American Idol Update: Elliott, Phone Home

Ken AshfordPopular CultureLeave a Comment

I didn’t see the show, but I hear that the voting was close — everyone within one percentage point of each other.  (Of course, one percentage point could be 50,000-100,000 votes).  But Elliott had the least votes, and Paula cried. At this point, it’s hard to get revved up for the finales, because one of two things will happen: (1)  … Read More

About The Da Vinci Code

Ken AshfordGodstuff, Popular CultureLeave a Comment

Conservative Christians don’t want you to see it because they don’t want people to entertain the possibility that Jesus and Mary Magdalene were married and had a child. Religious sect Opus Dei don’t want you to see it because they don’t like the fact that they’re depicted in the film as a bunch of self-flagellating albino weirdos. But there’s another … Read More

Condi Rice’s iPod Random Ten

Ken AshfordPopular CultureLeave a Comment

Seriously: Piano Concerto in D minor – Mozart Sunshine of Your Love – Cream Respect – Aretha Franklin Celebration – Kool and the Gang Piano Concerto No 2 – Brahms Piano Quintet in F minor – Brahms Anything by U2 Rocket Man – Elton John Symphony No 7 – Beethoven Boris Godunov – Mussorgsky

George Michael Gets Woken Up Before He Go-Goes

Ken AshfordPopular Culture1 Comment

Ex-pretty boy George Michael ain’t lookin’ so pretty these days. Especially when he’s woken up. Especially when he’s woken up from being asleep at the wheel of his car. Especially when he woken up from a stoned stupor while wearing an iPod at 4:00 in the morning at the wheel of his car, only to speed off and get into … Read More

Chris Daughtry To Go? (UPDATE: Yup)

Ken AshfordPopular Culture3 Comments

Thanks to Heather for pointing this out — it looks like Chris Daughtry will be voted out this week. Zeba Search, a free search engine,has the ability to track and tally phone calls and text messages to certain phones numbers, including the phone numbers used to vote for American Idol finalists. It’s not 100% accurate although (according to Heather), they … Read More

China’s Birth Control Policy

Ken AshfordPopular CultureLeave a Comment

Couples in China are only allowed to have a single child.  Sometimes, I think that’s a good idea: Britney Spears told David Letterman on Tuesday that she is pregnant with baby No. 2. "Don’t worry Dave, it’s not yours," the pop princess quipped on "The Late Show."

American Idol Update: Elvis Week

Ken AshfordPopular Culture1 Comment

Liveblogging tonight! Well, I think this is going to be Elliott’s last night, but we’ll see.  Oh, it’s Elvis.  Katharine must not be pleased. FIRST ROUND (1)  Taylor ("Jailhouse Rock"):  This is typical Taylor.  Boisterous and fun.  I’m not sure "typical Taylor" is what he should be doing.  He’s great, but he needs to kick it up this week.  Vocals: … Read More

Pickler Thumbs Nose At Idol Restrictions

Ken AshfordPopular CultureLeave a Comment

By contract, Idol finalists are not supposed to sing at public events (outside of the Idol competition of course) until their contract is up.  But Kellie did, singing the National Anthem at her "homecoming" in Albemarle: "I’m going to get in so much trouble for this," she said, "but what are they going to do — kick me off the … Read More

American Idol: Down To Four

Ken AshfordPopular CultureLeave a Comment

Paris voted off which means Elliott dodged a bullet (yet again).  I can’t imagine him lasting through next week.  Catharine will get a pass (at least for one more week) because she’s the only girl left.  Chris and Taylor are too strong.  But who knows? Unfortunate about Paris.  She had spunk.  The best under-20 of the whole crowd (she’s 17).  … Read More

American Idol Update: Billboard Charts

Ken AshfordPopular Culture1 Comment

Okay.  Now the show is really good.  There really isn’t a weak one in the remaining five.  Now we have to separate the silver standard from the gold standard. I hadn’t watched Idol in a couple of years, and I forgot that they switch to a two-song-per-show format as thing get to the wire.  Good.  It’s much better all around, … Read More

More National Anthems

Ken AshfordPopular CultureLeave a Comment

With all the hub-bub about the Spanish version of the National Anthem, I thought I’d generate more ire by linking to this mp3 of the National Anthem in Morse Code (yup, the International Morse Code), via Boing Boing. Not your cup of tea?  Fine.  Below the fold is the National Anthem …in binary code.  Enjoy.

Improv Everywhere Strikes Again

Ken AshfordPopular CultureLeave a Comment

Improv Everywhere is an improvisational group which does, well, I guess you could call it performance art.  But rather than "perform" for an "audience" in a "theater", the group performs "missions", or "happenings" (to use the parlance of the 80’s). Past missions include staffing the restroom of Midtown McDonald’s with a bathroom attendant, and performing a synchronized swimming routine in … Read More

“Winnie The Pooh Has A Really Big, Heavy Head”

Ken AshfordPopular CultureLeave a Comment

The following is an interview with Crystal Nettles, who recently left Disneyland after five years working in costume, playing such characters as Pluto and Eeyore: Is there a social hierarchy at the park? Like, the princesses in the parade are cool, and they look down on people in Goofy costumes, or maybe the costume people are cooler? Well, they had … Read More