HOT: Galapagos Island in the Sun
Guns N’ Roses is reportedly selling “VIP experience” packages for upcoming shows that cost $2,500 and doesn’t even include a meet-and-greet (though VIPs do get to take a photo on the empty stage!). Weezer was probably poking fun at such practices when it offered a $25,000 “Weezer Experience Bundle” pre-order for its forthcoming album that included a Greyhound bus trip to the Galapagos Islands to go bird watching with singer Rivers Cuomo. But now Cuomo may have to follow through and spend a potentially awkward vacation with a rich, probably weirdo superfan, after it was announced by the band that someone actually purchased the package.
WARM: Flat Man vs. Superman
Preeminent scientist B.o.B. (also a rapper) published a series of tweets recently that asserted (based, seemingly, on conspiracy-theory memes) that the Earth is flat. Talk show guest and TV host Neil deGrasse Tyson (also a scientist) got himself into the best Rap/astrophysicist feud ever when he tweeted alleged facts to debunk B.o.B. claim by claim. Tyson was snarkily gracious in his knowledge smack-down though, tweeting, “Being five centuries regressed in your reasoning doesn’t mean we all can’t still like your music.”
Here’s B.o.B.’s “diss track” in response to the quibbling:
Sadly, Tyson didn’t not lay down a cut-throat, but his nephew DID respond in kind:
COLD: Dumb Trumpism No. 2,200,234
Facts are something Donald Trump has a hard time understanding sometimes, as he’s shown with his knowledge of “how the U.S. government works” and the Bible. So it’s no surprise that The Donald dove headfirst into the current backlash against black actors and others who think the Oscars should make an effort to be more diverse. Responding to Stacey Dash’s comments about doing away with “divisive” things like Black History Month and the BET Awards (which launched a million “BET AWARDS = THE REAL RACISTS!” memes), Trump told Fox News he agreed, saying, “The whites don’t get any (BET Award) nominations.” Except when they do — just ask Iggy Azalea, Daft Punk, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Eminem, Robin Thicke, Justin Bieber, Sam Smith and Justin Timberlake.
This article appears in Jan 27 – Feb 3, 2016.