JMG: Blog Year Ten
JoeMyGod@gmail.com
Gay culture, short stories, politics, and fabulous disco trivia.
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Yesterday some of you had strong opinions about Aretha Franklin's cover of Adele's Rolling In The Deep. Last night Franklin performed the track live on Letterman, after which she talked about her early days and missing out on performing on the Ed Sullivan Show, which was filmed in the studio that is now home to Letterman.
Labels: Adele, Aretha Franklin, David Letterman, pop music
Billboard reports:
Aretha Franklin is showing some R-E-S-P-E-C-T to her fellow divas: The Queen of Soul will release an album Oct. 21 covering classic songs from other female singers. Aretha Franklin Sings the Great Diva Classics will include songs such as Gladys Knight's "Midnight Train to Georgia," Barbra Streisand's "People" and Whitney Houston's "I'm Every Woman." The most contemporary track is a reworking of Adele's colossal hit "Rolling In the Deep," which is the first single off the album. It will be available digitally Monday [today], when the 72-year-old will also perform the song on Late Night with David Letterman. Other songs covered by Franklin include the Supremes' "You Keep Me Hangin' On," Alicia Keys' "No One" and Dinah Washington's "Teach Me Tonight." The icon's version of Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive" will incorporate some of Destiny's Child's "Survivor." The opening track is Etta James' signature song, "At Last," and Franklin closes the 10-track set with Sinead O'Connor's "Nothing Compares 2 U."Aretha throws in a bit of another diva's classic at the end.
Labels: Adele, Aretha Franklin, divas, pop music
The News Nerd story claimed that LaBelle was “arrested for assault and battery” after she attacked Franklin with “a Mayweather style right and left” at a March 20 concert in Atlanta. The fictional brawl happened because the Queen of Soul supposedly slighted LaBelle at a PBS “In Performance at the White House: Women of Soul” program taped earlier in March. “The stories were not presented as satire or humor,” Franklin said through her publicist, Gwendolyn Quinn. “It was presented as a serious news story intended to depict me in a slanderous and derogatory way — defamation of character.” The News Nerd “reported”: “While Aretha Franklin was making her way to the stage, Labelle extended her hand to greet the ‘Respect’ singer, when she threw epic shade in an effort to avoid her. The two exchanged obscenities after the event and parted ways.” Not mentioned in the News Nerd’s article is that the PBS program also showed Franklin hug LaBelle after the Queen of Soul left the stage.The News Nerd has a disclaimer at the bottom of its page. (Tipped by JMG reader Jerry)
Labels: Aretha Franklin, internet, lawsuits, Patti LaBelle
Aretha Franklin's famous inauguration hat is now available as a Christmas ornament.The hat that dazzled millions of people during the inauguration of President Barack Obama, is now being offered as a Christmas ornament. Aretha Franklin's stylish big-bowed hat was the inspiration for the glittery-glass ornament. The ornament's designer hopes it too will be a big fashion hit. Curtis Posuniak is the brain-child behind the ornament. He says the minute he saw Aretha's hat he knew he wanted to make a tiny glass version of it. They will cost $43 a piece and will be sold at gift shops and by email.(Tipped by JMG reader Sam)
Labels: "celibacy", Aretha Franklin, Christmas, silliness
Labels: "celibacy", Aretha Franklin, Inauguration Day, silliness
To the left, our own Dr. Jeff models Aretha Franklin's now-famous inauguration hat, which has caused a deluge of inquiries for its maker. The calls began to flood Luke Song's hat shop not long after Aretha Franklin finished belting out "My Country, 'Tis of Thee" at President Barack Obama's inauguration. Franklin, who wore a gray felt custom-designed hat from Mr. Song Millinery, has inadvertently caused an economic boom for the South Korean immigrant's store. Song said he wasn't prepared for the hundreds of calls requesting the hat with a Swarovski rhinestone-bordered bow. "We even have a lot of men calling to get it for their wives, mothers and grandmothers," Song said.A Flickr group has been created for photoshopped images of the hat. Unsurprisingly, most of the folks there appear to be gay men. Bears, to be exact.
The hat worn by the "Queen of Soul" was hand-molded and would cost upward of $500 — if it were for sale, the 36-year-old designer said. Customers instead were offered a satin ribbon version for $179. "They want the same hat, but they understand it's for the 'Queen' only," he said. "Ninety-nine percent said, 'That's fine. I'll get the next best thing.'" The family millinery has been in Detroit for about 25 years, and Franklin has been a customer for about 20 of those years. The store also sells to about 500 boutiques across the country.
Labels: "celibacy", Aretha Franklin, fashion, Flickr, Inauguration Day, silliness
It cracked me up yesterday to watch my post about Aretha's hat become one of the most searched items in almost five years on writing JMG. Aside from zillions of Google hits, the post was top ranked over on BuzzFeed's viral videos chart, where readers went into a photoshopping frenzy. My favorites are my SF pal Ggreg Taylor's creation below (pulled from his Facebook profile) and the US Airways jet.
UPDATE: That didn't take long. JMG reader Tate has given Father Tony and myself the Aretha treatment.
Labels: "celibacy", Aretha Franklin, fashion, Inauguration Day, internet, photoshop, silliness
Via Facebook...Labels: "celibacy", Aretha Franklin, Facebook, I Love My People, Inauguration Day
