Rachel Maddow (21 years old)

Cue the confetti!  On this day in 1973 (a mere 37 year ago), MSNBC (@msnbc) talk show host Rachel Maddow (@maddow) was born (and conservative republicans everywhere felt a sudden chill in the air).

The talk show “hostess with the mostess” joined MSNBC (segueing from Air America Radio) with her own show, The Rachel Maddow Show, during the presidential campaign of 2009.  Since then, she’s been setting conservatives and media pundits on fire with her own brand of media commentary that is one part “I eat facts and information for breakfast”, another part “I’ve got bigger cahungas than any man (republicans included) so just answer my questions or I WILL cut you,” and a tiny dash of “snarkalicious sarcasm”.

The daughter of an Air Force Captain and attorney (father) and a school administrator (mother), Maddow calls herself:  “a cross between the jock and the antisocial girl“.

However antisocial or jocky she may be, it’s just right for her viewers and MSNBC.  Maddow has stellar ratings and has aggregated quite a following — evident with each guest appearance she does on other talk shows when ratings of during appearances skyrocket.

Below is a birthday video homage from a Maddow fan named LittlePurpleSquirrel on YouTube to the talk show Diva.  We (along with her fans) wish Rachel Maddow a very happy, healthy birthday and many, many more to come!

MORE CONFETTI!!!

LL Cool J slams Palin's show - FOX bitchslaps LL

Who doesn’t love a celebrity media smackdown (it’s like a family feud only with pretty, rich people)?  Not that FOX News , LL Cool J or Toby Keith are family “per se”, but both LL and Keith have tasted of the bitter fruit that is known as a FOX News  interview (both done years ago) and, as the saying goes, their FOX chickens have come home to roost.

At the center of this debacle is none other than Sarah Palin whose FOX special Real American Stories recounts the life struggle and successes of Americans as a source of inspiration.  On its website, the show is described as follows:

“What do we share as Americans? A unique history. A love of freedom. An understanding that together we can make a difference. A chance to make our dreams reality.  This is a place where people – from all walks of life – can share their personal stories, and talk about what makes this country great.  Join us as we celebrate the American Spirit. We’d love to hear from you. Get Involved. Share Your Story.”

Factor in Sarah Palin as host and you see where this is going (and if not, where have you been for the past 18 months?!!).  Wherever Sarah goes, controversy follows.

Toby Keith rocks out on stage - FOX ignores his disgruntled statements (will air his old interview in promo)

To promote her show, FOX News pulled old interview clips of celebrities who have been interviewed by FOX at one time or another to underscore the “celebrity” factor that the show will have.  Two of those celebrity clips include interviews featuring rapper LL Cool J and country singer Toby Keith.  Let’s just say that neither LL nor Keith appreciated being associated with the new FOX News/Sarah Palin special.  Both men responded to the promo with vitriol and public hissing:

Said Toby’s spokesperson in a statement: “We were never contacted… I have no idea what interview it’s taken from.  They’re promoting this like it’s a brand new interview!”

Like a true rapper, LL Cool J took to Twitter to express his anger (how far hip hop has come from the days of drive-by shootings):  “Fox lifted an old interview I gave in 2008 to someone else & are misrepresenting to the public in order to promote Sarah Palins Show. WOW!”

I’ll tell you the bigger “WOW!”, the fact that LL Cool J and Toby Keith ever gave FOX News an interview to begin with.  Isn’t that when your management, representatives, Jesus, the family pet… somebody supposed to step in and say “Don’t do this interview — you’ll regret it forever!”?

Despite Toby’s dismay and clear disapproval, FOX plans on running the promo featuring Toby’s old interview any (a clear “screw you” to the country singer).  With LL, however, they are taking an even spicier stance.  They have relented and agreed to pull LL Cool J’s old interview from the promo clips – but not before handing the east-coast rapper a bitchslap heard in ‘hoods around the world.  In an interview with TVNewser, a FOX rep released the following comment:

“”Real American Stories features uplifting tales about overcoming adversity and we believe Mr. Smith’s interview fit that criteria.   “However, as it appears that Mr. Smith does not want to be associated with a program that could serve as an inspiration to others, we are cutting his interview from the special and wish him the best with his fledgling acting career.”

Ouch.  I understand there are hurt feelings on both sides, but attacking a man’s acting skills is cause for a beatdown in Hollywood.  If that same insult was handed down under different circumstances, someone would’ve gotten shot.  FOX is gangsta and bitter – a lethal combination.

The comment regarding LL’s “fledgling acting career” is, of course, baseless.  One look at LL’s extensive IMDB list of acting credits and it becomes instantly apparent the man has had a very successful acting career (especially considering he crossed over from hip hop long before hip hop became mainstream – making crossing-over to acting easy for rappers to do).  As a matter of fact,  LL has worked non-stop in popular movies and tv shows since 1986 (10 years BEFORE FOX News sprang forth from their alien pod).  Let’s be honest (not one of FOX’s strong points but stick with me), if FOX didn’t think LL had value and respectable credentials as an actor, why would they include him in their promo to begin with (I doubt tea-party members are dying to see an interview with a rapper).  Ironically, FOX’s skewing of the facts and bitterness in their response to LL Cool J is the exact reason why these celebrities want nothing to do with them.  How’s that fledgling conservative news business coming FOX?

My message to LL Cool J and Keith (though coming from a place of love) is also swathed in a bitchslap:  You did an interview with FOX News?  What were you thinking? Lay down with dogs, wake up with fleas.

RECAP:  After airing an intentionally misleading promo featuring a country singer and a rapper, FOX News (barely apologetic after both celebs protested)  ignored the country singer and bitchslapped the rapper while mocking said rapper’s acting skills…

Now that’s a real American story!

Robin Williams doing... Robin Williams

Promoting his new HBO comedy show “Weapons of Self-Destruction”, comedian and Academy Award winning actor Robin Williams brings his sole brand of insanity to Jon Stewart and The Daily Show.

He’s as wired as ever and loaded with new material.  First up:  Sarah Palin (an easy target, but can we ever get tired of Palin-jokes? Okay, maybe we can).  Williams is aging very nicely (still hairy, but now practically all-white hair).

The reason I bothered to tune into this interview was (1) Williams has had a tough time this past year (rehab, getting a new heart, his divorce) and I was curious to see how these life changes would cause the entertainer to evolve his routine and (2) I had to see how Stewart would handle Williams who (though he’s been on the show before) never ceases to shock.

He’s the same old Williams, thankfully, just with a new heart.  But even with a new heart and reaching his later years, he has more energy than people half his age and that’s pretty cool to watch.  Also cool to watch (though many may disagree) is Robin Williams discussing his life-changes (though barely touching on things with the limited time).

Williams "self-destructs" on HBO

Williams hasn’t lost his edge or enthusiasm.  We’ll have to wait and see (based on how his new HBO comedy special)  if that’s a good thing.

My roommate just burst my Robin Williams bubble with the following logic:  “the reason Robin Williams is no longer relevant as a comedian is because he is completely predictable and he has a tendancy to do topical humor about world events that really don’t effect him (he can joke about Sarah Palin but you get the feeling he’s not really effected by her either way)”

I’d love to hear other thoughts on this.

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Badu brings down the house (fully-clothed)

Less than 24-hours after Erykah Badu (@FATBELLYBELLA) caused a carefully constructed stir in the press by disrobing for an outdoor filming of her new video, Badu makes this appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live to perform two songs from her new CD, New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh), including the song she was shooting the video for:  Window Seat.

All of the hub-bub aside (are we still shocked and disgusted by a woman’s naked body America - really?), Badu doesn’t disappoint  one bit in this performance.  Quite the contrary, dressed in a top-hat and trench coat (which partially had me believing she was going to flash the audience), Badu hands in a performance that has me swaying in my chair and gets the audience moving (in case you don’t believe me, see closeup of audience members looking euphoric).  She manages to keep her clothes on in this performance (though had she stripped butt-naked, I don’t doubt for one second that Kimmel would’ve been one happy talk show host!).

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Letterman and Tea Party President Pam Stout

Hilarity and smackdown ensues.  At least, you’d think it would.  But immediately, beginning with Letterman’s boring introduction of Tea Party President Pam Stout, you know this interview isn’t going to be nearly as funny, enlightening or acidic as it should be considering the guest and the talk show host (is a pre-interview zinger too much to ask for?).

I admit I had no idea who the Tea Party president was before this interview (and didn’t think I needed to know – the Tea Party are racist whack-jobs who suck mightily – therefore, its leader must be a racist whack-job too, right?).  I was shocked when an elderly woman came stumbling onto the Letterman stage.  I was expecting a Rush Limbaugh type:  a brawny, baby-boomer, angry white man (not a befuddled grandma who looks sweet as apple pie and like she can bake the hell out of one too).  I hadn’t even paid attention to her name prior to the interview (”Pam” – duh) – blinded and deafened by the term “Tea Party President”.

Tea Party Protesters

Letterman barely knows what to do with Stout (a self-professed homemaker).  She’s more Mr. Magoo than Glenn Beck.  He kicks things off with a discussion about Idaho.  I, however, want him to take the chick down immediately (I’m not falling for the sweet-granny routine).  Clearly, I’m hoping, he’s going for the slow burn (ask a few questions to allow the guest to explain their points-of-view and then swoop in for the much-deserved smackdown – which in this case would be asking Stout about the racist vitriol and disgusting behavior of tea party members at rallies (including spitting on people) and why neither she nor anyone in the Republican party are speaking out against such behavior).

This interview is cut short by a minute or so, but Letterman never really sinks his teeth into the meet of the interview (spending far too much time asking her about her and the Tea Party’s political views – we can look that up online on their website Dave!).

Her whole “grandma applie pie” thing makes me believe she’s just a clever frontman for the real masculine voice of leadership behind the party:  Sarah Palin.

Did Dave do this interview justice?  Should he have gone in harder?

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Want some? Ludacris Conjurs up some Cognac for Chelsea

Momma always told me to love a man who brings over a good bottle of booze.  Ludacris, I heart you.  The rapper dropped in on Chelsea Lately and presented handler with a bottle of Cognac (with a red bow on it!) which he happens to be his own special brand (Conjure).

Ludacris and Chelsea are having a great week as both are reigning at the top of the charts (Chelsea, for her new book, Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang, is number one on the NY Times Bestseller list and Ludacris’ new CD Battle of the Sexes debuted at number one).  Congrats kids!

Somehow, the conversation veers to Justin Beiber.  I’m convinced Beiber is either the anti-christ or Christ himself (laying low until he gets to reveal: “I’m back bitches!!!”)

The interview is short but you get the feeling that sitting in a room with Chelsea, Ludacris and a bottle of Cognac would beat any party on a Saturday night!

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What to do when friendships sour.

There are tons of books on the market guiding us in the delicate dance of ending a romantic relationship.  But what about a friendship that has withered and washed up on the beach of life?  How do you end a friendship with someone who is draining your life-energy, being deceitful (or owes you $20 – Jack, I’m looking at you! – kidding!).

Psychotherapist and contributor for Care.com Robi Ludwig visits NBC’s TODAY to discuss the fine art of “cutting a bitch loose” (as it is so affectionately known in colorful neighborhoods and on reality tv).  But first, how do you know when it’s time to cut the cord?  According to Ludwig:

“If you feel devalued.  If someone is criticizing you.  If you can’t trust somebody.  If you feel you’re really not your best self with this person.   That’s a pretty good sign [to cut them loose].”

That’s half my family!!

I’ll keep them around.  But some of the advice she gives really is sound and addresses issues of friendship rarely discussed (like why it’s often harder to break up with a friend than a boyfriend/girlfriend).

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

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Michael Steele - here to stay y'all! Booya!

By now we’ve all heard the details:  a political consultant for the RNC (Eric Brown) spent almost $2,000 of donated funds at a bondage-themed strip club featuring women imitating lesbian sex.

Michael Steele was not there (and he has subsequently fired the staffer who was there), but it happened on his watch and in the face of criticisms from people within the Republican party about a spending spree by Steele that is, at the very least, questionable.

Maddow takes Steele to task before speaking with Ana Marie Cox (Washington Correspondent for GQ) about the prospects of Steele’s survival in the RNC.  The consensus between the both of them?

As far as his political future, Micheal Steele (like the women at that bondage sex club) is screwed. But he’s not going anywhere any time soon and will serve out his RNC term in embarrassing splendor giving the media more fodder for thought.

Maddow and Cox get down and dirty with Steele’s “sextraversy”.

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Joy Behar receiving an "Excellence in Media" award.

It was every bit as fun as it looked!  Neal B. and crew braved monsoon-like weather in New York to cover one of the most respected awards ceremonies in entertainment:  The 21st Annual GLAAD Media Awards (@glaad).

The glam-glam celebs were out in full force on the red carpet:  Joy Behar (@JoyVBehar) explains what she feels the Republican party can learn from the people who are nominated at GLAAD, Cynthia Nixon shares her personal fight for marriage equality, Michael Patrick King (writer, producer of Sex and the City plot (sort of), Nigel Barker (@BeautyEquation) who explains how to exude beauty and more.

Special honorees of the evening included Joy Behar who received a special award for excellence in media for speaking out about gay rights issues as co-host on The View while Cynthia Nixon was honored for her passionate fight for marriage equality.

Watch as Neal B. hits the carpet and talks to celebs about why the GLAAD Awards is so special for them.    More individual interview quick-clips (and a list of the evening’s winners)  here.

Congratulations to the nominees and the winners!

It's Vaynertime!

Gary Vaynerchuk (@garyvee), founder of the insanely successful Wine Library TV, social media guru, entrepreneur, author and proud dad, sat with Charlie Oliver (@itscomplicated) of ArtofTalk.tv (@artoftalk) to discuss the ups and downs that have lead to the many revelations about life that he shares in his new book, Crush It – Why Now Is the Time to Cash In On Your Passion.

What follows is both candid and surprisingly revealing (even for the “vayniacs” out there who think they know everything about Gary Vaynerchuk).  Particularly and scandalously surprising – Vaynerchuk’s confession that he’d rather be called a social media diva rather than a social media don (a revelation Charlie calls her “Barbara Walters moment”).

Gary Vaynerchuk (love him or not) is one of a kind.  Enjoy Charlie’s enlightening and fun peak at the man behind the brand.

Gary Vaynerchuk – Social Media Diva from Art of Talk TV on Vimeo.

Special thanks to:

Cameraman: Rob Blatt (@robblatt)
Editor: Michael J. Carrasquillo (@mjcarrascquillo)
Vaynermedia for arranging the interview (@vaynermedia)
Roger Smith Hotel for providing their gallery space for the interview (@rshotel)
Intern: Aaron Goodier

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