As a gay American, I'm required by law to love Cher. But, I'd love her anyway, regardless. Her straight-forwardness, particularly in her Twitter tweets is so much fun. If Bernie Sanders pulls of a Democratic primary upset, he could do worse than Cher as a running mate. I'm kidding of course, but imagine the no-holds-barred truth telling from that team!
[Excerpt]
Cher’s hilarious response to Donald Trump’s presidential bid
@elle_emm_aitch
Donald Trump Can’t come up with a hairstyle that looks human,how can he come up with a plan to defeat ISIS.
Donald Trump’s announcement yesterday (June 16) that he would be running for the Republican party’s presidential nomination might have elicited a few jokes and snorts of disbelief, but Cher’s response to the anti-equal marriage property tycoon’s political aspirations has won the day. . .
Almost any song with lyrics tells a story. But some songs don't just give you the Cliff's Notes, they give you the outline of a truly mind-bending story. And no decade has more story mind-fu**ing songs than the 1970s. Witness. . .
1. Dark Lady by Cher (1974) -The story is about a woman who goes to a soothsayer, and finds out more than she ever wanted to know. Plot hole: Why would Dark Lady be honest with her client?
2. The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia by Vicki Lawrence (1973) - Great song. Muddled message. Plot hole: The singer killed her brother's rival, and let her brother take the blame. Why on earth didn't she fess up?
3. Young Turks by Rod Stewart (1981) - These kids don't sound like they're destined for greatness, do they? But Do Ya Think They're Sexy?
4. Angie Baby by Helen Reddy (1974) - Things take a turn for the surreal, when a girl who is a little "touched" turns out to be supernaturally powerful (and insane).
5. Undercover Angel by Alan O'Day (1976) - A hapless guy finds himself luckier than Midas with a sexy phantasm lady who screws his brains out. Or something.
6. Cat's in the Cradle by Harry Chapin (1974) - Seriously, this is the biggest bummer of the list. But lyrically awesome.
7. Copacabana by Barry Manilow (1978) - In contrast to the last one, this is fluff. But when you consider the strife the songwriter/singer has gone through (real, or imagined) this might be the most mentally taxing of all.
8. Hotel California by the Eagles (1977) - The most cryptic of this list, I'm convinced this has more to do with drugs than anything else. One of my first 45s.
9. I've Never Been to Me by Carlene (1977) - The biggest, moldiest, hairiest, stinkiest slice of cheese on this list. And I love every f**king second.
10. Escape (The Piña Colada Song) (1977) - Meta on several levels and genius all around. Stinky, but delicious cheese.
And that will do it, compatriots. I'm going to work. You should too, or stay home. Take a sick week! Whatever you do, Happy Monday!!!
Well, crap. Joan Rivers--love her or hate her (or a little of both)--was something of a force of nature. She was clearly a pioneer, and one of the few unfiltered celebrity voices out there. She's the only woman to ever have hosted a network late-night talk show. She reinvented herself (and, can we talk, her face) countless times. And she arguably got cooler as she got older.
I have been wondering what would happen to some of our aging icons, particularly the ones like Rivers and Joan Collins, women who refused to look or act like little old ladies. And I haven't decided yet whether it's better that Rivers died rather quickly and unexpectedly rather than having to suffer an age-related decline. No one could say that 81 is "too young to die," but then again, she was so vibrant and vital, it's clear that she would be with us if not for the botched surgical procedure last week. It would have been nice to see her get to Phyllis Diller's age when she died. Can you imagine a 95-year-old Rivers on the red carpet?
Comedy has lost some big, big names. Image from The Daily Trash.
Joan Rivers had her biggest heyday in the early-to-mid 1980s. Her standup comedy was filling auditoriums, her album What Becomes a Semi-Legend Most was a huge hit, and she became the permanent guest host on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. She then began the very first show on the FOX-TV network, then called FBC. The Late Show Starring Joan Rivers caused a falling out with Carson, and didn't end up becoming a success, though I believe I saw nearly every episode. And she had a bit of a last laugh by having had better ratings than any of the shows that replaced her.
During that program, Rivers had an "anyone can host"-type contest, with video submissions. I helped my Mom, along with my brother, to put together an entry. Though Mom didn't win, she did get a nice letter from Joan that mentioned specific parts of the video, which was nice. If I ever get that VHS tape converted to digital, I may share it in this space.
So, my biggest memories of Joan Rivers are from that FOX/Tonight Show/Heidi Abromowitz era, before her later reinvention as a daytime host, QVC jewelry seller, red carpet fashion reviewer. But I was impressed with her staying power. And it feels very odd to be writing about her demise. RIP, Joanie. I'm not a believer in afterworlds, but if I'm wrong, I hope you're with Edgar and Spike!
[Excerpt]
Comedian Joan Rivers dead at 81 Joan Rivers, the raucous, acid-tongued comedian who crashed the male-dominated realm of late-night talk shows and turned Hollywood red carpets into danger zones for badly dressed celebrities, died Thursday. She was 81.
Rivers was hospitalized last week after she went into cardiac arrest at a Manhattan doctor's office following a routine procedure. Daughter Melissa Rivers said she died at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, surrounded by family and close friends.
. .
The following is a special edition (rerun) of a previous Blast from the Past, in addition to the usual weekly feature. Why? Because it's Cher's 67th birthday! I had to edit a little, because YouTube videos tend to cycle out. But I managed to put a number of favorites in to take the place of the expired tracks. Enjoy, and happy birthday Cherilyn Sarkisian Bono Allman JustCher!
ORIGINAL POST:
So, it's come to this. After having run posts on Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, Pat Benatar, Paula Abdul, and other divas of the 80s, 90s and beyond, I realized that I'd left out Cher. Cher's career began before I was born, and who knows, she'll probably outlast me. She was performing in Las Vegas long before I moved here in the 90s, and has made return engagements, both on tour and as a semi-permanent act. Her shows are so popular, she can't ever retire, despite having tried. In her mid-60s now, she's still making music, with an upcoming collaboration with Lady Gaga (who can only hope to have such a long-lived career).
For all the talk of the reinventions and comebacks of other stars, no one touches Cher. She was a hit with Sonny Bono in the 60s, as one half of Caesar and Cleo, which became Sonny & Cher. When their music started to stall, they won their own variety show on CBS. During the program, she launched a successful solo act. When the Bonos divorced, Cher had her own show, and then again partnered with Sonny on TV.
In the late 70s, Cher's music faltered, so she dabbled with disco, and Las Vegas. When that didn't go so well, she started seriously acting, and. . .was very, very good at it. Go ahead and watch her in Silkwood, The Witches of Eastwick, Suspect, Moonstruck, Mask: She's terrific in all of them. While establishing herself in Hollywood, she relaunched her singing career in the mid-80s, and struck gold again. A string of albums, each with a hit or two followed. Her risque videos flustered MTV, and Cher just kept going. She made a couple of odd detours, including a run as an infomercial queen, but she managed to make most of us forget that by making new music and movies. Recently, Cher showcased her voice and acting skills in Burlesque with Christina Aguilera. While the movie didn't do particularly well at the box office, it isn't because of Cher. In fact, if you are inclined to watch this sort of picture (think Chicago or Moulin Rouge) you'll probably get a kick out of it. So, long story short (I know, too late) Cher deserves far more recognition than she gets. She shouldn't be a guilty pleasure at all, just a pleasure. And it shouldn't go unmentioned that Cher has had a number one song in each of the last six decades. Top that, Gaga.
I have this bizarre fantasy that only occurs to me at odd times, like that little period between waking and sleeping, when you're pondering weird crap, and you have odd swimming shapes before your eyes. The time when if you glance at your bedroom doorway, you can see the shape of a goblin or an alien. And that fantasy is how I'd like my funeral to go. See, I'm an atheist, and have been a non-believer for a very long time. I don't want prayer or Bible verses, or "spirituality"--whatever that is--at my memorial service.
So, what do I want? Well, I'm really not sure. I think maybe that should be decided by my husband, with maybe some input from my family. None of them think I'm religious, and none of them really are either. But back to my fantasy. I have this image of me all laid out in repose--looking far better than I ever have of course, studious glasses perched on my nose, a nice suit, half a smirk on my face. And as the mourners (scores of them of course) file by to pay their last respects, a soft music starts to play. It would be pleasant, but not necessarily identifiable, but would eventually segue into a song called One by One, by Cher. Naturally, right? I mean, I'm gay after all. It's a nice, gentle song about loving one another. Perfect for a funeral, right?
They can even splice the song for length, if necessary, to let the line file by. But at some point, I want another segue. I want a little dramatic lighting. I want the soft song to fade into the dance remix! Maybe even a disco ball, and spotlights! Pulsing lights to the pulsing beat, and the line is played off with a driving, fun, boogieing send-off! I can see the last batch of mourners dancing, twirling by, filing out of the service with smiles on their faces, and a spring in their step!
Some of my favorite songs are actually not original versions, but remixes. Maybe it's the gay thing, but I've always been a fan of remixes, all the way back to the time of 12" singles. If you really dig a song, and then find three remixes of it, it can sometimes be a real thrill (or it can sometimes be mind-numbing drek). Sometimes, the well-known version of a song is the remix, and it's the original that sounds different. And in a couple of odd cases, both versions were popular. Don't know what I mean? Okay. . .
1. & 2. You Don't Know by Cyndi Lauper - The lyrics are the same in both versions of this shoulda-been-a-hit, a song about ignorance and bigotry. The album version was somber and slow. The remixed version is powerful and driving. I like 'em both.
3. & 4. Missing - by Everything but the Girl - This band has quite a following, though this is their only real hit in the US. The song itself wasn't a hit until it was remixed. Compare and contrast. . .
5. & 6. The Reflex - by Duran Duran - Everybody remembers this song, one of the final "heyday" hits by the band. But the version you know sounds very different in its original album version. The remix is definitely an improvement here.
7. & 8. One by One - by Cher - This song is very probably the reason Cher's next album Believe started out dancy. One by One was a languid ballad that was turned into a dance song that lit up the dancefloor.
9. & 10. Express Yourself - Madonna - In this last example, we have a case where both the album version and the remix were hits. In fact, you probably know both versions, and didn't realize how different they are. But there are different instruments, different backing vocals. . . and both are great!
And that'll about do it for this week. Unbelievably, it's time for another work week. So let's make the best of it. Happy Monday!
Randi Rhodes--the liberal radio hostess, not the dead rock star--is an acquired taste. She has a brash style, outspoken liberal views (for which she has been offered more money to convert to conservative schtick), and a Brooklyn accent. I discovered her when looking for The O'Franken Factor (later The Al Franken Show) in 2004. I very quickly acquired the taste, and have followed her all over my (computer simulated) radio dial ever since.
Cher is more like a re-acquired taste. She's had so many career comebacks, she should have her own entry in the Guinness Book. Singer, actress, info-mercial queen and a helluva broad, her storied career is the envy of any starlet (or drag queen). She's won awards for everything, been in numerous hit movies, and had a hit song in each of six decades. Probably soon to be seven (UPDATE: If you count US Club Hits, she's already to seven decades of hits!).
The two teamed up for a radio interview on Randi's show, because Right-Wing World has come crashing down on Cher for tweeting her mind. A week or two ago. Yeah, I don't get it either. But as Randi says, if picking on Cher is a high point of your agenda? Yeah, you've got nothing. She's freakin' Cher!
So, it's come to this. After having run posts on Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, Pat Benatar, Paula Abdul, and other divas of the 80s, 90s and beyond, I realized that I'd left out Cher. Cher's career began before I was born, and who knows, she'll probably outlast me. She was performing in Las Vegas long before I moved here in the 90s, and has made return engagements, both on tour and as a semi-permanent act. Her shows are so popular, she can't ever retire, despite having tried. In her mid-60s now, she's still making music, with an upcoming collaboration with Lady Gaga (who can only hope to have such a long-lived career).
For all the talk of the reinventions and comebacks of other stars, no one touches Cher. She was a hit with Sonny Bono in the 60s, as one half of Caesar and Cleo, which became Sonny & Cher. When their music started to stall, they won their own variety show on CBS. During the program, she launched a successful solo act. When the Bonos divorced, Cher had her own show, and then again partnered with Sonny on TV.
Image from Wikipedia
In the late 70s, Cher's music faltered, so she dabbled with disco, and Las Vegas. When that didn't go so well, she started seriously acting, and. . .was very, very good at it. Go ahead and watch her in Silkwood, The Witches of Eastwick, Suspect, Moonstruck, Mask: She's terrific in all of them. While establishing herself in Hollywood, she relaunched her singing career in the mid-80s, and struck gold again. A string of albums, each with a hit or two followed. Her risque videos flustered MTV, and Cher just kept going. She made a couple of odd detours, including a run as an infomercial queen, but she managed to make most of us forget that by making new music and movies.
Recently, Cher showcased her voice and acting skills in Burlesque with Christina Aguilera. While the movie didn't do particularly well at the box office, it isn't because of Cher. In fact, if you are inclined to watch this sort of picture (think Chicago or Moulin Rouge) you'll probably get a kick out of it. So, long story short (I know, too late) Cher deserves far more recognition than she gets. She shouldn't be a guilty pleasure at all, just a pleasure. And it shouldn't go unmentioned that Cher has had a number one song in each of the last six decades. Top that, Gaga.
It's Oscar night, so I really should feature movies, right? But invariably, the movies I watch don't win many awards. But I got to pondering, which of my favorites of yesteryear did? And by yesteryear, I meant movies that came out pre-2000. I thought I'd find out. . .
#1 - The Silence of the Lambs (1991) - The very first Best Picture Oscar of my lifetime (1966-present) that I would consider one of my favorites, is this one, believe it or not. Don't get me wrong, many good ones in there, and good nominees. But Jodie Foster' and Anthony Hopkins' thriller is the first one that makes my list. #2 - Network (1976) - Peter Finch died before he could accept his Best Actor Oscar for his fantastic portrayal of crazed Glenn Beck-like news celebrity, Howard Beale. Amazing movie too, and should have beat Rocky for Best Picture. #3 - Coal Miner's Daughter (1980) - Sissy Spacek was only known as the psychokinetic/psychotic Carrie when she turned in this Best Actress Oscar-winning performance as Loretta Lynn. It was one of the first movies I went to see on my own. #4 - Schindler's List (1993) - There aren't a lot of Best Director Oscar winners whose winning films make my list, but this one did. Plus, it finally netted Steven Spielberg an Oscar! #5 - Ghost (1990) - This movie doesn't make my list in the way that other people might fancy it. It's not my Dirty Dancing or Pretty Woman perfect romance story. I like the evil specters, and especially the humor of Whoopi Goldberg, who won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar. #6 - Moonstruck (1987) - Cher won an Oscar for Best Actress in this one, proving her critics wrong once and for all. I originally had Silkwood (1983) in here, until I realized that while it was nominated for a lot of Oscars, it didn't win any.
Cher has had an amazing, multi-faceted, multi-decade career, and is still going strong. She's been a favorite of mine since I was a little kid and The Sonny & Cher show was still in its first run. She's had more "career enders" and rebirths than any other female performer, and I guess I like that in my divas. Her ex-husband went into politics, and I think it'd be pretty cool if that was her next act. With her recent statements in Vanity Fair, it isn't difficult to see which party she'd slot into.
[Excerpt]
Cher on Chaz, Sonny, and Staying in the Spotlight
. . .Cher on Sarah Palin and Jan Brewer:
“I got so obsessed with [C-SPAN] that it was kind of interfering with my life. Sarah Palin came on, and I thought, Oh, f**k, this is the end. Because a dumb woman is a dumb woman.” On the subject of Arizona governor Jan Brewer, Cher says, “She was worse than Sarah Palin, if that is possible. This woman was like a deer in headlights. She’s got a handle on the services of the state, and I would not let her handle the remote control. . .”
I'm old enough to remember Cher's second heyday, when The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour was in its first-run on CBS in the early 70s. My mom--who's only 18 years older than me--was a big fan, and so at 5 years old, I watched along. After Cher divorced Sonny, she tried to go solo, tried again to team up with him, then faded into obscurity. Briefly. She then turned up in many guises, in many venues, as a singer, an Oscar-winning actress, and as an infomercial queen. She even remade herself as a dance floor diva in the early 2000s.
Through it all, Cher has been beset by slams about all the plastic surgery she's allegedly had. Nobody--short of Michael Jackson or Joan Rivers--has taken so much ribbing for it. But the weird thing is, she really doesn't look much different than she ever did. Now, I realize that at the age of sixty-four, it's likely impossible that she hasn't had a little help. I'm pretty sure she had some nose work and cosmetic dentistry. But geez, people. Whatever she's had done, it's damned good work. The pictures above are from 1987 and 2010, which happen to be the years in which she wore that "barely there" VMA outfit. Looks like the same chick to me. How many 64-year-old women could wear the same slinky outfit today that they wore twenty-three years ago? She can probably still get into those 70s Bob Mackie outfits as well. So, cut the gal some slack, will ya?
[Excerpt]
Cher VMA appearance with Lady Gaga Meat Dress at Video Music Awards 2010 (Video)
MTV decided to "Turn Back Time" last night in the presentation of its "Video of the Year" award as once-controversial video star Cher's VMA appearance surprised many. That's because Cher wore the outfit that she made famous in the aircraft carrier video "If I Could Turn Back Time" and had people talking in whispers, years ago. Not only did she get a standing O, Cher also got to present Lady Gaga (wearing meat dress) with a major award and then hold her meat purse for her. Quite the honor. . .
This video clip, from PBS' Nova shows you just how some of the "music" stars of the day can make beautiful music with little to no talent. Is it cheating? Uh, yeah. It's like PhotoShop for music.
At least when Cher and Madonna have used it, it was obvious, tweaking their voices into robotic pitches. Of course, they could have more subtly sweetened their voices with Auto-Tune on other songs without telling us.
I recently threw out all of my old VHS tapes, when we swapped the rooms that house my office and guest bedroom. I'd been saving them since the very first one I recorded, which dates to approximately 1985. It was a huge loss psychically, but not practically. In truth, I hadn't hauled one out in years, and when I did, the VCR ate it. Now, the VCRs in our house have been retired, though there is still a dusty one tucked away in the armoire in the master bedroom. For emergencies.
There were many pop culture moments stored away on those tapes, now crushed in a landfill somewhere here in the Las Vegas valley. One of them contained the below clip, so I was sort of excited when I found it.
Picture it: it's 1986. While cable TV exists, it consists of your local channels, some "independent" channels that run The Andy Griffith Show in an endless loop, MTV, CNN, C-SPAN and pay services like HBO. In all, most people had 20-30 channels, but they mostly watched the big three networks, ABC, CBS and NBC. There was no internet. Renting video tapes had only recently come into vogue. So the introduction of a new nationwide over-the-air television network was a very big deal.
But it didn't start out that way. When the FOX television network started, it consisted of exactly one show, at 11:30 pm. In fact, it wasn't even called "FOX" yet, it was called "FBC." And that show was a variety program, hosted by the recently departed "permanent guest host" of The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson. Her name was in the title of the new show, The Late Show starring Joan Rivers. You might not remember this, but at one time (briefly as it turns out) in the mid-1980s, Joan's career was hot. Not just with adults either, but with high school kids too.
It probably had to do with how bawdy she was. Most female entertainers didn't talk that way back then. Now, you've got your Sarah Silvermans and your Janeane Garofalos, but in the 1980s there was just Joan. The show didn't catch on, and was replaced (eventually by Arsenio Hall) fairly quickly, but to be fair, it wasn't given much of a chance. This was a brand new television network, mostly cobbled together from local UHF stations. And Joan Rivers isn't everybody's cup of tea, especially when you consider that she pissed off the very popular Johnny Carson, an American institution.
But check out who Joan managed to book for her debut show: Cher, Elton John, Pee-Wee Herman and David Lee Roth (don't laugh, Pee-Wee and Diamond Dave were big in the 80s too). In this clip, a very big-haired, and completely tone deaf Joan sings along to Elton John's The Bitch is Back, which was a brilliant idea. And eventually, Cher comes out and sings along. This was a treat for viewers, as Cher had been in her "serious actress" stage, and hadn't been a singer for years. Anyway, the clip brought back memories for me, so enjoy.
Thank you to John Aravosis at AmericaBlog for unearthing this wonderful clip. Oddly, as often happens in my life, The Other Half and I were just discussing this event a few days ago with some friends. Sonny Bono, then a U.S. Congressman, and Cher, who was riding one of her umpteenth career rebirths, appeared on Late Night with David Letterman. After cajoling an ailing Cher, Letterman convinced the duo to sing I Got You Babe, for posterity's sake.
And a good thing he did too. Sonny Bono died in a skiing accident not all that long after, [Editor's note: Oops, it was 11 years--oh well] so there wouldn't be another opportunity. It was a touching moment, and stuck in my memory. The (former) couple's lyrical amnesia makes it even more charming. Take a look.
This is only one example of my habit of purloining ideas from AmericaBlog. There's a reason I feature it in my blogroll, and in an RSS feed. Check it out: AmericaBlog
In a continuation of the previous post, these are four songs that will get a dance floor hopping. You might not personally like them (or maybe you just won't admit it), but request one of them at a dance club sometime, and watch the floor fill up. I've done it, and it works!
Today's dance music can be so boring and repetitive (I know, I'm old, but that doesn't make me wrong). This is what good dance floor or party music is to me. Crank up your speakers, and get the party started!
#1 - Xanadu by Olivia Newton-John & ELO #2 - Dancing Queen by ABBA #3 - Into the Groove by Madonna #4 - One by One by Cher
OK, I've never posted anything from Perez Hilton, but I just can't help myself when it comes to Cher. From an early age (eight or so) I've been a Cher junkie. My mom was a fan, and even spirited us away to the Columbus airport one night when it was rumored that Cher and Sonny were going to be landing there (we saw them!). Mom had a (you won't believe this, but it's true) drill team for women out of high school. And they did routines to "Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves." I watched Sonny and Cher. I watched Sonny and I watched Cher. I even watched the post-divorce Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour.
In my pre- "Other Half" life, I enjoyed Cher's One By One on the dance floor. The only bad thing she ever did publicly, for my way of thinking, was the Lori Davis beauty projects. And she made up for that by virtue of Christina Applegate and Chris Farley on Saturday Night Live.
And she's back, post-60, with yet more music for the masses. Good for her. You go, Cher!
[Excerpt]
Cher will be heading to Las Vegas soon, but she’s working on a new album even before then! The gay icon sat down with Chrome Hearts magazine to talk about her new record, the struggles to make it and what it will sound like.
Says Cher: “The truth is I’ve got this album I’m supposed to be working on. The truth is the songs are great. I’m totally into this album, the songs are the hardest songs. I don’t know why, but I picked the hardest songs that I’ve ever had to do on an album. I just picked them because I love them and didn’t think about actually having to sing them and they are very very difficult.” …. “I haven’t started the album yet, but I have all the songs. I was supposed to start it, but I wasn’t ready. I wasn’t good enough. I have to really buckle down. I’ve got to do some serious, serious work. I should have done it when I got off the road, but we didn’t have all the songs.” …”I picked the songs song-by-song. It’s not any kind of real music. It’s not a genre. Just great songs. More with a ROCK feeling to them, but not necessarily rock. Just with a GREAT beat and also some of them sound really country.”
