MICHAEL JACKSON, PRINCE, MADONNA TURN 50

WHAT DO MUSIC LEGENDS MICHAEL JACKSON, MADONNA AND PRINCE HAVE IN COMMON?





Besides some of the most influential visual music and standard music of all time, they all turn 50 years old this year. Each are still going strong. Of the three, Jackson, who have been performing on stage since the age of five, has been in recent years known for his now notorious personal life that has been filled with scandal, and financial hardship for the last decade. It's a shame that the creater of The Thriller album and the voice of # 1 singles including Billie Jean and with his brothers, The Jackson 5. Take a trip down memory lane, in this look at his timeline in music history.





MICHAEL JACKSON TIMELINE



AUG. 29, 1958 Born Michael Joseph Jackson in Gary, Ind., the seventh of nine children.
1965 Joins his siblings in the preexisting Jackson Brothers group, and assumes lead vocal duties. They change their name to the Jackson 5.
1967 The Jacksons record a few songs for the small Steeltown Records.
1968 They sign with Motown Records.
1969 First single, "I Want You Back," is released and goes to No. 1, followed by the smashes "ABC, "The Love You Save" and "I'll Be There."
1972 Michael releases his first solo album.
1974 After a slump, The Jacksons resurge with the top 5 hit "Dancing Machine."
1975 The Jacksons leave Motown and sign with CBS Records in June.
1978 Michael stars as the Scarecrow in the film musical "The Wiz."
1979 Jackson releases his biggest solo album to date, "Off the Wall," which establishes him apart from his brothers as a star on his own. The disk spawns four top 10 hits.
1982 "Thriller" is released and dominates the music industry for the next two years.
MARCH 25, 1983 The Jacksons perform on the "Motown 25: Yesterday, Today and Forever" TV tribute to the label. Michael does the moonwalk during his "Billie Jean" segment and not only stops the show, but, seemingly, stops time.
1984 The "Victory" tour kicks off, featuring all the brothers.
1985 Jackson co-writes the song "We Are the World," a global smash. He also buys Northern Songs, publisher of the Beatles.
1987 Jackson follows up "Thriller" with "Bad," which spawns five No. 1 hits.
SEPTEMBER 1987 The "Bad" world tour grosses $125 million.
1988 Jackson publishes his autobiography, "Moonwalk."
1991 The singer renews his contract with Sony for $65 million and releases his eighth album, "Dangerous." It includes big hits like "Black and White."
1995 Jackson releases "HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book 1," which combines 15 of his greatest hits with as many new songs. It becomes the best-selling multiple-disk album of all time. The first single, "Scream," pairs him with sister Janet.
1996 In September, the "HIStory" world tour begins.
1997 Jackson releases a remix album, "Blood on the Dance Floor," featuring five new songs.
2001 Jackson releases the "Invincible" album.
2008 Sony issues a double-disk "Thriller 25" album to mark its quarter-century.
LATE 2008 Sony/BMG releases a double-disk hits album called "King of Pop" to toast Jackson's 50th year.

MADONNA

MADONNA'S still "Sticky and Sweet" as she tours around the world to promote her much celebrated new album. With a set that runs over two hours, she wowed the crowd in her debut concert in Wales this past week.


Madonna showed "the energy of a woman decades younger than her," wrote the WalesOnline.com Web site correspondent. Reuters wrote: "The singer defied her age."


The 22 song set which gives concert goers and fans of all of Madonna's many styles something to remember. Many an up and coming hopefuls, seasoned but aging rockers, and larger than life legends should take note. Madonna's a class act. She puts on one hell of a show, learn from her and many all of your fans happy.



source: New York Daily News

PRINCE

Prince Rogers Nelson (born June 7, 1958), known from 1993 to 2000 as a symbol (or informally, The Artist Formerly Known as Prince, Tafkap, or simply The Artist), is a popular American musician. His music has spanned myriad styles; from his early material, rooted in R&B, funk and soul, he has constantly expanded his musical palette throughout his career, absorbing many other genres including new wave, pop, rock, blues, jazz and hip hop. Born in Minneapolis, he has been based in Minnesota for his entire career.The distinctive characteristics of the early-to-mid 1980s work that raised him to super-stardom - which includes industrial sounding drum machine arrangements, the use of synthesizer riffs to serve the role of horn riffs traditionaly used in earlier R&B, funk and soul music - became known as “the Minneapolis sound,”. He has a reputation as a workaholic, having released over a thousand songs both under his own name and through other artists, and is known for having composed and recorded many more songs that remain unreleased. Regarded as a perfectionist, Prince has a reputation as being somewhat difficult to work with and for being highly protective of his music. He writes, composes and produces most of his music single-handedly. he also plays most of the instruments on his albums.Few artists have created a body of work as rich and varied as Prince.

(source: Last.fm)

Favorite TV Characters of All Time

I was recently asked what my favorite Prime Time TV characters were. Having grown up on television (it was my first real babysitter), I have developed quite an extensive list over the yers. I tried as hard as I could to narrow it down to only 10. Here's my list...

What's yours?

(These are in no particular order)...







Joey Tribiani (played by Matt LeBlanc) Friends



Joey Tribiani- Joey was by far the funniest of the friends cast. His colorful view of the world as he tried to gain fame as a working actor still cracks me up to this day. Who could forget the ugly friendship bracelet he gave to Chandler? Or the time he was on Celebrity Password? Joey is definitely a character to remember.

Fred and Lamont Sanford (Red Fox, Demond Wilson) Sanford and Son

FRED SANFORD- Fred Savage was crazy. He had this view of the world that was so wrong and so funny at the same time. Every episode he'd has "The Big One" where he was sure that some stressful and big shock would send him to heaven with his beloved wife Elizabeth. "This is it, this is the big one. Look out, Elizabeth! I'm coming to join you honey!''

I laughed until I cried at his first air plane ride. He was looking all over for the beautiful flight attendant in the airline ad and was a little disappointed at the woman who was actually guiding his flight.

BART SIMPSON---This perpetual 10 year old always has some smart-ass thing to say. After over 20 years on the air and a solid figure in pop culture history, he's sure to make anyone's list.

Sophia Petrillo( Estelle Getty) and Dorothy Smirnack(Bea Arthur) The Golden Girls

SOPHIA PETRILLO - The recent passing of the wonderfully talented Estelle Getty has brought her brilliant work as the sharp-tongued mother and roommate to a bunch of Florida retirees, front and center all over again.

Veronica Mars (Kristen Bell and the first season cast of Veronica Mars)

VERONICA MARS- No doubt the smartest teenage female character since Buffy, Veronica had the street smarts from her private investigator dad. She'd solve many a crime in her high school in a suburb of San Diego. The "Who killed Lily Kane" storyline of the first season provided a smart thinking teenage show. The show was cancelled well before it's time.

Bree Hodge (Marcia Cross, Desperate Housewives)



BREE MASON VAN DE KAMP HODGE- Bree Hodge has it all. Mary Alice Young said it best: " Everyone on Wisteria Lane thought of Bree as the perfect wife and mother. Everyone that is, except her own family." Besides being a dedicated homemaker, she also is well-versed in regards to firearm training: she owns four guns and is a card-carrying member of the National Rifle Association. Her latest escapade is raising her daughter's son as her own.

Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer) Fraiser

FRASIER CRANE- his turbulent relationship with this father and brother always led to some very funny episodes on the show. A self-proclaimed snob, Frasier and his brother Niles would often strive to appreciate the finer things in life, much to the chagrin of their blue collar, retired police officer father. "The Dinner Party" is the best and possibly the funniest episode highlighting it.

Frasier: (on phone) Hello? Yes, yes. Oh Lord, I'm so sorry you can't make it. That's all right. Yes, some other time. Goodbye. )hangs up)Niles: Please not the Ashbys. Frasier: Family emergency. Apparently it's so urgent they didn't have time to think up a plausible excuse! Niles: So where does that leave us?Frasier: Well, let's see... we have a third-rate caterer with a record, a couple of lushes, a couple who think we're both nutcases, an Argentine wild child and Roz! (throws down list( Dinner is served!)

Ralph and Alice Kramden (Jackie Gleason and Audrey Meadows) The Honeymooners

RALPH KRAMDEN- Ralph Kramden was the worlds biggest dreamer. He was always coming up with the latest get rich quick scheme in order to finally move out of Brooklyn and over to Park Avenue. He never made it, but there were plenty of laughs, often at his expense, along the way.

Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball) I Love Lucy

LUCY ESMERALDA McGILLICUDDY RICARDO- The name of the show "I Love Lucy" pretty much said it all. There was nothing that Lucy would not do in order to be in show business. Funniest of all was the commercial for Vitameatavegamin. Lucy unknowingly became intoxicated from all of the alcohol in the drink, and practiced a lot. By the time the commercial aired, she was "gone" and so were we from laughter.

Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) 24

JACK BAUER- Part CIA, FBI, SWAT, Military Intelligence and Special Ops, Jack Bauer is the guy in direct contact with the president. Jack saves the world from a highly threatened terrorist attack in one day. He's good at his job and takes you on a thrill ride every hour of the 24 hours, told in real time.

It's hard to narrow it down to just ten, but I gave to a try....

What Is Sexy?

In thinking of this column, I had to think of what is sexy to me. Sexy is definately suggestive. My list will probably make some of you say, huh? Maybe that's the point. Think of what is sexy to you. Make a list, and most definately, make sure that you are on someone's sexy list; even if it happens to be your own.

Definition of sexy: voluptously sensual in appearance or behavior; marked by or tending to arouse desire or interest; having sex appeal; suggestion of sex; very attractive and appealing....





Sexiest Batman: Christian Bale (sorry George)









Sexiest Athlete: David Beckham, Soccer Player

Sexiest Bond: Daniel Craig (sorry Pierce)

Sexiest Song: "Lost Without You" by Robin Thicke. From the album, "The Evolution of Robin Thicke

Sexiest Daytime Stars and Super Couple: Zach and Kendall Slater of All My Children. Played by Thorsten Kaye and Alicia Minshew

Sexiest Movie Hunk: Gerard Butler

Sexiest Movie Babe: Halle Berry

Sexiest Tabloid Couple: Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie

Sexiest Nerd: Clark Kent (Superman)

Sexiest Icon: Cary Grant

There it is. Who's on your list?

Daytime TV's Sexiest Women from TV Guide

Here's their list:

This was a list that was made up based on fan comments when they were asked to send in comments on who the sexiest women in daytime were.


(Alicia Minshew)

#25 Rebecca Herbst (Liz, GH)
#24 Maura West (Carly, ATWT)
#23 Ashley Jones (Bridget, B&B)
#22 Michelle Ray Smith (Ava, GL)
#21 Shelley Hennig (Stephanie, DAYS)
#20 Marnie Schulenburg (Alison, ATWT)
#19 Eva Marcille (Tyra, Y&R)
#18 Marie Wilson (Meg, ATWT)
#17 Lesli Kay (Felicia, B&B)
#16 Kirsten Storms (Maxie, GH)
#15 Chrystal Khalil (Lily, Y&R)
#14 Alicia Minshew (Kendall, AMC)
#13 Bree Williamson (Jessica, OLTL)
#12 Julie Pinson (Janet, ATWT)
#11 Kristian Alfonso (Hope, DAYS)
#10 Terri Colombino (Katie, ATWT)
#9 Sharon Case (Sharon, Y&R)
#8 Arianne Zuker (Nicole, DAYS)
#7 Sarah Brown (Claudia, GH)
#6 Gina Tognoni (Dinah, GL)
#5 Rebecca Budig (Greenlee, AMC)
#4 Katherine Kelly Lang (Brooke, B&B)
#3 Nadia Bjorlin (Chloe, DAYS)
#2 Michelle Stafford (Phyllis, Y&R)
#1 Kelly Monaco (Sam, GH)

Why I Love Johnny Depp

We all have our favorite actors, you know the ones whose movies you'd go and see even if you know it's suck. Yes...we all have those guys. But if we're lucky our favorite actors will make great movies that you aren't embarrassed to see. Right off the bat, I few come to mind...Cary Grant, Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe, Gerard Butler, John Cusack, Keanu Reeves (yes, I've seen them all...even the god awful, too- embarrassed-to-admit-you've-seen-them-in-the-theatre-ones)...and then there's Johnny Depp. I'll admit it. I discovered him by accident. My sister was a fan and I jumped on the bandwagon and never got off. Depp was recently an entire category on the Jeopardy Game Show. It made me think why do I love him so much? Here's what I came up with:

1. The Pirates Of The Caribbean Movies

Jack Sparrow is a cultural icon. Just like Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, and Indiana Jones. With his help, Disney was able to elevate a concept from a ride into a billion dollar franchise. His Oscar nomination and Screen Actor's Guild Award help him achieve Super Star status. His character is larger than life. The first Pirates movie is something I can watch and enjoy over and over again.

2. Edward Scissorhands

Johhny's first signs of showing Oscar caliber quality work. Tim Burton's cult classic, a modern day Frankenstein if you will, shows his vulnerable side and makes you fall in love with him over and over again. There was so much sensitivity and vulnerability in the role that you just feel for the boy with scissors for hands.

3. Ed Wood

(Johnny Depp, Sarah Jessica Parker, Martin Landau)

"Angora sweaters were his weakness", one of the tag lines the movie says it all. The film is based on life events by real life cult director Ed Wood (Glen or Glenda, Plan 9 from Out of Space), legendary for his status as perhaps the "worst director of all time". Johnny is again directed by Tim Burton. Johnny shows incredible chemistry the leading ladies in this film making him a viable candidate for big budget romantic comedies. What I love most about him is, those aren't the kind of movies that Johnny seems to want to do.

4. Corpse Bride

(Johnny Depp, Helena Bohman Carter)

Sure his character was animated, but I didn't care when I watched it. This was a great love story and Johnny was very good in it. Set back in the late 1800s, a man and woman need the money to maintain their status in th high society of the town they live in. A marriage is arranged for their daugther in order to maintain that status. The would be groom, Victor(Depp) frightened to be bethroned to a woman he only most resently met, takes a break from the comotion only to get lost along the way. As he tries to find his way home, he accidentally marries Emily, the corpse bride. This movie is a delight to watch.

5. 21 Jumpstreet

The show that started it all. Okay, my teenage years were never as drama filled as some of the kids they helped and or arrested on the show. But it was certainly fun for me to watch the camaraderie of Hanson and his fellow officers. I hated that the series went on without him.

6. Johnny Depp Reads Fansite

http://johnnydeppreads.com/index.php?act=idx

This is one of the best sites for info on Johnny Depp around. Created by fans, it has all the class and quality of a professional publicity site. The sites mantra says it all. " Johnny Depp Reads exists as a place for people to take part in the respectful discussion of Johnny Depp news, books, plays, projects and materials relating to the works and interests of Johnny Depp." It has all the up to date, latest news on the actor's career and public appearances.

7. His Personal Humanity and Compassion

"He's just an all around nice guy", is what I've always heard anyone who has met him and worked with him say. His loyalty to his director friends are amazing, with Burton and Terry Gilliam(Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas, ). It has been said that he has turned down other projects to wait to work with the two of them. His personal humanity is what impresses me the most about him. While the Brad Pitts and U2 icon Bonos of the world put there celebrity face on a cause to bring attention to those who need help, which I admire and love that they get results, Johnny is more laid back in his efforts. Earlier this year, unknown to the public, Depp spent four hours at the hospital telling bedtime stories to patients dressed as Captain Jack Sparrow from Pirates Of The Caribbean. There wasn't any CNN cameras or AP news footage. No statement from a publicist or studio head, no tie-ins with a press junket to promote a film. Johnny just gave back in the most human way possible. He gave them his time and they gave him their laughter. That, most of all, is why I love Johnny Depp.

Guilty Pleasures

Guilty Pleasures...

Seems I had a lot of them this week, which is no different than any other week really. The difference is this week I'm brave enough to write them down.


1. The American Idol Finale

I love David Cook. He is incredibly talented and can sing a song like no one else can. I'm admittedly NOT the reality show type. I end up tuning in every week from curiosity or because of the show's clever use of the music superstar mentors they have every week to "coach" the contestants.
I found David Cook by accident. After watching Dolly Parton on the show and after hearing his rearranged version of Lionel Richie's Hello, I was a goner. You could say he had me at hello. [Yes, incredible bad pun intended] I heard that there were over 97 million votes, 20 of which were mine. Me…who never vote and never really cared, voted 20 times. I hope they helped make a difference.
Good luck to him. I wish him well. I think he can be one of the few idols winners to go on to have big success like Carrie Underwood and Kelly Clarkson.

2. Dancing With The Stars

Damn you Cameron Matheson! I watched reluctantly every week in support of my favorite show “All My Children”. I had hoped that his appearance would give the soap some great promotion and much needed ratings boost after a disastrous tumble creatively after a shift in head writers. Boy was I wrong on both accounts. The soap seemed to only get worse and lost viewers who were tired of watching only one depressing story. And perhaps worst of all, Cameron couldn’t dance. No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t vote for him. Lucky for me, the show will be improving now that they're getting a new writing team late summer and Cameron hung up his dancing shoes for good. I didn’t stop watching the show because of the dancers. I loved Max, Edyta, Tony, Cheryl, Kym…they all kept me watching. So now, I continue to watch, even when I don’t want to. It’s all Cam’s fault.

3. Entertainment Weekly Magazine

I skim through the pages every week looking for the latest news on music, television and film. It’s not quite Premiere or Biography Magazines, which I loved and missed so dearly, but is, does quietly nicely on a lazy Sunday afternoon.





4. Melrose Place and Beverly Hills 90210

SOAPnet has been showing reruns of both shows on their channel. These shows were staples for me on Mondays and Wednesdays. I always look on Saturday mornings and wonder why women would put up with Michael’s BS or why to see which misunderstood bad girl Dylan would be with the episode, Brenda, Valerie or Gina on 90210.









5. Romance Novels

I haven’t read these regularly since high school. What? With the recent writer’s strike, I took them up again. Some of the recent best authors are Shannon Hollis, Cherry Adair and Linda Howard. Check these talented ladies out.



http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/h/linda-howard/













http://www.shannonhollis.com/














http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/a/cherry-adair/














6. Nightline

The writer’s strike proved critical again to watch I watched. Not into watching reruns of the tonight show, I started watching again. From the election coverage to their recent “list” series where artists such as Pras and Wyclef discuss their favorite music, this show is finding it’s own again since losing Ted Koppel.






7. I Love Lucy, The Honeymooners, Sex And The City, Fraiser

I don ‘t know why I feel guilty when watching Lucy sometimes. Surely everyone has seen and can probably quote every line from the "Vitamita Vegamine" episode, me included. The guilt comes from flipping through channels wishing Lucy were on. Television is so not what it used to be for me. I’d gladly sit through a mediocre sitcom if that meant that I could watch a fantastic one in syndication later. Finding the “I Love Lucy’s , “The Honeymooners”, “The Sex And The City” and the “Frasiers” is getting harder and harder when they are lost in between the reality shows and entertainment news programs. But they’re out there. If you’ve never seen any of the sitcoms mentioned, you don’t know what you are missing. Look for them and watch. You’ll be glad you did.

What's In Your Movie Rental Queue?

What's in your movie rental queue?

It seems that you can visit any website without an ad for Netflix popping up. They are very clever in their strategy, showing pictures of some movie classics including Casablanca and Gone With The Wind.

Blockbuster seems to corner in market on junk mail and print advertising with their "try us again" postcards and ad flyers popping up in mail boxes and with the coupons in the Sunday newspapers.

Seeing these recently made me think of what was in my own personal queue for rental. You'd be surprised at what you had put there but sort of forgot about.

1. ONCE (2007)

A love story about two musicians who record together and end up falling in love along the way. The story is breathtaking and a refreshing take on the boy meets girl story. The songs are powerful as these two musicians turned actors composed and song their own Oscar winning material. It's a movie that I can watch over and over again. So much so that I keep it in my queue.


2. ENCHANTED (2007)

The live action version of this movie was hilarious. I didn't think Disney could pull this one off. Nothing can top Beauty and The Beast for me. Surely there would be no way to live up to modernize the story in New York of all places and keep it charming. I'm happy to say that I was wrong. It's funny, sweet, with great musical numbers in Central Park. There's even a poisoned apple martini and an evil queen. Amy Adams is a delight.

3. ALIAS

Before Jack Bauer, there was Sydney Bristow for me. I was a devoted Alias fan throughout the shows entire run. I was sad when Jennifer Garner made her first movie because I knew Holloywood would be calling sooner or later and I would loose Sydney. Instead of waiting for butchered in editing syndication runs of the show, I put the entire series in my queue. Old episodes of this show has kept me going during many a lazy weekend afternoons when nothing was one but golf and reality shows.

4. NOW VOYAGER

Let's face it. I love Julia Roberts, Reese Witherspoon, and Drew Barrymore as much as anyone, but no one holds a candle[or a cigarette] to Bette Davis in that movie.

5. The MATRIX Series

I loved the first two movies. The second one was some of the best action and special effects that I've ever seen. But I'll admit it, by the end of the third one, I was like, huh? I didn't get it so I'm trying again in the privacy of my living room, without the popcorn and circumstance to get the meaning of it all. Where's that Oracle Lady or The Key Master when you need them.

6. BEE MOVIE (2007)

It has its moments. The funniest ever is Chris Rock. Just the thought of him animated as a frustrated mosquito in the city desperately trying to get out, makes it worth a Top 7 slot in the queue.

7. NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN (2007)

The Oscar winner for Best Picture deserves another look. While I'm not a fan out the violence, The Cohen Brothers do some of their best work since FARGO. I even forgive them for making Javier Bardem as unattractive as possible. His performance will go down in movie cinema history as one of the greatest movie villains.

What's in your rental queue?