Pop Shots
Seeing Things
By: Adam Bernard
Last updated May 25th , 2011

Welcome to your weekly dose of pop world musings. This is actually a milestone week for us here as this is our 100th weekly dose of pop world musings, so put on a funny hat and party it up! Covering all things pop culture, this week, for our 100th edition, Pop Shots is hitting you with thoughts on everything from how people want to see Justin Bieber, to which artists we'll be seeing behind bars, to seeing red, or I guess technically orange, with some sound advice from a 90s one hit wonder, and since it's Pop Shots you know everything is seasoned with a little bit of attitude.

* The Justin Bieber biopic Never Say Never landed at number one on the DVD sales chart and number three on the Blu-ray sales chart this past week. What can we glean from this? Although young girls may long to see the Biebs in the flesh, the majority of the world is far more comfortable with him in 2D.

* The Billboard Awards happened over the weekend, and being that nearly every award is determined by sales numbers, nothing really surprising came from it. We did, however, get a glimpse of how sad the world has become when Beyonce was honored with the 2011 Billboard Millennium Award. A long list of people including Michelle Obama, Barbra Streisand, Lady Gaga, Bono and Stevie Wonder paid tribute to Jay-Z's wife because apparently being a teen singer who routinely kicked more talented, and prettier, girls out of her group that was managed by her daddy, and who eventually went on to see solo success with the help of the most popular rapper in the world, a man she'd eventually marry, is something to be emulated. Not to get on a soapbox here, but since when has becoming popular by any means necessary been an act worth honoring? Thankfully, judging by the name of the award, they'll only be giving it out once every thousand years.

* This week's country America should try to be more like is Japan. Japan, according to the tweets of Katy Perry, Japan took Russell Brand into custody and deported him for "priors from over ten years ago." Let us learn from this and find our own unique way to keep Russell Brand out of OUR country.

* Cali Swag District rapper M-Bone, of "Teach Me How to Dougie" fame, was killed in a drive by shooting last week. As of now police are saying M-Bone was a random victim of an unknown assailant. My guess is if we can round up all the people who are mad that they never really learned how to dougie we'll find the killer.

* In more rapper news, B.G., the man responsible for the phrase "Bling Bling," was indicted on gun and conspiracy charges last week. B.G. faces up to ten years for the gun charge and up to twenty for the conspiracy charge. If convicted, the police who arrested B.G. will take home the Captain Obvious Award, which will give them the authority to work a Phish concert and look for marijuana.

* Speaking of obvious, part time musician and full time drug addict Pete Doherty, who apparently has a band despite being known solely for his drug use, will be spending the next six months writing tunes in jail after pleading guilting to possession of cocaine. It was Doherty's 14th court appearance. Better luck next time, Pete. I hear with your 20th appearance you get a free sub. Just make sure the judge punches your card.

* In the 70s Joseph Brooks was known for writing the hit song "You Light Up My Life." Over the weekend he committed suicide while awaiting trail on charges of raping eleven women. Because the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, Brooks' song, Nicholas, was charged in January with the death of his own ex-girlfriend. They must have had the worst family reunions ever.

* Because I never like to end my column with morose topics like rape and murder, here's Vitamin C's 1999 song "Smile" to close things out.


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

[Tags] POP

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