a division of the Chersonian Institute

Category: Television (Page 10 of 23)

Cher Photographed in Spring

Cher1Lip-lickin' delight! Cher has been out and about in New York City. Lots of lovely pics as a result.

Boss ‘O Tweets

And although Cher was all over the red carpet this week and on TV doing whatnot, the most exciting coverage to happen recently, in my humble opinion, was a review of Cher’s tweets by The Guardian. The Guardian writing about Cher tweet! Maybe it’s the Cher nerd in me but…

Long story short, Sonny was once the only butt of Cher’s wisecracks. Now the world gets to enjoy them.

There was also a recent story about Cher's Baltimore tweets.

In Music

Some exciting music news regarding Cher's song “Believe.” It gets a well-rated review in the cover by rapper MNEK and I agree it’s nifty!

Ben E. King passed away. This is a good time to revisit Sonny & Cher’s version of “Stand By Me.” I’ve always thought this version was very creative and outside-the-box.

MsI just saw the Muscle Shoals documentary last week. Cher has a few photos in the movie, outtakes of the headband shots also seen in the Rhino collectors CD of her 1969 album Jackson Highway. Nothing particularly noteworthy about her in the movie except for the fact that they say she was the first customer at the Jackson Highway studio in 1969 after the four "Swampers" decided to leave the FAME Studios to create their own rival studio.

Cher Appearances

So there was this big New York Met Gala this week. And EVERYONE was there. Remember how Cher showed up at the 1975 Met Gala (40 years ago beotches!) with Bob Mackie in that wow-ser dress? So does everyone else remember that, including Kim Kardashian and the press.

Harper's Bazaar story about the designer Cher went with this year. (Marc Jacobs)

Vogue coverage of the dress.

New York Times coverage of the dress.

Cher World Coverage.

Kim Kardashian said her dress was tribute to Cher’s 1975 dress (Daily Mail). 

The Independent.

Express.

Oh, but Kim’s been tributin’ Cher for a long, long time! See the photo breakdown (Daily Mail). Didn’t you always figure Kim, being another Armenian and all, has always been a big Cher fan?

Also ran: Kanye West was at the gala with Kim and he spoke to Cher (allegers) thanking her for popularizing autotune. Is that for reals?

Gala pics (click to enlarge):

Cher5 Designer  Cherkim 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

  

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

Cherny2After the gala, Cher went strolling around in NYC (Cher World).

Check out those shoes and those bell bottoms!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Television

While Cher was in New York, she took time to say goodbye to the funny asshole on Late Night with David Letterman (Cher World). More coverage in Entertainment Weekly and News Day. And also on some site called Classic Hits.

Pics (click to enlarge):

Letterman Chernewyork Chertweetletterman 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Recognize that jacket from the 1980s when Cher was living in NYC?

PoliticsPeripherals

Cher also did a publicity photo shoot with Heidi Shink and Chaz (Cher World).

Last week I was searching for something about Cher long ago in Bust or Bitch Magazine and I found this, a review of good and the bad in the book Becoming Chaz: http://bitchmagazine.org/post/bibliobitch-transition-by-chaz-bono.

Movies

MaskA blogger writes about what the movie Mask means to her all these 20 years later (Huffington Post).

 

 

Honored in Brazil, Nick Vanoff, InStyle Mag, Kenneth Goldsmith

Cherbrasil14Been tied up doing the National Poetry Writing Month challenge this month (I have to write a poem a day) and obsessively watching episodes of Schitt's Creek, the new Canadian sitcom on Pop TV staring SCTV's Catharine O'Hara and Eugene Levy. Thankfully it's Canadian and may not get cancelled just because it's on Pop TV and no one knows where that is. It's very funny.

Cher Stuff

A few weeks ago I received a few missives from the Cher store that items were 50% off if you spent over $30. As it turned out only three items were 50% (of which I only wanted one) and to get over the $30 hurdle without buying a $75 sweatshirt you didn't want, you had to buy one of the other sucky three items. So I went over to ebay and bought a Mark Twain magazine to abate my shopping frustration.

Peripheral Stories

Nick Vanoff’s house for sale: ‘Sonny and Cher’ Producer’s Beverly Hills Estate Listing for $25 Million

(Wall Street Journal) (Realty Today)

EssexI love it when poetry and Cher collide. This month is full of that sort of thing. Remember David Essex on Cher's solo show? He now has a book of poems!

Take a look at him now and then watch him with Cher singing "The Long and Winding Road."

Honors & Awards

AIDS Activism

Cher was recently honored at the ‘Inspiration Gala’ in Brazil. 

Articles announcing the award:

Articles about Cher's visit to an art gallery before the ceremony:

Cher's tweet Saturday: "Brazil is lovely. Went to art show last nite & fell in love with MAGIC GOLDEN Art piece by 85 year old woman…IT WAS SOLD. HAD FUN ANYWAY."

Coverage of the event:

amfAR CEO Kevin Frost spoke passionately about amfAR’s Countdown to a Cure for AIDS initiative, with the goal of developing the scientific basis of a cure by 2020. Announcing a $100 million cure research investment strategy, Frost stressed that “amfAR has the will, the commitment, and the know-how to get this done, and to truly make AIDS history.” Frost then presented the amfAR Award of Inspiration to Cher. Speaking of her willingness and ability to use her fame for the greater good, Frost described her as one of the great champions in the fight against AIDS. Cher received a standing ovation and encouraged the audience to “help bring an end to this terrible disease” before bringing fellow honoree Jean Paul Gaultier on stage for a kiss.

Cher World has great coverage with lots of pics: http://www.cherworld.com/cher-news/cher-honoured-at-amfar-2015-brazil/ (Cher World covering the art gallery event:  http://www.cherworld.com/cher-news/cher-visits-brazil-for-charity-event/)

My favorite pics (click to enlarge):

 Cher-5th-Annual-amfAR-Inspiration-Gala-Sao-4NEBx9LJrUhl Cherbrasil15 Cher1  

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

   Cher-5th-Annual-amfAR-Inspiration-Gala-Sao-G7ltjzYK86wl

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

Fashon

InStyle Magazine is inspired by Cher's timeless jeans.

Recognized for blunt tweeting

Must-follow-Monday: Cher

Cher Research

Good resource for research on Cher singles and international album covers.

The Perils of Fame

The National Enquirer on stands now claims that Cher is dying. Cher refutes this.

My co-worker sent me this amazing story about a guy whose iPhone was stolen and he became suddenly famous in China. Lots of good commentary on the perils of fame and why the famous need "teams."

A follow up on the Edith Hill and Eddie Harrison story:
http://entertainment.inquirer.net/167192/cher-paves-way-for-elderly-womans-homecoming-after-a-court-dispute

Arts and Literature

Review of the Scottish S&C Musical (The Guardian)

GsmThe April month of Poetry was dedicated to hip hop poetry and it was interesting to see so many kudos thrown to The Wu-Tang Clan. Kenneth Goldsmith is a conceptual poet who's conceptual manifesto is published in the same issue. Since Cher is often accused of being artificial (by rock and roll standards), I have long been collecting commentary about artifice in art. Goldsmith had three things to say about this:

"Authenticity is another form of artifice."

"At this point in time, it's hard to verify authenticity, singularity, or proper sources for anything. Instead, in our digital world all forms of culture have assumed the characteristics of dance music and versioning, where so many hands have touched and refined these products that we no longer know, nor care, who the author is — or was."

"Auto-tune your next book of poems."

  

Cher Teases with Tweets: A New Perfume in 2015?

UninhibitedI've been felled for two weeks by a cold virus! I literally came home every day from work and downed night-time cold juice and then slept for ten hours until I had to do it all over again the next day. I'm barely over it but we have some Cher news to cover.

My friends have been in a donnybrook over Morrissey's continued disses of Madonna, including of her then-upcoming performance on the Brit Awards. Although Morrissey does have a point to make about award shows being more about promotion flim-flam than about talent awarding, he complicates his argument by continually being a bitter butter ball.

In any case, Morrissey was probably gleeful to see Madonna take a nasty fall during her Brit Awards performance last week. Listening to The Stephanie Miller Show, I found out that Cher and Liza Minnelli had given public support to Madonna after her fall. Someone on the show joked that falling on stage was like a Tuesday for Liza. Funny. But Cher's tweet reminds us how stressful dance performances can be, especially considering Madonna's wardrobe malfunction.

"Heard Madonna Fell On Stage This is Something WE ALL DREAD…MADGE, I GIVE U PROPS, U R a CHAMP 4 FINISHING YOUR SONG…I HOPE U R UNHURT"

Cher World is reporting on some other Cher tweets involving 2015 projects. She's planning to launch a new perfume. More Cher crap to buy! Awesome! I truly hope she poses with another giant jug of the new stuff (see pic above). Cher World also posts some of her latest pics and says that she's still working to restart her tour.

Don-williamsI saw the laconic Don Williams perform last night at our "big" showroom at the Isleta Indian casino. He was awesome although much older than I expected. They had to prop him up on a bar stool to play for an hour and 10 minutes. He barely moved but then he barely moved back in the 1970s. But with that voice, who needs dancers and wardrobe malfunctions? I've been watching old country acts on Pop Goes the Country and itching to see some of them. Unfortunately, most of them have died or retired.

I still keep hoping Cher will come near Albuquerque but looking up our biggest venue, the sadly small Tingley Coliseum at 11,571 seats. Which I guess is why all the somewhat decent acts prefer the Indian casinos.

ScoobyThe Music Times has done a review of Cher's non-variety-show TV work, including her appearance on Scooby Doo. This reminds me, I met a huge Scooby Doo fan at work a few weeks ago. We deconstructed the shows together. I lamented not being able to find Scooby Doo bandaids and she told me when to expect their return to the market. I asked her about her feelings on Scooby Dum and Scrappy Doo (not favorable as expected) and I said I was a purest for the original creepy series. I especially didn't like the celebrity series because it was too light (visually), to silly and not scary enough. She agreed, she said, with the exception of the Sonny & Cher episode!

Christina Aguilera does a Cher impersonation on The Tonight Show. This remind me, do you notice how many times Bravo plays B?. How far Bravo has fallen. I'm taking to making a list of everything that annoys me about that movie. It feels like a scholarly project. Mr. Cher Scholar is helping. I keep suggesting we watch Silkwood as an antidote.

Cher criticizes the Arkansas governor over not vetoing his state's anti-LGBT bill.

One of my friends has sent me subscriptions to three celeb rags: Us Weekly, Entertainment Weekly, and the Star. Having the Star (or any tabloid) home delivered feels surreal. The February 16 issue has Val Kilmer dying for his religion, which apparently is Christian Science. Another piece praises Chaz for getting buff, losing 65 pounds down from his high of 250 pounds. They claim he wants to try out for Mr. Universe and is on a low carb, no sugar, no dairy diet. Fellow tabloids TMZ and The Daily Mail also reported the story. In any case, Chaz is now celebrity fit.

The Star also shows a full page of Kim Kardashian wearing various outfits involving furs. Boo! She's now my least-favorite Armenian celebrity, which means there's a pretty wide gap between the two Armenian celebrities I know.

  

Cher on South Park

SonnycherMr. Cher Scholar has just gotten into South Park so we’ve been watching rerun episodes so he can catch up on ten years of pop culture.

I hadn’t watched the show in years but I remember the Cher satire: South Park police playing “Believe” in a Waco-like attempt to drive the holed-up cult members insane. They call “Believe” really bad music and insist, “Nobody can stand this much Cher.” But hilariously, the closeted Mr. Garrison loves the song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4t3tB9o5TqY

Before Christmas I saw that South Park also did a breakout riff on The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour in a very funny mash-up with Terrance & Phillip on the episode “Terrance & Phillip: Behind the Blow” from 2001.

I captured it on my camera. Higher quality link to .wmv: http://www.cherscholar.com/tandpsandc2.wmv

MP4:




FLV:

If I were to describe South Park, I would say it’s one of the best animated shows ever produced, consistently hilarious and well-written morality tales. The creators have impressively tackled movies and Broadway. It’s easy to appreciate well-rounded characters like Randy Marsh and Shelly (who’s hardly ever on but is one of my favorites), the eternally frustrated Mr. Garrrison, and the goodhearted Butters. And although the show is socially (and verbally) liberal, its creators are decidedly not. Occasionally they go a bit conservative for me. Combined together I’d say they skew overall middle-to-conservative politically. The Huffington Post does a good article on trying to determine the political bias of the show and the complications: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/25/matt-stone-trey-parker-ar_n_475744.html

Speaking of conservative, I came across a conservative blog complaining about Cher’s tweets.  The article is called “The Unbearable Whiteness of Cher” and it sits on the Tea Party News Network. So rest assured there’s a gratuitous amount of name calling in the article: Goddess of Botox, Queen of Plastic Surgery, dimwit, tool… My two cents:

  • The article is really about how white the city of Malibu is. And the only reason the article is even worth mentioning is because the author made a pie charge to describe this whiteness of Malibu. His thesis: Cher can’t possibly like black people because she doesn’t live near them (as figured in the pie chart). Conversely, Rand Paul is not a racist because Bowling Green, Kentucky, has a higher black population than Malibu.
  • His implied thesis: rich liberals who don’t have a large enough black population in their neighborhoods are banned from discussing race issues. It’s a creepy racist way of saying “It’s not your problem. We’re living with them. Stay out of it.”
  • Although low black populations in rich neighborhoods is a legitimate cause of concern, we can easily find poor white people (living near black people) who would be more than willing to say the same things Cher has been saying. Do you have to live in the appropriate pie-charted neighborhood to judge Rand Paul?
  • If Cher didn’t talk about issues like Ferguson, that wouldn’t go over well either. It’s a trap she can’t win. And Alex David would be calling Cher a hypocrite no matter what she did, unless she agreed with Rand Paul.
  • This is good time to remind everyone how The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour hosted a plethora of black entertainers no other variety show would host or support. But unless Chris Rock becomes her neighbor soon, this probably doesn’t count for anything.

   

(Possible) VCR Alert: Cher on Jimmy Kimmel Live Oct 30

VcrSome Cher sites, like Cher World and cher.yuku are saying that Cher will be on Jimmy Kimmel Live this Thursday night (October 30). They're also saying that she'll close down Hollywood Boulevard for a special outdoor concert.

This is the day before the big Halloween closures on October 31 around Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood. And the thing is, she's not appearing on Jimmy Kimmels guest list for this week. We’ll set the DVR and see what happens.

It's amusing that I still say "VCR alert" even though VCRs are so ancient that young kids don’t even know what the term means. I have heard myself saying such idiotic things as "It's like a cassette player for TV."

Back when I was a teen and MTV was in full-power mode, my VCR was God. I used to turn on the MTV channel every morning while I was curling my hair, putting on makeup and assembling my Molly Ringwald/Stevie Nicks-inspired outfits.

The first VCR I had, (and I only ever had two), was billed as being so modern, it didn’t have a cord attaching its remote control to its main machine. It was cordless, people! That was innovation when I was a teen.

But I didn’t trust my cordless remote. It sometimes misfired. The batteries died.

Whenever a John Waite or, later, Cher video came on (John Waite’s rare videos like "Tears" always came on in the morning), I would literally listen for the first few chords of a song and then literally dive across the room for the record button on the VCR, which would make this long, painful tinny inhale sound, as if a little tiny crane were moving the record heads from a whole other part of the machine to the tape. I’d always miss a few seconds of each video before the thing actually started recording. I cursed this technological limitation to my fan indulgences. The fact that most videos are now on youtube, all those early missing seconds especially, kinds of kills me a little inside. It’s what represents my own particular tragedy of misspent youth. On many levels.

That Cher would one day make an appearance on MTV (and not be relegated to VH1 like my man Barry Manilow) was not something I ever thought conceivable. As much as I don’t enjoy the Geffen era as much as the previous and following eras, Cher on MTV was a real turning point in Cher fan existence. You could go out into the teen world with a bit more cultural power. Cher was rockin it…on M…T…V. Everyone could suck it.

And while I was waiting for all versions of John Waite’s "Change" video to come on in the mornings  (1, 2), I was now also getting alternate versions of "We All Sleep Alone" (1, 2). I couldn’t wait to get back home and play them over and over and analyze the differences.

Setting a VCR ahead of time took skill and thought. Say if you had a social life and felt risky enough to record an appearance while you were out with your friends. I missed a whole Barry Manilow special this way once. I also missed Cher on Phil Donahue and wasn't able to see if for over a decade. You could screw up while setting the time. The tape could get chewed up. Life was so precarious then. Sure, satellites fail now. But the show will turn up someday, somewhere online or on a bootleg.

It’s not quite living on the edge anymore.

NewcherIn other news, USA Today marks Cher's show one of the five live shows to see this year, a list that includes Stevie Wonder and Bob Dylan. Not too shabby.

 

 

Retro Stuff

Music

I recently when on a hunt for Cher mashups. Of course, all the new ones I found were using "Believe" (This is getting old.)

 Beyonce sing’s "Bang Bang" in her HBO trailer with Jay Z.

Video

Cher in a Tea with Mussolini-era interview

Cher and other 80s-celebrities singing "What a Wonderful World." This is from a star-studded special called "An Evening with Friends of the Environment. A Meryl Streep website has a great overview of who participated.

InterviweMagazines

Cher scholar Dishy sent me this link to that awesome interview with Cher in the early 80s with Any Warhol in Interview Magazine: http://www.interviewmagazine.com/music/new-again-cher. I had this cover framed an on my wall for many years.

Movies

Cher scholar Robrt Pela sent me some very kewl news about the movie Chastity. A friend of his was an extra in the brothel scene. His friend said that Cher was pregnant and cranky during filming, "and when he accidentally stepped on her foot, she was not nice about it. Sonny took him aside to talk to him about not stepping on Cher."

NicknolteBut that's not the bombshell news. Nick Nolte is also in the scene when the boys arrive at the cathouse. Nick Notle is the first to enter the scene. Watch the clip at timestamp 5:07.

Robrt informed me that Nick Nolte was involved in Phoenix theater back in the late 1960s, appearing in local plays.

As I was looking for pictures of the brothel scene online (didn't find any), I did find this description of the movie from a site called Cult Oddities: "The film rests squarely on Cher's shoulders, though she got a major boost from Sonny's dialogue, which was littered with unusual thoughts and pithy one-liners." 

 

Working Out With Cher

NewattCher scholar Dishy recently got me working out again with Cher's exercise tapes. He asked about locating copies of Cher’s old workout videos in the US. Very unfortunately, they're not available on DVD here. You can only get them in VHS and Laserdisc. If you wore out your VHS, you SOL. You can’t convert your tapes to DVD (copyright protections literally stop you from doing this) and the DVDs that are available in Europe won’t play on your US DVD players. (I've tried to use them on my computers and DVD-players).

I believe this is why Americans are so fat: Cher's fitness videos are withheld from us on DVD. It's bad enough our Twinkies are filled with corn syrup. We're doomed!

I have not played out my Cher fitness VHS tapes because I've only watched them once (while eating popcorn and sitting on the couch). I felt a bit weirded out to have Cher be my fitness guru and my celebrity obsession too. But Dishy inspired me to actually give them a try. For years I've been feeling under the weather and downright "stove up." Starting last January I've been working out on a treadmill. I was finally ready to work out with Cher.

I didn't want to invest in a step yet (in case I hated stepping) so I simply used a small step stool. My Cher bands were also MIB (where they'll stay) but I did have some bands from physical therapy a few years ago.

The Body Confidence (1991) video packaging is odd in that Cher's body is all in shadow. Isn't that what we're selling here: Cher's body? The video's Wikipedia page says that Health & Fitness gave the video 5 out of 5 stars and that it sold 1.5 million copies by December 1992 in the US (350,000 in the UK) and has become one of most successful fitness videos of all time. Wikipedia disclaimer, however, says these facts are not substantiated and may be deleted soon.

Before the workouts, Cher gives good pep talks about having a lifelong commitment to exercise (too late), having faith and courage and being willing to work. I really like her emphasis on putting in the work. I also like how she admits she’s not the best at working out and defers to trainers instead of trying to be the Queen Exercise Bee. She says exercise isn’t her profession and she seems happy to be the student. She says it's ok not to be able to make all the reps (that's good) and you start where you’re starting. She says you don’t want to spend rest of your life in a gym but there have been advances in exercising. (There actually been many more advances since the early 1990s—the whole Pilates-yoga fusion craze). She says you should aim to slowly get strong. Here's a clip.

Newatt1Part 1: The 38 minute step class is with Keli Roberts and Cher is over-outfitted in ruffles, a curly full wig up-do and makeup. She looks more like she's going out to party than attempting to work out. The videos are full of all women, no men, but there's a good feeling of female camaraderie.

There's always a Cher song to frame the tapes. For this one it's "Love & Understanding." The rest are covers of mostly 1960s up-tempo hits like "Born to Be Wild," "Get Ready," "All Right Now" and an 80s song thrown in, "Missionary Man." Cher provides many asides and smart-ass comments.

The class provides three workout levels. My step turned out to be too small and I couldn’t step over it. Longtime Cher pals, Dori Sanchez, Paultette and Angie can be seen as fellow exercisers in this segment, Paulette very demurely doing her moves. They don't show Dori Sanchez enough considering she's doing the non-step moves. You get a pulse check. Mine was within range but not spectacularly within range.

You can find grainy clips of this routine online.

CrunchesPart 2 is 10 mins of back and abs movements. They do mostly old-style abs crunches. This is too hard on my neck so I tried Pilates variations. Cher called the course concise and challenging. Most of the camera work was with Keli Roberts and Cher. Cher looked tiny her in a suspenders outfit. View a clip.

Part 3 is 32 minutes of buns and thighs. This was a tough workout of mostly standing work and squats. I used a chair ala Jane Fonda’s old-people's DVD workout, Fit and Strong.

I liked the step routine more than I thought I would and went online to see if I could buy or make my own step. Used ones are still going for $40-50 (too much). If you’re a carpenter, you can make your own; but I’m not and neither is Mr. Cher Scholar. One hilarious website showed you how to to turn four boxes of boxed-wine into a step. You use extra cardboard inside the boxes for support and many wrappingss of duct tape around the boxes. I seriously considered doing this, (thinking the drinking part would be fun), and then realized it would cost me just as much to buy a damn step. So I found one on Amazon for less than $30 that will work fine.

BodycBody Confidence (1992) is the second tape and according to Wikipedia, Health & Fitness gave it four stars. It has a better cover and plays scenes from the last video. They called video one award-winning but I couldn’t find anything online about which award it might have won.

You can get very affordable Gaim-brand workout bands in three strengths at Target. The video also advertised that you once could order extra bands from an 800 number at $9.98 (allow 4-6 weeks) from Tarzana, California. Send check or money order. Ah…those quaint days before PayPal.

Cher provides another pep talk about not believing in "no pain no gain." She says this tape will help sculpt muscles and burn fat. And don’t be too critical, you'll pick up the dance moves. She says she's never taken a dance class and is "just naturally good at my body." View a clip.

CherholeHot Dance is 38 minutes led by Dori Sanchez (Cher's tour choreographer). Cher is in another over the top outfit (her HoleFit, believe it or not) and another wig up-do. This is like Cher as Dolly Parton making an exercise tape.

The music on this tape is framed by "Turn Back Time" and includes different 1960s music covers including "Pretty Woman," "Dancing in the Street" and "You Got Me" with the 80s addition of "Addicted to Love." I know many fitness fans care a lot about the workout music. I used to but these days I kind of zone out and don't even notice if the music is amateurish. Cher's tapes are better than average for music.

This workout is full of good Cher-tattoo sightings. And one brunette has an over-the-top level of enthusiasm. Myself, I never could “double it up.”

BandsPart 2 is 45 minutes of Mighty Bands. Bands work like weights without the full gym. I found for this class you really need two bands of each strength for the standing routines. Karen Andees leads us through this segment and there are major sound issues and correction dubs. The music is so loud you can't hear the cues. You have to watch.

The cast is full of the old players including Mark Hudson doing music (I can't stop thinking about Chaz's harassment story when I think about him); manager Bill Sammeth, director David Grossman, costumes by Van Buren. The exercising girls were: Karen Andes, Angela Arnaud, Anita Morales, Trish Ramish, and Michelle Rudi (although I could swear her name was spelled Rudy on the second tape), Dori Sanchez, Paulette Bettes listed as stylist, Leonard Engleman for makeup, Renata Leuschner for hair. The song credits were not listed.

At the end of two weeks I determined I really liked these classes. Which is really too bad because I won't be doing them again. Although Cher was actually fun to work out with, I don't want to wear out my VHS tapes. I went online this week to find other step and stretch workout DVDs I can keep doing.

Getting to Know our Teachers

FitnesshollywoodKeli Roberts is from Australia and has worked with Kirstie Alley, Jennifer Grey, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Russel Crow and Faye Dunaway. She's a guru of step classes and has done over 40 videos. Her book Fitness Hollywood was popular and she's now a trainer in Pasadena. For more books and videos: http://keliroberts.com/products/fitness-videos/

Dori Sanchez is Cher’s longtime live show choreographer. She was in the movie Dirty Dancing and works on the TV show So You Think You Can Dance. Her father was a ballroom dance teacher and she’s also worked with Shakira, Peter Gabriel and Jane’s Addiction. She credits Cher with helping her though a brain tumor episode in 2011.

AndesKaren Andees is a previous co-owner of a Gold’s Gym in Marin County and she writes about nutrition, balance, equipment, gym ettiquite, obsession with body and self-esteem. Her book, A Woman of Strength received mixed reviews. She now appears to be into yoga swinging at her San Rafael gym.

 

The exercise guru space is sure crowded but here are some other trainers I’ve come to like:

JoanieJoanie Greggains She is my first fitness guru. I worked out to her vinyl albums in the 1980s (literally the one on the right). She had a popular TV show called Morning Stretch and is still working on a radio show: http://www.joaniegreggains.com/

Denise Austin – I've come to really like her because she has a very friendly spirit and helpful website. She's very encouraging. I purchased her $5 video on walking from the back of a ceral box. Her Fit Forever program sounds suspiciously close to Cher's Forever Fit though. She started as a gymnast from San Pedro, California.

Ana Cabán is an LA Pilates guru who studied with Romana Kryzonowska. She has had studios in LA's Silver Lake area and in Miami. She was a dancer who injured her back and recovered with Pilates: http://anacaban.com/

Christa Rypins is a former ice skater who developed chronic pain and came up with a program of somatic movement yoga called "Yummy Yoga" which is a fusion of yoga, Pilates, and meditation. This tape isn't fancy but it's the only thing that relieves my carpel tunnel and chronic neck pain. She runs the Intelligent Body Movement Studio in Murphys, California: http://www.intelligentbody.net/meet_christa.html

Tamilee Webb Yes I have a buns of steel video. Buns

Lara Hudson does those 10 Minute Solution videos. Often her Yoga is too fast for me but her Pilates video is popular. Fans say she gives clear and concise cues. She's a former acrobat and developed something called The Mercury Method which is again another fusion of yoga, Pilates and traditional training. She explains the difference between Pilates (non-nonsense muscle conditioning) and yoga (mental and spiritual well being with breath and poses): http://themercurymethod.com/lara-hudson/

Elisbeth Halfpapp and Fred DeVito (husband and wife) work at Exhale spa in New York City and have trained Heidi Klum and Cameron Diaz. They provide yet another fusion of yoga, Pilates and the Lotte Berk method which focuses all Pilates and yoga on a stable core. Their video has lot of core work and some mind-body balance. They care about alignment and working one position for a long time instead of “mindless reps.” It's very challenging and I like how these two trainers trade off: http://acacialifestyle.com/exhale-core-fusion/c/360/

MayaMaya Fiennes is Macedonian and a classical pianist who teaches Kundalini yoga classes. These are full of mantras and dextox yoga. I usually do this one twice a year: http://www.mayaspace.com/

I also found out today of all days that Namaste Yoga is starting their third season on FitTV channel (which I don't get anymore). I love this slower Ayurveda yoga (seems like there are a million types of yoga) with a big meditative quality shot beautifully and narrated by Kate Porter. The first two seasons are available on DVD:  http://www.katepotteryoga.ca/namastetv.html

 

Eu2 Eu

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

  

 

 

The European covers of Cher's fitness programs (but the DVDs don't play in the US)

    

What We Can Learn From The Maya Rudolph Show

Maya2A few Monday's ago, NBC aired The Maya Rudolph Show. I'm always interested in new attempts at prime-time variety shows. These days networks are so anxious about variety shows, they will only allow these one-off specials in order to test the waters. If ratings do well, they promise a series. So far, none have made it. 

Remember 2004's The Nick and Jessica Variety Hour? Then there was Rosie Live, The Osbournes Reloaded, recent specials by both Carrie Underwood and Lady Gaga.

Cher’s first show in her solo series was ostensibly a "special" too but it seemed understood by all that her show would make the schedule. In fact, Cher aired as regular programming starting the very next week.

I love variety shows and feel we've been enjoying many good ones over the years on late-night television (SNL, Mad TV and SCTV). Our last successful prime-time skit show was In Living Color.

So I watched The Maya Rudolph Show hoping for a breakthrough. Maya's is a very talented comedian and I thought maybe she might share Cher's vaudvillian abilities.

Unfortunately, all I ended up with was a list of reasons why Cher TV shows of the 1970s were so much better.

1. You need a self-deprecating and friendly host. Sonny filled this role on The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour and Cher filled it herself on her solo show. Maya's opening was too much Gen-X irony with a number called “My Show” where Maya sang about my-show-this and my-show-that. Aside from the now-clichéd status of such meta-ironic narcissism, it's just not very host-ly. You need to be more welcoming. You don’t have to go overboard, but some kind of gesture is required vis-à-vis tone. In a variety show, it really isn't all about you. And courteousness here isn't a virtue. It makes the show work.

Maya12. You need some extra-special bling. Maya's show reminded me of Cher's as she threw off one set of clothes for another in her opening number (a number that went on way too long). In fact, Maya changed outfits many times but, sad to say, they clothes did not meet variety show bling-bling standards and they didn't flatter her figure. The show needed a Bob Mackie, more fashion risk-taking, more outrageousness. The show Viva Variety understood more of what variety needs in the way of flair, even if it was just a spoof. (Finally, pieces of this show are starting to appear Vvon the YouseTubes.)

3. The host must exhibit a combination of conversational naturalness while simultaneously "owning it." For the most part, Maya's performance seemed too self-conscious. Hosts need to take charge and connect with the audience. They need the kind of common-ness that connects with middle-America but also the specialness that makes them a star.

3. The audience was too big and thus overpowering the stage with their cheers. It felt too SNL. In fact the skits seemed entirely SNL. The Garmin sketch was funny but I was reminded too much at all times of SNL, a show with a definitive tone. It is possible to come from SNL and break from its tone. The show Portlandia proves this is possible. But I am beginning to wonder if you sign on with SNL, are you indentured in servitude to Lorne Michaels for perpetuity?

4. The original music was mostly song jokes (again of SNL/Adam Sandler ilk). There were too stagey. They would have been helped by some dancing or animation or something. Joke songs make good records but bad TV.

5. Variety shows were awesome then and now because they brought together unlikely combinations of celebrities to see what would happen. Maya's show was populated primarily with guests who were too much like her. Where's the variety there? In Strong Enough, Josiah Howard talked about how challenging this was for the writers of Cher's show. They had to write skits that would work for diverse artists. It does sound hard. But that's why the payoff is so good.

It was charming when Maya oozed happiness at the end of her show, saying "Oh my God, this was fun!" But it wasn't as much fun for the audience. As a variety show host, you have to think beyond the my-show-ness. Secondly, good variety takes money. I wonder if any networks are willing to put bank behind that kind of risk anymore…for anything besides singing competitions. 

If a network could combine that kind of The Voice-song-excitement (real feel-goodness) with edgy Portlandia-like skits and truly a variety of music and performers, they would have a winning show.

Watch The Maya Rudolph Show on Hulu

  

Wu-Tang, Sheena Easton and Freeman & Murray

WutangThe big news last week was that Cher is to be featured on the new Wu-Tang Clan album. Quite a few people sent me this news, even my Billboard-watching friend Christopher. This was a pretty big deal. Cher was credited in early press releases as Bonnie Jo Mason, a nod to her first pseudonym.

If you listen to the video, you can hear one of Cher's clips. Frustratingly, the album may never be released. One copy will be sold to the highest bidder and then the album may tour as part of museum exhibit. Is this a publicity stunt? Stay tuned.

Read about it here: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/cher-wu-tang-collaborate-for-two-songs-on-secret-album-20140507

SheenaToday my iPod shuffle served up this 80s-perfect and under-appreciated Sheena Easton tune "You Could Have Been With Me." Watch the video to remember what a great song this was.

I've always felt the intro was "I Got You Babe." What do you think?

 

 

 

FreemanlangstonThe book Strong Enough tipped me off to the existence of the Freeman and Murray (Freeman King/Murray Langston) comedy album, "featured on The Sonny & Cher Show. I scored a copy from overseas. It came yesterday and I was afraid I'd have to go out and re-buy a turntable to listen to it.

Fortunately today I found clips on the yousetubes:

 

The back cover contains quotes from many of the people who either worked for Sonny & Cher (David Brenner as their concert opening act) or who were guest stars or big stars of from that time: Sally Struthers, Rob Reiner, Redd Foxx, Mark Spitz, Tennessee Ernie Ford, David Brenner, Ted Zeigler, Harvey Korman, Jean Stapelton, and Don Adams.

I haven't listened to much from the links above, but from what I've seen on the cover and have heard so far, I like their casual yet full-throttle foray into racial comedy and stereotype-busting. Very progressive-sounding (then and now).

The liner notes are odd, using the convention of being personally written but there is no author identified. They describe King as an athletic drop-out from Plahatchie, Mississippi, and Langston as being from Montreal.

   

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