Currently Idolizing: Janelle Monae

I generally refuse to idolize anyone.  I feel like most of the celebrities in our modern culture are kinda vapid and boring (and addictive), and the other half are sort of flash in the pan and then they do something stupid and I give up all hope.  With Janelle Monae, that is not the case.

I first heard about Janelle Monae sometime last year after P. Diddy made some comment along the lines of "Janelle Monae is the most important artist of the decade" (I could be making this up, but I thought I read that at the time).  Well, if P. Diddy thinks she's super important, I have to listen to her and disagree.

Only, I didn't disagree.

Janelle Monae is awesome.  She started out working with Big Boi, is classically trained in musical theater, has opened for No Doubt, and is signed to Bad Boy Records.  And you thought that was impressive? How about the fact that she has probably the coolest conceptual album since The Grey Album.  Monae's concept album is divided into four parts (or suites) and it is based on Blade Runner and Fritz Lang's Metropolis.  Yeah...I'm gonna let that sink in.

Now pick your jaw up off the floor, and continue reading.

Her music is danceable, fun, and completely addictive.  I've had the first suite, Metropolis: The Chase Suite on my iPod for about a year, and although I've listened to it a million times, I listen to it every morning to get me pumped for work.  The second suite is dropping on May 18, entitled The ArchAndroid.  Her first two singles from the album are available for purchase, or to just check out on her website.

If you haven't check her out yet, I suggest you go do so immediately.  It's not every day a girl from Kansas City makes an album based on two of the greatest and most influential science fiction films ever.

Guess Who's More Famous Then You?

Ok, so I don't go out too often on Saturday nights. My Sunday's are consumed with a lovely 12 hour bar shift, and I HATE being tired for it, so instead, I come home and spend a night in front of the TV, well tonight, I was in for a treat.

After consuming a couple drinks, and some hot wings with my roommate, we came home, only to see that Prince's Purple Rain was on. Now, if you read my last post, you will realize that I am obsessed with Prince, especially Purple Rain. Now, my roommate hates the fact that I'm making her watch this, she keeps saying things like "Prince was awful in concert," to which my clever retort is "well, he's much more famous then you," and she just pulled out "Alex, this movie is over 20 years old," to which I quickly responded "well, I'm over 20 years old." Yes, I am clever, but more importantly so is Prince.

Can I just say a few things. The first, his mustache and eyelashes make me want to be pretty. The second, his poet shirts make me want to be pretty. And third, okay, he just makes me want to be pretty. Prince may be a bit crazy, and a bit washed up. But he will always be pretty, and probably more famous then me.

And with that, I shall retreat to my bed, listen to the best of Prince, and wear my vintage Purple Rain tee. Have a good night.

The Barbarella Remake

Okay, so there have been plenty of rumors flying around for the past couple years about the remake of Barbarella set for release in 2010. First, it was Lindsay Lohan vying for the spot after making Georgia Rule with Jane Fonda, then we heard that Rose McGowan was set to star alluding to more nepotism from potential director Robert Rodriguez. Now, Perez Hilton, a highly credible source*, is saying that both Angelina Jolie and Megan Fox are vying for the title role.

Now, having seen Barbarella and appreciating the cult film more then your average 23 year old female, I have to say, I would prefer none of these women for the role. I know that Hollywood doesn't exactly work on the whole "creating a star from an unknown" the way they did in it's glory days, but that was part of what made Barbarella so great!

No offense ladies, but I would love to see a fresh face embracing the title role, creating the character the way Jane Fonda did. If any of these women take on the role, it'll be ____________(enter starlet name) playing Barbarella. All of these women have become tabloid fodder and although I cannot prevent them from remaking a classic cult film, I can at least have my two cents about being able to take it seriously.

Vote no on starlets in remakes. Thanks :)



*highly credible source denotes extreme sarcasm

Lindsay Lohan Fornarina Commercial

Okay, I pretend to be this really cool indie chick. And sometimes I am, but sometimes I have absolute pathetic tastes that I'm ashamed of. One is my desperate hope that one day, maybe just some day, Lindsay Lohan can revitalize her career.

I know, she's tacky. She's annoying, she's a fame whore, but all in all, she is an ok actress and there is something about her that I want to see thrive. I read all the gossip articles about her, I enjoy reading interviews with her, and I hope that some day she can get it together.

Well, today is not that day. I just watched her Fornarina commercial, which I refuse to provide a link to because the last thing I want to do is actually show anyone this atrocity.

Let me just describe it for you. A stick-thin, platinum blond Lindsay Lohan, looking very Barbie-esque as 80s neon graphics swirl behind and around her to tacky pop music. Remember Jem from the 80s? It's like Barbie, meets Jem, meets Butter's (from South Park) "Stick it in my Butt" video. Lindsay's job in this whole fiasco? To say words like smack, wink, etc., while getting cheeky with the camera.

After this, I can only feel as though the true reason I am waiting for Lindsay to once again reign supreme is so I can watch it all come crashing down again. It was fun the first time, and I have a feeling that it hasn't lost it's appeal.

Perez Hilton is Ruining Everything I Love About Subculture

Okay, I love to read Perez Hilton. I love all the crappy celebrity gossip, I'm a bit addicted, I'm not going to lie. However, I HATE when Perez claims to have "discovered" new things. The first time this happened was with the Canadian Indie band "Said the Whale." Okay, this one isn't fair because I know one of the band members, so of course I knew who they were, and I will admit it was super cool to see my friends band being advertised on Perez Hilton, because they are amazing. The next time this happened was with Agyness Dean. Perez claimed that she was the next upcoming supermodel. Well for those of us that were fashion followers, we knew Agyness had been huge for a long time in the fashion world, and the minute Perez began a following was the minute us fashion followers jumped off the Agyness bandwagon.

Today was my last straw. Perez posted about the Icelandic singer Emiliana Torrini. I've been listening to Torrini for years. Literally, since like 1999 or whenever that horrible Kirsten Dunst "Crazy/Beautiful" movie came out. I've even went so far as to introduce Torrini to every boyfriend/friend I've ever had, and the first song I ever publicly performed was Sunny Road by Torrini. It is no secret that I like to covet certain musicians and bands, and Torrini was one of them. I want to see bands succeed and making a living doing what they love, but I have a huge problem with them becoming flash in the pan trends. And Perez, I think you have the possibility of making a high musician turnover rate.

Okay, this rant is over. Until next time...

Out of Touch With Reality: The Skinny Issue

Last night, my boyfriend and I were watching the MTV awards (which I found absolutely awful) and during Rihanna's second performance, my boyfriend made the comment, "I bet it's pretty hard to sing like that when you're a size triple 0." I turned to him and said "She's not really that skinny."

Wow. I think I've lost my mind. Yes, Rihanna is not an emaciated former concentration camp victim like the women we call "super-skinny" in the celebrity world are. She looks relatively healthy, and strong. But let's face, she is really skinny. Then I realized why I was just so out of touch with reality.



Yes, that's right! It's fashion week. Of course Rihanna doesn't look that skinny next to a runway full of models. I suppose I need to live in a little more in reality, because let's face it, Rihanna has a gorgeous body that she clearly works hard for, and she is NOT the norm.

The Case of Heidi's Missing Dog

Okay, there has been something on my mind for months, and I'm surprised it hasn't become something more talked about in the celebrity world. In the first season of the Hills, before it blew up and became the spectacle we all love today, there was a very special Christmas episode. This was the episode where Lauren received her black quilted Chanel bag from Jason (before she decided to forgo Paris to stay with him....idiot!). Anyway, in this very special episode, Heidi was whining at her boyfriend (who will remain unnamed, mostly because I don't remember the poor schmauks identity) to get her a dog. Well, anyone that watches The Hills will know that he got her a stuffed, toy dog, and boy was she mad. However, seconds later he opens up the door and brings in a new puppy for Heidi. Well, this puppy, Bella, has long since disappeared from the face of The Hills. I understand that people get rid of dogs all the time, but I can't believe that MTV hasn't said anything nor have any celebrity bloggers.

PETA, you might want to get on this one. Lord knows what Heidi used Bella for.