Chloé Bach

arts@theotherpress.ca

 

Why I like Perez Hilton .....::.:

Pos morning, almost religiously, I sit down
with my cup of coffee and my lap top, scroll
down on my “Favourites” heading and enter
what is arguably my favourite website: www.
perezhilton.com.

What’s more, I actually manage to check
the website’s headlines about two more times
throughout the day. That’s three times a day and
an unknown number of minutes; I prefer not to keep time of this ‘cause I have a feeling it
would be exorbitant. Can you imagine how much more time I’d have on my hands if I wasn’t
addicted to Perez Hilton? But, hey, who cares, I enjoy it and keeping up with the news is
important. Plus, | can already name one more news outlet that I read than Sarah Palin can.

Outside of cyberspace, Perez is actually named Mario Armando Lavandeira, Jr. born
on March 23", 1978. The self-proclaimed “Queen of All Media” is a controversial, yet
ingenious, celebrity blogger who launched his original website, pagesixsixsix.com, which
was named “Hollywood’s most-hated website” by The Insider, in March of 2005. Since that
launch, perezhilton.com has become one of the most popular, most viewed gossip blogs
on the interweb. So popular in fact, that it is estimated that the website garners about three
million unique visitors per day—Garth McLennan included.

Hilton has faced much criticism for being what some deem as insensitive, cruel and
inappropriate. Yet, I think he’s just straight up funny. One aspect of what has drawn this
criticism is what some might call his paint program embellishments, others just call it art.
Either way, some people find issue with drawing cum dripping out of starlets’ (the male
varietals included) faces or scratching “hot mess” across some celebrity slumped over in
their town car.

What I don’t get is why people are so offended by this. First of all, it’s funny, and if
you don’t think so, your sense of humour blows. Second of all, celebrities are in the media
spotlight; it’s a fact of their life and since speech is free, Perez takes it upon himself to say
what were all thinking. I mean, he’s right: Chace Crawford does have a gayface, Lily Allen
is a mess, Elizabitch Hasselbeck is uninformed and nauseating, Tom Cruise is a freak and
Megan Fox makes me drool too.

The blogger has also come under fire for supposedly “outing” gay stars like Lance Bass
and Neil Patrick Harris by presenting them as gay on his website before they had publicly
admitted such things. Seriously people, a person doesn’t just turn gay by being called gay;
that’s not how it works. In response to these allegations, the Queen himself has said that he
is simply reporting facts and that “coming out” is a good thing. He makes a good point in

Chloe
Bach

_ arts & entertainment editor

   
 

asking “why is [this] still taboo?” He’s been right about this more than once, proving that
nobody has better gaydar than a gay man himself.

Overall, I think people grossly overreact to this blog; it’s fun, it’s accurate, and it’s a
refreshing satirical spin on all the other boring celebrity blogs. Hilton has even made a point
of frequently posting pieces on good causes and foundations to donate to throughout his
news reel. His interactive site makes a point of communicating with fans through vlogs and
updates on his upcoming public appearances. So everyone just chill out, lose your cranky
pants try to understand sarcasm and give it a read.

 

 

Still Shredding After All These Years...

Metallica comes through with a new album and a new tour, but will ‘Death
Magnetic’ attract the same fan base? 3, 2 scireiter

Sis back in the early 1980’s, four metalheads would get together and jam out fast
and furious riffs composed mainly for no other purpose than to whip your hair around to. My,
oh my, how times have changed... after 25 years, nine albums and various lineup changes,
this group (self-appointed as the second-greatest heavy metal band ever) is still rocking out
in the studio and selling out the biggest venues internationally. I am talking about none other
than Metallica, the four shred-heads from Los Angeles that just won’t stop putting out those
golden, pardon me, platinum records that flood the airwaves and satisfy every 15-year-old.

On September 10", 2008, Metallica released their ninth studio album, Death
Magnetic, at #1 on the Billboard charts and within a week, celebrated the album going
platinum. While most critics raved over the album, its initial reception by most people was
somewhere in the vicinity of lukewarm. Sure, the album had a solid structure and has plenty
of variety, but in order to get the full picture of what Metallica’s latest album really means,
we must first observe their previous albums and eras.

The early years, also referred to by most as “the good years,” consisted of several
different elements that differ from Metallica of the present day. The most noticeable of these
changes has to do with the lineup of musicians in the band. Most of the material on the first
three Metallica albums was written in main part by then guitarist Dave Mustaine, whose side
project Megadeth became his focus after being fired from the band in 1983 due to an ongoing
heroin addiction. Along with Mustaine, bassist Cliff Burton was a key figure in the creation
of Metallica, but only played with them for three years due to his untimely death in 1986
when the group’s tour bus crashed and Burton was crushed.

Although Mustaine claims to always be associated with Metallica, he never actually played
on any albums, having been fired just prior to the release of 1983’s Kill ‘Em All. During

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this time, Kirk Hammet, a local session musician, helped to fill the gaps that Mustaine left
behind. When it came time to tour, Hammet had officially taken the spot of lead guitarist and
has continued to be an important part of the group even until this date. Metallica’s next two
albums, Ride the Lightning and Master of Puppets, became heavy metal standards with their
fast shredding, powerful riffs, and their famous “in your face and up your ass” attitude.

Jason Newsted, an established bass player, joined Metallica for the release of 1988's ...And
Justice for All to fill in for Burton. This marked the beginning of a new era in metal, due
largely in part to Metallica’s most famous tune “One,” the first single off of this release.
“One” helped to blend some of the greatest metal riffs with softer and more meaningful
lyrics, all kept together with a face-melting solo that every student of the electric guitar
wishes they could master. Following this major success was Metallica’s infamous self-titled
album, also known to many as The Black Album.

If you were to ask any heavy metal fan what the highest point in Metallica’s career was,
nine times out of 10, their self-titled album would be the answer. With chugging melodies
and intricate solos, songs such as “Enter Sandman” were regarded (and debated) as the
greatest thing Metallica had ever done. Following the 1991 release, Metallica began to skid
downhill due in large part to fame and the clashing egos between drummer Lars Ulrich and
lead singer James Hetfield.

Over the next few years came an all-time high in sales and popularity, but also an all-time
low for Metallica musically. During this era, two of their least popular albums Load and
ReLoad saw the band trying new things and writing mediocre tunes that made every music
critic cringe. To put it in short, the band all cut their hair, began wearing makeup and laced
their music with country influences, seen most noticeably in Load’s “Mama Said.”

Following the release of their album Garage Inc., a two-disc collection made up entirely