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  

TBT: "Parents Just Don't Understand"

Remember the days of yore when Will Smith was the Fresh Prince and he had a sidekick named DJ Jazzy Jeff? Enjoy the Ride Records has released a 12" vinyl single re-issue of DJ Jazzy Jeff and Fresh Price's "Yo Home To Bel Air" on a very awesome 90's graffiti swirl variant. This heavyweight 12" re-issue features the extended radio mix of the iconic theme song from the beloved 90's sitcom "The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air" and includes two rarely heard additional verses further explaining how he became the 'Prince of Bel Air.' The b-side features the Grammy Award-winning hit single "Parents Just Don't Understand." This release marks the first time the song has been re-issued in over 20 years. A Side Yo Home To Bel Air (Extended Radio Mix) B Side Parents Just Don't Understand ETR Webstore Exclusive 3 Color Swirl (Green/Pink/Blue) is limited to 500 total copies. Available NOW exclusively at EnjoyTheRide.Storenvy.Com. Marbled Neon Green Variant will be available in select retail location starting July 1st and is also limited to 500 copies. www.EnjoyTheRideRecords.com www.Instagram.com/EnjoyTheRideRecordswww.Facebook.com/EnjoyTheRiderecords www.Twitter.com/enjoytherideRES www.Myspace.com/enjoytheriderecords

Nick Jonas "I've Got A Firm Ass"

Woof!
Boy Nick Jonas

When being grilled about his fetishes on Watch What Happens Live Andy Cohen asked Nick Jonas "Have you ever been into or would you be into getting spanked"

To which Jonas replied: "Yeah, absolutely, I've got a firm ass." Woof! Come to Daddy...Boy, grrrrrrrrrr...!

Thus in the spirit of the comment I have posted images that objectify Boy Nick (my pet name for him. Hey, we all have our fantasies) above.

I must say I am liking Boy Nick unfiltered a lot, hot to look at and naughty, what more could anyone want in their boy's? 

How about another dirty little bit of info? Yes, please! How's this for hot? Boy Nick admitted getting an NARB on the red carpet, to Jimmy Fallon on the Tonight Show. What's that you say? What's an NARB? It stands for "Non-Apparent Reason Boner" He got it at the Young Hollywood Awards while experiencing the after affects of a marijuana lollipop from the night before.

"Look all men get an NARB from time to time" Boy Nick explained. Why "yes" they do Boy, yes they do.

Boy Nick on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/nickjonas/?hl=en

Finding Dory: I Want Your Same Sex?

Dory, Ellen, Dory, Ellen
Finding Dory

Is there or isn't there a same sex couple in the upcoming Disney/Pixar production Finding Dory?

There is a scene in the trailer which depicts two women caring over a baby in a stroller. Hmmmmmm...while no speculation has been addressed directly here is what Dory aka Ellen Degeneres has to say about it:

"I personally think it's a great thing, I think everything that we see in the media, whether it's television or film or anything you see—should represent everything that's happening in the world. I think everybody that is in the world should be seen and represented."

Ellen did have one issue with the potential same sex couple in Finding Dory.
"One woman has a very bad short haircut, which I find very offensive" Ha! At least it isn't a damned mullet!

Find out the full scoop when Finding Dory hits theaters this Friday June 17th.

We are the world, and so is Ellen at:
www.ellentv.com/     

Suck Adele's Dick!

You Talkin' About Me?!
Adele

I love, love & love Adele's voice, she is such an amazing vocalist! She is also as it turns out pretty gangsta too...

Recently producer Tony Visconti remarked about our lady Adele:

"You turn the radio on and it's fluff, you are listening to 90 percent computerized voices. We know Adele has a great voice but it's even questionable if that is actually her voice or how much has been manipulated. We don't know."

Ummmmmm...dude, you are 72 and have been producing how many years and you can't tell her voice is 100% real?! Note to self, if I ever work on something involving music, don't hire Tony Visconti to produce. 

Adele responded with a rebel yell:

"Some d--khead...tried to say that my voice wasn't me on record," she told the crowd. "Dude, suck my d--k."

There you have it. Happy Monday!

Adele Rulz! at:
adele.com/  

Celebrate Gay Pride!

Michael Shinafelt
Prop 8 Overturned!
Photo: Bob Drapeau

As many people know, and for those who don't, June is officially Gay Pride month.

There are a lot of people that feel it has lost it's meaning. I am not one of them. No matter how "commercial" or "mainstream" it becomes it is always a special celebration. Imagine being a young boy in a small town and never feeling like you fit in. "Yes" I am talking about myself. Only to grow older, more worldly and to find individuals like yourself, who made you feel accepted and loved.

I will always attend the Gay Pride Parade for me it gives me a sense of community & friendship. It reminds me of my struggles and how I overcame them and that I am not the only one. Mostly it is a chance to be free and enjoy my hard earned identity as a Gay Male who deserves to be happy, healthy and content with who he is.

Above is a photo taken of me celebrating the overturning of Prop 8 - the anti gay marriage law in the state of CA. When it happened I dashed immediately to the rally in West Hollywood, CA for the historic moment on June 26, 2013.

Today I will be attending the parade in Los Angeles, with my many friends and acquaintances  I have made through the years I have lived here to celebrate...Happy Pride all. Have a Super Sunday! 

Tweet With Me at:
https://twitter.com/MShinafelt

Tanya Tucker Gives "Sweet Relief"

Selling The Shirt Off Her Back For Charity
Tanya Tucker
Photo: Jeremy Westby

Attention Tanya Tucker fans, this is one auction you won't want to miss. Of course it's collector's items that belong to the country music legend herself, that's a no brainer.

Today country music icon Tanya Tucker announces a partnership with premier online estate sale marketplace EVERYTHING BUT THE HOUSE (EBTH.com). During her nearly 45-year career as a country music legend, which began when she was just a teen, Tucker has garnered many chart-topping hits, awards and magazine covers. The avid collector has also amassed an extraordinary treasure of clothing, accessories, jewelry, keepsakes from iconic performances, collectible home decor, and so much more. For the first time, this special collection will be offered via a curated auction kicking off on Thursday, June 16, 1:00 a.m./CT exclusively on EBTH.com.
 
A percentage of the proceeds from the sale will be donated to Sweet Relief Musicians Fund, an organization that provides financial assistance to all types of career musicians and industry workers who are struggling to make ends meet while facing illness, disability or age-related problems. (sweetrelief.org)
 
“A few years ago I went through a difficult surgery on my vocal chords. Fortunately I was in a position to get the specialized care necessary to continue my career, but not everyone is in this position. This is one reason why I’m extremely excited to be working with EBTH to support Sweet Relief Musicians Fund with a percentage of the sale proceeds,” says Tucker. “I have spent my life collecting these treasures. I look forward to others having the opportunity to enjoy them as much as I have.”
 
The highly-anticipated sale will feature 500 curated items including designer stage costumes worn on tour, at award shows and on photo and video shoots. Several items were featured in her 2014 Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum exhibit, Tanya Tucker: Strong Enough to Bend. Among the latter: a 1970’s Delta Dawn jumpsuit, an Azzedine Alaïa black leather bustier and fringed mini skirt, a 1975 custom Nudie suit, and a Fernando Wang beaded gown. A pink 1992 Harley Davidson Screamin’ Eagle from the Hall of Fame exhibit is also included in the sale. (promotions.ebth.com/tanya-tucker-ebth-press-preview)
 
Bidding is simple and is done by logging onto EBTH.com. All items are up for auction for seven days and all bids start at $1 with no reserve. Worldwide delivery is available.
 
Some of the items from the Country Music Hall of Fame® exhibit included in the auction:

 - Jacket from Delta Dawn ensemble. Embellished by Tucker and worn on her first date. 1970’s.


 - Azzedine Alaïa black leather bustier and fringed mini skirt.


 - Fernando Wong Couture beaded, fringed gown.


 - Vintage Nudie suit custom designed for Tucker. 1975.


 - 1992 Harley Davidson Screamin’ Eagle


 Follow Tanya Tucker on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube or visit tanyatucker.com.

Colton Ford, This Time It's Personal

Once upon a time in Southern California there was a boy name Glenn Soukesian. That boy grew up loving theater and most of all, music.

After a few deals with major labels that did not quite materialize what he had hoped for,  He decided to try a different approach to springboard his singing career. Glenn went into porn under the name of Colton Ford.

Well it worked. After many hit singles and albums, Colton has hit his fans with his most personal CD to date, titled, what else? Glenn Soukesian. We met at Desano Bakery in Silverlake CA, to catch up and talk shop. Take note world at large and listen closely....

MS: You recently got back from Pride in Spain.

CF: Yes, it was really a good time, where everybody gay and straight were there to enjoy themselves and celebrate.It was a free spirited, accepting non-judgemental party with great energy, and everyone was carrying their alcohol and mixers in a bag and making their drinks on the sidewalk. A PARTY!! I performed three songs off of the new record for the first time which was awesome! People were there from allover Europe, it's really a great mix of people.

MS: I listened to your new music just before I got here.

CF: Right before you come and do your thing. (laughs)

In Spain, No Rain
Colton Ford
Photo: Romi Simmons

MS: Yeah that way it's fresh in my mind. I love your current single "Free Yourself," it's pretty bluesy.

CF: Well I'm going back to my R&B/Soul roots. My roots  have always been in R&B/soul, something that's been present in all of my dance releases. But now, at fifty-three, I wanna do what I wanna do. I'm more of a bluesy crooner, ballad singer anyway. I took the opportunity to do what I felt. I worked with some amazing producers who get me. This is the first record where I didn't have to consider anyone or anything else.

MS: Did you self produce your current album?

CF: Yeah, the five people that I worked with, they wrote the tracks, I get the track and I write the melody and the lyrics. They produce the track and and I arrange and produce the vocals. Larry Peace did five of the tracks on the record, and he co-executive produced it with me. He was the DJ for Prince. 

MS: Funny you should say that when I saw your song "R U Gonna" I thought of Prince because of the spelling. 

CF: Yeah, yeah. (laughs) Now that guy is Eddie J Free who is another mixer/producer I did that and "True Love" with. 

MS: I still can't believe Prince is gone. Fifty-eight is not old, especially since I'm fifty and your fifty-three, it really caught me off guard.

CF:  What a trip. It was so sudden.

MS: Honestly I like this CD best out of everything you've done. I can hear how much more you are connected to the songs on this.

CF: Well Thank You. My EP "Next Chapter" was a nice segue into "Glenn Soukesian." This is more about the songs and the vocals and less about production. "The Way I Am" was a great dance album, but it was high in production. In terms of this album when you compare it to that one, it's much more personal.

It's All Good
Colton Ford

MS: It feels that way. 

CF: Totally more personal. It was a very liberating project. 

MS: Something about it pops more to me.

CF: Cool, I love it! That is also the feedback I have been getting from people. Before I did the record I would see people posting: "We love your stuff, but we feel there's something else, and we look forward to what that is" and here it is. (laughs) 

MS: And that's why the CD is named after you. 

CF: Yes, my actual name. (both laugh) I really thought this through, a lot of people use my real name anyway because of the documentary about me "Naked Fame." It's about continuing that connection between Colton Ford and Glenn Soukesian. I'm in a place right now where I want to be as organic and true to myself as I can. 

MS: The connection between music and sexuality is a strong one...sometimes people forget you have a great voice to go along with it. Miley Cyrus for example.

CF: She's amazing! She's got an amazing fucking voice! No Joke! If she wants to swing around naked on a wrecking ball, go for it! 

MS: You lose sight of how good an artist is sometimes when that is the way they choose to express themselves.

CF: Well, I know I've experienced it, they judge you as if your doing that because your music is not strong enough. That's a bunch of bullshit. Some people actually do, but you can tell based upon the music who's doing it and who's not. Put the visuals aside and listen to the music and respond accordingly. 

MS: One last personal thing, Glenn Soukesian. What is your favorite track off of your current CD?

CF: Well that's a hard one. Each song has a special meaning to me for a variety of reasons, both personally and artistically. I really love "Love's Around." Love the track, love the spirit of the song, the "you're not alone" message. And it's a universal love song. Could be to a friend, family member or a lover. It represents the personal relationships that I have. Loving, kind and supportive.

Keeping Up With Colton at:
https://twitter.com/coltonfordmusic
https://www.facebook.com/ColtonFordMusic/

Get Him On iTunes:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/colton-ford/id256309957 

Say What?! Dolly Parton Says "I Do" Again...

The Bride Of Course Wore White
Dolly Parton

After 50 years of marriage Dolly Parton says "I Do" again to husband Carl Dean, for love & charity 'till death do them part.

Dolly Parton and Carl Dean, who recently celebrated a sweet milestone of 50 years of marriage, will be releasing photos from their renewal ceremony to the highest bidder to benefit children’s charities. The couple tied the knot on May 30, 1966, and for their golden wedding anniversary, they renewed their vows during a private ceremony in Nashville, Tennessee.

"If I had it to do all over, I'd do it all over again, and we did," says Dolly Parton. "I'm dragging him kicking and screaming into the next 50 years. Wish us luck. In all honesty, the only way I was able to get Carl to do any of this in the first place was that it was a great opportunity for us to raise money for some very worthy causes."

Carl Dean, a man who has stayed out of the spotlight for many years, will soon be seen by all. In addition to being photographed, Carl has also agreed to do his first interview, where fans have submitted questions and Dolly has asked the questions. This exclusive interview will soon be released to coincide with the photos.

"My first thought was I’m gonna marry that girl," says Carl Dean reacting to the first time seeing Dolly at the Wishy Washy Laundromat. "My second thought was, Lord she’s good lookin’. And that was the day my life began. I wouldn’t trade the last 50 years for nothing on this earth."


Parton recently kicked off the ‘Pure & Simple Tour,’ her largest North American tour in more than 25 years. Just a week after Parton announced the first leg, many shows have limited tickets available and additional dates have been added through November. CLICK HERE to purchase tickets and VIP packages.

DOLLY PARTON PURE & SIMPLE TOUR DATES:
June 03 Greensboro Coliseum - Greensboro, N.C.
June 04 Infinite Energy Center - Duluth, Ga. SOLD OUT
June 05 Peace Center - Greenville, S.C. SOLD OUT
June 07 Charleston Civic Center - Charleston, W.Va.
June 08 Wolf Trap - Vienna, Va. SOLD OUT
June 10 Hard Rock - Northfield, Ohio
June 11 Horseshoe Casino - Cincinnati, Ohio SOLD OUT
June 12 Artpark - Lewiston, N.Y.
June 15 Mann Center - Philadelphia, Penn.
June 17 Tanglewood - Lenox, Mass.
June 18 Darling’s Waterfront Pavilion - Bangor, Maine
June 21 Wang Theatre - Boston, Mass.
June 22 Mohegan Sun Arena -Wilkes Barre, Penn.
June 25 Forest Hills Stadium - Forest Hills, N.Y.
June 26 PNC Bank Arts Center - Holmdel, N.J.
June 28 Consol Energy Center - Pittsburgh, Penn.
July 19 US Cellular Center - Cedar Rapids, Iowa
July 20 Grand Casino Hinckley - Hinckley, Minn.
July 23 Deadwood Mountain - Deadwood, S.D.
July 26 UCCU Center - Orem, Utah
July 27 Red Rocks Amphitheater - Denver, Colo.
July 29 Sprint Center - Kansas City, Mo.
July 30 Scottrade Center - St. Louis, Mo.
Aug. 02 Ohio State Fair - Columbus, Ohio (on-sale May 14)
Aug. 03 Allen County War Memorial Coliseum - Fort Wayne, Ind.
Aug. 04 The Colosseum at Caesar Windsor - Windsor, ON, Canada
Aug. 06 Van Andel Arena - Grand Rapids, Mich.
Aug. 07 Ravinia Festival - Highland Park, Ill.
Aug. 09 Norton Center for the Arts - Danville, Ky.
Aug. 10 Ford Center - Evansville, Ind.
Aug. 12 BOK Center - Tulsa, Okla.
Aug. 13 Verizon Arena - Little Rock, Ark.
Sept. 09 Molson Canadian Amphitheatre - Toronto, ON, Canada
Sept. 10 Foley Fair Grounds - Seguin, ON, Canada
Sept. 12 MTS Centre - Winnipeg, MB, Canada
Sept. 13 Mosaic Place - Moose Jaw, SK, Canada
Sept. 16 Scotiabank Saddledome - Calgary, AB, Canada
Sept. 17 Rogers Place - Edmonton, AB, Canada
Sept. 19 Rogers Arena - Vancouver, BC, Canada
Sept. 21 ShoWare Center - Kent, Wash. SOLD OUT
Sept. 22 Northern Quest Casino - Airway Heights, Wash.
Sept. 24 Shoreline Amphitheatre - Mountain View, Calif.
Sept. 25 Santa Barbara Bowl - Santa Barbara, Calif.
Sept. 27 Valley View Casino - San Diego, Calif.
Sept. 28 Vina Robles Amphitheatre - Paso Robles, Calif.
Sept. 30 Laughlin Amphitheatre - Laughlin, Nev.
Oct. 01 Hollywood Bowl - Los Angeles, Calif.
Oct. 02 Hollywood Bowl - Los Angeles, Calif.
Nov. 15 Pigeon Forge Convention Center - Pigeon Forge, Tenn.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON DOLLY PARTON, VISIT:

www.dollyparton.com
Facebook: Facebook.com/DollyParton
Instagram: Instagram.com/DollyParton
Twitter: Twitter.com/DollyParton
Tumblr: OfficialDollyParton.tumblr.com
Google+: Plus.Google.com/+DollyParton

Pretty Little Liars: #SaveHanna

By now most of you should know that Pretty Little Liars is one of my favorite shows. Despite all of it's implausibilities it is sharply written, well acted and with engaging story lines and characters.

At the end of season six big liar Hanna went missing, kidnap to be exact and perhaps...dead?

OMG! I hope not I love Hanna as does my niece Shauna Waters. We would both be truly upset at her demise. 

Suspiciously Hanna portrayed by Ashley Benson, is absent from the smoking hot teaser art for season seven, as is one of Alison's, played by actress Sasha Pieterse, legs. 

OK, I can get the Hanna tease, but WTF? with Ally's leg? When did she become an amputee? Foreshadowing or bad photo shop? Other than Hanna's fate that so far is the biggest mystery of the upcoming season. 

The season seven premiere bears the title: " Tick-Tock Bitches," how rude! It kicks of with those lying women frantically trying to turn back time to a day when Hanna was still around and Uber "A" was not inside their heads.  

Join the "Liars" and my inner dork on June 21st at 8 pm on Freeform. 

So many lies, so little time at:
https://www.facebook.com/prettylittleliars

Don't Bother Me I'm Voting

Today is the California primary, and since I live in CA, Los Angeles,to be exact I will be casting my vote for the candidate of my choosing this morning.

Having moved recently I have not had time to get my change of address in to obtain an absentee ballot so I could vote my preferred way by mail.

Who am I voting for? That does not really matter, the point is you should exercise the fact that you have a vote.

Let's kick off the primary on a high note, literally with the song Election Day by Arcadia featuring the one and only Grace Jones. 

Have fun, be careful and whatever you do, Dump Trump!

Find Your Polling Place at: 
http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/find-your-polling-place/

Back In Time: Lindsay Lohan

Memories
Lindsay Lohan

Since it's always manic on Monday I thought I would share a Sunday fun day nostalgic blast from the past. I present to you Lindsay Lohan visiting her London home from the Disney classic film The Parent Trap.

For the uninitiated Lindsay had game playing twins Hallie Parker and Annie James. Hallie lived in Napa, CA., with her father Nick Parker (Dennis Quaid).  Annie resided with her mom Elizabeth James (the late Natasha Richardson) in London.

Yes, two adorable little Lindsay's in one crowd pleasing movie. She did what is all the rage these days and took to her Instagram and posted said  photo with the caption:

"A trip down memory lane #sundayfunday, #theparenttrapmovie Annie's house but it was number 7 in the movie."

Awwwwwwwwwwww...Happy Monday and have a Terrific Week! 

Lindsay on Instagram: 
https://www.instagram.com/lindsaylohan/?hl=en

Kesha v The Trolls

She's Got The Look!
Kesha @ The 2016 Billboard Music Awards

WTF is wrong with people anymore?! The Internet is wonderful in the fact that you can access people from all over the world and have information and entertainment at the stroke of a key. Unfortunately it also allows for trolls to be heard and makes you realize how many miserable losers exist in the world that have nothing better to do than sit around and put others down to make their pathetic existence more bearable for them. Um, news flash slamming other people publicly while you hide behind a computer keyboard does not make you superior to them it makes a worthless human being.

Apparently some coward decided that Kesha had not been through enough tough times of late and decided she needed to be called out for being an "ugly whore." Here is her awesome response and the photo she posted with it on Instagram. 

Magical & Imperfect
Kesha

"dear @jackknife76 , I see that you would very much like me to know that you think I'm ugly, and also a "whore". well, I understand that that is your opinion, but I disagree. I'm not perfect but I'm pretty fucking magical. and also, I am not, in fact, a whore. also bullying someone who has struggled publicly with body issues is pretty mean. thank god I'm in a place in my life where I feel empowered to address your nasty comments instead of letting them destroy me. so. on behalf of anyone anywhere who struggles with body image, STOP IT. my body is not your business. ✨in conclusion, kiss my magical imperfect ass 💋❤️✌🏼️💅"

Having had slings & arrows thrown my direction as well I admire that Kesha is still standing strong after the many challenges she has faced. Keep on doing you Ms. Thang! 

Kesha on Instagram: 
https://www.instagram.com/iiswhoiis/?hl=en   

Charlie Chaplin, Chinatown, All That Jazz...Read More!

Hey all you film buffs out there, you know who you are. Look what I have for you..read more! 

Dr. Wes D. Gehring, prolific film scholar and Distinguished Professor of Film Studies at Ball State University, has published 36 books, all of them focused on American film comedy, be it romantic comedy, screwball comedy, dark comedy, populist comedy, parody, or personality comedy. Most recently, his focus has been dark comedy, resulting in his late 2014 study,Chaplin's War Trilogy: An Evolving Lens in Three Dark Comedies, 1918-1947, now followed in 2016 with Genre-Busting Dark Comedies of the 1970s: Twelve American Films.  

Chaplin's War Trilogy, selected by the Huffington Post as one of the "Best Film Books of 2014," traces dark comedy elements throughout Chaplin's oeuvre, but with special focus on three war-related films: SHOULDER ARMS (1918), THE GREAT DICTATOR (1940), and MONSIEUR VERDOUX (1947). It was Pablo Picasso's "Guernica," through which the painter expressed his shock and outrage over what was happening in the Spanish Civil War, that inspired Gehring to examine Chaplin's work from a similar perspective. What he found was that, the master filmmaker had used dark comedy in three different ways over the years. That is, with SHOULDER ARMS, Chaplin had used it to help the US, Great Britain, and their allies win World War I; with THE GREAT DICTATOR, he used it to try and stop World War II; and with MONSIEUR VERDOUX, he used it to condemn, by implication, business interests which provoked international wars in order to profit from them. Choice (the go-to reference for library purchasing in the US) wrote that, "This tribute to Chaplin is both a brilliant analysis and a cultural history...Gehring remains supreme in film comedy scholarship."

A key theme in Chaplin's War Trilogy (one of many books Gehring has written about that director's life and career) was how contemporary audiences and critics alike were put off by THE GREAT DICTATOR and MONSIEUR VERDOUX, unable to find humor in the death and destruction of World War II, or in the charming menace of a serial killer, much less to see through the dark comedy haze into what Chaplin was actually saying. As the author points out, it was not until the 1960s, with the success of films like Stanley Kubrick's DR. STRANGELOVE, that both reviewers and filmgoers finally caught up with what Chaplin had been doing in the 1940s and rediscovered his previously under-appreciated dark comic masterpieces of that decade. Gehring also came to understand how the national tumult of the 1960s (e.g., urban riots, political assassinations, and especially the Vietnam War) led American movie directors to make dark comedy a pivotal, and often commercially successful, film genre of the 1970s. 

After lecturing on the subject of his latest Chaplin book at New York's Museum of Modern Art in 2014, Gehring decided to turn that larger insight into a new book titled Genre-Busting Dark Comedies of the 1970s, in which he would focus on twelve dark comedies released over the course of still another turbulent decade. The twelve films in question are Robert Altman's MASH (1970), Mike Nichols' CATCH 22 (1970), Arthur Penn's LITTLE BIG MAN (1970), Hal Ashby's HAROLD AND MAUDE (1971), Bob Fosse's CABARET (1972), George Roy Hill's SLAUGHTERHOUSE-FIVE (1972), Roman Polanski's CHINATOWN (1974), Woody Allen's LOVE AND DEATH (1975), Milos Foreman's ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST (1975), Woody Allen's ANNIE HALL (1977), Hal Ashby's BEING THERE (1979), and Bob Fosse's ALL THAT JAZZ (1979). 

Gehring opens the Epilogue for Dark Comedies of the 1970s as follows: "From the comic to the sublime, cinema has always had dark comedies. But the genre finally came into its own during the 1960s. Besides new dark comedies like Stanley Kubrick's DR. STRANGELOVE OR: HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND LOVE THE BOMB (1964) and the reissuing of previously underappreciated ones like Charlie Chaplin's THE GREAT DICTATOR (1940) and MONSIEUR VERDOUX (1947) the genre was finally receiving the recognition which it deserved. Yet most of these examples smacked audiences right between the eyes with their mood, such as Chaplin's use of Hitler for humor. The full ambiguous blossoming of the genre would occur during the 1970s, fueled in part by many of the factors delineated in the prologue, including TV's gutting of old school Hollywood, a betrayed trust in feel-good Capraesque people by modern McCarthy populism, New American Cinema cannibalizing the French New Wave, and the promise of Kennedy's New Frontier quickly collapsing...into the violent discord and distrust leading to Watergate." 

Taking what he learned from the pioneering dark comedies of the 1940s and 1960s, Gehring now examines these twelve darkly comic and deeply thought-provoking films of the 1970s, a period in which American filmmakers rebelled and matured precisely in sync with members of America's Baby Boom generation, the perfect audience for some of the greatest - and darkest - comedies ever made. 

Because dark comedies were so abundant in the '70s, Gehring went out of his way to pick several films not normally thought of as being of that genre (illustrated below).

Dr. Wes D. Gehring's Chaplin's War Trilogy: An Evolving Lens in Three Dark Comedies, 1918-1947 and Genre-Busting Dark Comedies of the 1970s: Twelve American Films are both now available from McFarland & Company, Inc. 

Curb Your Pup: Colton Haynes

Colton Haynes
"I'm Going To Chain You Down Puppy"
Photo: Tyler Shields

Coming out does a Colton Haynes good. It makes me want to adopt a pet, of the three legged kind.

The Arrow star and Teen Wolf alum posted some photos to Instagram of his upcoming book collaboration with one of my favorite photographers Tyler Shields. While some news sources have described them as shocking I think of them as just another day in Los Angeles. Hey, I heard a guy in the locker room at Gold's Gym Hollywood inquiring inquiring to another dude: "I'm out of town this weekend if you want to borrow my pup?" Case rested.

Haynes says of the shoot:

"Every single time we work together we push boundaries & make incredible art, Our photography book is gonna be pretty shocking to say the least..."

Colton Haynes
Masochist
Photo: Tyler Shields

Your Turn Tyler Shields: 

"There are few people who understand what I do as much as him, so we have quietly been shooting a book of just him for a little while now," 

While the book will mostly be of Colton solo, there may be some other guest stars they tease...need a Daddy? Sing me up!

They plan on pushing boundaries - watch out Madonna, your Sex Book has got some stiff, ahem, competition. 

Colotn's Instagram: 
https://www.instagram.com/coltonlhaynes/?hl=en

Tyler's Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/thetylershields/?hl=en   

"Yellow Bitches In The Driver's Seat"

We Got That Bomb Pussy
Awkwafina & Margaret Cho

Margaret Cho. Awkwafina. Green Tea.

Any Questions???

The Rapper and Comedian collaborate for a NSFW anthem Green Tea in celebration of womanhood and Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

"I remember watching Margaret Cho with my grandmother on TV. She was my hero, not only because she was funny, but because she showed me that it's okay to be yourself, that it's okay to be a brash yellow girl, and to be a strong and brave woman. To collab with her is a dream come true, but larger than that, there has rarely been two Asian AMERICAN WOMEN being ratchet together, or just being in a music video. This song is a tongue and cheek take on traditional stereotypes, with a strong underlying message for all young women of color to embrace their quirkiness, their sexuality, their inner-child and their creativity with passion. I love Margaret, and I hope some young girl (but not too young) watches this video and it inspires them somehow. Stay angry!" -Awkwafina

"I'm so grateful to work with Awkwafina and this song and video was such fun! It was incredibly natural and easy - as if the song had been already written and we were just channeling it! Awkwafina is the future!" - Margaret Cho

Awkwafina at: 
http://www.awkwafina.com/

Margaret Cho at:
http://margaretcho.com/