kanye west
10/01/2007
Kanye West Saves Face on SNL
Kanye West's new album "Graduation" has been a critical and commercial success, going gold in a day and crushing the competition (including poor ol' 50 Cent, who may or may not actually end up retiring). In short, the man is a clear winner, which has made his recent temper tantrums about losing super-baffling.
But the Kanye PR machine must be a mighty and fierce one, rivaling Truckosaurus with its cunning and ability to breathe fire. That's the best explanation I have as to how the hip-hop star got the chance to satirize his poor losing on the Saturday Night Live season premiere. It's a triumph of self-parody, simultaneously negating the bad press of his VMA hissyfit and promoting Kanye as a comedy threat. Because who knew Kanye was funny? Not me. But next time I have the opportunity, I'll definitely give "a black man -- um, a short black man -- a chance."
09/17/2007
Sally Field's Emmy Acceptance Speech UNCENSORED
Emmy Winners, Emmy Fashion, Emmy Host Ryan Seacrest -- everything about the Emmys this year was a little lackluster. To the point where the biggest moment of controversy was what WASN'T said.
Given that she's responsible for the most quoted acceptance speech of all time, it seems more than a little strange to cut off Brothers and Sisters' Sally Field, mid-sentence. But that's what someone at Fox did, just as she was warming up to a statement about how mothers shouldn't support the war in Iraq. Behold the machinations of Rupert Murdoch's network, as the producers cut from Ms. Field, mid-"goddamn" to a dark empty stage. Subtle, guys. Real subtle.
But because the broadcast wasn't censored in Canada, we're able to feature the full version here. No official statement has been made by the producers, but speculation revolves around whether it was the clear political bent of her speech, or her use of the curse "goddamn" (which has been acceptible on air for several years now), that lead to her mike being shut down. All I know is that as fun as other moments of the Emmys, such as Rainn Wilson and Kanye West's rap battle and the Colbert/Carell/Stewart group hug, feel crass and tainted. Thanks, Fox. Thanks a bunch.
