. What do you make of the religious element to the show?

COWELL Well, you know the answer to the question, don't you? Obviously a lot of people are using it to gain votes. Come on. You know that, and I know that.I also don't like the constant dedications to children. Give me a break. Like Fantasia, who has an edge on her. I think she's used her kid twice now in the show. And you just think: "Enough. You're now behaving like a politician rather than a pop star." It all becomes a bit gruesome.

HEFFERNAN Maybe Fantasia's cynicism adds to her serpentine appeal.

COWELL I'll try to think of it that way. With Fantasia there is an element of unpredictability about her, in how she performs, in what she says when she answers you back. There's a hint of madness there, which is good.

HEFFERNAN Are you a jealous person?

COWELL I'm competitive. I'm not jealous. I have a lot of friends who are billionaires. I don't envy their wealth. But if I'm releasing a record the same week as one of my competitors who may be a friend, I'm going to do anything in my power to make sure that I'm more successful than he is.

Look, I was slightly cynical of the American mentality before I came over here, but now I preach it. Here, no one's going to tear you down if you buy yourself a $300,000 car. They're likely to say: "Well, you probably worked hard for it. Good luck to you."

HEFFERNAN Randy Jackson. What do you think his shambling commentary adds to the show?

COWELL You know, Randy is incredibly important on the panel because he has, to use an American expression, great energy. And it's very easy to be cynical and down and depressed when you're on this show, and I've never ever seen Randy down.

HEFFERNAN Are you getting bored with "American Idol"?

COWELL No. All the things people are complaining about now: the wrong person being kicked out, that person shouldn't be in. I love all that. I think it's interesting.

HEFFERNAN With all the show's alumni making such bland music, do you ever feel like you're creating monsters?

COWELL I'm not sure if we're creating monsters. "Idol" wasn't a television company saying, "Let's put on a talent show." It was a record company saying, "Right, we need a vehicle to find new talent." At that time we believed that there was a lack of good solo artists out there. I've always said that with a bit of luck and a bit of skill or whatever this show could last for another 20 years.

HEFFERNAN Why has "American Idol" done so well?

COWELL It's only on once a year. It's something to look forward to. It's a very easy show to watch, and I think Fox has been very clever, in that they didn't do what ABC did with "Millionaire," and kill it quickly because they overran it. They kind of looked after it and protected it.

HEFFERNAN Do you think the show's culturally important?

COWELL: No, I don't. People might be able to get a reality check: it's not quite as easy to be famous as you think it is. But I don't think it's culturally important, and it shouldn't be.

New York Times May 18, 2004

 

Tell Me About It

There is a "relationships advice" column that runs three times a week in the Washington Post newspaper written by Carolyn Hak. Along with the column is a cartoon by Nick Galifianakis. These cartoon are so "dead-on". I never read the column(sorry Carolyn) but I really enjoy the cartoons. Here is the one from Sunday.

Fraizer has left the building

Watched the Fraizer series finale last night and was a little disappointed. The writers tied-up all the loose ends, and we are left to assume that Frazier finds true love in Chicago and a new job in San Franciso. Was not even close to being as good as the Friends finale last week. I feel Frazier's time to end was a year or two late where as Friends ending was perfect. Will miss Friends but can't say same about Frazier.

Happy Mother's Day

History of Mother's Day In the United States of America Mother's Day was first suggested in the year 1872 by Julia Ward Howe who wrote the words to the Battle hymn of the Republic as a day dedicated to peace. She would hold an organized Mother's Day meeting in Boston, Massachusetts every year. It wasn't until in 1907 when Anna Jarvis, from Philadelphia, began a campaign to establish a national Mother's Day. Ms. Jarvis persuaded her mother's church in Grafton, West Virginia to celebrate Mother's Day on the second anniversary of her mother's death, the 2nd Sunday of May. By the next year Mother's Day was also celebrated in Philadelphia. She and several of her supporters began to write to ministers, businessman, and politicians in their endeavour to establish a national Mother's Day. In 1910, the governor of West Virginia proclaimed the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day and a year later every state celebrated it. It was successful as by 1911 Mother's Day was celebrated in almost every state. President Woodrow Wilson, in 1914, made the official announcement proclaiming Mother's Day as a national holiday that was to be held each year on the 2nd Sunday of May. From Mother's Net

Bring baseball back to Washington

WASHINGTON (AP)--Baseball officials wanted to know where the money is coming from. City officials wanted to know if baseball is serious about locating in Washington. When it was over, both sides gave positive reviews to Thursday's meeting in which Mayor Anthony Williams explained his new plan for a 100-percent taxpayer-funded stadium if the Montreal Expos are moved to the nation's capital. ``If we weren't serious about Washington, D.C., we would not be here,'' Major League Baseball chief operating officer John McHale said in a rare public statement. ``We consider it to have been a positive afternoon.'' Three owners--Jerry Reinsdorf of the Chicago White Sox, Tom Hicks of the Texas Rangers and Wendy Selig-Prieb of the Milwaukee Brewers--and other members of the relocation committee met with Williams and a host of city officials, including three members of the City Council, which would have to approve any stadium financing. Council member Jack Evans wanted frank answers from baseball on two fronts. Is Washington again being used as a pawn to attract other cities? And will baseball yield to Baltimore owner Peter Angelos' contention that Washington should not have a team because it is part of the Orioles' market? ``I think they liked the presentation, and they were less comfortable with my questioning,'' Evans said. ``It somewhat made them squirm, but I think the questions needed to be asked. I don't want to sit here and waste my time. If we're just getting used--or if Angelos is a problem--what are we doing here?'' Evans said he received assurances on both issues, but added, ``I still don't believe the Angelos story.'' Baseball has been trying to relocate the Expos since the struggling franchise was purchased by the 29 other teams before the 2002 season. The Expos are splitting their schedule between Montreal and San Juan, Puerto Rico, for the second consecutive year in order to ease the club's debt. Las Vegas; Monterrey, Mexico; Norfolk, Va.; Portland, Ore.; and Northern Virginia are all possible relocation candidates. The latest deadline for a decision is the All-Star break in July, but league officials have repeatedly missed similar deadlines in the past as they search for an acceptable deal--preferably one in which a stadium is built with all public money. That's what Williams said he was offering. ``If baseball makes a commitment to come to Washington, D.C., we're prepared to move quickly and move decisively to see to it that all the approvals are in place, all the financing is in place, all the elements are in place, to see that a team is here in a timely fashion,'' the mayor said. The mayor presented four stadium proposals, including a plan to build a facility on the RFK Stadium parking lot for $278 million as part of a waterfront initiative along the Anacostia River. The other three sites are downtown and preferable to city officials, but they would cost as much as $383 million and require lease payments from the team's owners, a sort of backdoor way of skirting the 100 percent public-funding requirement. Regardless of the location, the relocated team would play for two to three seasons at RFK while the new stadium is being built. A group led by local businessman Fred Malek is the city's preferred choice to own the relocated team. Malek's group was not represented at the meeting. The money to pay for the stadium would probably come from a new business tax and stadium-related taxes. Council chairwoman Linda Cropp praised local businesses who have said they would ``share an awful lot of the cost'' to bring baseball to Washington without curtailing city services. The relocation committee is expected to give a report at the next owner's meeting, May 19-20 in New York. Evans said this just might be the year a decision is made, although there is understandable caution in a city that has been without a team since the expansion Senators moved to Texas after the 1971 season. ``Jerry Reinsdorf said he's tired of doing this,'' Evans said. ``Maybe that's it. ... The owners own Montreal and they're losing lots of money, so maybe they talk with their wallets and say 'We've got to get rid of this thing.' ``We don't want to be strung along again. If they decide to put a team here, we will build them a stadium. They don't have to pay for it.''

Where was John Stevens?

American Idol could have used John Stevens last night since the genre was "Big Band/Swing". None of the five remaining "idols" did a great job with the 1930/1940 style of music. Maybe John doing Frank Sinatra would have been "interesting" . I really think it is unfair to expect really good performances from week to week when the producers keep changing genres. I am beginning to think Latoya will win this year.

Angels & Demons

Having read and enjoyed "The Da Vinci Code" by Dan Brown, I decided to buy "Angels & Demons", also by Dan Brown. Most people read a lot in the summer, but I tend to read more during the winter months, so don't know when I will read it(may have to wait for a week at the beach). But I have it for whenever the mood strikes. Here is the link to Angels & Demons at Amazon.

Clay Aiken announces solo concert tour

Clay Aiken just finished a tour with Kelly Clarkson, season one American Idol, and has now announced a solo tour for this summer. Here are the tour dates: Clay Aiken's summer tour dates, according to his label: 7/8 - Grand Forks, ND @ Ralph Engelstad Arena 7/9 - Sioux Falls, SD @ Sioux Falls Arena 7/10 - Appleton, WI @ Fox Cities Stadium 7/17 - Greenville, SC @ Bi Lo Center 7/18 - N. Charleston, SC @ N. Charleston Coliseum 7/20 - Portsmouth, VA @ NTELOS Pavilion at Harbor Center 7/24 - Syracuse, NY @ OnCenter 7/29 - Mashantucket, CT @ Foxwoods Casino 7/30 - Atlantic City, NJ @ Caesars 7/31 - Atlantic City, NJ @ Caesars 8/3 - Kingston, RI @ Ryan Center at University of Rhode Island 8/5 - Gilford, NH @ Meadowbrook Farms 8/6 - Bethlehem, PA @ Bethlehem Musikfest 8/7 - Clearfield, PA @ Clearfield County Fair 8/11 - Columbus, OH @ Celeste Center 8/12 - Jackson, MI @ Jackson County Fair 8/15 - Des Moines, IA @ Iowa State Fair 8/16 - Indianapolis, IN @ Indiana State Fair 8/19 - Hamburg, NY @ Erie County State Fair 8/20 - Clio, MI @ Clio Amphitheater 8/21 - Clio, MI @ Clio Amphitheater 8/28 - Dayton, OH @ Ervin J. Nutter Center 8/29 - Fort Wayne, IN @ Allen County Memorial Coliseum 9/11 - Spencer, IA @ Clay County Fair 9/15 - Portsmouth, VA @ NTELOS Pavilion at Harbor Center 9/16 - York, PA @ York Fair 9/19 - Springfield, MA @ Eastern States Exposition 10/18 - Raleigh, NC @ North Carolina State Fair