My Teenage Dream with Darren Criss and Katy Perry

Darren Criss' arrival on GLEE has been a total dream.

I much preferred Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream" to her initial single "California Gurls" and, as everyone already knows, the show's take on the track was one of its best moments, a song transformed for the better in a new context.

Criss performed for The Trevor Project benefit in LA, a great organization that provides phone support to gay and lesbian youth who are generally struggling or even considering suicide.

Footage popped up on the web a couple days ago but this is far superior....the notes, especially when the "surprise guest" appears, are iffy. But everyone's heart is in the right place. [I love the backup 'singers' behind him who are so obviously lip-syncing]

It starts with "Not Alone" and kicks into "Teenage Dream" around the halfway mark.

 

Variety's take on Boardwalk Empire

Boardwalk Empire

'Boardwalk Empire'
Steve Buscemi anchors 'Boardwalk Empire' as a shady politician.

 
There's so much to savor about "Boardwalk Empire" -- Martin Scorsese and "The Sopranos" writer Terence Winter's sprawling look at Prohibition-era gangsters in 1920 -- it's hard to know where to begin. One can luxuriate in the atmosphere, or admire the scintillating cast -- a shrewdly assembled collection of talented not-quite movie stars, among them Steve Buscemi, Kelly Macdonald, and four Michaels: Shannon, Stuhlbarg, Pitt and Kenneth Williams. As for the story, it's been a while since such a sweeping, epic backdrop has been put to better use. Having notoriously missed out on "Mad Men," the mantle of cable's next great period piece belongs to HBO.

 

Variety is downright giddy in it's praise of Martin Scorcese's new HBO series, Broadway Empire. Guess I'll be tuning in!

Sunday TV

Surely everyone's aware of the VMAs this Sunday. But another musical nugget will also be reappearing in the form of TV One's excellent documentary series, Unsung.

Previous episodes have been fascinating -- chronicling the careers of Shalamar, Florence Ballard, Kylmaxx, DeBarge, Bootsy Collins, Teena Marie, and series highlight, Sylvester.

The new season's subjects are a bit leaner, and the series usually doesn't quite go as deep as you'd like, but it's still a great opportunity to see some history and reasonable criticism of some R&B favorites.

VMAs

No surprise that Gaga's in the lead this year with 13 noms, including the first time ever that an artist has been nominated for Video of the Year twice in the same year (that's for "Bad Romance" and "Telephone," natch).
 
The big (and worthy) surprise was the 5 nominations for Florence + the Machine, including 1 for "Dogs Days Are Over" for Video of the &ear. You go!
 
Other VoY noms were from Eminem, 30 Seconds to Mars and B.o.B. (I don't remember there usually being 6 nominations....anyone?)
 
Guess that US video reshoot for the song worked out! Let's watch it again...
 

And here's a rather nifty and unexpected remix...[Optimo Espacio Remix]:
 
Here's a link to the full list of noms.

SYTYCD's Sonya Takes on Buckley

This is interesting. After choreographing a routine to Jeff Buckley's "Hallelujah" on So You Think You Can Dance earlier this season, resident choreographer Sonya Tayeh has been tapped to choreograph The Last Goodbye. The musical uses the music of Jeff Buckley for a rock retelling of Romeo & Juliet. It will premiere at the Williamstown Theatre Festival this August. http://www.jeffbuckley.com/pages/node/262

  The judges loved loved loved the Hallelujah piece. I thought it was a bit overwrought:

  This remains my favorite routine of hers BY FAR (though I liked her take on Roisin's "Crookers" too, i can't find it online)..."The Garden"