American Idol is to WWF Wrestling as…

…Chris Daughtry is to Nickelback.

When I was much younger, many of my male friends (and some female friends, too) LOVED to watch WWF Wrestling. They honestly believed that all of the pile-drivers and chicken wings were seriously real and that heroes like Junkyard Dog and Kerry Von Erich were truly beating the crap out of the bad guys like Afanseca.

Of course, what we all know is that wrestling is scripted….fake. Excepted as theater rather than sport. We all know that the matches are pre-determined and that the audience is manipulated into believing the script.

Enter American Idol. The parallels to WWF Wrestling are striking and last night, Ms. Abdul basically proved the point. If you missed it, here is the “gaffe” that has tongues wagging today.

Paula basically “judged” Jason Castro’s second song before he even sang it. She tried to pass off the “mediocre performance” remarks by saying that those were remarks for David Cook but then said that David was fantastic. WTF?

Now, I’m sure she’s going to say that those were her notes for Jason from the rehearsal where they sing and are taped for the end of the show snippets, but I ain’t buying it. Why would she critique the rehearsal when he could have been much different on the live show? Because it’s planned and pre-scripted. All for the benefit of manipulating the lemmings that are the viewing public.

However, Paula’s faux pas is not going unnoticed. EW has an eye witness account and if you still have doubts on if you are being manipulated, check out this article from the Dallas Morning News. The sad thing about American Idol is that it is a great concept. It would work without the manipulation. So, you have to ask why do they do it?

I know why, but that’s for another post….

 

All Decked Out

Life truly is about simple pleasures.

Three years ago, when we moved into our new house, we figured that in a few months, we would add a new patio and/or deck off of the back of our house. Well, being the procrastinators that we are and due to my unfortunate accident last summer, it just hadn’t been done….until now.

I wish that I could claim that this was a “weekend” project that me and Mr. D whipped up, but alas we are way too old and way too inept to produce such a fine relaxation platform, i.e., deck. Long ago, we realized that our lives are too short to be frustrated, so we needed really good jobs to pay other people to provide us with quality craftsmanship. So far, so good.

However, I will do the “landscaping” myself. The empty plant buckets are from the re-do of my front bed. Now it’s time to turn attention to the deck. It’s a bit sparse at the moment, but we’re working on a nice table and chairs with umbrella. Also, I have a few more potted plants to add, like a darling red maple and several large ferns to make it “just right”.

However, I’m more than just a little excited by our addition. It was basically finished on Friday, and we BBQ’d for three nights straight. We have so enjoyed the warm sunshine and soft breezes, basking in the twilight and listening to great old tunes while we braise a little mammal flesh. Ahhhhhh…..

A fitting tribute to our new relaxation platform.

We’ll Sing in the Sunshine, Gail Garnett

 

Let’s Throw Some Fish

It’s Mullet Toss Weekend in South Alabama. On the Florida/Alabama state line, there’s a little place called The FloraBama Lounge & Package. It’s a pretty famous roadhouse with even a few songs written about it. And, each year on the last full weekend in April, the FloraBama sponsors the Interstate Mullet Toss.

The Mullet Toss is exactly as billed. People enter and compete in various age divisions (similar to 10k races) to see who can literally throw a mullet the farthest. Competition is serious and intense. To reward the victors, and the losers for that matter, is music and ice cold libations a plenty.

Mullet Toss Champion shows excellent form

The weather is absolutely gorgeous today, so it should be a very successful “toss”. Just the ambiance of the FloraBama is worth the trip.

…all roads lead to Wet Willie, baby.

 

Jazz Fest Opens Today!

The 39th Annual Jazz Fest opens today to gorgeous skies and springtime excitement in New Orleans. If you ever get the chance to attend one of the weekends of Jazz Fest, do it. There’s no better time in New Orleans. It’s generally a time of joie de vivre, but this year seems particularly special as many New Orleans residents, like Aaron Neville, are finally home and the debacle of Katrina is ebbing some. The Spring continues to bring new growth in flora and fauna, as well as re-built homes and lives with more people and businesses popping up all over the place.

Here’s a sampling of today’s performers….

Gone, Gone, Gone — Robert Plant & Allison Krause

featuring T-Bone Burnett

Earlier Bagdad

Drunken Angel, Susan Cowsill Band

Kim Carson

Angel from Montgomery, Theresa Andersson Group

and the star attraction for tonight’s set, Sheryl Crow (with a nice little NOLA homage):

Love is Free

and on the other stages, a few MM favorites….

The Iguanas

The Zydepunks

Doyle Bramhall, featuring C.C. Adcock (a Lafayette boy):

C. C. Adcock

Ellis Marsalis

Buckwheat Zydeco

Bruce Daigrepont (a great profile that gives you the essence of a Cajun)

Tab Benoit

Terrence Simien (another great Cajun example)

Of course, there is always great Gospel, as well:

Paul Porter & The Christianaires

Should be a great weekend for sun and fun in The Big Easy. Next weekend, AT&T will carry portions of Jazz Fest Live at The Blue Room, so check it out.

 

‘Tube Tuesday

Busy traveling today, but here’s a few Music Maven favorites to keep you company.

  Tiny Dancer, Elton John

  Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On, Jerry Lee Lewis

  Time After Time, Eva Cassidy

  Man Smart, Woman Smarter, The Grateful Dead

  The First Cut is the Deepest, James Morrison

  Sea of Love, Cat Power

  Long Black Veil, The Band

  I’d Rather Go Blind, Etta James

 

I Believe in You

From the Gentle Giant, the great troubadour Don Williams, the Platinum hit from 1980, I Believe in You.

I can’t help but smile when I hear this song. Perhaps I identify with the lyrics and the kun-NECK-shun that they make.

I don’t believe in superstars,
Organic food and foreign cars.
I don’t believe the price of gold;
The certainty of growing old.
That right is right and left is wrong,
That north and south can’t get along.
That east is east and west is west.
And being first is always best.

But I believe in love.
I believe in babies.
I believe in Mom and Dad.
And I believe in you.

Well, I don’t believe that heaven waits,
For only those who congregate.
I like to think of God as love:
He’s down below, He’s up above.
He’s watching people everywhere.
He knows who does and doesn’t care.
And I’m an ordinary man,
Sometimes I wonder who I am.

But I believe in love.
I believe in music.
I believe in magic.
And I believe in you.

Well, I know with all my certainty,
What’s going on with you and me,
Is a good thing.
It’s true, I believe in you.

I don’t believe virginity,
Is as common as it used to be.
In working days and sleeping nights,
That black is black and white is white.
That Superman and Robin Hood,
Are still alive in Hollywood.
That gasoline’s in short supply,
The rising cost of getting by.

But I believe in love.
I believe in old folks.
I believe in children.
I believe in you.

But I believe in love.
I believe in babies.
I believe in Mom and Dad.
And I believe in you.

 

Ding, Dong….

Sony BMG announced late yesterday that Clive Davis has been de-throned as Chairman and CEO of the dinosaur BMG label, replacing him with Barry Weiss — the wonk who brought us NSync, Justin Timberlake, Brittany Spears, and The Backstreet Boys.

Wow. What a brave move… Move Clive to Chief Creative Officer so that all of the artists like Whitney Houston, Barry Manilow and all of the American Idols who adore the King of Creep won’t revolt and storm the offices with torches demanding retribution. (Big ole eye roll.)

Not to worry, the guy who single-handedly created the fantastic music business we see before us today will survive to continue to collect millions off the backs of the artists that he indentures, likely until he slithers away and dies.

In the revolutionary move of turning the helm over to Barry Weiss **insert sarcasm** , Sony BMG has given a loud and proud answer to all of its critics about where they sit in terms of changing their business to meet the needs of the buyer.

IT. AIN’T. GONNA. HAPPEN.

If past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior, look for Mr. Weiss to amp up the volume (pun intended) on manufactured, high gloss, synthesized, bubble-gum pop, which will in all likelihood put them out of business.

The world is changing guys…the asteroid is coming.