The 2011 Grammy Awards took place last year so to celebrate that Billboard have come up with a list of who they think had the top 10 performances of the last 10 years. Take a look and see if you agree with any of them.
10. Gorillaz, Madonna & De La Soul, 2006
The 48th Grammys started off as no other Grammys had before — with an opening band that wasn’t even three-dimensional. Animated act Gorillaz took to the stage to perform the Record of the Year-nominated “Feel Good Inc.,” joined briefly by the real De La Soul and a hologram of Madonna. But when the real Madge appeared onstage moments later to perform her 2005 hit “Hung Up,” with its sexy dancing and ABBA samples, the Grammy crowd truly let loose.
Radiohead may have shunned the music industry in 2007 when it delivered “In Rainbows” straight to fans using a pay-what-you-want online download, but the band proved it could still play to the Academy (literally) at the 2009 Grammy Awards. Joined by the USC Marching Band, Thom Yorke and co. performed a rendition of “15 Step” that was so rousing, even the frontman shared some of his twitchy dance moves. Eat your heart out, Fleetwood Mac.
8. Kanye West & Daft Punk, 2008
When Kanye West released “Stronger” as a single in 2007, it seemed written in the stars that the rapper and Daft Punk, who is sampled on the tune, would join forces and perform together. At 2008′s 50th Grammys, that’s exactly what happened. Note to the Black Eyed Peas: THIS is how you do a light show!
7. Lady Gaga & Elton John, 2010
Lady Gaga’s performance at the 52nd Grammy Awards was classic not only for its over-the-top theatrics, but for Elton John’s appearance on “Speechless” and the duo’s duet on Elton’s classic “Your Song.” The best part? The conjoined mega-piano Gaga and Elton played on, not to mention the pair’s matching rhinestone glasses.
For the 52nd Grammy Awards in 2010, P!nk took a few lessons from Spider-Man and gave a show-stopping performance of aerial, acrobatic brilliance. P!nk may not have walked away with any trophies that night, but thanks to her high-flying rendition of “Glitter in the Air,” she was the artist everyone was talking about come Monday morning.
5. Beyonce & Tina Turner, 2008
Beyonce and Tina Turner were “rolling, rolling, rolling” as they lit up the stage with their performance of Turner’s “Proud Mary” at the 50th annual Grammys. The show-stopping, glitz and glamour-filled duet proved that Tina still had it, and no one –not even B — was going to take it away from her.
4. T.I., Jay-Z, M.I.A., Lil Wayne & Kanye, 2009
It was as though a new rap supergroup (“the rap pack” seems fitting) formed at the 2009 Grammy Awards, when all facets of hip-hop joined forces for one killer performance of T.I. and Jay-Z’s “Swagga Like Us.” Lil Wayne and Kanye West held their own as usual, but it was a pregnant M.I.A. who stole the show in her sheer polka-dot dress. The fiesty diva didn’t just look like she was about to pop — she actually gave birth three days later.
3. Usher & James Brown, 2005
Between Usher’s Michael Jackson-esque moves during the performance of his 2004 single “Caught Up” and James Brown’s fancy footwork on “Sex Machine,” the two R&B titans’ duet at the 47th Grammys was one to remember. Check out the dance-off toward the end of the set — you can almost see the exact moment when the crown was passed.
2. Melissa Etheridge & Joss Stone, 2005
Melissa Etheridge and Joss Stone may seem like an unlikely pairing, but when you throw Janis Joplin into the equation, it makes perfect sense. Both songstresses possess their own unpolished soulfulness and rock stylings, which proved to be a powerful match in a tribute to Joplin at the 2005 Grammys. Stone started off with “Cry Baby” before being joined by Etheridge, who triumphantly made a return to the stage after being diagnosed with breast cancer one year earlier.
1. Eminem & Elton John, 2001
Eminem infuriated the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation with the homophobia-tinged lyrics on his 2000 album “The Marshall Mathers LP,” and the organization protested the 2001 Grammys because of his involvement. But gay activist Elton John crossed the picket lines and joined Em’s performance of “Stan” at the ceremony in a move that was musically powerful, as well as political.
I agree with most of these but I would have added Christina Aguilera‘s performance of It’s A Man World to the list and maybe ranked Kanye West higher.
Thanksgiving means a happy family sitting around the dinner table for some people, but for a lot of other people it means a chance to get your drunk on without feeling guilty about it. Since celebrities are just like us and also get drunk after a few drinks let’ take a look at some of the most famous drunk celebrities caught on video.
LaRhonda Pettit, daughter of the late James Brown, has stated today that his body has recently disappeared from his crypt.
She claims that the Godfather of Soul’s body was removed in an attempt to stop an autopsy that she has requested. Pettit, 48, believes that her father did not die of a heart attack on Christmas Day in 2007.
Pettit told The Globe newspaper:
“The only way to do that is to exhume his body and have an autopsy. I cannot understand why one was never conducted. It was common knowledge that my daddy took illegal drugs. He was also hooked on various prescription painkillers. At the very least there were enablers who helped cause his death.”
Translation: “I’m broke, and my dad was rich and famous and stuff, but I got nothing. Perhaps there is a doctor or something out there that I can sue. Let’s cut open my dear daddy’s body and poke around a bit. I like Coach purses.”
A lawyer from the family reported to TMZ.com that Brown’s body is still there.
What do you think? Is there some conspiracy surrounding the probable heart attack of a 73 year old drug abuser, or is his estranged daughter making a grab for some headlines?
source: James Brown’s body is missing from crypt: daughter [NY Post]
Rod Stewart: Grave Digger
After playing semi-pro soccer, Rod the Mod abandoned his athletic dreams to work with the dead. He dug graves at London’s Highgate Graveyard but laid down his shovel after just a few weeks.
Chubby Checker: Chicken Plucker
Before he was twisting, the rock ‘n’ roll legend was plucking. As a teenager, the man born Ernest Evans tore the feathers off dead chickens at the Fresh Farm Poultry Market in Philadelphia, where his boss gave him the nickname “Chubby” and occasionally let him sing to customers over the loudspeaker.
David Lee Roth: Hospital Orderly
Long before Van Halen, the not-yet-Diamond Dave fluffed pillows and emptied bedpans in a hospital. It’s a career field he almost went back to post-stardom — in 2004, Roth started training to become a paramedic.
Madonna: Doughnut Slinger
As a struggling dancer in New York City, Her Madgesty worked behind the counter at a Dunkin’ Donuts in Times Square. She was reportedly fired for squirting jelly on a customer.
James Brown: Pool Ball Racker
He was “the hardest-working man” even pre-show business! Brown grew up in Augusta, Ga., during the Great Depression, taking on several odd jobs to earn money, including shining shoes, washing cars, picking cotton and racking pool balls in local bars.
Gwen Stefani: Floor Scrubber
The Hollaback Girl’s very first job was mopping floors at a Dairy Queen near her home in Fullerton, Calif. She eventually left to work at a department store before joining her brother’s band, No Doubt.
Diddy has admitted to waxing his privates and urges all men to keep them smooth as a baby’s butt for their female lovers.
The rapper, who has his own clothing line, said he went through a strict grooming regime. ‘While I’m getting ready I like to relax with a drink – vodka and lemonade – and listen to some James Brown,’ he explains.
‘Then I’ll have a manicure and pedicure – and yes, I wax as well. Men owe it to women to make sure they are well-groomed. I wax my privates. I also wear my fragrance, Unforgivable Black.’
Diddy… that visual you just placed in my head is UNFORGIVABLE as well.
Wayne Frost, the man who made breakdancing a national craze for a couple of years in the mid-1980s, has died.
Wayne Frost, a hip-hop pioneer known as “Frosty Freeze” whose acrobatic performance with the legendary Rock Steady Crew in the 1983 hit movie “Flashdance” set off a worldwide breakdancing craze, has died. He was 44.
Frost died Thursday after a long illness, said Jorge “Fabel” Pabon, a senior vice president of the crew where Frost and other so-called b-boys (for beat or break boys) made their name performing complicated and daring dance routines.
Breakdancing emerged from the Bronx and Harlem in the early 1970s, part of the hip-hop culture that also included graffiti, MCing or rapping, and disc jockeys scratching and mixing vinyl records on turntables. During extended pauses, or breaks, in the music, b-boys would mimic James Brown’s showmanship and footwork and Bruce Lee’s martial arts, adding their own signature moves.
Frost was known for his energetic style, intricate choreography and fearless moves including back flips and head spins. One was even dubbed the “Suicide.” Frost got his start in 1978 with the Bronx-based Rock City Crew. In 1981, he became part of the Rock Steady Crew, joining such acclaimed breakdancers as Ken Swift and Lil Crazy Legs.
A shame.
Source: ‘Flashdance’ breakdancer dead at 44 [AP/CNN]
DNA is a crazy thing. From beyond the grave, James Brown was named the father of two more children on Friday. He publicly acknowledged six children, but now LaRhonda Petitt and another unidentified individual are also Brown’s kids.
Petitt, who was interviewed by the Augusta Chronicle, is 45-years-old — the oldest of Brown’s identified children. She revealed that Brown picked her mother out of a Los Angeles audience and the two began dating, but that Brown split when he found out about the pregnancy.
Said Petitt, “I was angry that he was out there making all this money, and he wasn’t doing anything for my mother and me. I could have had a better life.” Several people have claimed to be Brown’s babies, but so far, only two of the dozen or so tested have been positively identified.
Keep it up, Eddie Murphy, and this will be your life…
One thing of note, most of the comedians were on the show during the same time period. This is when Saturday Night Live was the funniest, IMHO.
10. Bill Murray
With his trademark smirk, Murray simultaneously celebrated and lambasted the sketch-comedy genre. Thrust into an impossible situationÂessentially replacing the too-big-for-his-britches Chevy ChaseÂMurray added both knowing smarm (nerd kid Todd DiLamuca) and blank-faced understatement (“cheeseburger, cheeseburger, cheeseburgerâ€) to a cast lacking both. He established such an indelible cool-guy persona that 20-plus years later, we’re still incapable of holding missteps like Garfield against him.
Best bit: Nick the Lounge Singer
9. Dana Carvey
He makes the list owing to the sheer number of breakout characters he created and embodied: the Church Lady, Garth, Hans, Carsenio et al. No player in the show’s history counts more to his or her name. Throw in his gift for mimicry—George Bush, Jimmy Stewart, Ross Perot, even cast mate Dennis Miller—and it’s no wonder that Carvey was featured in roughly 92.5 percent of all scenes during his seven-year tenure on the show.
Best bit: “Chopping Broccoli”
8. Molly Shannon
The most underrated performer in SNL history, and one of the few woman cast members who was too dark, manic, and, well, weird to shepherd into a window-dressing role. Oh yeah—and her Mary Katherine Gallagher orchestrated a much better pratfall than Chevy Chase’s Gerald Ford ever did. You almost felt sorry for the chairs into which she careened.
Best bit: Delicious Dish on NPR (a.k.a. Schweaty Balls)
7. John Belushi
He got more laughs with a single arched eyebrow than Horatio Sanz did with 25 minutes of nonstop madcap antics. Whether touting the nutritional bona fides of donuts or wistfully reminiscing while visiting the graves of former cast mates, Belushi boasted more range than most classically trained stage actorsÂand could still pull off fart jokes with aplomb. Had he not been derailed by substance-abuse issues, he’d have morphed into a hell of a character actor by now.
Best bit: Samurai Delicatessen
6. Gilda Radner
The show’s most joyous performer, Radner’s sunny smile masked a serious anarchic bent. Unlike most of the show’s early-era legends, Radner was as comfortable fronting a band (as Patti Smith sound- and sleaze-alike Candy Slice) as she was at the “Weekend Update†desk (where she weighed in as confused pundit Emily Litella and hygiene-obsessed Roseanne Roseannadanna).
Best bit: Lisa Loopner
5. Chris Farley
Forget that he weighed half a ton and, toward the end of his run, couldn’t scratch his ear without breaking into a massive sweat. Farley trumps his idol John Belushi and every other comer as SNL’s most physically agile comedian, whether destroying thousands of dollars worth of sets as hopped-up motivational guru Matt Foley or retreating into himself as the sheepish host of “The Chris Farley Show†(to Paul McCartney: “You remember when you were with the Beatles?â€).
Best bit: Chippendales audition
4. Eddie Murphy [my personal favorite]
Of all the 300-odd SNL cast members, none has been asked to carry the show by him or herself like Murphy was—and none could have pulled it off with such seeming ease. Without Eddie Murphy, in fact, SNL wouldn’t have survived the lean years between the original troupe and the Carvey/Hartman/Nealon era. For that reason, it’s easier to forgive him for his sharply reduced effort once 48 Hours punted him into the comic stratosphere.
Best bit: James Brown’s Celebrity Hot Tub Party
3. Dan Aykroyd
By far the most versatile player in the original troupe, and one of the few who excelled equally as a performer and as a writer. Aykroyd also ranks among the few players who could bounce easily between political sketches (especially as President Nixon in “The Final Daysâ€) and stoner silliness (“Fred Garvin: Male Prostituteâ€). Is there a way to legally stop him from beating The Blues Brothers even further into the ground?
Best bit: Super Bass-O-Matic ’76
2. Will Ferrell
He cheered and danced and sang. He took off his shirt. He reveled in character-specific details (grizzly beards, cowbells, etc.). And oh!, the impressions: He played Unabomber Ted Kaczynski as a glib everyman, Neil Diamond as a porn-addicted hothead, and James Lipton as…well, James Lipton. Then as now, Ferrell is constitutionally incapable of not wringing every bit of funny out of a gag.
Best bit: Anything involving Harry Carey, Robert Goulet, Janet Reno, or Bill Brasky
1. Phil Hartman
His on-set nickname, “Glue,†tells you everything you need to know about the role he played during SNL’s late-’80s/early-’90s resurgence. He elevated everything and everyone with which he came in contact—his beatific grin during “Chopping Broccoli,†for instance, merits almost as big a laugh as the skit’s premise. Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer, the Anal Retentive Chef, Bill Clinton visiting McDonald’s…In honor of his ego-free comic eminence, say it once more, with feeling: Sassy!
Best bit: The Sinatra Group
The Army uniform worn by Elvis Presley, which was found on a mannequin in the Mississippi Sound after Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf region, will be back on display at the Hard Rock Biloxi casino resort when it opens in July.
The uniform is among dozens of items strewn across the Mississippi coast after Katrina struck in August 2005.
B.B. King ‘s original guitar “Lucille” will return along with the guitars of Johnny Cash and KISS, Joe Billhimer, the casinos chief executive officer, told The Sun Herald newspaper.
Some of the rock ‘n’ roll artifacts will be in pristine condition, but others will be part of a Katrina memorial collage. Everything else will be new inside the casino resort, including a display in honor of James Brown .
“It’s a big deal for us to get back open, but we do think it’s also a big deal for people on the coast to see it back open,” Billhimer told the newspaper. “It keeps revitalization going. It shows that we and a lot of others believe in the revitalization of the Coast.”
The Hard Rock was destroyed by Katrina two days before the casino was scheduled to open.
This is gonna leave a mark! It wasn’t too long ago that this woman literally freaked out, from being locked out of the estate. Seriously,… I want to know why she’s being treated so rudely, anyone know why?
Entertainment Tonighthas broken the news that James Brown‘s Will was read to some of his children in Aiken, South Carolina this afternoon.
Brown’s widow, Tomi Rae Hynie, and her son, James Brown Jr., were omitted, according to Hynie’s lawyer.
The lawyer was told by sources at the reading that both Hynie and her son were cut out of the will, but they have not seen the actual document. They are not filing a legal motion to contest the document until they see it. Hynie has 30 days from Brown’s death to contest the will, so she has until January 24 to file a motion.
The body of the late James Brown has yet to be buried as attorneys and his children work to settle issues surrounding his estate, including where he will be laid to rest.
For now, his body lies in a sealed casket in his home on Beech Island, Georgia. The room where Brown’s body lies is being kept at a controlled temperature, and security guards keep watch.
Brown’s home has been locked since hours after his death to protect his memorabilia, furnishing, clothes and other personal items, a rep for the late singer said.
“Just imagine what would have happened,” says a spokesperson. “Items of James Brown would have left there like items off the shelves of Macy’s in an after-Christmas sale.”
I’m sorry, but this is just so wrong, on so many levels… way too creepy!
Todd Leopold offers CNN.com’s top 10 entertainment stories of the year:
1. The ubiquitous YouTube, MySpace, etc. Time magazine may have overstated the case with its Person of the Year, but certainly these Web sites are redefining who makes entertainment, when it’s available (whenever you want) — and what it is, for that matter. Not bad for that series of tubes called the Internets.
2. Britney Spears. Didn’t she used to sing?
3. Major deaths: James Brown, Ahmet Ertegun, Robert Altman. All incredibly influential, all deserving of more due. The world is a lesser place with their losses.
4. Mel Gibson. His drunken, racist tirade made him the center of attention in July. "Apocalypto" put him on top of the box office in December.
4a. Race and rants. Gibson’s outburst (and others, notably Michael Richards’) started talk about race, ethnicity and prejudice, but whether the discussion was enlightening or simply a frenzy of yelling is an open question. (a certain reporter.
7. Steve Irwin. The "Crocodile Hunter’s" death in September shocked the world.
8. Borat. Sacha Baron Cohen’s clever Kazakh character topped the box office and started discussions on the value of satire. High-five!
9. Celebrities and Africa. Some attracted cameras (George Clooney in Darfur, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie in Namibia), some appeared to invite them (Madonna). Regardless of the reasons, perhaps the exposure will do some good.
10. The old folks still have it. In an entertainment world, where youth is deified, Bob Dylan (65) topped the album charts; Clint Eastwood (76) made two of the best movies of the year; Judi Dench (72) earned raves for "Casino Royale" and "Notes on a Scandal"; and that’s not to forget Peter O’Toole (74), Helen Mirren (61) and that whippersnapper Meryl Streep (57).
What about the TomCat phenomenon? People obsessed for months on when and if Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes would get married, when their baby would be born, what its name would be, when the first pictures would come out, why they were seen around town without said baby (Suri), and so forth.
At least in the online world, “crotch shots” and its variants would be high on the list, with Spears, Lindsay Lohan, and Paris Hilton all having well publicized (and searched) incidents. Ditto “beauty pageant scandals,” with the drunken behavior of Miss USA Tara Conner and Miss Nevada USA Katie Rees getting so much attention over the last couple of weeks. Of lesser note would be the Scarlett Johansson phenomenon, with the starlet suddenly appearing at the top of all the hot celebrity superlative lists.
Wayne Frost, a hip-hop pioneer known as “Frosty Freeze” whose acrobatic performance with the legendary Rock Steady Crew in the 1983 hit movie “Flashdance” set off a worldwide breakdancing craze, has died. He was 44.
Petitt, who was interviewed by the Augusta Chronicle, is 45-years-old — the oldest of Brown’s identified children. She revealed that Brown picked her mother out of a Los Angeles audience and the two began dating, but that Brown split when he found out about the pregnancy.
The uniform is among dozens of items strewn across the Mississippi coast after Katrina struck in August 2005. 
, but certainly these Web sites are redefining who makes entertainment, when it’s available (whenever you want) — and what it is, for that matter. Not bad for that series of tubes called the Internets.
