Pop Shots - Let’s Have Some Fun

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 hackers attempting to help Miley Cyrus win a very big honor, to Pharrell’s joy filled 24 hour music video, to our favorite person on Chatroulette making the “Wrecking Ball” video you didn’t know you needed to see, and since it’s Pop Shots you know everything is seasoned with a little bit of attitude.

* Because sometimes hackers are awesome, Time’s Person of the Year voting has hit a bit of a snag. More precisely, it’s been hit by a wrecking ball, as a couple fun loving hackers have made it so Miley Cyrus has taken a commanding lead in the race. Interestingly, Robin Thicke is not right behind her, grinding away.

* Kanye West continued his never-ending Make and Ass Out Of Myself During Interviews Tour, which hit multiple locations this past week, including Hot 97, Power 105, and Shade 45. While on air at the latter, Kanye exploded on industry veteran Sway when the radio host asked Kanye, “Why don’t you empower yourself, and do it yourself?” Kanye responded with the forever quotable answer, “You ain’t got the answers, Sway!” In a related story, Sway is totally invited to play Clue with my friends and I. We’ll let him put the cards for the person, place, and murder weapon, in the special envelope, so we can definitively say Sway has all the answers.

* Glee’s Lea Michelle, banking on the success her show had four years ago, will be making her debut album, Louder, available for pre-order on December 10th. The lead single off of Louder will be “Cannonball,” which is genius, because everybody knows if you want to make it in this business you have to remind everyone of an alt-rock classic you can’t possibly live up to.


* Pharrell released the world’s first 24-hour music video when his latest creation, “Happy,” hit the net on November 24th. Current executives at MTV heard about it and said, “24 hours of music videos? Who would ever want something like that?”

* Toy company GoldieBox has removed its promotional video that featured a parody of the Beastie Boys’ classic “Girls.” The company’s founder also plans on dropping the (insane) lawsuit GoldieBox filed against the group for the right to spoof the song, a lawsuit they filed after learning the Beastie Boys were threatening their own legal action for copyright infringement. A preemptive lawsuit? I’m tellin all a y’all, that was an attempt at sabotage!

* In much happier parody news, Seth Rogan and James Franco melted the internet last week with their shot for shot parody of Kanye West’s “Bound 2” video. By now everyone on the planet has seen the clip, but if you haven’t seen it side by side with the original, I have that for ya right here!


* In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Justin Bieber revealed Will Smith counsels him on a weekly basis. This is great, because we all know how well Jaden is turning out.

* The Muppets had a Thanksgiving special that featured, among others, Lady Gaga. In a related story, Lady Gaga can’t wait for you to see her new Muppet fur coat.

* Three years ago a man named Steve Kardynal won the internet over by spending a lot of time on Chatroulette lip syncing, and dancing to, Lady Gaga’s “Telephone.” The resultant video was internet gold, and although the clips he followed it with were also popular, nothing truly matched the “Telephone” video’s greatness until his just released clip where he gives the Chatroulette treatment to Miley Cyrus’ “Wrecking Ball.” My favorite aspect of the video is how many people start singing along, but in all honesty, the entire thing is completely amazing.


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