Welcome to the new and improved Weekly Media Monitor! Last week, I took a break from the norm to provide a personal reflection about how my life has been affected by the ongoing conflicts in Israel. Aside from the fact that this was a rewarding, cathartic experience for me on many levels, my proverbial week off from the regular proceedings also enabled me to take a step back and reflect upon my approach to this little corner of the Internet community.
This week, I have decided to offer the most topical tidbits from the entertainment world, since most of the headlines have been dominated by Grammy previews and Janet Jackson’s halftime striptease. I think from now on, I will try to streamline the extent of my media coverage and commentary each week to one primary umbrella, in order to provide more clarity and continuity. I tend to throw a whole slew of topics out there on a week to week basis, and in this new format at least my digressions will have the same overall theme.
Another addition I have decided to make to the column is something that is long overdue from my end. One part of the 411 community that I absolutely love is the way that writers and readers can link over to different zones to see what’s going on in the different realms of sports and popular culture. My new feature – The Ultimate 411: Staff Plugs and Media Mega-links – will give you my own personal favorite links of the week from the other zones right here at 411mania, as well as a couple of takes on the media in general.
With that said, let’s get down to business!
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Music News: Grammy Picks and Janet’s —- well, you fill in the blank
In the media/Chris’ commentary:
Unless you’ve spent the last week living in a hole and consuming Mars bars at an unusual rate, you’ve heard by now that the Super Bowl halftime show – produced by MTV – caused a huge media uproar.
Justin Timberlake was the surprise guest of Janet Jackson, and as the coolest pop icon with the initials JT since Jonathan Taylor Thomas (JTT, of course) wrapped up his rendition of the song “Rock Your Body,” Mr. Timberlake ripped off a piece of Janet Jackson’s shirt, which revealed her right breast. CBS quickly cut away from the camera shot of Janet’s thingy, and as a result of the performance the FCC and the NFL denounced CBS, CBS denounced MTV, MTV denounced Janet and Justin, and Janet and Justin were, well, left hanging, so to speak.
Janet Jackson admitted that the stunt was a last-minute addition to the performance, and that only she and Timberlake knew what was going to go down. This will not prevent the FCC, however, from investigating the situation. Should the FCC seek injunctions against CBS, the network stands to lose approximately $27,000 per affiliate, which would add up to millions of dollars in fines.
Just yesterday, there has even been more Janet and Justin backlash. The New York Post alleged that CBS is trying to ban Jackson and Timberlake from appearing at this Sunday’s upcoming Grammy Awards celebration, and radio personality Wendy Williams of WBLS 107.5 FM’s “Wendy Williams Experience” reported Tuesday that the ABC network has pulled a TV movie about the life of singer Lena Horne, in which Jackson was to have the starting role. The movie was to air during the all-important May Sweeps.
Personally, I feel that Justin and Janet did not do anything to warrant such outcry, except for perhaps picking the wrong time and place to be controversial. The Super Bowl reached approximately 140 million people this year, and as the highest rated program each year, every advertisement and every performance falls under the most scrutiny.
Speaking of which, why is it that CBS can air commercials for drugs that help prevent erectile dysfunction without any such outrage from the FCC? In all honesty, I would have a much harder time explaining to a child why a man needs to use Le Vitra than why a woman showed her breast on TV for a fraction of a second.
I just wonder what would have happened if it was Britney Spears on stage instead of Janet Jackson. Would the FCC have the guts to crack down on one of music’s biggest Caucasian moneymakers? I am not sure about that answer, all I know is that as a result of all of this controversy, Janet Jackson’s newest single was the most requested song of the week on several NY radio stations.
Hey Miss Jackson, rock on with your bad self.
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Chris Biscuiti presents Grammy Picks!
My brother Matt recently posted his personal picks for Sunday’s Grammy Awards as part of the 411mania Grammys roundtable, which should be up in the music zone sometime this week. Since I love to rip him off from time to time, I present to you my own Grammy picks and explanations:
Record of the Year
Crazy in Love – Beyonce f/Jay-Z
Where is the Love – Black Eyed Peas f/Justin Timberlake
Clocks – Coldplay
Lose Yourself – Eminem
Hey Ya! – Outkast
Chris Biscuiti: The Black Eyed Peas proved – along with Nas – that we can still fall in love with songs that have important lyrics, and that they can also be mainstream hits.
Winner: Where is the Love – Black Eyed Peas f/Justin Timberlake
Album of the Year
Under Construction – Missy Elliott
Fallen – Evanescence
Speakerboxxx/The Love Below – OutKast
Justified – Justin Timberlake
Elephant – The White Stripes
Chris Biscuiti: Were there any other albums as innovative as the offering by Outkast this year? Not only did buyers gets a double CD for the price of one, the group also has two top 5 hits right now on Ryan Seacrest’s “America’s Top 40” radio countdown. No one else can boast that accomplishment.
Winner – Speakerboxxx/The Love Below
Song of the Year
Beautiful – Christina Aguilera
Dance With My Father – Luther Vandross
I’m With You – Avril Lavigne
Keep Me In Your Heart – Warren Zevon
Lose Yourself – Eminem
Chris Biscuiti: Luther Vandross’ “Dance With My Father” is already a timeless tearjerker. “Beautiful” was good, but “Dance With My Father” was beautiful.
Winner – Dance With My Father – Luther Vandross
Best New Artist
Evanescence
50 Cent
Fountains Of Wayne
Heather Headley
Sean Paul
Chris Biscuiti: Evanescence kind of annoys me, actually, so I will have to go with 50 Cent. If Christina Aguilera can win this award with one single, “Genie in a Bottle,” then why can’t 50 win it with one huge hit, “In Da Club”?
Winner – 50 Cent
Best Male Rap Solo Performance
Pump It Up – Joe Budden
Lose Yourself – Eminem
In Da Club – 50 Cent
Stand Up – Ludacris
Get Busy – Sean Paul
Chris Biscuiti: 50 takes this one also, in order to validate is Best New Artist nod.
Winner – In Da Club – 50 Cent
Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group
Gossip Folks – Missy Elliott f/ Ludacris
Magic Stick – Lil’ Kim f/ 50 Cent
Shake Ya Tailfeather – Nelly, P. Diddy & Murphy Lee
Dipset (Santana’s Town) – Juelz Santana f/ Cam’Ron
Can’t Stop Won’t Stop – Young Gunz
Chris Biscuiti: Who can resist another song about ass?
Winner – Shake Ya Tailfeather – Nelly, P. Diddy & Murphy Lee
Best Rap Album
Under Construction – Missy Elliott
Get Rich or Die Tryin’ – 50 Cent
The Blueprint 2 (The Gift & The Curse) – Jay-Z
Speakerboxxx/The Love Below – Outkast
Phrenology – The Roots
Chris Biscuiti: Missy Elliot has the best music videos today. Outkast has the best music.
Winner – Speakerboxxx/The Love Below
Best Pop Vocal Album
Stripped – Christina Aguilera
Brainwashed – George Harrison
Bare – Annie Lennox
Motown – Michael McDonald
Justified – Justin Timberlake
Chris Biscuiti: She might be a little shady, but Christina Aguilera has one thing that no one can argue: that voice. From unashamed feelings about sexuality to speaking out about being abused by her father, Ms. Aguilera shared with her listeners experiences that were extremely intimate and even hard to swallow at times. On this album, she let it all hang out, and let her voice be heard.
Winner – Stripped – Christina Aguilera
Best Female Rock Vocal Performance
Are You Happy Now? – Michelle Branch
Losing Grip – Avril Lavigne
Trouble – Pink
Time Of Our Lives – Bonnie Raitt
Righteously – Lucinda Williams
Chris Biscuiti: Please, anyone but Avril!
Winner – Pink, “Trouble”
Best Male Rock Vocal Performance
New Killer Star – David Bowie
Down In The Flood – Bob Dylan
If I Could Fall In Love – Lenny Kravitz
Gravedigger – Dave Matthews
Return Of Jackie & Judy – Tom Waits
Chris Biscuiti: Tom Waits is nothing more than a personal favorite.
Winner – Return Of Jackie & Judy – Tom Waits
Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal
Times Like These – Foo Fighters
There There – Radiohead
Calling All Angels – Train
Seven Nation Army – The White Stripes
Disorder In The House – Warren Zevon & Bruce Springsteen
Chris Biscuiti: Warren Zevon died, and so he’ll get the sentimental vote. Oh yeah, and that song with Bruce kicks Gothic flying medieval buttress.
Winner – Disorder In The House – Warren Zevon & Bruce Springsteen
I’ll cut it off here, as there are so many other categories to get through. Man, those guys at 411 music are definitely working their asses off, so go check them out!
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The Ultimate 411: Staff Plugs and Media Mega-links
Here are my 411 mania picks of the week:
411 black zone: Double Impact: Michael Melchor’s unique take on Super Bowl advertising.
411 wrestling zone: Norton’s Notes: Blake Norton’s informative look at pro wrestling’s resurgence all over the world.
411 music zone: WWE Originals Review (2): Jacob Ziegler’s pinpoint examination of the most god-awful CD recording in history.
411 figures zone: The Toy Report: I must admit that I didn’t really read Mike Batesmen’s column all-too-closely, but I am a sucker for cool pictures of toys I used to play with.
411 games zone: NFL Street Review (PS 2): Bryan Berg reviews the ultimate NFL video game that I became addicted to in just one sitting.
411 comics zone: The Best Comics of 2003: Ben Morse posted this staff-picked best of 2003 collection.
411 movies zone: The Big Bounce Review: Chris McCarver checks out a movie I would only watch if it was on cable, I was drunk, and there was no scrambled porn available.
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And my media mega-link of the week is
William Hung’s Official Web site!.
Folks, this is the man who gave the American Idol audition to remember, a performance of Ricky Martin’s “She Bangs.” William is a civil engineer major at UC Berkley, and he has parlayed his memorable audition into fifteen minutes of well-deserved fame.
And, don’t forget, William had NO PROFESSIONAL TRAINING! Man, I wonder what it would feel like to be Hung for a day.
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P.S., Parting thoughts on Boston Public
Sure it was unrealistic and over the top, but I had grown to love “Boston Public” ever since Joey Slotnick’s character is season 1 shacked up with Lisa Greer, a hot student who liked Shakespeare, and, as it turned out, older men.
Boston Public was not a great show, but it was just poignant enough to touch on some interesting issues, even if some of the storylines were highly exxagerated.
During its four-year run, Boston Public covered all the usual dilemmas – fitting in, date rape, anorexia, domestic abuse – some topical issues – priest scandals, school hazing, ecstasy users, teacher-hashing Web sites – and some bizarre circumstances – a baby being left in a toilet stall, a student pretending he’s Jesus, a racist father dying in the black principal’s office.
The true strength of Boston Public, however, was the relationships between the teachers and other staff. My favorite character was Danny Hanson, an off the cuff reformed troublemaker with no brains and a big heart (played by Michael Rappaport). I also loved the character of Harry Senate (played by Nicky Katt), a very dark but caring teacher who spent all of his time with the most notorious kids this side of Mepham. Harry Senate started a suicide club, fell in love with a student and a teacher at the same time, cared for homeless kids and covered up for students who wanted to be good but didn’t know how.
There was also a lot of comic relief on the show, thanks to Harvey Lipschitz, the typical old teacher gone awry, played by Fievish Finkel, as well as Marla Hendrix, the pill-popping teacher with the charisma of a preacher.
Oh yeah, and the other women were hot, too.
The crux of the show, however, revolved around the relationship between the Principal, Stephen Harper (Chi McBride), and his loyal/combustible Vice Principal, Scott Guber (Anthony Heald). No matter what went on at this school, this was the relationship that withstood the most toil and tribulation. They didn’t always agree, but they were always there, together, at 8 or 9 o’clock at night, wrapping up another long day, and humbly preparing for the next.
Production was stopped on Boston Public last week. I am not surprised, considering that Fox shuffled it to Friday nights this year, to make room for reality television on Mondays.
I am, however, going to miss my weekly appointment with a group I had grown to respect, if not love outright.
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That’s all for now Peace.
Chris Biscuiti
This coming Monday, Chris Biscuiti will be appearing at his regularly scheduled graduate course at Hofstra University: SED 290 – Methods of Teaching English. Chris will be on hand to present to his fellow students (and professor) his grammar mini-lesson on the comma splice. Furthermore, there is no actual point to this epilogue.
