Divas Take Back the Dancefloors

This week, it was evident on the Billboard chart end-dated January 18, and on some promos that came across my desk and Internet, that there are some major, power-house divas ready to reclaim the discos! 2014 is starting off with a divalicious bang.

Deborah Cox's "Higher" (featuring Paige) is now #2. Ms Cox, who performed last summer at NYC's awesome Gay Pride pier dance, opening for Cher,  http://djbuddybeaverhausen.blogspot.com/2013/07/on-pier-with-cher-and-hot-cox.html is always a welcome figure on the charts. Hopefully, she'll be taken even Higher next week to the heavenly #1 spot.

As for Cher, "Take It Like a Man," from her fab new album, is currently on the rise at #7, thanks to a bevy of robust remixes. The best of them is no doubt Tony Moran's Destination mix, a big-room rouser. I also particularly recommend UK's 7th Heaven EuroNRG revamp.

At #3, we have none less than Celine Dion, buoyed by the remixes of  "Loved Me Back to Life." She is seriously loved back to life by club-goers with this one. Although I prefer an unreleased LFB mix I heard months ago, it seems the only official remix is Dave Aude's club version. Good, mainstream remix for sure; it's a guaranteed floor-filler.

Kristine W, a diva's diva, peaked at #2 with "So Close to Me." Nine weeks on the charts, it currently hangs onto the top ten in the 9th nook.

And Donna Summer is back for the dancefloors via new dj-promo remixes of "MacArthur Park" by Rosabel, Laidback Luke and Frank Lamboy. Rosabel's mix gallops along nicely for contempo clubgoers; one of the more successful efforts to come off the recent remix tribute album. Laidback Luke's re-do, however, is a tinny calliope-like mess while I found Frank Lamboy's version a busy and belabored one. "MacArthur Park" is currently #14 on Billboard's club chart. Joel Dickinson recently informed us he has a remix forthcoming in a second wave. Seriously looking forward to that!

Lady Gaga's "Do What U Want" is on the rise at #19. And Jody Watley seems to have peaked at #18 with "Nightlife," dropping now to 22nd place when it really deserves to go higher. But major diva power is the trend right now on US Billboard's dance/club chart for certain.

Meanwhile, not on the chart but hopefully headed there, the upbeat and quite winning club number from Spice Girl Mel B ("Scary Spice"), "For Once in My Life," given new life by Dj Pornstar from Sobel Promotions.

And I received 7th Heaven's club mix of Dario G featuring Dame Shirley Bassey's "We Got Music" ~  and it is as fabulous as you might hope! Always a pleasure when Bassey returns to the dancefloors. Lisa Stansfield is also back! Moto Blanco (who can virtually do no wrong) has a club mix of her "Can't Dance" that will transport you to the floor in soulfully divine disco style. "We're gonna crucify the dancefloor!" And Ms Stansfield is back in full vocal range and all her glory!

Lastly, Sanna & Petron do a nice job of remixing Australia's Tina Arena, whom we've missed, with "Reset All." The diva returns in fine voice, though the song, as written, may not be catchy enough to catch on, at least in the USA where she is not a household name.

But the divas are distinctly back in force at the top of the year. Let's hope this is the trend for 2014!

The Seth MacFarlane Show!

The venue: My friend Kevin's apartment downstairs. The menu: Champagne, fresh guacamole and baked, unsalted chips (to make it seem more West Coast), fresh jumbo shrimp with cocktail sauce, cheese and salami slices, M&Ms . Yes, once again, last night was Oscar night in New York (a/k/a The Gay Man's Superbowl)!

Well, there was an awfully long red carpet time from 6:30, when we started watching on tv. We switched from Piers Morgan (who I have a thing for) on CNN to pygmy hosts, Kristin Chenoweth and Jess Cagle, on ABC.  I'm not quite 5'6" myself, so I say that with fondness. When the petite Chenoweth stood next to Adele (again looking oddly like an overstuffed chair, this time black with deco sparkles), I prayed Britain's big gal wouldn't topple over on our vivacious munchkin.

Then there was the Oscars' own official 1/2-hour red carpet presentation. Red carpets are like foreplay. But red carpet time is also the time we all become fashionistas as we ogle the gowns, always a fetishistic point of glamor at the Academy Awards.

I liked a lot of last night's frocks: Reese, Jennifer Lawrence (winner for Best Actress), Amy Adams all looked smashing. Jane Fonda was yummy in yellow. Sally Field not so much in red.  Jennifer Aniston arrived with the same look, different boyfriend.

Anne Hathaway was given short shrift by Piers on CNN for someone more interesting. Her gown & necklace? Ewwwww! She did, however, snag the Best Supporting Actress Award by night's end. Dustin Hoffman arrived with hair that appeared to be made up of laundry lint while Daniel Day-Lewis, who walked away with the Best Actor Oscar (presented by Meryl Streep in a tin-foil gown), deserved a Best Hair Style award as well.

Renee Zelweger was a mess in her dress, but nothing looks good on someone who squints more than a pirate! 

Once host Seth MacFarlane came onstage, inside the (Friends of) Dorothy Chandler Pavilion  to officially introduce the Academy Awards, I surrendered to his charms; tall, dark and clean-cut good looks; humor and talent. He was truly the star of the evening and a revelation. His dialogue with William Shatner as Cpt James T. Kirk may have run on a bit too long but I forgave him his indulgences as he proved to be a wonderful song and dance man as well as a comic. Who knew? He was Hollywood's secret weapon, and he even had L.A.'s Gay Men's Chorus backing him up!

I had sweet dreams after last night's Oscars. Piers, Seth,  Daniel Day-Lewis' hair and Channing Tatum!

But, in a night where musicals were a big focus, the divas truly ruled! Shirley Bassey -- introduced by Bond Girl Halle Berry -- was magnificent in a taut face and golden gown, as she belted out "Goldfinger" as if she were singing for her life. Adele sang "Skyfall" wonderfully, and was such a sweetie-pie, tearful while receiving the Best Original Song award. Jennifer Hudson was also sensational, singing "And I Am Telling You" from Dreamgirls in the musicals tribute portion of the show.

And then there was Barbra. In the I-See-Dead-People portion of the show (that egregiously left out Phyllis Diller) hosted by George Clooney, Babs sang "The Way We Were," honoring Marvin Hamlisch. She appeared to be wearing Adele's gown, which perhaps explains why it was falling from her shoulders as she tried to top Dame Bassey's performance. She did not quite succeed.

Shirley Bassey's Birthday

There is nothing like a Dame, or so I always say, especially if the Dame in question is the fabulous Shirley Bassey. She of the powerful voice and drag queen-like hand gestures that even Dusty Springfield must have admired! Shirley Bassey has been doing it up in grand style, performing professionally since 1953. She may very well be best known as the singer of three of the best known James Bond movie themes: "Goldfinger," "Diamonds Are Forever" and "Moonraker." But her long string of hits include "What Now My Love?," "This Is My Life," "Big Spender," "Light My Fire," "The Living Tree" and many other popular songs, most of which are full of drama, drama and even more drama.

Today is Dame Shirley Bassey's birthday! Let's celebrate with this video as Shirley sings Pink, with a distinctly 007 homage to the arrangement. Get her 76th birthday party started:

The Jubilee's Diamond Divas

Girl Gone Wild

What does it take to make this old girl lose control? Unlike Patty Duke, it's likely not to be a hot dog.

The impression I have of Queen E watching the below performances is that she's having no fun. C'mon, honey, bust a move! I mean, Dame Shirley Bassey can't be all that hard for you to take! Granted, it looks like her last face-lift makes it difficult for her to keep her left eye open, but she still can belt it out! She's looking good plus she thoughtfully sang a song with the word "diamonds" in it for the occasion. Couldn't you let it rip with a big wooo? Or were you wondering, inspecting the exaggerated hand gestures, who this drag queen was?

Kylie was there. Sensitively did not sing "Time Bomb," given security issues and all. (No respectable videos have yet surfaced on YouTube of her Jubilee efforts, sadly. Anyhow, she's merely Australian. Suffice to give it a mention.)

Then, there was Grace in your face! Desperate to entertain you, Ms Jones sang an entire number while werqing a hula-hoop around her hips all the time (almost as well as you werq a tiara)! ("Slave to the Rhythm," I suspect, is actually an absolute fave of yours; don't tell me you haven't done the hoochie-coohie for Philip while lip-synching to that in your private bed chamber! It's probably what sent him to the hospital! Or maybe you were just pondering "what the fuck's with her?" as you laid eyes on the performance.)

Your demeanor seemed to say, "we are not entertained." (Neither was I, frankly; not sure why.) They may call you "your highness," but I doubt you've been as high as Grace. But, then, who knows, honey? They always say it's the quiet ones.

Below, YouTube captures Shirley and Gracie in all their Diamond Jubilee glory.