Agog over Lady Gaga and Beyoncé's new video "Telephone"

Click here to view.
Fresh from the delightfully sick minds of Lady Gaga, Beyoncé and what looks like hundreds of co-conspirators, "Telephone" is the most creative and outrageous music video since Michael Jackson's "Thriller." The nine minute plus production has already swept all the youngsters up into its clutches, and it is slowly seeping its way into the consciousness of the original MTV Generation as they approach retirement age.

While it is not possible to embed the video into a blog like this, you can simply click here or on the caption above to see the full video.

Lady Gaga and Telephone Video
This is the "clean" version of the video I have linked to. But a few bleeps and a little blurring hardly make it any less wonderful.

While I hate over-hyped commercial media with its product placements, (in this video Coca Cola among others) cliches and mediocre music - all of which are present in the Lady Gaga's current and past work - this video has so many layers and so much going on it is worth repeated viewings.

John Waters was once the Duke of Dirt and Prince of Puke. In the past couple of years he has been unable to get financing for his proposed film "Fruitcake". Perhaps he is living out the same frustrations that Orson Welles felt at the end of his career. Time marches on. The crown has been passed on.

Once you were forbidden to watch Divine. But now your parent's worst nightmare has just reinvented itself. And I am simply gaga over it.

BSCC April Dance April 17 in Pittsfield

Spring in the Air!

The Berkshire Stonewall Community Coalition invites the LGBTQ community and its allies to celebrate Spring!


More information at the BSCC website.

Namoli Brennet in Concert April 23 at the Topia Cafe in Adams @ 7:30

Folksinger Namoli Brennet returns to the Berkshires at the Topia Cafe.
The NAMOLI BRENNET Concert

Friday, April 23. at 7:30 PM

PLEASE NOTE THE PERFORMANCE TIME IS 7:30 PM (Not 9:00 as published earlier or elsewhere.)

Plan a pleasant evening with a great talent. It takes place at the Stone Soup Café at Topia Arts Center, 27 Park Street, Adams. There is a $10 cover charge.

Here's a rare chance to see and hear Namoli Brennet, the distinctive singer-songwriter as she returns to the Berkshires with her warm, funny, distinctive style in a totallyfriendly and intimate setting.

Grapes of Wrath_ Namoli Brennet from Kevin Anderson on Vimeo.

Chris Evans offered Captain America role

Chris Evans
The Heat Vision Blog tells us that, based on a rerport in the Hollywood Reporter, the actor, who once donned superhero garb in two "Fantastic Four" movies, has been offered the role of Captain America.

Evans' offer would include starring in up to three "America" movies plus "The Avengers" movies and appearances in several other Marvel movies.

Since it is not yet confirmed, nor signed, it still could be offered to one of the actors we mentioned below if this deal does not work out...Evans does have other film commitments that could create problems with scheduling and shooting.

Who will play Captain America?

"When I’d heard that Will Smith was [interested], I’m just like, ‘God, yeah. That’s who should play it… It would be a different Captain America than we all know in the comic, but it’s perfect.” Channing Tatum (pictured here).

In less than a year the first of nine Captain America movies will begin shooting, and a new star will be born. Based on the Marvel comics character, the superhero will also inhabit the persona of his alter ego, Steve Rogers, and try to defend an America that is in deep trouble. It's going to get interesting.

The rumors of which actors heads the top of the list have been flying, and just to give you an idea of who they are looking at I have compiled a list of both the finalists and the failures.

Wilson Bethel, who starred in HBO’s “Generation Kill” and currently appearing in “The Young and the Restless,” is still in the running.

Mike Vogel, who appeared in “Cloverfield” and CBS’ “Miami Medical” is still on the list of possibilities. Bethel and Vogel are relative unknowns, and therefore long shots, though the lower salaries such actors demand can be a deciding factor.

My choice, because of the success the Star Trek franchise had in casting Chris Pine to play Captain Kirk.

There's also James Cameron's choice of Sam Worthington for Avatar. But he is Australian...

Still very much in contention, and currently moving to the top of the pack is actor Chris Evans, currently shooting "Safety Point" in Texas. He has read for the part and has a test offer which may come to fruition next week.

Garrett Hedlund has not tested yet though Marvel itself is very keen on him.

Sadly, word has it that Chace Crawford is a no-go.

Michael Cassidy is no longer on the list.

John Krasinski (The Office) has always been a long shot.
So who would you like to see try out for the role? Whoever it is, they will spend a lot of time underneath a face mask and costume, so the acting is likely more important than the look. But still...