I'd intended to pamper myself this weekend - at least one day out of it. Thought I'd spend Saturday book shopping and picking a nice restaurant. Plan A was to hit Rice Village. Didn't happen. Slept a lot on Saturday. Plan B was to hit the Barnes & Noble in West U on Sunday and settle on a restaurant between here and there. I went, couldn't find a book to save my life and dining ended up being at Taco Bell.
Monday rolled around, decided I'd hit the Galleria. Found a book at the B&N there ("Fortune Favors the Bold" - Lester Thurow) and dined rather splendidly at the Cheesecake Factory. The Crusted Chicken Romano was entirely splendid. No room left for what I hoped to be a Chocolate Tuxedo Cheesecake chaser. And worth passing along, the new restaurant that now occupies what was FAO Schwartz (name forgotten) looks worth a visit. Similar pricing to Cheesecake Factory, so it's not quite on the A-list for Clown Gatherings.
Still ... mission accomplished for the weekend.
Yes, but are the talks over Spice World 2 still ongoing?
Still ... something about this story doesn't quite measure up ...
SIR Bob Geldof will today announce the glittering line-up for music spectacular Live 8 - but the Spice Girls will not be in it.The decision by concert bosses to axe them from the concert will be a bitter blow to the five stars who had hoped to re-form and play together for the first time since they split in 1998.
Geri Halliwell, 32, Victoria Beckham, 31, Melanie C, 31, Melanie B, 29, and 29-year-old Emma Bunton.
A source said: "The girls will be gutted by the decision."
But Live 8 organisers were adamant their style of music did not fit in with the serious political message about world poverty the transatlantic event hopes to portray.
OK, fine ... but then there's this a few grafs down:
Other big names being lined up include Outkast, Destiny's Child, Black-Eyed Peas, Linkin Park, Alicia Keys and Mary J Blige.US rapper Eminem is due to play at the Washington concert which will be screened after the London gig.
Linkin Park Black-Eyed Peas, and Eminem are fine ... but the Spice Girls aren't? What the hell? Oh well ... the good news, at least, is that I can ponder the depth of world poverty as Robbie Williams covers the Queen classic "We Will Rock You."
SIDENOTE: Of course, I'd be remiss to note how well Adam Ant and Spandau Ballet really reflected the seriousness of the 80s original concernt, too. I mean, when "Goody Two Shoes" was playing, I couldn't help but shed a tear for Ethiopians ... not to mention the British music scene.
Finally, mother nature has caught up to the trend of obesity in lonely farmers with the development of The Fainting Goat
WARNING: Video clip is 4 Megs in size, but is work-safe and quite funny
They Liked the Naked Middle-Aged Man - Joel Stein
A refreshingly honest column here on a failed television pilot from the view of a creator witnessing it's destruction at the hands of a focus group. His assessment?
Most writers dismiss focus groups as philistines who love sappy, unrealistically righteous characters and cheap jokes. They also think executives are nervous idiots who pick the safely mediocre. And most people outside the industry think that's indeed why television is so bad.I think it's because making something good is so hard. Most books, movies, plays, albums, product design and restaurants are awful. You just see more bad TV because the medium makes it so easy to browse. My show was bad because I didn't figure out how to write a good one.
Not having witnessed the pilot to ascertain the suckiness or greatness of it, I think it's worth applauding the honesty to admit that not everything we create is a Michaelangeloesque work of art and it often benefits us to just fess up to a "My Bad" every once in a while. Failing in the aim of achieving that greatness means you're pushing your limits. Of course, if becomes habitual, it just indicates the need for a new hobby.
Yeah, but which of us ends up doing the book review?
In our last episode, we watched as the treacherous self-reaming WindowsME install was doublereamed forever, thanks to a buddy helping me remove the hard drive, install it into an outboard USB drive enclosure and waste the stricken laptop drive via the host desktop, then install the little-used ReiserFS Linux filesystem so as to fool a future Windows installer into actually transferring ALL the files, formatting situation and so forth.
But the laptop then refused not only to boot from CD but even to show the BIOS panel upon F1 invocation. Some time after discovering this, I got another minute to do some research and return to the issue; the (stock) Dell in question allows access to BIOS not with the usual tricks but with the combination Control/ALT/Enter right after power-up from cold. Now able to see the settings, I find that the boot sequence choices are either Floppy or Hard Disk. NOTHING ELSE. This means that any CD-based install would be possible using one of two methods known to me.
1) Get a special connector cable and an outboard (or dock-based) floppy drive and also locate the relevant boot floppy image (maybe at bootdisk.com or something) and create a boot floppy, then boot the machine that way, then run the install CD of your choice from the disk already inserted in the existing CD drive.
1b) A variant of the above would be to insert a dock floppy drive in the bay normally occupied by the (in this case toasted) battery while running off of the (in this case borrowed) AC adapter.
2) Go to a service center and get them to do a variant of the above.
2b) I could see if I could borrow a dock floppy drive that would fit, if the IT shop at my building has one.
All this (allowing only booting from floppy, although there is no floppy drive included) is a crude but effective way to raise the bar of those trying to get around login/password combos (security) or install from non-purchased media (rip a pirate copy of Windows). However, it slows the process of repairing a garbled, virused or whateverd OS. At least for the general pubic.
That wasn't a typo.
Things to consider:
Update the bios to one that includes CD boot?
Consider the upcoming problem of finding an old Dell Win98 CD (the TWO donors who gave me Dell PCs recently lost BOTH their install cd's - Ebay probably has 100,000 people trying to get rid of theirs for $5 (buyer beware)?
Consider a Linux install until then (maybe after adding RAM)?
Find the time to do some of this... Onward thru the fog.
--------------
Note: the easiest way to improve all this (although involving money) would be to purchase from some parts house the Dell dock floppy drive that fits this Latitude laptop (it's probably rather cheap). That would render the current BIOS no problem and as long as a power supply was purchased, give one the ability to install any system at any time in the future, in the manner described above. Assuming this strategy, the buy list would include
recommended:
Dock Floppy
Power Supply
Used Dell System Reinstall/Win98 CD
optional:
New Battery
More RAM
Norton Internet Security Pro 2005
downloads:
AdAware SE, SpyBot Search & Destroy, DSOstop2 (if needed on Win98), Spyware Blaster 3.4
all Microsoft OS updates for 98
update all player programs like Real, etc.
update all non-MS browsers/clients like Mozilla, Opera, Netscape, Firefox, Thunderbird, Eudora, etc.
"[What about] a programme about sex with animals? Yes, it's potentially possible. It all comes down to context," he said.The new code, which will apply across all TV and radio networks, allows broadcasters to "transmit challenging material, even that which may be considered offensive by some, provided it is editorially justified and the audience given appropriate information".
Mr Hooper's comments recalled Channel 4 bestiality documentary, Animal Passions, which featured a man who admitted have sex with his pony and a woman who had sex with her dog.
Of course it's digusting, but putting it on TV provides the calming salve that washes over even the worst filth and somehow tells me it's okay.
Here's a new wrinkle in the reality-TV market that might interest some:
Veteran hitmakers perform and compete! Based on the popular UK show of the same name, "Hit Me Baby One More Time" tracks down hitmakers from the past and they take the stage in a new competition in which you're the judge! Former Top Ten artists return to perform their trademark hit song along with one of today's current hits. At the end of the night, the live audience votes for their favorites!
And I already see one contestant in whom Thrillhouse will have a rooting interest.
Kudos to the editors of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review ... you created a headline that was so compelling, I just HAD to click on it to see what the ruckus was about.
Wait a minute ... did I just see Will Farrell do a riff on Rosemary's Baby in an ad for Bewitched? I'd say I'm sold on the movie, if so. But Nicole is in this one, so it's a given that I'll be there for it anyway.
Reminds me ... I still need to "be there" for The Translator
UPDATE: Not sure if I'm locating the quote properly or if it comes from another scene I think is ripe for Will's eye-poking brand of humor. It's a scene where Nicole is putting words in his mouth with her magic and he gives some authoritarian sort of decree about "forming a brotherhood of man and beast" or something-or-the-other. any help out there of anybody who catches it would be greatly appreciated.
UPDATE II: Looking through the quotes of RB on IMDB and they read like humor when taken out of context:
Guy Woodhouse: What the hell is that? Rosemary Woodhouse: I've been to Vidal Sassoon. Guy Woodhouse: You mean you actually paid for it?Rosemary Woodhouse: What's in this drink?
Minnie Castevet: Snips and snails and puppy dog's tails.
Rosemary Woodhouse: Oh? And what if we wanted a girl?
Minnie Castevet: Do you?Rosemary Woodhouse: I dreamed someone was raping me. I think it was someone inhuman.
Guy Woodhouse: Thanks a lot.Rosemary Woodhouse: I look awful.
Guy Woodhouse: What are you talking about? You look great. It's that haircut that looks awful.
In fairness, though, the haircut was rather drab.
Hand to God, I did not create this graphic.
Yeah, it's work-safe. Just depends on the boss' humor level involving ... well ... you know.
Wow ...
A man, aged 20, and a girl of 17 are believed to have been filming a mock duel when they poured fuel into two glass tubes and lit it.
The Force (not to mention a respectable IQ), clearly, was not with them.
I'm not sure why this quiz speaks to me, but I'm ripping it off regardless.
Here goes nuthin ...
Weekend survey
1. What is the best way to die?
Standard Johnny Carson answer here ... from smoke inhillation after blowing out the candles on my 200th birthday cake. Come to think of it, I think this topic came up when George Burns was on the show, so the quote might actually be attributed to Burnsie instead.
2. What's the worst way to die?
I live in a relatively high-crime part of town ... too many to contemplate. Use your own damned imagination. Mine's already been tested.
3. What do you hope to hear God say when you reach Heaven?
"Jimi and Janis are jamming on cloud 10. If you hurry, you might get a table." See, the trick here is that I'd hate to presume God would simply reserve a table for me. I view Him as a helpful God, but certainly not a booking agent. Not that booking agents can't be decent people, also.
4. True or False: What goes up must come down.
Funny this should come up as a topic. I'm reading "The Innovator's Dilemna" and there's a section describing how consumer markets trend up and continue on up indefinitely, making it harder for established companies to capture emerging, lesser attractive markets that create new segments underneath them. Interesting stuff, really. So no ... not necessarily. But usually.
5. What are you wearing? (That's got to be the cheesiest and most asked question on the net.)
Cripes, I would answer this after hitting a local club for some live music. Peejays all the way, baby. Deal with it.
6. What songs are you into these days?
"Kids In America" - The Bouncing Souls
"Square Pegs" - The Waitresses
"Now You're Gone" - Whitesnake
"Because We've Ended As Lovers" - Jeff Beck
"Could've Been" - Tiffany
7. What are you doing this weekend?
Living the life. AKA - catching up on work and other assorted web projects to potentially turn a shiny new nickel for doing.
8. Tell RTG readers something about yourself that you want us to know.
I revel in my freedom and independence.
9. Parker Grace is now 15 weeks old.
Whoosie???
10. Can you keep a secret?
Convince me that it's worth keeping and yes. If I think you're just playing me to score points on what an exclusive scoop you have to lord over us know-nothings, I might well out you as a blowhard.
11. How often did you work out this week and what did you do?
I do enough walking to keep in some form of shape that's not quite entirely described as "round".
12. Tell me an irrational fear that you have.
Hmmm, I'm inclined to think that all my fears are quite rational thank you very much.
13. What's the most important news story this week?
Dunno ... I'll see if I can gin up some action to get the tabloids spinning, though.
14. If you could be another person for a day (not a real person, more like a character), who would you be? What's the name, what does this person do and why do you want to be this person?
Depending on the mood and who's on tour, I'd say guitar player for a vocalist of my choosing. Right now, I'm leaning towards Martina McBride. Great voice that's just loads of fun to jam in the background of. I may be under the all-too-heavy influence of boosterism of one Carrie Underwood on American Idol. Very similar vocal style and naturally, I'm hoping she wins it all this coming week.
15. Tell me a blatant lie.
Stripes are the new plaid.
Let's just go ahead and declare this Geek Week and let the Star Wars previews roll ...
First up is the official review of record, from the New York Times. Aside from a notable quotable such as this: "Mr. Lucas's indifference to two fairly important aspects of moviemaking - acting and writing - is remarkable ..." the rest of the review is fairly positive. As one who is looking for a reason to be hopeful over the movie, it's at least, an encouraging read.
Best anti-Lucas rant around the web goes to this guy. Not a lot of really new arguments, but still a timely read that seems to capture more than a few of the reasons that I'm just not bouncing on pins and needles over the new episode.
Since there's not a whole lot trickling in at this early stage, here's one decent summation of the summer movie season. In the words of Jon Lovits: It Stinks! Shorter version is as follows:
... Nicole Kidman as Samantha in Bewitched: an upgrade
... Jessica Simpson as Daisy Dukes: can't miss
... Steve Martin as Inspector Clouseau: dicey, at best
... Luke Wilson as Deuce Bigalow: shoot me
... Billy Bob Thornton as Walter Mathau: shoot him
... Johnny Depp as Willy Wonka: shoot Tim Burton
... anyone in a remake of a Herbie movie: shoot everyone
With all due respect to the Batman franchise, that should not be the second most anticipated movie this summer. Top 5, maybe ... but #2? Not unless Michael Keaton is dusted off for it.
UPDATE: The
Just to catch up on some loose ends ...
In fact, I told my wife, "One of the reasons this is so stupid is because you know that if I was hooking up with CD you'd have been the first one I high-fived."
God as my witness, I'm saving that excuse for a good cause.
Thought #2 involves a viewing the night before of Bill Maher's HBO show. Among the guests were Gore Vidal, a heretofore noted intellectual ... right? Somewhere in the convo, Maher and Vidal are rapping the GOP and Vidal lets out with "Well, they are the party of masochism." Maher stops his own self-indulgent rant to ask "Why is that?" To which, Vidal rejoinders with "I don't know, ask them." Now, I ask you ... how in the holy hell did Gore Vidal ever get street cred in the intellectual community for such pearls of wisdom as THAT?
Stupid people, indeed.
Enough of this madness for now ... I've got dinner to kill and cook up.
In the event others out there have an opening on the social calendar Wednesday night, this particular clown will be starting a scene at the Big Top bar on Main Street to partake of Light Rock Express one more time. Look for the weird guy trying to read an economic tome over beer while humming the melodic strains of Paul McCartney's "My Love."
... oh, and RSVP in the comments if you dare.
What a difference an instrument makes. Being alerted that local heroes Molly & the Ringwalds would be having a local hotshot sax player sitting in with the band for a few tunes, I knew to expect something different ... most likely something a tad better, even. But Ken Mondshine, the saxophonist in question, managed to impress on all levels. If I dare say so, even the Ringwalds seemed to be playing a good deal tighter than normal, but the fuller sound of the three or four numbers Ken sat in on were without a doubt, some of the best Rinwaldian fare heard in my short tenure as a regular (to the extent I dare suggest that I qualify as "regular").
Upon Ken's departure, we were left with yet another spectacle of noteworthy proportions. Seems our dear friend Sam Ringwald took umbrage with my comments on his Slash impersonation and apparently set out to prove something with his performance Friday night. Let it be known that whatever it was he was trying to prove ... got proved. A few extended solos and added riffs here and there and you'd have thought Sam just checked in from the Eddie Van Halen School of Showmanship. Particularly noteworthy for yours truly was a "crunchier" guitar sound on the pop classic "Voices Carry" ... not enough to alter the tone of the song, but enough to give it a bit more heft. It's worth pointing out that a good number of pop/new wave bands played in such a manner live back before the effects got as cheap, assorted, and easy to manipulate as they are now. A first hearing of "Open Arms" was also notably well done. Ironically, while I maintain the Slash material, though significantly better this go-round, is still a bit off, Sam's version of Neal Schon is pretty damn good and I offer that as one who views Schon as the better overall guitar player.
Notes from the Mina Fan Club: Yeah, I'm dusting off the old Rocky Horror fan club card for this since Mina accomplished two feats on this night: a) setting the tone for 80s wear and b) doing a kick-ass version of "Johnny Are You Queer?" For tunage that passed me by in the 80s (such as this number), the key is to make the number interesting. Take, for instance, the band's version of "Cool Rider." Anyone really remember that tune by heart? Probably not since about 5 people ever saw Grease II. But when done well, it doesn't matter ... good music done well wins everytime and Mina hit the number out of the park getting another solid crowd ovation for her efforts (as well as a shoutout from the Sigue Sigue Sputnick Fan Club of Houston and from the almighty Jennifer Ringwald for her outfit). Not sure I'm in the market for offering bribery if the band can manage to learn Julie Brown's "Cuz I'm A Blonde," but I will offer this much ... learn the song, put Mina on vocals, and I will proceed to dance for the entire number. Since the entire universe of living souls who have ever seen yours truly dance for the sake of making a complete ass of myself can be counted on one hand, I assure you, it'll be pretty damned entertaining for one and all. If you've seen the movie Old School, I'm going to suggest that Will Ferrell studied some unearthed recordings of my work. Oh, and apparently my need to procure an anime movie has finally kicked in as Mina will now be gracing such a venture, due out in a few months. The Fan Club was all set to follow Mina to some other club up on Main, but we never located the club in question. We do report an increase in metabolism from the workout that ensued in attempting to locate the joint, though. Next time, let's hope my cell phone is working.
Notes from the Jennifer Ringwald Fan Club: The boxing moves have won us over, we're happy to confess. But would it not be fitting to add "Eye of the Tiger" to the playlist for just such moves? I know, I know, I've already hectored enough about adding more to the Ringwald to-do list and there's only so many hours in a day and we hear ya on how busy those workdays are. We can be so demanding at times. In fairness, we'd have no complaints about a show conducted with 24 variations of the Irene Cara hit "Flashdance," so we like to think there's a balance there somewhere. Best line of the night: "I think Johnny Cash wrote it."
Notes from the Carrie Ringwald Fan Club: That look last night had to be perhaps the most 80s "do" I think I've seen from the Ringwald Femmes ... kudos. The outfit, as always ... solid. The hair in particular ... very worthy of any new wave act from the day. Oh, and lest we neglect the proper kudos, "Open Arms" was done nothing short of magnifecently.
Miscellaneous notes and loose ends:
First things first ... allow me to put the wraps on this series of long-form reviews of the weekly Ringwald festival of fun. Yeah, we've pretty much run out of fawning praise to heap upon Carrie and Jen. And given my lack of desire for a restraining order, I think we're good to just put some more passing references in future "What I Did on My Abbreviated Weekend"-type posts. Of course, if something big happens at a Ringwald show, I might have to do some hand exercises to dust off the carpal tunnels and crank out another one of these gems. But seriously, how many times can one thoroughly note the majestic magnificence of "Jessie's Girl" without getting redundant? Dare I say I've come as close to the wall on that as I hope to reach.
Clearly, if I've communicated any set of facts regarding this band, it should be that they should be witnessed in person as often as possible and appreciated on as many levels as I do ... if not more. Of course, if you're reading this now and thinking next week is the week you bust a move to the Continental Club, then tough luck - the band hits Austin for a weekend and the Carrie & Jennifer Ringwald Fan Club goes homeless for said time as we'll probably just sit at home listening to "Safety Dance" about a hundred times in a row before drinking ourselves to sleep.
A Note From Wednesday: A relatively minor note from Wednesday's show by Light Rock Express for a political fundraiser at the CC ... I'm now sorry that Uber and I departed before the gang ended their show the last time. The ending of "Taking It To The Street" is worth the entire show alone, though I'd be remiss to note my own appreciation of their cover of McCartney's "My Love" - among my personal faves. Funny thing was that for 95% of the whole night, there were but a precious few people really taking an active interest in the band. It was a social gathering, so they're pretty much background music, which was sortofa shame but oh well. As the crowd trickled out and the band hit the final number, the dozen or so who were still around noticed this band of merry troopers departing the club, clapping and singing the chorus only to arrive through the back entrance and finish off the song right where they left off. At this point, the crowd was won over, even if too late for a greater appreciation. While the top spot for my own obsessive brand of appreciation is already claimed, I think there's no shame in suggesting this band is a pretty close second. Much like the Ringwalds, it's just good clean fun done well. I may have to try and take in their Wednesday show in order to get me through the empty hole in my weekend.
Oh, and another impressive find for the night ... since I arrive at the club my usual 5 minutes early, I amble about along the sidewalk and notice that Sigs Lagoon is open ... it's the shop that's between the CC and the Big Top. I'm not sure I remember it being open before ... if it was, then I missed it and I'm an idiot. But killing some time, I checked through and inspected the merchandise (having been lured in by the prospect of a $7.99 donkey that dispenses cigarettes out of it's butt). One word to sum up this place: WOW!!! I need to locate an inexpensive turntable since this place specializes in some quality wax. They've got a good selection of DVDs and CDs as well for the alt-music scene ... lots of prime era punk, some acceptable country and blues ... as well as ample local tunage (I think they had the complete offerings of local legends The El Orbits). I was tempted to sift through the $1 LP pile and take out a bundle's worth just for the hell of it. But I also noticed some nice fresh vinyl of The Ramones that I haven't seen in a LONG time (including a 1978 concert recording). I think I may as well just sign over a percentage of my paycheck to the shopkeep.
I think this covers it for now ... I reserve the right to amend this record if details warrant an extension of my remarks, though.
Peace!
Okay, some guys at the Linux users' group helped me install a filesystem onto the hard drive that wasted all previous data structures...
in preparation for loading something else. There's still no new power supply ordered as far as I know (replacement for ADP-70EB, such as the one on Dell's site described as part number 310-1093 for $59.95), but I found one at UH that I can borrow intermittently since the laptop battery is 90% toast. A standard OEM Win98 disk does not install, probably due to the Dell BIOS demanding to see Dell drivers and utilities. Therefore, I'll use the Dell CD from a computer a relative is dumping on me to do an install on the laptop; I should get hold of that CD in about 2 weeks.
And since by the end of the month I'll be the owner of TWO refurb Dell desktops, I'll be looking into nasty stuff like BIOS flashing, replacement, upgrading, downgrading, etc. so if the HARD way of installation is necessary, I'll be able to do it THAT way without a Dell disk.
Once again, for best results, the machine will absolutely need:
* secondhand Dell system disk with Win95 or 98 (since it's only a P1 and that's your filesystem/gaming standard
* immediately install free defenses ZoneAlarm, SpyBot, Spyware Blaster and AdAware SE
* buy a replacement power supply / AC adapter as listed above
and optionally
- new internal battery
- more memory (memoryx.com has a good lookup system)
- Norton Internet Security or McAfee Security Suite
Prognosis for rebuild is good; although install is prevented at the moment, all error messages are consistent with healthy hardware and BIOS.
Uh oh ....
... and:
The Darkness' Justin Hawkins To Release Solo Album
... and:
The Darkness' Justin To Delve Into The World Of Darts
About all that's left is for Justin Hawkins to include a cover of California Girls and shoot a video with a dancing midget. Methinks we've seen this tragedy play out before.
I'd just like to state for the record that Paula Abdul and I have never had sexual relations. Of course, what really stings is that there was never any interest in my tell-all book about our still-otherwise steamy relationship.
Seriously, with all the news set to break today about L'Affaire Abdul, there's a deep sense of irony in reading quotes such as these:
"I am quite surprised and disappointed ABC is devoting an hour of its prime time programming to air tabloid trash," a top FOX executive said from Los Angeles.
I mean, come on now!!! This is outrage from the people that brought you Married With Children, Family Guy, Herman's Head, untold versions of "World's Most Fillintheblank Car Crashes/Animals Going Wild/Other Assorted Whatnot" as well as the commercialization of the unisex bathroom at law firms.
And THEY'RE outraged over tabloid trash?
What next? The WB getting outraged over CBS popularizing MILF fantasies? UPN slamming NBC for a series on blaxploitation films?
OK, OK ... so I've broken down and watched this American Idol series most every week this season. Lesson here is that anytime one gets a hot blonde to do a kickass version of one of Tiffany's better numbers, I'm a ready market. I, too, felt the sting of Anwar and Constantine's early departures while remaining perplexed at the seriously out of place Scott and the overly average Anton remaining on the show. As hoky as the show's concept is ... and as frequently as the finales tend to gravitate towards two contestants that I really have no truck with, this season seems to be a bit better if for the fact that the two likeliest to make it to the final duo (Bo & Carrie) are two that I can find some non-prepackaged & overly commercialized reason to enjoy.
So what to make of a judge who, when the competition arrives at a point where the judges role is significantly diminished, picks out clothing and a hair stylist for a contestant 20 years her junior ... and whom she promptly goes about bedding at a later point in time? I dunno ... I remain unimpressed with the basic thrust of the story - that there's something untowards about Paula Abdul's involvement. I think there's some quality analysis here in (of all places) a Houston Chronicle article that sums it up fairly for me:
"This goes back to puritanical literature from the 17th century," said Rich Hanley, a pop culture expert at the School of Communications at Quinnipiac University in Connecticut. Where within that "puritanical infrastructure, the culture seems to be more critical of sexual proclivity" than of drug abuse or even domestic violence."With sex the morality is clear-cut. Sex is the definition of taboo in our culture at large," said Steve Waksman, a professor of music at Smith College in Massachusetts. "On some level it's weird that this particular thing is playing out the way it is. Drugs are, typically, every bit as suspect. I think there are certain places in the culture where drug use is likely to be overlooked. Clearly, within the workings of the music industry, drug use is, I don't know if I'd go far enough to say routine, but it's not an overstatement.
"It has to do with character, and character has to do with expectation. Some people aren't expected to know better or some people are expected to live more dangerously."
Then there's the gender double standard.
Women in trouble
Take American Idol's second season castoff Franchelle Davis, who was kicked off after it was revealed she had starred in a porn movie, or, in a broader sense, the Janet Jackson breast-baring fiasco at last year's Super Bowl. In both cases the women were chastised. Davis was thrown off the show, and Jackson's new album didn't sell. In the Super Bowl incident, Justin Timberlake, who exposed Jackson's breast, enjoyed a boost in popularity."Women, I think, are expected to follow a more strict set of rules," Waksman explained.
That's why Monica Casper, director of women's and gender studies at Vanderbilt University in Tennessee, thinks Abdul will be "vilified" if these accusations turn out to be true.
"I feel like there's a contradiction in that women are so often positioned as sexual objects and on display, (yet) we're also in trouble if we participate in an unacceptable way."
Anthony Pomes, who served as chief research editor on Joe Franklin's Great Entertainment Trivia Game, said Abdul was almost set up for this kind of scandal.
When Constantine Maroulis was booted off AI last week, "the cameras almost created a romance between him and Paula," Pomes said. "She was the weeping wife, waiting for the GI to come home. It became almost The Paula and Constantine Show."
"These are archetype characters with these archetype story lines of the rise, the fall and the redemption," Hanley said.
Or, from another vantagepoint ... Ashton Kutcher good; Demi Moore not good. Sure, it'd be great and wonderful if everyone played according to type and those "types" were universally accepted as fine and dandy. But the worst case scenario in the current affair (pun intended) is that a "judge" who has no say-so on someone's professional success might have helped the guy pick a song or two before he ultimately got canned from the show when it was revealed he whomped his sister and some cops earlier in life. I mean, what was the bargain here? That Paula would REALLY say nice things about the guy after his 90 second musical venture on the stage? ... as opposed to the "just kinda nice" stuff she'd otherwise spout off about people whether they sucked or not? I mean, that's sorta like nailing the Special Ed teacher ... she was gonna pass everyone and say nice things about you anyway. So what's really to gain?
Oh right ... a book deal. I forgot about that. 'Nuff said.
More Linkage:
ABC News: Ex-'Idol' Claims Abdul Affair
http://www.drudgereport.com/mattid2.htm
An Illicit Affair on 'American Idol'?
AI's Response:
RESPONSE TO CLARK ALLEGATION
Disqualified “American Idol” contestant Corey Clark was removed from the show for failing to disclose his criminal arrest history. Despite documented procedures and multiple opportunities for contestants to raise any concerns they may have, the producers of “American Idol,” FremantleMedia, 19 Entertainment and FOX were never notified or contacted by Mr. Clark, nor presented any evidence concerning his claims. We will, of course, look into any evidence of improper conduct that we receive. In the meantime, we recommend that the public carefully examine Mr. Clark’s motives, given his apparent desire to exploit his prior involvement with “American Idol” for profit and publicity.
