November 13th, 2008

Football fans will have something extra to watch and listen for this weekend: the world premiere of a new Bruce Springsteen song, from his forthcoming album due out in January.

“Workin’ On A Dream” will be used as a soundtrack to an NFL highlight reel, probably either pre-game or at halftime.  The lyrics are hopeful and optimistic and talk about working hard to achieve something grand…but the song is not about sports.

Springsteen has played the song live in a stripped-down acoustic version this fall, as a duet with his wife Patti Scialfa, on a tour that has largely been to support Democratic candidate (and now President-elect) Barack Obama. 

It is no secret The Boss supports Obama; he stumped for John Kerry in 2004 on his Vote For Change tour.  What is a secret is why the NFL would choose a song so politically entangled for a highlight reel.  Apparently, the politics don’t bother them…and lyrics like “the sun rises up, I climb the ladder, a new day breaks and I’m working on a dream” are transparent enough not to tie it to a particular viewpoint.

Springsteen and his E Street Band will also be performing during the Super Bowl halftime show this January.

Hello UES,

I’ve been away, I know. Miss me? Yeah, I bet you did.

Anyway, WTF is going on in the Big Apple? Has some stupid virus infected our fair fruit?

This is my problem with last night’s Gossip Girl—there was enough in one episode for the rest of the season. Srsly.

Also:

1) Jenny TOTALLY could have stopped Agnes from setting fire to her clothes.

2) Poppa Humphrey needs to stop whining and get his family in order like Dan said.

3) Speaking of Dan, any writer worth his salt would have written that story for New York and said screw the Bass family. New York does not go around asking 18 year olds to write feature articles only to be turned down by a change of heart.

4) I felt a little bit bad for Chuck.

5) Why would Wallace Shawn move in after one night of “serious” talking? Moving to fast anyone? I mean, come on! It’s Mister Hall from Clueless! It’s Vizzini from The Princess Bride!

6) Why would Cyndi Lauper agree to come on the show and then NOT perform? What kind of cock-tease was that? Not cool.

I miss the old Gossip Girl. You know, when they had a plot that logically went from point A to B over the course of a season. Not from A to Z in the course of 20 minutes. The show was riduculous but believeable. Not it’s just a whole mess of crazy.

I need retail therapy at Barneys followed by a large Magnolia Cupcake.

XOXO, M

Tyler Perry is a man of many titles: Playwright, Screenwriter, Director, Producer, Actor, and Author. He has a successful TV show, “House of Payne,” which is in syndication on TBS. Needless to say, he’s as influential (and prolific) a figure in black entertainment and his projects, good or bad, are always intriguing.

His latest rumored film is, by far, his most intriguing yet: a feature on polarizing baseball superstar, Barry Bonds. Perry is good friends with Bonds and knows him as a great father who loves his wife and really encourages and loves his friends. Unfortunately, what Bonds is most known for, outside of his record number of home runs, are the steroid allegations which have haunted and plagued his brilliant career.

Perry plans to highlight the steroid controversy in his film – from Bonds perspective. “That story has been told from everyone else’s point of view, but Barry has a different version. It’ll blow people’s minds when they see it from the real,” Perry says. That’s a significant development if their ever was one, sure to draw many Bonds fans to the box office; and, certainly, a large number of detractors as well.