Still love Kelly Clarkson despite her recent concert cancellations and rumors of a sucky CD? Me too. That’s why I was happy to find out MTV’s The Leak has her new album in it’s entirety for our listening pleasure.

As someone who’s not the biggest pop music fan but feels an inexplicable love for Ms. K, I gotta say that I like this album. The third track, “Hole” is about as hard rock as any female pop vocalist has gone in a long time, and Clarkson is no slave to inane hooks. Say what you will, but I’ll take an interesting song over something that repeats itself 7 times any day. And with lyrics like “It seems every time I find a good man / He’s got a good little wife / I’m not jealous but I won’t lie / I don’t want to hear about your wonderful life” “How I Feel” is a great song to yell to alone in your room, espescially if you’re single.

“Sober” is her apparent new single, and although it’s pretty much your standard pop-ballad fare, her voice is expressive enough to make you believe every word she sings. And I still don’t know how she hits those high notes with the force she does. You try it on your own and you end up screeching, but somehow K. Clarkson rocks them. Every time. Even in concert. Read More »

Has reality TV finally gone too far? (Although if you ask me, it went off the edge long ago with Extreme Makeover). A new Dutch program goes beyond washed - up/overweight celebrities by making a kidney the star of the show. A woman named Lisa’s kidney, to be exact. During the 80 - minute spectacle, tastefully called The Big Donor Show, Lisa will choose a recipient for her healthy kidney based on the kidney contestants’ personal histories and stories. Viewers can send her advice via text - message.

Of course, many astute Europeans are up in arms over the show, saying it’s completely dangerous and unethical. But the show’s producers claim they are doing a public service by highlighting the lack of organ donors in the Netherlands. The former director of the television station that will air the show died of kidney failure after being on a transplant waiting list for years.

So maybe the show isn’t exactly in line with Hippocrates, but if Kelly Clarkson can go from a nobody cocktail waitress from Podunk, Texas to an international superstar millionaire, why can’t someone benefit from a televised kidney? Although in this case, the losers of The Big Donor Show are really losers — but hey, just as Katharine McPhee is irritatingly famous now even after she lost American Idol, maybe the losers on this show will get some second - prize kidneys and then some. And let’s be honest, a kidney is a kidney, so everyone wins.

What do you think about this show?

Well, that was quite a spectacle last night, huh? From the pre-show on the red carpet to the countless appearances by huge stars, American Idol pulled out all the stops for the results show.

The first hour was pretty awesome, actually. Though I’m not a fan of Blake, he held it down with Doug E. Fresh. His beatboxing talent is undeniable, the singing voice is just a little shakey.

The group numbers with Smokey Robinson, and Gladys Knight were hugely entertaining.

The two old schoolers are still wonderful talents to watch, and though the Idol wannabes are perhaps not the most rhythmically gifted people (the choreography was just funny to watch), vocally they all sounded great. Read More »

Oh my god. I never thought I would say this. Kelly Clarkson’s new song SUCKS!

What is going on here? I’ve always loved Kelly Clarkson. In all my years of watching of American Idol, I voted exactly one time and it was for Kelly. I even seriously contemplated dying my hair like the cover of her Thankful album, (with the bright red and platinum blonde streaks). Thankfully, I didn’t– but that’s how much I loved her. Not to mention the fact that nothing is more perfect for a run at the gym or singing along with your car windows down than her last album Breakaway.

So what gives? When I was home over Spring Break, I was shocked when my best friend told me she cringed every time she heard a Kelly Clarkson song.

“WHAT do you mean? I loooove her” I replied in astonishment.

To which my best friend pointed out that on 90% of her songs, Kel screams. “Uch whatever” I thought and I pushed her criticism aside. I mean after all this friend of mine doesn’t like Christina Aguilera OR Chris Daughtry’s voices either- what does she know?! Read More »

The big American Idol benefit show—Idol Gives Back—was on last night, and it was quite a spectacle! The build up surrounding the show was unbelievable, and I’m not sure if it lived up to the hype, but it was totally entertaining. Except for Il Divo who I could do without ever seeing again for the rest of my life.

It might seem corny to say, but I thought the energy exuded by Ryan, Ellen (who, as always, was hilarious—“what’s the big surprise? I mean, am I being kicked off”), all the performers, and the contestants was tangible. I felt like they were proud to be a part of what was going on. And maybe I just fell for a great act, but I would like to believe they were.

I know there has been a lot of controversy about Idol Gives Back—whether they really do care, or is it a publicity stunt? Is the money actually going to end up where it should? But a friend of mine works at the food bank featured at the end of Tuesday’s show, and she said that when Simon showed up he was extremely humble and kind, and was genuinely touched by what the people there were doing. I think, whether they went into this or not with good intentions, they certainly left with a changed perspective.

Anyway, back to the show. In terms of celebrity performers—Kelly Clarkson, to me, owned it. It was great to see legends like Earth Wind and Fire, and Annie Lennox, but Kelly—our original American Idol—sounded incredible. Live the dream, Kelly! Read More »

Alright girls, we all do it. Strangely enough, I think less of us will admit to this than masturbation. More hands will rise when asked if they watch chick on chick porn than when asked if they do this. This is the sort of thing we really don’t want anyone to know about.

What’s this?

Soundtracking our sadness.

Yup. I’ve playlisted my pain more than I want to admit, and have walked in on friends doing it often. No matter who the perpetrator is, it always looks the same; sad figure lying languid on a bed, fully clothed, eyes leaking, while Rufus warbles or Iron and Wine whines or Kelly Clarkson cries. A sad scene made even sadder by the underscore.

Even those of us who don’t fancy ourselves drama queens have, once or twice, tearfully sat at our computer compiling a “Sad” mix and retreating back to our beds to moan over our handiwork. Come on, Love, admit it. Sometimes you download that song because you know, you know, it’s gonna come in handy the next time you need to have a good old fashioned cry. Read More »