Mego's blog

Don't 'Weight' (even if you're a hipster). Add Mikal Cronin to your summer soundtrack.

There's a debate in the YouTube comments section of Mikal Cronin's song, "Weight" as to whether the song is hipster nonsense, something I struggle with when it comes to music these days. Years ago, liking Mikal Cronin would be just "cool." No problems with it. Now, this type of music is synonymous with something you'd hear at either a microbrewery or Urban Outfitters. 

I'm not coming out as a hipster, but I will say that I rather enjoy Cronin's album MCII, and that it reminds me of the Beach Boys Pet Sounds. Would a hipster say that? Or just someone who likes music? Because I also listen to 2 Chainz if that helps. 

 

Two for Tuesday---two chapters (5 and 6) of '50 Shades of Grey' the podcast

Holy crap!

We're finally getting somewhere in Chapters 5 and 6 of reading E.L. James' 50 Shades of Grey. Access the podcast here. Anastasia is learning about male thunder down under, and Joey at MovieMoJoe and I are learning that James leaves no mundane detail behind (please tell us more about your hair, Ana!). 

But is it wrong to be attracted to Christian Grey even if he's kinda scary? Is it also wrong that we can't stop thinking of ways for Anastasia to die? 

Finally, is it wrong that Joey got distracted and took this picture of a blimp while we were reading?

It's all in the podcast. Enjoy!

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Sharon Needles was in Philadelphia this past weekend. And it was sickening!

This past Saturday night, I got to see "RuPaul's Drag Race" season 4 winner Sharon Needles perform at The Voyeur in Philadelphia. 

The often controversial drag queen performed songs from her album PG-13, including "This Club is a Haunted House," "Dead Girls Never Say No," and "Drink Til I Die." While one would expect Sharon to perform the entire album, she only ended up performing about seven songs total, including a Rocky Horror Picture Show song (can you guess which one? Obvi, right). I was disappointed that I didn't get to hear "Dressed to Kill" or that the sequiny adornment hanging from the ceiling wasn't appropriately used for "Disco Ball." And unfortunately, there was no "Kai Kai."

But Lord Satan, were there costume changes. In between songs, Ms. Needles would change behind a curtain, talking faux smack talk about everyone in the audience as if her microphone were left on, which was kind of enjoyable considering that some of the audience members thought she was her other half, Alaska Thunder f***. Sharon even acknowledged this mistaken identity on stage.

Of course, she also acknowledged that Alaska wasn't there that night, citing that the Season 5 runner-up was in Cleveland---she then proceeded to make a joke about Ariel Castro and then the Boston Marathon bombings ("She said Boston was a blast"). Not even Ru herself would dare touch these jokes, which just goes to show Sharon is not a chip off the old block. 

Girlfriend also relished making fun of Season 5 winner Jinkx Monsoon, saying, "Water off a bat's back" instead of Jinkx's mantra, "Water off a duck's back." No Roxxxy cracks, though---however, Phi Phi O'Hara also was the punchline to a few jokes, which I think everyone enjoyed. 

There's something that really works about Sharon's horror glam. You can't take your eyes off her. She brings about the same sensation as a roller coaster ride: both terrifying and fun. 

Why is 'Tiger Eyes' the first Judy Blume book brought to the big screen? Doesn't seem fair.

There are two things to make note of while watching the trailer for the film Tiger Eyes. One, Amy Jo Johnson---yes, the Pink Power Ranger---is in this film. Two, this is the first Judy Blume book to be adapted into a movie. 

 

Seriously. This seems crazy to me. Judy Blume---mother of all books about adolescence---doesn't have a movie adaptation. And she gets the messy stuff right, too, addressing sex, puberty, and anything the Hardy Boys weren't looking for. 

Tiger Eyes is actually directed by Judy's son, so there's a personal element to the film, which tells the tale of a teenager coping with her father's murder---dark stuff.

But why is this the first Judy Blume movie? How in the hell has Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret not been adapted! Young women learning about menstruation is timeless. Everyone from Winona Ryder to Abigail Breslin could have played the titular Margaret. 

Or what about Summer Sisters? A novel that explores the friendship between two teenagers into adulthood---one wild/one mild---who spend every summer together. 

And of course there are countless other classics like Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, Deenie, and Forever---all of which would make great movies. You really Double fudged it up, Hollywood!

Although maybe it's kind of great that Judy Blume's books haven't been made into movies. They can preserved the way they were intended to be enjoyed, instead of a watered-down version of what Blume had in mind. However, it still seems crazy to me that there are five movies about vampire teenagers and none about a Judy Blume character. 

'Twenty Feet From Stardom' sheds light on what it's like to be a backup singer.

Confession: If I were in the music business, I would want to be in a girl group like The Shirelles. And I wouldn't have to be the lead singer, either. I would just be happy to be able to do the cutesy dance moves and harmonies. 

Because of this fantasy, I'm especially excited for the new documentary Twenty Feet From Stardom, a film highlighting both the plight and triumph of female background singers like Darlene Love and, my personal favorite, Merry Clayton, who sings backup on Rolling Stones' "Gimme Shelter." 

 

It's about time these ladies get the spotlight. Without them, our favorite rock and pop songs wouldn't be the same. 

May 26 can't get here soon enough---trailer for the new season of 'Arrested'!

On May 26, I fully intend to do NOTHING but watch "Arrested Development" when season 4 premieres on Netflix, and I'm not ashamed to say this. 

It has been my absolute favorite show since it premiered back in 2003, and seeing this trailer, and laughing out loud throughout it, just reminds me of how much I've missed the Bluths as if they were my own dysfunctional family (although doesn't everyone have a Buster?).

 

I must say, doesn't everyone look splendid? Maeby is still adorable, even if she is a grownup now. Lindsey looks great with short hair! It's good to see Gob is still up to his old tricks.

Forget Iron Man 3---this is my summer blockbuster. 

Leonardo DiCaprio has a magazine dedicated to him, and it's weird.

Over the weekend, The Great Gatsby wasn't great enough to get number one at the box office, but it did manage to pool in enough numbers for number two (for those of you who haven't seen the movie or cracked a book in 8th grade, pool refers to Gatsby's demise---I was trying to be clever, and it failed). 

But fear not: "Leomania" circa 1998 is back and more ridiculous than ever, with this discovery at my local Barnes & Noble.

I'm sorry, but just how many issues does this magazine expect to run? There are only so many articles you can do on Martin Scorsese, dating hot models, and friendship with Tobey Maguire. And based on the article plugs on the front cover, the rag seems pretty generic. They should really employ Cosmo tactics: "10 Ways to Please Your Man in Bed. . .As If He Were Leo!"

I feel bad for the poor English or journalism major who finally got his or her big break working for this publication. If this mag is anything like most of Leo's characters in his movies, it probably won't survive. Although please stop me 10 years from now if people are saying, "Did you read the latest DiCaprio?"

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Helen Keller! Green men! Children gawking at us while we read!

The latest "50 Shades of Grey" podcast is brimming with more drama than the actual book.

Also, if you're going to listen to it and have children in the room, you may want to escort them out as the following podcast is rated R for f words and graphic sexual references brought up in Ross Mathews new book. 

Chapter 4 can be accessed right here. 

Also, I realize that I referred to Helen Keller's teacher as Jane Sullivan---I really meant Anne. So don't be hatin' in the comments. 

Like a menstrual cramp on your wedding night, Gwyneth Paltrow is the ultimate buzzkill.

Gwyneth Paltrow makes it so very hard to like her. 

By now, we've all grown accustomed to her lavish life. Friends with Beyonce and Jay-Z. Nonsensical baby names. A website that rhymes with poop and yet is still successful. But now she's gone too far. 

Would it hurt her to just enjoy all of the cool things she gets to do, like attending the Met ball? According to USA Today, Paltrow said that the star-studded gala was, "so un-fun. I'm never going again."

This, coming from the woman who got to be photographed with friggin' superstar-of-the-moment, Psy:

Psy! C'mon! Is she Hollywood's Debbie Downer? Nothing is ever good enough! 

It's disheartening to read this. Granted, Paltrow is not a PR person's wet dream, as she's pretty polarizing, but saying stuff like this just alienates her more. I want to say her comments are like Cinderella going to the ball and complaining about it, but Cinderella was poor as shit, so it's kind of like Cinderella's wicked stepsister going to the ball and complaining about it, something not even Drizella would do. That elevates her beyond an evil Disney character. Congratulations, Gwynnie. You could make Mickey cry.

The most hilarious part is that Paltrow has been to the Met ball before (uhhh like last year), so it's not like she didn't know what to expect. 

Song in the Lexus commercial had me 'Wandering' for the artist.

I caught this commercial the other day on television, and despite not actually looking at the television screen at the time, it sparked my attention through the haunting voice, an effortlessly low timbre with a touch of soulful jazz:

 

After a Google search, I discovered that it's the voice of artist Kristina Train, covering Aretha Franklin's "I'm Wandering" for the ad. 

Her latest album Dark Black came out in late 2012, with tracks worth listening to like "Lose You Tonight."

 

Commercials are starting to be the best way to discover new music. Either companies are getting more savvy or hipster. Or maybe just lucky. 

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