Pop Shots - Can You Remove This?

Welcome to your weekly dose of pop world musings. Covering all things pop culture, this week Pop Shots is hitting you with thoughts on everything from Rihanna’s unfortunate new tattoos, to Justin Bieber’s ability to get people to part with small organs, to Nickelback removing smiles from the faces of internet trolls, and since it’s Pop Shots you know everything is seasoned with a little bit of attitude.

* Rihanna (pictured above looking like the mentally challenged love child of Sideshow Bob and Sho’nuff) decided to make it very clear that she isn’t girlfriend material by tattooing “Thug Life” across her knuckles. The good news for Rihanna is that now she’ll be able to have a post-singing career reality show when she’s flat broke and forced to take in the Drake forehead girl as a roommate.

* Has listening to Justin Bieber ever made you want to rip out your spleen? Well, guess what? You are not alone! After Bieber heard from a young girl on Twitter who needs a lung transplant he tweeted out that people should become organ donors. Soon thereafter the Ontario-based Trillium Gift of Life Network saw donations rise to 1,200 people, which is more than four times the amount they normally receive. Bieber himself will be donating his balls... as soon as they finally drop.

* Demi Moore was hospitalized this past week for what was originally deemed exhaustion, but turned out to be a reaction to doing a few too many whippets. Far be it from me to judge anybody for wanting a nice blast of nitrous oxide from their can of Reddi-wip, but let’s be honest here, finding out Demi Moore does whippets kinda explains the whole marrying Ashton Kutcher thing.

* Because music competition reality shows pretty much rule the world, Simon Cowell, along with Will Smith’s Overbrook Entertainment, will be producing a talent competition to “find the world’s best DJ.” With Will Smith involved DJ Jazzy Jeff better be one of the judges. Throw in Pauly D and, even if they have crap DJs in the competition, it will be DVR worthy for the banter alone. You know what, the more I think about this the more I want to throw my hat in the ring to be a judge. C’mon Simon and Will, give me a shot!

* Tweet of the Week: @Chazraps Hey @Arbys! Longtime fan, even shot my album’s cover art at an Arby’s. Quick question: which Arby’s menu item should I buy Edie Brickell?

* Nickelback broke the internet’s version of the fourth wall on Twitter last week, lashing back at people who were making negative comments about them. The quips weren’t excessively mean, just retorts to the internet trolls who chose to insult the “Rock Star” band thinking Chad Kroeger and the boys would never reply back. Most would say no good can come from this. Of course, plenty more would say no good can come from Nickelback. And yes, I made that joke strictly to see if they’ll leave a reply in the comments section.

* In totally awesome and stupendous news, Ben Folds Five is back in the studio working on their long awaited fourth album. The band is looking at a spring release for what will be the follow up to 1999’s The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner. That’s pretty much all anyone knows right now, but as long as we get more of this I’ll be a happy camper.


And with that, my time is up for the week, but I'll be back next week with more shots on all things pop.