5/23/06

I just saw the final performances of Taylor Hicks and Katherine McPhee on American Idol. It has truly been the worst season of AI to date. Taylor Hicks is a big, big joke. The guy has a voice, but he makes everything sound exactly the same. But what is really disturbing are those ridiculous dance moves and his singing stance. I call it the "I'm taking a crap" stance. How did this troglodyte work his way to the finals of American Idol? He is so popular even the judges are scared of pointing out his obvious lack of finesse, desperate need of dance lessons, and an equally desperate need of an appointment with Jenny Craig. Speaking of Jenny, I wonder if Barbra has lost any weight. Maybe not. Perhaps she is eating free popcorn at the movie theater where she gets in for free.

Clearly, the final should have been Katherine McPhee and Chris Daughtry, but who am I to say? With the judges pushing for Taylor, I think Katherine (who stunned us all with the best version ever of Over the Rainbow) will have to settle for runner up. A word of advice for Katherine: find someone who knows how to pick your material. You have a great voice, but song selection is not your strength.

3/14/06

I just got back from travel and found this in my inbox. Is it her? You be the judge...

2/3/06

Well, I guess I have to address the many people who are wondering about the status of my site. The most common question is, "Where is the 06 News Page?" How will I put this? Honestly, there is no news. I really have not heard anything this year that would suggest Barbra is doing anything other than trying to lose the weight she gained at the Meet the Fockers Buffet Table and elsewhere. Speculation continues about another concert, but that is mere speculation. As far as I know, there is no new CD, no new movie, and no new concert. (So why is she losing weight?)

12/12/05

The world continues mourning the lost of Sam, the undisputed World's Ugliest Dog. Sam was kind of like the canine counterpart to Streisand: funny eyes, crooked teeth, bad skin, etc. Sam, like Streisand, became extremely popular due to his unconventional and inimitable looks. Sam was 15 when he passed away. Rest in Peace. For those who have not seen him, or those who would love to see him again, here is his picture:

11/23/05

Well, Madonna did what Barbra couldn't do--she has returned to No. 1 on the Billboard Chart. Indeed, Madonna's Confessions On The Dance Floor sold an impressive 350,000 copies in its first week. This is a big booster for the Material "Girl". What makes her victory true blue is that fact that she outsold Carrie Underwood, the current American Idol who debuted with 315,000 units sold. Simon Cowell, the nasty judge of AI, predicted Carrie would be the most successful Idol ever. Still, Carrie could not compete with the Queen of Pop.

On an interesting side note, Mariah Carey's huge comeback, The Emancipation of Mimi, has returned to No. 4 with sales of 185,000. Wow!

11/15/05

Were my ears playing tricks or did I hear one of the key editors of EW talking about Madonna and her "shoving" of her views onto her fans in her past albums? He noted that her last album only sold 700,000 copies. He was ecstatic that she was going back to her roots (dance music) in her new, politics-free album, Confessions on The Dance Floor. Well, it really sounds like what I wrote in my review of Guilty Pleasures. Great minds think alike.

11/14/05

Last week while in Puerto Rico, I caught part of Barbra's appearance on The Actor's Studio. Her favorite sound was "the sound of an orgasm". And what might that be--a "fart"? Good heavens! The things one has to hear.

11/13/05

She can't shut up, can she. She is calling for President Bush's impeachment. Granted, all polls show that Bush's popularity has dipped almost to the same as Nixon's shortly before he resigned. Still, her commentary is so far from unbiased that it almost grates the nerves. Well, someone in particular is more than tired of her. Identfied only as Alex 86, he created the following to illustrate his frustration. BTW, I have no idea who Alex is.

11/01/05

Well, I am amazed that so many people were eagerly waiting for my review of Guilty Pleasures ! Within hours of posting it, over 300 people accessed and read the review. It's starting to make me feel important. Now really, I am humble to the very bone. Quite the opposite of my subject matter. Still, thanks to all of you who remain interested and find the time to read this.

On other matters, what's this I hear that Barbra doesn't wear bras? TMI, darling, TMI...

09/26/05

Hello, my darlings! Thanks for your concern. I am still around. Busy, but still around. A number of you have asked for my review on Guilty Pleasures. Patience--it is on the way.

08/30/05

Can someone tell me why whenever Barbra releases something new (which is not that often, granted) all the quacks appear to come out of closet and start sending me looney rants and other forms of hate mail? Are her obsessed fans so dumb that they cannot find her website? Instead they end up at mine. Why? Why?!? WHYYYYY?!?!?!? Tis a mystery to me. If you want to hear endless praise on her past greatness, please visit her website or any of the other fan sites. If reading the truth bothers you, then PLEASE LEAVE MY WEBSITE.

BTW, speaking of fan websites, I must acknowledge the Barbra Archives. Now that is a professional website!

08/15/05

Well, now that the title has settled... Barbra's fans claim that she is not a Diva and that she is not focused on selling records, just on recording her music. Well, her last press statement could have fooled me. Instead of her need to record the music she likes, it focuses on the millions that Guilty sold, providing the five million total in the US and the 12 million total world wide. It also mentions that she is the top female record seller per the RIAA and that she is the only female in the Top 10. Well! (The statistics she uses are those related to album sales in the US, not singles and not in the world. Worldwide, she is outsold by Madonna, Mariah and Celine.) She also goes on to list the three hits from her Guilty album and all key charts they did well on. And I thought those things weren't important to her!

Those are her accomplishments and that is fact. What is also fact is that they are VERY important to her. Success is important to Barbra Streisand, regardless of what her blind (and lately deaf) fans claim.

BTW, was I the only one who puked when reading her Production Notes for Guilty Pleasures? This woman is in dire need of some humility. If you need to purge, go to her website--her Production Notes are there.

08/09/05

Well, it happened. The title of Barbra's new CD has been changed from Guilty Pleasure to Letting Go. At least the latter title isn't as childish and silly as the former. But what really some have been talking about is: Why another album with Barry? Why now? Didn't Barbra want to stay away from the pop music and stick to something she felt more comfortable with? Well, she has been doing exactly that for a decade and her recording career is in shambles. Her records don't sell anywhere near what they did at the height of her career. The Movie Album, reported to be her costliest album, was also one of her least successful. Not only were sales disappointing, but fans complained about the dreariness of the funereal CD. To add insult to injury, the Diva has not had a Top Ten single in almost a decade. And since What Kind of Fool, she has only had one Top Ten. Since Woman In Love, she has not had a number one.

You can only go so long in this industry without significant success. Even Barbra has to deal with diminishing record sales and and fan base (her fans are either dying or finding other divas). So, to rescue her career, she is re-entering the arena of pop music with the man who was responsible for her biggest musical success: Barry Gibb. Now, was that so hard to figure out? Of course, she will NEVER admit it was a commercial move.

08/08/05

A world without Barbra Streisand... It actually exists. I am currently in Phoenix, Arizona. I have been here 3 days and have yet to here any music or even a mention of her blasphemous name. Granted, the heat is unbearable and no one really talks much. BTW, does anyone know what is the appeal of this place? It's hot, the water tastes bad, and did I mention it's hot??? Tomorrow, I will try to make it to a mall or something and see if anyone even knows who she is.

08/05/05

Unless my ears are playing tricks, I do believe I overheard some brouhaha over the cover and title of Streisand's upcoming CD, Guilty Pleasure. It appears to be so serious, that even the fan sites are not posting the cover! OY! And again...OY! Me thinks this one merits a third oy. OY!!! Now that that's out of my system, let me try to put this one in perspective: If the cover changes, or the title changes, why can't we just update the information as it becomes available? That is obviously what Amazon is doing. They even have Guilty Pleasure, cover and all, up for sale (at $10.99).

While Amazon is comfortable with the current title and cover (they could care less what artists do), I really do think a change might be in order for both the cover and the title. Let's face it, Barbra and Barry look nasty in that photo. Barry, in particular, looks positively gruesome. What happened to him!

As for the title... GUILTY PLEASURE??? Who came up with that! Undoubtedly, they could use the help of a marketing expert. Unfortunately, I do not have the time.

08/1/05

It was an emergency. So, I stopped at the only store open at the time. It was the 24 hour Walmart. Interesting place. Even more interesting was what I saw in the $5.99 DVD Bin: The Mirror Has Two Faces. I guess that's where DVDs end up when you're "not hot" .

07/27/05

Just saw the American Idol Tour at DC's MCI Center. Wow. What a show! It's all about talent. Except for 3 of 10 singers, the show was really delightful. For starters, I think Vonzell stole the show with her powerful vocals, especially on I Have Nothing. Move over, Whitney! Other standouts were Constantine (who owns Bohemian Rhapsody) and Nikko Smith who sang better than he did on the TV show and proved he could dance. Among the disappointments were Carrie Underwood and Anwar Robinson. Carrie was cheaply dressed and at this point, has sung Independence Day one time too many. She is a great singer with a lot of potential, but she just didn't stand out as she should have as the new American Idol. Anwar was just plain awful. Why he insists on singing A House Is Not a Home is a mystery to me. Dude, that song doesn't work for you. He also tried What A Wonderful World, but failed again (even though he sang it brilliantly on the show.). Finally, Scott Savol was just dreadful.

07/18/05

Now that Barbra has been passed up for Sunset Boulevard, what is the next movie for the elderly Diva? Many have complained about the selection of Glenn Close over Barbra to be the upcoming musical's Norma Desmond. Not only is Barbra a much better singer, but she has a lot in common with the character of Norma. Still, the role is no longer available for her and it really doesn't leave any other roles out there for her to do. So, with that in mind, I decided to suggest a part for her. And what better than Joan Crawford's Torch Song? It was Joan's final musical, and would be a great remake for the Diva.

07/17/05

Was there more than one Barbra Streisand? The following photo was taken in Lithuania by a good friend of mine. The resemblance to Barbra is stunning and clearly not the product of coincidence. From the hairdo to the nose, from the microphone-like contraption to the wide open mouth, you'd think Barbra posed for this. However, history does not trace our Barbra to Lithuania nor does this landmark bear her name. So how is it possible? I have one theory. According to James Spada's very long and very, very, very boring Babs bio, the Diva's ancestors came from eastern Europe, very possibly from this region. I believe Barbra had a look-alike ancestor who performed in the heart of Lithuania and merited such a monument. Take a look for yourself:

07/01/05

Wow. Half of the year has gone by. The most interesting thing I've noticed all year is the way the media is currently dealing with Tom Cruise. While Barbra has always claimed her negative press has to do with the fact that she is a woman, it is curious that the press is now giving the same treatment to Cruise (who is NOT female).

Cruise used to be a media darling. What has changed (aside from his public relations team) is that now he is expressing his opinion (vehemently) on matters ranging from his love life to his religion to whether or not aliens exist. And he can be quite tart when stating his views. And he comes across as looney (jumping on Oprah's sofa, etc.) Sound familiar? Indeed, he sounds like a male version of our favorite Diva. His antics on Oprah reminded me of Barbra on Oprah talking about how she matched her indoor furniture with her outdoor plants.

The press, sensing the new Tom, has edged him on like they do with Barbra. So, I think this should bring end the speculation that the press unfairly picks on Barbra. The reality is that the press picks on opinionated, tart, and strange celebrities.

5/28/05

A lot has been said about Streisand's resemblance to Queen Nefertiti. Barbra herself acknowledged the comparison in her Color Me Barbra Special where she sang in front of a bust of Nefertiti. Recently, using CAT Scan and other technologies, scientists have developed what they think was the face of King Tut. Again, comparisons have surfaced; this time between Barbra and the legendary Egyptian king. Thanks to a good friend, it is easy to see why the comparisons are being made:

Do you believe in reincarnation?

5/25/05

Congratulations to Carrie Underwood! The new American Idol looked dazzling last night. It was pretty obvious Carrie was going to win early on. She was the only contestant who never was in the bottom in any given week. Although Bo Bice became the judges' darling, it was clear to most viewers that Carrie had more of a voice than Bo. Also, Bo had too few tricks up his sleeve. While Carrie changed the look weekly, Bo had two looks: sunglasses on and sunglasses off. BTW, did he not know he looked stupid with sunglasses? While Carrie sang country, pop, soul, Broadway and rock well, Bo could only really sing rock. His attempt at Broadway was horrendous. Also, Bo really didn't have much of a range, which was obvious when he sang songs that were not his choice. In short, he was no match for Carrie. In the long run, I think people are going to realize that Carrie is an original, and Bo is little more than a copy of some older rock lead singers who love to carry the mike stand all over the stage (did anyone notice his Spinning Wheel was exactly like the original version)?

Don't get me wrong, I think Bo is talented, but I also think he did better than he should have. Vonzell Solomon would have been a better match for Carrie. Unfortunately, in her final appearance, she messed up on How Do I Live, a song which should have been easy for her. Also, I think Simon did her in by picking On The Radio as the judges' choice for her. On The Radio is NOT a classic and not a great song no matter how well you sing it. If he had to pick a dance song, it should have been Last Dance or Enough Is Enough. Oh well. Still, Vonzell won a spot in my heart and the in hearts of many others who recognize her formidable talent.

5/24/05

Thanks to all the well wishers who have been wondering where I've been. I am "between" homes (my old home sold and my new condo is not ready) and my mom has been under the weather. As I can, I will continue to post my comments to this very popular Blog (the Babs Blog is becoming the most popular IGBS page to date.) Thanks again!

5/4/05

Finally, Scott Savol has been voted off of American Idol. The fact that he lasted so long is a mystery to me and everyone else. Last week, Constantine was voted off. While it was a surprise to many, it was obvious that Constantine was not one of the best singers of the bunch. All four remaining singers have solid pipes: Vonzell Solomon, Carrie Underwood, Anthony Fedorov and Bo Bice. Vonzell has the best voice of those that remain, but Carrie is not far behind. Anthony really needs to pick better songs (Poison Ivy???). He also needs to work on those high notes and low notes. As he reaches the top of his range, he begins to lose control. He also has pitch problems in his lower register. As for Bo, he can sing, but he is not versatile enough to be the next American Idol. BTW, a brownie point to Carrie, who turned Trouble (a potentially bad choice) into a solid and amazing interpretation. Same for Vonzell and Treat Me Nice. I really hope the final is Vonzell vs. Carrie.

4/27/05

I just completed my trip to New York. New York is always amazing. I saw two fabulous shows: the musical Spamalot and the Pulitzer Prize winning drama Doubt. I also toured a number of cabaret's and clubs including the famous Birdland, where I attended the "Cast Party". Featured that night were Linda Lavin, who did a brilliant parody of The Girl From Ipanema, and a fabulous new San Diego-based singer who only has one name: Devlin. Devlin, who showcased her four octave voice, sang The Music That Makes Me Dance which Streisand sang years ago. Devlin also appeared in several other piano bars where she stunned the hard-to-please New Yorkers with her powerful quasi-operatic vocals.

Is Barbra everywhere? I heard a number of Barbra tunes performed in the various clubs. Also, in Spamalot, David Hyde Pierce performs the song "You Won't Succeed on Broadway". This song basically says you won't succeed on Broadway if you don't have a Jew. In the middle of the offensive song, David screams, "Papa Can You Hear Me?".

4/21/05

Technical perfection isn't everything. Anwar Robinson learned that last night as he got voted off American Idol. Struggling with song selection and repetitive phrasing, Anwar had become less than interesting. This is a man with great range, control and resonance, and the best singer (in terms of technique) in this season of American Idol. But still, in the end, the flame that was ignited weaks ago had completely vanished. When you pick a song like September (who on earth??? there are so many other dance songs...) and sing it like its the same song you sang last week (a Dionne Warwick song), then you know its time to revisit what you're doing. Monotony is not a good thing. And that goes for Streisand as well.

4/20/05

She is every woman. Not Streisand, but rather American Idol (AI) contender Vonzell Solomon. Last night it was 70s dance music on AI IV. Vonzell, who has been aiming high, picked Chaka Kahn's I'm Every Woman (Whitney also sang it more recently). I didn't think anyone could sing that, but Vonzell was a knock-out. At this point, Vonzell has taken on Whitney Houston, Barbra (she sang People two weeks go) and Chaka Kahn. The fact that one singer can do this is amazing. I wonder if she will try a Celine or Mariah song.

Other standouts last night were Carrie and Anthony. Ironically, this was the first good week for Anthony, who has a great voice but really has trouble picking songs. Carrie, on the other hand, does well no matter what she picks. Constantine ended his two-week run of greatness and returned to his usual weak vocals. Constantine's feminine makeover (pronounced eye shadow) killed his showmanship. I could not believe Constantine would show up on stage with enough eyeshadow to scare a racoon.

Who should go? Scott.

4/14/05

Nadia Turner learned a painful lesson last night about show business. Before getting voted off from American Idol, Nadia acknowledged that her song selection strategy wasn't working. She basically had chosen songs that meant something to HER. The night before she sang a Crystal Gayle song that nobody knew and as a result, was sent home. What was the lesson? Basically, if you want an audience, you have to understand your target audience and sing for them. In other words, you have to consider songs that they can identify with. Otherwise, you will be singing for yourself.

This is a lesson a number of superstars are learning as well. Barbra, once the top selling female vocalist in America, is now almost forgotten. Her problem is the same as Nadia's. Barbra picks songs for HERSELF; Barbra doesn't consider her fans. More recently, Celine Dion released an album about her and her baby. The album did not sell well. Again, most people want music they can relate to, not an artist who tells his or her life story in every song.

4/13/05

AI IV Update: It was another great night on American Idol. Ironically, since all the singers that remain are truly talented, the show is becoming a little boring. In the past, part of the fun was watching vocally-challenged performers trying to sing (John Stevens, Jon Peter Lewis, etc.). Sometimes the joke was on us (remember, Fantasia won).

For the past two weeks, the vocally weakest singer of the bunch, Constantine, is showing that showmanship and song selection can make a singer. His weak voice actually shined on last week's My Funny Valentine and this week's Bohemian Rhapsody. An early favorite of mine, Anthony Federov, is fizzling amidst bad song selection, lack of showmanship, and repetitive phrasing. Others who will fall victim to repetitive phrasing are Scott Savol, Bo Bice, and even Anwar Robinson. Anwar, technically the best of all the singers, is using the same phrasing and styling on everything he sings. People like versatility.

Take Carrie Underwood, for example. Last night she moved away from her country roots and belted Pat Benatar's Love is a Battlefield. It was bold of her to take on the operatically trained Benatar, but she succeeded. It was almost like listening to a different person. Hats off to Carrie. BTW, didn't she look beautiful?

Amidst a great show, I think Carrie, Constantine and Vonzell stood out. I was surprised that Vonzell was in the bottom three last week. She is THE Diva of this season. Perhaps America is looking from something different after decades of Divadom (Garland-Streisand-Houston-Carey-Dion).

4/7/05

This week saw American Idol's lowest point of season four. It was the return of eyesore and earsore Fantasia Barrino. Fantasia, who has since dropped the Barrino, appeared on the results show and sang (or rather screamed at the top of her lungs). I still can't believe she is the winner of last season.

4/5/05

People who needs Idols... Or, Idols who need People. I'm talking about Vonzell Solomon who in tonight's American Idol took another bold step: she sang People, a song associated with Streisand. Last week she wowed audiences with Whitney Houston's I Have Nothing and now she is taking on the world. I must say I think she succeeded. While no one can sing People like Barbra did back in 1964 (way before Vonzell was born), Vonzell rephrased the latter half of the song and ended on a high E flat. Barbra, in her version, stayed well below high C on the final note. Vonzell's high E flat stunned at least two of the judges and even an audience who wasn't prepared for a Showtune night. It was the first showtune night for American Idol and probably the last. Simon, who claimed he knew showtunes, was clearly out of his element and by the end of the show wasn't even saying all that much. His last statement was about not letting Ryan choose the musical themes. I beg to differ, I think Showtune night should be mandatory since these songs can really show the range and depth of an aspiring Idol. Simon needs to spend a few more nights on Broadway or even in London, which also has great musical theater.

4/3/05

Do Barbra's psychofans know how to read? I wonder. Half the time they put words into my mouth and half the time they misread what I write. Last week, I reported on the news page that Barbra had not had a No.1 POP album since Guilty. One of the Diva's psychofans posted an entry to my guestbook (which I approved to prove my point) stating that Barbra had three no. 1 albums since Guilty. Looney toons went on to list her two Broadway albums and her inspirational album, Higher Ground. Either this person does not know what "pop" is or can't read. Neither of these three albums are "pop" music. Even Barbra would cringe at the thought that someone would categorize her Broadway albums as "pop". Higher Ground was not intended to be pop either. Hello!!! The only thing I can suggest is that this person take The Obsession Quiz. It's the first step to recover from Babs-induced psychosis/fan rage.

3/29/05

There is a DIVA on American Idol! Her name is Vonzell Solomon. Vonzell schocked the judges and the audience when she sang Whitney Houston's I Have Nothing. Now that is one hard song to sing! Like Simon, I thought Vonzell didn't have this or any Whitney song in her. But boy did she blow that song away. It was definitely the performance of the evening. The other strong performance was, again, Carrie Underwood. The Reese Witherspoon look-alike took on Martina McBride and sounded terrific. While looks don't count, Carrie and Vonzell are clearly leading in that department. Also, props to Vonzell for dressing up for these performances. I am sick of contestants who come out in their everyday clothes. Being an idol means dressing up! BARBRA, can you hear me???

Not all is going well though for the guys, who were the early favorites. Anwar had some trouble with his low notes, Anthony can't seem to pick a song that works for him, Bo needs something new, Constantine was as horrible as always... Speaking of Constantine... I think the judges are being way too easy on him. His performance of tonight though his best, was totally forgettable. His past performances are remembered by his mostly off-key interpretations. Of all the contestants, he truly has the weakest voice. It's thin, lacks resonance and is starting to remind my of last year's John Stevens. The styles are different, but the monotony is the same.

3/28/05

I am always looking for new roles for Barbra. This time, I came across the perfect character. Although physically some work might be necessary, the attitude is perfect. I talking of none other than Edna Mode of The Incredibles. If they ever decide to make a live version of this wonderful movie, put a black page cut wig on Barbra and voila!. It's Edna.

3/25/05

FINALLY, Mikalah Gordon got the boot from American Idol. According to MSNBC, this is why she got voted off: "When the music plays, she really is more Barbra Streisand wanna-be than teen pop star. That's why she picked the type of songs she picked. And the viewers voted her off on Wednesday not because she stinks, but because not very many people call up Top-40 stations and request The Way We Were." I'm not sure I agree with this. Sure, Barbra is out of style, but so is Jim Croce, Heart, Linda Ronstadt, Louis Armstrong, Andy Williams, etc. Songs from these performers are working with other contestants (Anwar, Carrie, Bo, etc.) The problem with Mikalah was that she picked songs that were too difficult for her. She simply could not vocalize the way Streisand did, and when she tried it sounded horrible. If she learned anything from this experience, it should be that Somewhere (or any Streisand song) should not be part of her repetoire.

3/24/05

It will be a busy night on TV today: American Idol results, The Apprentice, and the second airing of the South Park Episode featuring WING, the Chinese Barbra Streisand. I missed the Wing episode last night, but I WILL catch it tonight. It amazes me how Trey Parker and Matt Stone, South Park's creators, were the first industry heavyweights to discover the amazing Wing. It amazes me even more that it took this long to discover her veritable fountain of talent. I've known about her, thanks to my good friend George, for years now. I even own several of her CDs, including her Christmas CD where she sings Mariah's Vision of Love. Perhaps I should start a talent discovery agency of my own! Oh well. Let me end this entry with a photo of Wing. I've used it already, but I love it so much. It is my website, anyway. And if you click on the photo, it will take you to Wing's own website where you can buy her musical treasures.

3/23/05

Instant Replay! Well, not so instant. American Idol ran a reprise of its Tuesday night show because of a phone number error. The last three contestants on Tuesday night had a glitch in the phone number displayed on the screen. So, they did a special show and new voting.

Carrie Underwood, the Reese Witherspoon look-alike stole the show with her brilliant, albeit not-so-original take on Heart's Alone. Simon was so impressed he predicted she would be the fourth American Idol. Beautiful and talented, she really does stand a chance. In the meantime, Vonzell Solomon made herself a contender with a strong performance of Best of My Love. Early favorites (of mine) Anwar and Anthony Federov are struggling with song selection. There was no excuse for bad songs this week since contestants were allowed to pick any no. 1 song of the last many decades (over 900 to choose from). Clearly the worst two continue to be Constantine and Mikalah. Mikalah is so bad it is truly a mystery that she made it this far. The only greater mystery is that woman find Constantine sexy.

3/16/05

Looks aren't everything. Lindsey Cardinale, one of the two prettiest contestants, was voted off American Idol last night. She and Mikalah Gordon (the one who looks like Streisand would have 40 years ago--if she had had a nose job) were the two with the lowest amounts of votes. While I think Lindsey was better than Mikalah and Constantine, it was clear she was having trouble finding songs to showcase her unusual voice. Aside from that, she needed a fashion makeover and instruction on how to stand on a stage. Ironically, her final performance last night was better than anything she'd done. She walked towards the audience, shook hands with the judges and worked the joint. If only she had done this sooner! Still, it was a very classy exit for the pretty girl from Louisiana.

3/15/05

Barbra has always relied on her gut or "female intuition". Well it seems Mario Vazquez has "male intuition". At least that's what it seems from what he is telling the press. He claims it was his gut or intuition that told him to leave American Idol to resolve some [secret] personal issues. ??? Even his family was left in the dark about his last-minute decision to quit (his mom found out from a reporter that showed up at her door.) The lack of any specifics has left the press and Idol fans asking, "Why?" So far the most compelling theory is that he refused to sign the American Idol contract. According to sources, this contract is extremely restrictive and possibly more lucrative to the producers of the show than it is to the actual Idol contestants. Mario may have figured he could do better on his own. Now the second theory is more interesting. Some think Mario has a hidden past (or a hiding present). Judging from the way he dresses and some of his mannerisms, I'd say there is an 80% percent chance that there is at least one skeleton in that closet (right next to the hats).

3/14/05

How can it be? One of the American Idol 2004 finalists has dropped out. Mario Vazquez, one of my favorites, called it quits and has been replaced by Nikko Smith. While Mario's loss is a great one, Nikko truly deserved to be in the finals (he really can sing).

I had not commented on last week's shows, but everyone knows how I feel. Overall, America chose 12 excellent finalists. The two exceptions were Constantine Maroulis and Mikalah Gordon. They are truly not in the same league as the other 10. Of the 10, Anwar, Mario, Carrie, Anthony, and Bo seemed to be the top contenders. Mario, of course, is now out of the running. The wild card is Nadia Turner.

3/9/05

Where or when you least expect it, you hear the name Barbra Streisand. Last night it was ladies night on American Idol. Mikalah Gordon, who looks like Barbra with a nose job and talks like Fran Drescher, decided to sing Somewhere. Somehow, Mikalah's version ended up being as memorable as Barbra's--both singers brought me to tears. In Mikalah's case, the tears came out since I was laughing so hard. You had to see it. Mikalah looked like Barbra did 40 years ago, but the voice was the opposite of Barbra's. While Barbra was pitch-perfect, resonant and vibratolicious, Mikalah was off-key, hollow and tragically lacking vibrato.

Paula was the first to ask Mikalah if she liked Barbra Streisand. To my and Paula's surprise, Mikalah dodged the question and said she liked all kinds of music. (I guess I'm not the only one ashamed of my Barbra thing.) Paula insisted, "You do like Barbra Streisand." Both Randy and Paula applauded Mikalah's fearlessness noting it was not easy doing Barbra Streisand. Simon was puzzled on how this young 17 year-old had turned so old. I think Simon, like Mikalah, needs new material or a new career.

As for my favorite host, Ryan Seacrest, it is becoming obvious that he is increasingly annoyed with Simon. Last night, in response to a very rude Simon remark directed at both Ryan and a contestant, Ryan through water on Simon. PROPS TO YOU, RYAN.

3/8/05

Anwar Robinson. Remember the name. I can't get it out of my mind. Last night on American Idol, Anwar did What a Wonderful World. I was completely blown away by his breathtaking rendition of the old and somewhat tired classic. I have never heard a better version (not even Celine comes close). It is becoming obvious that Anwar is the best singer in the competition. My other (surviving) favorites are Anthony Fedorov and Mario Vazquez. I go for good voices (not personality). While it is clear that one of these three gentlemen should win, we all know that it isn't always the best singer who wins. Last year's super voice, LaToya London, came in fourth and has not been heard of since. Last year's winner, Fantasia, was not the greatest singer. To no one's surprise, her record sales are not a la par with Kelly's, Ruben's or Clay's.

3/7/05

Generally, I approve all submissions into my guestbook. The first exception occurred this weekend. Somebody posted an entry that made reference to the use of certain illegal drugs. I will not condone the use of my guestbook to, in any way, promote the use or effects of such substances. Like many, I am extremely concerned by the alarming increase in the use illegal substances and the resulting spread of crime and even disease. Please take your drug-related comments elsewhere.

The person in question, obviously very familiar with such substances, was also unhappy with my discussions on Cher, American Idol, etc. These discussions, according to him or her, made me a less than suitable arbiter of good taste. HONEY, I have an entire WEBSITE on BARBRA STREISAND, which has been running for SIX YEARS, and I know every movie she's done and own every CD that she has released. That alone raises a lot of questions about my taste. There is no need to state the obvious.

3/2/05

What is with the judging on American Idol? It's HORRIBLE. Randy and Paula keep repeating themselves. Simon says nice things to untalented contestants (Mikalah), mean things to talented ones (Celena, Aloha) and plain stupid things in general. I am also fed up with the repetitive comment, "That was not a good choice of song." It turns out that Aloha had to change songs four times before she could get one cleared. Don't the judges know how the show works? Do they even know the industry? Randy went as far as criticizing Carrie Underwood for doing a cover of Janis Joplin, when in fact she was covering Faith Hill. OOPS! Simon proclaimed Jessica Sierra's last song as the best female performance of the season. Is he deaf?

2/27/05

What are they putting in the food these days? Even Hollywood celebrities are struggling with their weight. At the Oscars last night, Barbra still looked heavy and even Julia Roberts looked like she could lose a few pounds. I never thought I'd see Barbra fat or Julia looking less than perfect. What happened? Oh well. They are human, too. (At least Julia is.) Earlier today, I listened 25 of the 300+ Streisand tunes loaded into my IPOD. Among the 25 were The Way We Were, Evergreen, He Touched Me, etc. Surprisingly, the one that stood out was her somewhat obscure rendition of Someone That I Used to Love. Truly a beautiful song and an amazing interpretation. Her voice was clear as a bell. Last night, however, I did notice a slight hoarseness in her talking voice. I have noticed this on more than one occassion recently. Time is definitely making himself noticed.

2/26/05

For this, why didn't he just marry Barbra?

(Thanks, W, for the photo)

2/25/05

American Idol 4 has started. This time, they have assembled the best singers ever put together on one show. All of the guys are extremely talented. All of the girls are talented, too, except for the one that sounds like Fran Drescher (ie, Mikalah Gordon). Mikalah, you are annoying, untalented, and out of your element. The first voting occurred and so did the first awkward moment. When Melinda Lira got voted off, she couldn't hide her feelings. She seemed shocked, angry, upset, and more. For a moment you couldn't tell what she was going to do. Finally, Seacrest (who is starting to come across as just a tad bit phony) got her to talk. Melinda ungraciously blamed the show for not giving her more airtime in the previous episodes. While it is true that she did not get as much airtime as many of the other contestants, it is also true that her rendition of The Power of Love was not a knockout. As Paula put it, you have to be careful when you pick a Celine song. It draws comparisons and few survive comparisons with Dion. Melinda did not. On the other hand, Aloha Mischeaux easily survived comparisons with Beyonce. And that is hard to do. As Randy put it, Beyonce is one of the top talents in the world.

Back to Ryan Seacrest, is it my imagination or is something different? I am not referring to his haircolor. Something seems to be missing. I am also hearing more comments about him being phony. I hope that isn't the case. I always thought of him as a great host and perfect for this show.

BTW, my favorite contestants are Carrie Underwood, Anthony Fedorov, Anwar Robinson (who reinvented Moonriver), Joseph Murena, and Mario Vazquez (though I did not like his first song and I hate his stupid hats.)

2/21/05

Word has it that Barbra is excited by the success of Meet the Fockers. Rumor also has it that she thinks she is responsible for its success. So much so that she is now going around shopping for vehicles for her to direct. Hello??? You did not direct Meet the Fockers! You were the secondary secondary actor (ie, after Dustin Hoffman). What makes you think that a secondary role qualifies you to direct? Some people just don't get it. I'm sure there is a realization of her viability as a comedian (in secondary roles), but her reputation as a director was practically destroyed by The Mirror Has Two Faces, where she again cast herself as a raving, head-turning beauty.

On the subject of ugly movie actresses, I just saw for the first time New York, New York. What a disaster. I knew it was heading nowhere when, within the first 15 minutes, Liza had been called "beautiful" at least three times. Good grief! What is it with these actresses? Is beauty that important to them?

2/20/05

Did you think I had died? Or disappeared because of the nasty comments on a certain email list? OF COURSE NOT! I am alive and very well. Better than ever for that matter. So why have I not been posting? Well, you see, unlike a number of those that post to that email list in question, I DO have a life. I have recently returned from one of the most spectacular cruises devised by man, I have put a contract on a new home, and am in the process of packing to put my current home on the market.

About the email list referenced above... Would you believe some of its "contributors" are asking why I am even on the list. Aside from the fact that the owner of the list personally invited me to contribute my not-so-unique views on the Diva-of-Yesterday (Barbra Streisand), don't they realize how their postings are the inspiration of a significant amount of my material? How can I help reading the rantings of these fixated, emotionally-needy, lifeless Barbraphiles and not be inspired to design new web pages or add to existing ones?

Of course, a number of the contributors to this email list are great people. I personally know many of them. They inspire me, too (thanks to a number of you who send me material, albeit anonymously)

2/11/05

At first I thought this photo was fake. But then I reasoned, she has gained considerable weight. Maybe a new tiolet is definitely in order. Here she is shopping:

2/7/05

Oh the TRAGEDY! Indeed, I am back from my cruise and back into the real world. A warm thank you to the staff of the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line and particularly the staff of their flagship, the Navigator of the Seas. It was a blast being on the second largest cruise ship in the world. A round of applause to Mario Cantone, Pamala Stanley, Matt Yee, Christine Pedi, and the wonderful Pam Ann for the great shows they put on aboard the Navigator. Let me not forget Royal Caribbean's figure skaters, singers and dancers who were all spectacular. One final second round of applause to Pam Ann, who burned herself forever into my memory with her rollerskating lip-syncing and high spirited version of Xanadu. How she pulled that off with two fabulous back-up dancers was more than I could handle. Love you all, Louis.

2/4/05

More Greetings from the Navigator of the Seas. Yesterday, as I wondered through the Navigator, the second largest cruise ship ever built, I began to hear what appeared to be On A Clear Day. Then I heard the same voice practicing I'm the Greatest Star. I walked into the small room which had a piano and about 10 tables and discovered Pamala Stanley practicing a Streisand medley. The medley will not be performed this week, but she assured me that she can do Streisand and will do so if asked at tonight's performance. So, there are those who still remember the semi-retired Diva. Even more shocking was dinner time when I sat with two people from LA. As we discussed movies, Shane (one of the two LA individuals) mentioned how he was having trouble finding Yentl on DVD. I about fell out of my chair for two reasons: that someone actually remembered her movie career and that of all the movies she did someone was actually struggling to find Yentl. I assured Shane that Yentl was in the works, but that in the meantime he would have to settle for On A Clear Day which will be out shortly.

2/1/05

Greetings from the Navigator of the Seas, Royal Caribbean's largest cruise ship. As promised, I've been tracking Barbra Streisand stuff. Last night I attended comedian Mario Cantone's show. He was hilarious. At one point, he started talking about the show called the Vagina Monologues (which was on Broadway recently). The show is about woman talking about their vaginas. Soooo, he offered to impersonate celebrities talking about their vaginas. People from the audience would call out names. He did Ethel Merman, Madonna, Cher, etc... And voila! Someone screamed, "Do Barbra Streisand!". Mario immediately let his hands do the Streisand thing and said in his best nasal New Yorker accent, "As I walked into my hotel room I noticed that the roses did not match the color of my vagina..."

1/29/05

Hi Dave! It was a pleasure chatting with you last night. I am in Miami today and am supposed to be boarding a cruise this afternoon. I think one of my personal goals on the cruise will be to determine if anyone remembers Barbra Streisand. I will be on the lookout for three signs: (1) a Barbra song playing on any of the decks or clubs, (2) any Barbra movie offered for viewing (except Meet the Fockers), or (3) anyone dressed as the notorious Diva. If I see the latter, I will try to take a photo and post it. BTW, the blog may or may not be updated over the next few days. Cheers, Louis.

1/22/05

What a discovery: a Disco Version of Evergreen! Of course, it's not Barbra who is performing the song, but Hazell Dean. Who? I don't know but apparently she was very popular in England and in the DC dance clubs. My neighbor brought me the CD for uploading into my IPOD. Hazell, to my surprise, sounds a lot like Streisand in many parts of the disco Evergreen. Well, I guess if you can turn Evergreen to Disco, than there are no limits to the Disco beat. BTW, I am preparing for a trip to Miami to board a cruise so you all may not be hearing much from me in the next few weeks. Wish me well.

1/20/05

I'll leave Inauguration Day for you to discuss amongst yourselves. It was probably the most negative election year we have ever had since the country is starting to polarize. Too bad. And too bad for Barbra (this is not a good day for her.)

1/19/05

After watching American Idol's two season openers (they couldn't just have one), I wonder if Barbra would have ever stood a chance. At 18, I could see her standing there in her second hand clothes and her cheese danish hairstyle while wailing When the Sun Comes Out off key. Those who remember or have heard her RCA audition know that back then she did not always sing on key nor had she developed a sense of musical phrasing. She could have become the William Hung of her time. Speaking of William, it is obvious that his 15 minutes of fame were noticed by Fox. The opening shows focused on auditions, especially the catastrophic ones.

I am amazed by the number of people who show up to the Idol auditions convinced they can sing only to be laughed at or ridiculed by the judges. They were so shocked by the judges' negative reaction that they asked, "Should I sing another song?" or "Is that a 'no'?" Some of these rejects were truly awful. I am still having nightmares about the guy who auditioned using the lyrics of "Tomorrow". Why he would pick a showtune to begin with is a mystery to me. And boy what he did with that poor song. He attacked each note full throttle (like a lawn mower) with no sense of rhythm and like he was burning gas. Then, he kept holding each note as long as he could. Well, he really didn't "hold the note" if you count the pitch bends and horrendously wobbly vibrato. Ironically, while it was dreadful, it is possible with scale training and a coach to work on that phrasing this guy might actually have potential. Still, to be immortalized on national television like that has gotta hurt.

1/18/05

American Idol No. 4 has started. Let me start with a recap of last year: Fantasia Barrino, she of the cartoon character voice, won. Oh, excuse me, she had dropped the "Barrino" from her name. The final three (Fantasia, Diana, and Jasmine) were not the most talented in the competition (although I do think Diana and Jasmine have potential). The most talented singers in the competition (LaToya London, George Huff, etc.) were eliminated on the way. LaToya (who should have won hands down) hasn't been heard of since. What a shame. As for Fantasia, I cannot get over Simon saying she was the best one he had ever seen on an Idol show. Well, her record sales don't seem to prove it. Her recently released album is not selling all that well and is a huge disappointment. It's sales aren't comparable to Kelly's, Ruben's or even Clay's. Once again, Simon is wrong.

1/16/05

I just saw Nicole Kidman's The Stepford Wives. Aside from Nicole's brilliant performance, I noted that Bette Midler made an appearance as a secondary actress. Not only did she make an appearance, but she looked more than ever like Barbra. Her hairstyle is even the same as the one Barbra used in Meet the Fockers. At this point it is safe to say the two are interchangeable. Bette was playing a Jewish funny lady in Stepford. Barbra does the same thing in MTF. How many more of these roles can there be?

1/15/05

How MISCAST can you get? Barbra rarely gets challenging roles and has only worked in 17 films over 35 years. So, its hard to understand why she has been miscast in 5 of these films: All Night Long, Yentl, Nuts, The Prince of Tides and The Mirror has Two Faces. Except for Mirror, she was too old for any of these roles. She was also too ugly for ANL, Nuts, POT, and for the last segment of Mirror. Aside from looks, she was completely wrong for ANL and Nuts (which needed sex symbols). Ironically, other actresses were available who were better choices for these parts. An even greater irony is that she had considerable control over each one of these roles as producer or director (except for ANL, for which she received an unprecedented $4 million as a supporting actress.) After 23 years of being miscast, Barbra was finally again properly cast in the comedy Meet the Fockers, over which she had no control. Need I spell out the obvious conclusion?

1/10/05

Attached is part of a message I sent to the Barbra Group on the fair manner in which she has been treated by Oscar (ie, the Academy Awards):

• "I recently saw Yentl again (at the Jewish Community Center in Washington DC). It was nowhere near as good as I remembered it. Her performance was truly mediocre. She was caked with make-up most of the time and looked like a woman with man's clothes on. She really made no effort to look or act like a guy (just watch her mannerisms). She even delivers some of her lines in the same manner she did in Hello Dolly, OACD, Funny whatever, etc. The role certainly had Oscar-potential, but not the way she "played" it. Not to mention, she was way too old for the part. While Yentl has some redeeming qualities, it is hard to believe it took YEARS to do. The direction is not spectacular and in parts is really bad. I will never forget the dreadful (and not-so-original) boat scene where she is singing her heart out and everyone else has a blank zombie-like stare. Where is Shaun of the Dead when you need him?"

1/9/05

Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston have called it quits. Surprise. Another Hollywood marraige falls apart. Speaking of Jennifer, I was always perplexed by her uncanny resemblance to Barbra. Both have funny features (beady eyes, big noses, etc.) except that Jennifer's aren't so extreme as to make her bugly (ie, butt-ugly). Still, Jennifer is no beauty. The nose is odd shaped and she has the nastiest jawline. She is really little more than a plain Jane with big hair. I wonder what Brad saw in her. Whatever it was, it only took five years to see right through it.

1/7/05

What were Anne Geddes and Celine Dion thinking? And what was a certain friend of mine thinking? This friend gave me, for Christmas no less, a 2005 Miracle Calendar (ie, the one with Anne Geddes' pictures of babies and babies with Celine Dion.) I decided to bring it to the office and place it on my desk. Needless to say, it has not gone over very well. My co-workers are freaking out because of the prune-like babies in the photos. Some don't understand why someone would do such things with baby photos and others don't see how Celine fits in the picture. In short, everyone hates it. It sounds like it may be time to start an Irreverent Guide to Celine Dion!

1/6/05

Finally, my 2005 News Page is up and running. I decided to change the format again. Instead of a starry background, I decided to use a sky/cloud background in honor of the upcoming DVD release of On A Clear Day (OACD). OACD, one of Barbra's best movies, represents a time where Barbra was where she should have been: in front of the camera, not behind it. Barbra has directed three films to date and yet none match the quality of her earlier work. Her most recent movie effort, Meet the Fockers, is a bigger success than all the movies she directed -- combined. In MTF, Barbra was where she should be: in front of the camera, not behind it.

1/3/05

As predicted by the IGBS, Meet the Fockers is a huge smash. It didn't take a genius to figure that out. In just 12 days, the movie has grossed $163 million in North America and is showing no signs of slowing down. Word of mouth on the movie is extremely positive and is neutralizing the smear campaign that is evident on public websites where people who obviously have not seen the movie or hate the people in it are giving the movie D and F scores. Not to mention the critics who have completely missed the boat on MTF. Quite honestly, I am even surprised we have critics anymore. Who possibly listens to these people? Anyway, I will make one more prediction: MTF should gross about $250 to $300 million in North America. {BTW, I will be updating the News Page later in the week.}

12/26/04

I recently caught The Phantom of the Opera movie. OR should I say the most recent version of this classic tale. I am talking about Andrew Lloyd Weber's The Phantom of the Opera. Hats off to Joel Schumacher for pulling this one off. The movie is not perfect, but it does have many great moments and performances, and stunning sceneries. Surprisingly, the weakest moment is when the Phantom performs The Music of the Night. You see, Gerald Bulter (the Phantom) can't sing. Although his acting in the latter half of the movie is brilliant, Joel Schumacher really should have used someone else's voice (like he did with Minnie Driver who plays Carlotta). BTW, Minnie has many scene stealing scenes as La Carlotta, even though the opera voice that comes out of her mouth really belongs to someone else.

12/23/04

It seems the critics are not happy with Meet the Fockers. A lot of the reviews I have read have ranged from mediocre to blistering. Some did not find anything good about the movie. Did they watch the same movie I watched or did they just write the review without the benefit of a screening? Despite the critical backlash, I stand by my review.

12/12/04

I couldn't believe it. Britney Spears was on a plane with her husband when she decided to take off her shoes. Several passengers complained about the smell. Some poor flight attendant had to ask her to put her shoes back on. I would not have believed it had I not heard it on Fox news. It reminded me of a reader sending me a complaint that Barbra Streisand had a habit of passing gas in public places. I never reported the story because no one would confirm it. Given how much junk food she eats, I wouldn't be surprised if the story was true.

12/11/04

I just got back from one of the most fabulous concerts ever: Cher's Never Can Say Goodbye Farewell Tour. Tonight she appeared in DC's MCI Center. This performance marked her 282nd (the tour is now in its third year). This is one long tour. Just to give you an idea how long this tour has been going: The DVD of the tour was recorded in 2002 in Miami! The show remains the same as that DVD, except she sings Love Hurts instead of The Way of Love. She also changed some of her opening dialogue to address Jessica Simpson and Jessica Simpson's sister, and all those singers who "Don't Sing". When she mentioned "Jessica Simpson's Sister" the audience booed loudly showing its disapproval of Ashlee Simpson's lip syncing on Saturday Night Live. Cher also picked on Jlo, who according to Cher "doesn't sing". Cher did mention that only about 8 lines in her concert were lip synced due to technical reasons. She clearly did not understand this new crop of singers that can't sing live. Neither do I. Nor can I understand Divas who put together lousy concerts (I mean you Barbra and you Madonna). Almost 60, Cher put on quite a magical concert (one of the best I have ever seen). She sang well, dressed incredibly, and everything was perfect (lights, arrangements, dancers, etc.) On a side note, the performance I attended was opened by the Village People. While Cher looks 28, the original Village People, look like they are in their 60s. David Hodo, the construction worker, has a gut now and can hardly dance. Still, it was fun to hear YMCA and other 70s classics.

12/10/04

While watching The Apprentice last night, I caught a TV Trailer for Meet the Fockers. It featured a dog being flushed down the toilet by a cat. The final line was Barbra saying, "Your cat can flush?" Oy. I hope this isn't the best joke of the movie. If it is, it is going to be one long 90 minutes in the movie theater. So far, none of the trailers have been any good. Are the producers saving the best moments for the theater? I sure hope so or this comedy is going to be a sad end to the careers of three 70s icons: DeNiro, Hoffman and Streisand. I thought Joan Crawford's Trog was the worst movie ever by an aging actress, but at least Joan didn't have to watch a cat flush.

12/3/04

I've been doing this website for almost 6 years!!! And I keep asking myself over and over again: What were they thinking? I just keep coming across the strangest things (thanks George for sending it to me!) This time someone has decided to create a lifesize version of Barbra Streisand out of steel, fabric, clay, and acrylic paint (I also think they used an old mop to do the hair). Well somehow it ended up to be 62 inches tall (about right), 40 inches deep (must be because of her tucchus), and 24 inches wide (again, her tucchus). However, it only weighs 62 pounds (in her dreams). You'd think the artist would cherish this, this statue (for lack of a better word) for the rest of his life. Instead, it is being auctioned off on Ebay. Asking price is $850 and shipping and handling start at $450. Here is a closeup:

For three more pics, see The Barbra Art Page.

11/29/04

It's Christmas again. So far, two artists have released new Christmas albums (Jessica Simpson and Clay Aiken). Clay sings various Streisand tunes and succeeds on them all. For that matter, his version of What Are You Doing New Year's Eve is better than La Barbra's. Speaking of Babs, I still haven't gotten over her dreadful Christmas Memories. It sure has left a lasting memory as one of the worst Christmas efforts ever. If you really must have it, it's on sale on Amazon for $1.29 (USED copy). At present, Amazon has 131 people trying to sell their used copies of this digital sleeping pill.

11/24/04

It's a miracle! So miraculous that a buyer bought it for $28,000. I'm talking about the partially chewed grilled cheese sandwich that purportedly resembles the Virgin Mary. When I saw it, I realized it was indeed a miracle, but not the kind they thought. As you can see below, the sandwich looks like BARBRA STREISAND! But then, if you consider that both Mary and Barbra were Jewish, maybe Mary looks like Barbra! That would explain why the sandwich looks like the two of them.

11/20/04

In her latest political statement, Barbra has referred to the current Republican victories as a "reign of witches". Let me stop--this one is too easy.

11/18/04

Well, you do lose your looks as you get older. Usually, this is a gradual process. In Barbra's case, it has happened over the last 4 years. Typically, she would appear slender and elegant, but lately she seems to have lost control over her weight and doesn't seem to care about her fashions. Is it her marraige? Who knows. This week she appeared at Clinton's inauguration of his library, and she did not look good. How will she look as Mama Focker in her upcoming movie? I'm dying to know. Here is a recent, post Meet the Fockers photo:

And before filming Meet the Fockers:

11/10/04

I hope Barbra learns a lesson from vocally-challenged Rod Stewart. Stewart has hit number one with a new collection of standards (the cd is still in the Top 10). If Rod can do it, even Barbra with her diminished vocal competency has a chance. (Even with her vocal decline, she still sings circles around Rod.) Rod's secret: good selections with competent producers.

On the political front, Bush has announced he wants to privatize Social Security. Isn't this what Kerry predicted Bush would do in January? I guess Bush couldn't wait that long.

11/9/04

Barbra, and 48 million others, have something to rejoice about. Attorney General John Ashcroft has resigned. The radical conservative was really rubbing a lot of liberals the wrong way. Even helpless artwork could not escape his "values". According to some, he draped a nude statue at the Department of Justice. What did surprise me was that his letter of resignation states that the goals of making Americans safe from crime and terrorism were accomplished. But, wasn't terrorism the basis of Bush's campaign? If it was already fixed, why didn't he say so? Instead, he made the argument that only he, not Kerry, could deal with terrorism. And BTW, if Ashcroft is right and we are secure from terrorism, why is the terror alert still at yellow (orange in some places). Go figure!

BTW, Babs has posted a Jefferson quote on her website to address the Democrats defeat in this election. Well, she claims its a Jefferson quote (we remember the time she made Shakespeare responsible for a quote he never wrote). Let someone else do the research to see if it was really Jefferson. I hath not the time!

11/8/04

As of yet, I have not mentioned the Streisand Ebay Auctions. Was this women a packrat or what? Based on the auction items I've seen, she has kept everything from her movie outfits, duplicate movie outfits, cracked bowls, table runners, etc., etc., etc. And now she is making them available to you at some very steep prices. She is asking $700 for her Nuts robe and $600 for a duplicate For Pete Sake's robe. Shipping and handling runs from $40 to $500. According to the seller, Barbra's robes and dresses are "about a size 10". A little large for a movie star it seems to me. What surprises me the most is that people are actually bidding on these items. One final note: the "net" proceeds of these sales go to the Streisand Foundation.

11/6/04

I just checked Barbra's homepage. She still has not posted a statement on the election result. She must be taking it hard. She is not the only one. I wonder what Michael Moore (Fahrenheit 9/11) is thinking. I just watched his documentary which I must say was very shocking. At least the first hour of it which explores Bush's and his associate's MANY connections to Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is the home of Bin Laden and most of the 9/11 terrorists. Osama is a member of the very influential Saudi Arabian Bin Laden family which has extremely close ties with the Saudi royal family. It's a small world after all!

10/31/04

It's Halloween and of course I couldn't help but wonder, why hasn't Streisand ever worked in a horror movie? She certainly has done more than her share of horrible films, but never horror. And most definitely, she has the look of horror. I can see her in films such as Nosferatu (she has the hands), The Bride of Chucky, Bride of Frankenstein, and Bride of Re-animator. I just see the movie titles written just for her: The Singing Dead, Diva of Darkness, House on the California Coast, Bride of the Living Dead, Into the Mouth of Oblivion, etc., etc., etc.

10/28/04

Celine is in the Top 10 (last week at No. 4 and this week at No. 8). While I don't think it is a great CD, I do recognize that at least she can sing. Most of last week was spent laughing at Ashlee Simpson who was caught lip-syncing on Saturday Night LIVE. Although it was obvious already that Ashlee had no talent, it did surprise me that she would not bother to sing such a simple song live on a very important show. Even more surprising was the fact that Ashlee blamed her lip-syncing on THE BAND for playing the wrong song!!! Huh?!?!? (At least they were smart enough to realize that the wrong song was playing. Ashlee couldn't even do that). To add to the comedy, Ashlee changed her story and then blamed ACID REFLUX!!! Honey, have you not heard of Nexium or Protonix or Prilosec or Gaviscon or Pepto??? (I could name many more antacids if you need them. And you sure can afford them all.) And what about that awful little dance you did to try to cover the mess? Ashlee, you can't sing. You can't dance. You can't improvise. You're ugly. Ashlee, why are you even a star? It seems your only purpose is to make us appreciate true singers like Celine, Barbra, etc., a lot more than we usually do. Let me pull out that copy of Miracles and listen to it again.

10/16/04

I just heard the new Celine CD, Miracles. Well, as much as I respect her as today's foremost singer, I believe this CD is a huge mistake. The two major problems ironically are the same ones that have plagued all of Streisand's recent efforts: (1) the music is too bland and vocally undemanding, and (2) there are songs that have been released before. To be exact, this CD includes three selections that Dion has previously recorded and released: If I Could, What a Wonderful World and The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face. The first two selections appear on her recent live CD, and the latter appeared on her greatest hits. Even more surprising is that the best song on the entire CD is The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, which was recorded years ago. In addition, A Mother's Prayer is a toned down, slightly reworded version of her hit The Prayer (Duet with Andrea Bocelli). Of course the duet version is the classic, not this new tame one. Oh boy, what a disappointment. BTW, before I forget, there is a book that goes with this CD. I saw the short version of the book. Sorry, but I really don't get Anne Geddes' baby decorating photography.

10/14/04

JLo is back (ie, Jennifer Lopez). The gossip-magnet latin diva is out promoting her new movie, Shall We Dance? While the plot of the movie does not sound too interesting, the clips shown seem good and so did JLo's appearance on Letterman. Truly, JLo is looking good. Attached is a photo from the premiere of the movie. Both Barbra and JLo have revolutionized the concept of a screen star. While Barbra paved the way for less-than-beautiful actresses, Jlo has redefined the concept of beauty. Jlo has made it possible for women with big behinds to be considered sexy. Of course, the behind has to be shapely. Judging from recent photos, Barbra's behind is even bigger than JLo's, but certainly not as shapely. Babs' fanny has truly fallen and her star has fallen with it.

10/13/04

People who have no shame... I'm referring either to Barbra or to people spreading rumors that another tour is in the works. Depending on who you listen to, Barbra has retired from live performance at least twice in the past--not to mention her paralyzing stage fright. For the record, the Diva vehemently denies announcing her retirement from concerts in 1993. Apparently, she is also denying that she ever said she was going to retire all together from live performance. It appears that she was only retiring from large venues, whatever that may be. So, rumor has it that she is considering smaller venues where the tickets will be affordable. If this is true, I will fall off my chair. Does she not remember how badly her voice was failing in the first act of her "final" tour? Does she not remember how it fell apart in BOTH acts in the Australian shows? Is the want of money or applause more important than dignity? She will not hear the end of it if she tours again. And I don't think the critics will be as benevolent as they were back then.

10/12/04

Well, the Irreverent Guider (ie, me) wishes a fond farewell to Dave Fellion. Some people you meet and you think you've known them for all your life. Dave is that kind of person. Friendly, down-to-earth and sensitive, Dave is sure to bring happiness to wherever he is headed next. Dave, I wish you the best and hope you find your way back to DC someday. Good friends are hard to find! BTW, Dave had nothing negative to say about Barbra. Maybe it has to do with the fact that he can't say anything negative about anyone. Cheers Champ!

10/11/04

I just received an email announcing the December release of All Night Long.. This movie was a collosal flop and simply a bad movie. When I think of all the _great_ movies that have yet to surface on DVD, including Barbra's On A Clear Day, I cringe. I mean, who makes these decisions? While I think it is ok to release everything on the popular DVD format, I believe there are many other movies that should be available sooner than All Night Long. And to think they are remixing it into DVD 5.1! What a waste! Oh well, I'm sure someone out there likes this movie. Really, I giggle just thinking that that might actually be a true statement.

10/10/04

Next week, Celine Dion releases her new CD Miracles. To no one's surprise, the CD is dedicated to babies. Celine just can't do enough for children since the birth of her own Rene Charles. While early reviews of the CD are favorable, I do warn Dion of what can happen when your personal life takes over your art. There is a certain other Diva we all know who could not separate herself from her work. In her first movie, she told her own life story instead of Fanny Brice's. At first it was ok. But when all her movies began to explore facets of her personal life, she earned the label "self-absorbed". The problem also took over her music in 1994 when she refused to sing "dependent victim" songs even though those very songs had made her famous. Indeed, Barbra let her persona and her personal life take over her entire career. Who can forget her A Love Like Ours CD with husband Jim Brolin on the cover? Well, I can forget the sleeping pill music, but not that dreadfully personal cover. Fans had had enough at this point. Barbra's career never recovered.

10/9/04

Although I live in Washington DC, I did not attend "The Pop Music of Barbra Streisand", a tribute featuring Marvin Hamlisch, Julie Budd and Steve Brinberg. Steve Who? For that matter, Julie who? Well, where do I start? Julie Budd looks and sounds like Streisand and has been around almost as long. Unfortunately, Julie's career started during Barbra's heydey. Barbra being the better singer left no room for Julie to have any real success. Ironically, today's Julie sounds a lot better than today's Barbra. Even more ironically, Steve Brinberg also sounds better than Barbra does these days. How do I put it? Let me be blunt: Steve is a drag queen with a real high-pitched voice who has spent his life impersonating Barbra. Although he looks very little like Streisand, he puts on a wig (the page cut) and sings her songs practically in her same entonations. His show is supposed to be good. I should know since I once went to see him years ago. But in the show I attended back then, his pianist fell in the backstage and injured his hand before the show even started. Steve was left with a pianist (pulled from the audience) who could not follow the sheet music. The performance lasted barely 20 minutes. Imagine a man, dressed as a woman (an ugly woman), with a page cut and panic written all over his face. That is how I remember Steve Brinberg trying to survive 20 minutes without his pianist. Now that's stage fright!

10/8/04

What a disturbing day. The news of a Pentagon 9/11 cover-up reached me via email today. It was also the subject of an article in the Washington Post. I live in the Washington DC Metro Area about 6 miles from the Pentagon, which I have passed every day to work over the past decade. Ironically, I remember exactly where I was that day (September 11, 2001) and remember seeing the Pentagon shortly thereafter. And no, I have no recollection of seeing the remnants of a jumbo jet at the Pentagon or any photos with pieces of the jet in the Pentagon. Consequently, seeing this video really got me thinking and not in a good way. If you haven't seen it, you might want to click here. This is really the last thing I needed to see in the midst of these politically intense days.

10/7/04

Is everybody a hypocrite? Did I even spell it right? With all these debates and all this angry politics, you just get tired of it and the hypocrisy. Not to mention our dear helpless little Rush. Rush as in Limbaugh. Did I misspell that too? Turns out he lost the case where he claimed the police had no right to his private medical records even though they had a warrant. No, it doesn't matter that he had obtained prescriptions from several doctors for his "medications" that the poor thing became addicted too. It just matters that he felt his records were private. Here is the man who claimed only liberals did this kind of stuff. BTW, he is rushing to file an appeal. And Jimmy Swaggart's talk about killing homosexuals in the middle of a program where he is purportedly preaching the Bible. I guess he doesn't remember he got caught red-handed in the red light district--on more than one occasion. So I guess it's ok to point the finger if you do it in the name of "religion" or in the name of "family-values". I guess adultery and prostitution are ok, but homosexuality is not. And drug addiction and prescription shopping are ok, if you are conservative, but wrong if you're anyone else. And who is more conservative than Vice-Pres Cheney and his lovely lesbian daughter? I wonder if Swaggart would kill her, too, and then cry on TV again. BTW, where is Barbra these days?

10/6/04

I've decided to start my blog with my favorite photo of the past few years. It's Barbra's home as captured by the man who humiliated her in court: Ken Adelman. Now the text was added by a reader of Plastic News. The charm of the photo (and text) is that it illustrates how Barbra, a self-proclaimed environmentalist who suggested people use clothes-lines instead of dryers, somehow doesn't seem to be doing much to conserve energy herself. Reminds me of GW Bush who enthusiastically sends thousand of American soldiers to war but wasn't so excited about it back when he was of draft age (back when America fought a war against Vietnam.) GW instead signed up for the National Guard thereby dodging the draft and missing the opportunity to fight for his country. Looking at this photo, it seems Barbra has plenty of space for a clothes line. So where is it? I guess it's a good idea for us, but not for her. So we save energy so she can have countless chimneys.