Porn Stars To Perform On Legitimate London Stage

Ken AshfordPopular CultureLeave a Comment

You have to hand it to Fox.  They’ve taken the "reality show" genre and come up with some pretty unique ideas.  Most realities shows suck, but this — well, it could be very amusing: NEW YORK (Reuters) — A new television reality show invites porn stars to test their serious acting abilities in London’s theater district, raising the question: Debbie … Read More

Tin Soldiers And Nixon’s Coming

Ken AshfordBush & Co., Popular CultureLeave a Comment

Nearly 25 years after the Kent State massacre, Neil Young still isn’t one to mince words, as he demonstrates in his unsubtly-titled new song: "Impeach The President": Let’s impeach the president for lyingAnd leading our country into warAbusing all the power that we gave himAnd shipping all our money out the door He’s the man who hired all the criminalsThe … Read More

More Kellie

Ken AshfordLocal Interest, Popular CultureLeave a Comment

Getting ready for work this morning, I had the local Fox affiliate on in the background.  Joining the Fox crew in the studio was voted-off American Idol finalist and North Carolina native Bucky Covington. And shortly before 8:00, live from Hollywood via satellite, they conducted an interview with Kellie Pickler, who had only had one hour of sleep last night … Read More

American Idol Update: Albemarle Calling

Ken AshfordPopular Culture1 Comment

Yup.  I’m a fan — I think she’s — well — you know.  Just sweet and humble and ditzy and real. But in the talent department, she just didn’t have the stuff anymore. For kicks and grins, I went to the Kellie Pickler fan site (the biggest one I believe — there are many) to see the initial reactions. First … Read More

One Billion Words In The English Language

Ken AshfordPopular CultureLeave a Comment

The Associated Press headline proclaims "English Language Hits 1 Billion Words" and the first three paragraphs of the article read: A massive language research database responsible for bringing words such as "podcast" and "celebutante" to the pages of the Oxford dictionaries has officially hit a total of 1 billion words, researchers said Wednesday. Drawing on sources such as weblogs, chatrooms, … Read More

Dracula Sucks

Ken AshfordPopular CultureLeave a Comment

Another Broadway musical about Dracula, the third vampire-based musical attempt in four years, is getting crucified by the critics. This time it is "Lestat" — an Elton John-Bernie Taupin creation — based on the Anne Rice novels. In a review headlined "Vampires, the musical kiss of death," The Washington Post’s Peter Marks said the fixation with singing vampires had to … Read More

The Worst Song In The World

Ken AshfordPopular CultureLeave a Comment

CNN readers responded in droves, and the results are in: 5. "Seasons in the Sun," Terry Jacks (No. 1 for three weeks, 1974): "A melody you couldn’t play for your dog combined with inane lyrics" (Chris K.); "An all-time piece of dreck" (Darrell); "Having to listen to it is a season in hell" (Bonnie D.). 4. "I’ve Never Been to … Read More

New Star Trek Movie Sure Will Suck

Ken AshfordPopular CultureLeave a Comment

Apparently, the story will focus on the "original cast", but not with the original cast. It will be about Kirk and Spock and their days together when they meet as young cadets at Starfleet Academy.   (Obviously, Shatner and Nimoy — both 75 now — will not be playing the lead roles). I mention this in passing, but blogger Lance Mannion … Read More

Mick Jagger To Headline In A New Sitcom?

Ken AshfordPopular CultureLeave a Comment

Sounds bizarre, but it’s true.  He signed a deal with ABC. Now before you start kvetching, the idea doesn’t sound that bad.  Jagger will be the focus of the sitcom, and it will be named after him (it is tentatively titled "Let’s Rob Mick Jagger"), but he won’t necessarily have a lot of on-screen time: As [producer Rob] Burnett outlined … Read More

American Idol Update: The Love Songs

Ken AshfordPopular Culture2 Comments

Guess what?  If you set your TIVO to record "American Idol", but a thunderstorm knocks out your cable box (unbeknownst to you), your TIVO won’t record "American Idol". Yup.  I missed it.  I have no idea what happened.  The entertainment section of the Chicago Tribune writes: Love is fickle. Love songs are even fickler. Just ask Kellie Pickler, who torched … Read More

Scram Cruise

Ken AshfordPopular CultureLeave a Comment

Tom and Katie gave their baby the name "Suri".  They said it meant "princess" in Hebrew. It doesn’t.  It means "get out of here". Oh, well.  That’s Hollywood.

And You Thought It Was Over

Ken AshfordPopular CultureLeave a Comment

Yup, they’re making another Star Trek movie.  The 11th one since 1979.  The eleventh.  (I stopped paying attention after, like, the sixth one). It’s unclear which "generation" the movie will focus on.  The original cast is pretty much a non-starter: Doohan (Scotty) and Kelley (Dr. McCoy) are dead.  Shatner is 75 and fat, but could play Jabba the Hut (ooops … Read More

Julia Roberts Panned

Ken AshfordPopular CultureLeave a Comment

Apparently, she’s not wowing the critics with her Broadway debut: NEW YORK (Reuters) – Julia Roberts is still Hollywood’s ultimate "Pretty Woman" but her first venture onto a Broadway stage failed to convince the critics whose verdict was "modest," "flat" and "lackluster." Hundreds of fans gathered outside the theater for Wednesday’s opening night of "Three Days of Rain" and stars … Read More

American Idol Update: That’s All, Ace

Ken AshfordPopular Culture7 Comments

Last night was Ace’s night to go.  It was only a matter of time, and better sooner than later.  How approrpriate that his song for the week was Nat King Cole hit, "That’s All". The startling thing was the voters’ choice for "bottom three".  Granted, at this stage in the competition, you are going to have really good people in … Read More