I think by now we should all know better than to piss Anderson Cooper off. Last night, we saw what happens when you do, as Anderson discussed the FaceBook postings of Clint McCance, the vice-president of an Arkansas school board. The story first broke by the Advocatehere, it has been picked up by most news organizations. But what I love most about Anderson's coverage is that he brings it back to what is important, the victims. And he speaks so strongly about the perpetrator of this act.
I have always liked Anderson, his news-style being so strong. You are very aware when it is a topic he cares about, and bullying is one of them. Earlier, he ha appeared on Ellen Degeneres' show, and spoke about the issue.
Anderson speaks so directly to the heart of the matter, I hope his use of his position at CNN allows many people to hear it. And that one day, he asks me to marry him. I mean, come on, he is gorgeous, too.
There is a FaceBook page requesting the school board terminate him here. While the board announced they can't fire him - he is an elected official, not an employee, 'liking' the page does send a message I think is good.
When I watch the video made by Fort Worth City Council District 9 representative, it still moves me to tears. The courage it took to be so honest and searching is just remarkable. Since the video went viral, Joel has been interviewed several places, and I just thought I would share a bit more about this inspirational man. First is an interview he did with out newscaster Thomas Roberts on MSNBC. And yes, it certainly doesn't hurt there are two hot gay guys in this one.
He also had a wonderful interview on The Ellen Show. His mother is just adorable, and when Ellen talks to her, I am moved as well.
Joel also had an interview on The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell, which also featured his husband of 17 years, JD Angle. The love and care they have for one another is evident in this video. It is quite wonderful to see.
Joel has a website where you can sign up for his mailing list. Check it out here. He also notes that he is running for City Council again next year, and one can only imagine that there are people who would like to see this thoughtful and honest man face a tough battle. If you would like to make a donation to his reelection campaign, you can do it here. Of course, #1 on his list is contact information for the Trevor Project, which you can find here.
Theo Tams recently tweeted about a project/contest he was setting up.
@theotamsmusic Calling all YOUR Creativity- make a video on why I should be a guest on @TheEllenShow - 2 mins or less- and it could be featured on my site!
@theotamsmusic Send the link of your #GetTheoOnEllen video to gettheoonellen@hotmail.com with your name, address, and phone number! Thaaaanks y'all!
Since I am the type of fan who likes a challenge, and who likes a good laugh, I immediately went to work on my video, so here it is. Hopefully, other creative fans will be getting their YouTube on and posting their projects. And, by the way, I don't think any television hosts have to worry about their job any time soon.
For many, the first time they saw or heard of Matt Morris is when he sang with Justin Timberlake on the Hope for Haiti Now Concert, produced by George Clooney. They sang Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah, a gorgeous and haunting song. It was certainly a moving performance, on a show filled with some of the biggest names in the entertainment business.
For my money, Matt Morris was the stand-out voice on that performance, which didn't surprise me. You see, I have downloaded his album the previous week. When Everything Breaks Open is Matt's debut with Tennman Records, the company owned by Timberlake. Morris was the first artist signed to the fledgling company. Seems Matt and Justin go way back together, when both appeared on the Mickey Mouse Club in the early 90s. Matt's vocal talent should come as no surprise, as his father is Country singing star Gary Morris, who also had success on Broadway, singing the role of Jean Valjean in Les Miserables, and singing opposite Linda Ronstadt in La Boheme.
After his time on the Mickey Mouse Club, Matt continued to develop his talents, one of which was that of a songwriter. He has written for former MMC co-star Christina Aguilera, Kelly Clarkson (he wrote her hit Miss Independent), Timberlake , and Reba McEntire.
Morris is an out and proud gay man, and married partner Sean Michael Morris in California during the brief period it was legal prior to Prop 8. He not only speaks about him in concert, but he also mentions him in the liner notes of the album.
The music on When Everything Breaks Open is a combination of pop, rock, soul, folk and a touch of jazz. There are 13-songs on the Amazon version, produced by Timberlake and Charlie Sexton. The first song, Don't You Dare, a pop number allowing Matt to establish up front he has the vocal chops to carry a strong career. It is a strong song I could hear on the radio, much like mentor Timberlake. It combines funk and pop, sounding very current. Next up is Money, a soulful song with a great vibe. While lyrically it comes down to 'money is the root of all evil,' it is the delivery that sets this one apart. He performed it on the Ellen Degeneres Show below. Ellen, it seems, is a big fan.
The next cut is Love, a song written and performed straight from the heart. It speaks to the essence of love, the strength and beauty of it, and while never stepping up with a direct statement, is obviously speaking as a gay man who loves his partner very much. Here he performs an acoustic version of the soulful pop tune at a show in Denver, at a show headlined by the Indigo Girls.
The fourth song is Bloodline, a very interesting song. At heart it is very much a folk song, although the production and Matt's natural tendencies take soulful liberties with it, truly making it great. The background vocals of Patty Griffin, are perfect. When Matt performed it on the Ellen Degeneres Show, it was Justin who came out to perform with him, along with co-producer Charlie Sexton on guitar.
Other tracks on the album are Live Forever, nice pop song, through and through. The Un-American Interesting song, is remarkably like the acoustic Queen song, updated and current. Let It Go is Classically-inspired piano-driven pop, so melodic and beautiful. You Do It For Me Classic funk updated, Motown classics brought into today's sound. Just Before The Morning is just beautiful pop with great hooks. In This House is a soulful pop ballad with great vocals. Matt does some amazing singing on this one. Forgiveness is pop, almost a power ballad. Someone To Love You soulful ballad, blending the sound of R&B with a touch of Sarah McLachlin folk. Eternity is classic folk, updated with an R&B twist. There isn't a bad track on the album.
At the moment, you can download a copy from Amazon for just $5, quite the bargain, by clicking here. I am not sure how long that will last, so do hurry. When I bought it, it was at full price, and well worth it, so I'd suggest if you have any interest in his music, go for it. You can also check him out at his official website here. That page also has links to his MySpace, Twitter, YouTube, and FaceBook pages.
This evening the ninth season of American Idol will premiere, focusing on the auditions in Boston, Massachusetts. This season marks not only the debut of Ellen Degeneres as judge, replacing bad negotiator Paula Abdul. I am not sure when she will be debuting, and think she will not appear in tonight's episode, 8PM, 7PM Central time on Fox.
Also, it was announced Tuesday that the rumors are true, Simon Cowell will not be returning for season 10. He will, in fact, be busy preparing his new show for Fox Television, the US version of his UK hit show, The X-Factor. Similar to AI, X-Factor is a search to find undiscovered singers, but instead of the judges offering opinions from afar, they mentor a couple of singers/groups they mentor throughout the show. The new Fox lineup will be AI in the Spring, So You Think You Can Dance in the Summer, and X-Factor in the Fall. As of yet there is no word on Cowell's replacement on AI.
MTV's Jim Cantiello posted the first of his American Idol in 60 Seconds, a brilliant series that will become a weekly feature to AI fans and comedy lovers alike. Sorry, after a few years of watching Jim do this, I have a bit of a crush on him. If the video isn't working in the post, try clicking here and watching it.
