Kevin presents an uncharacteristic rant about music.

Happy Madonna's Birthday, everyone! And a blessed one it is.

Speaking of Madonna, and the pop music world that she dominates, I just wanted to give a quick endorsement to an album that I happen to have fallen in love with. I know it's totally uncharacteristic for me to talk about something that's not a movie or a gay-ass play, but Elvis Costello & Allen Toussaint's The River In Reverse is without a doubt the best CD you can buy/download (LEGALLY!) this year.

Since we're coming up on the one year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina- the inept, totally bungled response to which was an act of terrorism which, committed by the Bush administration mind you, was more damaging than anything that's come out of the Middle East in the past five years- and not only is Spike Lee launching a four-part HBO documentary on the subject, but this great album is one that can help the still-ongoing healing process. I'm mostly moved by it because, while there are several ballads ("Nearer To You" and "All These Things" being the most beautiful), this is an album that really wraps itself in the jaunty, ragtag, fuck-it-let's-all-dance spirit of New Orleans.

"Tears and More Tears," the A#1 awesomest song on the album (and of the year), is a horn-blaring tribute to a great city, and its aim isn't to wallow in self-pity. It's a song that wants you to get up, get mad, and make sure that what happened last summer doesn't happen again. "Who's Gonna Help A Brother," which Allen Toussaint takes all by himself (Smart move!), gives a whimsical, smart-ass edge to the issue of the contemporary poor in America.

OK, I'm going to stop now. BUT BUY THIS ALBUM. You'll adore it. Seriously. And please don't steal music, because it's important for artists (even successful ones) who contribute something constructive to society to be compensated for that. It's always the DE-structive, corporate element that makes the cash! Put the money back in the hands of the people who inspire us! OK. Done. No, really. Done.

OK. Love you all.
KEVIN :-)

PS- I JUST found out that Joe Henry produced River In Reverse. And Joe Henry is married, of course, to... MADONNA'S SISTER. Small effin' world, y'all!

The Ballad of Kevin Wanting To Get It On With Ali G

I saw Talladega Nights- The Ballad of Ricky Bobby this weekend, as it seems many other folks did, and if you were one of the lucky ones who did see it, you know why I just have to say...

SASHA BARON COHEN MOTHERFUCKING RULES MY SCHOOL.

Jean Girard, effete French race car driver and "villain" (I guess?) of the film, emerges from this hi-frickin'-larious movie, as an out of the blue mascot for gay equality. From his first appearance- playing fusion jazz and smoking a slim cigarette- he crystalizes every stereotype of a haughty, elitist fag that stupid, ignorant, ugly red state America believes in. But Talladega, and this is why I fucking love it so FUCKING much, doesn't hold Jean as a target of ridicule- The movie laughs at the attitudes of the other characters towards Jean, who's portrated as smart, symapthetic, and CAPABLE. Ricky Bobby and his crew learn to be scared of Jean! He's so good at what he does that he instills humility in cocky, swaggery America. If you haven't seen it, you MUST. Let's support portrayals of kick-ass gay men in mainstream frat boy movies!

AAAAHHHH! God, I fucking love this flick. Get me the GLAAD Media Awards on the phone, and start engraving Sasha Baron Cohen's name now.

Oh, and the sloppy kiss at the end wasn't too bad, either. Yay!

XOXO, Kevin :-)

PS- Disclaimer: Anchorman is totally still my favorite Will Ferrel movie, mind you, because it starts the only woman I'd ever marry.

PPS- I'd also like to campaign this fine film for the MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss.

From Montauk to Eternity

This weekend Kevin & Leigh (and some of this blog's biggest fans) went beachin' .