Vote Obama

This blog entry may cause people to stop following this blog. It may also mean I get some rather angry comments but I need to write it. This is not an unbaised post.

Barack Obama has been one of the biggest inspirations to me, ever. I admire him and feel that he has been given the rough end of what may appear to some as a very good deal: President of the United States of America.

How many people think that is an amazing job? I’m sure it is but it’s accompanied by many, many pitfalls. Not to mention the amount of strength, courage, time and effort it takes to get there.

Barack Hussein Obama (yes, that is his middle name, and no, he’s not a Muslim) was born in Hawaii (yes, he truly is American). He has had a varied life, living in Indonesia for some of his childhood. Barack is a lawyer, a community organiser and an author – among many other things.

He is an idealist and I admire that. On 20th January, 2009, he was inaugurated as 44th President of the USA. On that day, 55 years, one month and 19 days since Rosa Parks had refused to give up her seat for a white person on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama, a black man became President. With Obama’s inauguration, people felt hope, optimism, self-worth and inspired. His election, to me, sounded a silent tribute not only to Rosa Parks but also Dr Martin Luther King, James Meredith, JFK, Robert Kennedy and so many more who campaigned for African-American Civil Rights in the 1960s. For people who gave their live to this cause, this was their dream come true.

And mine.

For anyone who told you “You can’t do xxx”, “You’ll never be xxx” or “You don’t fit in”, this was a big fat “Yes we can!”. Barack Obama might have been told he wasn’t the “right colour” to become President. He may have been told his background wasn’t conventional enough. Barack Obama may have been regarded as “too left” or inexperienced but he didn’t let peoples’ small-mindedness stop him. Neither should you.

After becoming President, Barack Obama won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize ”for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples”. I don’t see Mitt Romney being rewarded this prize anytime soon.

Obama wants to legalise same-sex marriage - the first incumbent President to publicly support this. He is pro-choice, supports the repealing of “Don’t ask, don’t tell” in the US Military, he ended US military involvement in Iraq and introduced a health care reform to ensure everyone in the US had affordable health care. Obama signed an arms control treaty with Russia.

Mitt Romney would like to increase fracking across the US and has pledged to repeal ‘Obamacare’. If it were up to Mitt Romney, US military personnel would still be in Iraq, with no end in sight. He is also against same-sex marriages and is pro-life. He would also like to limit the growth of entitlement programmes. So, if you’re not wealthy and self-sufficient: Mitt Romney isn’t interested in you. Although he does, allegedly, wear some interesting underwear.

Barack Obama has had a very large mountain to climb following his inauguration mainly due to the inadequacies of the previous Republican administration. George W. Bush started wars in Iraq and Afghanistan that Obama has had to deal with. Bush was unable to find Osama Bin Laden. He presided over one of the worst financial crises in decades, it has been left to Obama to try to help those left without jobs, healthcare and homes. He has had to battle against a Republican majority in the House of Representatives, and battle he has.

Vote for Barack Obama and give America a chance to move forwards.

Vic x

Why I’m more irritated by celebrities than usual today.

As regular readers of this blog will know, I despise Chris Brown. He is a despicable human being and today a British newspaper has published a picture of the man who beat Rihanna to a pulp in 2009 revealing his new tattoo. It just so happens to be a woman’s battered and bruised face. He has, of course, denied that the tattoo is of his former girlfriend but what do you think?

 

Uncanny, isn’t it?

Chris says “it’s a random woman”. Whoever it really is, why would a sane, stable human being have such a vile picture tattooed onto their body? I’m not a fan of tattoos anyway but I understand that is a personal choice. This, however, is disgusting. How dare he do such a thing? I believe he does it for attention. I think this bully thrives off publicity. He may have even had the ink done to try to demonstrate he’s changed and wants to pay for his mistakes but I suspect it is yet another vile publicity stunt from a man who should never have been allowed back into the music industry after his brutal attack on his girlfriend.

In another story, former Westlife member Brian McFadden announced in Hello! magazine that he had “no idea what I was doing” when he married Kerry Katona. I take two issues with this: one – why mention your ex-wife on your second wedding day? Two – how could a man who fathered two children with his first wife make such a crass comment? In this digital age, Brian must be aware of how easy it is to Google. His children with Kerry are aged eleven and nine – they are able to read and, no doubt, have access to the internet. Whatever Brian’s true feelings about the marriage to Kerry, he should keep his comments to himself. Thanks to their parents’ messy divorce and their mothers’ many publicised issues with addiction and mental health problems, they have undoubtedly experienced more than they should have at their age. Their father’s comments could leave serious scars.

If Brian was, as he says in the interview, “It wasn’t until I turned thirty that I turned into an adult”, he’d exercise a little bit of self-restraint and think about how his comments could affect his children. His marriage may not have ended well but it is his responsibility to ensure that he does everything he can to maintain a stable, healthy relationship with his daughters.

Yet another shameful day for celebrities.

Vic x

Twenty-Seven Year Old Man Gets Drunk in Vegas – and it’s worldwide news.

OK, so some people will say my defence of Prince Harry is wrong; he is a Royal, can’t have a normal life, has to behave appropriately, yaddah, yaddah, yaddah.

However, I think the scandal surrounding Harry’s “Vegas romp” has been blown completely out of proportion. Some people have expressed disappointment at Harry’s behaviour, saying that him being chosen to represent the Queen at the closing ceremony of London 2012 showed a more mature, trustworthy Harry. But, let’s face it, how many of us have done something as a duty call? How many of us can say that we are the same around our grandparents as when we are on holiday?

It’s said that Harry’s flying back to the UK for a dressing down from his father and granny. I can imagine a lot of people being in trouble if their parents found out what they got up to on holiday! Which is why we should all be sympathetic to Harry’s plight.

I think all Harry wants is to be a ‘normal guy’. His stint on the front line in Afghanistan was proof that he didn’t want any special treatment. Why should he (and other members of his family) be treated differently just because of who their grandma happens to be?

Fair enough, I can understand why the palace doesn’t want nude pictures of Harry being printed but let’s be honest – would you want your holiday pictures publishing for the nation to ogle?

I don’t see what all the fuss is about – he’s a single guy on his holidays! And it was all meant to stay in Vegas

Vic x

Why I was so disappointed with London 2012′s Closing Ceremony.

When I found out that the Spice Girls were going to be playing the closing ceremony of London 2012, I could barely contain my excitement. I booked my place in front of the TV, bought snacks, turned my laptop off and put down my book.

Although no-one had been officially confirmed, the tabloids were full of speculation and pictures of some British acts rehearsing. I wondered if the Spicies would open the show or be the closing act, how many numbers they’d do and what they’d be wearing.

When the show started and Madness struck up, I thought ‘OK, Spice Girls to do the big finale.’ So I put up with One Direction and Emilie Sande (twice). Some of the dancing was impressive and the athlete montages were really moving. Seeing the athletes enter the arena and let their hair down as part of the gig’s audience was a really nice touch.

One part of the show I absolutely abhorred, though, was the celebration of British fashion. I was happy to see British designers’ work on show but I did not agree with including Naomi Campbell (the notorious phone-thrower / assistant basher / blood diamond wearer), Kate Moss (the “former” junkie and ex-lover of Pete Doherty) and Georgia May Jagger (who’s only famous because her dad is Mick Jagger) among others being paraded around as British role models. These are not women we should be encouraging people to look up to. I would far rather see the athletes model British designers’ clothes – they have amazing bodies thanks to training and good diets; not drug/drink addiction or an eating disorder.

I cringed at George Michael. I didn’t mind Pet Shop Boys. I do love Elbow’s ‘On a Day Like Today’ but their other song was a total yawn-fest. Annie Lennox on an elaborate ship was an interesting set but her song was pretty boring considering it was meant to be a celebration. And I was really disappointed with the Jessie J, Tinie Tempah and Taio Cruz trio. Russell Brand doing ‘I Am The Walrus’ was a psychedelic stroke of genius.

And then they appeared: Posy, Ginger, Scary, Sporty and Baby. Say what you like about Spice Girls but when I was a teenager, they were everywhere. They were an absolute pop phenomenon, like nothing the world had seen since The Beatles. I remember how much they influenced me when I was growing up. I last saw them in London 2007, during their reunion tour, and I was so disappointed that they did a mash-up of ‘Wannabe’ and ‘Spice Up Your Life’ – not even singing a full song. As excited as I was, it was over too quickly. I’d waited all night for this and within a couple of minutes – and shots of BoJo and David Cameron dad-dancing – it was over. I didn’t even see the girls on the stage during the final song.

Liam Gallagher followed singing ‘Wonderwall’, a song which his brother Noel wrote for his ex-wife. This stunk of petulance as Liam snarled his way through a song that his brother refuses to play. A not so veiled message to his estranged brother? Grow up boys!

For me, the best parts of the ceremony were the video clips of David Bowie, John Lennon and Freddie Mercury. The musical interlude featuring ‘Running Up That Hill’ by Kate Bush was also a personal highlight.

I didn’t enjoy Ed Sheeran’s cover of Pink Floyd, nor the Kaiser Chief’s interpretation of ‘Pinball Wizard’. Jessie J should not have been allowed to sing ‘We Will Rock You’.

I am not ashamed to say that I blubbed through Take That’s rendition of ‘Rule the World’. I think it took a great amount of professionalism for Gary Barlow to perform under such scrutiny considering the recent family tragedy that he has suffered.

I really hoped the closing ceremony would be camp, kitsch and upbeat. I was really disappointed.

Vic x

Why I’m proud to call Andy Murray British.

It’s only two weeks since I sat with my head in my hands, despairing at yet another loss for England thanks to penalties. Today, the hope got me again. I had no intention of watching the Wimbledon final but everyone’s enthusiasm was contagious. It was on Twitter, it was on the radio, it was on the telly – everyone was talking about it. The jokes were doing the rounds – once Murray loses, he goes back to being Scottish. People were wondering if a win would secure a smile from the dour 25 year-old.

The match was put on in the pub where I was enjoying my Sunday roast and, from then on, I was hooked. And before you ask, I didn’t use it as an excuse to stay in the pub!

What a game. With Murray winning the first set, hopes were high. I don’t need to tell you what happened – I’m pretty sure everyone knows Roger Federer won his 17th Grand Slam title – but Mr Murray did himself proud. His tenacity throughout the match and his determination was a real inspiration. Some may say his behaviour was petulant but I actually think his racquet tossing was a sign of genuine frustration.

However, it was his speech after picking up the runners-up plate that really impressed me. He cracked a joke, he even managed a smile but then came the tears. I thought interviewing him straight after the game was cruel initially but, as Andy tearfully thanked his family, friends, fans and his opponent, I saw it as a stroke of genius.

Andy’s savvy manager – Simon Fuller (also the Spice Girls Svengali) – couldn’t have planned it better.

Andy went from misery guts to sweetheart with just a few words. It was plain to see the weight of the expectation heaped on him by the nation - and himself – had caused him a fair amount of stress and heartache. What I adored most about Andy was the very thing our national football team lacked: humility. You could tell Murray wanted this so much – it was as if his life almost depended on it. When England lost to Italy on penalties a fortnight ago, I felt most of the players (and their WAGs) breathed a sigh of relief – they could finally go on their holidays!

People have sarcastically suggested that Murray cheer up today – after all, he will get a sizeable monetary prize for coming second – but you could tell that the money meant nothing to him: he wanted that trophy and title. And who could blame him? Anyone who has a true passion for something knows it’s not about the pay packet but being recognised as the best.

Those tears showed to me that Andy Murray felt he’d let a nation down – he didn’t: I felt prouder of him than I did for all of the England squad put together.

Vic x

Why Katie’s shoes say it all.

One of my favourite celebrity pictures ever is that of Nicole Kidman in 2001 leaving her solicitor’s office having finalised her divorce to Tom Cruise. The paps may have been tipped off but the message was loud and clear: this was a woman who was utterly relieved and that picture has remained in my mind ever since, particularly where Mr Cruise is concerned. What did he put Kidman through to make hersohappy to be free?

Katie Holmes has now engineered her own message to Tom via the world’s paparazzi. Yesterday Katie was seen for the first time in public since announcing her intention to divorce Tom and she looked amazing! Katie was filming scenes for Project Runway in New York and she took the opportunity to wear some incredible 5 inch Roger Vivier stilettos.

Obviously looking to establish herself as a star in her own right again as quickly as possible, Katie also wore a dress from her own label – Holmes & Yang.

For months now, Katie Holmes has been pictured in plenty of dressed-down outfits, wearing very little make-up but her first appearance since announcing her split from Cruise was something of a statement of intent – she is going to be her own person again.

Over the course of their relationship, it looks as though Katie has become rather adept at bending her leg in just the right place to make her shorter husband appear at least the same height as her – if not taller. She also looks to have picked up a habit common in many tall people – the stoop. It seems like, in the main, Katie ditched the high heels and yesterday’s appearance signals the first time in seven years that Katie can wear any size heels she pleases.

And as if the shoes weren’t enough of a message – her raising her (notably empty) left hand to stroke her hair while smiling a somewhat beatific smile, left snap-happy photographers to take as many pictures as possible.

I think be I’ve got a new favourite celebrity picture.

Vic x

TomKat – is anyone surprised?

So, the celebrity world was abuzz on Friday night with the news that Katie Holmes had filed for divorce from Tom Cruise. According to reports, Katie has stunned Tom by filing for divorce in New York – hoping to get full custody of their daughter Suri.

There’s a lot of speculation about the why’s and wherefore’s but – let’s be honest – is anyone actually surprised? Did anyone really believe that these two would be together forever?

OK, perhaps as time went on and the two of them became parents and continued with their lives, people may have got over their initial cynicism regarding the pairing. However, there has always been something a bit dodgy about this relationship.

 The pair got together while they both had major summer blockbusters to promote – Katie appeared in Batman Begins and Tom in Mission: Impossible III. They toured the globe, showing off their “romance” with grand gestures on red carpets. Not to mention the sofa incident….

Since then, Katie has failed to get any other high-profile role and was dropped from Christopher Nolan’s Batman reboots. She has, however, received acclaim for her part in the Broadway version of Arthur Miller’s All My Sons in 2008. Holmes, best known as Joey Potter in Dawson’s Creek, saw her career all but disappear following her relationship with Cruise.

Tom, though, has continued to make comeback after comeback with films like Knight and Day, Tropic Thunder, Valkyrie and Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol which went on to be his biggest commercial success to date. Most recently, he starred as dickhead rock star Stacee Jaxx in Rock of Ages. It’s said to be this role – and the W magazine cover featuring Tom as his alter ego – that pushed Katie over the edge.

It’s understandable that – if rumours are to be believed – Tom scrutinised every role offered to Katie, often taking her out of accepting them but he accepted any role he wanted. It’s said they’ve rowed about how he should spend his 50th birthday and, of late, Katie has been pictured looking very glum. Suri, too, has been seen frequently crying in public and sources say Katie was sick of Tom’s work affecting their child.

Maybe Ms Holmes finally took off the rose-tinted spectacles and realised that a life with the man whose poster she’d had on her wall as a teenager might not be all that in real life.

Rumours are also abound that Katie, who was raised a Catholic, began to worry about the impact of Scientology on their six-year-old daughter Suri. It is believed that Scientology encourages parents to think of their children as adults and allow them to do and say what they like. This may explain why Suri was allowed to wear heeled shoes from the age of four and why now, even at the age of six, is often carried by her parents.

I hope – for Suri’s sake – the pair can come to an amicable arrangement.

Vic x

Review: Jay-Z and Kanye West at Birmingham LG Arena, 13/06/12.

Two of the biggest artists in music at the moment, on one stage? Hell, yeah!

I’ve seen both perform separately and so went to this gig with a very definite idea of who would produce the best show. When I saw Kanye West in Newcastle, 2008, he was unresponsive, disinterested and very, very late. Later that evening, he assaulted a photographer outside a nightclub and that was the start of his rather public downfall. Less than a year later, he stormed the stage during Taylor Swift’s award acceptance at the MTV VMAs and the industry – along with the media and the public – turned their back on Mr West.

His public rehabilitation came in the form of a duet album with his mentor (and boss), Jay-Z. Their ‘Watch the Throne’ album is an absolute hiphop classic. And last night’s ‘Watch the Throne’ gig raised the bar even higher.

With hydraulic stages and laser light shows, the show promised to be a corker. However, the show was quite stripped back, letting the rappers do what they do best. There were no dancers, no special guests and no gimmicks – just two of the best artists in the world and a sea of adoring fans chanting along.

Whether it’s the successful businessman in Jay-Z or just genuine enthusiasm, he knows how to keep the crowd happy. He’s obviously been taking lessons from his mate Chris Martin – Jay frequently expressed his gratitude to the adoring crowd. Kanye certainly is getting better at interacting with the crowd but he remains slightly detached at times. He was definitely a million times more interesting to watch than 4 years ago.

The show was over two hours long and featured plenty of solo time for both artists but when they got together, it was explosive. I was at the back of the arena but I was as excited as the people in the mosh pit – the atmosphere was just electric.

These two men will be remembered by my generation as being the most influential men in music. Their lyrics are insightful and sometimes funny. Their patriotism is really moving and their honesty is often brutal. I adore them.

This was the best gig I’ve ever seen. It will take a lot to top it.

Vic x

Bon Jovi: Why They Mean the World to Me.

Some of you will scoff at the title of this post. But on this day, two days after Jon Bon Jovi, turned 50, I felt it important to write this piece. VH1 have had a field day this weekend by playing Bon Jovi’s Greatest Hits to commemorate the milestone. Seeing as I’m on a diet, I watched this programme as it’s the only source of indulgence I can get at the moment.

I’ve loved Bon Jovi since I was a young girl. I remember my dad teaching me to headbang to the ‘Slippery When Wet’ album when I was a toddler. My dad is a rock fan, and like many, got bored with the band after the first couple of albums. For me though, Bon Jovi have defined my life.

When I was a child, I was a city swimmer. I competed in galas several times a year and, every time I stood waiting to dive in I’d sing ‘Blaze of Glory’ in my head. It was my anthem, and it never failed me. When under pressure now, I still play that song to gee myself up.

When I was ten years old, Bon Jovi released ‘Always’ to coincide with the release of ‘Crossroads’, their Greatest Hits album. My best friend and I adored ‘Always’ and we had massive crushes on JBJ. Around that time, Bon Jovi announced a worldwide stadium tour for the summer of 1995. My best friend’s parents offered to take me to the gig but my parents were concerned at me, aged 11, being in the mosh pit. So, instead, I agreed to go to a vantage point with my grown-up cousin.

Unfortunately, though, 2 days before the gig, I had my ankle put in plaster. I sat moping about at home until my dad said “Come on then” and drove me to sit in the car and listen to the gig. I may not have seen them but it was such a kind thing of him to do. Sitting in a car, my foot in plaster, while my dad danced in his seat and the sun set in the distance is one of my favourite Bon Jovi memories.

From then on, I became more and more in love with Bon Jovi. Their album ‘These Days’ reminds me of driving up to the Northumberland coast in my parents’ little D reg Nissan Micra on a beautifully sunny day.

After 1995, Bon Jovi disappeared off the scene for a few years: Jon acted and released a solo album, Richie also released an album and the others, well, who knows what they did. I, however, busied myself with listening to Bon Jovi’s back catelogue, discovering classics like ‘Dry County’ and ‘Blood on Blood’. During these years, I remember being in secondary school and, after finishing my homework, playing Super Mario Bros. on my SNES while listening to Bon Jovi albums.

Cometh 2000, cometh ‘Crush’. A few months after my 16th birthday, the Jovi made our dreams come true by not only announcing another stadium tour but releasing ‘Crush’, an album that changed my life forever. Revising for our GCSEs in my best friend’s garden on possibly the hottest day of 2000, ‘It’s My Life’ came on the radio. My friend and I danced around the garden, getting excited for the day we’d get to see the band live. That day, two days before GCSE results day, was one of the most exciting things we’d ever experienced.

In 2001, we threatened to travel to Glasgow as the band weren’t touring in the North-East (and never have done since) but, at seventeen, our parents put the spokes in that! The band did release ‘One Wild Night: 1985-2001′, a live album – and that kept us dancing through that summer, annoying both sets of neighbours with our incessant singing along.

Sadly, that friendship – the most important of my life – ended in 2002 due to our differing attitudes. The thought of it still cuts me up. We never fell out, just grew apart which, considering the closeness we’d experienced since the age of two, made it all the worse. By the time we left sixth form, we were strangers.

In late 2002, ‘Bounce’ was released and in 2003 I got to see the Jovi again. But not with my best friend. Track 4 on ‘Bounce’ was ‘Joey’ which just so happened to be my friend’s name. It reduced me to tears every time I heard it. Whenever I hear ‘Blood on Blood’, about lifelong friends, I think of Joanna.

We bumped into each other throughout the years and thankfully, two years ago we reconnected on Facebook and together we travelled to Edinburgh last summer to see them on their Greatest Hits tour. It was one of the happiest days I’ve ever had. We meet a couple of times a year now and I only wish I could wind the clock back.

After ‘Bounce’, a lot of fans left Bon Jovi. ‘This Left Feels Right’ was certainly a departure from the norm – where the band rearranged previous songs, I wasn’t impressed with much of it. ’Have A Nice Day’ followed in 2005 featuring songs like ‘Who Says You Can’t Go Home’.

Following a duet with Sugarland on ‘Have A Nice Day’, ‘Lost Highway’ was inspired by country music and recorded in Nashville but that didn’t stop me from loving it. ‘Whole Lotta Leaving’ was inspired by the death of Richie Sambora’s father and it is absolutely beautiful. In 2009, ‘The Circle’ marked a definite return to Bon Jovi’s roots.

What I adore about Bon Jovi, along with the fact that I can chart my life through their songs, is that their lyrics are so full of meaning. They write about love, they write about loss. They write about the strength you didn’t realise you had. The sing about war and they sing about friendship. Barack Obama’s chief adviser David Axelrod had the lyrics to ‘Work For The Working Man’ framed and hung in his office.

Bon Jovi understand the Tommy and Ginas, they sing about being so low you think you’ll never rise up again – but they know you will. In my darkest moments, and believe me there’ve been some hair-raisers, I’ve listened to ‘Someday I’ll Be Saturday Night’ and believed it. Without Bon Jovi, I honestly don’t know how I would have coped with some situations.

Some may think they’re formulaic and boring but if you listen to the lyrics, their songs are full of compassion – and that can never be a bad thing.

So, happy birthday Jon Bon – here’s to 5o more years!

Vic x

Why Chris Brown has made a mockery of the Grammys (and Rihanna)

Regular readers of this blog will know I am neither a Chris Brown or Rihanna fan. I think they are both appalling role models to the young people who listen to their music and watch their performances. However, I was absolutely disgusted two weeks ago when Chris Brown was not only allowed to perform at the Grammy Awards but also won an award for his album F.A.M.E.

How can the organisers of the Grammys possibly think it’s ok to endorse this man? And, like the petulant prick he is, after being granted the award, the following Tweet appeared on Brown’s Twitter account:

What a charming young man – he’s totally reformed, no?

The post was later removed and was blamed on an assistant. According to Radar online, even his mother doesn’t buy that excuse.

Three years ago, the night before the Grammy Awards, Chris Brown assaulted Rihanna, allegedly punching her, biting her, and trying to choke her while he had her in a headlock. He also apparently threatened to kill her. This was the result:

And now rumours are abound that Rihanna is on the verge of restarting her relationship with Brown. There are Tweets being passed backwards and forwards (although that may be a publicity scam for their new singles. Yes, two, apparently they’re releasing two together). As many victims of domestic violence will testify, it is hard to keep away from their abuser because they make promises of change and reform. However, Rihanna did escape and has been without Brown for three months. By going back to him now, she is making a massive mistake and taking a giant leap backwards. Someone like that will never change.

I truly believe that all music executives – whether they’re in charge of record companies or awards ceremonies – should shun Chris Brown. He should not be allowed to live this privileged lifestyle of jetting around the world, making masses of money and doing whatever he wants to do. He should have lost everything when he attacked Rihanna.

And since his win at the Grammys, what has Chris been doing? Keeping his nose clean? Don’t be silly. A woman has now accused him of stealing her iPhone outside a nightclub in Miami. After Christal Spann took his picture on her phone, he snatched it, allegedly telling her: “B****, you ain’t gonna put this up on no website.” (Don’t even get me started on the double negative).

Seeing as Brown is still on parole for beating Rihanna and if criminal charges are filed, his parole could be revoked and he could end up in prison for up to four years. I doubt this will happen but we can hope.

Vic x