Baby Jane, Lady Gaga, Blanche & Beyonce on My 2013 Halloween Countdown

A Halloween special: Lady Gaga & Beyonce & Blanche & Baby Jane Hudson. That's who! A different mix from something I posted in 2011 [http://djbuddybeaverhausen.blogspot.com/2011/10/my-halloween-countdown-revisits-baby_13.html] Enjoy, my wicked trick-or-treaters! EeeeeeHeeeHeeeeeeeee!! And beware the telephone!

Bootylicious Super Bowl with Beyonce at Half Time

There's no doubt, after watching Beyonce's Super Bowl performance, that the half-time show is now the gay-time show. And that, despite a bit less grandeur of production, Beyonce's performance was more solid than Madonna's fabulous but flawed one in 2012. Still, gay-fave divas rule as far as I'm concerned, and bring a new consumerist audience in, at least for half-time.

It's just that I'm not that into American football; a big bore in my humble opinion. But it is distinctly a homoerotic sport as it's such a tactile one. All that huddling, the body slamming, the tackling, passing the ball between opened thighs and all those tight ends (as Destiny's Child would put it: "Bootylicious")! The closest thing you can get to gay porn in the world of sports, and we don't even have the locker room shots! I love the clinging pants but frown on the helmets and shoulder pads. As Joan Rivers said, "The Super Bowl reminds me of Dynasty. It’s a bunch of very wealthy people trying to outmaneuver each other in big shoulder pads." I also don't get the premise of getting a ball (not ball-shaped at all) from one part of the field to another. So what? Maybe they should play in the nude. Wouldn't that be fun! Then we could see who was really excited about his game. Also, isn't it kind of sexist -- and have you ever noticed -- that all the team members are men?

Divas were also brought to the fore, however, prior to the manly sport. Alicia Keys did a wonderful job singing the national anthem on piano, right after a very touching "America, the Beautiful" rendered by Jennifer Hudson and the kids from Sandy Hook Elementary School. And if that was a wise public relations move for the nation and proposed gun control, the half-time show was equally that for Beyonce in the wake of her lip-synch mini-scandal at the President's Inauguration.

Beyonce sung live and powerfully at Super Bowl, like her career and reputation depended on it. Which it did. She made her diva entrance to the stage on a rising platform amid a flurry of pyrotechnics, wearing a power outfit of black leather. The stage looked positively dangerous amid explosions, flares, smoke and flaming sculptures. This is when it pays to know your choreography and hit your mark or risk disaster (like fourth-degree burns).

The diva went through a medley of hits, including "Love on Top," "Crazy in Love," "Baby Boy" and "End of Time" with outstanding vocal intensity as she danced. Yes, she actually danced and sang live at the same time, just like in the old days!

She was later joined by her Destiny's Child co-divas, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams (equally in black, and leather-clad to one degree or another), for "Bootylicious," "Independent Women" and Beyone's single, "Single Ladies." They eschewed "Bills, Bills, Bills," perhaps because it wouldn't delight the American public during the current economy.

Beyonce closed solo with the ballad, "Halo" -- a wise choice to end on something soft and sweet. 

Before Super Bowl, a cheeky reporter (regarding the Inauguration) asked Beyonce: "Did any sound come out of your vocal cords?" Looking forward to her half-time show, the diva stated: "I will absolutely be singing live. I am well-rehearsed. This is what I was born to do."

And to think, the half-time show used to consist solely of some marching band from Wherever, USA. Well, dance-floor divas trump John Philip Sousa every time in 2013. And Beyonce trumped Madonna, too. Hoorah and siss-boom-bah for Super Bowl's gay half-time show!

Siss-boom-bahhhhhh!

Inauguration Proclamation 2013

In his Inauguration address today, President Obama proclaimed: "Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law. For if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well." This is to be applauded; a sign of hope; a defiance of all the haters.

It was also the observance of Martin Luther King Day today, which made the struggle for equality all that more poignant. As dance diva Debby Holiday revealed on her Facebook timeline: 

"As a little girl ... I remember walking down the street in LA, holding my white mother's hand (and, child I mean WHITE)!!  We rec'd stares everywhere. I mean EVERYwhere!! Sometimes people were even quite cruel to my mother.  As if she'd committed the ultimate sin. Lovin one of them Negros.

"So, on this day ... where America Inaugurated our first Black President (well, mixed like me) AGAIN - meaning it was not a fluke, on MLK's official Birthday, and said the word Gay for the first time in an Inauguration speech & hearing his continued belief in equal pay for women & a road for our immigrants towards citizenship & dignity ... Well, on this day ... that little mixed girl is smiling.

"Because now -- as a woman who is proud of her black & Irish heritage & loves her gay friends & her friends of just about every nationality ... On this day ... this Woman is Proud of how far we've come since that little girl bowed her head in confusion and, I am so damn hopeful for the road ahead."

That truly describes the advances we've made in America towards total equality and a just and fair society, and against discrimination, hatred and prejudice. Today was an outstanding day that we, in the USA, celebrate! We are a society that no longer discriminates against women, people of color and people of various affectionate orientations. We have progressed. We have largely fulfilled Dr Martin Luther King's dream.

And, I assume it was no coincidence that two gay-fave and fabulous divas were asked to perform at the Inauguration: Beyonce ("National Anthem", introduced by New York's own Chuck Schumer) and Kelly Clarkson ("My Country T'is of Thee," known elsewhere as "God Bless the King" )! I was especially proud of Kelly since she took my advice from my most viral blog post to date. http://djbuddybeaverhausen.blogspot.com/2011/12/advising-kelly-clarkson.html

Billboard Shake-Up

It was sad to see Kathy Griffin's fabulous "I'll Say It" drop off the top 25 Billboard Dance/Club Chart this go-round, but good to see Florence Welch (of "+ the Machine") ascend to #14 (from #20 last week) on vocals for "Sweet Nothing" by Calvin Harris. While I love listening to Harris' extended version, it offers no intro for mixing into a set. For that purpose, I recommend the Tiesto remix.

Christina Aguilera leaped into the top 25 in a major way when her quite catchy but undistinguished "Your Body" made it from last week's #26 song to the #16th. I'll refrain from any Greatest Gainer comments.

Mariah Carey's "Triumphant" is still solid at #11, having peaked at numero uno. X Factor's Melanie Amaro is rising right behind, at #12, with "Don't Fail Me Now." And, at #13, we have Beyonce, losing wind and nudging up just one spot from last week, with "I Was Here." Yeah, you was.

Pet Shop Boys peaked at #12 with "Winner" on the US chart, though Kristine W is up at #4 with the fantastic, Bimbo Jones-produced floor-filler, "Everything That I Got." Meanwhile, Yoko Ono is "Moving On" to the number 10th place.

Let me tell you, I could eat up every part of a guy like Cheyenne Jackson in a New York minute (pictured at top)! But who couldn't? Tall, dark, handsome and out (but married). The Conaire remix of the Broadway crooner's "Drive" crossed my desk recently.  Unfortunately, it doesn't quite gel for the dance floor. Good song, but not a good mix. Unlikely to peak on Billboard or end up in my mix.

More on the dance floor musique and some more Billboard club jive soon. Love ~~ Dj Buddy B!

Buddy's Biased Billboard, Briefly, & International Call-Out

Nicki Minaj's "Pound the Alarm" pounds its way to #1 this week on the Billboard Dance/Club top 25, coinciding with the ever-charming Minaj threatening to pound the shit out of Mariah Carey, her American Idol co-star. But, beware, Nicki, Ms Carey is just two spots down, with "Triumphant," ascendant at #3, to trounce you from that perch and triumphantly usurp it for herself.

Betwix you two gals, however, is Pink, now #2 with "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)."  Kristine W up, at lucky number 13, with the Moto Blanco-produced "Everything That I Got," a real floor-filler. And Pet Shop Boys are champs, now at the 16th niche with "Winner."

Scissor Sisters have Kiki'd down, just below the top 10 but holding strong at #11. And Gossip's "Move in the Right Direction" is certainly doing that, now up at #17. Beyonce again enters the top 25 with "I Was Here," while Rebecca Ferguson's at #24 with "Nothing's Real But Love," which peaked at 11th place.

What a bummer watching the obnoxious Mitt Romney steamroll over moderator Jim Lehrer last night to President Obama's detriment during their first debate. Just got to drown myself in a double dose of disco today to get beyond that! Meanwhile, want to thank everyone reading my blog, with special thanks this week -- beyond my perennial views from the USA, Canada, the UK, France, Germany, Mexico and Brazil -- to readers in the Palestinian Territories, Kuwait, Pakistan, Japan, Belgium, Netherlands, Poland, Serbia, Ukraine, Latvia, Japan and Venezuela. Peace, love, happiness and dance music to all!

Below, the Seamus Haji remix of the new Gossip number:

Dateline Florida: Beaverhausen & Billboard

It's Dj Buddy B's last night in the Florida gulf, where I have mostly blogged about aging divas and their birthdays. Afternoon showers, nice and breezy, not as hot as the past few days since I arrived. I'm seated under an Arabian-styled gazebo, me and my laptop atypically atop patio furniture, typing as the palm trees around us sway and the gazebo linens flap.

Finally looking over last Thursday's top 25 Billboard dance/club charters, below are my views and feelings on what interests moi at this time:

Gotye (featuring Kimbra) has a #1 smash on the week's Billboard Top 100. The video for their fresh hit, "Somebody That I Used to Know," was in constant rotation on my little DirecTV monitor on the Jet Blue flight down here.  The dance mixes of this Belgian/Australian indie-pop artist's song arrive at the dance chart's 4th spot.

Madonna's "Girl Gone Wild" slowly slides to #6, off its peak #1 perch, while Katy Perry jettisons two spots upward, to this week's #2 with "Part of Me."

Debby Holiday is the daughter of singer/musician Jimmy Holiday (who co-wrote Jackie DeShannon's "Put a Little Love in Your Heart").  This club diva is consistently a dance-music success, artistically and commercially, and her latest tune, "Never Give Up," will make you wanna move. It leaps to 9th place, from #14 last week.

Up from #22, Jennifer Lopez' "Dance Again" is another great contempo dance anthem that is dominating both pop and dance charts, and it's one of JLo's best efforts to date. On the latest chart, it hits lucky number 13 and looks like it could soon conquer the top spot.

Melanie Amaro's "Respect" and Beyonce's "Love on Top" nestle at numbers 15 and 16, respectively, after peaking at #3 and #1 (also respectively).

Beyond Beyonce, little of interest to me, Buddy B, on Billboard. Time now for Buddy B's banana daquiris, dahlings! Peace, love & disco for all! This week, special, much-requited love back to Brazil, Indonesia, the UK, Mexico, Germany, Russia, Spain, France and Canada! Keep dancing, everyone; and kisses out to all.

Pray for Destiny's Child!

On Facebook, Joan Rivers notes: "Beyonce said that she delivered her baby naturally, which for her meant no wind machine or backup dancers."

The diva's pregnancy delayed shooting on her next film which, ironically, is the Clint Eastwood musical remake, A Star Is Born. The Golden Globe nominee was cast, due to begin filming next month. But Eastwood agreed to delay shooting until Ms Jay-Z is back to full strength. And now, apparently, a star is born, silver spoon firmly in mouth.

"As you know, megastars Jay-Z and Beyoncé spent $1.3 million to turn six rooms at Lenox Hill Hospital into two luxury suites so Beyoncé could pop out her baby in some real style," Michael Musto confided in his Village Voice column, La Dolce Musto. "If you've got money and want to spend it, be my guest. Just don't act like your wealth makes you above the law, or beyond humanity and good sense.

"The Z's ran into trouble when a Brooklyn man claimed the couple's guards prevented other people from getting to wards, waiting rooms, and even hallways in the hospital.

"If Beyoncé's having a baby, I guess no one else can! (Or if they do, you can't visit them.)

"Has celebrity entitlement gotten more annoyingly entitled than ever?"

The New York Daily News reported: "The freshly renovated 'executive' maternity digs look more like a Four Seasons spread than the drab hospital accommodations afforded most mere mortals.... Little Blue Ivy Carter came into the world with her choice of four flat-screen TVs, lushly upholstered gray and cream sofas, silken throw pillows, modern brushed-chrome accents, mahogany walls and a posh kitchenette with a gleaming tile backsplash."

How did Lenox Hill respond to that? Says the Daily News, "Lenox Hill Hospital has denied claims it constructed the five-star accommodations at Beyonce's behest, saying instead the superstar singer was simply lucky enough to be the first patient to get them." Oh, please, honeys, the next time I come down with deadly pneumonia and have to be quarantined, I'm having Dr Frank Spinelli admit me to Lenox Hill and try to get that fucking room for me, I tell you!

Now, yesterday, New York State health officials dismissed patients' complaints. Why am I not surprised to hear that? Occupy that hospital!

At the top of this post is the picture of the $13,000 plexiglas crib for baby Blue Ivy Z. (I think it's hideous, frankly.)

"The superstar couple's new child has reportedly had at least £1million spent on her in gifts and a fantasy land nursery.

"Among the treasure trove awaiting [Ivy Blue] is a solid-gold, hand-made rocking horse said to be worth £390,000... while her high chair [seen below] is worth close to £10,000 and dripping in Swarovski crystals," reports the UK's Metro.

But ya are in the highchair, Ivy, ya are! (Can't wait to see what ever happens to Baby Ivy as she grows up!)

Meanwhile, while on the topic of demon spawn, Perez Hilton blogged, "Looks like Roman Polanski‘s classic [Rosemary's Baby] was supposed to have a bit more star power! Rutanya Alda, best known for Mommie Dearest, was Mia Farrow‘s stand-in for the flick." (Alda played Carol Ann, Joan Crawford's assistant, in the movie.) Below, Van Johnson, Mia Farrow, Joan Crawford, Roman Polanski and William Castle.

Says Michael Musto who broke the story: "Rutanya Alda -- best known as Carol Ann in Mommie Dearest -- just told me a remarkable story. Rutanya was Mia Farrow's stand-in for the 1968 suspense classic Rosemary's Baby.

"When Mia was late to shoot a bit where she and a girlfriend go to see the Off-Broadway musical The Fantasticks, director Roman Polanski decided to start shooting with Rutanya standing in.

"Part of the scene had screen icons Joan Crawford and Van Johnson (as themselves) being spotted by Rosemary in the lobby...."

William Castle, who directed Joan in the camp classics, Straight-Jacket and I Saw What You Did (and I Know Who You Are), probably insisted on this, I'm guessing, as he was Polanski's producer and never passed by a tacky gimmick.

Musto goes on: "Remembers Rutanya: 'Joan came over to me and said, "Hello! I'm Joan Crawford!" She thought I was Mia Farrow!'

"Or maybe she just knew she'd just spotted the future Carol Ann," Michael adds in a hilarious aside.

"Another wacky mishap happened when Van Johnson first spotted Polanski, particularly his striking schnoz.

"'Who's that, Pinocchio?' quipped Johnson, completely clueless. This sent the excitable Polanski into a tizzy of horror. 'Get off my set, everybody!' he shrieked, clearing all the stars and non-stars away. Joan obliged, but not before grandly intoning, 'You should learn to have the manners of a William Castle.'"

William Castle responds: "Not sure that is how I remember it all going down...but it's Hollywood where everything and anything is possible!"

Reader comments from The Village Voice blog included "Too bad Joan was cut. When Rosemary's baby gurgled 'mommie,' Joan could have snapped 'Mommie WHAT?'"

"The real life Joan Crawford meeting the later Carol Ann is spooky. Like when Charles Manson encountered Sharon Tate months before the killings."

And "I'm sure I spotted Joan Crawford in the coven of witches when Mia Farrow gets raped."

"Name your favorite color, plant and ex-President," Ruth Buzzi Tweeted. "Those were instructions in a maternity ward last week where BLUE IVY CARTER was hatched."

OK, babies, that's it for now! Mommie needs her beauty sleep!

Below, Joan, obviously acting under the influence (but quite bejeweled, nonetheless), in William Castle's I Saw What You Did.

Stalled on Billboard

Some things are just frustrating. Like trying to find the time (and money) to do all the stuff that, in your heart, you want to do. Mostly because I'm moving and need to spend time packing up, deciding what to get rid of and all, I had to forego the opportunity to see a friend make his modeling debut on a runway event at the historic Chelsea Hotel last night. It would have been a fun evening but, sigh, just like Robert Frost, I have promises to keep.

Another frustrating thing was this morning's Billboard Top 25 Dance/Club tunes. Erasure poked their heads in at #25 last week with "When I Start (to Break It All Down)," a song I championed on this blog back in May. It was good to find the tune turn up on the come-lately American chart, but a big disappointment for me to find it stalled at 25 this week.

Taylor Dayne's "Floor on Fire," another favorite, reached a respectable #7, now dropping to the 22nd place, when it really deserved to go all the way to the top.

Adele's "Someone Like You," which is #2 in the Top 100, came in at #24 in the club arena last week and, like Erasure, finds itself stuck in a Billboard rut, spinning its wheels at the #24 spot once again. (I particularly like Joe Gauthreaux (that's a lot of vowels!) & Brian Cua's remix on this number, incidentally.)

Wynter Gordon's sprightly and infectious "Buy My Love" receives a big bounce from 26th place to 21st in more upbeat US dance chart news. Selena Gomez and the Scene soars with the nice "Love You Like a Love Song." And club mixes of Beyonce's "Countdown" lift it to 9th place from #16. The Dj Escape and Tony Collucio remix is the best of the lot.

The great C&C Music Factory is back! Its new incarnation as CnC Music Factory brings us a superb dance floor number. The ingenious Robert Clivilles, who has nothing to prove at this point in his career, was an original C&C producer along with the late David Cole. His new partner is Eric Kupper, who has worked with producers/remixers the likes of David Morales, Frankie Knuckles and the especially legendary Arthur Baker. Featured vocalist is Scarlett Santana. This is the kind of dance song that makes me want to chuck my frustrations, promises-to-keep and problems all aside, and just surrender to its power on the dance floor. (Or even just around the apartment as I pack.) I love the remix done by my Internet friend, Dj Joel Dickinson (nee Thee Werq'n B!tches) and the fabulous (ex-protege to Junior Vasquez) Jerome Farley. Available on Amazon.

Welcome back, CnC Music Factory. People, this number's gonna make you sweat!

US Billboard & Diva Tweets

I love dancing. I think it's better to dance than to march through life. So tweeted Yoko Ono yesterday, and chances are, if you're reading Leave It to Beaverhausen, you love dancing too. So, let's see what's up on the Billboard club music top 25.

How Jennifer Lopez captured the numero uno dance/club spot this week is a mystery. I just don't get "Papi," a mediocre number with a hot title that had me expecting something more exciting. The remixes can only do so much and, number one or not, this JLo tune will not be on my turntables unless by gunpoint.

Selena Gomez' "Love You Like a Love Song" is so infectious that it's positively going viral. And why not? The pop tune has several keen dance mixes to choose from. My fave is the Dj Escape/Tony Collucio remix. "Love You" soared from #24 to #17 this week.

While Lady Gaga fell from grace as last week's #1 ("You & I"), she's at #5 after 7 strong weeks of charting. Taylor Dayne's "Floor on Fire" nudges up from #8 to #7, maybe running out of steam but certainly respectably nestled into the top ten.

The 22nd, 23rd and 24th positions this week are of interest. Kathy Sledge peaked at #20 with "Give Yourself Up", slid to #21 and now she's clawing on to #22. Tenacity! And a good dance number that deserved even better.

Beyonce's "Countdown" counts up from 35th position last week to #23 in a strong show for a solid song that oughtta keep dance floors packed at peak. And the divine Adele shimmies up to #24 from #29 with "Someone Like You," the remixes in the wake of the song's storming up the US pop chart.

By the way, Bette Midler's recent tweet? Justin Bieber has a scent? That's hilarious. It should be called "Someday I'm gonna Shave"....

And now I'm Following Ruth Buzzi! Till next time, keep dancing, keep loving, keep the peace & Occupy Wall Street.