As you may remember, I actually liked Lady Gaga’s single “Edge of Glory”. It reminded me of the truly wonderful hit songs from the soundtracks to ‘80s classics. “Edge of Glory could very easily fit into the last few minutes of The Karate Kid. I could see it being embraced by John Hughes for a critical moment at a 16th birthday party. The song is dated – in a good way. Well, now Lady Gaga has made a video for “Edge of Glory” and it seems like she’s embracing the ‘80s completely. She made sure that the video looks like it came out of 1985 too.

You know what bothers me? Lady Gaga always talks about NYC, how she’s a New York girl and New York is what she’s all about and then… she films a video on an LA soundstage made to look like NYC. Just a small thing, I realize, but why not just shoot a video in New York?

But seriously, this video is both horrible and great. It’s horrible just in the sheer “I give up”-ness of Lady Gaga. It’s like Courtney Love foretold – Gaga is now a sad drag queen with no more ideas. It’s great because once you strip away all of the extra crap, Gaga still has a powerful voice, and she’s still capable of making hit music. STRIP AWAY THE DRAG QUEEN!!

Sidenote: does anyone else think that Gaga filmed this on the same “balcony” set as the end of Pretty Woman? Strikingly similar.

Screen caps & cover art.

Britney Interview starts at :58 in and goes to 3:30. At 2:45 she puts on a slight British accent that sounds like an accident, remember when she did that constantly?

Britney Spears’ new Femme Fatale tour stars this Friday and goes until the end of November with a whopping 54 shows in 53 cities around the world. She gets a six week break at the end of summer before she starts her European tour, which means she’ll do about four shows a week when she’s in the states. I would say that I doubt she’s up for it, but I said that before her Circus Tour in ’09 and that went off almost without a hitch. Britney is a money-making machine, and this time around she seems like she’s ready for it emotionally. She’s still kind of strutting around the stage and lip syncing, but as many of you have pointed out she has a bum knee and might not be capable of the more demanding moves she was known for before she had knee surgery.

Anyway Britney hasn’t done any non-pretaped video interviews, as far as I can find, to promote this latest album. She’s done some print interviews that sound written by a PR team with Britney-isms added for authenticity. Carson Daly tweeted in late March that Britney’s people had some incredibly strict demands on any video interviews. They had to be pre-taped, pre-approved and presumably edited before they could be released.

So here are two new interviews with Britney that were probably scripted and were both pre-taped and likely approved by her people. She still comes across as genuine and as trying, especially in the British interview above. She lapses into a British accent at one point that seems inadvertent but then she puts on the accent again on purpose for effect. She’s funny and seems somewhat natural and comfortable. I love what she says about how she tries to make her tour buses and dressing rooms like home by using the same shabby chic style she favors. (I’m not a fan of that style, but it’s Britney and if she’s into it more power to her.) It’s also funny that she says she keeps slim by eating “clean,” considering the rumors that her tour has banned hot dogs and cookie dough.

In the Entertainment Tonight interview below she’s more “deer in the headlights” but still seems to be trying and to really care about her fans. She gets excited when explaining how pumped she gets to hear the fan response right before she sets foot on stage.

There’s something kind of sad and reluctant about Britney in that second interview, but at least she seems like she really enjoys touring and seeing her fans. It’s more than I expected from her, and gives me hope that she’s doing fine and is ready for this. It’s not the first time she’s toured and it’s worth noting that her last tour went off very well.

Oh – on their website ETOnline is going with the angle that Britney would do a reality competition show, like Christina Aguilera on The Voice, but I think she’s just being positive about it and isn’t ruling it out.

Interviews via ONTD. Photos are from 5/14/11. Credit: PRPhotos and WENN.com

James Franco has been persona non grata to me for months now. Remember when I wrote about his Esquire profile and how he sounded like such a douchey wang, and all of these Franco defenders came out and were like, “Hey, he’s just artsy and cool, I love him!” Those Franco defenders had a hard time defending his sleep walking through the Oscars, though. And since then, I’ve felt like Franco and his Artist-With-A-Capital-A act is on the down-swing. Sure, he’s still getting movie roles, and he’s still an in-demand actor in general. But I feel like the tide has turned. Hopefully.

Anyway, in addition to all of the other crap Franco has going on (PhD studies, MFA program, movies, television, bungling the Oscar hosting, and don’t forget his little book, in which he tries to BECOME Kerouac), Franco also wants to pursue a music career. I’m sure this is all some sort of elaborate performance art. But at face value, I’d rather listen to Kim Kardashian. The “music” is described as “an EP of experimental electronic tracks with drag performer Kalup Linzy (who acted alongside Franco on General Hospital). It’s called Turn It Up and it’s set to drop July 12.” Prepare to have your mind blown:

You know what the lyrics remind me of? Magnetic poetry! You know those magnets with “deep” words and when you and your friends are drunk and mixing margaritas, you stand there “writing” drunk magnet poetry on your freezer. That’s what the lyrics are. “It’s bleeding… this pain in me has arrested me.” Or: “Hobgoblin iris crisis/river birth pinnacle!”

Thanks to LaineyGossip for the story!

Photos courtesy of WENN & Fame.

Aussies Nicole Kidman and Kylie Minogue were both at the Billboard Awards last night wearing black dress with beaded lace see-through sections. Both of their dresses were fug in unique ways. Nicole sported her usual matronly style and all her bits were covered. She wore a dress that looked like it should have ended mid thigh but somehow continued to floor length and gave us a glimpse of her legs on the way down. Nicole’s hair was really pretty in a loose side braid and I loved her earrings. I would have liked the dress if it didn’t have the see-through panel across the bottom and if she could have resisted sticking her hands in the pockets. She’s got an “aw shucks” look going on.

Nicole’s face is softening up a bit and you can tell she’s eased up a little on the Tox and fillers, although she’s still impossibly smooth and her lips look as plump as usual. When you compare her to poor alien-looking Kylie Minogue, she looks pretty normal. Doesn’t Nicole look a little high though, like she just smoked a joint in the limo?

Kylie has been cat-eyed and wrinkle free for a very long time, bless her heart. While she’s tried to claim that she doesn’t use Botox anymore, I think she means strictly Botox and isn’t counting any other injectables or work she’s had done.

Kylie wore a black crinkly-looking short dress with black sequins and rose details. The dress just looked like it would itch and it was bunching up slightly in the wrong areas. I could see her underwear through the skirt and it’s a good thing they were full coverage. She had on some banging black peep toe platform shoes with tiered fringe. I usually don’t like fringe on anything, but those shoes are awesome. She paired her dress with chunky white gem dangle earrings and a matching ring. It was all rather jarring put together, but I feel bad for picking on Kylie.

Photo credit: Fame and WENN

Much like Britney Spears’ latest incarnation, Apocalypto Brit, Beyonce has decided to show us HER vision of the end of days in her new video, “Run the World (Girls)”. We had the audio of the song about a month ago here – most of us didn’t like it. Now that I’m listening to is again, I don’t really think it sounds so Willow Smith-esque, like I did before. As for the video… well, first you need to watch it:

The video honestly makes the song a little bit better. You know what this reminded me of? A place I’ve never been, but I would imagine that this is what it’s (kind of) like: Somalia. A violent hellscape where everything feels like the apocalypse, and everything is covered in dust and tragedy. Except that there are few blondes. Seriously, I mistook Beyonce for a white woman for a full minute. I was all “I wonder where Bey is?” The blonde hair isn’t the only thing that makes Bey look unrecognizable. I could swear that she’s been tweaked by a professional too. Probably to keep her looking in her “twenties” for another decade.

Let’s see… what do I like about the video? I like the dancing. Bey always has good choreography. The militaristic vibe reminded me of Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation stuff, because I’m an old fart and I can remember how much I loved that album when I was kid. I also like the apocalyptic styles, especially the gold outfit with the finger things. I thought that was cool! But then again, I’m an old fart, and I like shiny things.

What I didn’t like: all of the stuff that it made it seem like Beyonce’s apocalyptic vision of a female-led power-structure, where the women have attained their power through dressing like hookers and harem girls. “Gynocracy by harem” is not a valid political structure.

Screencaps from the video.

Yesterday evening, I got my sizzurp on (it’s prescribed!) and I clicked on this Gawker link, where they were discussing Lady Gaga’s newly released single for “Edge of Glory”. I believe this is the third track that’s been released from Gaga’s sophomore album, after “Born This Way” and “Judas”. I listened to the track as I read the comments, finding amusement from both – Gawker claimed that Gaga had abandoned copying Madonna and begun copying Pat Benatar. Gawker commenters disagreed for the most part, which made me start wondering if after “Born This Way” and “Judas” got such mixed critical results, and Gaga was being bashed by more and more people… well, I wondered if maybe there was a backlash against the backlash against Gaga. First, listen the single:

As I’ve been saying in Gaga posts the past few months, I’m kind of over her. The bitch has changed. Where she used to be weird-funny, nowadays she’s just try-hard, weird-creepy, and there’s a vein of megalomania in her. That being said, I don’t really hate this song. It’s becoming clearer that Born This Way is no The Fame. It would be difficult, when you really think about it, to try to live up to enormous success of The Fame. Gaga IS trying, but is she succeeding?

In some ways she is, because after all, I’m writing a post completely devoted to Gaga’s third track release, and she’s one of the few pop artists that gets that kind of treatment from me and everyone else in the media. Gaga’s relevance might be that everyone wants to discuss how irrelevant she is, how coked up she is, how the bitch has changed, how she’s a disaster, how she needs to get a grip, etc. Which is to say, everybody has an opinion, and so she is still relevant and important to pop culture.

As for the song… well, as I said, I kind of like it. I loathe “Judas” as a pop song, and lyrically, “Born This Way” is just awful. But “Edge of Glory” sounds so dated and familiar… it feels like the song that would have been playing in the final match at the end of The Karate Kid. RIGHT?!? That’s what I realized on the second listen. “This song belongs at the ‘turning point’ scene in a wonderfully cheesy and iconic ‘80s movie.” And FOR THE LOVE OF GOD YES, please bring back the saxophone solo in pop music!!

Photos courtesy of WENN.

These are photos of Jennifer Lopez at a CD signing in Hollywood yesterday. Yes, those are maybe the most unflattering pants EVER. It’s one thing to embrace your curves, it’s quite another to wear a pair of pants that make your hips and ass look comically oversized. Jennifer has Clown Butt. She is Vesty McClownButt.

Didn’t Kim Kardashian wear a pair of pants very similar to this? Only KK’s pants had more draping around her biscuits, creating a “vagina drape” effect. These pants are just “hip drape” pants. Ugh.

Anyway, Jennifer just launched a new video and single and it is… not bad. Here’s Jennifer new video, “I’m Into You” featuring Lil Wayne:

Okay, I have to admit a few things. First, this song is much better than her first single, “On the Floor”. I even like Lil Wayne’s featured rap. Secondly, I have to admit to kind of liking the video. It feel like vintage J. Lo, like it’s circa “Love Don’t Cost A Thing”. She looks really pretty here. And even though the half-naked dude is making a “Bitch, don’t you even think about resting your tacky weave on my manscaped chest” face, there’s a sexy vibe to it all.

Other thoughts, randomly: great manicure, I like the chain mail dress (A LOT), her body looks AMAZING, and I love all of the profile shots. Jennifer has a great profile!

Photos courtesy of Fame.

These are photos of Beyonce filming her new music video last week. Much like Britney Spears’ last video, Beyonce’s newest seems to have a slightly apocalyptic flavor as well. The single is called “Girls (Who Run The World)” and Bey just released it. Here you go:

Lots of Beyonce’s girl-power lyrics and ladies-are-strong messaging. But the song kind of sucks, in my opinion. There’s too much going on? It sounds like she jammed three songs into one. Also: I got a very strong Willow Smith vibe from this single for some reason. Jay-Z signed Willow Smith, if you remember, and many of Beyonce’s lyrics seemed inspired by Willow’s immature lyricism, right? I don’t know it was just a vibe I got.

Going back to the video – according to the director, Francis Lawrence, the video “will probably be one of the bigger Beyoncé music videos ever done and, I can say that I think the song is unbelievable.” Beyonce’s new album is due in June. And it will probably be followed by another worldwide tour that will go on for two years. Jay-Z is going to have to wait a bit longer for babies, right?

Photos courtesy of Fame.

Last night, Britney Spears tweeted the link to her new music video for “Till The World Ends”. It’s Armageddon Britney! Armageddon Britney still has a busted weave, but at least the weave is busted for good reason – the apocalyptic sewer dance club! In Armageddon Britney’s video fantasy, when the End of Days comes, we will all be wearing studded leather in the sweaty, strobe-light infested sewer dance halls and we will be dancing to cheesy Britney Spears music as the world burns. Quaint. Here’s the video:

Ke$ha wrote this song for Britney, right? I would be interested in hearing Ke$ha’s version of it, honestly. But the video isn’t too bad. I think it’s much better than her last video for “Hold It Against Me”. Even though that one had $500,000 worth of product placement, the whole thing felt cheap, especially with all of the too-fast cuts to and from Britney, as if she couldn’t maintain a veneer of sobriety and lucidity for more than two seconds. In this video, at least we get to see her dance a little bit (although the cuts away from her are still fast).

Oh, and her body looks great! I saw a quick shot of her booty and it looks fantastic.

Screencaps from the video.

Ever since Glee creator Ryan Murphy got into a public bitchfight with one of the artists who refused to license their music to the show, I’ve really soured on it. I haven’t kept up with Glee and whenever I catch the show it smacks of try-hard and sensationalism, with the characters seeming like stereotyped cardboard cutouts. I don’t know if Glee changed, if my perspective did or a little of both, but I’m surely not the only one who decided to stop watching the show as a direct result of Murphy’s petty behavior. Well Murphy seems to have received the message. He recently apologized for telling Kings of Leon founder Nathan Followill to F off. Instead of barking back when Foo Fighter singer Dave Grohl called him out for being so petty about artists refusing to license their music, Murphy backed down and praised them, saying it was their right and that he would still listen to their music.

“F**k you, Kings of Leon,” Ryan previously told The Hollywood Reporter of Kings of Leon after they turned him down. “They’re self-centered assholes, and they missed the big picture.”

Then, Nathan Followill responded to Ryan Tweeting, “Dear Ryan Murphy, let it go. See a therapist, get a manicure, buy a new bra.”

And next up was Foo Fighter’s Dave Grohl speaking out against Ryan saying, “It’s every band’s right… F**k that guy for thinking anybody and everybody should want to do Glee.”

Well, Ryan is now backing down and apologizing for his comments.

“I didn’t speak with as much clarity as I would have liked,” Ryan explained to The Hollywood Reporter on Friday of his comments. “Who am I to say ‘F**k you?’ That’s not what I meant. I completely understand when artists don’t want a show or another artist to interpret their songs. In fact, I respect it. It’s their personal work and I’d feel the same way. We get turned down all the time and I’ve don’t fight it or even go back after a rejection.”

“I’ve never felt that if you don’t give Glee your music, there’s something diabolical about you,” he added. “To the contrary: I support artists and what they choose to do… I think Kings of Leon are cool as shit. The Foo Fighters are brilliant. We’d love to do one if their songs, if they were ever interested. But if it’s not their thing, then OK. I personally wish them luck will still listen to their music.”

And Ryan said he’s learned an important lesson out of this fight.

“Don’t say f**k you to someone in the press,” Ryan joked. But seriously he said, “I’m really proud of the fact that we can introduce songs to younger kids or their parents because I’m the biggest music fan. The show is about the love of performing and arts education — things I think are very special.”

And it sounds like Kings of Leon may have accepted Ryan’s apology.

“We’ve been trading texts and emails and I support them.”

[From OK! Magazine]

This was the right thing to do, particularly since Grohl really had Murphy’s number and listed out the many ways that he’s been juvenile and petty with artists up until this point. It doesn’t mean I’m going to go back to watching Glee again, though. That ship has passed.

Photo credit: PRPhotos