When Judy Met Marilyn

 

Judy Garland & Marilyn Monroe

"That beautiful girl was frightened of aloneness—the same thing I'd been been afraid of. Like me, she was just trying to do her job—garnish some delightful whipped cream onto some people's lives, but Marilyn and I never got a chance to talk." - Judy Garland

Beautiful souls, wished they had.

Judy on the WWW -

https://judygarland.com/

Marilyn on the WWW -

https://www.instagram.com/marilynmonroe/?hl=en  

Hump Day & Chill

Judy Garland & Debbie Reynolds

Well after yesterday's mid-terms I indeed need to Hump Day & Chill with some old Hollywood glamour. 

Here we have two legends of the days of yore Judy Garland you know of The Wizard of Oz, A Star Is Born and Liza Minelli's Mom fame. Along with Debbie Reynolds of Singin' In The Rain, The Unsinkable Molly Brown and Carrie Fisher's Mom fame.

Both of these women were singular and unique talents who brought their own brand of magic to Movie Musicals and other fare. Oddly enough they both had equally famous and talented daughters.

Wonder what their conversation was about, oh to be a fly on that wall! 

So let's give these legendary women their due and Hump Day & Chill to how amazing they were...

"Reach For The Stars, You Just Might Become One" 

Judy on Wikipedia -

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judy_Garland

 Debbie on Wikipedia -

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debbie_Reynolds

Celebrating A Legend, Judy Garland

Judy Garland

Today is the 100th Birthday of the legendary Judy Garland. I took these photos commemorating it at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery post yoga class there. "Yes" they have yoga classes there and Tyler Cassity owner and founder of the cemetery puts us yogis through our paces every Tuesday. The day I attended and took these photos.

Cheers to you Judy Garland thanks for the magic and the memories! 💕

Paying My Respect

Judy on Wikipedia -

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judy_Garland

Remembering Judy Garland

Mike Clifford & Judy Garland

Today marks the anniversary of the passing of a legend, Judy Garland. Being that it is Pride Month makes it even more significant as Judy was a huge gay icon and supporter. 

Above is a photo of my friend Mike Clifford pictured here with Judy at the Little Club in Beverly Hills, CA. She was there to see him perform that night. "Yes" he was fortunate enough to call Ms. Garland friend.

Thus in memory of her, and in celebration of Pride Month. Here is Mike's wonderful cover of Over The Rainbow...

Enjoy, and Happy Pride!

Mike Clifford Fan Page:

https://www.facebook.com/MikeCliffordsWonderfulWorld  

Michael's Musings

Michael Shinafelt

"You need to just stop
Like can you just not step on my gown?You need to calm down" - You Need To Calm Down, Taylor Swift

While I understand there are many things to give one pause in the world today, let's keep them in perspective. "Yes" there are some things that should anger/upset/disturb you. Then there's things that the Karen's of the world get mad at.

PS you know who you are and what I'm am addressing, uh-huh, I'm gonna leave that here. Moving on Minions...

Hey Police, my 81 year old Mom has been practicing her falling skills FYI

Doesn't anyone watch Sesame Street anymore?!

There's a sucker born every minute, swallowers are harder to find - The more you know

If you could cure COVID19 by sacrificing just one human, who would it be and why did you choose Trump?

Dear Stassi Schroeder and Kristen Doute - WTF were you thinking?! Honestly I am surprised this took two years to come out. Neither of you can blame it on your youth either. How entitled of both of you to think you could call the cops on anyone for a crime they did not commit just because you were mad at them for cheating on a friend of yours. Let alone doing it to a Black Woman...Wow, just wow!

The Battle: Impulse for connection v Impulse for the greater good 

Holy Mother of Dachshunds!

Hello, My Tricks (make of it what you will, or not)

Woman Crush of the Week - Judy Garland who would have been 98 yesterday. Why? Because it's Pride Month and her performance in A Star Is Born is nothing short of brilliant!

The Confederate Flag is a symbol of slavery, racism and oppression, but it’s also a symbol of losers getting their ass kicked, just sayin'

Trivia: Who was the last person to disband the Police? Answer: Sting

Ever wonder while kicking it: Where's the lightning bolt?

Now serving candy for breakfast

It's always great to have the comfort of Law and Order: SVU reruns during these times

Come see what else I'm watching at:
https://www.instagram.com/michaelshinafelt/?hl=en
https://twitter.com/MShinafelt  

"Get Happy" With Leigh Nash

GRAMMY NOMINATED SINGER-SONGWRITER LEIGH NASH RELEASES NEW EP 

Platinum selling artist Leigh Nash releases GET HAPPY, a brand new six-song EP featuring two never-released tracks, “Something Worth Leaving Behind” and “Get Happy,” as well as a newly re-recorded and remastered version of the Sixpence None the Richer track, “Kiss Me,” the song that brought Leigh to the forefront of female singers in the late 90s.

After seeing the Oscar-winning film JUDY, Leigh was struck by the similarities in her own trajectory as an artist with that of Judy Garland. The movie, and especially Renée Zellweger’s performance of “Get Happy,” resonated with her in many ways. “When you’re an artist, and you’re the most down, you still have to put on a smile for the crowd, for the people who paid to see you. I love the lyrics to the song and feel the words deeply.” She wrote “Something Worth Leaving Behind” after picking up her father’s guitar and thinking how great it was that it didn’t have to be plugged in to work. While her dad had passed 12 years earlier, his guitar was ‘something worth leaving behind.’ “I wanted to sing about what lasts, what is enduring, what is going to matter as you grow. The song is about keeping those things dear.” Other tracks on the EP include “God Gave Me Horses,” written with the award-winning songwriter Connie Harrington (Tricia Yearwood, Rodney Atkins, Lee Brice ), “My Love, My Drug” and “Don’t Let me Die in Dallas,” a song about her father that was written with Tom Douglas (Tim McGraw, Miranda Lambert, Lady Antebellum). The project boasts production credits of Nash’s husband, Stephen Wilson, Jr. as well as Ben Shive’s (Colony House, Dave Barnes, The Gray Havens) twist on the 20th Anniversary version of the Sixpence None The Richer hit, “Kiss Me” 

While Leigh calls the experience of re-recording “Kiss Me,” the song that made her and her band globally famous, a “delightful friend to revisit,” this new release has made her fall in love with writing music all over again. “I am hopefully wiser, and my heart is more open, than five years ago. GET HAPPY is more representative of where I am right now. I am so thankful I still have the chance to record music…I am feeling pretty joyful about it!”

In support of GET HAPPY, available here: https://www.leighnash.net/get-happy-player, Leigh will be playing select shows in March, with summer touring plans to be announced soon.

https://www.leighnash.net  // @leighbirdnash (Instagram) 

Michael's Musings

I'm Dreaming of a Black Christmas...
Michael Shinafelt

"Heaven help me for the way I am, Save me from these evil deeds before I get them done
I know tomorrow brings the consequence at hand, But I keep livin' this day
Like the next will never come" - Criminal, Fiona Apple 

I guess this classic from the great Fiona Apple wasn't what you might could be expecting so close to Christmas. Well don't ever gossip that I can be pigeonholed. In fact perhaps you should never gossip at all, if you are getting my drift in a snow covered hill, and make sure the landslide doesn't bring you down with it Darlin'... "Yes" that was shade.

Tacky as usual, or is it unusually tacky?

Kendall Jenner telling X Harry Styles that Mother of three Kourtney Kardashian is the worst parent out of all her sisters, now That's Entertainment!

You got your stripper girlfriend to bang a married man? Was her name Melania?

"Really I’m just tweeting about Christmas lights because I can’t handle the impending civil war" - Liz Phair

Just a reminder that the President's Children are straight up grifter trash too

Think happy thoughts, say it three times fast, maybe Tinkerbell won't die

Can anyone actually win over Renee Zellweger for her amazing portrayal of Judy Garland this Awards Season?

Put a little lust in your life

Naughty or Nice isn't a thing anymore, did you get caught?

Woman Crush of the Week - Kerry Washington, because according to Vogue Magazine her "Gilded Twists Are a Seasonal Showstopper" indeed!

Where's the Grinch when you need him? I ask you? I'm waiting...

Ford v Ferrari? Eff that I want to take a ride on Christian Bale

I found it in synthetic form

May all your Christmases be white. How long before that phrase gets called out as racist?!

I'm on a roll, join me at:
https://www.instagram.com/michaelshinafelt/?hl=en
https://twitter.com/MShinafelt

Celebrating Judy Garland

Celebrate!
Mike Clifford & Judy Garland

June is Pride month, and also happens to be the month that legendary gay icon Judy Garland passed. With the 50th Anniversary of her death arriving on June the 22nd former Teen Idol Mike Clifford decided to cover her signature song "Over The Rainbow" in celebration of her life.

Oh and what a cover it is. Clifford who actually knew Judy (she attended his singing gigs around the Los Angeles area) - Always found her to be kind and supportive of his music career. Of course it was a big deal for Mike that he actually was friends with his idol.

Clifford delivers one of the best vocal performances of his career with his rendition of the song classic from The Wizard of Oz. 

Let your troubles melt like lemon drops and celebrate Judy's life by hitting the video below...

Happy Pride Month! 

Mike on the WWW at:
https://www.facebook.com/MikeCliffordsWonderfulWorld/
https://www.reverbnation.com/mikeclifford6   

Michael's Musings

Resting Beach Face
Michael Shinafelt

"Summertime, and the livin' is easy" - Ella Fitzgerald 

In case you didn't register, Summer officially began yesterday. Yes minions it's on! Which of course made me think of the song Summertime, sung by Ella Fitzgerald. However my first exposure to it was the cover by Janis Joplin. 

For the longest time I thought Joplin to be the originator of the seasonal song, obviously I thought wrong.

Que sera sera - Move Over and Let's Get This Party Started!

Free the disabled hyenas 

Good things come in pink boxes, or is that cum?

This week on Pretty Little Liars - We all found out who killed Charlotte...it was Mona. OK we all saw that one coming, but the way the whole life event went down was a doozy!

Attack of the 50 foot Granola Lesbian, the threat is real

Think of me when you use body lotion

There's a scandalous book coming out about the group Van Halen that has, what else? Sex, drugs & rock-n-roll. One the band members actually hallucinated giant penises coming out of the wall. That's hot!

Memories
Mike Clifford

Today marks the 48th anniversary of Judy Garland's passing. Mike Clifford and I visited her yesterday at Hollywood Forever, he knew Judy. Visit Mike's Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/MikeCliffordsWonderfulWorld/

Wash that man right out of your hair

File This Under Who Cares: Beyonce birthed her twins

Descend into madness

Once upon time there was an evil tyrant who tried to undermine all that is good about a land called the United States of America

Itsy bitsy teeny weeny...fill in the blank 

On that note - obey everything I say and follow me here:

https://www.instagram.com/michaelshinafelt/?hl=en

https://twitter.com/MShinafelt 

Again?!?! "A Star Is Born"

Born A Star
Lady Gaga

"Time won't change the meaning of one love, Ageless and ever (ever, ever)

Evergreen" - Evergreen "A Star Is Born" Barbara Streisand

Hollywood does seem to have one love for sure in the timeless tale of A Star Is Born. It was first made in 1937 with Frederic March as the troubled movie star and Janet Gaynor as the aspiring up and coming actress who he guides to fame. Then it was remade two more times with James Mason & Judy Garland and Barbara Streisand & Kris Kristofferson respectively. For the record the only one of these I have seen is the Garland/Mason one, both were brilliant in it!

So, is the third time going to be a charm, or is it going to be three strikes and your out?

Lady Gaga, who I love as a talent, what she stands for and who she is, is in talks to star in the third remake with the, I don't get his appeal, Bradley Cooper directing as well as co-starring. 

Rumor has it Gaga has tested for the role and Warner Bothers execs were impressed. As well they should be as I am sure our Lady's test was off the hook! My trepidation about this lies solely with Cooper.

If he wants to direct, great! However, I think Gaga's presence and talent is so strong she deserves a male lead with a lot more testosterone. Jon Hamm perhaps?

Go Gaga at: 

https://twitter.com/ladygaga

https://www.instagram.com/ladygaga/?hl=en  

Marie Osmond Transforms Herself...

Yes, It Really Is Marie Osmond

Into The Bride of Frankenstein! Yes, it's totally true!

Not only does she portray Frankenstein's mate, she also does Marilyn Monroe, Judy Garland, Madonna and Elizabeth Taylor. Hey what can't this amazing woman do?!

Why you may ask? Well there is a reason...it's for "Showstopper" a new production number in the Donny and Marie Show at the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas.

Marie has always been my favorite Osmond. Even though she was "a little bit country" and I am more Rock-N-Roll. I used to sit glued to the TV set when the Donny & Marie show was on.

Marie, For Real

She is an icon to me and what makes her special is she has always been kind, compassionate, honest and above all real.

Her ups and downs are well documented in the press and through it all Ms. Osmond has always remained strong and fluid as a human being.

I greatly admire her moxie and intelligence. Not to mentions she is an A + entertainer & personality. 

A note to the judges of Dancing With The Stars, who dissed Marie's freestyle to The Rolling Stone's "Start Me Up" - it was awesome and perhaps one day you will realize the error of your judgement, perhaps...in the meantime let's make believe and play dress up with Marie and all of her amazing transformations in the video below!

                                                          Believe It Or Not

Sometimes It's OK To Go "A Little Bit Country" at:

http://www.marieosmond.com/

Paging Madonna: For "Valley Of The Dolls" Remake

Madonna: I Am Helen Lawson Hear Me Roar!

"Boobies, Boobies, Boobies" - Neely O'hara "Valley of the Dolls"

Rumor has it that 20th Century Fox are courting Madonna to play the indomitable aging diva Helen Lawson in a remake of "Valley of the Dolls." 

Given the infamous quote above spouted in the original by Patty Duke as Neely O'Hara and Madonna's obvious affinity for the role, the Big M is a dead on choice for Helen...Here is the 411!

The “new” Valley of the Dolls, will have a decidedly different “spin” on the original with L.A.’s music business being a big part of the story, particularly with the Neely O’Hara character (Patty Duke) the up and coming star who makes it big and has a major fall from grace. One of the writers of the new VOTD is Paul Rudnick, who did the “First Wives Club” and “In and Out." There will be a dark comedy aspect to the film.

Actresses on the “A List” for this movie are Anne Hathaway, perfect as the prim Anne Welles, Jennifer Lawrence as Jennifer North (the fallen Angel played by Sharon Tate) and Emmy Rossum as Neely O’ Hara,  and producers are lobbying hard to get Madonna to play the aging Broadway star Helen Lawson, a role intended for Judy Garland in the original movie.

Lindsay Lohan: I'm Neely O'Hara!

I love all the choices especially the one of  Jennifer Lawrence, one of my favorite actresses who would be dead on as Jennifer North. But if you really want to make this happen I would personally cast Lindsay Lohan as Neely O'Hara, no offense Emmy Rossum, just sayin'....

Pentatonix Catch A Tornado To The Land Of Ahhhs...!

They're "Wide Awake"

That's right, the PTX gang join YouTube sensation Todrick Hall and hitch a ride on a tornado and land in Ahhhs! Not to be confused with the land of Oz, but it certainly is Emerald City adjacent.

Pentatonix journey opens with the sole female group member Kirstie Maldonado as "Dorothy" crooning "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" and then along comes a twister....Hey, the story has not changed, but the way in which it is told is unique and fun!

Kirstie, is front row and center for the bulk of the re-telling of a young girls journey of self. Not only does she play "Dorothy" but being the only female, she also plays "Glinda" and "The Wicked Witch of the West" -  You go Kirstie!

The concept is the brainchild of Todrick Hall (with I am sure input from PTX) - also pays homage to the classic movie, "The Wizard of Oz" and utilizes images of the late great Judy Garland over the final number of the voyage.

So which of the Pentatonix Guys plays "The Scarecrow", "The Tin Woodsman", "The Cowardly Lion" & "Toto" too?

Catch a tornado to Ahhhs and find out!

                                                                The Wizard of Ahhhs                        


Represent with Pentatonix at: http://www.ptxofficial.com/

Connect with Todrick on Twitter: https://twitter.com/toddyrockstar