everybody wonders what you're
gonna to do . . .
Summer 2000
The VH1 and MTV Hanson
The List
July 14, 2000
VH1: The List has got to be my all-time favorite Hanson appearance . . .
ever!! First of all, it doesn't take long for people to become awed by Hanson's beefy
knowledge of musical history. The fact that their co-lister, Paula Cale, pretty much had a
stunned look on her face during the entire discussion and debate, is proof that she had
underestimated the power of what I am calling, "The Force." I also think it's an
obscure connection that they were "paired" with Paula Cale who is from the
television show, "Providence." Although, I've only seen this program once,
I believe that the last name of the main character is "Hansen." Strange.
If you didn't see the band's picks for "Best Pop
Album" yet, here's the list, including their pick for which album to eliminate:
Zac:
3. "August and Everything After" Counting Crows
2. "Pet Sounds" The Beach Boys
1. ""Thriller" Michael Jackson
Elimination: "River of Dreams"
Taylor:
3. "Deja Vu" Crosby, Stills and Nash
2. ""Joshua Tree" U2
1. "Best Ever" The Eagles
Elimination: "August and Everything After"
Isaac:
3. "Graceland" Paul Simon
2. "River of Dreams" Billy Joel
1. "Rubber Soul" The Beatles
Elimination: Soundtrack to "Saturday Night Fever" (Paula's pick)
Winners:
3. "Rubber Soul" The Beatles
2. "Like a Virgin" Madonna <-- Not suggested by a Hanson
1. "Thriller" Michael Jackson
That having been said, among my favorite moments of the
evening has got to be when I heard one of my favorite albums listed by a Hanson.
When Isaac started to say that a video from this album included Chevy Chase, I was like .
. . "Oh my gosh, he going to say 'Graceland!'" (Chevy Chase is in the "You
Can Call Me Al" video with Paul Simon). And when Zac went on to describe a
"popular album" as one where you like every single track, not just a couple and
the rest is crappy, I was like, "Wow! This is the way I describe this album to
friends." The evolution of my favorite albums are as follows: Soundtrack to
"Stand By Me," "Graceland," and then name any Hanson album.
Another favorite incident was when Zac and Taylor responded
to a girl who had emailed to suggest that "Middle of Nowhere" should have made
The List. Zac quickly stepped in to say: "I'll veto that myself." And then the
girl or Ashton (the very attractive host) went on to mention some unmusical opinions about
Hanson, Taylor responded with hand signals to dramatize his point: "There's a line
and you crossed it." ::grin::
I have so many things to say about this appearance.
Among them:
- "Could Taylor endear himself any more to adult
fans?" Please!! Who in their 20s and 30s does not own "Joshua
Tree?" I ask you!! And the Eagles? Come on!! (c; I've seen people
begging for the band to cover songs by the Eagles on other people's pages.
- Did you enjoy predicting the brothers' choices? How many
people were shouting out "Billy Joel" as Isaac struggled to articulate his 2nd
choice? We all know about the Hanson love for this musician! I guess the band
held back from naming Aerosmith since the list was, after all, about "popular
music" not "rock." Wouldn't the guys have loved to discuss that list?
(Aerosmith, Black Crowes, Queen, etc.)
- And, who can argue with Ms. Cale when she called Zac a
"14-year-old genius" for naming "Thriller?!" This was the album
that I thought would top the list of just about any millennium list of notable albums.
Although, I think VH1 voted an album by The Rolling Stones as #1 . . . hmmm
Finally, Hanson's performances of "If Only" and
"Sure About It" were the croutons and bacon bits on top of an incredible salad.
This was good television! (What happened to "My faucet's running and my car
got towed"? ::grin::)
Say What Karaoke? Finals
July 15, 2000
"There's a line and you crossed it." -- Taylor from The List
If The List was like dinner time at the Hanson
house with everybody trying to talk at once, but enjoying good conversation and occasional
teasing, then Say What Karaoke (SWK) was the living version of the bedtime story,
Where the Wild Things Are. Last Tuesday on TRL we all heard the
host, Dave Holmes, describe the Say What Karaoke Finals (that Hanson helped to
judge) as "sick!" and he said it over and over, "It was just sick!!"
We also heard Isaac make an astonishingly bizarre statement about Carmen Elektra and her
opinion of the sexiness of his ankles. Say what? Unfortunately, both of these
statements are explained more than clearly in the two hours that the Karaoke finalists
spent trying to impress the SWK judges: Teck (from The Real World), Carmen
Elektra (a.k.a. the ex Mrs. Dennis Rodman) and Hanson.
Believe me, on The List I didn't miss the Sharon
Stone comments or misunderstand what was happening when Ashton was "hamming it
up" with his shirt over his knee (If you didn't see this program, I'm not sure what
else to say, except that Paula Cale had just been sitting in his lap. ::ahem::). These
racy incidents, in my opinion, were amusing and somewhat harmless fun; whereas SWK crossed
the proverbial line and then just kept running.
I mean, I have always thought that there are just some
lyrics that are best left blurred in my mind . . . frankly, I wanted to get some
toothpaste for my television after I saw certain words scrolling across the bottom of my
screen. And does judging Karaoke give you license to speak every single impure
thought that comes across your mind, Teck? And finally, Jenelle (a finalist),
"Does Zac look like a paying customer at your own personal strip club?!!!" OH MY
GOSH!!
I didn't know if I should publish my reaction to this show
because I knew I would get into it and I wouldn't be able to quit. But let me say
what I enjoyed about the show. Hanson's good nature was so obvious when they:
- Vetoed the loosely fitting gold tube tops. Taylor innocently
told the performers wearing them that it looked like they hadn't quite practiced enough.
Translation: It might have looked smoother if the girls didn't have to make sure
the show remained PG (or was it PG-13?).
- Assured the contestants being cut that they were all
awesome. In fact, didn't Taylor tell Tiffany that she was "the bomb" after
he had just given the score to eliminate her? Amusing!
- Remained themselves and couldn't stop explaining their
decisions. Wasn't Isaac just completely "the Rambler" as usual? ::grin::
By now, we are all familiar with the facial
expression each of the brothers wears when encountered with inappropriate behavior. Isaac,
veiled amusement. Taylor, knowledgeable but slightly perplexed fatherly expression
(except when music is playing while it's happening, then he's all about clapping, waving
his arms and doing the head bob). Zac, calculated boredom unless it's genuinely funny then
he'll smirk.
Finally, my favorite moment of the day:
When Zac hit the gong and FINALLY eliminated the person who was treating him as if he were
the honored guest at a bachelor party. Hanson left the event with their dignity and
integrity tested, but somehow still in tact. But wouldn't you have paid to be a sand crab
on the floor of the Hanson van on the ride home?!!! Geeze, Oh Pete!!
P.S. For those of you didn't see the show,
Carmen Elektra seemed to be unusually interested in men's ankles and made several comments
about this part of some of finalists' anatomy. |