Even Better than the Real Thing

According to FMQB, P. Diddy (or whatever variation of that he wants us to call him) recently visited the set of the Notorious B.I.G. biopic that is currently filming and was so taken aback with Derek Luke’s portrayal of himself, he had to leave. “I had to leave, cause he was acting just like me,” the astute Didster said.

He also had high compliments for Jamal “Gravy” Woolard, who is playing Biggie. “Gravy’s killing it. If I tell you he’s killing it, then that’s all we need to say, you know what I’m saying? I don’t think anybody could have done a better job,” he said.

I have yet to see any footage, but I don’t doubt the actors are doing a good job. However, for me, biopics about recent people all seem to have the same problem in that, no matter how good the actors are, I would just as soon watch a documentary on the person using real footage. Jaime Foxx and Joaquin Phoenix both did amazing jobs in their respective biopics, but I can easily watch footage of the real Ray Charles or Johnny Cash. Ditto for Jim Carrey in “Man on the Moon” and the same goes for the upcoming Biggie one as well. 

It works better when the person lived so long ago, there is no video of them. When I think of what Queen Elizabeth I looked like, I think of Cate Blanchett. But when I think of what Johnny Cash looked like, I think of Johnny Cash, not Joaquin dressed up to to look like him. Am I saying biopics of recently deceased people shouldn’t be made? No. I’m just stumping for more documentaries on rock stars. Long live Motley Crue “Behind the Music!”  

 

Danity Kane – They still exist?

Unlike music stalwarts such as O-Town and Da Band, apparently the girls who refer to themselves as Danity Kane still exist. Not only that, but they still have the backing from some label to record an album. Not only that, but the album they recorded, “Welcome to the Dollhouse” somehow debuted at the top of the charts last month.

Typically the creations Puff Daddy unleashes on an unsuspecting world through his “Making the Band” show have the shelf life of a bottle of French Vanilla CoffeeMate creamer, which of course seems like it’s going to last forever when you first open it, but then tastes pretty bad after a few mere weeks, if it’s not already gone by that time.

Of course, few pop groups are built to last. But it seems Puffy’s creations fall off the face of the earth before their season of “Making the Band” even makes it onto DVD. O-Town had a couple hit/terrible songs when their album “dropped” back in the day. Then their lead singer, Ashley Parker Angel, made another MTV show a few years later about how he once was on the top of the pop charts, and then his star fell rapidly and he was forced to work menial jobs. Then of course with his new show, “There and Back,” on the airwaves, he had another hit/terrible song – this one with more of a rock edge (in keeping with the tradition of former boy bandmembers’ “comeback songs.”) Now APA, as I’m sure all his homies call him, is back in obscurity.

Puffy’s second project, Da Band, didn’t really have a hit at all. They all seemed to be interested in having street cred within the hip-hop community, but needless to say did not find it using an MTV reality show as an avenue. Hard to figure when their show was probably preceded by episodes of “My Super Sweet Sixteen.” Going for street cred and missing, though, assures you will have no presence on the pop charts and that it is what happened to Da Band.

Which brings us to Danity Kane. These girls had moderate success two years ago when their first album was released following their season of “Making the Band.” But two years is an eternity for pop groups. By now I would have figured these gals would be trying to make it as contestants on “So You Think You Can Dance.” But lo and behold they release an album and it goes to the top of the charts. What can I say – kudos to you. It’s doubtful anyone will remember Danity Kane 20 years from now, but I wouldn’t have believed it in 2006 if you told me anyone would remember them 2 years from then. They’re still no Biggie, though. Puffy, that was your high point.