PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH PLAYED MY SHARONA

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THE WEB GOSSIP
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The guy or girl that writes this column is a very big industry insider who wishes to remain anonymous, but wants to write about all the headlines happening in Hollywood and the Music Industry.
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President George W. Bush Had The Knack


KNACK KNACK IS DOUG HERE? – Knack front man Doug Fieger died this past weekend, from lung cancer. Fieger led his group the Knack through six studio albums, with their capping achievement being their single, from 1979 “My Sharona.” It was, and is, an iconic song, with everyone from Pearl Jam to Veruca Salt to Yo La Tengo having covered it. It also appeared in the movies ‘Reality Bites’ and was sampled by Run DMC and Madonna. President George W. Bush listed the song on his iPod list in 2005, and it was parodied by Cheech and Chong turning the song into “My Scrotum.” The most famous parody being Weird Al’s version, envisioned as “My Payola.” AOL writing of the song said: “To really understand the song’s impact, think of this: the rock era officially began in 1955, meaning that as of now, only 55 songs in all of rock history have earned the right to be the number one song of the year. ‘My Sharona’ was one of them.” The L.A.-based band scored other hits singles with “Good Girls Don’t,” “Baby Talks Dirty,” and even 1991’s “Rock O’ Love,” but, none came close to their hit which spent six weeks atop the Billboard Top 100, from August 25 through September 29. The band received plaudits from everyone from Paul McCartney to Pete Townsend and Tom Petty and Bruce Springsteen too. Fieger was a gifted wordsmith and though he enjoyed the success ... he knew it’d probably end up as an albatross. In a 2001 interview with ABC, he called it a “golden albatross.” When he passed on Valentine’s Day, Sharona Alperin, the inspiration for the hit said, “Doug changed my life forever. He left on Valentine’s Day, a day of heart and love, and that was Doug … all heart and love.” Rest easy Doug … you forever changed ‘pop music’ …and, for the better!
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Terry O'Quinn


LOST NO MORE --- If you haven't heard (ha ha!) this is Lost’s final season … so, the big reveal and wrap up has begun in earnest. The season premiere, ‘LA X’ was nothing short of brilliant, yet it showed you just how much they had yet to wrap up. In fact, even during the season premier, it didn't seem possible. Last week’s episode was about the ‘Kate Austin’ character and though it was good, it was somewhat slower-moving than usual, prompting some angst amongst their rabid fans. Last night, ‘The Substitute,’ which prominently featured the character of ‘John Locke’ … was one of the best episodes of the show I've seen. Terry O’Quinn’s acting was nothing short of brilliant. It was one of the Top five eps ever! If you've missed this show, which at first doesn't seem possible, you missed an ionic TV moment. I think this has been the best episodic show since ‘Twin Peaks.’

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Taylor Lautner


OSCAR LOSS --- How is it possible that the producers (Adam Shankman and Bill Mechanic) of this year are Oscarfest (on March 7) have decided not to have the original songs, nor the corresponding artists, perform on the show? Instead, the decision they've made is to instead feature on more of the ‘younger’ talents, like Taylor Lautner and Blake Lively. I mean, at first blush, that seems an insult to not only the writers and performers, but also to the show’s history. Insiders say that the nominees and filmmakers are outraged, feeling that the producers are tossing aside tradition and costing musical artists a well-deserved moment of global TV glory. Actually, according to Nikki Finke in her Deadline Hollywood column, said: “What the Academy Awards telecast producers will certainly do is shave time that can be spent doting on twice as many Best Pictures nominees as in years past.” Remember, its 10 this year … not the usual 5. Strange times indeed! Also, I heard a rumor that those producers will have a bowl of Prozac nearby from Alec Baldwin. Truth or not? MODERN CLOCKWORK – 20-something wunderkind Harrison Forbes, sort of NY’s own Owl City (aka Adam Young/“Fireflies”) confab, does a photo shoot today in Williamsburg and manger/PR guru David Salidor reports that his EP has become a bidding project of sorts with four labels trying to sign it up. Says Salidor, “Not since our work with Run DMC have I seen this much curiosity and intensity. Harrison is a one-man music shop, his own studios, production deals with other artists … without question, he represent the new business model of an artist in this business. Despite his young years … he gets it!” btw: Salidor and Tony Noto, of the original production of the off-Broadway chestnut, ‘The Fantasticks,’ are chatting up a new reality show, called ‘Simply Frank.’ More on this next time.

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Jeff Bridges


CRAZY IN L.A. --- Ryan Bingham finally got to sing his song after all last night, at a star studded soiree by New West Records and their T Bone Burnett produced soundtrack for the film ‘Crazy Heart.’ Jeff Bridges took the stage with T Bone to perform several songs from the film, joined by Robert Duvall and Harry Dean Stanton, who broke into an impromptu “Red River Valley.” Even Elton John joined in on piano for a rousing, New Orleans-styled finale. Also there was Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal (with Peter Sarsgaard), Jon Hamm, Elizabeth Westfeldt, Elliot Gould, Mary Kay Place, Powers Boothe, Peter Fonda, and the film’s writer/director Scott Cooper. Elton’s manager Johnny Barbis, and Kathy Baker.

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John Mellencamp


DYLAN & BARACK --- The Black History Month special In performance at the White House; A Celebration of Music from the Civil Rights Movement on PBA aired last week … and, it was terrific. President Obama opened the concert by detailing music’s pivotal role in the civil rights movement. Stevie Wonder sat in the front row, as Will.i.am performed Wonder’s own “Master Blaster (Jammin’); Jennifer Hudson and Smokey Robinson teamed for the Curtis Mayfield-penned “People Get Ready”; and, in his White House debut, Bob Dylan performed a moving, intimate rendition of “The Times They Are A-Changin’; Joan Baez sang “We Shall Overcome,” and, John Mellencamp performed “Keep Your Eyes on the Prize.” It was a surprisingly moving concert, especially Dylan … aging, yet still nothing short of brilliant. Check out their PBS Web site.

Photos By: RD/Kabik/Kirkland/Dziekan/Leon/Retna

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