Think locally, vote globally
Cynthia McMullen
April 30, 2008 8:15 PM
Last June, Richmond artist Noah Scalin came up with an, er, different idea: create a skull design for each of the next 365 days. (Or 366, possibly, given the Leap Year.) The result? http://www.skulladay.com
Now Noah’s Web site has been nominated for a Webby Award. The Webbys, dubbed by The New York Times as the 
Oscars of the Internet, attracted 10,000 entries from over 60 countries this year. Not bad.
At any rate, Skull-a-Day was one of five noms in the best personal Web site category. Winners will be announced on Tuesday. In the meantime, if you’re interested, check it out. Who knew you could find inspiration for skulls in so many media?
Or you can be part of the Webby People’s Voice Awards—a separate award, one per category—by voting for your favorites at http://pv.webbyawards.com—but do it soon, the deadline is tomorrow (May 1).
Paula speaks
Melissa Ruggieri
April 30, 2008 1:51 PM
Turns out our suspicions were correct and Paula Abdul’s “Idol” gaffe last night—epic even for her—was the result of mixed-up notes taken during the contestants’ dress rehearsal.
Ryan Seacrest had her on his radio show this morning for a little damage control. Read about it here:
http://popwatch.ew.com/popwatch/2008/04/paulagate-2008.html?xid=rss-yahoogadget-todayslatest-20080430-PaulaGate+2008%3A+Ms%2E+Abdul+does+some+%27splaining+on+Ryan+Seacrest%27s+radio+show
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American Idol: Songs sung blue
Melissa Ruggieri
April 29, 2008 11:46 PM
Oh, Paula. And to think, you were so present, so lucid, so…sensible almost, this season.
“This is officially the strangest show we’ve ever done,” said the ever-observant Simon Cowell at the end of last night’s “Idol.
And man, he wasn’t kidding.
As soon as Ryan Seacrest announced that this week’s judging would be done differently – with the threesome presenting their critiques at the end of the first round of Neil Diamond songs – I instantly hated the idea and also subconsciously knew that somehow, this would not end well.
So what was Paula talking about when she rambled on to Jason Castro about his first song and then continued to talk…about his second song? Which he hadn’t performed yet.
Was she reading the notes she had ostensibly jotted down about David Cook, who was next to Jason in the evaluation line, or were those notes really about Jason taken during…dress rehearsal, perhaps?
I swear I’ve read that the judges often attend dress rehearsal and would also swear that Simon has commented to a contestant that he/she sounded better during that rehearsal. But others – who usually know about this sort of thing – promise me that no such practice exists and there are stand-ins at the judges table during rehearsal.
So…you decide. I’m going with Paula taking notes at dress rehearsal. I mean, c’mon, she thought Jason had already sung his second song? Even JASON isn’t that ditzy.
I’ve also decided this week that if “Idol” can modify its judging policy for the night, I can change the style of my recap.
So, in tribute to the time and depth given by Randy, Paula and Simon last night, here’s what we learned during Neil Diamond week – other than it’s really tough to sing Neil Diamond songs if you aren’t Neil Diamond.
Jason Castro
First song: “Forever in Blue Jeans”
Pleasant and dull. No matter what he sings and how intense he appears while singing it, there is just nothing captivating about this guy.
Grade: C-
Second song: “September Morn”
Is there some rule that a contestant must stay glued to his seat until that big Moment in the chorus? Move, dude. Interact with the crowd. Do something to distract from that fact that you can’t hit any lofty, passionate notes.
Grade: C
David Cook
First song: “I’m Alive”
The resident rocker – or “Creed,” as my husband calls him – gave Neil goose bumps, but turned a bit too guttural on this one (chosen in honor, maybe, for his ailing brother?). Still, he’s the most appealing of this bunch, if only for his novel song choices.
Grade: B-
Second song: “All I Really Need is You”
David C. is the only one who could somewhat match Neil’s huge rasp of a voice, but as robust as he was, on second listen, he swung out of key a couple of times.
Grade: B-
Brooke White
First song: “I’m a Believer”
Though Simon called it karaoke, it reminded me of when Sheryl Crow breaks into an unexpected cover in concert. I didn’t hate it, but someone needs to curb Brooke’s giddiness.
Grade: B-
Second song: “I Am, I Said”
Not only did she remember all of the words (even changing New York to Arizona!), but this soft piano version was pretty and emotionally riveting.
Grade: B+
David Archuletta
First song: “Sweet Caroline”
I’m sorry, but I don’t want to hear about “hands…touching me, touching you” from a squishy 17 year old.
Grade: C+
Second song: “America”
You knew someone had to do it – and with Kristy Lee Cook, the queen of pandering gone, who else but the Muppet would approach it? I think David A. hit puberty on a couple of those notes, but, true to form, the judges ignored his many gaffes and shortcomings while shuffling him along to the final two.
Grade: C
Syesha Mercado
First song: “Hello Again”
In her bare feet, hair cascading loosely, Syesha turned out an elegant, lovely read of the heartfelt ballad, somehow reminding me of Regina Belle crooning “A Whole New World.”
Grade: B+
Second song: “Thank the Lord for the Night Time”
Where did this personality suddenly emerge from the past two weeks? I have no idea why Simon suggested the death knell is sounding for Syehsa, except that she doesn’t have a gazillion tweenagers voting for her, like Jason and Little David. She’s still technically the best singer in the group, and now that she’s demonstrated an ability to be, well, mobile, she’s riding a hot streak.
Grade: B
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I scream, you scream, we all scream …
Cynthia McMullen
April 29, 2008 8:08 PM
... for ice cream! But we don’t always get it.
Who knew it was Ben & Jerry’s 30th anniversary? Not me. But my friend Katherine did, so she hightailed it to Carytown this afternoon to get a scoop on the action.
“The action,” in this case, being a free ice cream cone. Turns out B&J, community-oriented fellas that they are, 
give out free ice cream every year around their anniversary. This year, it was today.
Only problem, Katherine reports, is that the line at the shop, 2901 W. Cary St., went clear down the block.
Katherine might not have had time to wait for her free frozen treat, but—on behalf of the 3,200 people who did—thanks, Ben and Jerry!
And thanks to the worker bees still cleaning up tonight, nearly an hour and a half after closing. Since the Carytown location just opened in September, this was its first free-cone day. From all indications, it was a sweet success.
Note: The photo above is from the week Carytown B&J’s opened—you know, when people were still discovering it existed—not from the madhouse that was today.
Watch what you wish for.
Cynthia McMullen
April 29, 2008 4:22 PM
So herOrbit.com, a women’s social network, asked 5,000 women which celebrity guys’ features they’d use to create the ultimate fantasy man. The results are ... scary.
The winners were:
* Hair—Patrick Dempsey
* Eyes—Jake Gyllenhaal
* Nose—Owen Wilson (interesting choice! It takes a certain kind of man—like Owen Wilson—to handle this nose.)
* Mouth—Brad Pitt
* Jaw line— Johnny Depp
Herorbit.com’s conclusion after Photoshopping the results? That most girls just want an average man. (Of course, most girls hadn’t yet seen this photo.)
“Sure, women go crazy when they see Brad Pitt, but the truth is they want the person who delivers their mail, packs their groceries and coaches their kids’ softball team,” said Nadine Reeves, the Web site’s marketing director.
OK. But who knew Jake G. had such massive eyebrows? And whose facial hair is that? And why couldn’t they just have saved time and used Patrick Dempsey’s whole face? Inquiring minds ...
My, they grow up so fast.
Cynthia McMullen
April 28, 2008 6:07 PM
A mere five days ago, I was worried how Miley Cyrus, at the tender age of 15, was going to produce her memoirs.
That was then, and this is now. Forget the memoirs, l’il Miley has much bigger fish to fry. In February, she was photographed half-nekkid (as “they” say) by photog-to-the-stars Annie Leibovitz for the June issue of Vanity 
Fair.
Well, the June issue is about to hit the newsstands and the, er, trash has hit the fan. And the fans are not amused. So young Miley has done what every child-star-gone-grown-up-too-soon has done: issued an abject apology wherein she “never intended for any of this to happen.” (As Melissa says, incredulously, “What did she THINK Annie was shooting when she took her shirt off and wrapped herself in a sheet?!")
“Most of all,” Miley says in a statement, “I have let myself down. I will learn from my mistakes and trust my support team. My family and my faith will guide me through my life’s journey.”
Ahem. This brings us to Part II of Miley-gate, the part where the girl’s parents, Billy Ray and Tish Cyrus, were there for most of the shoot. They didn’t see the final shot, apparently—whichever the final shot was—but her grandmother and teacher were there for that. So ... no excuses. Her support team, clearly, wasn’t using good judgment. Unless they lived under a rock, they knew Leibovitz would push the envelope and that “artistic” doesn’t always mean “clothed.”
Which brings up to Part III. Have you seen the photos of Miley and her dad together? They’re all over 
youtube.com, Vanity Fair’s Web site, etc. And don’t tell me that 46-year-old Billy Ray Cyrus, who’s been around the block a few times, didn’t know exactly what impression the photos would give where he’s wrapped around his daughter like a dude on a beach date.
It’s all too sad. The kid has her own TV show, sold out a concert tour and has multiplatinum albums. Miley-gate could go either way: garner her a ton of priceless noteriety or mess with her rep as a rising young star. In today’s climate, I’d guess it will be the former.
Fans get ticked, Miley apologizes, Disney—oh, yeah, this is funny, Disney arises in righteous indignation, saying V.F. is taking advantage of Miley (Disney’s own little cash calf). The whole thing blows over, people think it’s a joke and the next thing you know, she’s wearing torn fishnets a la Britney and hooked on, well, caffeine at least.
Yeah, I’m painting a pretty dark picture. I’m sure most folks will think I’m being harsh, that it’s all just part of the celebrity process. But I keep hoping some child star will remain unscathed till ... I dunno ... is 21 too much to ask?
At this point, the only one who comes to mind is Raven Symone, who for my money is still a down-to-earth young woman who doesn’t feel compelled to go the “artistic” route.
Miley will probably be OK. But her parents need to take a long look in the mirror.
Name that tune: New iPod commercial
Melissa Ruggieri
April 28, 2008 12:24 AM
I am no fan of Apple. I’ve often groused about the company’s monopoly on entertainment products – you know, how iTunes requires 83 steps to get a song on any type of MP3 player other than Apple’s iPod.
Stuff like that.
But I am a fan of Apple’s iPod commercials and last night I happily rewound my TiVo a dozen times to replay the latest from the company.
Thankfully, the silhouette concept is back – this time the figures are bopping around against a palette of pastels, their white ear buds the deliberate standout.
And, as usual, the Apple folks have done a fine job with song selection. This kicky ditty is called “Shut Up and Let Me Go” by the British band, the Ting Tings. It’s kind of a cross between Franz Ferdinand and Chic, and while it might not instantly stick in your brain, it’s engaging enough to warrant a dozen playbacks.
Or, you can do the easy thing and check it out here:
http://movies.apple.com/movies/us/apple/ipoditunes/2008/ads/apple_ipoditunes_gamma_20080424_r560-9cie.mov
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Lou Reed: What did you think?
Melissa Ruggieri
April 27, 2008 2:46 AM
Even if you aren’t a fan of Lou Reed or The Velvet Underground, he’s one of those checklist artists.
Never seen him live?
Well, you had your chance this weekend, when Reed performed Friday at The NorVa in Norfolk (that would be the named-in-this-issue-of-Rolling-Stone-as-one-of-the-best-rock-clubs-in-the-nation NorVa) and Saturday at our National.
Were you one of the 900 or so fans who saw Reed glide through an historical catalog including “Sweet Jane” and “Magic and Loss,” the latter culminating in a furious swell of sound anchored by drummer Tony “Thunder” Smith, who lost several sticks in the process?
Reed’s speak-sung delivery doesn’t have much range – but that flatness is his signature, whether it’s on the droll, dry (and not often played) “Walk on the Wild Side” or the Underground’s “I’m Sticking With You,” an uncharacteristically sweet tune broadcast to a new generation thanks to its inclusion in “Juno.”
At 66, a lean Reed, who married longtime love Laurie Anderson two weeks ago, is still very much in control on stage, directing the band through hand signals – a discreet palms up to Smith to back off the snare, a deliberate stance in front of guitarist Michael Rathke to play along with him and have an unspoken conversation – but his well-documented reputation as a curmudgeon was often contradicted.
During band introductions, he joked to veteran Rob Wasserman about his cool standup electric bass, “How low can you go?” and even somewhat smiled when introducing computer wizard Sarth Calhoun as “Mr. Professor.”
Most amusingly, while taking their final bows after the sparsely melodic “Pale Blue Eyes,” Reed and the band casually shook hands with a guy making his way down the receiving line – until the overzealous fan was shuttled offstage by security.
So what did you think? Was it worth the wait? Will you try to catch him in North Carolina or New York before he heads to Europe in June?
Posted in
Shiny new Mickey D’s
Cynthia McMullen
April 25, 2008 9:51 PM
So I tried to drive through the splashy new McDonald’s at Boulevard and Broad a couple days ago. But the line was too long; I couldn’t wait.
Tried again yesterday. All I really wanted to do was check it out, so I ordered one of those newish chicken wraps (can’t beat the price, a buck-39) and a Coke.
When I saw how big the new building was going to be, I figured it would include one of those jumpin’, hoppin’ play areas for kids. But no, this is just a whopper (sorry, BK) of a facility, at least compared to the old one.
So far, so good: I got the right order (don’t laugh, the old McDonald’s nearly always made a mistake with my orders, usually with the salad dressing). And it’s open 24 hours, a big plus for me ... not to mention it’s right next door to the 24-hour CVS. Woo-hoo!
But when did the Cokes shrink? I assume that’s to help pay for the parking lot.
Posted in
Speaking of the dreaded Jason (ha! hair humor!)
Cynthia McMullen
April 25, 2008 8:27 PM
You know, I thought Jason Ca-"rasta"-ro (apologies to Bob Marley!) was pretty cute when the new season 
of “American Idol” began. Big smile, baby blues, cool hair, etc.
Now, for my money, he just looks kinda vacant. Forget how he sounds, I’m being superficial.
Sad when that happens, though—a possible up-and-comer is visually mesmerizing, and then he’s not much more than a yawn.
Same thing happened with Ace Young on TSOE (The Season of Elliott). Here was this really good-looking dude—then a few weeks in, I had a hard time looking my TV in the eye when Ace was making love to the camera. I began to cringe every time he tossed his head so the hair would fall just so.
I got over Ace about a week before my 15-year-old niece “dropped” him, too. She tried to hang on but just couldn’t deal.
Well, folks, I’m here to tell you I wuz WRONG. Sometimes ... sometimes ... TV lies. You’d think people would look their best, all dolled up for the camera. But sometimes all that makeup and hype does them a disservice.
How do I know? I met Ace Young at Claudette Yamin’s funeral. OK, he did have that going for him—he was nice enough to fly up from Atlanta in support of his friend—but I’m going with the superficial again.
In person, up close, Ace Young is one hot fella. Seriously. We met only because he was standing in the parking lot, talking to a couple of people, and I had to walk by him to get to my car. I was going to walk on by, but the journalist in me just couldn’t stand it. I stopped and told him I worked at a local newspaper.
Oh, sure, he whipped his shades off so fast, I’m surprised he didn’t get whiplash. But my gosh, was it ever worth 
the view. The man has such beautiful eyes—tell me if I’m gushing here—with little gold specks in them, and it was ALL I could do not to stare.
He’s also built—but you knew that—and his hair looked much better (even cleaner) in person. It’s a good thing I’m so old because I’m telling you it was all I could do not to ... well, you get my drift. Ace Young is one extremely attractive man.
In case you don’t remember Ace, I’m dropping in a photo for reference. It doesn’t do the man justice, though. I couldn’t find one that did.
After shoving my eyes back in their sockets, I asked what he was working on. He mentioned several projects, including his first single, “Addicted,” which came out last week, and his album, “Ace Young,” due for a July 15 release. He also mentioned having been at the Grammys, presumably hanging with Daughtry, with whom he co-wrote best rock song nominee “It’s Not Over.” Then he most politely excused himself because he had to head for the graveside service.
Long live Claudette, by the way. 
Loved it when Elliott gave her a handwritten shout-out (literally!) when he recently performed on “Idol.”
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