Posts tagged as:

music business

Justin Timberlake Rumored to Host the Oscars.

by johnford on August 4, 2008

If the whispers swirling at the New York Post are true, is one of the top contenders for hosting this years Oscars.

Oscar is considering giving Timberlake the nod, according to The Post article, because of the shining job the actor did hosting the ESPY Awards, the award show for achievements in sports. Timberlake did get a lot of critical acclaim for his performance on the ESPY’s. Viewers and even the press almost unanimously gave the former N Sync teen idol a thumbs-up for his performance. His ability to take a verbal punch from heavyweight sports figures and self deprecating humor as host of the ESPY’s was a big hit.511px-Justin_Timberlake.jpg

Proves He’s Actually Got Talent.

Following his early years with N Sync Timberlake had to endure the slings and arrows that often follow a bubblegum pop star. And recently there have been a few semi-scandalous rumors swirling around Timberlake, involving everything from lip-syncing, comments about Kate Moss’ alleged cocaine use, defending Britney Spears often puzzling behaviour and even even mumblings over a gay scandal when Timberlake was with his boy band N Sync. But Timberlake surprised his critics and has broadened his pop song and dance man persona to numerous acting roles, starting with a walk on in 1999 on the TV series “Touched by an Angel.” has gone on to turn in some impressive feature film performances. Including roles in the Nick Cassavetes flick “Alpla Dog” and alongside Samuel L. Jackson and Christina Ricci in 2007’s steamy “Black Snake Moan.”

Timberlake and the Oscars, a Match Made in Tinseltown

The question remains, does Timberlake have what it takes to fill the rather large shoes of past Oscar hosts like Douglas Fairbanks, Bob Hope, Johnny Carson, Billy Crystal, Steve Martin or Whoopi Goldberg? If ’s history of tackling every other entertainment business adventure he’s undertaken is taken into account, the answer might be a resounding “yes.” But when it comes to picking a great host for the Oscars, the “obvious” pick and past performance isn’t always the best indicator for the Oscar emcee. Who wouldn’t have thought John Stewart, Chris Rock or Letterman would rock on the Oscars?

Who Should Host the Oscars

Maybe it’s a little early to start bandying around names for the next , the Academy hasn’t even tossed out their picks yet. Who would I like to see? I hereby nominate Wall-E to host the extravaganza. The cute little bot will keep the verbiage to a minimum, he’s cute and all he’s got to do is say “Eva” in that adorable little voice to get a laugh. But the Academy would never nominate the cuddly, clunky tin-man. The superstars wouldn’t be able to take being upstaged by a cartoon robot with more soul than collectively reside in Beverly Hills and Brentwood combined.

[Slashdot] [Digg] [Reddit] [del.icio.us] [Facebook] [Technorati] [Google] [StumbleUpon]

{ 2 comments }

Newport Folkies Go Live on the Net This Weekend. “The Answer My Friend is Backboned on the Zend”

by johnford on August 2, 2008

Ahhh, it’s a cryin’ shame it’s not 1965 so we could hear Dylan get booed by the uptight folk-nazi’s frothing at the mouth over Bobby playing rock and roll on holy acoustic folkie ground. Or better yet, ‘64 with Skip James pickn’ and moanin’ to “I’d Rather be the Devil.” Well, like they say, “Nostalgia ain’t what it used to be.”300_326369.jpg

This weekend NPR will be streaming quite a few of the performances from many of the artists appearing at the . Unfortunately a large number of the ‘artists’ gracing the stage at Newport this year undoubtedly wouldn’t know what a clawhammer was if it whacked em’ in the head like a coo-coo bird racing towards hell, flying straight out of a Kentucky coalmine disaster.

The has a rich tradition of discovery and paying homage to the history and culture of American traditional . Over the years the lineup at the festival would read like a who’s who of Blues, Folk and Country greats. Gracing the stage at Newport through the decades included American masters like Joan Baez, Phil Ochs, Tom Paxton, Pete Seeger, Rev. Gary Davis, John Hammond, John Lee Hooker, Brownie McGhee and Sonny Terry, Mississippi John Hurt, Clarence “Tom” Ashley, The New Lost City Ramblers, Fred Price, Doc Watson, Doc Boggs and Maybelle Carter. Whew!

The was founded in 1959 by folksingers and managers including Pete Seeger, Theodore Bikel, and former manager and “landlord” Albert Grossman. This year the festival “sponsors” include T-Mobile, Rhapsody and NBC 10 in Philly. I wonder if Phil Ochs is rolling over in his grave?

Look for sets from Gillian Welch, Steve Earle, Richie Havens and indie rock acts Calexico, She & Him and Dylan’s blue-eyed offspring Jakob Dylan. The webcasts will be streamed live on NPR.org and according to the National Public website, the performances will also be archived and available online at a later date.

Here’s the list of the complete streaming schedule available live on NPR this weekend:

Saturday, August Second:

  • 11:30 a.m.: Cowboy Junkies
  • 12:30 p.m.: Jakob Dylan
  • 1:40 p.m.: Steve Earle with Allison Moorer
  • 2:00 p.m.: Trey Anastasio
  • 2:50 p.m.: She & Him
  • 3:30 p.m.: Stephen & Damian Marley
  • 4:00 p.m.: Jim James (of My Morning Jacket)

Sunday, August Third:

  • 11:30 p.m.: Willy Mason
  • 12:15 p.m.: Brandi Carlile
  • 1:20 p.m.: Calexico
  • 2:40 p.m.: Gillian Welch
[Slashdot] [Digg] [Reddit] [del.icio.us] [Facebook] [Technorati] [Google] [StumbleUpon]

{ 1 comment }

Free Wisdom for Broadcasters, from the “Beleaguered” Apple

May 7, 2008

Today Apple is a darling, a huge success story. A company that has returned from the ashes and reinvented itself more times than The Trixter has. But it wasn’t that long ago that the un-elected computer intelegencia and the everyday end-user was predicting a quick death for the company that has had more lives than [...]

Read the full article →