Best Grammys Ever & 3 TV Shows You Need To Watch Right Now

This past Monday, the 58th Annual Grammy Awards were presented in LA and televised on CBS. Usually this would be an event that I would miss, just like any other award show, but since I was hungover from a long weekend and none of the hockey games that night were of the "Must-See" variety, I watched it and I'm really glad I did not miss out this year. In fact, it was hands down one of the best award shows I've ever seen. There were tons of tribute performances, since we've sadly lost many talented musical legends over the last few months, Most notably David Bowie, B.B. King and Lemmy Kilmister. My vote for top tribute of the night goes to Lady Gaga for her collage of David Bowie hits that featured super-producer Nile Rodgers playing guitar.

(Fun Fact: The guitar parts from Bowie's 1983 classic "Let's Dance" and other tracks from that album were actually recorded by late blues legend Stevie Ray Vaughan)

But without question the best performance of the night was Kendrick Lamar, who did a medley of "The Blacker The Berry", "Alright" and a freestyle that was centered around the tragic murder of Trayvon Martin. The imagery with Lamar walking at the front of a chain gang line and eventually onto the side stage with a traditional African bonfire and drum circle behind him was powerful enough to get across an important message, but still entertaining enough for some people to not feel "Uncomfortable", if you know what I mean.

Really, when you break it down, everyone's live performance was well done and entertaining. The only two exceptions would have to be Justin Bieber's abstract collaboration with Skrillex & Diplo and the television debut of the Hollywood Vampires, a "shit-show mash-up" "super-group" consisting of Alice Cooper, Joe Perry and... Johnny Depp? I don't know how this trio came together (The band was rounded out by long-time Cooper guitarist Tommy Henriksen and the Guns 'n' Roses rhythm section duo of Duff McKagan & Matt Sorum) but these vampires definitely need to be shown the daylight. Their cover of Motorhead's "Ace of Spades" was awful and Lemmy certainly deserved a better tribute than some hodgepodge garbage jam band.

Even with that Metal Abortion and the absurdity that was Taylor Swift winning Album of the Year (You won't convince me that "1989" was a better album than "To Pimp a Butterfly" AND "Beauty Behind The Madness", because it simply wasn't) This year's Grammys were by far the best award show we've seen in a long, long time.

-------------------

The Three Television Shows You Need To Be Watching Right Now

While it's always a bittersweet moment as the calendar turns into February and once the Super Bowl ends, you realize it will be around another 28 weeks before we see a live Football game on a Sunday. But one of the positives that emerge from a lack of pigskin viewing (other than having more time to recover from Saturday night parties) is that I have time to watch some Non-Sports Programming, even if only for a few hours a week. I'm super picky with what series I start to watch because I only have so much time to follow a few shows a year, and surprisingly, there are at least 6 shows that I am either currently watching or planning to watch in the next several months. Here are 3 new shows that I am watching right now that you need to watch as well:

1. "Billions", airs Sunday nights 10p ET/9p CT on Showtime.
This Power-Drama is centered in New York around Hedge Fund Billionaire Bobby Axelrod (played by Damian Lewis) who's power moves on Wall Street are being closely watched by U.S Attorney Chuck Rhoads (Paul Giamatti). This show is filled with great one-liners, double-crosses and some shockingly steamy sex scenes. It might be a bit hard to follow at times for those who haven't a clue how the stock market or hedge funds work, but it's nonetheless an entertaining hour of drama and suspense.

2. "Vinyl", airs Sunday nights 9pm ET/8pm CT on HBO
This show debuted this past weekend. Written by two legendary figures in director Martin Scorsese and Rolling Stones singer Mick Jagger, this show is about the Music scene in 1973 New York City from the eyes of record exec Richie Finestra (Bobby Cannavale) who's trying to save his company, American Century during a big shifting change of music styles all over the nation. A lot of the characters and scenes are based on true events and for music buffs like myself, this show is a really fun watch. It reminds me a lot of Mad Men, not only because the show is set in NYC and it basically picks up chronologically where the classic Ad drama leaves off, but the power tree of the workers at American Century and how they maneuver is very similar of how things operated at Sterling Cooper & Partners, except the Canadian Rye and Lucky Strike Cigarettes are replaced with Bolivian Marching Powder and Lemmon 714 Quaaludes (both seeming to be consistent staples in Scorsese works over the years)

3. "American Crime Story: The People vs O.J. Simpson", airs Tuesday nights 10p ET/9pm CT on FX
We head out to the West Coast circa 1994 as the deaths of Nicole Brown Simpson & Ron Goldman, and the subsequent mega-trial of former NFL running back O.J. Simpson are highlighted in this 10 part series. This wonderful All-Star cast features Cuba Gooding Jr. as "The Juice", John Travolta as his lead counsel Ron Shapiro, and David Schwimmer as Robert Kardashian (and yes, we see younger versions of his now infamous ex-wife and children in a few episodes). Despite being very young when this all really took place, I remember my folks being super interested in this whole debacle, so the nostalgia factor for me is pretty high, but even if you weren't alive for this historic event, this show is definitely worth viewing.

A Bunch of Awesome Videos from This Week

There have been way too many good videos online this week to not share with everyone on the Blog, so here they are:

Here's a Pole Dancer practicing her craft to the awesome Lacuna Coil song "Angel's Punishment" and their Lead Vocalist Cristina Scabbia liked it enough to post it on her Facebook page. It's KSFW (Kinda Safe For Work) Spoiler Alert: She keeps her clothes on. 

A clip of a guy pranking his wife into answering the door when the Jehovah's Witness came knocking

This Video of Samuel L. Jackson catching shit on the street about his movie roles from lazy parents

or This Emotional Sports Moment of Yankees Legendary Closer Mariano Riviera's farewell from his last appearance at Yankee Stadium. 

Check out this old clip of UFC Fighter Diego Sanchez getting gashed open by a BJ Penn kick to the dome. Pretty sick.

and Last, but not least. This couple driving down the expressway in Chicago while fucking. Yes, you read that correctly.

Well Now You Know, Miley's A Hoe: My Brief Ranting Recap of Twerkgate

So Sunday Night, on The Channel Formerly Known as Music Television held it's annual Music Video Awards. And talentless Pop artist Miley Cyrus went and did this:

You probably have the same reaction I did after this shitfuckmess was over. What just fucking happened? Who let this high school girl snort painkiller and drink tequila? where is her ass? Why does Robin Thicke look like Beetlejuice? So many questions. I'll answer a couple for you.

1. Society pisses me off. One of the main reasons why we are so sickened/confused/whatever about Miley Cyrus is because she looked horrible in her "twerking" efforts. If she had been 20-25 pounds heavier, we'd be talking about this the same way we were amazed back when J. Lo had on that hot ass dress. But no one is going to say that because the media wants women to look like cocaine is back on the rise. Fucking bullshit.

2. There's a large mass of people who find this shit actually entertaining. Lots of people have problems, I understand that. But this was supposed to be a musical performance, this basically is a shit-show cast off sketch from a small-town Circus.

3. I'm not shocked that the Former "Hannah Montana" has turned into this slut. We all should have seen this coming when she was actually decent looking in a denim miniskirt and cowboy boots. Now she's basically at the point where we'll see a tape of her in a interracial gangbang surface on PornHub within the next 6 months. People take that Disney shit all seriously like that's their real life, You shoulda learned yesterday with Britney Spears' crazy ass. But y'all learned today with this one.

I would like to make one note of light: This whole travashamockery was save by the brief performance from Kendrick Lamar. One of the gems of not only Hip-Hop, but of all Music out right now. Big ups to Kendrick on that. He got robbed for Best Hip-Hop Video. Macklebore and his pissy 99 cent grandpa jacket couldn't hold a candle to anything Mr. Lamar has done.

Grab Bag #20: Catching Up on TV, March Madness, St. Pat's Day

Been awhile since I've posted. Missed the One-Year Anniversary of CSTH. Thanks to the Thousands of you who have shared in my posts over the last dozen months. I will do my best to check in more and write stuff.

* TV Recap: The 2 shows I'm currently watching now are just getting really fucking crazy. The Carrie Diaries and Girls. BIG FUCKING SPOILER ALERT - DON'T READ IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THEM YET... I Warned You:

On TCD, Everything just hit the fucking fan, Carrie breaks up with George, Sebastian breaks up with Donna because he likes Carrie and has Mouse help him try to find her (which only leads to failure and a towed car) then Donna goes after Walt because she knows Maggie's secret fling with the cop, which Walt finds out about and then leads to him and Donna dating. But the biggest part of the recent episode is Carrie finally gets busted by her dad about her Manhattan life and now has lost both of her internships. It's just still weird to see Carrie being this controlled person because she's just 16. It fills in gaps of how she became the later version we all know and love (we even see her first Cosmo order) but there are still some holes in the story. It was nice to Not See her bitch-brat sister Dorrit in this episode, hopefully they keep that trend going.

As for Girls, we finally learn that Hannah is legitimately crazy, not just crazy. Her OCD has "Come Back" apparently, but really it's more of a nervous breakdown considering all of the shit that she has going on. Meanwhile, Charlie pulls the badass move that myself and anyone who's ever been shot down or dumped would love to pull, He sold an app to a company and now has a business that has turned him into a rich big shot, making Marnie feel like the stupid bitch she is for playing him on the fence. We later find out that she has a hidden talent, she has a really good voice, which we wouldn't have known if it wasn't for Ray getting fed up of listening to her shit and asking her what her dream in life was. He was at home waiting for Shosh to get back from her party at Rodica's (some chick who rollerblades) but their argument and Rodica's lack of interest led to Shosh (who was looking pretty hot, except for her permanent bad hair day deal) making out with a doorman.

* One of my favorite events is on the way. March Madness in College Basketball is starting up this week. From the small conference tournaments to the larger programs, to the Big Dance and even the NIT, this is a fun time to watch sports and bet on them as well. Even the person who can't tell you where Idaho State is located (Pocatello, Idaho) or the nickname of Coastal Carolina (Chanticleers) has a chance at winning the Office Pool at your job or school. So do some research or call a friend who knows this stuff *Cough, Cough* and toss 20 bucks in and indulge in the Madness.

* Another magical event, my favorite holiday, is also around the corner. Saint Patrick's Day is in 2 weeks. And this year will be better than last year for a couple of reasons. For starters, I am not on the verge of death like last year (I had an infected gallbladder around March 17th still) and the Parade here in St. Paul will be on a Saturday for a 2nd straight year (some stupid shit about parades can't be on Sundays. That's the best fucking day for a parade, Plus Grand Old Days is on a Sunday, but I digress) So there will be about 48 hours worth of drinking, so it should be a wonderful weekend.

A Big Bowl of Super

Yesterday was the 47th installment of the Super Bowl, the NFL Championship Game. The Baltimore Ravens are now World Champions after beating the San Fran 49ers on a missed holding call (with the good officials too, not the Foot Locker staff) The game was very entertaining, and so were the Commercials. Here are some of my favorites from yesterday:

1. GoDaddy.com Commercial featuring Danica Patrick, Bar Refaeli and one lucky ass nerd.
Why, oh why couldn't I have been casted for this ad? I have some TV experience. They did 45 takes in this shot. No word on how many times he had to change pants.

2. Geico Commercial featuring Dikembe Mutumbo
Former NBA player Dikembe Mutumbo is everywhere doing what he does best. Very funny for those who remember the 90's star, but still a close 2nd to the Eddie Money bit which debuted at SB 46

3. Audi Commercial featuring the New 2013 Audi S6
Between Walter from the GoDaddy bit, the Ravens (who were +4.5) and this kid, it was a night for the underdogs.

4. Doritos Commercial featuring a Goat
Guy buys a dorito-loving goat. Hilarity ensues.

5. Oreo Commercial - Cookie vs Cream
What happens when a dispute takes place in a library?

6. Mercedes-Benz Commercial featuring Kate Upton Washing a Car in Slow Motion
OK, so it's not #1 because, well it's basically false advertising. But it's on the list because it's still Kate Upton in Slow-Motion. I'll take that anyday.

HONORABLE MENTION: This should have aired last night and it would have been #2 for sure.

What is Alex Betting On This Super Bowl?

Super Bowl is just 24 hours away, and while this penultimate game of the Football season is about fun and parties, there is still some good money to be made just like the rest of the season. Everyone always asks me on any given day, How much do you have riding on this game? I rarely give out an exact number to people with the exception of Super Bowl Sunday. Here's what I'm betting and how much I stand to win if the bet hits. So you can now cheer/cringe/tail along with my bets:

NOTE: the Pay out number Includes the return of money risked + money won

Odds provided by Bovada for Information Purposes ONLY!

$330 on Niners -4 vs Ravens (pays out $630)

$110 on Niners-Ravens OVER 47 (pays out $210)

$100 on Niners (alternate spread -7.5 +155) (pays out $255)

$50 on Alicia Keys National Anthem (Under 2:10 -160) (Pays out $81.25)

$50 on Coin Toss (HEADS -105) (pays out +$102.50)

$50 on Total Points Scored Even/Odd (EVEN +110) (Pays out $105)

$50 on Total Points Scored Combined (51-55 Pts - 6/1) (Pays out $300)

$35 on First 1st Down Play (Rushing Play +145) (pays out $85.75)

$30 on Colin Kaepernick to score a Rushing TD (YES +115) (Pays out $64.50)

$30 on Distance of First Field Goal Made (23-29 Yds - 3/1) (Pays out $90)

$25 on Niners to win by 7 to 12 points - 4/1 (pays out $125)

$25 on Joe Flacco TDs (2 TDs +225) (Pays out $81.25)

$25 on Frank Gore to score TD in 1st Half (YES +125) (Pays out $56.25)

$20 on Score within first 5 mins of 1st Quarter (YES +170) (Pays out $54)

an Apology...

I owe someone an apology. Someone fictional, but a real apology. While the real actress/creator of "Girls" Lena Dunham doesn't know (or care) I have yelled at her character, Hannah about a dozen times, more than I have at any recent hoops game in which I've had money on the line. I gave her So much shit, soooo much shit for taking the garbage abuse that she subjects herself to from her pseudo/fuckbuddy/love interest Adam. And then it hit me today, that I've been in the middle of the same shit, in her shoes, and not in a real distant past either.

It's hard to really love someone, even when they care and they realise it and are reciprocating that love back to you. But when you love someone, I mean really take your whole heart out of your chest and off your sleeve, and they don't feel the same way, or take advantage of your truth and vulnerability and just outright really don't give a flying SuperFuck about how you feel and care for them, well there's truly a different pain and a different healing for a situation like that.

And then you start to question yourself and ger really mad at the mirror because you realise Everything that is being done in front of you, but yet you can pull yourself away from it. But when it's a friend in the same spot, we "Minimize" it down and tell them they need to pull their heads from out of their asses or their girlfriend or boyfriend's asses and stop subjecting themselves to the misery, when probably at the same time, our heads are as far or even further up our own assholes.

So, I'm sorry, Hannah. I know your pain and really wish you would just pull your head out from the hole, but really, who am I to comment.

My First Real Rant of 2013.

OK, so It's the last day of the first month of 2013. I don't have any real serious issues about life at the moment like usual. I have had some pretty good days so far this year to lead off, but I do have some small complaints on general human life that I'd like to get off of my chest.

* Tonight, I just left Mickey's Diner. The World Famous "Mighty Ducks Restaurant where Charlie's Mom Worked" in Downtown Saint Paul. it's 1:45am. I walk in to see a fellow Chicagoan eating with his woman and child, while wearing a Blackhawks jersey (they played here, lost in a shootout) and he's blasted drunk, cursing about him also losing his job as well as us "Sucking" tonight (Hawks actually played well against a good Wild team. fucking moron.) He eventually accosts 4 tourists from Chicagoland who were at the game, and disrupts their late night meal and even threatened two of my good friends who walked in about a milkshake (an incident I learned about after he left because I would have decked him at that point myself)  I'm just sick and fucking tired of people who make my city look bad, be it here or back at home. It's so sad and embarassing to see the death and struggle and crime in my hometown, and for fucking morons from their to make themselves look bad while representing our proud city and our sports teams makes me fucking sick. (For the record, said asshole is also a Cubs fan. explains a bit more)


* I've been watching this show "Girls" that comes on HBO. I'm catching up online because I refuse to spend any more cash on cable in this year than I have to. I'm watching the First Season, really funny shit, very awkward sex scenes but just a generally funny show. And then I hit Episode 4 and 5, when one of the charactors (SORRY, SPOILER ALERT!)  who has had a long going issue with her boyfriend about how he was so into her and that she doesn't love him as much, eventually they breakup after the BF reads the diary of the main character (who is BFF's with the GF) and then the Girlfriend gets mad at her friend, get this. FOR WRITING THIS SHIT IN HER PERSONAL DIARY! Are You Fucking Bleeping Me right now! She got upset because her friend knew the truth about how she felt, and so what does the Girlfriend do, she chases the newly crowned ex-boyfriend, and they talk and she literally begs him to take her back, which leads to this awkward sex scene and she ends up bumping her head on this partition of the bed, as if she has a fucking epiphany, and BAM!, She wants to break up with him. I have never been so mad at a scene from a television show in my entire fucking life as I was when I saw this shit. And what made me sooooo upset about this, is because THIS SHIT REALLY HAPPENS IN REAL FUCKING LIFE!!!! Countless people (mostly women) I Know who have fucking dealt with some bullshit relationship or situation where they are unhappy and yet when they realise it, and do the right thing by ending the relationship, they get sad and fucking hormonal and then decide to change their minds as if AS IF the fucking situation has flipped over like a fucking piece of paper on a windy day and that everything is cute, cool and hunky-fucking-dorey now after that happened. THE. DUMBEST. SHIT. I'VE. EVER/ SEEN. OR. HEARD. EVER! Stop It! Stop subjecting yourself to situations to where you are being treated like dogshit, because eventually, if you keep doing it, you will become the dogshit you are being treated like. Start using that fucking grey matter up top and quit being a dumbass and treat yourself better in life.


* I'm going to end this rant on a note that I've also said before. Mean what you say, and say what you mean, because no one likes a hypocrite, nor does anyone like someone who blames their actions and thoughts on other outside shit. I can outdrink the fucking populous of the neighborhood I live in and I've heard 3 different people in 24 hours blame shit they've done on either drinking or being "out of it" Get your fucking shit together and stop using anything, be it person or substance, to blame for anything you've done. If it's a mistake, it's a mistake and own up to it, but be real with the shit. Hide behind something like a coward, fucking fade like a coward.


Thanks folks. Have fun this weekend! Super Bowl is this Sunday! Bet the Niners and the Over!

The Carrie Diaries!

So it's well-documented how I'm a huge fan of the show Sex & The City (pretty sure I'm in the Guinness Book of Records for only straight male with the entire series on DVD, and in the Collector's Box). Well earlier this month, the CW debuted The Carrie Diaries, which is the Candace Bushnell penned novel pre-dating S&TC about Carrie Bradshaw as a 16 year old girl, living in Connecticut with her Dad and little sister after the loss of their Mom to cancer. She has her clique of friends, and she gets an internship working with a Law Firm in Manhattan, which then leads to her meeting a random lady with a British accent and she discovers how awesome city life and fashion is.

The pilot show was kind of a stretch to explain the story line, but it gets increasingly better and sucks you in just like S&TC does. AnnaSophia Robb does a wonderful job of capturing the quirkiness and wit that Sarah Jessica Parker does playing Carrie. However, I'm personally not a fan of her sister Dorrit (who is mysteriously never mentioned in S&TC) or her father Tom. It's just odd seeing Carrie not as independent as before, but kind of neat to see the transformation of her becoming a woman in the City. The show also does a wonderful job of capturing the style and music of the Mid-80's (I'm assuming someone is gonna break out some coke in a bullet before the season ends)  For anyone who hasn't seen or followed S&TC, should definitely watch The Carrie Diaries first and then you can see the transition of Carrie into the fashionista-writer that took the world by storm.

The Carrie Diaries come on the CW Network on Mondays at 8pm Eastern (check your local listings)

Cute Chicks on Daytime Television

Last month, I got a TV in my bedroom, so now I'm watching a bit more television than I had been the last couple of years (Outside of sports, of course) and I thought, why not point out some of the gorgeous women I've noticed on the tube lately.

* Melissa D'arabian (Ten Dollar Dinners; Food Network)

This cute southwestern mom of 4 was one of the winner's of the Food Network's "Next Network Star" back in 2009, and now she has her own show and cookbook, featuring meals that can feed a family of 4 for just $10 bucks or less. Cute and Thrifty? That's a winning combo right there.

* Clarissa Thompson (SportsNation; ESPN2)

It takes some knowledge and talent to fill the big heels left from the amazing Michelle Beadle, but if there was one woman in sports who fit the job perfectly, it's Clarissa Thompson. She's been around for a bit, bumming along on Fox Sports Net and Big Ten Network before finally getting a shot on the big time in 2010 with ESPN. Hot, Smart, and enough sass to put that moron Colin Cowherd in his place, just like Beadle.

* Elizabeth Ries (Twin Cities Live; KSTP-5 Twin Cities) 

You live outside of Minnesota, I'm sure you've never heard of her. You live in Minnesota, You know exactly who I'm talking about (maybe). Local television around here sucks more than the Vikings and Twins do combined, but this woman is very easy on the eyes. She's been hosting this around town afternoon variety show for awhile, and hopefully, the folks at ABC notice this cutie and maybe give her a shot at the national scene. And like me, she has a cool Blog as well. She even does some double duty on the radio too.