Pop Shots - Sign Here

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 Robin Thicke’s autograph session with the NYPD, to Cash Money signing a laundry list of veteran artists, to Wil Wheaton showing us a sign of the times, and since it’s Pop Shots you know everything is seasoned with a little bit of attitude.

* Robin Thicke was arrested for marijuana possession in New York City after being seen smoking pot in a Cadillac Escalade. Thicke decided not to go the Elijah Dukes, Hungry Hungry Hippos, route with his stash, and instead was “extremely cooperative” with the police. The cops issued the crooner a ticket, but first got a few autographs and pictures. So let it be known the NYPD sorta respects the law, be definitely respects artists whose music helps get them booty.

* Taylor Swift was invited to the prom. This probably happens a lot, but this particular invite came from a leukemia patient. A scheduling conflict made the prom inmpossible for Swift, but she came up with quite the alternative, inviting the young man to be her date to the American Country Music Awards. Am I the only one hoping he makes a pass at her just so Swift ends up writing a song about the cancer patient that grabbed her ass?

* Adele has taken advantage of an incredibly slow season for music and broken a Billboard chart record. When her album, 21, spent its 21st week at number one it broke the previous record for the longest running number one album by a woman, which had been held by Whitney Houston for the soundtrack to The Bodyguard. Adele’s a great singer, but I see a horrible ramification from this - girls everywhere now think complaining about their boyfriends will make them famous. Curse you, Adele!

* It was reported that despite spending over half a million dollars in 2010, Kanye West's "charity" used none of it for charitable purposes. Jay-Z wasn't much better, apparently only giving 6K to charity in 2010, a year in which he earned $63 million. Both, however, will allow poor people to watch their throne... you know, as long as they don't get too close, and no touching!

* In moron news, Rihanna has collaborated with her former abuser, Chris Brown. Brown’s verse on the remix to Rihanna’s “Birthday Cake” oozes the kind of class we’ve come to expect from him with lines like “girl, I wanna f*ck you right now. Been a long time, I’ve been missing your body.” With Shakespearian prose like that it’s no wonder Rihanna’s heart has re-melted all over again. Kinda makes you miss the innocence of 90s teen pop, doesn’t it?

* Because Birdman has so much money he probably has a Scrooge McDuck type of room where he swims in gold coins, the music mogul decided to add Limp Bizkit to his Cash Money Records roster, and may be adding Ashanti next. This comes on the heels of signing Busta Rhymes. It’s almost as if Birdman has no idea it isn’t 2002 anymore. Either that or he’s not signing these artist to record albums, but instead has inked them to be his new interns. I know what you’re thinking, because I’m thinking it, too - BEST REALITY SHOW EVER!

* In a story that will make you want to take a shower, someone snuck a camera into Whitney Houston’s funeral, took a picture of her open casket, and sold it to the National Enquirer. Congratulations creepy photographer person, you’ve earned yourself a sizable check, and a ranking on the social scale that’s one above grave robber.

* Sometimes the Olympics go by quickly, some might even say they go by in a blur, which is the only conceivable reason I can think of for Blur to be playing London’s Hyde Park at a concert that coincides with the closing ceremony of this years’ Olympic games. Blur’s greatest hits album could be a cassingle without a b-side, which means the closing ceremonies will probably last far longer than the concert.

* Tweet of the Week: @willw I just got a busy signal on the phone. I'm going to put on some Reebok Pumps and a Hypercolor T-shirt to celebrate.

* Finally, for some reason Bobby McFerrin’s “Don’t Worry Be Happy” got stuck in my head the other day. Today I’m passing along the happy little tune to you. Enjoy!


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