Grammy Observations

Okay Christina Aguilera, I took a lot of flack for you this week defending your national anthem flub, and this is how you repay me? You sing like that at the Grammys?

Do any of you remember when Christina had this beautiful voice, circa "Genie in a Bottle" era? (By the way, that was totally my theme song of 1999. Do you know how many men asked if they could rub me the right way? Ew.) She was a rising star with vocal chords that wouldn't quit.

Now? Her singing is more like a throat gurgling/animal dying/cat in heat in the alley kind of sound. Christina--seeing how low your voice can go and how wide your mouth can open is not cool. Just sing normally. (By the way--did you notice she fell leaving the stage? Poor girl.)


Here are my other Grammy observations:

* Will Smith, I love you. You are the coolest, but your kids? Are perhaps the most annoying little people ever.

* The music business is certainly hot and cold. Wasn't it just last year that Taylor Swift was the belle of the ball, and won like a billion awards? But where was she last night? Next year, we'll all be like, "Bieber who?"

* Speaking of Bieber, yes you're a talented teen, but I'm not sure you deserve to be performing with Usher and getting nominated for Best New Artist. (Also, white tuxes were huge for my high school prom, but you were one year old then. They are? Not so popular anymore.)

* Lady Gaga, really? Being brought in in an egg/womb, wearing plastic buttocks and having horns put on your head? You're 24 years old, so how are you going to top yourself every year? How will you sustain your career? Take it down a notch. (Besides, everything you wear looks SO uncomfortable.)

* Bob Dylan's performance--need I say more?

* Does anyone else find the red carpet coverage just awkward? Maybe it's just me, but I can clearly tell when the reporters are just trying to fill time because they don't have any interviews. Also, I'm a girlie girl--I love hair, make-up, clothes--but I don't care who is wearing what a) because I can't afford it and have no where to wear such a fancy dress and b) even if I could, I wouldn't wear 87% of the hot mess of a dress stars have the guts to show up in. (Sorry Rhianna, I'm talking to you.)

Your thoughts?

Super Bowl Controversy Continues

Apparently people aren't just critical of the Super Bowl halftime show and National Anthem flub, they're also offended by some of the commercials that aired during the game. So offended in fact, two companies have now pulled those ads and issued public apologies.

Today, Chicago based Groupon announced it's pulling its Timothy Hutton/Tibetan commercial which in my opinion, is funny and creative. Take a look...

The company said it was taking what they thought was a funny approach to what their company does, while also hinting at the fact that they are hugely philanthropic. They donate tons of money to groups like Greenpeace and the Tibet fund. But of course, there are people who thought this ad was offensive, and urged the company to pull it. The company gave in.

I've always wondered, who are these people who get so offended? They must be real downers at a party! And further more, how do people have the time to get so upset and protest silly things? I struggle just to get my laundry done.

Another company, HomeAway, is also pulling their "smushed baby" ad...take a look.


Ooh, after watching that I kind of want to throw a baby at a wall. Well, apparently that's what some people think--they believe this ad promotes violence towards children. Seriously people? I'm guessing child abusers are more affected by their drug abuse, their own violence they experienced as a child or their mental health ssues, not after watching a commercial with a toy doll promoting a vacation rental company.

Here's the great thing about America: if you're offended by something, you don't have to watch it. Isn't that great news??

I've got to go now...I'm going to protest the Volkswagen-Star Wars Super Bowl ad. I don't think children should be forced to do commercials. Further more, I don't think he should have been forced to wear a mask. He's probably traumatized....

Ladies, what are you thinking?

Good Morning from a balmy Chi city! It's -7 right now, but thank goodness we're going to hit a high of 15 later today. That will feel so much warmer. Hasn't this been a strange winter? I know friends of mine in the south are even shivering today in very cold temperatures.

A couple of weeks ago, I showed you what many of us Midwesterners look like this time of year with our big coats, hats, gloves, long johns, etc. But I've seen a weird trend lately: women who are still trying to dress cute this time of year. What are you doing? Trying to make the rest of us look bad?

I've seen several women getting out of cars wearing 3-4 inch heels. Let me just remind you that we still have piles and piles of snow and ice from the Blizzard of 2011. There are still places where snow drifts are taller than me. So the women step out with their heels, and they look like baby elephants trying to walk for the first time. They can barely keep their legs beneath them, so their boyfriends have to help them walk. It's almost like the women are physical therapy patients and the men are the therapists helping them relearn the basics. What are you thinking ladies??? I haven't worn anything other than flat boots in 3 months, and my feet won't see a cute pump for at least another two.

I-Fur.com

And what's with the women in Chicago who wear full-length fur coats? Um, you know that's not politically correct, right? Most women I know don't even eat meat anymore because of reading Skinny Bitch, let alone wearing an entire animal on their backs. At the gym the other day, I saw a women walk into the locker room with a full length fur coat. I can barely fit my boots in the tiny lockers, let alone an entire beaver.

Let me just say there is a time and place to dress cute in Chicago, and it's called July. And there is a time and place to wear a fur coat. It's called December 1985.

National Anthem Follow-up

Hey everybody! Here's my video follow-up to yesterday's National Anthem/Christina blunder post. Enjoy! (And don't criticize :)

Okay, that's it..I won't bring this up anymore because I wouldn't want to beat a dead horse. (Unless, of course, he forgot the National Anthem.)

Simmer down!

Okay people, what's with being such negative-nellies? Debbie Downers? Wet blankets? During the Super Bowl last night, I checked my Facebook account and there were so many posts saying "Fergie sucks!" "Christina blew it!" "This is the worst performance I've ever seen!" My response? Could you do better?

Honestly, I thought the Black-Eyed Peas did a very nice job, and I didn't even notice that Christina screwed up a line of the National Anthem. I watched it again today, and I barely could tell. (Be honest, did you even notice until you re-watched it? If you did, your party must not have been as much fun as mine.)

Getty Images

People are saying her messing up is disrespectful to our troops. Seriously?? I'm pretty sure soldiers are more worried about getting another deployment, missing their child's first birthday or getting shot at versus whether or not Christina Aguilera messed up the National Anthem.  Did you know it's a song that gets messed up more than any other? In fact, many singers pre-record it for fear of screwing up the words. Christina has performed the anthem many times before, as young as 11 years old, and she sang it perfectly.  SHE WAS NERVOUS PEOPLE! Have you ever sang in front of 100 million people? Remember how nervous you were when you had to speak at a convention with 100 people?  Add 99,999,900 people and think how you'd feel. Give her a break.

Reuters

In terms of the Black-Eyed Peas, they rock. Did you know their song "I Gotta Feeling" is the most downloaded song, ever? They are only one of 11 artists to ever have the #1 and #2 songs on the Billboard Top 100 list at the same time. They've sold 47 million albums and singles worldwide, so I'd say they aren't doing too bad. In terms of their performance, I couldn't do better, you?

Khloe Kardashian, who's family has certainly faced criticism, tweeted this, and I have to agree. "It amazes me how many negative people there r in the world and how badly they want 2 see others fail. Should b immune 2 it but its shocking."

As I've said before, we all need think before we type. We've become such a critical society, but we need to remember stars, athletes and anyone else in the public eye are real people and have feelings just like you and me. And they mess up every now and again too.

(Plus I can speak from personal experience. When I worked in television news, I once had a viewer e-mail saying she could tell by the way I tilted my head, I had to be a total bi***. Really lady? I can tell by your e-mail that you're a total...well, you get the point.)

New Year's Resolution: Check!

As promised, I'm going to start video blogging in 2011. So here's my first attempt...I tried to capture what Chicago looks like after the Blizzard of 2011. If you haven't already, check out the Chicago Tribune's picture gallery from the storm--it's amazing!

Enjoy and think warm thoughts!

Really People? You Weren't Prepared?

Snowmageddon. Snowpocalypse. Blizzard of 2011. Call it what you like, but one thing is for sure-- baby, it's cold outside.

Illinois and 29 other states are getting pounded with the worst blizzard in years, and we've been planning for it for days. Forecasters warned us. Reporters warned us. And yet? People still act shocked that we got hit with 19.5 inches of snow overnight.

Chicago Tribune- Stranded motorists being rescued

Last night, hundreds of drivers and bus riders were stranded on Lake Shore Drive because of the snow drifts, and many of them weren't rescued by firefighters until early this morning. I read one story of a man and his fellow commuter sharing a snack-size candy bar while waiting hours to get rescued.

Then today, many of those motorists are demanding answers from the city. Why did it take so long to get rescued? Why did it take the city so long to close Lake Shore Drive?

If I may, I'd like to offer my own opinions on this situation. (I know, I know, you're shocked.) First of all, it's called Lake Shore Drive people, meaning it's right next to the Lake. That road can be treacherous on a semi-windy day, let alone a major blizzard! How did taking that road seem like a good idea?

Chicago Tribune-look at Lake Shore Drive

Secondly, we've been warned for days to not get out unless we ABSOLUTELY have to...so why did you get out?? And you only packed a snack-size candy bar??

Third, why should firefighters have to risk their lives saving oblivious people like you? I say this is a great social experiment or survival of the fittest. Only the strong survive, or perhaps those who packed a full-size Snickers.

To the city of Chicago, firefighters and police officers--thank you for all your hard work. There are many of us who appreciate the jobs you do, and if you ever have to rescue me, the first words out of my mouth will be "Thank You!" not "What took you so long?"