Since yesterday I have had the idea that I should write a blog post about what the passing of Adam “MCA” Yauch meant to me. I’ve started it ten times in my head, but really can’t get my head around it. Celebrity deaths affect people in different ways. People want to feel like they knew the person, or were best friends, or felt that they were a secret mentor. I didn’t know Adam personally, I knew him through his art.
I thought about embedding some rhymes from some obscure B-Boy tracks, as sort of a tribute, and those that were true fans, or had an equal appreciation would notice, and get a little chuckle.
I also thought about spinning some story about how the Beastie Boys’ music changed my life or saved me from some uber-despair. Alas, this is also not really the case. That would be too self-indulgent, and even though I’m sure that is a word that has been used to describe the talent and music of the Beastie Boys, that is not what this is about. I didn’t grow up to be a world-renowned rapper or DJ. I do still have my “Check Your Head” poster hanging on my home office door.
Music means more to me than to many people. For many, it’s just background noise. Something that plays in their car or at their desk at work. For me, that is not the case, at all. Without overstating it, music is what often makes our lives enjoyable. We develop connections to the music, we develop connections with others who feel the same things. Every once in a while something comes along that we hold so close and personal, we don’t want to share it with anyone, or those that we do are special.
I just want to strap on my ear-goggles and listen to every beat and rhyme and search for some deeper meaning. I don’t know if I will find it, but I know the exploration will be worth it, no matter what I find on the other side.
This is what Adam and his friends mean to me. This is why I’m having a hard time processing Adam’s departure. His legacy is his family. His legacy is also legions of fans and friends that share his art, style, and values. I don’t know what the future holds for the Beastie Boys, I’m sure Mike and The King don’t know either. While I’m trying to write about what some adolescent hero means to me, they are dealing with the loss of their lifelong friend.
It doesn’t even compare.
The music world lost a great artist. The world lost a great human being.
Namaste.
i will keep this brief so we can get back to watching the game. madonna is still relevant. she is iconic and influential. she unfortunately added some irrelevant talent to her show to appeal to a younger crowd. those party rock star clowns and nikki minaj detract from madonna’s own talent.
ten years from we will still listen to vogue. one year from now nikki minaj cds will still be drink coasters.
On this week’s installment of Celebrity Cook Off, there were several individual challenges. Coolio and Lou Diamond Phillips squared off with a fried chicken challenge. I don’t know if it’s racist or not, but Coolio’s family recipe protected him from elimination. Secret ingredient, hot sauce.
The real shocker of the show is how poorly Summer Sanders handles the pressure. She comes unraveled rather easily. I would think that a gold medal athlete, someone who performed on the world stage, and then the Nickelodeon stage, would be able to shrug off the pressure and focus. She is a basket case in the kitchen.
In the three way elimination challenge, the contestants had to make grilled cheese. Lou Diamond Phillips’ was over the top complicated. Some would call it over-dramatic. Cheech Marin’s, under done and greasy. How is a grilled cheese be greasy? The winner, Joey Fatone. He grilled two slices of bread with a slice of cheese and made a tomato & pickle smiley face. Simple. Winner.
I apologize for the delay in this update about Rachael vs. Guy: Celebrity Cook Off. This week’s installment of irrelevant B-list celebrity cooking was all about dessert. First off, I’ve got this show figured out, the ex-celebrity that gets the most camera time is the one that goes home. At least that’s sort of the way it appears. It really doesn’t matter who got voted off. This week it was some former Miss America. She didn’t matter then, and really doesn’t matter now. But beauty pagents are a different topic all together.
The best part of this show is that now we get to see some of these B-listers true colors. My money at this point is on Coolio. Yes, you read that correctly, Coolio. For those who don’t remember, or are slightly younger than me, Coolio was a mid-90s two-hit rapper with such ear candy as Fantastic Voyage and Gangsta’s Paradise. That being said, he is a genius in the kitchen. This week Gramma’s Lemon Puddin’ Cake was a hit. Maybe even more so than Gangsta’s Paradise.
The most obvious and clear cut winner of the weekly competition was none other than 70’s comic star, Cheech Marin. Poached Pears, check. Red wine sauce, check. Brownies, check (them for weed). He even joked about making “special brownies.” There is no way he didn’t try and sneak some weed into the kitchen. I could have predicted that Cheech would make brownies with the volume on the TV turned down.
To wrap up, two-time Olympic gold medalist Summer Sanders made a salmon salad to save her self. Lou Diamond Phillips is a time bomb and a drama queen.
So I have this fascination with terrible reality TV and the B-list of celebrities that they attract. A few seasons ago, there was a show called “Gone Country.” It featured a vast array of washed up singers, actors, and nobodies from Sean Young to Mickey Dolenz. Yes, the guy from the Monkees. The premise, to produce “the next big thing” in country music, as discovered by country sub-celebrity John Rich. Yes, the “Save a Horse” guy.
One of the more notable stars on this show was 80’s pop-rock diva Taylor Dayne. I can’t remember if she won the competition, or got voted off in week 4. Frankly, it doesn’t really matter. I think she was just trying to rejuvenate her career.
My newest obsession is this food cook-off…..Rachael vs. Guy Celebrity Cook-Off. Starring Food Network personalities Rachael Ray and Guy Fieri. Among the competitors….television’s Cheech Marin, Lou Diamond Phillips and guess who, Taylor Dayne.
I don’t know why she is on the show, maybe she needs the money. Or the groceries. Maybe she wants to break the record of how many terrible celeb-reality shows someone can be on (I believe Florence Henderson holds that record now with “5 too many”).
This show will definitely be fodder for more posts. Surprisingly, I didn’t hate it, or mock it, it was mildly entertaining.
By the way, Taylor made soup.
Erie is a fascinating place. We have a lot to offer: nightlife, culture, museums, theater. We even have several local colleges and universities, but I digress.
One of the local colleges puts together an annual film festival. It’s a time to celebrate foreign films, independent directors, real films. Until now. I realize that I shouldn’t really judge those who run this program, I’m sure they put a lot of hard work into a successful year. Again, I digress.
One of this year’s feature films is family friendly “Good Burger.” While this is no “Citizen Kane” or “Forrest Gump,” the film itself is not my object of criticism, it is the celebrity appearance by one of the stars. When I think of Nickelodeon’s “Good Burger,” I think of Keenan and Kel. And when I think of Keenan and Kel, I think of Keenan Thompson. The Batman of that duo.
Keenan Thompson is genuinely funny, talented and presently a big name SNL star. Kel Williams is not. Kel Williams must need the money.
This is sort of a follow up to the previous post. I couldn’t let Barbara Eden of the hook. So, while watching a “Wonder Years” rerun, I see a commercial for some sort of reverse mortgage scheme. This one isn’t endorsed by The Fonz, or Robert Wagner (I’m going to reserve judgement on him). This one is endorsed by the once exotic, once sensible, Barbara Eden. Now instead of blinking and making your wish come true, she blinks and the equity in your house disappears.
I can’t wait to see who the next washed up, 1960’s star they dust off to be the pitchman for bad financial decisions? The ghost of Elizabeth Montgomery? The ghost of Buddy Ebsen? Now that guy knows about financial decisions….shoot at some food, cash in big time.
What better way to say “I love you” to your children then to saddle them with debt after you have passed on. The Fonz thinks that a reverse mortgages are cool.
I didn’t think that Henry Winkler was still relevant in modern pop culture, at least not since his cameo appearances on “Arrested Development.” But who am I to judge what’s cool?
I guess he’s a trusted source of financial wisdom, greasers probably did pretty well in the 50’s and 60’s. I’m sure he was planning for his retirement while he was picking up chicks at Arnold’s. Surely his portfolio was diversified - black leather jackets and brown leather jackets.
Sure, The Fonz was (and sort of still is) a pop culture icon, but Henry Winkler is not the guy I’m going to take financial or real estate advice from. Potsy, maybe. Richie, definitely.
I admit it, I watch a lot of television. Most of it is terrible reality shows or even worse clip shows, but it’s all brain candy. Plain and simple. I’m also hooked on crazy documentaries about the end of the world or drug addiction, I can’t figure out the connection between the two, or my fascination with either.
But I’m digressing. The best part about watching TV is seeing who turns up on what shows, or in commercials, or in movie trailers. While watching the season opener of “House” I noticed the opening credits. This episode guest starred Jaleel White….Urkel. I had no idea that he was still alive. OK, that’s an overstatement. I had no idea he was still acting. Or that he was still relevant to pop culture.
During a commercial break, there was a movie trailer for the newest Ben Stiller venture. Who shows up in this movie? Eddie Murphy. Who hasn’t done anything funny, or good, since “Beverly Hills Cop.” Again, I had no idea he was still acting, or relevant to pop culture.
So there you have it. It all boils down to one question. Are you still relevant?
