Last week, The Rundown was loaded up with ladies who were once everywhere and are currently nowhere to be found. Seriously, when is the last time you saw Rachel Leigh Cook?
As promised, this week's installment switches sexes and looks at the guys who have gone AWOL. Fittingly enough, another She's All That alum is leading us off.
Top Five Male Disappearing Acts
5. Freddie Prinze Jr.
Much like the lady who played Laney, Prinze was everywhere during the She's All That / Summer Catch / Scooby-Doo days and now, ghost. His most memorable turn in the past few years probably was his guest spot as a male nanny on Friends, and that was seven years ago. Sadly, he's coming back, joining the cast of 24 for the 2010 season.
4. Cuba Gooding Jr.
Everything was going great. Good roles were coming in. Then came the Oscars and Rod Tidwell's acceptance speech. Since then you've got Rat Race, Boat Trip, so many straight-to-DVD releases they could fill an entire wall at Blockbuster. Let this be a lesson to actors everywhere: if you win an Oscar, don't act a fool or else you'll end up being Cuba's co-star in Daddy Day Camp 2.
3. Joaquin Phoenix
I know where he's gone - CRAZY! Consider this more of a "Get your ass back here and quit being all weird" than a "Whatever happened to?" type moment. Easily one of the best actors of this generation, Rivers' little brother decided earlier in the year to pack it in, grow a ridiculous beard and become the worst rapper ever, as if the world needs more shitty rappers and less great actors.
2. Everyone From N Synce Not Named Timberlake
These guys collectively are the new Andrew Ridgeley. You know - the other guy from WHAM! with George Michael. These four schleps are the modern equivalent. Let's see what they've done since JT left town:
Note to all groups with one super-talented member: keep them around or fade into oblivion.
1. Diddy
Whether you call him Sean Combs, Puff Daddy, P. Diddy or any of the 47 other names he's used, you might have a hard time calling him since he's seemingly disappeared. There was a point when you couldn't escape him. He was Making the Band, opening restaurants, taking over the fashion world with Sean John and producing hits left, right and center. Now I can't tell you the last time I saw Diddy on a magazine cover or on television. Where'd you go, Diddy?
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
The Rundown: Have You Seen Him?
Monday, December 22, 2008
Hugh Jackman? Really?
I know it was announced a handful of days ago, but I'm a little slow on the uptake and been focusing on more important things... like Fantasy Football.
Seems that the super geniuses at the Academy Awards have hand picked People's Sexiest Man 2008 Hugh Jackman to host the Oscars this year.
Really?
See, this would be awesome if it were, say, Wolverine Hugh Jackman, adamantium blades extended, chomping on a cigar. It'd even be okay if it were Someone Like You Hugh Jackman, man-whoring his way around the stage with gigantic hickeys on his neck from where "I bit myself shaving" as he would say.
But no, this is Australia Hugh Jackman...Tony Award winner Hugh Jackman... Pretty face that won't do anything interesting Hugh Jackman.
And of all the years to have someone wicked hosting the show, this is what they give us.
This is the year that Heath Ledger's demonic Joker earns a posthumous Oscar and Mickey Rourke's mangled face will sit in the first three rows thanks to his killer performance in The Wrestler.
This was a year where some really, really good movies were made and people actually went to see them, as well as some really bad movies a lot of people went to see that need to be made fun of *cough* Indiana Jones *cough* and Hugh Jackman isn't the guy to do those things.
Don't get me wrong: I'm still going to watch them, but every time Jackman misses an opportunity to do something funny or get a laugh, Sarah's going to hear "Man, Timberlake would be killing this crowd!"
Friday, April 25, 2008
Soundtrack of My Life
Song: SexyBack
Artist: Justin Timberlake
Album: FutureSex / LoveSounds (2006)
Anyone who says this song isn't infectious and original is a liar. Period. End of sentence.
Forget all your preconceived notions about former boy band members, channeling Michael Jackson (not literally) and all the bullshit people spew about liking a cat like JT. The truth is, you should like JT and this song and this album.
FutureSex is one of my All-Time Favourite Albums and that's saying a lot because not very many artists put out worthy albums anymore. Justin did and its dynamic lead single was all the reason I needed to cop the album and keep on it heavy rotation to this very day.
What I love about this song is that when it first came out, people were totally divided on it and the majority were in the "What the hell is this?" Camp. Obviously, I was on the other side of the room, dancing my ass off knowing full well that "SexyBack" was going to end up being more than just a song.
Of course, I was right. Actually, I have to give credit where credit is due: Erica Sandy hooked me up to this track for the first time. She was my DJ at Na-Na's on Friday nights and spent her non-working hours scouring the Internet for the freshest music around. The instant this dropped, she had it and was playing it at Na-Na's to an empty dancefloor while she and I rocked out in the booth. So Erica was right and I tagged along on her very good call.
Anyway..
What has always gotten me about this song is that it was different from everything else at the time. Synthesizers hadn't made a comeback. Timbaland wasn't the producer of 2/3 of the songs on the radio and some people questioned whether the growing-up Justin that debuted with Justified could turn into Grown Man Justin and deliver something beyond bubblegum pop and thinly veiled Britney bashing.
"SexyBack" answered that in spades, as the song became more than a song; it became a fashion statement, an all-too-often-used turn of phrase and ushered in the era of Justin Timberlake, Megastar.
There are no razor sharp lyrics to speak of when it comes to this song - though I do thoroughly enjoy the line "Them other fuckers don't know how to act." YEAH!
For me, this song is about attitude and atmosphere. You can't deny that even today, as we're rapidly closing in on two years since it's release, this song still gets it done in the club and in your car and you develop a bit of a swagger whenever you hear it. At least I do.
Go White Boy Go!
Monday, February 11, 2008
And The Winner Is...
Who cares!
Music's version of the Academy Awards were handed out last night at the 50th Grammy Awards Ceremony and scrolling through the list of winners this morning, the same thought that strikes me every year slammed into the front of my brain.
All these shows are pointless. They don't reward the actual best of the past year; they hand out little statues to a combination of old standard winners and the odd complete upset. Only when there is absolutely no way to avoid giving the award to the logical and deserving choice, like the year OutKast won for Record of the Year, do we see the rightful winners walk up the steps to make an acceptance speech.
Yes, this is my Kanye Moment, in part because, as per usual, Kanye didn't get his moment last night.
The Record of the Year category has me a little torn, because on one hand, my man Mark Ronson produced Amy Winehouse's winning track "Rehab," but on the other, I really don't think it was Record of the Year. It was a great track, but how does anything besides Rihanna's ridiculously infectious, played every 47 seconds, Summer Jam of the last Seven Summers "Umbrella" take home this award?
Remember a few years back, right after Ray Charles passed, he won like 300 Grammy's? Yeah, they have a way of paying tribute to people once they've died or, as was the case this year, whenever someone puts together a tribute album to them.
Herbie Hancock's River: The Joni Letters, a tribute to Canadian folkie Joni Mitchell snagged Album of the Year. Can anyone between ages 16-35 name two Joni Mitchell songs? Did this album even chart this year? I know it's not about popularity and sales figures, but seriously. This album was better than The Foo Fighters latest disc, Winehouse's Back in Black and Kanye's Graduation? Please...
To prove I'm not a complete homer who only thinks his faves got robbed, there is no way on Earth that Man Crush #6 Justin Timberlake deserved to take home the award for Best Dance Recording. Is "LoveStoned/I Think That She Knows" a great record? Of course it is, but it doesn't hold a flame to any of the other actual dance recordings nominated in the category. "D.A.N.C.E." by Justice deserved this award easily.
Old standby Bruce Springsteen netted a handful of awards last night too, including Best Rock Song for "Radio Nowhere" in a category where he beat out "Icky Thump" by The White Stripes, "It's Not Over" by Daughtry and "The Pretender" by The Foos. I'm not saying Bruce doesn't deliver good music, but really, Best Rock Song? Is it even rock in the first place?
All in all, the song remains the same with the Grammy's. They have become utterly pointless to pay attention to and even less useful to watch, as the telecast consists of 287 performances by 281 artists you have never heard of and three trophies being handed out to undeserving recipients. Hopefully, the Oscars don't let me down come the end of the month.
Oh yeah, one more thing...
"Only playa that was robbed and kept all his jewelry"
Kanye West, "Diamonds From Sierra Leone" from the album Late Registration
It done happened again Kanye... it done happened again...
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
The Rundown: Hip List
When I picked Sarah up from school last night, she told me about a conversation she had with a mutual friend of our's named Dylan. He's the boyfriend of a girl in her class that we've hung out with a bunch over the past few months, and at some point or another I told him Kanye West is the greatest music artist on the face of the planet today. He disagreed.
"Tell Spencer I owe him an apology," he said to her yesterday. "After listening to the new Kanye West album (Graduation), I liked it so much I went out and bought the other two and they're outstanding as well."
My response... I told you so.
And it's with that in mind that I bring you today's Rundown.
The Top Five Things I Can Make You Hip To
(Yes, I'm tooting my own horn... deal with it!)
5. Better Magazines
There is more to the world than Maxim and FHM. Put those down for a minute and go pick up the latest Details or Esquire or GQ. Excellent writing, better suggestions on style, fashion, music, technology and all safely outside of the Fratboy "Look at her tits!" stance of the magazines you read when you were, well, a fratboy. We all have to grow up sometime...
Oh - do yourself a favour and pick up Passion Magazine next Tuesday too.
4. Bravo's Inside the Actor's Studio
It doesn't matter if you're not a film geek like me, this show isn't just about movies. It's about listening to people speak passionately about their craft, where they came from and the decisions that put them where they are. Plus, finding out what people's favourite curse word is is always entertaining.
3. Nick Hornby
There shouldn't be a lot of people who aren't hip to one of the best writers of our generation, but there really are. His works are outstanding and whether you know it or not, you've enjoyed them too. High Fidelity, About A Boy, Fever Pitch - even though Hollywood bastardized the story - are all Nick Hornby. Johnny Depp even bought the movie rights to his second last release - Long Way Down - before the book was finished. Also falling into this category are Chuck Klosterman, Kevin Smith (yes, that Kevin Smith) and Cormac McCarthy.
2. The Hour
I can't stress this enough - you need to be watching this show. It mashes politics with pop culture and something about Strombo makes guest feel comfortable enough to be candid. If you're in the 20-30 demographic, this is the best show on television for you to watch. I know you love House (I do too) or maybe The Hills (ech!) but honestly, do yourself a favour and give it a shot...
1. Good Ass Music
Open your ears and experience things outside of your comfort zone, then thank me for it later. Buy an album by The Roots (My picks: Things Fall Apart or Phrenology) and hear what intelligent hip hop on top of an incredibly talented band sounds like. Download Stop Me by Mark Ronson (feat. Aussie Daniel Merriweather) and realize that North America missed the boat on an incredible track, not to mention his entire Version album. Get over your "he was in 'N Sync" bias and listen to the best album of the last year and a half, FutureSex/LoveSounds. Lily Allen is brilliant, so too are Wilco and The Shins. Rilo Kiley, Rilo Kiley, Rilo Kiley...
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Things I Learned This Week
WOO HOO! Two weeks in a row...
Betcha thought I was giving it up when you saw the Film School post, huh? Just decided to pull a little double duty today since I skipped out yesterday is all.
This week's list:
1. A New Word
Disapprobation: [noun] strong disapproval, especially on moral grounds.
Thanks Chalk... you wordy bastard!
2. Give People A Second Chance
Sarah & I were supposed to meet a couple last night at 8:30 to see an apartment. They didn't show initially. As we were jumping in The Shitbox, a truck pulled up. It was them. I was fuming. Bad business bothers me. Sarah told me to take a deep breath, go in and humour them and have a smoke when we got out and I agreed.
Forty-five minutes later we had found our new place and know that we have outstanding landlords.
3. JT is My Man!
I don't know how in the hell I left him off Wednesday's Rundown, but Mr. Jessica Biel should definitetly be there, perhaps in place of Robbie Williams. Why am I remembering this now? Watched a concert film of his from MSG this afternoon...
4. The Boston Celtics Might Make a Moron Outta Me
My debut post over at Epic Carnival asked the question "Why is everyone handing the Eastern Conference to the Celtics?" Their 5-0 start, in which they have looked every part the best team in the East, has me wondering what is an appropriate side dish for crow?
5. I'm A Thief
Or at least, I will be come the New Year. I plan on stealing an idea from my man Dan Tobin and compiling a running list of all the books I've read during the year. You don't have that copyrighted or anything do you DT?
6. Casey Affleck Steals Ocean's Thirteen
Watched it the other night and have to say, in addition to the best mustache I've seen in some time, the side plot of Casey's Malloy Brother organizing a strike and revolt at the Mexican Dice Plant was the best part of the movie. And he has the best line too, with his response of "I hate that question" to Scott Caan's "Are you in yet?" Every guy hates that question...
7. December Can't Get Here Fast Enough
Normally, I'm not an advocate of the winter months, but this December brings with it a trip to Vancouver and Ontario, Sarah & I driving back to Newfoundland, a "new" car and a brand new apartment. Oh yeah... Christmas too!
8. I Really Do Love to Smoke
The plan was to quit after my birthday or whenever the pack I had at the time ran out. Can't do it... there really is something about lighting a dart after a meal/on the way to work/while drinking coffee/pretty much whenever that I love. I know - that's sad.
9. It's Been Two Years, Again...
Since I last talked to my old man. And it's his birthday today. You're right Smitty - I gotta write that book.
10. My Focus Here Has Changed
With adding Epic Carnival to the fold, I now how an outlet for all things sports, as well as a strictly baseball forum with Bugs. So, from here on out, this bad boy is all about Pop Culture and me, nothing more. Hopefully that doesn't alienate any of the seven people who actually read this mess.
16 Days until I'm Published...
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