entertainmentdissected

Bruce Springsteen- seen here at a press conference discussing his Super Bowl Halftime Show - has no competition for the No. 1 slot on the albums charts next week. (picture courtesy of AP/Morry Gosh)

All-American musical hero Bruce Springsteen is set to dethrone the current It Girl on the Billboard 200.

Hits Daily Double projects that Springsteen’s Working on a Dreamwill sell in the neighborhood of 225,000-250,000 in its first week, ending the eight-week reign of Taylor Swift’s Fearless.

Swift’s run is the longest for a female act this decade, topping the six weeks logged by Norah Jones’ Feels Like Home. The last female album to spend longer than eight weeks at No. 1 was Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little Pill, which reigned for 12 weeks back in 1995. The last album of any sort to hold on top for longer than eight weeks was Usher’s Confessions, which spent nine weeks at the summit.

With album sales continuing to drop, Swift unlikely will come anywhere near the level of sales enjoyed by Morissette and Usher (both sold more than 10 million copies).

Among country albums, Fearless’ domination is the longest since Garth Brooks’ The Hits also spent eight weeks atop the Billboard 200. The last country album to dominate the chart longer was back in 1992, when Miley’s dad, Billy Ray Cyrus, logged 17 weeks on top.

But, back to The Boss. Springsteen’s new record will become ninth No. 1 album, as well as his 16th top 10 album, the latter feat tying him with Johnny Mathis and Elton John for most top 10 albums. Only eight other acts have racked up more top 10 albums in the rock era- the Rolling Stones, Frank Sinatra, the Beatles, Barbra Streisand, Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney (and Wings) and Madonna.

On the No. 1 albums front, all Springsteen will need is one more to tie Presley and rapper Jay-Z for having the second-most No. 1 albums. The Beatles are way out in front, with 19.

The Boss has a huge- and fitting- gig this coming Sunday, playing the Halftime Show at Super Bowl 43. If viewers like what they hear, they could run to their computer and buy a copy from their favorite online digital store. In the past, such impact would not be felt until the following chart, but thanks to iTunes and other online outlets, consumers don’t have to leave the house to experience instant musical gratification.

Now, if only consumers would start buying more digital albums, to compensate for the decline in CD sales. Perhaps in time…

In a hardly shocking turn of events, this year’s Oscar nominees do not include The Dark Knight as a contender for Best Picture.

Apparently, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences couldn’t get past the fact that Knight is a superhero movie. If it could, Batman’s epic film would have found itself as one of the five nominees.

The buzz was that Knight and Doubt were going to vie for the fifth slot, with the four shoo-in’s being The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Frost/Nixon, Milk and Slumdog Millionaire. Instead, out of nowhere, Kate Winslet’s The Reader took the fifth slot. Go figure.

(Knight expectedly garnered several technical award nominations. And, like the film, director Christopher Nolan got snubbed.)

Revolutionary Road, Winslet’s reunion with Leonardo DiCaprio, received pre-release Oscar buzz, but when the film hit, the mixed critical reception hurt its Oscar potential. Winslet nonetheless won the Best Actress Golden Globe for her Revolutionary role, and the Supporting Actress prize for The Reader.

Oscar voters, however, chose to recognize Winslet’s Reader performance in the Best Actress category, after pretty much every Oscar predictor out there thought her Revolutionary turn would get the nod.

Just when you think you have Oscar all figured out, he pulls an oddity out of his hat. Kinda like back in the early 1990s, when Marisa Tomei won Best Supporting Actress for her comedic role in My Cousin Vinny. It was a strong, effective performance- but Oscar-worthy, competing against other actress’ dramatic roles? Voters must have thought so.

Will the Academy reward Tomei again this year? She’s up for the same prize for her heralded role in Mickey Rourke’s The Wrestler. if she wins this time out, it will be the dramatics that do the trick. Naysayers won’t be able to scratch their heads wondering why THAT girl won.

The women of Desperate Housewives’ Wisteria Lane house lots of bitchiness under those smiles. (picture courtesy of ABC/Randee St. Nicholas) 

In case anyone was concerned when the new television season started four months ago, they needn’t had been- bitchiness still reigns on Wisteria Lane.

ABC’s Desperate Housewivesended its fourth season (continuing into its fifth) by fast-forwarding five years, and in the process, it’s been business as usual. On Sunday night’s episode, while locked in a storage room together, Susan and Edie engaged in a near-catfight, that, being a fan of the Alexis-Krystal battles on Dynasty, left me wanting more.

Resident bitch Edie Britt taunted Susan Mayer about her inability to make it without a man, while Susan retaliated by playing the “Edie-is-a-tramp-who-uses-and-discards-men-like-tissues” card. After telling Susan about her miserable-excuse-for-a-father, Susan proceeded to hug Edie, saying that she now understood why she is the way she is, because of her father. Edie reacted by slapping a stunned Susan; Susan then pushed Edie, who comically fell against some boxes and clothes that ended up attacking her in their own right. Edie and Susan, however, ended up bonding before someone came to their rescue, showing that the two women- for as much as they fight at every given chance- share a caring and understanding of each other (even moreso now).

Meanwhile, with no-longer-blind Carlos back working in the business world, Gabrielle Solis had a helluva time at home trying to control her two daughters. In fact, at her wit’s end, she resorted to having a passer-by come inside the house and scare the girls into doing what Gabi wanted them to do. Telling the girls that daddy sent the mean man was a classic- and most importantly, bitchy- Gabrielle move, as was forcing Carlos to return to a job he hated simply because it paid six figures. In her defense (somewhat), she spent the last several years taking care of him (as his sight was gone) and the kids, and she’s done without the expensive and fancy lifestyle she once enjoyed. So, let’s cut her some slack- she’s shown she has a heart, but she’s still a great, superficial bitch, which is why we love her.

Viewers learned why Lynette Scavo’s mother, Stella, has such a beef with her daughter, so much so that she let Lynette’s runaway son Porter stay with her, without telling Lynette about it. Prior to the five-year jump, Stella had moved in with her gay ex-husband; turns out he passed away, and her lifestyle became a little out of control. In turn, Lynette checked Stella into a retirement home and hasn’t visited that often (Lynette cited mom’s continuous anger and unpleasant attitude). Lynette managed to her mom and son into thinking she had been in a car accident, leading them to the hospital, and Lynette told her mother that she learned such a cruel trick from the best- her. By episode’s end, though, Lynette and Stella came to an understanding, and were enjoying each other’s company once again.

Bree Hodge, the queen of subtle bitchiness, encountered someone who calls her when she crosses a line or whenever she is rude- Alex, her son Andrew’s boyfriend (who he plans on wedding). Bree had some trouble with the concept at first, but warmed to the idea when, after an argument, Alex told Bree to keep the house she bought him and Andrew (to keep her son close-by). Bree later encouraged Alex to be that person who calls her out and to stay nearby, to which Alex happily obliged.

While not scheming or engaging in cat fights and family battles, Katherine Mayfair probably is doing about the bitchiest thing one can do- dating her friend Susan’s ex-husband, Mike Delfino. Susan came to terms with it, but, still- not the classiest moment on Katherine’s part.

Bitchiness isn’t confined to the female residents of Wisteria Lane, however. Carlos always has fared pretty well during his War-of-the-Roses exchanges with Gabrielle; and, Edie’s crazed husband, Dave, continues worming his way into Mike’s good graces, waiting for the opportune moment to carry out his revenge on his good buddy. See, Dave’s wife and child were killed in an auto accident a few years back, and it happened to be Mike who was driving the car that hit Dave’s wife (who, from the looks of it, was at fault- but, no matter to Dave). Dave had a mental breakdown after his loss, proceeded to marry Edie and, now, continues plotting (and subtly handling anyone who’s bothersome to his goals or what he wants).

Hey, nothing says the guys too can’t have their conniving, scheming moments in the Wisteria Lane Sun.

Are we prepared for yet another season of karaoke-like warbling? How about some kooky Paula Abdul behavior, or the countless “yo dawg’s” we’ll hear out of Randy Jackson’s mouth?

FOX’s American Idol begins its eighth season tomorrow evening, and, judging by the previews, Simon Cowell undoubtedly will utter the word “awful” about as frequently as we’ll hear Randy saying, “yo dawg!”

However, Idol producers have promised that there will be less of the terrible auditions shown than in past seasons- which is good or bad news depending on one’s tastes. To compensate, we’ll be seeing more of the Hollywood-round competition, and instead of a top 24, it will be a top 36 vying for the American Idol title.

The biggest news this season is the addition of a fourth judge, songwriter and Abdul pal, Kara DioGuardi. From what I’ve read and seen, she’s not going to be a gush-queen like Abdul- and, she actually has a decent singing voice. So, the woman’s gonna know what she’s talking about.

Not that we want Abdul and her quirkiness to go anywhere. FOX insists she is staying, and that Idol has wanted to have four judges for some time (it had been attempted before, with New York DJ and rapper Angie Martinez- though she bailed when she couldn’t handle seeing failed contestants leave in tears).

Have your earplugs handy for the season premiere- in these early weeks (and possibly beyond), you’ll probably need them more often than not.

Gran Torino opened big at the box office this weekend, finishing comfortably ahead of its competitors. Here, Clint Eastwood attends the movie premiere late last year. (picture courtesy of AFP/Getty Images File/Alberto E. Rodriguez)

He may not have had any major Golden Globe nominations this weekend, but Clint Eastwood’s latest double-duty outing (as actor and director) had little competition at the box office, giving the legendary star the biggest opening of his career.

Gran Torino- a tale of a grumpy, unhappy man and Hmong immigrants- earned an estimated $29 million from 2,808 U.S. and Canadian theaters, fending off challenges from the Anne Hathaway-Kate Hudson chick flick Bride Wars and horror entry The Unborn.

Like previous Eastwood films The Bucket List and Million Dollar Baby, Torino enjoyed several weeks of limited engagements before opening wide. The film also has fared well critically, with an average score of 72 (based on 33 reviews) at www.metacritic.com.

Bride Wars pulled in an estimated $21.5 million from 3,226 theaters, while The Unborngrossed an estimated $21.1 million from 2,357 multiplexes. Both flicks have fared miserably with critics, with Metacritic averages of 25 and 31, respectively.

Two-weekend champ Marley & Medropped to No. 4, with an estimated $11.4 million, bringing its cume to nearly $124 million. Jennifer Aniston’s ex- Brad Pitt- was next in line with The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, which dropped to an estimated $9.5 million, for a to-date tally of roughly $94.3 million.

Opening in ninth place was Not Easily Broken, which despite opening in just 724 theaters, earned an estimated $5.6 million. Like Bride Wars, women comprised most of the audience, and also didn’t score all that well with critics, averaging a 42 at the Metacritic site.

Several bankable-male holiday-release vehicles continued to tumble. Adam Sandler’s Bedtime Stories will become another $100 million-plus hit for the comedian, though it tumbled another 58% to an estimated $8.6 million. Tom Cruise’s Valkyrie dipped roughly 53 percent to $6.7 million (and $71.5 million to date), while Jim Carrey’s Yes, Man was right behind with an estimated $6.2 million (roughly $89.4 million cume). 

However, the most disappointing bankable-male release this season undoubtedly is Will Smith’s Seven Pounds. Down another 61 percent or so, the film has grossed nearly $67 million to date- rather lackluster for the man whose last eight films each earned more than $100 million at the domestic box office.

Meanwhile, Slumdog Millionaire- which won each of the four categories it was up for at the Golden Globe Awards (including Best Picture- Drama)- dipped just 21 percent to an estimated $3.7 million ($34.1 million to date).

Two films whose actors won Globe prizes remain in limited release- Best Actress winner Kate Winslet’s Revolutionary Road pulled in an estimated $1.4 million from 135 theaters ($3.2 million to date), while Best Actor winner Mickey Rourke’s The Wrestler collected $864,000 from play at 60 locations. Incidentally, Winslet also picked up the Best Supporting Actress tropy for The Reader, yet another film that continues to play in lesser release (it grossed an estimated $1.35 million from 507 theaters over the weekend, bringing its cume to $5.5 million).

Aside from box office grosses, the biggest buzz in the movie biz is next week’s announcement of Oscar nominees. Will The Dark Knight emerge as a best Picture contender? As widely expected, the late Heath Ledger won Best Supporting Actor at the Globes- and Oscar likely will follow suit. The film- which was shut out of the Best Picture race at the Globes- is as deserving of a nomination as Ledger was.

But, if for some reason Knight falls short of an Oscar nomination, it and everyone involved always can find comfort in the film’s $531 million-plus box office haul.

 Take that, Slumdog Millionaire.

(CORRECTION: In a post from last week- http://entertainmentdissected.today.com/2009/01/07/it-may-not-be-soap-strong-but-benson-still-worth-a-look/- I wrote that Soap had been nominated for the Outstanding Comedy Series Emmy each of its four seasons; it actually was not nominated fo the prize in its second season).

While UK publication Music Week mentioned the release of Madonna’s forthcoming compilation as happening in the first quarter, a reliable source tells me it’s not happening during that time frame after all- supposed “difficulties.”

However, that’s no need to cease from posting my tracklisting for a double-disc release. Compiling a single disc of music spanning Madonna’s 25-year career was difficult, but I did so several days back (http://entertainmentdissected.today.com/2009/01/05/compiling-madonna-tracklisting-an-arduous-task/), with what I felt were key, essential tracks in defining her artistry.

While I feel my tracklisting would be a good representation, I’d much rather see a double disc (at the least) issued- and, hopefully, Warner Music follows suit, whenever it decides to release it.

To go along with the 21 tracks I put on a single disc, I offer 17 additional that would snugly cap off a second. Some albums have pretty heavy representation (I include five of the debut’s nine tracks, all five of the True Blue singles, etc.), but it’s what I feel encompass essential Madge.

What follows is my full tracklisting, which includes commentary for the 17 additional tracks:

1. Everybody: Madge hit the clubs with this debut single, which failed to crack Billboard’s Hot 100 (though it bubbled under, peaking at No. 107). The theme would become quintessential Madonna- “dance and sing, get up and do your thing.” “Everybody” was just one track on her eponymous debut that would set the pace for dance-pop to come over the next 25 years.

2. Burning Up: The second single to be culled from Madonna, this 12-inch release was backed with “Physical Attraction,” and was Madge’s first video to be aired on MTV. The song found itself part of the 2004 re-Invention Tour, as well as last ywar’s Rock and Hall of Fame induction ceremony: Iggy Pop and The Stooges stood in for Madge on stage, and performed this and “‘Ray of Light.”

3. Holiday                                                                                                                                  4. Borderline

5. Lucky Star: Taking inspiration from a nursery rhyme, this track hit the top five in 1984, and continues to be one of Madonna’s most-played recurrent tracks in the USA. This was the first instance of Madonna using music video as a means to cultural domination.  Wriggling, grinding and gyrating, Madonna- with THAT belly button in tow- also gave a first look at the style that would be embodied by an endless stream of “wanna-be’s” (both everyday people and wanna-be pop stars). From this point on, it would be a challenge to hear those opening-note chords of any Madge song (the whole song, in fact) and not think of its accompanying videoclip. This is where the woman’s simultaneous audio and visual stranglehold on our collective consciousness began.  

6. Like a Virgin                                                                                                                         7. Material Girl                                                                                                                         8. Crazy for You                                                                                                                         9. Into the Groove

10. Dress You Up: Left off The Immaculate Collection, this track received some notoriety for its inclusion in the “Filthy 15″ tracks cited by the Parents Music Resource Center (an organization led by Al Gore’s wife, Tipper). Apparently, PMRC didn’t like the fashion-sex connection. On the endurance side, ”Dress You Up” ususally gets more U.S. radio play in a week than “Like a Virgin.”

11. Live to Tell                                                                                                                        12. Papa Don’t Preach

13. True Blue: The title track to Madge’s third album also got shafted when it was time to compile The Immaculate Collection tracklisting, despite reaching No. 3 on the Hot 100 and No. 1 in the UK. “True Blue” is one of those rare, Madonna-giddy-in-love songs, taking its sonic cue from 60’s songs like “Chapel of Love.”

14. Open Your Heart                                                                                                             15. La Isla Bonita

16. Who’s That Girl: Despite hitting No. 1 in both the USA and UK, the title track from the flop film was another Immaculate Collection-less track. Recurrent airplay for this track has been mild, to say the least (as it has for the next track).

17. Causing a Commotion: If “Who’s That Girl” couldn’t make the cut on The Immaculate Collection, there was no chance for this track, which peaked in the runner-up slot on the Hot 100. On tour when this track hit the charts, Madonna didn’t even bother filming a video.

18. Like a Prayer                                                                                                                    19. Express Yourself

20. Cherish: A light-hearted, bouncy track that winks at old-school love songs of the 1960’s (thematically similar in nature to the earlier ‘True Blue”), there wasn’t much culturally notable about this No. 2 hit itself- though Madonna made the accompanying videoclip memorable by playing with gender roles. As Madge frolics on the beach, it’s mermen who bellyfloip around the water. The video’s imagery of Madonna as a maternal figure to a young merboy was at odds with some of the lyrics, but that just added to the allure. Not the first or last time Madonna enjoyed leaving things open to viewer interpretation.

21. Vogue                                                                                                                                 22. Justify My Love

23. This Used to Be My Playground: This lush ballad- heard in Madonna’s baseball film A League Of Their Own- became Madge’s 10th No. 1 in summer 1992. Anyone who was fooled into thinking Madonna was headed toward family-friendly territory needn’t have looked any further than what came after “Playground” ran its course- the simultaneous release of the Sex book and Erotica album…

24. Erotica: Right at the direct opposite end of the spectrum compared to “This Used to Be My Playground,” “Erotica” sizzled with S&M lyrics and, thanks to the steamy video- imagery. The video actually served as a mini-soundtrack to the Sex book, featuring outtakes from the various shoots. Upon initial release, MTV played the clip just once (after midnight), but the lack of exposure didn’t stop the single from vaulting to No. 3 on the Hot 100. Howerver, “Erotica” ususally registers no recurrent play in an average week  at U.S. radio.

25. Rain: Madonna returned to the Hot 100’s top 15 with this fourth single from Erotica, following the disappointing No. 36 peak of prior single, “Bad Girl.”

26. I’ll Remember: Madge made a return to the top 10 with the theme from With Honors, which logged four weeks in the runner-up position on the Hot 100. While a pleasant and enjoyable track, it- like This Used to Be My Playground-is not as essential or great as some other big hits, hence my leaving them off the single-disc tracklist.

27. Secret: The lead single from Bedtime Storiespeaked at No. 3 on the Hot 100 and receives so-so recurrent U.S. airplay. However, it’s a relatively low-key track (in original form), so it wouldn’t make my single-disc tracklisting, but definitely belongs on this expanded edition.

28. Take a Bow

29. Human Nature: This answer song- the fourth single from Bedtime Stories- followed the even riskier “Bedtime Story.” Neither track cracked the top 40, but this one stands as a Madonna mantra (both the track’s message and clever video, which features Madonna in latex garb- imagine that), and definitely belongs on a career-spanning double disc, despite its lack of success and recurrent airplay.

30. You’ll See: The lead single from the ballads compilation Something to Remember, this video sequel to “Take a Bow” reached No. 6 on the Hot 100, but has dipped in recurrent play, some weeks failing to garner a single spin at radio.

31. Don’t Cry For Me Argentina: The classic ballad version didn’t get much airplay (only at AC), but it was the Miami Mix that helped push the Evitatrack into the Hot 100’s top 10. The ballad version appeared on GHV2, so the dance mix should get the exposure on a double-disc compilation.

32. Frozen: Somewhat overshadowed by “Ray of Light,” this lead single from the Ray of Lightalbum fared pretty well, peaking at No. 2 on the Hot 100 (and No. 1 in the UK), but has somewhat been forgotten by U.S. radio in the recurrent life.

33. Ray of Light                                                                                                                      34. Music                                                                                                                                 35. Don’t Tell Me                                                                                                                   36. Die Another Day                                                                                                              37. Hung Up                                                                                                                            38. 4 Minutes

As Zany Betty- erm, make that Ugly Betty - America Ferrera finds herself making bad choice after bad choice. Sadly, Betty’s latest series of questionable choices ends up hitting way too close to la casa. (image courtesy of ABC-TV)

Family obligations and career advancement sometimes lock horns in a person’s life, and such conflict was on display in this evening’s episode of Ugly Betty.

Betty Suarez, affectionately portrayed by America Ferrera, got herself into a mess, allowing Mode magazine’s competition- namely Elle- the opportunity to kidnap a dress that was to be worn by Keira Knightley on an upcoming Mode cover. See, in the midst of a night out collecting 40 business contacts to appease her idol- Young Editors in Training (YETI) editor Jodie Papadakis (guest star Bernadette Peters)- she got buddy-buddy with an Elle assistant named Teri (played by Hairspray’sNikki Blonksy), and inadvertently left her cell phone for Teri’s prying eyes. Teri, in turn, found out where to pick up the dress, before Betty had the chance to do so.

While Betty’s sister Hilda felt that she and her sister weren’t as close lately as they had been (Betty had broken a couple of family obligations, and she hadn’t been around much to help Hilda with the official- and legal-launch of her beauty salon/supplies shop), Betty made matters worse. When an opportunity arose for her to reclaim the dress, Betty left Hilda’s celebratory bash, promising to be right back, but Hilda wasn’t having it- she told her not to bother coming back.

Careers are important, without a doubt. But, Betty was letting what should be the most important thing in her life take a backseat to her job. She even tried to justify the behavior by saying that if for the betterment of her career, that means she misses a couple of family events, so be it. Uh huh- suuurrreeee.

Of course, being television, Ugly Bettywriters crafted one of the worst scenarios to make its point. While at a Wilhemina Slater party (no assistant has ever been invited to a Wilhemina Slater party!), Betty sees a phone call from Hilda, and puts her cell phone on silent mode. Later when she checks her calls, she sees Hilda tried calling numerous times. Turns out their father had a heart attack, and Betty races to the hospital to be at his bedside.

Will this unfortunate incident help Betty realize that her job and career advancement mean squat if she loses her family? It’s almost a certainty, but hopefully Papi Suarez won’t be sacrificed to drive that point home even more forcefully.

Will Wilhemina get her man? If so, as shocking as it sounds, it won’t be as a result of her usual conniving and scheming antics.  (image courtesy of ABC-TV)

In the meantime, Wilhemina (portrayed by the devilishly delicious Vanessa Williams) pushed Daniel to pursue Connor’s fiance, Molly. Daniel makes it known that he knows Wilhemina has more than a professional interest in Connor, but that she need not fret- he won’t hold being human against her. By episode’s end, Molly declares to Daniel that she broke up with Connor, and Connor shows up at Wilhemina’s door, where he grabs her and the two kiss passionately.

While it’s a hoot seeing Williams camp it up as uber-bitch Wilhemina, it’s also refreshing to see she indeed does have a sensitive, human side, something that’s been hinted at more than once this season (recall her visit to surrogate mother Christina’s hospital room when Christina had been pushed down a flight of stairs).

How long will Wilhemina’s bout with humanness last? Hopefully long enough to see how a Wilhemina-in-love behaves; but, we don’t want her going all soft on us. After all, a diva sans attitude, bitchiness and sass isn’t much of a diva at all.

ABC’s Soap spin-off, Benson, hit the small screen in 1979- oddly, it outlasted its superior parent series by three seasons . (image courtesy of www.collectiblesofthegame.com)

Thirty years ago this year, one of television’s most outrageous and controversial series spun off its wisecracking black butler.

Benson DuBois left the confines of the Tate household on ABC’s Soap and landed his own sitcom in the fall of 1979. Robert Guillaume portrayed the title character, who moved to Gov. Jean Gatling’s mansion in an unidentified state (though it could have been Connecticut or close to it, since that’s where Gatling’s cousin, Soap’s Jessica Tate, resided). 

Unlike its parent series (which spoofed daytime soap operas), Benson was virtually controversy-free and not much of a sitcom groundbreaker; none of the cross-dressing, homosexuality, left-to-right infidelities, mob activities, murder investigations, priest-girl romances, devil possessions and spaceship encounters that dominated the proceedings on Soap. Even though the show centered around a governor’s mansion, the show itself didn’t offer itself as much of a political mantle.

Rather, as head of household affairs, Benson tried to ensure that everything ran smoothly, amidst quarrels with Gretchen Kraus (the feisty German cook/housekeeper) and the governor’s political aide (whether Taylor in season one or Clayton thereafter), as well as being a second father to the governor’s young daughter and putting up with his boss’ daftness (a common trait in that family- witness Jessica Tate).

While never a big ratings hit (it barely cracked Nielsen’s top 25 in its inaugural season), Benson enjoyed a seven-year run and earned Guillaume an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (he previously had won a Supporting Actor statue for his work on Soap).

Benson’s first season hit DVD last year, though no plans have been announced as of yet for for a second season release. All four season of Soap have been released, so that works in Benson’s favor (though Soap was a bigger ratings hit, finishing in the top 25 for three of its four seasons, and also enjoyed more acclaim, receiving an Emmy nomination as Outstanding Comedy Series in each of its four seasons).

Is Benson essential viewing for avid television watchers? Probably not. But, like some other non-threatening sitcoms that enjoyed lengthy runs, it offered enough entertaining, humorous and sardonic moments to make it a watchable 22 minutes and change on a weekly basis (as well as in syndication or on DVD).

Now, if anyone can offer a reason- besides the Olsen Twins- as to why Full House lasted as long as it did, do tell. It’s one thing for a show to have cutesy moments and be non-threatening in every way, but to build an entire series concept around it, not to mention an entire night of programming (the TGIF Friday night lineup concept that ABC debuted in the late 80s), and to last as long as Full House did… some matters still boggle the mind.

Batman could race off with a gold statue if Adademy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences voters place The Dark Knight  in the running for Best Picture at this year’s Academy Awards. (Image courtesy of Warner Bros/Associated Press)

Big whoop that the Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild awards failed to nominate The Dark Knight for Best Picture and best ensemble cast, respectively.

Just in time to gain some Oscar momentum before ballots close January 12, Batman and Company this week received a Best Picture nod from the Producers Guild of America.

In competing for the PGA award, The Dark Knight will try fending off likely Oscar contenders The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Frost/Nixon, Milk and Slumdog Millionaire.

PGA recognition for The Dark Knight could only help the commercial and critical smash land among the Academy Awards’ Best Picture nominees; also boding well for the superhero flick is Entertainment Weekly this week giving the fifth Best Picture slot to The Dark Knight in its Oscar nominations forecasting. (The Dustin Hoffman-Meryl Streep film Doubt could threaten for the fifth Oscar slot).

If director Christopher Nolan’s Batman saga ends up as an Oscar finalist when nominations are announced January 22, it will be a major triumph for a genre that, in the past, has been shafted for categories outside technical wizardry. Sure, some superhero capers have scored well with both movie audiences and critics alike (Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2 and Iron Man being three in recent memory), but none have received as much Oscar buzz as The Dark Knight.

Part of the reason Knighthas resonated as it has with audiences and critics is that it goes beyond comic book fluff, and takes us into a brutally dark and tragic world; we’re invested in the characters and how they’re impacted by the carnival of crime delivered by the diabolical Joker (brilliantly embodied by likely Best Supporting Actor Oscar winner, the late Heath Ledger). And we’re engrossed by the double life Bruce Wayne (portrayed by Christian Bale) carries on, despite the personal ramifications he endures as result of donning the batsuit- whether it be his reputation, romantic possibilities or being plain misunderstood. 

As Bruce Wayne, he publicly projects a nonchalant, playboy millionaire facade, but the audience knows better- the demons of his youth continue haunting him (witnessing his parents’ murder), continue driving him to rid Gotham City of the filthy, rotten scoundrels that plague the metropolis. And as Bruce’s love interest Rachel understood (despite wanting to believe otherwise), Bruce and the Bat share an unbreakable bond, one that takes precedence over the very idea of finding love and happiness.

Here’s hoping The Dark Knight becomes the first superhero/comic book feature film to snare a Best Picture Oscar nod. It’s the perfect combination popcorn/art house movie- it’s a thrill ride that also rips at the strings of your heart and emotions- sort of like another commercial and critical blockbuster that managed to snag the Best Picture Oscar in 1998 (Titanic, of course).

Unfortunately for Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, their latest film collaboration- Revolutionary Road- just may get shut out of the Oscar race by Batman. Whether or not their hearts go on following the potential disappointment is another matter.

Following my post on Madonna’s upcoming career-spanning hits compilation, someone asked me what my ideal tracklisting would encompass.

Like I said, limiting the collection to one disc would not do Madonna or her musical output much justice. With so many terrific and template-making hits, how could a listing of, say, 21 songs represent such a rich history without that history feeling somewhat incomplete? As it stands, 1990’s The Immaculate Collection is a near-perfect compilation of era-defining tracks- but, that leaves out 16 years of hits from the 1992-2008 period, so as strong a tracklisting Immaculate boasts, it doesn’t tell the whole musical story.

With as many hits as Madonna’s had since 1983, she could easily fill two discs, and comfortably spill over to a third. But, not all of the hits would be *essential*- think No. 1 hits like “Who’s That Girl” and “This Used to Be My Playground.” Neither of those get much in the way of recurrent airplay on U.S. radio stations, and neither are that regarded as one of her most beloved tracks. Same goes for some of the dozens of hits she’s scored through the years.

With that in mind, I shall attempt to compile my ideal, one-disc, career-spanning Madonna album. It’s possible that one or two previously unreleased tracks could make the cut, but I’m sticking strictly with the oldie-but-goodies. These 21 tracks encompass the cultural and musical hurricane that has been and is Madonna- huge, fondly remembered hits, that continue to be staples on U.S. radio, and/or engrained themselves into the cultural consciousness via audio, visual or persona-defining means.

I’m aware that a single CD holds a maximun 80 minutes of music, so I leave the editing challenge to Warner Bros.

(And, yes, in case you were wondering, it pains to leave off any of the 15 Immaculate Collection classics. But for this purpose, “Lucky Star” and “Cherish”- as fine and enduring as they are- bit the dust).

1. Holiday: Not even close to being one of Madonna’s biggest chart hits (topping off at No. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100), this track stands as one of her signature tunes and has endured as a timeless anthem. Fun, frothy, celebratory- at its heart, it’s lose-yourself bliss. But even among the light-heartedness, there’s a message: Coming together, unity, peace and harmony. That puts it a few steps ahead of an earlier, similarly themed track like Kool & the Gang’s “Celebration.” Furthermore, it remains the most-performed track of her career- no wonder she gave it a vacation from her last two tours. No doubt it will be back on the setlist in the future (and as more than a request singalong like it was on a couple of 2008 Sticky & Sweet Tour stops).

2. Borderline: Boy-girl romance- it’s a classic theme in the pop arena, and Madonna’s take on it was played out in this tune and video, her first American top 10 hit. Here, she’s a gal who longs to be happy with her lover, but gets wise to his mistreatment. Even from the start, she was no one’s “boy toy.” The video also offered a contrast in lifestyle and male figures- the barrio and the machismo Hispanic boyfriend vs. the glamorous life and pure-bred white male who seemingly could make her a star and give her everything. Whether the song is about an orgasm, as once suggested, is left to interpretation. Often regarded as one of the best tunes and clips of the 80s, the song, like most of Madonna’s 80s hits, is synonymous with its decade, and remains one of her most-heard classics on U.S. radio.

3. Like a Virgin: This signature track- the first of 12 Hot 100 No. 1 hits- had huge impact even before its release, thanks to Madonna’s 1984 MTV Video Music Awards performance, when she writhed around on stage in a wedding dress. Bringing the virgin-whore dichotomy to new and dizzying heights- contradicting the image of the blushing virgin bride with that of a slutty, salacious, wanton female- this track sealed Madonna’s cultural dominance. The fact that the title had the word “virgin” certainly didn’t hurt, either- nor did the ambiguity of the lyrics, which was debated famously in the film Reservoir Dogs. The 1990 Blond Ambition Tour performance- where she’s flanked by two cone-wearing male dancers and simulates masturbation/sex on a bed- brought the track further notoriety (and a near-arrest in Toronto, as chronicled during the documentary Truth or Dare). Wanna-bes Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears- as brides- performed the song at the 2003 VMAs, before Madonna herself- as the groom- popped up and snogged them both.  We wouldn’t have had it any other way.

4. Material Girl: As if having one signature track in one year isn’t enough, Madonna landed another in 1985 (with more to come). Who would have guessed that a video clip paying homage to a classic Hollywood film and star would usurp the original? Madonna pretty much did it here, with her materialism-glorified tribute to idol Marilyn Monroe and her film, Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend. Feminists thought she single-handedly set the women’s movement back years by singing about dollars-clad men making the world go round (of course, the irony could be seen in the video, but- as the case often is with Madonna- some failed to see it).  The tune itself- tongue-in-cheekily reflected the times during which it was released, perfectly representing the greedy, me-me-me Reagan-era America and Reaganomics. As with “Like a Virgin,” “Material Girl” has endured as a cultural definer, either because Madonna is still referred to as the “Material Girl,” or simply because it summed up its era with style. Also like “Virgin,” “Material Girl” was featured (less prominently) in the 2001 movie musical Moulin Rouge.

5. Crazy For You: From the long-forgotten high-school wrestling movie Vision Quest, Madonna’s first love ballad ranks as one of the rock era’s greatest love songs. No major cultural repercussions here, just heartfelt declarations, set against an intimate musical setting. The song went onto launch a million school dances, undoubtedly, with people swooning at the one who makes his/her heart skip a few extra beats a minute. Madonna gave the No. 1 classic new meaning during her 2004 Re-Invention Tour, dedicating the song to the fans who have stuck by her for the last 20 f***ing years. Crazy for you, indeed.

6. Into the Groove: One of the all-time greatest dance anthems, Madonna-Mania reached new heights with the release of this track, featured in the film Desperately Seeking Susan. Oddly, only commercially available in the USA as the B-side on the 12-inch “Angel” single, “Groove” had little trouble becoming another top 10 airplay smash and a No. 1 seller, shifting more than 500,000 copies in the process. An earlier track, “Everybody,” called for people to get up and do their thing; “Into the Groove” took things further, going as far as to say that “music can be such a revelation… only when I’m dancing can I feel this free.” Madonna gives dancing a high level of importance, perhaps likening it to a religion- an outlet/activity where people could lose their inhibitions and be themselves, a theme Madonna would revisit in yet another later classic. (Also at work in this track is sexual innuendo- the lyrics easily could be referring to sex as much as dancing.) The video, which featured images from Susan, showcased the ultimate “Madonna-Wanna-Be” look that domainated 1985.

7. Live to Tell: An important release for Madonna, in that it was a sorta left-field direction to go, following her last release, “Dress You Up” (which, while left off The Immaculate Collection, wasn’t free from cultural activity, thanks to Tipper Gore and the Parents Music Resource Center citing it among the “Filthy 15.”) Here, the mood was somber, the emotions high (she even dons a conservative school-teacher-like flower dress in the video). Used as the theme from then-husband Sean Penn’s film At Close Range, “Live to Tell” addressed abuse and the heavy-weighing impact it harbors on one’s mind. While not as obvious in its subject matter as Suzanne Vega’s “Luka” (which would come a couple years later), the impact is no less striking. This ballad would raise the bar for Madonna releases thereafter. Twenty years after its initial release,”Live to Tell” was part of yet another worldwide Madonna controversy- performed on 2006’s Confessions Tour, Madonna sang the song while strapped to a mock cruficix. Naturally, religious leaders were up in arms, but Madonna insisted she was illustrating the suffering of AIDS-stricken orphans in Africa. Finally, the song received significant cultural importance to match its popularity.

8. Papa Don’t Preach: Madonna found herself being both criticized and applauded for this tale of a teenager who chooses to keep her unborn child. The track brought the sensitive issue of teen pregnancy to the forefront. Tipper Gore- who included Madonna in the “Filthy 15″ a year earlier for “Dress You Up”- now had nothing but praise for Madonna, saying that any song encouraging family discussion about such a matter is a positive thing. On the flip side, some blasted Madonna for- what they saw as- giving teens the thumbs-up to go out and get pregnant, suggesting she was leading teens on a “path to poverty.” With the No. 1 “Papa,” Madonna again was at the center of a cultural firestorm- where she would land several more times through the early 1990s.

9. Open Your Heart: While this No. 1 single wasn’t controversial in audio form (well, maybe if one looks at”lock”/”key” as innuendo) , the accompanying video was another matter. Madonna plays a peep-show dancer who ends up running off with an under-age boy. He worships the bustier-clad siren, mimicking her dance moves outside the show (for which he is too young to gain entrance)- perhaps a nod to the young boys who did so in their bedrooms (I’m sure gal wanna-be’s weren’t the only ones doing so). Pornography, art, the ambiguous relationship between an adult woman and a little boy (preceding such real-life speculations regarding fellow icon Michael Jackson)- all catalysts for another Madonna flap.

10. La Isla Bonita:  Always one to dip into the underground or other cultures to raise others’ awareness (and some say further herself in the process), this track and video clip paid homage to Latin beauty. Long before the so-called “Latin Explosion” at the end of the 1990s, this track was a worldwide smash. And, it wouldn’t be the last time that Madonna gave a nod or two to the Hispanic community in her work.

11. Like a Prayer: If anyone thought “Like a Virgin,” “Papa Don’t Preach” or any other Madonna controversy up to 1989 was outrageous, they undoubtedly were left speechless with the release of “Like a Prayer.” The No. 1 song, in Madonna’s words, detailed a girl’s relationship with God, but also touched upon the dynamic relationship between religious and sexual ecstasy (as described by video director Mary Lambert). The lyrics left one wondering if it Madonna was looking at the sacred or the profane- or both. The video was even more shocking- images of interracial romance with a black Jesus-like figure, racism, injustice, stigmata, inappropriate church attire; the burning-crosses-infused clip led Pepsi-Cola to cancel Madonna’s endorsement spots (though she reportedly kept the $5 mllion). The Catholic Church condemned her, and the world’s inhabitants were left with yet more taboo material to dwell over at the dinner table, courtesy of pop culture’s prominent provocateur.

12. Express Yourself: Following the “Like a Prayer” uproar, Madonna upped the ante with this anthemic feminist call, a quasi-update of Aretha Franklin’s “Respect.” The track pushed the “say-what-you-want-or-you’ll-never-get-it” mentality, while the video supplied more material to send feminists up in arms: androgyny, crotch-grabbing, female-pussycat symbolism/metaphors, bondage (Madonna chained to a bed) and a steamy sexual encounter with a guy who won the right to come service her. All the necessary ingredients for a Madonna classic, as well as a water-cooler videoclip.

13. Vogue: Madonna kicked off the new decade with this dance anthem, updating the themes earlier heard in tracks like “Everybody” and “Into the Groove.” Here, the dance floor is an outlet for self-expression, a place that can make one feel like a superstar- regardless of gender, ethnicity, class, etc. Madonna rustled through the gay/underground closets and brought a then-passe trend to the mainstream- vogueing (dancing while striking model-like poses). Suddenly, the world was striking a pose along with Madonna- a trend further aided by the classic black-and-white video clip, in conjunction with the ground-breaking Blond Ambition Tour and her presentation at the 7th Annual VMAs, where she- in Marie Antoniette garb- danced and frolicked racily with her entourage of dancers. Madonna perhaps was at her most glamorous, and it was this video that not only showcased one of those dandy bullet bras, but also her plentiful assets. While a bit of nipple appeared hastily in the earlier “Papa Don’t Preach” clip, Madonna left absolutely nothing to the imagination here, wearing a sheer blouse that reportedly even made Cher blush. MTV had earlier said it wouldn’t play her “Oh Father” video because of sewn lips, but caved in. The video channel also threatened similar action here, but, once again, bowed to its biggest and brightest star. The song and video- which remains an influential template of style.- also helped cement Madonna as the ultimate gay icon- not that she wasn’t before “Vogue” (after all- she got her start in the underground-club scene, been a dedicated supporter of AIDS research and teased the public with Sandra Bernhardt), but from this clip onward, there was no denying the gay community’s tie to La Ciccone.

14. Justify My Love: One of the then-new tracks on The Immaculate Collection, “Justify My Love” was little more than a spoken aural sex track. However, the video surpassed all past endeavors as her raciest yet. MTV deemed the clip- which featured images of bisexuality, bondage, androgyny, among other alternative activities- as being way too hot to handle, resulting in its banning. Anyone who still had reservations about Madonna’s cultural status look no further- as Operation Desert Storm began to take shape, Madonna- a musical artist/entertainer- was the featured guest on ABC’s Nightline. The video, released at the height of the censorship debate in America, ran in its entirety on the program, while Madonna defended her right to freedom of expression. Shortly thereafter, the video went on sale to the public, shipping more than 400,000 units in America. If the video itself wasn’t enough to cause a ruckus, the track’s co-writer and producer Lenny Kravitz was accused of lifting the rhythm track from a Public Enemy track. Almost simultaneously, Kravitz was called on by former lover Ingrid Chavez, who claimed the song was lifted from a love letter she wrote to Kravitz. Furthermore (!), “The Beast Within” remix featured on the maxi single raised the ire of Jewish leaders, who get angered by a passage from the New Testament, Revelations 2:9 featured in the mix. What caused the flap? “I know your tribulations and your poverty, and the slander of those who say they are Jews. They are not. They are a synagogue of Satan.” Rabbi Abraham Cooper, associate dean of the Los Angeles-based Wiesenthal Center, commented that “the impact of having America’s leading cultural icon say those lyrics can give a powerful tool to bigots.” Madonna insisted she was no racist, and that including the passage on her record was a commentary on evil in general. Nonetheless, the No. 1 “Justify” hinted at Madonna’s Sex-capades to come, in the form of the Sex book and Erotica album.  

15. Take a Bow: Madge had put her clothes back on (well, almost all) with 1994’s Bedtime Stories album. Never mind that PETA (People For the Ethical Treatment of Animals) thought she glorified bullfighting with this maiden-bullfighter tragic love-story epic (again calling her out with its sequel “You’ll See”); the video for Madonna’s longest-running U.S. #1 (at seven weeks) featured Madonna simulating self-sex while watching the object of her desire on a large television screen. Probably one thing that led to its huge popularity on video channels. And, the classy, old-school style Madge donned in the clip previewed her turn as Eva Peron in the big-screen adpatation of Evita, for which she- believe it or not- won a Golden Globe as Best Actress. Argentina probably wasn’t crying for her at that moment in time.

16. Ray of Light: Following two tepidly received albums, Madonna arguably was the first to weave techno and pop successfully with Ray of Light. Like the album, the title track- another top five chart hit- went on to mass acclaim. In the track, Madge sings, “Quicker than a ray of light, I’m flying,” and for the video clip- which also earned mass accolades- she darn well means it, the day-in-a-life clip running at such rampant pace that sales in Dramamine rose following the clip’s release. And, just when her controversy-making ways looked like they were over, she managed to rattle once again. The World Vaishnava Association claimed that she offended both Hindus and Yogis by not only wearing a chastity-, harmony- and purity-symbolizing Hindi mark on her head, but also by wearing the mark while simultaneously simulating a sex act and wearing a see-through tank top. More shocking, though, was learning there was an existing organization that hadn’t previously been offended by Madonna.

17. Music: Pushing the video envelope again, Madonna spoofed hip-hoppers (such as Puff Daddy, who she singled out via a license plate labeled “Muff Daddy”) and cavorted with female strippers, both in a strip club and inside a limo. The No. 1 song- a throwback to the early days and becoming yet another dance anthem- informed how “music makes the people come together”- race, sex, orientation, be damned. In addition, Madonna made the cowgirl look trendy again, thanks to her album art and video style, in both this clip and the Western ho-down look adapted for her “Don’t Tell Me” video.

18. Don’t Tell Me: Incidentally, both “Don’t Tell Me” and “Music” videos were spoofed on MTV’s Movie and VH-1’s Fashion award shows, respectively. Following “Music’s” success, this stop-start track gave Madonna another U.S. top five hit, and has held on reasonably well as a recurrent airplay hit.

19. Die Another Day: The theme to the 20th installment in the James Bond franchise- which itself could double as Madonna’s career motto-  did not come without a little controversy. Firstly, Madonna kinda went left-field in what’s considered a traditional Bond theme; sure, it had the dramatic strings and intensity, but it also called on “Music” collaborator Mirawis, who gave it the techno twist and vocal effects. The track- which received some accolades- also received some very public criticism, from the likes of Elton John (calling it the worst Bond theme ever) and one-time Bond warbler Shirley Bassey. The video (which included no film clips, but some re-enactments of key scenes) raised the ire of some in the Jewish community, with its Hebrew tattoos and tefillin (small leather cubes, containing biblical verses and worn during worship). When Madonna is electrocuted by Nazi-like goons, three Hebrew letters appear on the electric chair- lamed, aleph and vav- part of the “72 names pf God” taught in the kabbalah, mystical Jewish teachings studied by Madonna and some other celebs. While the “uproar” wasn’t along the lines of a “Like a Prayer,” some felt that using Jewish religious articles for such non-religious purposes could offend people; apparently, some Orthodox Jews also found it nontraditional for women to use tefflin. Nevertheless, the 20th Bond film becomes a worldwide smash, with the title track bringing Bond back to the U.S. top 10 for the first time since the 1980s.

20. Hung Up: Following the disappointing American Life era (which included Madonna uncharacteristically pulling an anti-war video in fears of offending anyone sensitive to the Iraq War), Madonna returned to the carefree clubs on 2005’s Confessions on a Dance Floor. With “Hung Up,” she sampled Abba and in the accompanying video, donned a leotard and paid homage to Saturday Night Fever and Flashdance. While scoring her 36th top 10 on the Hot 100, Madonna enjoyed one of her bggest worldwide hits to date, proving that the world still was plenty “Hung Up”  on the Queen of Pop.

21. 4 Minutes: Usually one to collaborate with lesser-known producers, Madonna took the least riskiest route fathomable on her 2008 album, Hard Candy, by working with Timbaland, Justin Timberlake and Pharrell. On the album’s apocalyptic-foreshadowing, yet-having-a-good-time-regardless lead single, Madge traded lines with Timberlake, and, in the process, landed her first U.S. top five single in seven years. Some joked that the video’s greatest special effects came in making almost 50-year-old Madge look not so far off Timberlake’s age range. Time, apparently, is waiting for ever-youthful-looking Madonna to age in more rapid fashion.

And, those are the tracks I would compile onto a single-disc, career-spanning Madonna compilation. If two discs, what other tracks would I add to the mix? Obviously the two aforementioned Immaculate Collection classics- but what else? Stay tuned for a possible follow-up…(Images are courtesy of www.madonnalicious.com- thanks, Clare)