Ivan's Den

2006-12-28T20:08:00.000-05:00

Dreamgirls is Effielicious!

Okay, I didn't coin the phrase, but it is the best description I've heard of the film, and now after having seen it, I'm in total agreement with my friend who texted "Effilicious" as his one-word review. I found Dreamgirls to be a totally enjoyable cinematic experience and I was a little surprised by how much I liked it. It was completely entertaining, with a powerhouse performance by Jennifer Hudson, and a better-than-anticipated turn by Beyonce, of whom I am no fan. Hudson's rendition of "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" was chilling, and those who have known Jennifer Holliday's verison out of context are treated to her rousing performance in the setting of the musical, shedding much more light into the emotionality behind the performance. She did an amazing job overall and the abundant accolades she has been receiving are well-deserved.

I loved all the Motown references and how each character really could have been a Motown player in the 60s, from Effie's Florence Ballard to Deena's Diana Ross to Jimm Early's Marvin Gaye to Curtis' Berry Gordy. It was quite a treat to be able to peep a look, albeit fictional, into the workings of Motown and the music business as they were in the 1960s.

And I am telling you, go see it!

2006-12-26T21:52:00.000-05:00

Oh, the tears I cried...

Have you seen the 2004 film The Notebook? I spent Christmas at MV's house in New Jersey and as we were leaving she handed her father the DVD of this film. Since it was early and she recommended it so highly to him, I stopped at Blockbuster and picked it up. She said it was a tearjerker but I had no idea how the tears would be sucked out of my eyes! Wow!

I guess what really struck me about the film is the same thing that has struck me about movies like The Way We Were: the notion that there is such a thing (on film at least) as undying love. As I watched The Notebook and watched the characters struggle with whether or not to be together against the odds, of course it reminded me of my relationship with my beloved, which had and continues to be confronted with many barriers.

2006 turned out to be an interesting year where he and I were concerned. I never expected that we'd actually see each other, let alone twice in one week. We haven't seen each other since that second night (the night of Oprah and Barbra), but we've been in touch via e-mail. It would be great to get together with him again, if for nothing else, than to have a conversation about what our present lives are like since we didn't talk about the present at all when we saw each other. I know I'm very different than I was back in 1993 and I'm sure he is, too. Let's see what 2007 brings. I may or may not do a 2006 recap of favorites, etc., but if not, I do intend to update more frequently. Between work, school and all my other "activities," I haven't had the time or found the gumption to blog. Hope everyone is well.

2006-10-31T08:45:00.000-05:00

Oscar Curse Strikes Again

Sadly, the old Oscar curse has stricken again, this time for Ryan Phillipe and Reese Witherspoon. Like many couples before them, the duo have announced their separation a mere nine months after she took home the Best Actress Academy Award for her role in Walk The Line. Following in the footsteps of (are you ready for the long list?) of fellow winners of the prestigious Best Actress award, Reese is now in the company of Julia Roberts, whose relationship with Benjamin Bratt ended soon after she took home to Oscar for Erin Brokovich, Halle Berry, whose musician husband Eric Benet was exposed by "The National Enquirer" to be cheating on the actress, and Hillary Swank, who announced the end of her marriage to Chad Lowe shortly after winning her second Best Actress Oscar for her role in Million Dollar Baby.

What is it about winning this award that has ended the relationships of the last four women who have snagged it? Could it be that their husbands/boyfriends are so insecure that their fragile egos can't handle being married to an Oscar winner? It's incredibly curious, no?

2006-10-10T09:50:00.000-04:00

Can it be that it was all so simple then

Or has time rewritten every line

If we had the chance to do it all again

Tell me would we

Could we

To answer the question for myself, yes I would do it all again in a heartbeat. It was definitely simpler then, but we made it more complicated than it needed to be. And it grew more and more complicated as the years wore on.

First I'd like to thank everyone for their love and support during this interesting time. It means a lot that you would come here, read bits and pieces of a very long story and take the time to ask how I'm doing. I am touched beyond comprehension.

Last night I had one ticket to see Barbra Streisand at Madison Square Garden. After last week's encounter, my beloved, Tony Beloved as I'm going to call him from here on out, and I talked about possibly meeting. The e-mails have been continuing since last Wednesday night's meeting, but yet I didn't really believe we'd have another meeting, especially so soon after last week. We e-mailed during the day, talking about this oh-so-familiar feeling we're both having and not knowing what to do with. "Is it a crime," he asked in an e-mail late last week. "It's not a crime," I replied, "it's the sweetest taboo." In my final e-mail of the day, since we had barely talked about meeting last evening, I told him to text me if he could meet because I was heading out. I didn't stop at home and brought a gym bag in the event that we weren't able to get together. As I drove toward New York City, not knowing which route to take because it all kind of depending on whether or not we were to meet, my cell rang. It was Tony Beloved, and we arranged for a time and place to meet once again. I hung up the phone and still couldn't believe we were to see each other again in thirty minutes.

Since it was a holiday, there was little traffic and I found a parking spot, an illegal one, right outside our pre-determined spot: the same bar where we had a drink on Wednesday night. We didn't have a lot of time as he had to return home and I was going to see Barbra. I parked and waited outside my car, so as to try to prevent getting a parking ticket. I leaned against it, looking to my right to be able to spot him as he would approach. "Is that you," a voice said from my left. I turned around and lost my breath, both surprised that somehow he came from the other direction and once again taken aback by his physical features. He took my breath away in the same way he always had. "I can't even look at you," I said.

Getting over you was slow

They say old lovers can be good friends

But I never thought I'd really see

I'd really see you again

I go crazy

When I look in your eyes I still go crazy

No my heart just can't hide

That old feeling inside

Way deep down inside

You know when I look in your eyes

I go crazy

We hugged and went into the bar. "I brought you something." From the top of his bag I could see a single red rose. I smiled. "You didn't have to," I said, but glad he did. It wasn't the first red rose he had given me. "Are you going to paint it gold," I asked, referring to the time he came to my apartment holding a single gold-painted rose. I kept it for years, until an over-zealous cleaning woman destroyed it, saying "I hope it didn't have any sentimental value." It did, bitch.

We ordered a round of drinks; two Cosmos. We sipped them at the bar so as not to spill like we did the last time. As we sat on the bar stools, Tony said, "You haven't kissed me yet." And he was right, I hadn't. I've been very careful not to take any liberties where he is concerned. I wouldn't have mentioned meeting last night if he hadn't, nor would I have necessarily leaned in for the first kiss. I readily obliged upon his prompt and it felt as wonderful and mind-numbing as each and every other time. We moved to the back of the bar, which was relatively empty. Again, we spent most of our time laughing and kissing. If I had been a spectator watching I would've thought to myself, "Would those two just get a room already," but there weren't any people in the area where we sat. "Did we ever talk," he asked, questioning how we were ever able to stop kissing each other. "Mostly on the telephone," I joked.

Eventually it was time for him to leave and for me to head to the Garden. We walked out together and said our goodbyes at my car. "Will I see you again," I asked, "or will it be another twelve years." "It definitely won't be twelve years," he replied. We hugged again and he started to walk toward the corner. I followed, not wanting our time to end. "I'll walk with you for a minute." I walked Tony Beloved to the corner and we looked at each other. We smiled sheepishly and when the light changed we grabbed hands, almost like we were going to shake hands. "I love you," I said. "I love you too." I felt completely satisfied.

We'll find a way to be together

However long it takes wherever

If it means having you for only a moment

A moment just might be enough

I'm not giving you up

I grabbed a quick bite to eat before going into the Garden to see Barbra. I finally made my way all the way up to the very tippy top where my seat was. I was suprised it was behind the stage! The view wasn't obstructed by cutains, or anything on the set, but what first miffed me turned out to be the best thing that ever happened. I had a clear view of the front row audience. I had an idea that there would be some celebrities who'd come out to hear Barbra, but I had no idea! Almost as soon as I sat down I could see Rosie O'Donnell sitting in the second row, stage left. I was about half a mile up into the rafters, but I could easily tell that it was she. Suddenly a big brouhaha, with the audience clapping and screaming. Who is it, who is it? OPRAH! I couldn't believe my eyes! There was one of my greatest idols walking down the aisle to her seat, along with "my best friend Gail." My $100 seat paid for itself in that moment! I was in heaven (almost literally). Also spotted were James Brolin, Kelly Ripa, and Tony Bennett. Someone in the audience said they saw Liza Minnelli, but I didn't see her.

Barbra was great, performing "The Way We Were" early in her set. It was hard not to feel emotionally connected to recent events when it clearly feels like a page from that script. Tony Beloved and I even joked earlier in the night of the episode of "Sex and the City" that replicated the final scene from "The Way We Were." We have had those moments. The crowd loved, loved, loved everything Barbra did, save for a heckler who didn't appreciate the G.W. Bush impersonator and continued making loud, obnoxious comments until Barbra lost her temper and told him to "Shut the fuck up!" She later apologized for losing it, but it was great to see a real, live, unscripted moment on stage. After several encores (Rosie ducked out early), La Streisand exited the stage just after 11:00 p.m.

Where is this all going with Tony Beloved? I have no idea. I know nothing. I'm trying to stay present in the moment and to not let my thoughts get ahead of me. As I drove home last night after the show I uttered aloud, "I love him, I love him." And I meant it in the same way I did when I was twenty-four, wholeheartedly, truthfully, unapologetically.

2006-10-05T11:35:00.000-04:00

He takes her love, but it doesn't feel like mine

He tastes her kiss, her kisses aren't wine, they are not mine

He takes but surely she can't give what I'm feeling now

She takes, but surely she doesn't know how

The universe has been sending quite a few messages this week, and if nothing else, I'm completely overwhelmed. As you know I don't usually blog about very personal issues, but the events of this week have been too powerful not to write about, albeit in this semi-public forum.

On Tuesday, October 3rd, I signed onto Outlook at work and it said that it was my friend "Alice"'s birthday. I thought that I should send her an e-card since it had been so long since we had been in contact. But the date didn't seem right to me, and when I checked I realized her birthday is not for another few weeks. So, I didn't send the card, but I did consider just writing an e-mail to catch up. I never had the chance because within ten minutes and e-mail from Alice popped into my inbox. For a second I thought I may have accidentally sent the e-card and she was replying but upon reading it, she just e-mailed "out of the blue." It was one of those very strange universe/energy things that happens. There are no coincidences. Alice always asks about my beloved because we were together on vacation when we first met Alice.

My beloved and I met in 1992, fell in love the way you fall when you are in your early twenties and the whole idea of it is so new. Forbidden love, perhaps, but real love nonetheless. In early 1994 we broke up for the last time and soon after I learned of his engagement, through Alice. Subsequently, my beloved married and had a child. We'd been in touch periodically throughout the years, running into each other at a local gas station or on the subway. But, it had been many years, at least five, since we last ran into each other. My beloved called my mother to express his sympathy at my father's passing. Although she didn't know the true nature of our relationship, she always says how much she liked him. Mothers know. She knows. I think she can see the look on my face when his name is mentioned.

My beloved and I have always played this game: Let's get together and have a drink and talk about old times. It never happens. For one reason or another, when I would push the envelope and say, "pick a date," it wouldn't pan out. This has gone on for several years, and I would always laugh to myself, thinking, "He can't handle it, that's why it will never happen." Alas, several weeks ago, he e-mailed that he was moving out of our shared neighborhood. It felt very weird to know that he wouldn't be a mile away anymore, despite the fact that we haven't run into each other in years. Again, this week, we e-mailed, but this time there was a shift. "I have a conference in the city until 8:00 on Wednesday. Can you meet me afterwards?" I still held onto the belief that it wouldn't happen. My schedule has been crazy and I was the one who couldn't commit to an 8:00 drink on Wednesday night.

As the day progressed, I grew nervous. Would it really happen? Would I be able to honor my commitments and still make it. At 6:45, I texted him saying I would, indeed, be able to make it. He confirmed as I drove home at lightning speed to change out of my work clothes and into something more casual. Without trying to look like I tried to look good, I put on some jeans, a t-shirt, a blazer and a pair of shoes. I drove in and parked my car on 9th Avenue in the Fifties and I waited for his call after his conference was over. 8:30 rolled around and no call. Patience has never been a virtue that I've been blessed with. I texted. "I'm on my way," he replied. I sat in the car and waited, listening to the newly created iPod playlist I had compiled earlier in the day of songs that were the soundtrack to our relationship.

I've never been so sure about anything before
But this love I'm feeling, gonna be a feeling I feel forever more
Looking in your eyes, tomorrow's all I see
Long as there's forever, baby I will always be
Saving forever for you
You are the only one I'll ever give forever to
Love for a lifetime won't do
Want to always stay together so I'm saving forever for you

It began to rain. "Damn it," I thought. I can't stand outside in the rain and I don't know from which direction he's coming. So I sat in the car and waited and then I spotted him. My nerves were at their peak, but at least I had the luxury of seeing him before he saw me. I could see him looking around, wondering where I was. I shut off the car, took a deep breath and exited. I walked around the back of the car to take an extra second to myself. I walked toward him as it looked like he was getting ready to text me. People walked ahead of me, blocking my view of him, and then they cleared. We made eye contact, and we smiled, and we instinctively hugged each other. Not the normal hug you'd give a friend you hadn't seen in a long time. It was a tight hug. We held each other outside a deli on 51st Street, and we held on tight. I could feel his lips on my cheek. My beloved's lips were on my cheek. I wasn't sure I'd be able to hold back from crying, but I did. We separated. "You sexy bitch," were some of the first words he spoke to me. I laughed. Sexy? Please. I had to shave the hair on my ears for this meeting!

We walked and talked, heading back to his office to pick up his bag. It was awkward, uncomfortable, neither of us knowing what to say or where to begin. I could feel his dis-ease and I rubbed his back in comfort as we walked. I needed comfort myself. It rained on us. We opted not to get an umbrella from my car. We made it to his office building, and by then we had eased up a bit and had gotten into a nice flow of conversation. After pondering he invited me to go up to his office with him. There was definite hesitancy at first, but I signed in and we got into the elevator. As soon as the doors closed, "Can I kiss you," he asked. "Sure, but I'm sure there are cameras in here," I replied. We didn't. We went into the office; an extremely corporate environment with offices surrounding cubicles in a typical office fashion. He unlocked his office door and we entered. I scanned, half looking for signs of his present life. There it was, the wedding picture. I forced myself not to focus on it, but I saw it briefly. Bride sitting as my beloved stood behind her. I'm okay I said, I'm okay.

He couldn't wait to get out of the office, picked up his bag and what looked like his dry cleaning. I asked, and he said, "No, I'm staying at my parents' tonight so I don't have to go all the way back home." "Oh, so we can drive up together," I said. I didn't want to leave the office. I wanted him to ask for the kiss that was promised in the elevator just minutes earlier. He stood in front of me and we were face to face, wet from the rain. Our lips touched, softly, slowly. We parted. Our lips touched again, softer, slower. We parted. Our lips touched again, mouths slightly open, waiting to see who would initiate a deeper, more passionate kiss. It was mutual and we shared the kiss that had been twelve years in the making. We kissed and kissed and kissed, with the door to his office open and standing in the doorway. We began walking out. He grabbed my hand and held it. "Some things never change," I said, in response to the passion of our kiss. We walked down the hall, as I allowed my hand to fall to his butt. "Sorry," I said, but I wasn't. I wanted to touch him the way I had when we were together. "You are fucking me up!" I stated boldly. We laughed as we exited the building.

We found a bar to have a drink. I don't drink, but I ordered a Cosmo. Thankfully he drank most of it. We sat, we talked, we reminisced. He thanked me for our past. He told me it wasn't a gay thing for him, it was "about you." He said everything I had longed to hear all those years ago. He validated our relationship, recalling every last detail of the time we spent together, lamenting that we should have spent more time together and done more things together. It was a complicated time -- early 20s, religious barriers, family barriers. But the love was there. I had never cried so many tears, and we joked about it. "I cried a lot, didn't I," I asked. "A few times, but not a lot," he lied. He asked if I've been seeing anyone and when I offered some recent news he said, "Nevermind, lie to me." We couldn't keep our hands off of each other at the bar and continued to make up for the lost years when his kiss was only something I'd dreamed about. The thought of it dissipating with the years, never once believing I would have the chance again.

And after all this time
You'd think that I wouldn't feel the same
But time melts into nothing
And nothing has changed

We left the bar, got into my car, shared a few more kisses and drove back to our shared neighborhood (where he no longer lives). I took the route I had always taken. "Turn here," I asked? "Yes," he said. It was the corner where the motel sits. "Can I pull over," I asked, as I had asked back in 1993 when I drove him home from a Sade concert. "Of course," he said. I did and we spent time talking, kissing, and talking some more. Inevitably, the words, "take me home" were uttered, and I had heard them before. This time, however, they were said mockingly, jokingly at how we were living in 1993, and reliving it moment by moment. However, in 1993, our tryst outside the motel didn't stop at kissing. Tonight it would. "Drop me on the next corner," he said. I pulled over in the darkness of the desolate street. We said our goodbyes, kissing the entire time, thanking each other for a night neither of us believed we'd ever have again. "I need to see you again," he said. "Do you have this conference every month," I asked. We laughed. We hugged. "I love you," I said. "I love you, too," he replied. He got his bag and clothing out of the back seat. "Close the door and come back to the front one more time." "Okay," he said so willingly. We kissed, said goodnight and he ran off in the rain. I rolled down the window to wave at him again. He blew me a kiss.

I could barely sleep last night. I couldn't do anything but think and not think. I continued listening to the playlist on the way home and on the way to work today, still not believing what had happened last night. "What the fuck" is all I kept saying to myself. At 9:30 I got an e-mail that just said, "Hi." I wasn't sure if he didn't know what else to say or if he had hit "send" accidentally. I replied, saying that I was still in a fog from last night. I got this in reply:

I had the funniest dream last night:I met up with you in the City. There was a Brokeback moment...And then we were right back in 1992.Somewhere in the background Sade gloriously asked "is it a crime?"In the fogginess of that dream the Cover Girls appropriately sang"...even though we're not together, you know that I'll love you forevermore."There was your ear, your lips, your fingers and lip gloss... oh and mybreath spray... and nonconsequential talk of Heidi, Tara and theBrewster projects.Right before I went to sleep I said your name.Maybe it was the booze...

We e-mailed several times today. Work was in the way of my thoughts. I came home completely drained. I don't want to wait another twelve years to feel my beloved's lips on mine. I don't think he does either. We have nothing set. I don't want to have an ellicit affair, but I also don't want to not have the experience of loving someone so deeply as I did many years ago. Can I handle this? Is there even a possibility? It took this long to see each other one time. Could we really get together again soon? Time will tell.

I would never want to hurt her
She would never understand
That you belonged to me for just one night
As we slept the night away

Now I'm off to sleep, to dream, to remember. If nothing else, I'm grateful for the experience of last night. It was surreal. It was 2006, yet 1992. How can it be? There was no period of reacquainting. Once our lips met, they knew what to do. Sensory recall, perhaps? Chemistry. Love? When I was looking for the Brokeback image, I went to the movie website and read the saddest story from "Richard," who spoke of his love in 1962 as a teenager. I got emotional reading his story. I've lived my own version of Brokeback Mountain. 1992 might as well have been 1892 with what we were up against. But that's another story entirely.

This is no ordinary love

2006-09-26T20:39:00.000-04:00

Today's the Day!

Janet-mania is at a fever pitch today! I have spent the entire day fielding phone calls, responding to instant messages and e-mails and purchasing multiple copies of Janet Jackson's latest album, 20 Y.O. All my fellow FOJs (friends of Janet for you lay people) have been doing what we can to help Miss Jackson rise to the top of the Billboard chart next week. I had pre-ordered the deluxe CD/DVD combo from Amazon, which arrived today, downloaded the CD from iTunes and ran to Target to purchase a hard copy because it contains a special code for the pre-sale for J's upcoming tour tickets.

As fate would have it, I was unable to attend the signing which is taking place as I write at the Virgin Megastore in Times Square. I was scheduled to see a client at 5:15 for a first meeting and when I got to my placement, there was a message that she had canceled. Since it's only my second week at this placement, I couldn't very well ask to leave so I could go to the signing. And, to make matters worse, a DJ friend called this afternoon asking if I'd like to join him because he knows someone who works at the store and we wouldn't have had to wait in line. It really took something out of me to have to decline the offer! Ugh, responsibility. Who knew one day I'd be a grown-up?

A full review of the album is forthcoming. I've been holding off because I need to listen to it several times alone and loudly (not through my computer speakers) before I can assess it properly. If anyone reading this is expecting objectivity, keep it moving to the haters' blogs. You won't get a bad word from me.

Janet's appearance on Oprah was phenomenal. Loved the performances of "Nasty" and "So Excited," and found her to be much more relaxed and genuine when talking to Oprah. I'm so glad she didn't mince words on the Justin situation. She was nice, but firm. Friends don't leave other friends hanging out to dry.

2006-09-14T09:38:00.000-04:00

Whitney Files for Legal Separation from Bobby Brown

I hate to say it, but "Finally"! After fourteen years of marriage, Whitney Houston has filed for a legal separation from her huband, "the original king of R&B" Bobby Brown. Often, no, make that always tumultuous, the marriage seemed doomed from the start -- classy Whitney and wrong side of the tracks Bobby. But somehow their love endured for fourteen years amid rampant speculation of major drug use and abuse. One can only hope that Whitney hasn't done irrevocable damge to her vocal chords and can come back with an album worthy of the singer who brought us such amazing hits as "Saving All My Love For You," "I Will Always Love You," "Heartbreak Hotel," and "I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)."

The question for me remains, now that Whitney and Bobby are officially over, will Whitney go back to being a lesbian? I'm not a fan of outing and with all the rumors thorughout the years, I hardly think I'm saying anything that hasn't been heard before, but I've long subscribed to the theory that Whitney had girl/girl relationships before she married Brown, and it wasn't based on idle gossip, but on stories I'd heard many, many yeas ago from well-placed sources who had absolutely nothing to gain by starting a false rumor about the singer. When I was in undergraduate school in the mid-1980s, and Whitney had just released her eponymous debut album, a classmate of mine told me that she had seen Whitney in a nightclub called The Saint, making out heavily with a blonde haired woman. My classmate even noted that her own friends had chided her because she was blonde herself and they joked that she must have been Whitney's type. This was way before she was really famous and may have occurred around the time that her first or second single was released, and there was absolutely no reason for this classmate to make up such a story.

Similarly, my older brother's good friend was working in the music business at the same time and also mentioned that Whitney was a lesbian. Again, this was before Whitney really hit it big with "The Greatest Love of All," and "How Will I Know."

Speculation and old stories, yes, of course, but I wonder how much truth there is to these old stories. Hell, even Diane Sawyer asked about her relationship with her "assistant" Robin. I'm just sayin'.

2006-09-12T10:24:00.000-04:00

Sad Day

September 11th will forever be a sad day in the history of the United States and yesterday was no different than the previous four after 9/11/01. It's sad for many reasons and I'm not sure if this year, being the fifth anniversary, made it worse, but it certainly felt heavy for me.

While 9/11 conjures images of the national event that it was, and for many, more personal accounts, losses, survival stories, etc., for me, the loss feels two-fold. September 7th, 2001 was the date my father passed away after a long bout with Parkinson's Disease. Waking up on 9/11, two days after my father's funeral and burial, calling in to work just to see how everyone was doing because I needed to attempt to do something "normal" before heading to my mother's house to continue sitting "shiva," I was told by my coworker to put on the news. The second plane had just hit and I sat on the floor of my living room for a few hours devastated and horrified by what I was watching on television. The sound of sirens outside my window was non-stop, as I live close to a trauma center in the Bronx. It was so hard to wrap my head around the death of my father, let alone what I watched on television, and was happening a mere fifteen miles away in lower Manhattan. My psyche, my consciousness could not contemplate that I possibly could have known anyone in or near the towers. It didn't enter my mind until hours later.

In the early afternoon, I found out that my childhood friend who worked in the area was in shock, bruised and completely traumatized by what she had witnessed, but she was alive. For a long time after, 9/11 was all she could talk about, and rightfully so. She is one of thousands who witnessed first-hand atrocities that are incomprehensible. I continue to pray for the families of the victims, as well as the survivors suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and depression as a result. Months later I found out that a friend from college lost her firefighter fiancee on 9/11, and I continue to pray for her well-being.

September 12, today, is a little break for me. Tomorrow would have been my father's 81st birthday.

2006-09-05T09:25:00.000-04:00

What Becomes a Legend Most?

Remember the old ads for Blackglama mink coats? The headline for the ads was "What becomes a legend most," and if you go to their website, they give a definition of what most becomes a legend. Here's what it says:

"Some legends are made virtually overnight, with a single act or performance. Others take years, even a lifetime, to reach the status of legend...but all legends share a timelessness, a glamour, an endurance that goes beyond what's current or merely in vogue."

Willi Ninja was a legend, and he knew it. His death on Saturday leaves a void that can never be filled. Whether you were introduced to him in Jennie Livingston's Paris is Burning, in Queen Latifah's "Come Into My House" video, or if he opened the velvet rope for you to enter a trendy nightclub where he sometimes worked a door, surely his mere presence had an effect on you. If you've ever had the opportunity to see him perform, you instinctively knew that what you were watching on stage was something special, being performed by a person who was revered by all to be a pioneer of "vogue," later popularized by Madonna with her song and video of the same name.

The photo above was taken of Willi as he danced with India, with whom he often performed, at New York's Copacabana in May 2006. It was one of his last public appearances. Please check MySpace and Aria for more tributes and remembrances of this "legendary" artist. Rest in peace, Willi.

2006-09-01T10:19:00.000-04:00

Holiday! Celebrate!

Well, the holiday weekend is upon us, and I couldn't be more thrilled. This entire week has felt one day off. Yesterday completely felt like a Friday and everything that happened throughout the day only served to confirm that it was Friday. Alas, it was Thursday, as much as I tried to deny it, and the end of the week is finally here. Even though it promises to be a wet washout of a weekend, at least it's a three-day one, albeit the last of the summer, and the last Saturday I get to sleep in before returning to school next Saturday.

I'm not going to comment on the MTV Awards as I only flipped through them briefly. Either I'm getting old or their treatment of Janet Jackson has really left a bad taste in my mouth, but I'm utterly disinterested in the VMAs and with the network as a whole. It's interesting to me that a network that no longer plays videos, save for a an hour a day on TRL, would continue to have an awards how celebrating music videos. So much for not commenting!

This morning on Faded Youth, I saw the most disturbing photo. It's my own fault for clicking on the x-rated version when I knew what I was in for, but curiosity got the best of me and I've now seen much, much more of Amanda Lepore than I ever needed to in my lifetime. The image is not one that will soon leave my memory, as much as I try to force it out.

And just a brief update on the office drama posting from a few weeks ago. My coworker and I confronted our boss about Peggy's new Friday schedule, thinking we were going to be opening a can of worms and hesitant to create waves, but proving that the right approach goes a long way, we got the answers we needed, and they weren't what we had expected. Since we got such crappy raises and bonuses this year, Peggy worked a deal to work from hom "some" Fridays. When we asked about it, our boss said, "You can do the same thing if you like. I couldn't go around asking people if they wanted to do that, in light of the raises, but since you came to me I can offer you the same deal." So, naturally, not everyone can be out of the office at the same time, but it was nice to hear that the offer stands to all of the workers, not just a select few.

Have a great weekend!

2006-08-29T14:38:00.000-04:00

Janet Updates (Yes, Again)!

20 Y.O., Janet Jackson's forthcoming album due out on September 26th, is available for pre-order today on iTunes. Once you've pre-purchased the album, you get an automatic download of the second single, "So Excited," a collaboration with Khia. "So Excited" was also released to radio today and is available for sale without pre-ordering the entire album. I'm hoping this is a marketing strategy that will insure Janet another top ten pop hit on the Billboard Hot 100. If enough people pre-order the album or purchase the single independently, surely it could have enough sales for a Hot Shot Debut and even land in the upper reaches of the charts.

And, as fate would have it, I have once again narrowly missed running into Miss Jackson out and about in New York City. Janet-Xone has reported that on Saturday night, Janet, along with several of her dancers, attended the House of Latex Ball that took place at Roseland. Early last week, MV asked if I'd like to go to the ball with her and two of her friends. Later in the week, it was decided that we would not be attending because we couldn't secure a good enough table to see the competition from the best vantage point. When I read that Janet had been there, I couldn't believe how close I had come, yet again, to this type of "surprise" encounter. I'm sure it just means that I am not ready (or my heart cannot handle) such a meeting.

Janet also made an appearance yesterday at Sirius Satellite Radio in New York. A spy who works there told me that she was due at around 2:00 and I tried to pry as much information out of him as possible, there wasn't much to report. He believed she was interviewing at Sirius Hits 1 among other stations and said he only got to see her briefly. I love any and all inside information. Janet is supposed to appear at Marquee tomorrow night with Jermaine Dupri as he and Dave Meyers, his VMA co-nominee, host the Amp'd mobile party. Can someone get me in? Where's my former connection when I need him?

2006-08-28T10:41:00.000-04:00

The People's Choice Award Will Have to Do

In typical Emmy fashion, Lisa Kudrow lost the Best Actress in a Comedy award to Julia Louis Dreyfus in a much expected, but still unfair upset at last night's Emmy Awards. I wholeheartedly held out hope that the voters would have seen what I saw in Kudrow's performance: A multi-layered, brilliant potrayal of a washed-up actress who so desperately clings to the little fame she still has that she'd do anything to maintain it. Unsurprisingly, the Emmy voters are made up of some of the same idiots who cancelled the show in the first place, so it came as no shock when Louis-Dreyfus swept the award. Not to take anything away from Louis-Dreyfus, who is brilliant in her own right, but it felt more of a "we like you" win from the academy of voters who would hesitate to vote for an actress whose character basically poked fun at Hollywood.

2006-08-23T10:55:00.000-04:00

I'm About to Lose Control and I Think I Like It

I can't believe how almost a full week can go by without an entry from me. It's not that things don't happen from week to week, but sometimes whatever is happening in the world of entertainment doesn't move me enough to blog about it. However, earlier this week, fans got a sneak peek at Janet's new single "So Excited," which features female rapper Khia, on Jermaine Dupri's MySpace page. Okay, so I don't know who Khia is either, but I was happy to hear another track from Janet's forthcoming 20 Years Old, due in September.

Is the single the "Call On Me" follow-up I had been anticipating? Not really. I love Janet and pledge my undying loyalty to her always, but this track hasn't grown on me yet. I'm sure it will at some point, but since we were promised a "dance" single, I was expecting something more along the lines of "Throb," "Come on Get Up," or "All Night (Don't Stop)." Instead, "So Excited" is much more urban/hip-hop than dance and lyrically it travels down the oft-used Janet path of sex. I'm no prude, but she's gone that route before and has done it better with "Anytime, Anyplace," "Funny How Time Flies," and "Rope Burn." Why keep going in that direction when there are any number of more topical issues that can be written about? Rhythm Nation was groundbreaking because it addressed real sociopolitical issues of the times. Certainly we're not much better off in 2006 than we were in 1989. Of course if it's released as a single, I'll download "So Excited" from iTunes multiple times as I did with "Call On Me," which, incidentally, is getting much more airplay on radio here in New York, and I still look forward to the release of 20 Years Old on September 26th.

In other non-Janet related news, last night was the season (and maybe series) finale of "Workout" on Bravo. Well, what kind of wuss did Jackie turn out to be, huh? First, her girlfriend Mimi bites her on the hand so hard that Jackie had tears in her eyes, but then Jackie reveals that she spent a full week of being choked and punched by Mimi. As my friend MV said to me this morning, Jackie was the classic abused husband. And I don't like how Jackie handled the breakup at all. She did it in public, which was childish, and she also started going on dates BEFORE they broke up. Why are people so afraid to be single that they can't end one situation before looking for the next one? Learn who YOU are, Jackie, without the cushion of having a relationship to distract you. Can't wait for my other favorite Bravo show, "Project Runway," tonight!

So, Tom Cruise lost his deal with Paramount! Why do I need feel one iota of sympathy for him? Could it be the millions of dollars he has in the bank or the virtual mess he's made of his career by proselytizing his quirky beliefs? Honestly I was never a fan of Tom's. Just never saw the hype. Don't think he's the best actor, nor is he strikingly handsome. Charismatic, yes (well, until he jumped on Oprah's couch), but anything else, not-so-much. Incidentally, years ago I saw he and Nicole Kidman at the U.S. Open, way before she was famous for her acting, when she was largely viewed solely as Tom Cruise's wife.

2006-08-18T10:17:00.000-04:00

Allison Gets the Boot on Project Runway

In what was a terrible blow, Allison Kelly was "auf'd" from "Project Runway" on Wednesday night, instead of the much more deserving Vincent. I, along with most others, was completely shocked that she was sent home, considering her garment was better than anything Vincent has made on the show, and this was her very first garment that the judges didn't like.

Well, in today's post comes a blind item that has Heidi Klum's and Allison Kelly's names written all over it: Which reality contestant who just got kicked off the show was targeted over a more deserving deportee because the program's hostess hated her so much? Interesting, right? It would certainly explain why one of the most talented designers this season was sent home so unfairly. I knew there was a reason I don't like Heidi.

2006-08-17T10:37:00.000-04:00

Apologies Owed to the Entire Ramsey Family

While this doesn't qualify as entertainment news, I feel compelled to publicly apologize for casting a very suspicious eye on the late Patsy Ramsey in the murder of her daughter JonBenet. Yes, I fell prey to the media onslaught of ten years ago that led many to disbelieve the Ramseys' story of an intruder killing their daughter, and even tried to analyze their body language during one of their many television interviews.

How unfortunate is it that Patsy Ramsey passed away from ovarian cancer before she had the opportunity to be completely vindicated in the court of public opinion? It will be interesting to see how this case continues to play out in the media and if they will take any responsibility (highly doubtful) in how the Ramseys were portrayed.

2006-08-16T21:09:00.000-04:00

Ain't Nuthin But a House Party, Friday, August 18th in New York City

If you're in the New York City area and you haven't been to 'Ain't Nuthin But a House Party,' you don't know what you're missing, and this Friday's installment promises to be the best this monthly house party has seen since its inception over a year ago.

Soul/R&B artist Kem is set to perform his hits "Love Calls," and "Heaven," both of which received the remix treatment that house heads clamored for. In the too long absence of Maxwell, Kem has come in and taken the reigns as the male Sade. There always needs to be one, and Kem has filled those shoes nicely.

I definitely will be there, and I'm embarrassed to say that I've only been to ANBAHP once, but it was a wonderful night full of great energy that was all about the music. Everyone there danced for the love of the house music classics of the late 1980s and early 1990s, as well as the very few deep house cuts released today. Obligations have gotten in the way of my Friday nights, precluding me from attending again, but I'm not missing this event. Then it's down to South Jersey for the weekend. If you plan to attend Friday night, let me know. You won't be sorry.

2006-08-16T10:33:00.000-04:00

Bravo: My Latest Guilty Pleasure

I didn't really believe it would happen, but I have found myself addicted to Bravo! In recent years, the network has brought us such shows as "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy," Kathy Griffin's "My Life on the D-List," "Project Runway," and now "Workout."

I have no idea why I find "Workout" so interesting. It's hardly a groundbreaking, but since I enjoy a good hour or two spent at the gym, I find it entertaining to watch trainers work their clients into a sweat, all the while hoping to pick up some little secret nugget that after all my years of working out has eluded me. It's not going to happen! The trainers on "Workout" are just like you and me. They struggle with their own exercise routines and with their diets, just as we do. That's what I like about it. The trainers are human; some are in great shape, and some not-so-much. It further proves that the food/exercise connection isn't rocket science. If you find what works for you, stick with it. For me, it's low carbs, cardio and weight lifting, but I digress.

In addition to "Workout," I find myself eagerly anticipating each weekly installment of "Project Runway," Bravo's fashion competition which finds participants "in or out" each week. Hosted by the robotic Heidi Klum (I always want to say Klum as if it rhymed with plum), the show boasts an interesting challenge each week, with enough nail-biting drama to keep you on the edge of your seat. Tim Gunn is the one who steals the show as the "straight guy" who comes in to offer his brief commentary mid-way through the designers' creations. He IS the star.

Rumors abound of "Queer Eye"'s cancellation, but whether it is renewed or not is irrelevant to me. I haven't watched it since the first season, but when I do catch it on Bravo, it still entertains. The novelty of it wore off quickly for me, but I can see why it was such a big hit. And, how can a network go wrong with the hilarious Kathy Griffin? While I don't think "My Life on the D-List" is the best of reality shows, Kathy is most in her element when she is just being herself and she says something randomly funny. I'm not a big fan of the staged "let me put on a mouse costume" segments, but her stand-up is hilarious and I will support the show for as long as it's on. Brava, Bravo!

2006-08-10T15:13:00.000-04:00

There's a New Phenomenon in Town...

And, I really don't care for it. Perhaps I would love it if it pertained to me, but since it doesn't, I can only state how I feel about it. Lately I've noticed that in my not-so-corporate work environment, a number of co-workers have taken to "working from home" on Fridays. One co-worker in particular, Laura, has made it so that her schedule allows her to work from home every Friday and two Tuesdays a months. This was instated because she has a long commute and since she is needed, our bosses felt it was something they could live with. She would, after all, be working the same number of hours and would be easily available if needed on the telephone. This has worked for her for quite a few years now.

Fast forward to 2006, with rising fuel prices and longer than usual commutes on Friday afternoons because everyone leaves work early (except us) to head to wherever it is people head on the weekends in the summer. Another co-worker, Peggy, has taken it upon herself, seemingly, to "work from home" on the last three Fridays. Props to Peggy if she has managed to work that schedule out with our boss, but something tells me, and knowing Peggy's "I can do whatever I want" attitude, that she has made this decision on our own and simply walked into our boss' office and said, "I'll be working from home tomorrow." Let another one of us try the same stunt! As passive aggressive management styles abound in this place, Peggy's style seems to work to her advantage. It's not my style. I wouldn't have the audacity to say to my boss, "I'll be at home tomorrow if you need me," however I would ask if it were okay.

My point is that my other co-workers and I have just about had enough of this selective process. What's good for Laura and Peggy should, theoretically, be good for me and the other four or five of us who pay $3.35 per gallon of gas. Collectively, we don't really know what to do about this situation. In the past, another co-worker who is no longer with us, used to raise a fuss about these types of issues. The bosses thought she was being petty and nitpicky, but unless we're all getting the same perks, preferential treatment breeds bad blood between workers. The question is whether I should say something individually to my boss, or should we collectively, as the out group, express that we feel we aren't being treated fairly. Mind you, I'm sure I got the smallest raise of all this year, but that's a whole different story entirely.

2006-08-09T10:42:00.000-04:00

Put Some Grace in Your Face!

So the other night, Grace Jones went apeshit on a paparazzo and tried to kiss him. I don't know what I would have done if I saw Grace Jones coming at me like that. I probably would have laughed and run, too. I LOVE Grace! Who can forget such classic hits as "Pull Up to the Bumper," "Slave to the Rhythm," and "Nipple to the Bottle." It was her late 80s quasi-club hit "Love on Top of Love" that did it for me. With it's chant, "Put some Grace in your face," to the opening lyric of "If I had two lips, I could give you that killer kiss," the song in its original version, as well as the awesome Clivilles and Cole mixes of it, was Grace at her best.

In other news, I can't believe how quickly the weeks go by and nary an entry from me. I guess I've either been busy or it's been a slow entertainment gossip week. Sure, I could report on Janet's every move, but how much fun would that be? What I will tell you, in all my gossip glory, is that Jody Watley de-friended me from her list of friends on MySpace. Yes, kids, Jody said "Hasta La Vista, Baby" to me! I thought it surely had to have been a mistake, so I sent another request and a note asking what happened. I got back a standard reply saying that she checks people's profiles and she only has friends on her list who can help her advance her career and the new direction in which she is taking her music, and while she appreciates support from her fans from the 80s and 90s, it serves her no purpose to have them as friends on her MySpace page. Considering how much space I've given Jody on this blog, I was a little miffed. I've always been supportive of her as an artist and own both "The Saturday Night Experience" and "Midnight Lounge." I even downloaded her new album "The Makeover" on Tuesday from iTunes and watched her on Live on Regis and Kelly, which, not for nothing, was celebrating 80s week, which is why she was there. Interesting, right?

2006-08-01T14:05:00.000-04:00

Raise Your Hand if You're Sure!

Okay, so Jennifer Lopez is NOT pregnant. I'm seriously not on the Lopez/Munoz pregnancy watch, and I commend Marc for being gentlemanly enough to help his betrothed put on her robe, and I know it's hot as f**k in Miami in the summer, but Marc, a little Degree goes a long way!

2006-08-01T09:18:00.000-04:00

Today is the Day!

Lisa Kudrow's Emmy-nominated, critically-acclaimed-yet-still-canceled tour de force, The Comeback, is finally being released today on DVD, and I couldn't be happier. I intend to spend many, many nights re-watching the thirteen episodes and the new footage that was filmed, in character as "survivor" Valerie Cherish, over and over.

Fans of the show were incredibly disappointed when HBO failed to renew the series for a second season, but from what I read in a Q&A with the star/producer, Kudrow doesn't feel done with the character or The Comeback. Here's to hoping another network will pick it up, but they'd better do it quickly as many of the actors have moved on to new gigs. Go out and get the DVD today, and if you don't quite get it after the first episode, give it one or two more. Before you know it, you'll be hooked (as am I). UPDATE: I couldn't wait any longer, so, "I got it!" I ran out to Target during lunch and bought the DVD for $29.99. I just couldn't stand it knowing there were copies on a shelf somewhere and I didn't have one in my possession yet. You know where I'll be tonight!

2006-07-29T10:47:00.000-04:00

Hey, Sugar Tits!

So, TMZ, among other sites, is reporting that when Mel Gibson was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving, he unsurprisingly let loose on an anti-semitic rant. Well, coming from his white supremacist upbringing, I'd expect nothing less. But, the funniest part of the whole thing, in my twisted and humble opinion, is that he called a female sergeant, "sugar tits," which is my new favorite expression. Imagine saying to a waitress, "Hey, sugar tits, can I get a refill?"

2006-07-28T09:17:00.000-04:00

La Bruja: A Witch from the Bronx

Last night, my friends N&N and I went to see the documentary La Bruja: A Witch from the Bronx, which was screened as part of the New York International Latino Film Festival. Directed by Felix Rodriguez, the film is centered around the life of Caridad de la Luz, better known to audiences as La Bruja, and her struggles to maintain a stable homelife with her husband and two children while simultaneously pursuing her dreams of stardom as a poet, musician and actress. Rodriguez did an amazing job compiling and editing hours and hours of footage into the heartwarming story of what it is to be a Latina woman from the Bronx with aspirations and a strong pull toward her calling. De La Luz's devotion to her tight-knit family (she lives next door to her parents) and her unending sense of Bronx pride are evident throughout the film as she grapples with caring for her young, diabetic son all the while demonstrating that people who are considered poor and poverty stricken more often than not posses life skills and values that the wealthy could only dream of having.

Here is the official description of the film:

LA BRUJA: A WITCH FROM THE BRONX World Premiere, 50minFull Color, Video, English Director: Felix Rodriguez Producer: Felix Rodriguez

The compelling story of Caridad De La Luz, the Puerto Rican poet better known as La Bruja, as she struggles to keep her family together (she has a husband and two children), create her bracing and topical work, and move forward in the entertainment industry.Going on endless auditions, and dealing with constant rejection, caring for her children – and her son’s diabetes – recording a demo, marrying her long-time boyfriend, and, at last, achieving a breakthrough appearance on HBO’s Def Poetry Jam, La Bruja relies on a seemingly endless well of faith – in God, in the Spirits, and her talent -- to persevere.

2006-07-26T14:17:00.000-04:00

He Wants the World to Know!

Coming as no surprise to anyone, Lance Bass is finally coming out of the proverbial closet in this week's issue of People. In an exclusive, Bass, a former member of the boy band 'Nsync, admits that he was fearful of coming out, thinking it might negatively impact the pop group.

After so much speculation on blogs like Perez Hilton, who has made outing Lance and his boyfriend, Amazing Race's Reichen Lehmkuhl, a daily occurance, Bass' proclamation is almost anti-climactic. However, both Bass and Lehmkuhl deserve major props for having the cojones to actually come out, particularly at a time when our government is doing all it can to continue to discriminate against gays and lesbians. Kudos, Lance. Enjoy your newfound freedom!

2006-07-26T09:54:00.000-04:00

Still Outspoken & Always On Point!

Not that I've ever needed a reason to love Jody Watley more than I have since the early days of Shalamar, but her recent appearance at the closing ceremony for the Gay Games in Chicago is but another. In promoting her appearance in Chicago, Jody appeared on two radio stations, one of which asked the diva not to mention anything about the Gay Games. Keith Boykin has the entire story on his blog, along with Jody's quotes on the incident and her personal views on how homosexuality is dealt with at urban radio in the U.S.

Also available online is Jody's magnificent performance of "It All Begins With You," one of my all-time favorite Jody tracks (but I say that about a lot of her music). Check out the footage and how visibly moved Miss Watley is to be performing at the event. Her voice is as pitch-perfect as it has always been. I have yet to catch her on Bravo's Workout, but I plan to catch up on the two episodes I've already missed.

2006-07-20T15:48:00.000-04:00

He Wasn't Man Enough For Me!

Justin Timberlake is on the cover of the new issue of GQ and has a quote that I find incredibly interesting:

He refuses to gloat over the fact that his career took off like a shot and she ended up crying through her mascara to Matt Lauer. "I mean, at the end of the day, it's like, be a man. You know? Some shit happened, it wasn't good, but be a man," he says. He's such a gentleman ... it's too bad they couldn't make their fairy tale relationship last.

I wonder if Justin was being a "man" when he threw Janet under the bus after the Super Bowl debacle, absolving himself of any responsibility for what happened and going on the air at the Grammys apologizing for what happened under pressure from CBS. Yeah, he's a man.

2006-07-20T11:34:00.000-04:00

I Think I Love You From (You Guessed It) Head to Toe!

It has been brought to my attention that I have been slow on posting new entries this week, so being the trusty little overachiever I sometimes can be, I decided to get right to it. It's not that I haven't had anything to write about, I just wasn't sure that any of it would be of interest to a reader. Sunshine has helped me find the error of my ways.

To begin with, last weekend I went to a radio event called "Mix in the Park" for Mix 102.7 (WNEW-FM) here in New York. It took place at a park on Long Island with a pretty nice ampitheater. People had to bring their own beach chairs and/or blankets to sit on, and the place was pretty jam packed. Peformances for the evening included Lisette Melendez, who sang "A Day in My Life," "Time Passes By," and "Together Forever;" Robin S, who performed "Love for Love," the Phyllis Hyman classic "You Know How To Love Me," a Stevie Wonder cover, and her signature song, "Show Me Love;" Coro, a "surprise," unannounced guest who took the stage to sing "Where Are You Tonight;" and the headliner Lisa Lisa who was, by far, the reason people came out. Opening with "Let The Beat Hit 'Em," a pregnant Lisa took the stage backed by several dancers (one of which goes to the same gym that I do). She breezed through such chart-topping hits as "Head to Toe," "Lost in Emotion," and "Little Jackie Wants to Be a Star" before launching into her three early hits, "All Cried Out," "I Wonder If I Take You Home," and "Can You Feel The Beat." Thanks to MV for the invite and the ride in the cop car! It was great hanging out with MV, Kimmy, JC and E. I will not post some of the hideous pictures taken of us, well, me! The girls look great in the pics.

I'm also partaking in a little "Project Runway 3" pool. After last night's show I had to choose two people that I thought would be in the running at the end of the season. I've picked Laura Bennett as a runner up and Kayne Gillespie for the winner. I know it's early, but this will make the wager more interesting. Last night I felt like the woman Angela (is that her name) should have been the one to leave. She was not a team player at all and wanted to take no responsibility for what was created. Saying to Miss USA that "I don't sketch" is like an actor saying to a director, "I don't memorize lines, I only improvise." Clearly she won't be around much longer.

At the risk of overloading this blog on Janet news... Oh, what the hell? It's my blog and I can write whatever I want! Janet Jackson has posted a contest at http://designme.janetjackson.com whereby fans can create a cover for her next album, 20 Years Old, given 33 Janet-approved images. I have NOT, contrary to popular belief, made a submission. I don't have the computer skills or the savvy to create something interesting, although some of the ideas in my head have been implemented by some of the entrants. There are surprisingly good submissions on the site. Click the "rate a cover" section to check them out. I'll post some favorites another time. Now, onto the chart position this week for "Call on Me," which I purchased from iTunes on Tuesday. I'll purchase it again today to help boost the sales a little, and hopefully the chart position, which dropped three spots to number 63 with a bullet. I'm hoping the digital sales will make a large impact next week. Stay tuned, kids. Now that Madonna-mania has left New York, perhaps we can make room for Janet's return.

By the way, Madonna touched Sunshine's hand at her Madison Square Garden show the other night, and just as I did when Janet touched my hand at a TRL appearance, he got teary eyed. I know, it makes no sense for grown men to get emotional about touching someone's hand, but unless you've had the experience, you wouldn't understand. It's just something spontaneous that happens!

2006-07-13T11:50:00.000-04:00

"Call on Me" Jumps Twelve Spots on Billboard's Hot 100

Finally showing some life on the charts, Janet Jackson's duet with Nelly, "Call on Me," jumped twelve spots from 72 to 60 on the Hot 100. Fans were beginning to worry since last week it had only moved one notch from the week before, however this week it seems to have rebounded with a nice leap up the charts and a nice bump in airplay. Hopefully it will be the sleeper single of the summer; the one that creeps up before you know it and you find yourself singing along to, and hoping to catch the video on MTV.

In other Janet-related news, she was a presenter at last night's ESPY awards, which will air on Sunday, and there was a report online from an interview Janet and Jermaine did on Power 106 in Los Angeles, that she may be preparing to do a one-off show of just songs from the now twenty-year-old Control album. I'll tell you this, dear readers, that if it turns out to be more than just a rumor and Miss Jackson does, indeed, intend to do such a performance, I will travel to whatever venue in whatever city to attend, whatever the cost.

2006-07-11T09:59:00.000-04:00

Finally! Kathy Griffin on Larry King (Live?)

After being bumped by the test missiles fired by North Korea last week, the pre-taped episode of Kathy Griffin appearing on Larry King Live aired last night and it certainly did not disappoint. Griffin was her usual funny, ironic, self-effacing self in her first-time LKL appearance. Unsurprisingly candid, Griffin spoke for the first time about her divorce from Matt, who it was revealed in the press last week, siphoned $72,000 from Griffin's personal bank accounts. It was the only time during the entire interview with King that Griffin turned serious and seemed genuinely hurt that her marriage to Matt didn't work out. She denied reports that their reconciliation just before "My Life on the D-List" resumed shooting episodes for its second season was staged and stated that she tried very hard to make the marriage work. Unfortunately, trust was breached and the marriage couldn't be salvaged.

Funny were Griffin's takes on Star Jones and Miss Al Reynolds, Clay Aiken, Nicole Kidman, and Nicole Richie. When asked about her gay following, Griffin owned up to feeling a kinship because she always felt like an outsider, admitting that she was often the prom date for her gay male friends in high school and that an ex-boyfriend is now a choreographer at Disney World. If you have a chance to catch a repeat of the episode, don't miss it. Even Larry King himself wasn't spared when they showed a clip of her speaking of his plastic surgery. She handled what could have proven to be an awkward moment with sheer aplomb and spoke candidly about her own plastic surgeries, botox and collagen injections. That's why we love her! She's funny, honest, and usually says what most people are thinking but would never say.

2006-07-06T14:22:00.000-04:00

Genie Francis' Return to General Hospital Confirmed!

After a too-long four year absence from the show that made her famous, Genie Francis is set to return to General Hospital in mid-October for, unforunately, a limited run, reprising her role as Laura Webber Baldwin Spencer in what promises to be the reunion of the millennium. November 14th marks the 25th anniversary of Luke and Laura's wedding, the most famous nuptials in television history, so her return couldn't have orchestrated any better. I hope, as I'm sure most L&L fans do, that once Genie gets back to the GH set, she'll change her mind and decide to stay permanently. The way in which she left in 2002 was both shady and unnecessary. Francis' interview with TV Guide was truthful and explosive, blowing the lid off the unfair treatment she endured at the hands of the show's producers when all she wanted was equality with her male co-star (and a vacation).

When Genie left GH, her storyline was wrapped neatly, as she was about to remarry Luke. For her wedding, the powers that be enlisted Chris Robinson who played Laura's stepfather Rick to return to give her away. During his return, Laura began having flashbacks of a red haired woman, an affair Rick had, and mystery surrounding the woman's disappearance. Long story short, Laura killed the red haired woman when she was a teenager and then killed Rick as he tried to drug her, which sent Laura over the proverbial edge, landing her in a psychiatric hospital for the last four years. Last week Luke visited her to tell her she became a grandmother and that Justus was murdered. When Luke left, Laura touched her shoulder where he had just touched before he walked out the door. The stage is now set for Genie's return to the show and Laura's return to Port Charles. Is anyone else as excited as I am? LOL.

2006-07-06T09:30:00.000-04:00

Valerie Cherish: Survivor...

Well, I got it! Make that, "SHE GOT IT!" Lisa Kudrow was nominated this morning for a Best Actress in a comedy Emmy for her beyond brilliant portrayal of Valerie Cherish in my favorite show, The Comeback. Canceled by HBO after just one flawless season, this nomination is well-deserved and it is my sincerest hope that one of the more progressive cable networks (HBO hasn't been progressive in many years!) will want to pick up the show for a second season. If you haven't seen it or only watched one episode and gave up (as did many viewers), you don't know what you've missed. Fortunately, the entire first (and only) season is being released on DVD on August 1st. You know where I'll be that Tuesday morning. Congratulations Lisa, Valerie and Aunt Sassy!

2006-07-05T22:19:00.000-04:00

Hello Readers

I'm so happy to have a few regular readers, which I can tell from checking the site meter on the blog (thanks, Sunshine, for hooking that up). I would love to hear from you so that I can have a sense of who is reading, how they found me, and why they come back for more of my rants, raves, opinions, etc. If you feel inclined, please feel free to leave comments and a way to reply to you. Thank you all and I hope to post another entry soon. Please, all that Star Jones drama last week was more than I could bear. I ate it all up!

I was a little miffed that Kathy Griffin's appearance on last night's Larry King Live was preempted due to the happenings in North Korea. Bummer for we Kathy Griffin fans! Date to be rescheduled, but unreleased as of yet.

Will post a proper entry soon.

2006-06-30T10:44:00.000-04:00

I Must Confess...

I did NOT love last night's Madonna show at Madison Square Garden. I'll try to be brief, but you know I'm long winded.

First off, she sang all of the songs off Confessions sans two, "How High," and "Push." In my humble opinion, it is overkill and highly self-indulgent for an artist to sing ten or twelve songs from a new album. Then she chose to perform "older" songs that I could not have cared less to hear, i.e. "Music," "Ray of Light," "Drowned World/Substitute for Love." The songs she sang that I did care to hear were "I Feel Love," a decent job covering Donna Summer, "La Isla Bonita," which she turned into a dance track -- not so great, "Lucky Star," also turned into a real dance track -- one that might be heard at a circuit party, "Erotica," (see previous note about circuit parties), "Like A Virgin" which was great because she did it early in the evening, and "Live To Tell," which was done to a backdrop of the AIDS crisis in Africa and gang-related violence. It was the most powerful/political part of the show.

Of the newer songs I liked: "Sorry," the Pet Shop Boys remix, was the best, yet I did not need to hear another remix of it later as she changed her clothes, even though it was set to an anti-Bush backdrop.

Overall, I felt like there was no need for a "band," as it was clear most of the music was canned and the band was doing nothing except playing along to a track. Much of the vocals were pre-recorded and sampled, so I don't understand the hype about not wanting the a/c on because it would effect her voice. P.S. It was hot as a muthafucka up in there!!

Madge closed with "Music" and "Hung Up" and by then I was hung up and ready to go! Couldn't believe she didn't do "Holiday," but I guess she figured "Lucky Star" would do. I'm old skool, and definitely, definitely preferred the last tour to this one, where there was a nice balance between old stuff and newer stuff. This tour feels like being in a club watching a track act perform. Yes, she's going back to her roots in doing that, but DAMN!! Can somebody say Amber? Do I hear Kristine W? Going once, going twice... Pepper Mashay!

Yes, the choreography was great, the staging, the lighting. Much credit to her for all of that. Yes, she's a talented performer. I would never take that away from Madonna. Unfortunately, this show FOR ME, fell flat, and I found the sound at MSG to be horrible. Everytime Madonna spoke to the audience, which was not often and very brief when she did, it was inaudible. The 80s-dressed chicks next to me couldn't understand either and we gave each other the shoulder shrug. My friend Sunshine LOVES it and has already seen it twice. I could not sit through it again!

2006-06-28T10:54:00.000-04:00

The fur is going to fly today, kids!

I hope you've all set your DVRs for The View this morning and for Larry King Live tomorrow night, as today marks the first day of life after Star Jones at The View. After yesterday's announcement that she would not be returning to the show next season, Miss Jones gave an exclusive to People Magazine, stating that her contract was not renewed and that she was basically fired. Since she blindsided Barbara Walters and the remaining View cohosts with her announcement, which was not expected until later this week, then spilled the beans to People, she was asked not to return to the show today. As with all things entertainment, Jones is not taking her axing lying down and will appear on tomorrow night's Larry King Live, undoubtedly to gain some sympathy from a rather unsympathetic public.

Can we talk? Has Star not grated on everyone's last nerve in recent years? Did she not solicit freebies for her wedding to Big Gay Al? The only time in recent years that I found her even remotely interesting was when she subbed for Larry King on his show several months back. I was impressed with her interviewing style and how she stepped up to the plate to temporarily fill his shoes. However, Jones' persona is larger than the ever-shrinking person that she is, and that, in my opinion, is what did her in. She was everywhere, preaching about her marriage, her life, her happiness, and writing books about it. Evidently she took a page out of the Kathie Lee Gifford book of fame, and failed to note what has become of Kathie Lee. I find it hard to empathize with Star as she appears so clueless (not payless) that she, herself, is the reason ABC let her go.

On to the BET Awards last night! Obviously my favorite moment of the night was when the legendary (how many times have I used the word "legendary" since I started this blog?) Miss Janet Jackson took the stage alongside her "Good Times" co-stars. It was definitely a historical television moment to see the talented singer, songwriter, dancer and actress give a wink and a nod to her early acting family. Absent were Ja'net Dubois who appeared in Janet's video for the hit song "Control," and John Amos. It was great to see the svelte Jackson command the room by simply walking across the stage to greet her former castmates. In true iconic fashion, she dazzled, waved and blew kisses as the audience rose from their seats to give royalty the ovation she deserved. This appearance was exactly the type of move that should help propel her latest single, "Call on Me," and the forthcoming album, 20 Years Old, to the top of the charts. Reclaim your throne, Janet.

The Chaka Khan tribute left a little to be desired. While I thought Stevie Wonder and Prince were great, I was less pleased with the artists chosen to pay tribute to Chaka. My love for India Arie and Yolanda Adams notwithstanding, where were the A-list singers to pay tribute to Chaka? Whitney? Mary? And couldn't Chaka have prepared a speech ahead of time? Supposedly she is clean and sober these days, but last night's appearance did nothing to render that the truth.

2006-06-27T09:23:00.000-04:00

A Deeper Love

I know it has been more than a minute since my last blog entry, but it has been a crazy week. First and foremost, it was my last week of school, so I had a final paper to complete, and then it was onto all the pride celebrations. Friday night I was a chaperone at a gay prom, which was a lot of fun. It was great to see a place where LGBT youth could come and celebrate who they are without fear of reprisal or violence.

Sunday was a very long day that started with a quick workout before meeting up with my friends Kay and Sunshine to watch a little bit of the parade. We were later joined by HMT and one of his friends. It was Kay's first pride parade and it was nice to celebrate it with her, although for some reason, the parade itself was a little lackluster this year. Unfortunately, Kay had nothing to compare it to, and I'm sure the weather didn't help the turnout. We steered clear of Christopher Street all day, but did walk down and have dinner in the village.

Later in the evening we learned that Jennifer Lopez was the "surprise" guest at the pier dance. The last pier dance I went to was the year after Whitney Houston's intoxicated appearance when it was rumored that Janet Jackson was to perform. Well, she did eventually perform, in 2004, but my pier dance days were long behind me at that point. From what I heard it was scarily packed, as it is every year, but J. Lo delivered, performing a medley of her hits. There are several pictures, one of which I've uploaded and borrowed, at Perez Hilton. So, I guess there wasn't THAT much going on... LOL. More later.

2006-06-20T09:45:00.000-04:00

Bring It, Bitches!

The wait definitely IS over. Janet Jackson's new single, "Call on Me," from her forthcoming album 20 Years Old has been released to radio and leaked on the internet. Fortunately, or unfortunately, the track, a duet with Nelly, is not what people expected for Janet's big return after the disappointment of her last effort, 2004's Damita Jo, whose lead single, "Just a Little While" failed to catch on with audiences or at radio. Hopefully, radio and the public will embrace "Call on Me" for exactly what it is: a cool, breezy summer jam not intended to be the big, splashy comeback single many were anticipating. Reminiscent of the marketing genius that surrounded the janet. album, "Call on Me" could prove to be the "That's The Way Love Goes" of 2006 if done right. The right music video--this one to be helmed by Hype Williams--the right promotion at radio, and a few very specific television performances can do the trick and give Janet her umpteenth Top Ten hit. Of course, as a fan I hope and pray (hourly) for another #1 for Miss Jackson. I truly hope that she can give Beyotche and her latest snoozer, "Deja Vu," a run for her money and a faceoff at the top of the Billboard charts. Comments, y'all? I iz ready fo' a fight... ;)

2006-06-16T12:36:00.000-04:00

Mix 102.7's Classic Dance Night

Last night at what used to be club 1018 in the 1980s, Mix 102.7 FM hosted a night of classic dance music at New York's Roxy nightclub, featuring live performances by such artists as CeCe Peniston, Joyce Simms, Ultra Nate, Kathy Sledge, The Ritchie Family, Angel Clivilles (former lead singer of the Cover Girls), J.T. Taylor (from Kool & The Gang), and Thelma Houston among others. Pictured above are, l-r, Efren, me, Michelle, and Z, and me and Michelle.

2006-06-15T14:40:00.000-04:00

Anti-Violence Rally this Saturday, June 17th, 2006 in NYC

Summer 2006

Saturday, June 10, 12:30 AM - East Village, ManhattanOn his way home, Kevin Aviance is brutally attacked by a group of men yelling anti-gay slurs

Saturday, June 10, 1:10 AM - Astoria, Queens, A group of three friends are attacked by a larger group yelling anti-gay and racist epithets and wielding a baseball bat

Sunday, June 11, 5:45 AM - Astoria, Queens, A man is followed off of an "N" train by another man who harassed him with anti-gay language, pushed him down elevated platform exit stairs to the street, and kicked and punched repeatedly.

Make your voice heard......we will not be targeted even as we celebrate our History, our Pride and our Survival...March and Rally this Saturday

Raise Our Voices Against Anti-LGTB Hatein Our City and in Our Neighborhoods

When: Saturday, June 17Where: Gather at NE Corner of 14th Street and First Avenue at 2PM; march at 3PM to Christopher Park (Christopher & West 4th Streets)

Stand up and be counted Saturday...but anti-LGTB hate happens all year long......what you will do to help stop anti-LGTB hate and help those who fall victim to it after the March is over...

Community Partners in this Effort include: the NYC Gay & Lesbian Anti-Violence Project, Daniel Dromm, Empire State Pride Agenda, Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, Gay Men of African Descent, Hedda Lettuce, Lambda Independent Democrats of Brooklyn, the Latino Commission on AIDS, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, mano a mano, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, New York State Black Gay Network, NYC Council Member Rosie Mendez, NYC Council Speaker Christine Quinn, NYS Assembly Member Deborah Glick, NYS Assembly Member Sylvia Friedman, NYS Senator Tom Duane, People of Color in Crisis, Unity Fellowship Church of Christ, list in formation

Safety Tips

Please note that none of the following is a guarantee of safety, they're only tips that can be helpful:

1. Be aware of your surroundingsWho's around you?What are they doing?Are they paying attention to you?

2. Try not to travel alone:Traveling in groups can sometimes (but by no means always) dissuade likely attackers. Hate violence perpetrators are cowards and there are almost always more of them than there are of you.

3. Don't let your guard down just because you're in a "queer" area: About 25% of anti-LGTB incidents in the New York area happen in places that we think of as being "safe" for our community: in or around bars, nightclubs or LGTB institutions, streets in LGTB-identified areas of the city, and cruising areas.

4. What to do if you are the victim of an incident:If you need immediate assistance, call 911Report the incident to the Anti-Violence Project at: 212-714-1141; our counselors and volunteers are here to help you 24 hours a day. All services are free and confidential.

5. What to do if you witness an incident:Call 911 if someone is in immediate danger.Make it clear to 911 what the danger is; this may make the difference in getting a quicker response.Call the Anti-Violence Project's 24-hour, bilingual hotline (212-714-1141) to let them know what you've seen.

If you speak with the victim(s), share the Anti-Violence Projects hotline number and encourage them to call the Anti-Violence Project. There are probably supports and services that can help them pay medical bills, get free support and other services.

2006-06-15T11:08:00.000-04:00

Reminder: Return to Paradise, Sunday, June 18th

Just a quick reminder that Sunday night at Splash, DJ Billy Carroll will be spinning the classic sounds of the Paradise Garage. Here's a listing of songs that would have been played at the Paradise Garage and will likely be played this Sunday night at Splash:

1. Paradise -- Change
2. Weekend -- Phreek
3. Clouds -- Chaka Khan
4. Haven't You Heard -- Patrice Rushen
5. We Got the Funk -- Positive Force
6. Smack Dab in the Middle -- Janice McClain
7. Bad For Me -- Dee Dee Bridgewater
8. Heartbeat -- Taana Gardner
9. You Can't Hide (Your Love From Me) -- David Joseph
10. Love Honey, Love Heartache -- Man Friday
11. Don't Make Me Wait -- Peech Boys

Disc: 2

1. Baby I'm Scared of You -- Womack & Womack
2. Lost in Music -- Sister Sledge
3. Why Leave Us Alone -- Five Special
4. Love Injection -- Trussel
5. Can't Play Around -- Lace
6. Ain't No Mountain High Enough -- Inner Life
7. It Should Have Been You -- Gwen Guthrie
8. Lover's Holiday -- Change
9. Situation -- Yaz
10. Once in a Lifetime -- Talking Heads
11. Love Has Come Around -- Donald Byrd & 125th Street, NYC

You can go here to listen to clips of each of these songs.

2006-06-13T10:49:00.000-04:00

Get well soon, Mr. Aviance!

It's still so hard to believe that in 2006, in New York City, homophobia and attacks against gays and lesbians not only still exists, but happens more regularly than anyone would care to believe. What happened to Kevin Aviance this weekend is uncontionable and it is my sincerest hope that the perpetrators will not only be made to pay for their actions through the justice system by serving time for a hate crime, but that they will also be made to learn about tolerance and respect for human life. What give anyone the right to brutally attack another person? What mindset must one have in order to be able to carry that type of an attack off? It makes one wonder.

2006-06-09T08:44:00.000-04:00

How ridiculous is this?

"Yes, your pressure is working. Macy's Department Store in downtown Boston started out last Friday with a very public tribute to "gay pride week" (now taking place in Boston) in a prominent streetside display window near their main entrance. The feelings of their customers apparently weren't important to Macy's management. Your voices are starting to be heard loud and clear -- and Macy's is starting to back down. But they still don't get it on their public support of a week of rather raunchy homosexual activity.
Monday morning: Male mannequins with (apparently) enlarged breasts, one wearing a rainbow skirt."

Here's a copy of the letter I wrote to the executive office at Macy's/Federated since the mannequins were removed:

"There was nothing wrong with this display in the first place and the fact that the mannequins were removed because of complaints by an organization of right wing homophobes is both mind boggling and offensive.

Gay people have been oppressed for far too long and with as many strides that have been made in very recent years, are still faced with hatred and vilification. Macy's caving to such pressure from a hate group only serves to validate and perpetuate homophobia. Please consider replacing the mannequins as they are doing absolutely nothing but standing in a window, which is what mannequins do. Anyone who is offending by two mannequins standing side by side really needs to seek help. "

If you would like to write one yourself, the e-mail address is: execoffice@fds.com.

2006-06-08T10:15:00.000-04:00

Paradise Garage Classics at Splash on Sunday, June 18

Please join DJ Billy Carroll at Splash on the evening of Father's Day for a return to paradise -- the music played at the legendary nightclub "Paradise Garage."

If you long to hear First Choice's "Let No Man Put Asunder" or Atlantic Starr's "Circles" blast from speakers other than those connected to your iPod, you won't want to miss this rare event. Mr. Carroll does a yearly Paradise Garage set at the LGBT Center in New York, but this is his first attempt to bring these classics to a larger audience at Splash. Please come and show your support, as portions of any proceeds will be donated to LifeBEAT. Hope to see you all (or at least some of you) there!

2006-06-07T14:10:00.000-04:00

Kathy Griffin at New York's Nokia Theater, June 6, 2006

As season two of her show My Life on the D-List was set to premiere on Bravo last night, my friend Sunshine and I were in the presence of Ms. Griffin as she performed live last night at the Nokia Theater here in New York. The seating arrangement was a little weird because our row had five seats: one on the aisle, Sunshine's and my seats, a big three foot space, and two additional seats on the other aisle where two very nice lesbians sat. Very odd, but it worked out as I could stretch my not-so-long legs out sideways while Kathy did her thing.

Kathy took the stage to thunderous applause by a mixed bag of gays, women and middle-aged suburbanites who clearly were fans from her television show, which has a wider appeal I'm guessing than her stand-up act. Well, she certainly didn't disappoint. Ms. Griffin speaks so rapidly and with such zest that she can assassinate four or five celebrities in one 20-second bit. She managed to cover everyone from Gayken to Oprah and Gail to Star Jones and the questionable sexuality of Star's husband. Curiously absent was any mention of her own husband, Matt, whom she refused to speak about when she was on Howard Stern's radio program on Monday morning. I'm wondering if their recent reconciliation was short-lived and they have since decided to part for good. Some highlights: Griffin's new run-in with Seacrest, Gayken's new hairdo and attending the American Idol finale with Jennifer Coolidge, Oprah's Legend's Ball, and performing for the troops in Iraq.

In other news, curious minds can't wait to get home from work and try to locate that OJ Simpson sex tape online! Can you even? I don't even know why I'm curious about it, but alas I am. If it's anything worthwhile, I'll post about it. If not, you'll probably never hear OJ Simpson's name again on here (unless, of course, he commits another heinous crime). Speaking of Simpsons, how hot does Ashlee look? I may have posted about her new nose in an earlier post, but she's looking H-O-T! She had just the right amount taken off her nose without overdoing it, and rarely do I think plastic surgery enhances one's features. She's an exception for sure.

2006-06-06T10:58:00.000-04:00

Some Girl(s)

Went to see the Jo Bonney-directed play Some Girl(s) on Saturday night at the Lucille Lortel theater in Greenwich Village. The play stars Eric McCormack, Fran Drescher, Judy Reyes, Maura Tierney and Brooke Smith and focuses on a writer who travels to four different cities to see four ex-girlfriends one last time before he marries a younger woman. It was great to see such big television stars in such an intimate setting and the play was entertaining. McCormack, for the most part, played Will Truman -- the straight version. The others, however, worked hard to distance themselves from their recognizable television counterparts. Drescher couldn't have been further removed from her character on The Nanny, and it proved the wiser choice.

The curtain call was interesting, however. The cast looked pretty miserable and like they couldn't wait to be out of the theater. My friend and I waited to say hello to Judy Reyes, a friend from our days at Hunter College, but she dipped out the exit door unnoticed. I e-mailed her to tell her how much I liked the play and this is what she replied: "So sorry I missed you. Thanks so much. The cast gets along really well actually so don't be trying to gossip. lol. Please take care. jr" So my big attempt at creating gossip was sidelined by the truth! Sorry, guys. Next time I'll try to create drama where there actually IS some.

2006-06-06T10:51:00.000-04:00

Jesus loves the gays, too!

I knew it all along, but looking at this picture of Stephen Baldwin in his "Jesus" hat confirmed it: Jesus loves the gays, as evidenced by the rainbow flag treatment of the lettering on the cap. Happy Gay Pride month!

2006-05-30T11:07:00.000-04:00

Memorial Day Weekend Freestyle Fever at New York's Copacabana

On Sunday, May 28th, more than a handful legendary freestyle artists took the stage at New York's Copacabana nightclub to perform for throngs of fans thirsting for their favorite dance artists to sing the songs and sounds of their youth. Presented by Sal Abbatiello, the man behind Nayobe, the Cover Girls, and largely credited for his contribution to both freestyle and hip-hop, the evening featured performances by Nayobe, Judy Torres, Soave, Fascination, Corina, K7 of TKA and the Swing Kids, and the princess of salsa, India, among others.

The crowd at the Copa was full of thirty-and forty-something revlers whose night out at the Copa was reticent of their early club-going days at such places as the Devil's Nest, La Mirage, 1018 and Hearthrob, the clubs where many of these artists performed for the first time, and to some of the same audience members on this night. "Little" Louie Vega manned the turntables for the early part of the evening and, as did many of the artists performing, bestowed praise and thanks to Mr. Abbatiello for giving him his first paid DJing job at the Devil's Nest in the Bronx.

Most of the artists sailed through a medley of their most popular hits, while some snuck in a new song, much to the delight of the energetic audience. Nyasia solidly performed her two big hits, "Now and Forever," and "Who's Got Your Love." Nayobe dazzled with "Second Chance for Love," then brought down the house with what is credited as the song that started the entire Latin hip-hop movement, "Please Don't Go." Safire, clad in a black kimono with a Japanese-inspired bob, started her set with "Don't Break My Heart," followed by "Let Me Be The One," and the rarely performed song "Made Up My Mind" from her second album, I Wasn't Born Yesterday, before closing with her smash "Boy I've Been Told," for which she was joined on stage by her close friend and fellow artist Corina. Opening her own set with a medley of her first three singles, "Out of Control," "Give Me Back My Heart," and "Loving You Like Crazy," Corina, backed by four dancers, sang and danced her ass off before launching into the wildly popular-but-never-released song "Master and Servant," a fan favorite known largely through her live shows and an independant short film the artist wrote, and in which she starred, based on the song. Finishing with her biggest hit, "Temptation," Corina dedicated the show to her father who passed away a couple of months ago.

Ever ready and always crowd pleasers, Judy Torres and K7 continued the festivities before the headliner took the stage to perform the freestyle songs that began her career and which she has not performed publicly in many years. India, formerly known as Linda, the female member of early TKA, worked the crowd into a tizzy when she opened with the Nuyorican Soul version of the disco classic "Runaway," before taking them to the point of climax with her own classics, "Dancing on the Fire," "The Lover Who Rocks You," and "Mirage." Backed by vogueing legend Willie Ninja and several dancers, India reminded the audience that her name is India. "I.N.D.I.A.," she spelled out as she sang, in what seemed like a personal message to B.R.E.N.D.A. India brought Nayobe on stage with her to bestow her gratitude to the artist, saying that Nayobe had inspired her to be a better singer. Clearly flustered by the praise, Nayobe joined India in an impromptu duet before India closed her set with the house classic, "Love and Happiness."

As they exited the Copa in droves, sated freestyle fans, some who had had too much to drink, and most with feet that ached and ears that rang from the volume of the music, returned back to their lives as thirty-and-fortysomethings who for one or two nights each year have the chance to relive the experiences of their youths on the streets of the boroughs of New York where freestyle blared from car speakers and boomboxes up and down "the avenue."

Also seen: Frankie Cutlass, Carlos "After Dark" Berrios, Joey Kidd, Franc Reyes, Jessica Foxx

Photo courtesty of New York Freestyle.com.

2006-05-25T10:25:00.000-04:00

Go, Janet!

I hope the picture speaks for itself and the gaggle of Janet haters finally shuts up about her weight. Mind you, a fan like myself loves Janet no matter what size she is, but I'm glad that this weight loss is garnering some good press for her. After the Super Bowl debacle and the lack of public support around her last album, Damita Jo, it seems Janet's next album has a shot at being a big hit for her. I'm hoping for a Mimi-sized comeback for Janet!

While we're on the subject, let me address "Weekend" for a minute. The "surprise" was highly touted on Janet's website prior to being released. When it was there was a flurry of support for the song and a lot of negative reactions on the message boards on several fan sites. I happened to have loved the song because I was (and still am) a huge freestyle music fan. Covering Debbie Deb's "Lookout Weekend," was a bold move in my opinion, one that Gwen Stefani attempted to make but never quite got there on her solo album. She had been professing her love of 80s dance music prior to her album being released and I'm all for giving props to your influences, but I thought a straight cover would have served Gwen better. Janet actually did it by taking a track that was relatively obscure to people outside of New York and Florida and covered it. It was hot, but the negative reaction propelled Virgin to pull it off the site after a day, replacing it with a note from Janet saying that the song was a "gift" to fans and that it was not the first single from 20 Years Old, nor would it appear on the album. I just felt like the negativity was a little harsh and unwarranted. You can't please all the people all of the time.

2006-05-23T15:03:00.000-04:00

Kids for Kids Charity Fundraiser

On Saturday, May 20th, my friend Noreen and I volunteered for the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS fundraiser as we have done in previous years. Usually there is a plethora of celebrities to work and take pictures with, but this year there was an incredible death in celebrity pull. Sure there were a few athletes, but I don't know who they are at all. They only stand out because of their height. Other than that, they just aren't on my radar.

Working at the booth with Noreen and me were Edie Falco from "The Sopranos" (left, on the left) and Lisa Edelstein (in the purple shirt) from "House." Aida Turturro, also from "The Sopranos" stopped by the booth for a minute to talk to Edie. Later in the day Allison Stewart from MSNBC and Michael Imperioli, who plays "Christofah" on "The Sopranos" worked the booth with us. He was a little less friendly than the rest, but it seemed more like a social anxiety issue than he just being unfriendly. He looked a little uncomfortable and seemed most at ease when talking with the young girl who plays Vito's daughter on the show this season.

Overall, it was great to volunteer, but it wasn't as much fun as when the event was packed with celebrities. The high point of the day was seeing Nate Berkus (Oprah's interior design expert) zip by our booth, but we never saw him again throughout the day.

2006-05-22T12:00:00.000-04:00

Eddie Murphy & Tranny at Johnny Gill's 40th Birthday Party?

Now I'm not one to gossip (yeah, right), but is Eddie Murphy sitting next to a tranny at Johnny Gill's 40th birthday party? In these two pictures, it looks like Eddie's guest has a five o'clock shadow. Do you see it?

Rumored to be in a relationship themselves that was the cause of Eddie's divorce, Mr. Gill and Mr. Murphy were not photographed together in any of the photos at Getty. Curious, no? Go to Getty Images and check out the rest and let me know what you think. Mr. Murphy doesn't look like he's aging well and is starting to look like a rich, skinny old queen. You know that look: The leather blazer, the rings. He looks like he should be sitting in some jazz club in Harlem with his legs crossed.

Wonder if any other "outlets" will pick up on this. Let's wait and see.

2006-05-19T11:36:00.000-04:00

It Doesn't Get Any More Ghetto Fabulous Than This!

I can't tell you how much I love Janet Jackson's 40th Birthday cake! How hot is the Luis Vuitton luggage ensemble? It's a few years away, but if someone wants to get me that for my 40th, I'd be more than happy to accept it.

2006-05-19T10:45:00.000-04:00

No Mother of the Year Award for Britney

Okay, so she's not going to win any mothering awards, but is it really front page news? Babies sometimes buck when you're holding them; it happens. I hardly think Britney would have let little Tater Tot fall out of her arms and would have opted to drop the drink in her right hand if it had come down to that. Can the girl get a break? I'm not a big Brit fan, but the press the last few weeks has been very one-sided and making her out to be tops on the Child Protective Services list of families needing intervention.

2006-05-18T15:14:00.000-04:00

Now that I got the hang of this, I'm going to just keep going. In keeping with what some would call an 80s theme, Jody Watley has reworked Madonna's early hit, "Borderline," for her new album called The Makeover. Jody has turned the upbeat pop confection into the donwtempo loungey groove she has been favoring of late. The single will be available digitally next week. Let's show some support and legally download it when it becomes available on iTunes. You can hear a clip on Jody's MySpace page . "Borderline" has been getting some positive buzz on EW.com as well.

2006-05-18T10:06:00.000-04:00

Okay, so I'm a couple of days late, but Miss Janet Damita Jo Jackson DeBarge Elizondo has turned the big 4-0, and she's looking fabulous.

For all the blogging on how much weight she has gained, J has once again proven that she can take off the pounds and get back into tip-top shape in record time. Not so great on the body that yo-yo dieting, but I have to give credit where credit is due. She looks great! Happy belated b-day, Janet!