Trediz’s Weblog

The 2008 Grammy Awards this past weekend was one of the best award shows this season in my opinion.  There were numerous show-stopping moments that stood out.  Kanye West gave a touching tribute performance to his late mother, Dr. Donda West.  Alicia Keys and John Mayer rocked out; while Fergie put her “S-P-E-L-L-I-N-G” to bed and sang a great duet with John Legend.  Rihanna brought out her “umbrella-ella-ella-eh eh”; while the troubled Amy Winehouse got her act together (at least for a few hours) and performed her appropriately titled hits “Trouble” and “Rehab.”  But perhaps the moment that left me speechless was when Beyonce and Tina Turner brought down the house with a duet of “Proud Mary.”  Tina Turner, a legend approaching 70 years old showed that she still can bring it. While Beyonce proved she could hold her own on a stage with a music icon.

At the beginning of the performance, Beyonce did “broadway-ish” tribute to some of the most influential women in music.  Some of the names she mentioned were: Diana Ross, Aretha Franklin, Donna Summer, and Whitney Houston.  At the end of her introduction, she brought Tina Turner out as “The Queen.”  Beyonce’s referral to Tina Turner as the queen didn’t sit well with Aretha Franklin.  One day after the ceremony, Aretha and her publicist released a statement basically saying that Aretha didn’t appreciate Beyonce referring to Tina Turner as the queen when everyone knows that Aretha is the queen.

My personal opinion about this whole fiasco is that it was blown way out of proportion.  Everyone knows that Aretha Franklin is credited as the “Queen of Soul,” while Tina Turner is credited as the “Queen of Rock and Roll.”  I think there is enough room in the music industry for there to be several queens.  I would consider people like Diana Ross and Patti LaBelle to be queens as well.  I feel Aretha was being a bit ridiculous about the whole thing, considering that Beyonce mentioned her in her intro tribute.  If this was a PR stunt with Franklin and her publicist, I don’t think that it was successful.  Franklin was left looking like an egotistical diva that needed a lot of attention.  I guess once you have accomplished the things that she has you can have that attitude; however this made her look childish.

If I were Aretha’s publicist, I would just wait for this to blow over.  With other hot messes like Britney and Paris dominating headlines, the media will soon forget about this.  Releasing any statement might hurt the situation more.  I would urge her not to talk about it in interviews and appearances. I would then urge Aretha to keep producing hit soulful music so that she can back up the title that she claims she owns. 

2007 was not the best year for former “it” girl Lindsay Lohan. The “Mean Girls” star started off the year by checking into Hollywood’s posh rehab facility “Wonderland.”  Lindsay’s quick 30-day stint in “Wonderland” was the least of her worries in 2007. Later that year, Lindsay would check into rehab two more times, once at “Promises” and finally ending up at “Cirque Lodge.”  She was also arrested twice for DUI related charges and cocaine possession.

Amidst all of her personal problems, Lindsay’s professional career and image suffered greatly; the once “Disney-Darling” tarnished her good-girl image and her movies failed to find an audience.  Her 2007 films “Georgia Rule” and “I Know Who Killed Me” basically bombed at the box office and critics panned her performances.  Since checking out of her last rehab stint in October, Lindsay has been laying low and trying to avoid the paparazzi.  At the 2008 Grammy’s, “E! News” host Giuliana Rancic broke exclusive news that R&B star Ne-Yo would be contributing to Lindsay’s upcoming album.  Ne-Yo, who is an affluent singer/songwriter in the music industry, has written hits for Beyonce, Mary J. Blige and Rihanna.  His most popular/successful song to date is Beyonce’s 2007 hit “Irreplaceable.”

I personally think that this is a smart move for Lindsay.  If she has a good album and shows that she is serious about working; this could get her back on the radar.  Lindsay is already a somewhat accomplished singer; her last two albums, “Speak” and “A Little More Personal-Raw” went platinum.  From a PR perspective, working with Ne-Yo could be what Lindsay needs to get her acting career back on track as well.  As I mentioned earlier, if Lindsay can focus on her album and show everyone that she is serious about working, it could pay off for her.  Hollywood studios that are skeptical about working with Lohan would also see that she is actually serious about getting better and working.  This could lead them to take a gamble and feature her in a future movie or television show. 

In order for Lindsay to accomplish this, she would need to actually take her work seriously.  As her publicist, I would urge her give up her old ways and solely focus all of her time and energy into working with Ne-Yo and producing a hit album.  I would encourage her to maybe curb her partying ways and go out maybe once or twice a week, instead of every night.

The Grammy Awards are set to take place this Sunday.  The ceremony is to include some of the top players in the music industry.  Musicians scheduled attend are:  Beyonce, Alicia Keys, The Foo-Fighters, Rihanna, Justin Timberlake, and Mary J. Blige.  Because of the on-going writer’s strike and the Writer’s Guild of America’s reluctance to grant the Recording Academy a waiver, it was unknown if the Grammy’s would take place.  WGA members pleaded with singers who also classify themselves as actors to boycott the Grammy ceremony.  Beyonce, Alicia Keys, Justin Timberlake, and Queen Latifah are included in the singer/actor category.  Many of those celebrities released statements saying that they would support the writers and not cross picket lines, if the strike was not resolved and a waiver was not granted. 

 On Jan. 18, 2008, Beyonce’s management released a statement saying the Grammy-winning singer would in fact perform at the telecast with or without the writers.  In the weeks leading up to Sunday’s telecast, the WGA granted a waiver allowing striking writers to work on material for the big show.  However, Beyonce has critisim from many fan sites including ,www.mediatakeout.com, for agreeing to perform at the show without a waiver or a strike resolution.  Beyonce, who is an accomplished writer herself, has appeared in numerous films such as “Dreamgirls,” “Austin Powers in Goldmember,” and “The Pink Panther.”  In 2007, Beyonce received a Golden-Globe Nomination for her work as struggling singer Deena Jones in the broadway remake “Dreamgirls.”

 Because of the agreement between the WGA and the Recording Academy Beyonce will not be in jeopardy of crossing the picket lines, however by simply agreeing to cross could affect future acting roles.  If I were Beyonce’s publicist, I would start by releasing a statement saying:

  “Ms. Knowles’ decision to perform at the Grammy Awards was reached after much thought and deliberation.  She felt torn between her two occupations; the singer wanted to perform and support the Grammy’s and the actress wanted to support the writers.  Ms. Knowles has always expressed that she is a singer first and then an actress. She felt compelled to support the Grammy’s because they have supported her career since she released her first album in 1998.  Being a writer herself, Ms. Knowles has the utmost respect for the writers and their cause, and prays that the strike is resolved in a fair and timely manner.”

 Following the statement, I would then urge Beyonce to show her support by agreeing to participate in writer’s rally and picket with them.  I would then urge Beyonce to go to schools and colleges with a press team, and stress the importance of writing, because without it the entertainment industry would not survive.