For Jermaine (who was trying to sing along, but didn’t know the words):

Everywhere I go, every smile I see
I know you are there – smiling back at me
Dancing in moonlight I know you are free
Cuz I can see your star shining down on me

Janet is a star.  And she’s still got it.  I can’t imagine what she’s been through this year, but she brought the best opening sequence I’ve seen at the American Music Awards in a while.

Paula Abdul is up next in a beautiful black dress and looking completely present – is she hosting?  Well, she’s presenting the first award…

Fave Pop/Rock Group: BEP collects their 6th AMA.

Haven’t actually seen Veronica Mars in a minute – but she gets to give Rascal Flatts their best Country group award for the 4th straight year.  And Pete Wentz  kinda creeps me out.  Which is fitting I guess, cuz watching his wife on Melrose Place, she kinda creeps me out, too.

Maybe it’s cuz my life is just barely winding down from the crazy, but I’m feeling particularly snarky.  Daughtry doesn’t usually get any love from me, since I’m not really into the rock bands that all sound the same to me.  ffwd.

Shakira’s performance starts off cool with the steppers, and then her hair’s kinda cool – she kinda looks like she’s going for Mariah’s look.  But I’m trying to figure out if I’m actually hearing her voice or not.  Adam Lambert seems totally into it, which actually ups his stock in my estimation.

Keith Urban is definitely one of the cutest country artists there are – I guess that’s why he doesn’t have to wear a hat.  Kiss A Girl is ok, but..uh…ffwd.

Reba McIntyre is definitely looking better than she did on SNL last night…she introduces Kelly Clarkson – the one, true Idol.  I love Already Gone.  It’s just a great song.  And I love Kelly Clarkson.  So it’s great.

Fave Pop/Rock Female Artist: Taylor Swift – she’s at Wembley Stadium for a show tomorrow night – cool.

A. Rod, Jay-Z, Alicia Keys – New York State of Mind.  I love this song.  I can’t even explain it.  I even get why Lil Mama jumped up on stage at the MTv Awards.  Solange, Taye Diggs, they’re into it – Leona Lewis is barely head bobbin’ – Melissa Etheridge is feeling this more than her.  Whitney’s proving there’s still a little Bobby left in her, and Perez Hilton is surprisingly rhythmic.  This is probably the hypest song of the year.

Alternative Rock Band: Green Day.  Second time they’ve won this one.  Short n sweet thank yous – the way I like ‘em.

Ok. Wait.  What?  Kate Hudson is wearing something crazy.  It basically makes her look like a boy.  I just saw way too much of her chest.

You know what?  The Black-Eyed Peas are fun, party music, but I kinda don’t understand them.  Their performances always seem so odd.  I just don’t get it.  They kinda seem like grown up versions of iCarly – cuz of how nonsensical they seem, sometimes.  But I. Love. Boom Boom Boom.  Seth Green seems to like it, too.  That was the craziest mashup I’ve seen in some time – It Takes Two To Make A Thing Go Right and Smells Like Teen Spirit?  Crazy.  But it worked.

Soul/R&B Male:  Michael Jackson.  With Jermaine and his family accepting, because he hadn’t yet been inappropriate enough.  By the way, I actually think Jamie Foxx should’ve won, but I understand why MJ won.  It’s not necessarily undeserved.

Country Male:  Keith Urban.  First AMA – congrats.  ffwd.

Soul/R&B Female: Beyonce.  Couldn’t be there.  Awww.

Ne-Yo does a song from the Princess and the Frog?  YAY!  I love him.  He intros RiRi wearing a modified suit from The Fifth Element.  How can you not love the line – “I’m such a freakin’ lady”?

Carrie Underwood performs and it looks like she’s wearing  a look by Carol Hannah (of Project Runway fame).  I definitely feel like I saw that as the first look on her Bryant Park collection.  She’s the second voted Idol to perform tonight, third alum to sing, and 4th to grace the stage, as Kris Allen presented.  Paula is pleased as punch.

Then Lady Gaga performs and it is…to be expected, I guess.  I don’t know what that strap over her privates is. but it’s weirdly distracting.  Her voice is really good though.  When she plays the piano things are nice, except the camera’s obsession with her crotch being fed by the fact that her legs are spread w-i-d-e open.  I suppose it’s true that without all of her eccentricities she probably wouldn’t be famous at all.

PS – I still don’t like Perez Hilton.

Drake, Kid Cudi, Jeremi, introduce Mary J.  Why did Drake have to say it was his mother’s fave woman in the world?  I guess it’s nice.  But…it definitely spotlights her age.  Though Mary’s looking dang good.  And her voice is SO much better!  Her performances have really improved.

Ahh – so that’s Colby Callait.  She wasn’t feeling NY State of Mind.  Eh.  And Gloriana wins Breakthrough Artist.

Who is Gloriana?

I thought Keri Hilson shoulda won.  But Country does have very devoted fans.

J. Lo’s singing again?  I like this song.  But I do not like the outfit.  Those shorts are AWFUL!  And then they – they – made it worse!  They put some kind of strange skirt looking thing over it!  Throw on your Louboutins and get thee to a stylist, Jenny-from-the-block!

Samuel L. Jackson presents International Artist of the Year to Whitney.  I wonder what is required to win this.  I’m amazed that the Bodyguard soundtrack is still the number 1 soundtrack – I thought sure it’d be Titanic.  But Whitney has come back and I’m happy.  She looks great.  And she sounds great.  You know that choir is so proud of her.  I think most every Black person in America is proud of Whitney’s comeback – and that she’s no longer with Bobby.  She wasn’t built to break.  You go Whitney.  Ooh – and Bobbi Christina is cute, now?  Everything’s coming up roses for Whitney, now.

Fave Country Female: Taylor Swift.  She’s still up?  How is she gonna be ready for the concert?

Fave Pop/Rock Male: It’s a shame MJ died this year.  For so many reasons.  He’s now won 23 AMAs.  Jermaine’s Muslim?  I thought they were Jehovah’s Witnesses.  It would’ve been nice to see TI spank Em, though.  I dunno if it would’ve happened, but I woulda loved it.  So I’m gonna say that’s how it would’ve gone.

Alicia Keys has brought back all the 90s dances, and that dude dancer she’s got is in-cred-i-ble.   And a lil bit hot.  But unbelievably talented.  She’s wearing some craziness, but then, that’s what she does.  I like this song, too.  Have you ever tried sleeping with a broken heart?

Seth Green intros Em and Fitty.  It’s kinda disgusting to me to see girls singing along with Em, seeing as how he’s so woman-hating in his music.  Not that I don’t kinda like that second song he was doing.

Now Timbaland is kinda cool but also bananas.  I’m glad he’s still hanging with Nelly Furtado – that’s cool.  I dunno who the other girl is.  But the zombie thing is a little bit cool.  With a not-so-subtle Thriller reference it’s cute.

That little Hobbit fellow from FlashForward kinda gives me the creeps.  But I would also be jumping up and down to intro Green Day singing 21 Guns.  I love this song.  And I love how these guys are old and married with kids now, but they’re still great.

Wow.  I had no idea Keri Hilson was that tall!  Or..that Toni Braxton was that short.  They present fave Rap/Hip-Hop Male:  Jay-Z.  So…who would be nominated for the female version of this award?  Is there even a female version?

Ryan Seacrest had time to present?  How many jobs does he have?

Artist of the Year:  Taylor Swift.  She won 5 tonight.  I kinda thought she’d win.

And now Adam Lambert performs.  Isn’t it a lil over the top to grind into a dude’s face?  The lyrics are actually right on – “do you know what I’m about to do?”  I was never really a fan, so excuse me if I think his 15min are up.  I still think he’d be better in a more Freddie Mercury role.  I’m watching the folks by the stage and everyone just looks like they’re staring.  They’re all clapping now, but…he still weirds me out a little.

Oh, and 9 awards were given out earlier, with Jay-Z winning a couple, Michael winning a few, and Taylor winning a few.  But I didn’t see a Rap/Hip-Hop category for the ladies.  Come back Eve – we miss you!

Like me.

Right now at work, I am pretty much drained, every day.

And the folks in the bottom 6 on the results show tonight seemed the same way.  Nobody had a good solo.  Nobody.

But I’m cool with who they kicked out.

***********************This Just In*************************

I know I broke up with Heroes.  But.  I didn’t delete it from my DVR yet.

So I skimmed through this week’s episode tonight and lo and behold!  The Haitian has a name!

René

Nonchalantly uttered by Claire, as though we all should’ve known his name.  Whatever, Heroes.

too little, too late.

Hum.  Um.  A Tyce piece taken from The Color Purple isn’t really sitting well with me.  Apparently we’re supposed to be watching a church/dancing piece taken from the stereotypical Southern Black church tradition.  And Nigel suggested that Bianca has actually danced like this in church.  That’s something.  Cuz having lived in the South for most of my life, I don’t know…um…anyone who dances like that in church.

Not that it doesn’t happen.  I know that it does.  Maybe not so much that style…but it happens.

The problem was…that…it was FULL of problems.  Church dancing with pirouettes needs to go a lil more Polly.

But the church thing wasn’t the only moment made of some FAIL tonight.

The Bollywood number was so haphazard for that fellow.  (I’m not totally getting to know them yet, since there are still so many.)  He looked kinda crazy from start to finish, really.  And his leaps toward the end were bizarre.  But Mollee surprised me in the beginning of that one, her turns were so strong, she stole the stage IMO.

Phillip Atmore is an excellent tap dancer.  He’s an excellent tap dancer.  An excellent tap dancer.   REALLY bad at the samba.

Ellenore’s dress for the tango was AWFUL!!!AWFUL!!!AWFUL!!!  And then got stuck on her heel, besides being uggamugga.  And while I was watching that dance – I started to wonder, is the dress supposed to be attached to the shoe?

But I LOVED Legacy and Kathryn’s work with Stacy Tookey.  Best dance of the night, bar none.  Amazing, really, considering that I’ve hated Legacy from day one.

Two tappers are in the bottom tonight, and it’s hurting.  Because “there’s not enough time” (according to Nigel) to teach the dancers tap, so they will never get to perform their own styles.  Why is tap the only dance form that can’t possible be learned in the short time required for all the other dance styles?   Bianca’s going home and I”m super sad about this, but kind of saw this coming.  Wah wah wah.  I hope she gets some real big opportunities from this.  But I’m still pissed.  Both tappers are gone.  Too bad we couldn’t have voted.

My work life has been hell lately, and so, I’m thankfully home – instead of at work, like I was last night [until 11:50].  But I am catching up on SYTYCD and ooh, wee!  It’s the good, the bad, and the U-G-L-Y.

Russell

the good
With three tappers this season, I’m happy, but apprehensive – I don’t think the show is really equipped to showcase tap.  They haven’t really proved themselves, yet.

I’ve been loving this krumper, Russell since his very first audition.  He somewhat reminds me of Joshua – just in his untrained ability to wow me with his take on every style.  And I want him to win, win, win!

Seeing Dave Scott back on the show is loverly, and I’m hoping for more from him this season.

Mary Murphy is as crazy as ever and, while she’s still weirding me out, all I can say is – Yabba Dabba Doo!  Is she on pills?

Travis Wall’s choreo has me all twitterpated.  I was never a real fan, cuz I got this hint of attitude during his season, and I’ve always been a Benji fan…but my, oh, my. Bianca and Victor really turned it out IMO.  I”m not sure why Bianca didn’t get as much love from the judges but I thought the piece they did was incredible, romantic, and beautiful – and her part was lovely, all the way around.

the bad
Well, Mollee and Nathan’s disco was cute, but not nearly deserving of such rave reviews when the transitions were as herky-jerky as they were.  I really like them as a couple – but let’s be real, please.  Doriana Sanchez’s choreo is always 90mph, but they still looked like they were counting steps!

NappyTab are still on the show.  Period.

Injuries/Illness.  What’s up, y’all?  Everybody’s getting hurt this season.  And apparently, it’s not the kind of thing you can dance through [a la Donyelle and everyone else who soldiered on in past seasons].  Noelle needs an MRI, Billy left due to illness [whenever I hear this, my first thought is always mono] – what is up?!

the U-G-L-Y
The fact that ANYone, ANYwhere thought it might be a good idea to use the Glee version of Push It, for a ChaCha number.  I got the dry heaves.

The fact that Russell was in the bottom 4 dancers.  Um…what?  These judges are crazy.  I still don’t get that, cuz Nigel was right when he said that Fred Astaire would NOT be krumping up there on that stage.

So – I’ll be watching this season.  And I can’t wait to see Paula Abdul choreograph a piece on this show.

And here’s a reminder of what 80s ladies rap was all about:

Oh we’re shattered. [MC - Memoirs]

Dear Heroes,

I’ve been a little busy lately, and it seems that you thought I was just letting it all slide.  I wasn’t.  I was just getting around to this letter, as it’s been a long time coming.

This may not mean much to you since I’m not a die-hard-fan kinda girl, but you’ve let me down.  To tease me with prospects of awesomeness and then slowly kill off almost every person of color on the show?  Even major characters?  That is NOT the way to my heart.

I loved you so much I volunteered to review your best and worst moments.  Those were good times, even when they weren’t such good times.

But as time went by, echoes of DL, Monica, and even that vortex guy only grew louder in my head.  I don’t have the time or inclination to follow web-posted storylines, just so I can keep up with characters that somehow don’t deserve to make the cut on the small screen.  Year after year, the man who came to be known as the Haitian, continued to be known as the Haitian.  Even after visiting Haiti!  Because having one magical negro wasn’t enough, Usutu got to be a plot device for a while, getting name checked on the show only after he was decapitated!  Two cute Asian guys (one a little bit hot) get to play the buffoon occasionally, while propping up what we finally found out was the MAIN storyline last year.

And I’m losing interest.

Watching the few women of color that appear, disappear – sometimes without any explanation – while the blondes almost always have their freaky coercive and inappropriate sexual assaults?  Not my idea of a good time.  There was the slight incest scare with Claire and Peter, the Puppetmaster scenes, the Sylar/Claire puppetmaster scene, various power plays with every Ali Larter character…and then of course, our good friend from the current season, carnie-tatt-girl.

You really value me so little?

Almost every woman I know who ever watched no longer does.  Why should we?  If we want to see skeevy dudes planning & executing various forms of domination over women, we can just watch the news.

When things were new and fresh, I thought this was the start of a cool show.  And it was.  And this is the end.

Men and women of color on your show continue to be use as props with little more than one-dimensional backstories.  Seriously.  Where is freaking Mohinder?

Becky and the new Usutu are not enough.  The cop and the doctor are not enough.  Angela is not enough.  Portraying your first lesbian while simultaneously painting her as an SWF stalker?  Not even close.

My head hurts when I watch, I think of better storylines when I’m half-awake, and I’m just tired.  I feel like Syfy could’ve done a much better job with the show.  Or maybe Animal Planet.  QVC even.

Good night and good luck, Heroes.  And so I say, with a yawn,

When I break – I break. (MC -  Up Out my Face)

Last week I went to the opening of a play here in Podunk.  The kids of Podunk were putting on a limited engagement of The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, ending today.  A coworker of mine had a child in the production, and described rehearsals to us at work.  Since they sounded cute, I wanted to go.

So I walk in to the theater and take my seat and do my normal look-see.  You know, after a few moments, I look around and check out the demographics.  Podunk did not disappoint.  Grey-haired ladies, soccer moms with some kids that didn’t make the show, a thirtysomething couple on a date, probably about 120 people (~2xs the kids in the cast) – which is good.  Not a lot of brown people, which is normal.  There was an Indian family, and two other brown people besides me.  So I notice.

Other people notice, right?

There were some star performers in the roles of Mr. Tumnus, the Witch, and Lucy.  Mr. Tumnus also had the best costume – he really looked like a faun.  But he was comical and cute.  The Witch was excellent – screaming at the exactly right points.  And Lucy – from start to finish – had impeccable timing, incredible delivery, complete believability.  Yeah – I liked Lucy.

There was also a cutie-patootie in the role of one of the woodland creatures.  In one scene, some unfortunate woodland creatures [and Mr. Tumnus] were frozen in various positions in the courtyard of the Queen/Witch’s palace.  All the kids were supposed to be stationary as Edmund walked through.  But there was one little girl (probably about 6) who had struck a pose with her arms up in the air, and the scene got a little long for her.  So first one arm dropped – then the other.  And so she stood there, slouching a little, until the Queen/Witch came on stage.  [Snow starts to fall whenever the Miss Winter comes onstage, to remind us all of her coldness.]  So as the snow fell, little miss cutiepants starts raising her arms again – this time to try and catch some of the fake snow that’s falling.  Which she did.  The entire scene was hilarious, and I didn’t hear a word of the dialogue, because I was focused on this adorable child – surrounded by other woodland creatures of various ages who had all managed to be still.

Then Aslan appears and he’s one of the three cast members of color.  It’s all good until the time comes for Aslan to sacrifice himself.  The Witch and all her followers descend upon Aslan in a kind of mob scene.  He’s shaved, beaten, and tied to the Stone Table.  The tie-down and the killing part was behind a screen – for the kids in the audience, I guess.

But that scene was really awful for me to watch.  It scared me and brought tears to my eyes.  Because I wasn’t just watching Aslan being selfless – I was watching a group of white kids and teens simulate beating and killing a black teenage boy.  I knew the story – I knew he was coming back – but I still could barely bare to watch that.

And when he did reappear, everyone was hugging him and it was all lovely, and of course good triumphs in the end.

In fact, the loudest roar of applause at the end was for Aslan.  I didn’t think he was that great of an actor, but I think a lot of people just really like his character.

The play was good, overall, and I enjoyed it.  But I do wonder if it that scene affected anyone else the way it affected me.  Sometimes I wonder if I’m being too sensitive.  Should that kind of imagery have been avoided?  How?

I’ve been battling strep this week, and I’m winning now – so that’s good.  I actually had no idea because the last time I had it [when i was a kid] I was miserable with a fever and all.  This week was just gargling salt water and drinking tea – no fever, etc.  But what a week of disaster and craziness!

Don’t talk about the weather.  It might hear you.  Not to mention the fact that CA and GA are still dealing with fallout from last week’s fires, floods, and mudslides.

We’re all totally over Kanye now – which is good – but it seems Hollywood/the Entertainment industry decided to give Spanky and the gang their own DiscoveryChannel style ‘women-hating’ week. [trigger warning]

There was leftover Mackenzie-furor from last week, as people are still trying to process what she called a “consensual relationship”.  [I don't get it either. With a clear pattern of abuse/steady supply of drugs, how is there *ever* a "consensual relationship between one who has power and one who does not. ]

Then there was the Roman Polanski mess – which still has me pissed.  More because of all the misplaced support from people I used to have a lot more respect for like Whoopi.  How is drugging and raping a child made better cuz it happened ‘a long time ago’? Especially when the perp has said this?!?!

Then I happened upon this article about Elizabeth Smart’s ordeal, and I was almost in tears at her description of endless rape she endured.

All this awfulness and we can’t even get a public option on the table…bad guys won in the news this week.

Please don’t be depressed though.  The people in Rio de Janeiro are having a party – rejoice with them for the first Olympics in South America.

I’m not totally into the new fall season of tv – at least the scheduling.  I’m actually *liking* some shows, but must they ALL be on Thursday??  Check out my schedule – and all the conflicts:

i make charts

My DVR can only record two things at a time, so I had to rearrange some things.

Some of these shows might piss me off, though, in which case I’ll quit watching and some time spots may open up.

Right now, I like my staple sitcoms and dramas, but I’m auditioning some new ABC shows and a couple CW shows.

I watched Eastwick last night and was pretty disappointed.  I didn’t see the movie all the way through – I saw it in pieces, but *did* see the end.  And I basically hated Jack Nicholson’s character/role.  I was hoping for a show that was going to either follow up on life after the end of the movie, or move in a different direction with the ladies coming into their powers as friends… If the dude stays on the show and the show just ends up remaking the movie – I’m done.

love!

I watched FlashForward tonight, and enjoyed the concept but was still deeply disappointed.  John Cho is love.  So he should totally be THE guy.  Not some random dude with a forgettable face who was in a movie with Gwyneth back in the 90s.  And with him not having a ‘future dream’ – it means he’s probably dead in the future.  What?  Why would he be dead??  Why kill John Cho???

I watched Heroes this week, and was impressed with how loyal the writers were to the STOOPID that runs in the Benetrelli family.  As Wanda Sykes says, “stick wit’ your lie”.  They are sticking.  Glee is really letting me down and I hate that, after the 90s R&B sensation of last week.  I’m glad the Asian girl got to sing, but we still haven’t heard many actual lines from her.  And a pregnant cheerleader?  Shouldn’t we just save that for Secret life of…? Bones is starting slow, but I like that slow burn that Boreanaz and Deschanel have going on.  I could watch the chemistry between them for a long time.  I just hope his awkwardness after the coma eases up.  I don’t want the show to jump the shark just yet.  I’m pretty sure Grey’s has already jumped the shark, with all the I-see-dead-people business last year, but I’ll watch it anyway…later.  Right now – I’ve gotta go to bed.

Here’s hoping I dream of John Cho!

I love music.  I love singing – I love dancing.  And I love watching singing and dancing.  Musicals have been a part of my life since the first moments I can remember.  My favorite movies have singing and dancing [from the Muppets, to Barbra Streisand, to random Disney fare].  So – I will watch movies, plays, and tv shows that might not have the best actors or plots as long as they have some cool musical performances.  This includes reality shows.

SYTYCD, Fame, Drumline, You Got Served, ABDC, American Idol, not to mention the musical/theatrical/dance episodes of shows like Head of the Class and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

With all that said, it should be no surprise that I love Glee.  I do.  Comments have been made about inappropriate musical choices and cheesy, awful stereotypes – and I get that.  I understand.  But I hardly even feel guilty about enjoying this show, because it’s too much yummy-goodness in the form of 90’s R&B music!

Tonight we had This is How We Do It (Montell Jordan), Poison (BBD) – with the rap!,  Mercy (Duffy), Bust Your Windows (Jazmine Sullivan), and I Wanna Sex U Up (Color Me Badd-d-d-d-d LOL!).  Three out of five songs were from the 90s!  And I still know the words!  So yeah – even though the songs weren’t performed all that well – except for Bust Your Windows – I loved it!

Even with a guest spot from Josh Groban [who I personally cannot stand], and a name drop of Run DMC, who I like, I think I’m mostly loving this show because of the big numbers and the reminiscing factor.

So keep it coming Glee, you’re like McDonald’s to me: I’m lovin’ it.

When else can I “to the ah-tick tock, ya don’t stop”?

Being back home is a wonderful thing, but I had a fabulous time at the beach last week.  I was there with family and of course we all had our moments…days, even…but still – great trip.  I kinda wish I’d taken the Mustang – everybody looks better getting out of a Mustang than a Corolla.  But it’s two doors, and didn’t need the extra mileage anyway, so it’s all good.

The place we stayed this year [a trilevel 2BR/2 bath w/deck and view of trees and a stream] was a bazillion times better than last year [a studio/closet in a hugely built-up area (ie. view of parking lot)].  Privacy and space make getting along with family SO much easier.  Especially if they snore.  Loudly.

My dad was there to relax.  My sister and I were there to shop and hang out at the beach.  We all accomplished our goals.

We shopped, snacked, and watched the Hannah Montana movie.  Which is not that bad.  I mean, if you settle in for the cheese of it, it’s actually really fun.  Because I like to let my inner dork free sometimes, I suggested we learn the dance from the movie – it’s quite involved, but totally fun to try.

We mastered everything up to the first zig zag part, then we decided we’d sweated enough and hit the showers.  But we laughed a lot.  And if you can’t be corny with your sister – well shoot, I feel sorry for ya.

Went to the beach at midday and got burnt up on the sand. [And by the sun, I found out later.]  But had fun actually swimming in the ocean.  There were hardly any waves and the water was shallow for hundreds of feet, so it woulda been cool for kids, but I coulda used a few more waves.  Every day we got a few more waves tan the day before, so that was nice.

So besides shopping and hanging at the beach, I got some reading done:

Loved it all!

After passing a hog on the side of the road on the drive down, seeing an alligator in the stream behind our place, and the bunch of pelicans that kept divebombing the waves a hundred yards or so from where we swam, I felt like my nature communion quotient had been satisfied.

Then I had the lovely privilege of getting to play vball on Saturday night -which was just as fab as it sounds [if you love vball like I do].  I jammed a finger, but otherwise enjoyed myself immensely.

And finally I made it home last night – just in time to watch some crazy people on the VMAs.  Another successful vacation over, another day at work looms.