NECROLOGY WATCH: Those seeking to place wagers on the Grammy Necrology Meter for Sunday's ceremonies will have to contend with the following names: Ike Turner, Luciano Pavarotti, Beverly Sills, Merv Griffin, Max Roach, Porter Wagoner, Joey Bishop, Robert Goulet, Dan Fogelberg, Don Ho and Quiet Riot lead singer Kevin Dubrow. My money's on Pavarotti to win, Sills to place, and Turner's applause to be really scattered and awkward, given that Tina's in the house.
In other awards/necrology speculation, if I'm Mel Gibson's publicist I'm moving heaven and earth to have him placed as the surprise Heath Ledger eulogist at the Oscars. I can't imagine a better move he could make to rehabilitate his image -- not that I'm rooting for him to succeed, mind you.
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Friday, February 8, 2008
WEE, BEADY EYES: Two eras in American consumer culture appear to be ending -- Polaroid is getting out of the Polaroid business, abandoning instant photography to focus on digital cameras and printers, while the Wall Street Journal reports that Kentucky Fried Chicken may be moving to a "nonfried chicken platform" in the coming year.
When I was growing up, my dad would take us on Sunday mornings in the summer to the hotels where visiting baseball teams were staying. We'd flag a player checking out and preparing to board the team bus to the Vet, and Todd and I would pose with the player as my dad shot a Polaroid of us, then quickly move to get the player to sign the picture while it was still developing. There's a wall in Todd's room back at our mom's house of about 50 photos of us with various players and coaches -- Ozzie Smith, Tom Glavine, Yogi Berra, Andy Van Slyke -- and now, weirdly, that's becoming impossible. What an odd technological development -- that the ubiquity of digital and cell phone cameras have made instant printing a thing of the past.
When I was growing up, my dad would take us on Sunday mornings in the summer to the hotels where visiting baseball teams were staying. We'd flag a player checking out and preparing to board the team bus to the Vet, and Todd and I would pose with the player as my dad shot a Polaroid of us, then quickly move to get the player to sign the picture while it was still developing. There's a wall in Todd's room back at our mom's house of about 50 photos of us with various players and coaches -- Ozzie Smith, Tom Glavine, Yogi Berra, Andy Van Slyke -- and now, weirdly, that's becoming impossible. What an odd technological development -- that the ubiquity of digital and cell phone cameras have made instant printing a thing of the past.
BRETT, BANG THAT GONG: Did anybody post this yet this year? Look, folks, it's hard to keep up on all of the old fametracker features that now pop up occasionally at TwoP, but we have reached the best time of the award season: the annual moment when five clones of Karl Malden gather in the Hollywood Star Chamber to choose the winners of the year's Oscars.
THE COURT WAS ASKED TO DECIDE IF "R" "GOT DONE:" Sentences you really don't want to come across while doing Westlaw research:
This case involves infringement upon the distinctive and famous GIT-R-DONE(R) trademark used by Whitney in his comedic act and in connection with promotional merchandise sold by Whitney's licensing agent. Defendants' infringement arises out of the unauthorized use of the GIT-R-DONE(R) trademark on clothing items bearing reproductions of the famous GIT-R-DONE(R) mark (“infringing items”).
BRILLIANT(?) BUT...: A couple of cancellations of note today:
- Apparently, even though the CW is in dire need of hits, it's letting its top rated show leave the air at the end of the season. That show? WWE Smackdown!
- Aaron Sorkin's The Farnsworth Invention will close on Broadway on March 2. I quite liked the show, but mixed reviews, including a veritable poison one from Ben Brantley, helped to kill it, along with an uncommonly strong series of straight plays on Broadway this year.
YOU, YOU'VE GOT A PRETTY CAR; I THINK I WANT TO DRIVE IT (DRIVE IT): Performers announced thus far for Sunday night's Grammy Awards presentation include:
Someone bring me my mirror! I'm not sensing anything must-see or you'll-never-see-again like the 14 Minutes of FUNK from that list, but, hey, strike, so nothing else on. Amy Winehouse has been denied a visa and will not be attending, but may be performing via satellite.
[Our previous compilation of memorable Grammy performances, captured on YouTube, is here.]
Aretha Franklin; Tina Turner with Beyoncé Knowles; Andrea Bocelli and Josh Groban; Feist; Fergie and John Legend; John Fogerty with Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard; Foo Fighters (with special guest conductor John Paul Jones); Alicia Keys; Brad Paisley; Carrie Underwood; Eldar; Kid Rock; Dave Koz; Keely Smith; Herbie Hancock and Lang Lang (conducted by famed maestro John Mauceri); the Clark Sisters, Israel And New Breed, and Trin-I-Tee 5:7; the casts of "The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil" and Across The Universe; and Rihanna with a reunited the Time.
Someone bring me my mirror! I'm not sensing anything must-see or you'll-never-see-again like the 14 Minutes of FUNK from that list, but, hey, strike, so nothing else on. Amy Winehouse has been denied a visa and will not be attending, but may be performing via satellite.
[Our previous compilation of memorable Grammy performances, captured on YouTube, is here.]
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