a division of the Chersonian Institute

Category: Concerts (Page 7 of 11)

Cher Concert Billboards Across America

ChernashvilleWhen Mr. Cher Scholar and I were traveling across the country for Christmas, we came across this electronic billboard in downtown Nashville.

Mr. Cher Scholar double-parked for 6 minutes so I could get this shot (we had to wait for all the country star billboards to revolve around). It was only fair since we drove in circles earlier that morning trying to find the original Ryman Auditorium for him.

Anyway, is there a Cher billboard currently up in your town? Kindly send it to me and I will post it here. It would be even better if you were in the shot.

Send pics to mary@cherscholar.com.

    

Cher Puts Fans in the Driver’s Seat with New Set List

 

Set

If you are on the mailing list of Cher.com (which you should be if you are any kind of Cher zombie, Cher freak, Cher crew or Cher lovely), you received an email yesterday about visiting her new tour site and ranking 18 of the 50 listed songs to make your voice heard regarding her upcoming set list.

The voting page is a user-interface-friendly ranking list that even has a weighted top-5 mechanism.

I am continually impressed by Cher’s social media worker-bees. This was not only a generous gesture on Cher’s part, but a totally amazing fun thing to play with. I was chatting away like a Chatty Kathy Cher Zombie while my husband watched snowy football all afternoon, rooting for his Kansas City Chiefs.

Here was my ranking and reasoning (for those interested).

First of all, I did not vote for Turn Back Time, Believe or Dressed to Kill because I figured they would probably end up in the show anyway. Of those three, I would like most to see Dressed to Kill because I think Cher’s team would create a good visual segment and interesting costumes for this.

I also didn’t pick songs I may have liked but have already seen many times before, like The Power, Half Breed, Dark Lady, and Take Me Home.

  1. AllAll I Ever Need is You –  This is one of my absolutely favorite Cher songs, and one of my very top Sonny & Cher songs along with United We Stand and Somebody (all from the same record of 1972). Have never heard Cher sing this song live and would love to hear her sing a Sonny & Cher song she hasn’t done in a long while.
  1. Alfie – What a dreamy thing to hear Cher sing this song after all these years. A overlooked fan favorite.
  1. Sirens – One of my newest favorite Cher songs. I know Cher doesn’t love the ballads as much as the high-NRG songs but the world-wide consensus is that Cher does an unbeatable torch song. This was proven yet again on the new album.
  1. Welcome to Burlesque – Yes, I didn’t love this movie but I feel Cher herself knows more about burlesque, vamping, femme fetals and sexy performance than Steven Antin did and could really do a good visual presentation to salvage this song.
  1. Love Is The Groove—I thought a lot about this one. Cher has done this one live before I believe (was it in Europe?) but the song has such a good energy about it and might coincide well with the Zen-ness in Cher’s life.
  1. Favorite Scars – another favorite of the new album, this song actually made it on my annual best-songs (mostly alternative) of 2013 list I do every Christmas.
  1. Walking in Memphis – I know we’ve seen this one off and on in shows, but it’s such a fun, fan favorite. Even non-Cher-fan friends of mine love her version of this song. It never tires.
  1. The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore – This song was a recent hit with my husband on a car-ride to Kansas City. I think this would be fun, campy song to see done over the top.
  1. Taxi Taxi – I think this too was done before in a medley with Love is in the Groove but it has such ethereal lyrics. Would love to see it for myself in a big Cher shew.
  1. Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves – Of all of Cher’s narrative 1970s number one hits, this one really best holds up in the test of time: the most unique, superbly crafted, full of political hypocrisy and so, so beautiful – a perennial fan favorite. Can’t miss with this.
  1. AlfieI Got You Babe – Has Cher even done a full tribute to this song in concert since the 1970s? It would be good to see that. Also, if this is truly Cher’s last venture in touring, it would be a lovely full-circle moment to close with this song, her first hit.
  1. Song for the Lonely – I think Cher said this one was a hard one to sing so I didn’t place it up toward the top (afraid it would be discarded early on) but similar to Walking in Memphis, fans love this song and non-fans love it too. My non-fan friends actually love it more than Believe.
  1. Real Love – Love the 1970s kitsch of this song, an underdog choice.
  1. Love One Another – Nominated for a Grammy and would love to hear it live.
  1. Dov'è l'Amore – Good for some multi-cultural flavor.
  1. Save Up All Your Tears – My favorite Cher power ballad. Her best version of “Strong Enough/Woman’s World/grrrl-power kick-ass-ness.
  1. Many Rivers To Cross – I love Cher's version of this. Recently added it to an album of Jimmy Cliff I made up for my Dad. Although I first decided “loved it but seen it”…it might be interesting to hear Cher revisit this song again after 20 years.
  1. Bang Bang – The same can be said with this song. I don’t much want to revisit it again with the same ole same ole 1980s arrangement. But this song is one of Sonny’s most re-recorded. It’s arguably his masterpiece if one must judge it by how many diverse artists keep re-recording it and how they can deftly mould its moods.

See my ranking: http://tour.cher.com/my_set.php?me=276563

Create your own: http://tour.cher.com/set.html

In other news:

Cher News (via Boston Q) was kind enough to excerpt Cher’s favorite albums list and Top 10 Cher Commandments from Q Magazine. Homework for our next meet-up (which due to Christmas duties, may be a little while): http://www.chernews.blogspot.com/2013/12/q-magazine-interview-chers-10.html

       

More TV Appearances (VCR Alerts)


Cher-blondeThe Voice

Stay tuned for Cher appearances next week. If you been watching the show, you've seen the previews which have provided some saucy Cher moments. You can see her deliver such tips and barbs to Blake Shelton as "I've been busy working…I haven't been sitting on my ass pushing a button!" and telling a contestant if you do a bad note, do something big to make them forget you did a bad note. And if you are trying to sing a high note, think high. I can't wait for more of this.

 

 

Kelly & Michael
Kelly1

Kathie Lee and Regis have now morphed into Kelly and ex-Giants player Michael Strahan. I actually like this combination. You can see Cher's appearance in three clips:

This has been a season (forget that, a half a year!) of great Cher interviews, maybe the best Cher interviews ever. But the Live! with Kelly and Michael appearance went beyond the pale. 

First of all Kelly Ripa is a bona fide Cher fan, and a thoughtful Cher fan as well, meaning she tries to deconstruct her fan-ness.
Which is something the literary-trained Cher Scholar was raised to do. I'm sure my college professors expected me to do more service to the high literary arts but…what can I say?. I love this about Kelly Ripa but it seems pretty intense for Cher. 

In the backstage interview, Cher looks almost palpably overwhelmed by the onslaught of Kelly's insistent affections. And what normal, non-narcissistic, person wouldn't be. Cher's response is understandable and all the more amazing that she doesn't "eat it all up." That's some character there.

CherpicWhen Cher walks out to the official interview, she steps to personally shake hands with people in the crowd and
the response is overwhelming. It's like she's attained a Queen status. Forget about some kind of Goddess of Pop. I feel we've left that station months ago. Goddess implies a kind of free-floating greatness which is admired from afar. But that's not what we're seeing here. We're seeing people feeling an intense Elvis-like emotional connection and treating her like…well like royalty. I wonder how unsettling that might be for Cher to be the underdog for so long and to finally break out like this…again and larger than ever.

But speaking as a fan of almost 40 years, (which is nothing: I have Cher friends who've been fans for 50 years), the adulation is long past its overdue date. In any case, the responses from the hosts who interview her and the audiences has all been way beyond
Believe-era responses.

In the interview, Cher talks about a childhood friend named Della and sharing a hair brush
(love those childhood stories!). They play a game called Would You Share (what's with all these Cher games this year?? Not that I hate them or anything). While Mr. Cher Scholar was working late in our office, Michael made a very funny joke about sharing a bathtub and I heard Mr. Cher Scholar bust out laughing in the other room.

In the backstage interview, Cher talks about being mentored by Sonny. She also talks on stage about her experience mentoring singers on The Voice for two days and how unexpectedly attached she became to the contestants, and how surprised she was how much she knew about performing and had such good advice to give. I hope she liked it well enough to keep doing it. From hearing Barry Manilow talk about mentoring on American Idol, it seems so fulfilling and positive.

Billboard

If you haven't heard already, Cher's album hit a debut spot of number three, the highest debut of her solo career. So impressive. My friend sent my this interview link from Billboard. I haven't watched it yet. I haven't even finished the fan chat interview yet either or all the links below!I've had a cold and am talking this crazy-intensive University of Pennsylvania online poetry class that sucks up like 4-5 hours of my evenings. But I will catch up!

I did buy the vinyl copy
of the album this week and the Japanese version is available as well.

I also bought my tickets this week to see Cher in Phoenix. I've never seen an opening night before, but this was the closest city I could reasonable get to, considering I am living in the middle of a desert.

More Cher News

from EuropeCher World:

Cher News:

Pics from Cher's album party:

   

Cher Concert Duet Idea

UnitedSo in Cher's most recent concert, her Caesars Palace show in Las Vegas, she performed a fantasy duet many Sonny & Cher fans had been harboring: she performed "The Beat Goes On" with an old Sonny Bono recording ala Natalie Cole doing "Unforgettable" with her father Nat King Cole. It was sublime. But how can she top it?

I would suggest a the following scene, which is a fantasy I developed just last weekend watching Sonny & Cher perform "United We Stand" on their 1970s television show.

I love their rendition of "United We Stand." It's one of my favorite Sonny & Cher songs because they sang it with legitimate sincerity on the record and in live performances, where they sang to each other with more than typical
United2conviction. I feel this record really meant something to them, having often felt their backs were against the wall. You still feel their connection in these performances from The Sonny & Cher Show in 1976 and later on The Mike Douglas Show in 1979. (In both peformances, they were already divorced, no less.)

And is there such a thing as a good Sonny impersonator? Isn't it time Cher sang with one? It's not all about Cher impersonators, is it? I would love to see Cher duet with a faux-Sonny (maybe doing "United We Stand").

If impersonation is an act of tribute, doesn't Sonny deserve some mimicking flattery?

 

Recap of Woman’s World Press Tour


943273_10201522820973247_1967374274_nThe Accolades:

After decades of dissings, then surprised condescension at her success in the 1980s, then the
1990s of affected interest with the turn into occasional accolades and credit,
the excitement of this round’s interviewers is palpable. I’m chalking it up to
the inarguable facts of her career piling up and The Cher Show kids finally finding their asses in interviewing seats.
It’s truly extra-ordinary and Cher is responding with
her grown-up voice and is downright verbose in her responses.

One of my favorite pile-ups of accolades was from SoSoGay,

“Before Beyonce,
before Gaga. Before Rhianna and before Katy. Before Britney, Christina, Cyndi
and Celine. Before Whitney and Mariah, and before Madonna. Before colour
television, before the Vietnam War, before man walked on the moon. Before the
decimalized pound. Before everything, before time immemorial…There was Cher….this shimmering vestibule of unrelenting
fabulousness….her sparkling tsunami.”

Ed Brody, the author, tells me Burlesque was amazing and to get over myself. I laughed at that. I wish I could. But that’s the cross a scholar bears.

Here’s more overview of the love:

  • A Cher fan said
    she was coolest person ever since he can remember (Watch What Happens/Andy Cohen)
  • Andy Cohen said as a kid he watched The Cher Show and “when she came down the
    ramp, life, hope, goose bumps, gave me fairy dust, inspiration” came too. He said Cher
    was putting to bed all the kids in America. (Watch What Happens/Andy Cohen)
  • Anderson Cooper said he grew up adoring Cher—and
    his mom (Gloria Vanderbilt) said Cher was her
    fantasy daughter. Kelly Ripa is also a fan. One caller said he had to get high
    to talk to Cher (Watch What Happens/Andy Cohen)
  • Dan Taylor called her the female artist of rock
    and roll, the iconic lady (WCBS).
  • On Sirius/XM radio’s Studio54 channel, the hosts Marc Benecke and Myra Scheer were very
    excited. (I just got a new car so have free XM for 3 months or something–whohoo!). In
    their intro, they played “The Shoop Shoop Song,” “Believe,” Turn Back Time,” and
    “Woman’s World” clips. On the Town Hall interview with Cher,
    (the inaugural), Myra noted that she was Steve Rubell’s executive assistant at Studio 54 in New York City.
    They called her major star, a guiding star, a role model with 250 world-wide
    awards in music, TV and film, including a Golden Globe, an Oscar, an Emmy, a Grammy,
    and a hit song in every decade “since 1910” Cher joked. At the first break,
    they played “Take Me Home” (and noted the song was on the Studio 54 album). The next
    break “Turn Back Time.” The next break “I Found Someone” (and here a salamander
    crawled up our faux-bedrock wall and stopped to listen). The next break “Believe,” “Strong
    Enough” next and during the final break “Women’s World.” Many of New York’s straight men asked questions
    during this interview and I love how straight men in NYC love her. You don’t see this so much in LA and the Midwest.

Candidness: Cher seemed so much less guarded in her face, body, and with her words.

  • The New
    York Times
    said what they used to say about her in the 1980s, “In this age
    of rigidly controlled star-bots, no topic seemed to be off-limits (except her
    relationship status).”
  • She appeared on The Today Show with Savannah Guthrie, (perky like Katie
    Couric) and was so nice and comfortable in her PJs. After the interview,
    Guthrie gushed about Cher to her co-anchors, calling Cher
    an unassuming charmer. I was impressed how easily Guthrie could kid with her.
  • On Z100, the DJ played “Does Cher Care” asking Cher irreverent questions about Paula Dean (Cher feels she’s not
    misunderstood, just wrong), Sandra Bullock’s new movie trailer: is it
    overexposed, will it be good? Is Cher even interested (Cher said it looks
    cool), about the never-ending cupcake craze (Cher said it sucked to begin with and
    prefers Hostess cupcakes), should Snowden be punished or kicked out of China/Russia?
    (Cher said this was above her pay grade).
  • Andy Cohen launched CherMaggedon with a plethora
    of games, including Truth or Cher—the Truth
    question being who her greatest lovers were (She said they’d all been
    exceptional. Andy said “That’s a list!” and she answered, “Not a long list but a
    good list.” He got her to admit Tom Cruise in the top 5 when prompted). In the
    Dare, Andy Cohen quoted Moonstruck
    and asked Cher to slap him while saying “Snap
    out of it.” In another segment Gypsies Tramps and Tea, Andy Cohen asked for
    Cher’s opinion on: Elvis (didn’t know him), Whitney (didn’t know her), Nick
    Cage (he’s crazy but I love him), Meryl (my idol), Phil Spector (he’s crazy and
    only paid me $25 for a year’s work), Michael Jackson (I have TMI!), Tom Cruise (He wasn’t
    a scientologist then and they were hot and heavy for a minute), ever having a lesbian lover?
    (who hasn’t). She said she stole a horse when I was 13 and took it to Santa Ana. If she could
    meet anyone? She’d ask Jesus “Dude, what’s the deal?” Her favorite decade was the
    80s (so much fun, could go naked swimming). On her bucket list? (I thought she said to build
    Balobgese house but is that right??). Her best movie role was Moonstruck.
    Does she have a boyfriend? (The moment anyone knows, you don’t have one; so she
    keeps that on the low down now—that’s a great answer actually). For the Jackal of the Night: Cher picked Senator Ted Cruise because he’s an a-hole who
    doesn’t like gays or foreigners. According to Andy, the show said “Cher” 29 times – which was a record.
  • During Andy Cohen’s Aftershow, he asked her what
    sent she would use for a scented candle (Uninhibited); she says she watches
    CNN/MSNBC. Anderson Cooper made a surprise appearance and said Cher calls in all the time to help people but low key (that she did so
    with Hurricane Katrina). They asked her about the Supreme Court decision on gay
    marriage (about time, she said) and they tried to play Kiss, Marry, Shag with
    her (with Quaid who she’d say she’d marry and Nicholson & Cage but she
    never finished the list.) They ran a Hair Chertrospective at the end.

Cher was great fun through all these shenanigans.




WomanssingleThe New Album:

  • On Live Chat NY, Cher
    said the video wouldn’t be released until September (which is very strange since
    a video might have helped the single). Cher
    said the newspaper wig was her wigmakers idea and kinda a nightmare. She said
    her favorite songs on the album are “Lie to Me” (a Pink song), “My Love” (a
    future single), Take It Like a Man” (a future single), and Dressed to Kill.”
    She said she recorded “Woman’s World” in an hour (on Z100 she said the song sang itself) and
    she co-wrote the song “Lovers Forever” which is actually old and was written for the movie
    Interview with a Vampire. She said
    the album has dance, rock and ballads and she hopes it will generate three videos.
  • On Z100 Cher said recording is still scary and
    tenuous and she is not Cher fan, that recording studios are not her favorite place to be, that she feels more confident
    on stage (where I shine) because she feels she’s a good entertainer (vs. a singer).
  • To Andy Cohen, Cher
    said Lady Gaga didn’t like their duet but that she felt it was good. Cher said this was her best album and her best songs and she loved that she didn’t have to lower her keys.
  • WCBS noted that this is her 26th
    album. She said here it was very eclectic with dance, ballads, a country song, and
    some funky banjo in one song and a U2-sounding 9/11 song called “Sirens.”
  • On XM she talked about the writing of “Woman’s
    World.” As she said in “Believe”-era interviews, there’s no overt personal connection to the song. She said the writer was a guy and
    his idea was that women are strong and now demand their rights. (In this light,
    I think the setup suffers from slight condescension, which isn’t the writer’s fault, but a generational interpretation, ex: we don’t need men to tell us this.) Myra said the song was
    very “I Will Survive of the 21st Century.” (I thought that label should
    have been applied to the song “Strong Enough” with its 1970s sound). Cher
    said the song was like “Believe” in that she didn’t like the second verse,
    which was too similar to “Believe.” Cher said
    she won’t cry twice, which is why in “Believe” she added the more empowering line: “Maybe
    I’m too good for you.” She wants to show that women are resilient. Myra said although Cher
    didn’t write it, she owned it. Cher’s mom said
    that about her The Voice performance.


GypsiesorigOld Songs:

  • On Live Chat NY, Cher
    said she turned down “Turn Back Time” around 1000 times and then did the song
    in an hour. She said her favorite song of her own is “Song for the Lonely.” The
    interviewer said she loves “Baby Don’t Go”
    and Cher said that was a great song and very  definitive Sonny & Cher.
  • On Z100 the DJ said Cher
    has embraced change through the eras vs. musicians who say “this is the kind of
    music I make” and aren’t flexible. Cher said
    she gets bored and likes to try new ideas. Cher
    said she can’t think of anybody my age who
    is making records to get on the charts or anyone who performs onstage with no clothes.
    (She’s so funny!) They talked about “Believe” and auto tune and the vocoder and pitch machines. I get confused during such tech talk.
  • On WCBS, Cher
    says she almost threw away “Believe” although she thought it was a “beautifully
    constructed idea.” She talked about the first time she heard herself on the
    radio, for her song “Baby Don’t Go.” They were at her mom’s house where their managers
    were living (because they were all poor). They were in the living room listening
    to KFWB and had all been calling on all their phones to the radio station to get it played. Cher said it was an out of body experience with everybody
    screaming when the song came on. They said they all wanted to go to the Cadillac
    dealership with bag full of money and buy a Cadillac.
  • On XM, Cher
    said she hasn’t a clue about her longevity in the business. She agreed with a
    fan that she liked the “Walking in Memphis”
    video and was the first to play Elvis. (Like originally? Like in 1971, which is
    my theory that she’s been doing Elvis since then?)

General Music:

On Live Chat NY, Cher says she Pink, Adele, and Amy
Winehouse; On XM she said she still has her favorite go-to song (but said
it makes no sense) as Procol Harem’s “Whiter Shade of Pale.” SoSoGay reporter
mentioned that her song from Not.Com.merical, “With or Without You” taps into
that Procol Harem sound.


MaskMovies & Broadway:

  • According to Live Chat NY, Cher has no word on the
    status of Drop Out or Bet and Flo, movies once listed on her IMDB page. For her
    next movie, she seeks a non-glamorous role in an independent film. She says she
    will never do Shakespeare.
  • She also says she got her Silkwood offer on a Wednesday matinee of her Broadway show, Come Back to the 5 & Dime, and she liked
    doing a play, found it comforting. (Live
    Chat NY)
    She said Broadway was not easy but you get an immediate reaction. (XM)
  • According to Live Chat NY she’s still writing
    for her Logo show.
  • The DJ of Z100 told Cher
    he used to watch Mask over and over with
    his sister. On Z100 and XM, Cher said she was
    sick during the offer to do Thelma &
    Louise
    but that what belongs to you comes to you. She  regrets not being able to do it but feels it
    was meant to be “Sue’s” part.
  • Andy Cohen during his Aftershow asked Cher if she keeps in touch with the Mermaids daughters, Winona Ryder and Christina Ricci. Cher says they grew up and she hasn’t seen them lately. She
    said “Noni” went through a strange period but seems back on track and she
    remembers sneaking Christina M&Ms during the shooting when directors
    thought Christina was too chubby and banned them from her trailer. Cher
    said she loved the family-feeling of movies and talking to the tech people. She said
    she had a great time on Burlesque.
  • On WCBS, Cher
    retold the story about a crowd laughing at her name during the Silkwood preview (Nichols told her the
    previews were out and she went to a Tom Cruise movie in Westwood to see it with
    her sister and her manager, Billy Sammeth). She said it was organic laughter and therefore
    pretty painful. At the eventual premiere the audience clapped at her name in
    the credits.
  • On XM, Cher
    admitted not knowing how’s she’s persevered in a youth-oriented film industry. Myra calls her fearless. Cher said you evolve. Mark said she has communication
    with audience. Cher said she is likable. She
    said her most memorable moment was winning the Oscar. It was amazing to her since
    it took so long to get an acting job. She said Robert Altman was such a rebel. Mike Nichols told her when he saw the Saturday matinee about the
    character of Dolly that they couldn’t find anyone for the role before they found Cher and so they we were just gonna
    write her out; Mike said, “She’s a lesbian, but really lovely.” A fan asked if
    she would do more musicals? She said she wasn’t planning any but she enjoyed
    singing in a film.
  • One fan on XM commented on her sexy glamor and
    sensitivity in movies from Moonstruck
    to Jimmy Dean. Cher
    joked that she could multitask. She said, I am who I am for better or worse, a
    lot of worse. She said she likes play in her work and that sometimes she stops
    doing it when she feels she has nothing to offer.

Twitter & Star
Fights:

  • On Live Chat NY, Cher
    admitted on Twitter it’s hard to read jokes and emotions, saying, “Words can’t
    see a smile, can’t get emotions.” She said she tweets in the middle of the night
    like a vampire. To Andy Cohen she says she’s good with Madonna.
  • Andy Cohen asked her about Nicki Minaj throwing
    shade on her. She said people come and go. Snap!

Exercise & Free
Time:

  • On The
    Today
    Show Cher says for free time, she sees friends, goes to the Bahamas,
    paddle  boards, goes hiking, or somewhere
    like Nepal.
  • On XM she talked about working out, working her
    “ass off” now because when you’re older it gets harder. But she was always into
    sports and running as kid, climbing trees. She had “so much energy.” Official exercise started for her during The Sonny
    & Cher
    shows where she took a dance class during their lunch breaks.
    She said you have to change it up to trick your body. The same exercise stops
    working. Now she does yoga, pilates, weights and the trampoline to music, bouncing,
    she says, makes her happy.

Outfits:
Inlove

  • In the New
    York Times,
    Cher said her favorite dress
    was the Oscar Snub Dress: “If you could have seen it up close. It was cashmere,
    the beading was beautiful, they made earrings and the headdress was exquisite.
    It was impeccable. It was beautifully done.” (And Cher
    would know a headdress). She also stated “Camp is in the eye of the beholder.”
  • On The
    Today
    Show she said she doesn’t mind people hating what she wears.
  • On Andy Cohen she wore space platforms shoes and
    black and white geometric jacket and pants. Cher
    scholar Robrt Pela noted that this outfit matched the back cover of Sonny & Cher’s In Case You’re In Love album.
    She stated her that her favorite outfits where the Oscar dress, and her first
    Indian “costume,” and the “Turn Back Time” outfit (Which one? The concert hole fit or the
    video V fit?)
  • On XM, a fan asked what her outfit inspirations
    were. She said her first inspiration was Bob Mackie. She loved that her
    friend said her hair on The Voice
    looked like a chicken from the 4H club. She says she has a  good humor about it. But she said the outfit
    and wig didn’t translate on the show (I agree: too many cuts and closeups). Cher said art should provoke conversation, not that she
    can say my hair was art, but she was going for Luxe Punk.

Concerts:
Helen-Mirren

  • On LiveChat NY, Cher talked about
    her first live appearance in bowling alley and Sonny pushing her on stage. She
    said about her Caesars shows:  “They were
    very staid.” (New York Times) and that
    fans couldn’t afford the show so there was an older, low energy audience. She came
    to understand “you don’t get to decide how they’re gonna enjoy it. They get to
    decide.” She said on tour she saves her voice and doesn’t talk, lives like a
    nun.  She said in the 1960s people threw
    rings on stage, in homage to the fact she had rings on every finger (I did not
    know that.). She said “Song for the Lonely” is impossible to sing and she didn’t
    tape Caesars show. (Live Chat NY)
  • The New
    York Times
    was with Cher at the Marquee
    during a very long wig change. Manager Lindsay Scott was asked, “How much of
    his life is spent waiting for Cher to change
    her outfit and get trussed up?” “A good amount.”
  • In the Marquee video itself, Cher
    made a speech about when she was unc2ool and a has-been, “you guys have always
    been there.” Cher watched some drag queens/impersonators
    dance to a mix of her songs and she danced and sang along, smiling.
  • On Z100 she said she might tour next year. The
    DJ asked her about seeing all those cell phones now at shows. She said smart
    phones weren’t around yet during her farewell tour years.
  • During the Macy’s 4th of July
    Spectacular, I loved the long hair and the pants. Is that chain mail back in
    action? Mr. Cher Scholar made many positive remarks, (She looks cool here,
    looks younger, like the big hoops, she looks great). The women in audience
    really seem into it. Cher smiles a lot and
    throws out sultry looks. She did lip sync but in the bootleg pre-tape, you can
    hear her singing. She comments about dressing age-appropriate (not quite yet; age appropriate would be dressing like Helen Mirren above…can you believe they’re less than a year apart in age?). She talks about her choreographer, Doriana
    Sanchez, and about getting free M&Ms vs Dr. Pepper backstage.
  • Cher announced
    she’ll be performing a Today Show
    concert on September 23. The hosts said to “expect a legendary crowd.”
  • Cher said her least
    favorite song to do live is “Jessie James.” She talked about touring with sonny
    in early 70s on the club circuit where they had to cook in our room but used
    Chastity in act; She used to lead the orchestra. (Watch What Happens/Andy Cohen)
  • On XM, Cher
    said hearing her records again, she felt they sound better. For live shows you
    need to speed them up because the audience needs excitement. She said singing
    live is a crap shoot. She said sometimes her musical director  Paul Mirkovich changes up arrangements. A fan asked if there was a drag queen better
    than she was? She picked Elgin Kenna and called him a genius artist.

TV Shows:

  • To Andy Cohen, she talked about Farrah Fawcett’s
    appearance on The Sonny & Cher Comedy
    Hour.
    “She had tits and I didn’t” so Farrah got all the crews attention.
    She said one of her favorite things  with
    Sonny was the Raymond Burr blooper (long form) and on XM she said the blooper
    was “so us.” She also agreed she loved her West Side Story performance. She
    said there were 14 costume changes on her show with Sonny.
  • On WCBS, she said her appearance on The Voice was awful and scary. Before
    the show she told her mom she would either be the greatest reinvention of herself
    or it would be “get thee to a nursing home.”

Family & Friends:
Hersonny

  • Cher said her mom would be a guest judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race and Chaz was great
    performing in “30 Minute Musical” (Live Chat NY), the episode spoofing Independence Day and Chas played the
    president.  (Watch What Happens/Andy Cohen)
  • Cher said Sonny’s
    funeral was very Italian with everybody cooking. “The only person not there was
    Son.” Cher said they didn’t sing to Chaz at
    bedtime, they read her stories. (Watch What
    Happens
    /Andy Cohen)
  • ON WCBS, Cher said her mom’s best advice was to never
    litter and that Cher has never seen Chaz better
    in his life.
  • On XM someone asked for Cher’s
    advice to new artists. Cher said entertainment
    and fame are so different now, everyone has an immediate clothing line (I
    wonder how Sonny would have operated in this era). Cher
    said Sonny instilled in her the idea never to believe in a no. She said she should
    have stopped years ago when all signs pointed to no, but like a bumper car she
    keeps going, it’s in her family DNA. She said far more talented people don’t
    make it. She hears friends saying older people should move over to give the
    kids a shot, but the women in her family are not moving out of the way.
  • On XM they asked her for her best personal and
    professional decade. She said all decades have had their over parts and have
    also spiked up. “They said I reinvented myself but it was untrue…I’m just me.”
    She couldn’t decide on a best decade, saying the 1960s were the beginning, the
    1970s had the TV show, the 1980s had the movies and was the best decade
    personally.
  • On WCBS Cher said she was still working with Children’s
    Craniofacial Association.
  • In The New
    York Times,
    Cher said Robert Camilletti was
    her easiest relationship and of her two husbands, Sonny she was most attached
    too: “It wasn’t like anything before or after. And it wasn’t all roses. It was
    very Russian roulette.”
  • On XM she said her true love was Robert Camilletti and Ronnie Zimmerman was the one who could make her laugh so hard she cried.
  • XM asked her for advice for parents. She said I’m on twitter with your
    kids. She said it’s hard to stop telling your kids what to do but you need to think of them as people and cut
    them some slack and do fun stuff with them. You’re not just there to boss them around. But teenagers
    are crazy. You need to guide them more because you worry about them all the time. Her mom told her never
    lie, litter, or talk back. But she learned to drive when she was 11 and her mother assures her she was
    a mercurial child. “Chaz was an angel all the time. Elijah is like me.”

Her Character:

  • Calls herself mercurial (Sirius/New York Times) and says
    her worst habit is worrying too much (Live Chat NY). If she could go back in
    time as superpower to meet an Egyptian whose name I couldn’t catch or to send the
    paparazzi into space (Live Chat NY). She said her biggest obstacle is her up
    and down moods and she works to stay in the center and not be over emotional
    (WCBS).
  • On XM she was asked if she would change anything
    she’s done. “How long do we have,” she asked and then said the truth would be too
    personal. She believes what belongs to you comes to you.

Plastic Surgery:

In the New York Times,
Cher admits her limited movie offers might be due to her wrinkle-free visage,
that her look might make it “hard to be anyone but Cher.”
She said this idea “didn’t feel very good. But it was true. I get that. I
understand that.” She was also asked about Chad Michaels allegedly having
surgery to look more like her: “If it doesn’t bother him, it doesn’t bother me.
I don’t feel creepy. I don’t.”

A Book:
Ft

To Andy Cohen, Cher admitted she once wrote “a half-assed book.” But before she write the bigger book, people have
to die off. She said she and friend, Paulie, talk about it all the time.

Shy Kid to Superstar:

My iPod shuffle served up the Sonny & Cher b-side “Hello
during Cher’s big June/July press push. I was
taken by how far she’s come in her confidence.

We’ve also come to a point of critical mass in her career, where no one (including Cher herself) can pretend this is her first album, movie or project and dismiss or ignore all the preceeding history. I love it when she talks about experiencing showbiz over so long a period of time and, as you can see, all these interviews reflect the breadth of her work, from live shows to TV shows to music albums to being a fashion icon. It’s all here.

 

Cher History on Video: CNN, Doll Commercial, Mama

ChercnnSo while we're cooling our heels waiting for the new Cher single to be released this month, I came across some good video of Cher on the UTubes.

 

 

 

Cher on CNN

I caught up with a whole array of Cherness on CNN:

– Cher on Larry King (1999) circa "Believe," Tea with Mussolini and discussing Sonny's funeral (part 1 and part 2)

Footage I hadn't seen about Cher's single with Eros Ramazzotti (2001); how they came to make the record together

Cher calls CNN to talk about Hurricaine Katrina, feeling the same helplessness we all did but with some extra money to help out (2005).

Cher calls CNN to talk about the death of Michael Jackson (summer 2009) and her experiences working with him; how hard it was to learn the Jackson Five dance for her Cher TV show, how Michael loved her beaded socks.

Cher continues to talk that night about Farah Fawcett (summer 2009). "This chick was holding on to thin air and still had a great attitude."

Dolls

Doll– Cher Scholar JefRey sent around this clip: a French commercial for the Mego Cher doll. Mr. Cher Scholar thinks the commercial is from Quebec. He said the accent sounded unusual to him and we figure the Cher shows would be more meaningful to Canadians than to the French. Mr. Cher Scholar translates the commercial jingle as follows:

"That's Cher! [John laughed at the beginning because in French 'Cher' means both 'dear and, in 'slang, expensive… so it sounds like the little girl is exclaiming "That's expensive!"] The doll with long hair; the doll with elegant clothes, that doll that you can braid, wardrobe for all occasions. Thirty-two ensembles sold sseparately. Cher is sold with everything on the screen. Cool! [John was confused by the accent over the very last word which he guessed it meant divine or wonderful or cool.]

FactoryCher peforms (circa 1966) "Mama" with all those creepy dolls at what looks like a staged doll factory. Far from being creeped out, Cher looks pretty blaze about it all.

 

 

 

Cher Concert Openings

Caesars

Although Cher did video for her 1978-9 Take Me Home shows, the big opening video I remember is from Heart of Stone tour. It's fuzzy but you get a sense in the jump in polish from concert videos made from 1989 to 2008. This opening is just a collage of clips as opposed to a remix of music and clips. The first video opening at Caesars Colosseum.

What's great about these openings (whatever version they take) is not just how well they familiarize nonfans with Cher's 4-decade oeuvre, but how much excitement they build up before Cher makes her entrances.I love how the second one is a lovely mashup of "Believe," "I Got You Babe," "Dark Lady," Gypsies Tramps and Thieves," "Song for the Lonely" and "The Beat Goes On."

European Interviews

German– Wetten Dass (German) interview from 1995, part 1 and part 2 and part 3 (she sings a O Holy Night in German!!).

– Wetten Dass from 1999.

Sanremo (Italian) interview with audience from 1999.

 

 

Cher’s Trip to Russia

CherreturnCher was seen at LAX on here way to Russia at the end of May (pic here; Rob in Michigan correctly stated she looked like a Ramone in those pics). To the left, we see her returning via LAX. Fans find her hot to trot in those tight pants. I saw this and was worried she hadn't eaten anything in Russia.

CherWorld has a good set of pictures and video of her performance in Russia, which are great because you can hear Russian fans cheering, talking and singing along.




Russians

 

Cher Back to Russia, Woman’s World News

CherhatOooh! Cher holding a cowboy hat. That’s almost as good as Cher in a cowboy hat. Cher is at LAX on her way to Russia for a performance.

Cher News and Cher World are also reporting that the “Woman’s World” single (and I hope video) will be released soon in June.

Cher.com is offering a premiere listen. Note: I can only get the song to play in Google Chrome.

Cher also indicated that the Lady Gaga single is now off the album. I’m not too torn up about this, myself. I didn’t like the Gaga version on the YouTubes and that song is like “so two years ago.”

Best National Anthem Singers

CherIt’s Super Bowl Sunday this weekend and Alicia Keys is slated to perform the National Anthem.

OK! Magazine has just done a review of their favorite performances of the National Anthem: http://www.okmagazine.com/news/top-10-super-bowl-national-anthem-performances-cher-kelly-clarkson-carrie-underwood-more

Their list:

  1. Whitney Houston –1991—what a wowee that was. I bought the single cassette!
  2. Faith Hill—2000
  3. Kelly Clarkson—2012
  4. Jennifer Hudson—2009
  5. Carrie Underwood—2010
  6. Jordin Sparks—2008
  7. Mariah Carey—2002
  8. Cher—1999
  9. Beyonce—2004
  10. The Dixie Chicks—2003

Note the FOUR American Idol singers (three AI winners) in this top ten list. Cher’s inclusion is striking because she’s not the same kind of singer as the others (with the exception of maybe the country sangers). Many would make the case that she’s the weakest singer on the list (if you split vocal hairs about this sort of thing). I chalk up her inclusion on all these favorites listings to the fact that Cher has become, not only a real American idol, but a national treasure.

Rolling Stone magazine’s list: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/pictures/the-most-memorable-super-bowl-national-anthem-performances-20120130.

  1. Whitney Houston
  2. The Dixie Chicks
  3. Faith Hill
  4. Beyonce
  5. Cher
  6. Carrie Underwood
  7. Jennifer Hudson
  8. Aretha Franklin, Aaron Neville & Dr. John (in a New Orleans Tribute)—2006
  9. Garth Brooks—1993
  10. Mariah Carey
  11. Luther Vandross—1997

They say about Cher:

She left the Bob Mackie headdress at home, but Cher's throaty take on "The Star-Spangled Banner" still had the pop icon's unmistakable style – not to mention some impressive notes.

Rolling Stone, still hating on the idea of spectacle (at least when it occurred in the 1970s). Get over it, Rolling Stone!

The site The Week also posted their list recently: http://theweek.com/article/index/239018/the-10-greatest-national-anthem-performances-in-super-bowl-history

  1. Whitney Houston
  2. Luther Vandross
  3. Jennifer Hudson
  4. Cher
  5. Jordin Sparks
  6. The Dixie Chicks
  7. Beyonce (tie)
  8. Carrie Underwood (tie)
  9. Mariah Carey
  10. Vanessa Williams—1996

Their comments on Cher:

Cher can sing? Holy crap, Cher can sing! This was great. No complaints about Cher. The interpretive dancers were kind of weird, though. The Week's multimedia editor Lauren Hansen nails it: "Cher was surprisingly impressive, but like Mike Bloomberg with Lydia Callis, her spotlight was stolen."

Arbitrary diva rating: 90.4 percent Barry

This site also recommends Barry Manilow’s performance from 1984. I would heartily recommend his pitch perfect rendition. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A795MW-Qpow

I would also recommend Marvin Gaye’s brilliant and chill-inducing performance from the 1983 NBA All-Star Game: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRvVzaQ6i8A

Marvin   

Cher Scholar Has Been Under the Weather This Holiday Season

CherballI've been missing posting little tidbits of Cher news this whole holiday season! For Thanksgiving, Mr. Cher Scholar and I went to New York City to see The Book of Mormon. When we were sitting in the jam-packed La Guardia airport waiting to fly back to Santa Fe, we both started to feel feverish.

Five weeks later and I'm still not over it. It has morphed from a cold to a flu to a cold again. Although dramatic goings-on at work, spending too much time out in the cold weather, and Christmas shopping and shipping duties didn't help for a speedy recovery, I had no energy left to do much Cher scholarin. Here is a flashback over the end of November and December in Cher Land.

Cher calls for a boycott of Walmart due to their guns sales and the tragic Connecticut shooting of school children. I have already been avoiding Walmart for 10 years due to my mother's boycott of Walmart due to their screwing over workers, small businesses and local economies all while their heirs hoard a huge chunk of American wealth. I think Forbes Magazine said it best: "Six Waltons Have More Wealth Than the Bottom 30% of Americans."

Cher does not appear on the X-Factor finale as reported but goes to Russia instead for a private concert. Stories from Cher World and Cher News:

AirportHere is Cher leaving the airport in LA looking like an ageless hipster:

And Cher in Russia doing Russian things:


Russianhat
   

 

 

 

 

 

 

Theater

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Performing and receiving a crown. That must have been her fee.

India-in-russia Crown

 

 

 

 

Stern 

 

Looking like a stern Russian femme fetale (what a role that would be!) while getting in a limo:

(Click all photos to enlarge)

 

 

 

 

 

Serkis 

 

Cher this month also reported being hot for the character who plays Golem in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit: Andy Serkus. Here is a picture of him shirtless.

 

 

 

 

 

Cher just released a Christmas Tweet: "Have the best Christmas ever! I know Christmas sucks sometimes – try to do something you like! Watch a movie you like, have a piece of pie, ice cream, pop corn, buttermilk, biscuits or something you love!"

Cher also posted pics of her house decorated for a Christmas party.

Xmashouse 
Xmashouse2
Xmashouse3  

 

 

 

 

 

Due to our illnesses, Mr. Cher Scholar and I cancelled our Christmas party and I didn't put up any decorations, which are very similar to Cher's minus the lighting, ceilings, floors, silverware and ginormous trees. Between our lack of festivity, the Connecticut shooting and the sad-sack stories of my co-workers, this made for the most depressing Christmas I've had in years.

I had not read Cher's tweet by yesterday but I inadvertently did something I don't usually do just to cheer myself up: I ate a cheese ball.

Merry Christmas everybody.

I hope the good spirit of cheese balls lives in you this week.

 

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