Just shut your trap John Mayer.

I knew there was a reason I strongly disliked John Mayer.

As being reported on several blogs, Mayer, known for his soft-rock good guy image or used to be good guy image....has royally doubled himself over.

Mayer, in an interview with Playboy likened his man parts to a white supremacist, claimed to have understood the African American experience. Mayer who has also claimed to have a "Benneton Heart," as well as saying this nugget of thought provoking wisdom:
"[It’s] taking something that’s seen as a struggle and making it work for you, or you’ll die inside. Not to say that my struggle is like the collective struggle of black America. But maybe my struggle is similar to one black dude’s.”

Uh, did I miss something? John Mayer, you can't speak for someone just because you're friends with someone who is black. You can't understand an experience that "is seen as a struggle" primarily because your struggle will forever be nothing like it, unless you wake up as a black man one morning.

Honestly, I don't care that he does not really find black women attractive, because it's not that important. More on point, John Mayer is just a douche to *all* women, regardless of color. :rolls eyes:

Mayer in the interview further went on to drop the N-word bomb and just bury himself in stupidity.

What's fascinating is that, in 2010 stuff like this makes headline. People are always gabbing how we have moved past race, that we are transcending race, and we're even 'post racial.' But we're not, it's not a colorblind society, people see difference, the problem is not with acknowledging these differences but with seeing this difference as something more than just a difference.

Also on the same token, who knows what the context of what he really wanted to say, sex and race are loaded words in America and the two can lead to combustion. Mayer is probably speaking for some people who don't know any better, or never tried to understand past a superficial level. I won't get into the myriad of things wrong with the interview, but hopefully for the sake of him not losing some of his fans that are african-american, I hope he can make some type of atonement.

John Mayer, I'm calling BIG SHENNANATICS on you, if you want to make it up to everyone in America, go read The Portable Cornel West.

The type of therapy mothers warn you about

Oh 'blue-eyed soul', is such a tricky field to navigate. Only so often does its singers manage to at once establish respectable credibility and a fanbase that appreciates the music. Enter Teena Marie, Dusty Springfield, Hall & Oates and finally, Robin Thicke.

Without getting into a long winded sociological and historical lesson, Blue Eyed Soul is the Equivalent of Black Rock....and both are anomalies in America and semantically speaking, both terms do nothing in terms of marketing and getting music out. Point blank: Music is music, enough with the coded language.

So enough hubababbaub what about Robin Thicke's latest album?

Surprisingly and not so surprisingly it's damn good. Thicke, who has been gradually building his fanbase with a steady and careful hand, has enjoyed welcoming arms from the hip hop and R&B communities. He's a mainstay now, much in the way that Teena Marie is a mainstay. His last album "The Evolution of Robin Thicke" skyrocketed with the single "Lost Without U" probably a definite shout out to wife, Paula Patton.

On his latest disc however, Thicke trades in soft coos for downright "bad as I wanna be" behavior and the result is a jilting experiment in R&B/Soul music. If Justin Timberlake thought he was bringing sexyback, well, Thicke is taking out past the dancefloor and into the bedroom.

Thicke brings an all star roster to the "Sex Therapy Experience" like Jay-Z, Little Wayne's latest sign-up Nikki Minaj and Estelle. Often the tracks are dance floor triumphs, but on the sly side, and what Thicke was probably planning was the sexiness that the album oozes. Generally, I avoid "baby-making" albums because who wants that sentiment while trying to get to school or work? But in this case, Thicke's "good guy with a bad streak" is so appealing, that it might bring out the sexy in all of us, and that's not such a bad thing.

Stop the world! Sade has a new album out!

And you better go get it right now because, it'll be 2020 when she releases the next one and our poor planet could be blown to smithereeens.

On her latest "Soldier of Love," the songtress wraps up a deft nine track album that doesn't stray from Sade's formula of coolled perfection. The title track "Soldier of Love," is the closest one is going to get rocking with Sade as the track is built on a sparse but definitely stealth backbeat. Sade's trademark husky but distinctive vocal stylings have probably led to many couples getting together, getting married, and starting family. For that, we salute you Sade. Not to mention the fact that she's half a century old and looks better than ever. This confirms it, there are aliens and they are from the Planet Beautiful.

I really don't have to give you many reasons to buy the new Sade album, because if you don't everyone who is cool will undoubtedly laugh at you. Plus, if you don't you will be sending a message to the world that untalented singers who don't even sing, are ruling the world. Be responsible.

ABC News Honestly has nothing to do.

Alley Yo, It's Tuesday and do you know what the means?

Not mac'n' cheese casserole or even reruns of Saved by the Bell? No it means relatively nothing anymore, unless you're heading to the comic book store for your weekly fix or going to the iTunes store to pick up your singles just like in the ole'days.

But what you didn't know about Tuesday is that, Tuesday is a great day to head over to ABC News Entertainment and load up on their nutrient enrichment of celeb fodder....such as Heidi Montag & Playboy: The Sequel!!

Or...my favorite, Tila Tequila's riveting video about her tweeting about slamming her head into a wall.

Really?

This is news to people? To who?
Oh, I just wait with baited breath to see what other kind of investigative celeb journalism they're bound to come up with. Honestly, this is good stuff.

Memo to ABCNews: I don't care for Heidi Montag's Shennantics, the only person who cares for her special dull brand of such antics is Heidi herself.

Don't Believe the Hype: Valentines Day

I want to start off by saying that I love Romantic Comedies. They make me feel all warm and gooey inside.

Having said that though, I can't help but feel that Valentines Day was very much a disappointment. There are points in the film that are touching and sweet but in the long run become utterly forgettable. There isn't much time spent on each of the thousands of story lines within the film and it shows. Without this time to get involved in the characters, when they experience heartbreak its hard to empathize or feel for them much. The whole thing came out very bland.

Its hard to figure out where to start...

Ashton Kutcher's florist Reed Bennett was a good enough character. He believes in love and romance, but was blind to the fact that his girlfriend wasn't really the right one (what kind of name is Morley?). After hearing him talk about his best friend it's obviously he loves her. But why can't they see that?

His best friend played by Jennifer Garner is Julia Fitzpatrick, a elementary teacher dating Dr. Harrison Copeland (what a stretch for McDreamy, really) who turns out to have a double life. *shock* This has to be hands down, the worst part of the movie. They make McDreamy into a total sleaze! Who's freaking idea was it to have Patrick Dempsey for all of a good 10 or so minutes if that, and making him a bad guy! Shame, shame, shame. Maybe he enjoyed playing a different role, but as a huge fan it was very upsetting.

Most shocking scene goes to the ridiculously attractive Eric Dane (more Grey's doctors ay?). Dane plays an aging football star coming to terms with his career getting in the way of his dreams of having a family. Julia Roberts and The Hangover's Bradley Cooper seemed to have the most memorable story line of the film. Roberts and Cooper are passengers on a 14 hour flight to LA. During this time they share a few moments talking about what else? Love and Valentines Day. What makes the story even better is the fact that nothing happens between them romantically, they're just two passengers that are going to eventually part ways.

Jessica Beil's character became kind of a joke. A bitter single woman that throws an 'I Hate Valentines Day' party every year falling for a self proclaimed player, Jamie Foxx's second best sports newscaster Kelvin Moore in the end. wtf? There are more realistic lonely workaholics on VH1's Tough Love.

Taylor Swift was hilarious as a dumb high school girl dating an even dumber jock (Taylor Lautner) but they didn't serve any good purpose as mush as they did sheer nostalgic horror for some audience members reminded of similar experiences. I'm sure they're glad not having to pretend to like each other anymore.

The only thing in the way of Topher Grace and Anne Hathaway's Jason and Liz in there potential relationship is themselves. And Edgar and Estelle love each other deeply but have let a secret momentarily come between them.

It's hard to imagine all this problem and solution happening in one crazy day, but thats LA for you. I only recommend seeing this movie on your TV if your a fan of the genre, but otherwise I'd stick to Love Actually or He's Just Not That Into You.

Not to be outdone, Dr. Owen Hunt (another Grey's Anatomy character...sorry) went Greek God in Percy Jackson and The Olympians: The Lightning Thief. Check for that review tomorrow ^_^ Peace!

Break it down: The Vampire Diaries

There are a lot of vampires in Mystic Falls now that the Salvatore brothers are back in town. So much so that it gets a little confusing. So here's a quick breakdown of vampires on the show so far.

The Salvatore Brothers are Stefan and Damon Salvatore, played by Paul Wesley and Ian Somerhalder. Stefan's in town to figure out why the heck main character Elena Gilbert (Nina Debrev) looks so much like his (and his brothers...eww) ex-lover Katherine Peirce, the vampire seductress that turned them both. Turns out Elena isn't a Gilbert at all but a Pierce. She was "adopted" right when she was born by her parents.

Damon's motives are a bit more complex. At a glance it seemed that Damon was in town to wreck havoc on Stefan's life but now it seems that Kathrine isn't as dead as once thought. He's searching for a way to open a tomb with Kathrine and twenty something other sleeping vampires in it.

Enter Anna or rather Anabelle, who is after the same thing. To open the tomb and awaken the vampires within.

One vampire in particular seems to be at the heart of her mission. In flashbacks in the last episode "Children of the Damned" Anna, called Anabelle back then is always within reach of her "mother" Pearl.

Ben, Anna's accomplice. A fairly new vampire, he was changed by Anna to get an in with the teens in Mystic Falls. Ben was a former high school football star but since graduating didn't go anywhere and ended up bartending at a local hangout. So far the plan is to get friendly with Bonnie Bennet, Elena's best friend and also a witch related to Katherine's handmaiden Emily back in the day. She was kidnapped last episode. In the grand scheme of things I don't see Ben lasting very long.

Kathrine Peirce, Sleeping. Selfishly turned both Salvatore brothers wanting them all to get along in a very twisted love triangle with her at the center. Once thought dead, burned in the towns old church it turns out that her handmaiden Emily sealed her and the other vampires in a tomb in the church to keep them safe from the fire.

Pearl, Sleeping. Most likely Anna's creator, Pearl lived in Mystic Falls back in the day. She was in love with Jonathon Gilbert, but upon discovering she was a vampire he turned on her and had her "burned" in the church.

Noah, Deceased. An older vampire. Stupidly got caught up in the fact that Elena looks like Katherine. His obsession with messing with her ended in his death.

Vicki Donovan, Deceased. Vicki was Elena's brother Jeremy's love interest, Elena's ex-boyfriend Matt Donovan's little sister, as well as Tyler Lockwood's on again off again girlfriend. Quite a mouthful huh? Seriously messed up on drugs and family problems not to mention countless attacks by Damon finally resulting in her death and rebirth as a vampire. She tried to take Jeremy and turn him. Stefan had to kill her before she killed Elena right in front of Jeremy. He doesn't remember anything though cause Elena had Damon erase his pain and memory of the event.

Lexi, Deceased. Stefan's best friend. She comes to visit him for his 162nd birthday and is tragically set up and murdered by Damon to take the fall for recent deaths in the town. Her death helps The Founders Council believe the vampire threat has ended and takes the heat off the Salvatore brothers much to Stefan's chagrin.

Logan Fell, Deceased. Can't seem to find a picture for Logan sadly. Anyway, Logan was Jenna Sommer's(Elena and Jeremy's aunt) ex-boyfriend from high school. Became the local news reporter, and a member of the Founders Council. Went hunting for vamps and got killed. Sadly it was his blood that Vicki finally drank (after he died) after resisting for a whole day (such restraint ) to became a vampire. Alaric Saltzman, not a vampire as once previously thought. He sports a fancy ring much like Stefan and Damon's that help them go out in the sunlight. Turns out he a Van Helsing-like character out for revenge against Damon for killing his wife Isabel (strangely the same name as Eleana's birth mother...dun dun dun! The plot thickens!). Killed Logan.

Not to be outdone, there also seems to be a werewolf in Mystic Falls as well. In an earlier episode, after Vicki's death and Jeremy's all well adjusted in attempt to put the past behind them Jeremy tries to befriend once enemy Tyler Lockwood only to be punched out. After Jeremy asks what the heck is wrong with him in a classic scene Tyler shouts that he doesn't know, fixes his jacket and walks off as the camera angles towards the full moon! Chilling and very exciting for supernatural enthusiast such as myself.

Well that took forever and I'm very tired for the effort. Hopefully I'm not forgetting anyone. If I am, comment below :-P

My Life as Liz: Brillant storytelling or teen angst rip-off?

I hate to admit it but...I like My Life as Liz. As one of MTV's newest "reality TV" shows, My Life as Liz follows main subject (character?) Liz Lee as she starts her senior year of high school. Typical story of a popular girls fall from grace really. Cliche as it sounds, Liz's situation is not uncommon therefore has relevance and a built in audience. Nerd girls like myself love seeing a quirky high school-er take on the social norms and injustices of growing up weird in a closed minded society. Its what we never had the chance to accomplish in our day and age. Awesome right? Not always.

Enter the "reality" of the show=Cori Cooper as Liz's evil nemesis, and ex-friend. The rivalry would be acceptable if there were a reason. Liz never really says what happened between them and Cori doesn't seem multi-faceted enough to actually have it out for Liz. She's just static evil. A cliche, a mockery of her own self. We all know that girls in high school can be ruthless and mean, but not without some warped selfish sense of right or entitlement. No one tricks someone into going to a dance to meet an imaginary secret admirer or says 'I hope you die' for no reason. Blind hatred just does not make sense in this scenario.

Not to mention the camera angles. There is a moment when Taylor, the popular girl with a heart (who didn't see that one coming?) actually falls while the group is walking down the hall a la Cady in Mean Girls. Dialogue in the show in a lame attempt of biting trash talk between Liz and Cori doesn't work either, and soliloquy to tell the audience what Liz thinks and feels just plain sucks. MTV, your viewers are not as stupid as you think they are. Okay, maybe some are. But not all of them! Hire a few good writers to get your ideas across better. Viewers deserve better direction and acting.

Liz's friends are a rag tag group of nerdalicious boys that like to LARP (That's Live Action Role Play bitches!), gamble with comic books and either be supportive of Liz or completely callous. They flip flop so much it is difficult to know where they stand.

Having said that, the idea isn't bad. It's the medium of reality television that misses the mark. Honestly, the story would work as a real TV show. I'd watch it on The N. Liz's personality really shines on her way driving to school. She's lip singing to some silly song and totally into it. It's scenes like these that show the heart of the idea behind the show.

What won me over the most is the budding romance between Liz and the boy who sits behind her in English, Bryson. Sure he has a girlfriend but he totally digs her. Why else would he hang out with her eating fries after the Valentines Day dance or play guitar for her performance in the talent show? I'm a sucker for love. And anyway, that's how it started for Jim and Pam in The Office. I believe in the scripted TV romance.

The show is about standing up for yourself, being okay with not being popular, and not settling for non-existence. Liz just wants her high school experience to mean something. Whats not to love about inspiration?

It's really a testament of at least one great writer with good ideas at MTV that I actually liked this show and the 7 or so minutes of Taking the Stage I witnessed after watching America's Next Best Dance Crew last week with Corinne.

My Life as Liz: a surprising thumbs up

When the heels, wigs, and make-up comes off!

The drama begins so to speak on LOGO's RuPaul's Drag Race. The show is already in it's second season, and the competitors look to be fiercer than before. I've got to say, this is probably my favorite show that is on television right now. I eagerly awaited Feb.1st to come around. I was a big fan of the first season, and it's contestants that when the second season was announced by Nina Flowers I was basically floored.

So what does the second season have this lap around?

The show has gone a step-up, with 12 new contestants from all over the country, with two from California (especially two from the Inland Empire, Raven and Megan: Hola Girls!) and quite a few Southern Belles.

The show has already popped off with the elimination of drag princess Shangela, who's outfit just didn't cut it for the judges whom include Merle Ginsberg, Santino of Project Runway fame, photographer/director Mike Ruiz and comedienne Kathy Griffin. Shangela had to "lip synch for her life" to RuPaul's insanely catchy and hit song from the first season "Cover Girl (Put the Bass in Your Walk)," and already watching that round audiences were treated to flip outs, splits ---in the first episode. This batch of contestants are going to serve it up.

I have a couple of personal favorites already, such as Raven, Pandora Boxx, JuJubee, Tyra Sanchez, Tatianna and Jessica Wild, but with this show, favorites can quickly turn into not-so favorites. What I will comment on is that the first season, being the first season, the queens were pioneers and so everything had a sheen of purity to it. So with this season, the road has already been paved, the stakes are higher, who will win it? We anxiously wait with baited breath!

Also not to be skimmed over is the sheer creativity the show has to offer, while Project Runway is basking in it's former glory, the queens on 'Drag Race' have innovation, camp and talent. It's a hard combination to beat. With the previous season, every episode was like a living fantasy. Say it with me: Eleganza Extravaganza!

And of course don't miss out on the lovely legend RuPaul who does not seem to age, if you were ever scared of drag queens before or simply not "hip" to the culture, put that aside, turn into LOGO and get schooled in 'fierceness.'

RuPaul's Drag Race : Every Monday at 7 p.m. (Check local listings)
http://www.Logoonline.com

Indie Comic Spotlight: Ross Campbell

So, Poutz and I love, love, love comix. She's more of an indie comic fan by way of rom com leanings with dark mystical stuff, and I'm more of a shoujo/manga fan but making my way through selective comics. SO Anyways, what we're going to do here at Shenanntics we plan on spotlighting comic books/artists/authors who are doing an
"above-and-beyond" kinda dealie for comics. It's our way of saying thanks and for them to know that they have supporters and to keep doing what they are doing.

For the first installment: I'm spotlighting creator of WaterBaby and Wet Moon the highly creative Ross Campbell.

Why does he rock it hard?

Because unlike a good deal of comics out there, Campbell's storyline involves girls and girls with actual personality. Not to mention they are shaped like real women, instead of the impossible stature that many male-driven comics offer up as their vision of the ideal woman. Plus to boot, he features characters of ethnic diversity. I don't have to explain why this is awesome, because diversity is awesome and it is needed in comics. Everyone deserves equal and truthful representation. Campbell doesn't do it in a way where it's heavy handed either, but in a way that is sure to please fans across all barriers and that is so awesome my socks have already came off.

check out:
Water Baby
Wet Moon
The Abandoned