The Mexican national team is winless in the World Cup qualifying Hexagonal. And they're reminded about it every single day.
The pressure from the media and fans has been relentless on El Tri and US midfielder Michael Bradley
feels that the USMNT can use it to their advantage in Tuesday night's
qualifier at the Estadio Azteca (10:30 pm ET, ESPN and Univision, Live chat on MLSsoccer.com).
"Let's be honest, the pressure is on them," Bradley said during a
Monday roundtable session with media. "The pressure for them at home, at
Azteca to come out and not only play a good game but to win is huge."
Continued Bradley: "I think if we can start well and if we can show
them early on that now we're going to close them down and we're going to
make the game difficult for them and not just going to sit so deep and
let them have the ball the whole time. I think that will start to put
them under pressure and at a certain point there's a chance that the
crowd can turn on them."
There is already a precedent for that. In Mexico's first Hexagonal home
game on Feb. 6 against Jamaica, which shockingly finished 0-0, the
Estadio Azteca fans began jeering their own team and serenaded the
Jamaicans with "olé" chants.
But in order for the USMNT to even think about playing well enough to
win over the 100,000-plus crowd on the road Tuesday night, they'll need
to make sure they play with a lot more energy and fight than they did in
their last Hexagonal away match in Honduras. That ended in a 2-1 loss.
Bradley says the team had a frank, internal discussion about what has been missing in their more lackluster displays.
"We talked as a team last week about feeling like in this past stretch
we had let a few of the things that are so important to us come down a
few notches," he said. "The commitment, the determination, that heart,
winning mentality. The willingness of every guy who steps on the field
to run and to fight for every other guy on the field.
"So when you talk about winning big games and winning hard games and
winning games on the road and qualifiers on the road, those things have
to be there," Bradley continued. "Maybe for me, if I'm looking closely, I
look back and feel like at times in those games that those qualities
didn't shine through as much as they normally do and as much as they
have to to win big games … that part is not negotiable. Those qualities,
that commitment, that determination and that mentality has to be there
and it can't ever come down at all."
The AS Roma midfielder was not in the squad for the USMNT's first-ever
win at the Estadio Azteca last August. But he has a good feeling about
what could take place on Tuesday night.
"It's a game where we feel like it's come at a good time. We're
confident. We're excited," Bradley said. "If you look at the development
of our team, we're ready to come here and play them on even terms."
Selasa, 26 Maret 2013
Senin, 25 Maret 2013
Fergie Debuts Baby Bump At Kids' Choice Awards
After weeks of hiding her growing belly beneath baggy clothes, mom-to-be Fergie proudly debuted her baby bump on Saturday.
Stepping out at The Kids' Choice Awards in Los Angeles, the pregnant singer wore a short, form-fitting, brightly-colored Mary Katrantzou dress that showed off her tiny tummy.
The Black Eyed Peas singer, 37, paired the dress with a pair of yellow Roxane heels and wore her blond hair down in loose waves.
Fergie - whose husband, Josh Duhamel, hosted the notoriously slimy award show - made an appearance in the show's opening number and was later photographed in the audience, flanked by fellow singers Selena Gomez and Katy Perry.
Josh and Fergie, who tied the knot in 2009, announced they were expecting their first child via Twitter in February, using a twist on a line from the BEP's hit, "My Humps."
PHOTOS: Hollywood's Hottest Moms & Their Little Ones
"Fergie and Me and BABY makes three. #MyLovelyBabyBump," Josh Tweeted at the time, while Fergie wrote, "Josh & Me & BABY makes three!!! #mylovelybabybump."
Stepping out at The Kids' Choice Awards in Los Angeles, the pregnant singer wore a short, form-fitting, brightly-colored Mary Katrantzou dress that showed off her tiny tummy.
The Black Eyed Peas singer, 37, paired the dress with a pair of yellow Roxane heels and wore her blond hair down in loose waves.
Fergie - whose husband, Josh Duhamel, hosted the notoriously slimy award show - made an appearance in the show's opening number and was later photographed in the audience, flanked by fellow singers Selena Gomez and Katy Perry.
Josh and Fergie, who tied the knot in 2009, announced they were expecting their first child via Twitter in February, using a twist on a line from the BEP's hit, "My Humps."
PHOTOS: Hollywood's Hottest Moms & Their Little Ones
"Fergie and Me and BABY makes three. #MyLovelyBabyBump," Josh Tweeted at the time, while Fergie wrote, "Josh & Me & BABY makes three!!! #mylovelybabybump."
Kamis, 21 Maret 2013
Jay Leno Out? NBC Picks Jimmy Fallon as 'Tonight Show' Successor
It appears that Jimmy Fallon is a go to replace Jay Leno as host of NBC's "The Tonight Show" -- and that the long-running late-night offering will be packing its bags for a cross-country move.
According to the New York Times, NBC has "made a commitment" to Fallon, who currently hosts the network's "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon," airing after Leno. (The TImes says, however, that a deal has not yet been struck.)
The Times says that NBC is also building a studio in the network's New York headquarters at 30 Rockefeller Plaza to accommodate the switch in hosts. (Fallon currently tapes "Late Night" in New York; "Tonight" was originally filmed in New York, before moving to Burbank, Calif., in 1972.)
As for when Fallon would assume Leno's duties, the Times reports that the transition is slated for a fall 2014 timetable, when Leno's contract expires.
A spokeswoman for NBC has not yet responded to TheWrap's request for comment.
Leno took a couple of pointed jabs at NBC brass on his show this week, after a report that he and NBC entertainment chairman Robert Greenblatt had an argument over Leno's previous "Tonight Show" digs about the network's ratings.
"Well you know the whole legend of St. Patrick, right?" Leno cracked during his monolog on Monday night's show. "St. Patrick drove all the snakes out of Ireland, and then they came here to the United States and became NBC executives. It's a fascinating, fascinating story."
Tuesday night found Leno landing another shot at NBC's expense, over -- uh-huh -- the network's ratings.
"Did you hear about this? A 28-year-old woman from Serbia has a rare brain condition where she sees everything upside down," Leno joked. "The good news? She's now been given a job at the White House as President Obama's economic adviser. Isn't that crazy? It's unbelievable. She sees everything upside down. In fact, she thinks NBC is at the top of the ratings."
Indian actor Sanjay Dutt sentenced in weapons case
India's Supreme Court sentenced Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt to five years in jail Thursday for illegal weapons possession in a case linked to a 1993 bombing that killed 257 people in Mumbai.
The court ordered Dutt to surrender to police within four weeks on the charge of possessing three automatic rifles and a pistol that were supplied to him by men subsequently convicted in the bombing.
The actor's case was part of a sprawling Mumbai bombing trial that has dragged on for 18 years. Dutt maintains that he knew nothing about the bombing plot and that he asked for the guns to protect his family — his mother was Muslim and his father Hindu — after receiving threats during sectarian riots in Mumbai.
The Supreme Court had earlier sentenced Dutt to six years in prison. He served 18 months in jail before he was released on bail in November 2007 pending an appeal in the top court.
The court had earlier acquitted Dutt of the more serious charges of terrorism and conspiracy.
Dutt's lawyer Satish Maneshinde said the 53-year-old actor would take some time before deciding on his next step.
Despite his brush with the law and his stints in jail, Dutt's Bollywood career flourished over the past two decades. He gained enormous popularity for a series of Hindi films in which he played the role of a reformed thug who follows the teachings of nonviolence advocate and Indian independence hero Mohandas Gandhi.
The court ordered Dutt to surrender to police within four weeks on the charge of possessing three automatic rifles and a pistol that were supplied to him by men subsequently convicted in the bombing.
The actor's case was part of a sprawling Mumbai bombing trial that has dragged on for 18 years. Dutt maintains that he knew nothing about the bombing plot and that he asked for the guns to protect his family — his mother was Muslim and his father Hindu — after receiving threats during sectarian riots in Mumbai.
The Supreme Court had earlier sentenced Dutt to six years in prison. He served 18 months in jail before he was released on bail in November 2007 pending an appeal in the top court.
The court had earlier acquitted Dutt of the more serious charges of terrorism and conspiracy.
Dutt's lawyer Satish Maneshinde said the 53-year-old actor would take some time before deciding on his next step.
Despite his brush with the law and his stints in jail, Dutt's Bollywood career flourished over the past two decades. He gained enormous popularity for a series of Hindi films in which he played the role of a reformed thug who follows the teachings of nonviolence advocate and Indian independence hero Mohandas Gandhi.
Senin, 18 Maret 2013
Rosario Dawson and Danny Boyle Split, Ignore Each Other at Trance Press Junket
"From the outside it looks like there's a lot of dissimilarities, but we actually have a lot in common. We're really similar people. He's a very kind man," said Dawson, who told Access Hollywood she made the first move during an October 2012 interview. "It was just one of those things where we were going to just go our separate ways had someone not said something."
Dawson described her then-love as a "really brilliant human being" and a "very, very lovely, kind man." British filmmaker Boyle -- known for helming hits like Slumdog Millionaire, 127 Hours and Trainspotting -- declined to talk about their courtship during an interview with The Mail on Sunday's Live magazine March 2, though he did praise his ex for her lack of vanity.
Despite their kind words for each other, there was palpable tension when the two reunited for the Trance press junket in L.A. over the weekend, a source tells Us. "Rosario and Danny didn't interact during interviews," the source says. "It was pretty obvious they're no longer a couple."
The source adds, "He was talking to a group of people when she arrived and it was awkward -- like a cold greeting, no hug, and they got through it as quickly as possible."
Prior to romancing Boyle, Dawson dated Sex and the City star Jason Lewis for two years. Though they shared a pad in L.A., the actors separated in November 2006. Dawson also dated French DJ Mathieu Schreyer from 2008 to 2011.
Minggu, 10 Maret 2013
EA’s Full Spectrum Takes A Step Forward For LGBT Gamers
The video game industry walks a social tightrope. Games are held to a ridiculous amount of scrutiny from both sides of the political spectrum, with controversies erupting over issues like race, gender, violence and sex. Electronic Arts has taken a beating over many of its games, especially titles like Mass Effect and Dragon Age where players have the option of engaging in same-sex romances. Even small steps like creating a gay-friendly planet for the online RPG Star Wars: The Old Republic resulted in anti-gay groups being outraged, while gay rights activists claimed it wasn’t a big enough step. EA took an even bigger step forward to address LGBT matters this week with their “Full Spectrum” event.Held at the Ford Foundation New York this week, Full Spectrum gathered together lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender personnel from the press and gaming industry to discuss how video game publishers can further the interest of the LGBT community. Far from a dry seminar on workplace diversity, the event involved several lively panels where designers, activists and journalists debated issues like how publishers can prevent in-game harassment of gay players, and ways to include gay characters in storylines.
In a panel moderated by Hilary Rosen, former CEO of the Recording Industry Association of America, Rosen reminded those present that video games have grown from “A subculture in the basement” to a major business and that it is time for the industry to define itself, socially.
On Rosen’s panel, members debated whether publishers should make it easier to report inappropriate behavior in online games, or if it the consumer’s duty to “Change the channel” when a particular game develops a reputation for an intolerant player base. The ESA’s Dan Hewitt pointed out that hostile “Trash talk” is an integral part of the competitive nature of online gaming, while others suggested that community managers should crack down on common epithets.
Also present for Full Spectrum was Brendon Ayanbadejo of the Baltimore Raven. He became embroiled in controversy for supporting same-sex marriage. Although he fielded questions about his EA sports in-game character, Ayanbadejo focused on the lack of openly gay athletes in major sports, and the need for a “Gay Jackie Robinson” to break the new barrier.
Unfortunately, as often happens with LGBT events, the “B” and “T” were not fully addressed with most of the discussion focusing on gay issues. A few panelists spoke on the need to distinguish between the needs of the gay community, and the transgender and bisexual communities, so hopefully the next Full Spectrum will more closely examine the differences of these intersecting, yet distinct groups.
In his introduction to the Full Spectrum event the president of the Ford Foundation, Luis A. Ubinas, pointed out that positive television portrayals of gay characters in the show Will and Grace did more to further gay rights than preachy social programs.
Video games haven’t had their Will and Grace yet, although great strides have been made in recent years with games like EA’s own Mass Effect 3 which lets players choose the option of a gay protagonist, while Saints Row The Third let players create a transgender hero through sex change operations and crossdressing. Hopefully the game industry will get the interactive equivalent of Will and Grace soon, and gamers will find themselves controlling a canonical gay or transgender protagonist.
SimCity Servers 40 Times Faster After Latest Patch
The SimCity server issue are starting to die down now, and after a pretty disastrous launch, EA and Maxis are finally getting things back up and running for more players. ”Maxis continues to make huge progress in addressing the lag and server-capacity issues we experienced at launch,” Lucy Bradshaw wrote in her second open letter to the SimCity community. “We’ve improved our server response time by 40x, we’ve doubled the number of players in the game at the same time and reduced server down times.” It’s still pretty shocking to see this happen to one of the biggest releases this year. You can check out Bradshaw’s official update to fans below.“I’ll keep this short since almost everyone who cares is busy building cities and making friends in SimCity.
Maxis continues to make huge progress in addressing the lag and server-capacity issues we experienced at launch. We’ve improved our server response time by 40x, we’ve doubled the number of players in the game at the same time and reduced server down times.
The situation is good, but not good enough. And since my boss is one of the negatively affected (!) – we’re still driving hard to get everyone online, playing together, and no hitches.
Tens of thousands of new players are logging in every day. For that support – that commitment from our fans — we are deeply grateful. More than anything, we know that information is important to our players. Our Twitter chat today made that especially clear, and I want to say thank you sharing your ideas, your issues and for being, well, nicer than I thought you would be, given everything you’ve been through. Thank you.
The new servers we rolled out have a new faster set up. We are now dedicated to updating our original servers so that those of you who have been playing these past few days can get the benefits on servers where your cities are played. To do this, we will have to take the original servers down one by one to upgrade them.The improvements will be worth the downtime, and thanks for hanging with us as we do this. We’ll also be adding more tonight as well. We’ll be sending out detailed info shortly through our community forums and launcher.
That’s it for today. We’ll keep you updated on what’s to come. Expect the first of our server upgrades to start this evening.”
Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII: 5 Ways To Make It Memorable
Final Fantasy XIII is a very polarising series within the Final Fantasy series. Critical reviews haven’t been awful, and compared to earlier games in the FF series, it’s hard to proclaim that FFXIII and its sequel are the worst games of the series. Nevertheless, the games don’t live up to Final Fantasy’s lofty heights set in recent years. It’s hard to imagine that the third game in the FFXIII series will garner much support. Many (including myself) question why we needed a third game (well, aside from the the cliffhanger ending in FFXIII-2), but since we are, here a list of requirements to make the game memorable and lift the FF name again.Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII: 5 Ways To Make It Memorable
5) Weapon And Armor Customization
Seeing as how we’ll be primarily (if not only) controlling Lightning throughout the game. Thus some mechanism of variety needs to be inputted in place of traditional character variety on the battlefield. One way to make up for this approach is to provide a lot of customization options. These options need to be versatile, not just improved specs over time but, customizations that allows freedom of playstyle and also varies in usefulness dependent on enemy.
4) Optional Dungeons With Bosses
Optional side-quests aren’t FFXIII’s strongest suite. Part of that is due to lack of variety, but another part is also due to having no real optional dungeons to explore and loot. Lightning Returns: FFXIII should incorporate optional dungeons back into the game’s world and also supply challenging bosses to face in these dungeons. Treasure and loot obtained should also be worthwhile.
3) Close The FFXIII Story
The story in the FFXIII universe is all over the place. The concept story was probably too big to be incorporated into a single series, let alone game. But enough is enough. FFXIII suffered from over-reliance on the datalog, whilst FFXIII-2 suffered typical time-travel plot problems. Neither really provided a full story either. Lightning Returns needs to end the saga. I know it has been mentioned that this will be the final game in the series, but Square-Enix still need to make sure they provide a competent ending.
2) Keep Funny Dialogue Options
Weirdly, one of the best things to come out of FFXIII-2 was the dialogue choices incorporated into the game. An added bonus being that there was a consistently ‘funny’ dialogue option to choose where the characters would poke fun at each other or say weird and random things. Oddly enough, this brought colour to the game and the characters. It was also a decent reason to replay the game, just for those dialogue options. It would be nice to see this feature return in Lightning Returns.
1) Battle System Variety & Harder Difficulties
The battle system in the FFXIII series has its share of fans and haters. I personally like the system, and I’d rather have variety in the battle system of the Final Fantasy series than re-hash the old. The one thing I will say though, is that there needs to be more variety in battle appraoch. For the most part, the system has you build up the stagger meter and then go all out attack. This happens too many times though, and there should be more variety in this approach. In FFXIII, there were a handful of battles where you couldn’t stagger the enemy, and these were a lot of fun to fight. There should be more approach to battles. In addition, there should be harder difficulty levels (if incorporated) compared to what was in FFXIII-2.
Future “Atelier” Games May Be Getting A Japanese Voice Option
A lot of Japanese role playing game fans prefer to play their games with the original japanese dub: while this was understandable a few years ago, when English dubs were quite mediocre, with the current localization quality for a lot of Japanese games, it’s not so understandable anymore. Still it’s better to have a dual language option than not to have an option at all.Yoshito Okamura, Gust Game Director for Atelier Ayesha: The Alchemist Of Dusk, recently released in the West, has stated in a recent interview that he was quite surprised to know that a lot of Western fans prefer to play the game with the Japanese voice overs and that there was high demand for it.
While Okamura san couldn’t go further in details, he stated that Gust is seriously considering reintroducing the option in future Gust games: the team wants to be in touch with fans and give them exactly what they want. With their recent partnership with Tecmo Koei they fell like they can achieve something like this in an easier way than before.
It’s good to know that Gust is willing to include Japanese voices again, considering it’s not so easy to do as many could think: most of the times developers have to pay extra royalties to voice actors to include the Japanese dub in the Western versions of their games, something that not many are willing to do due to rising costs.
Ireland Baldwin Signs With Modeling Agency, Says She Feels "Blessed, Happy"
Things are definitely looking up for lanky Ireland Baldwin these days! The 6'2" daughter of Alec Baldwin and Kim Bassinger has officially signed with IMG Models and Two Management, she shared with fans on Twitter earlier this week."Officially working for @TwoManagement and @IMGmodels!" the 17-year-old blonde beauty tweeted on Tuesday, March 5. "I'm blessed, happy, and ready to WEEEEERK.
Baldwin will be joining the likes of such household names as Kate Moss, Tyra Banks, and Chanel Iman in signing with the agencies. Her own mother, 59-year-old Basinger, signed with the Ford modeling agency at age 16.
In December, the mother-daughter duo enjoyed some quality time together in Hawaii, and Baldwin revealed just how much she admired her mother.
"Happy birthday to the most beautiful woman in the entire world," she captioned a gorgeous vintage photo of the actress. "You are the most influential and inspirational figure in my life, and I've always looked up to you and no one else."
"Mom, you still look like you're 17 and it's kind of embarrassing standing next to you," she continued. "Hopefully someday I will adopt your cheekbones and your overall beauty…Inside and out."
Baldwin will soon have a little mini-me half-sister to mentor herself -- dad Alec and his new wife Hilaria announced earlier this week that they are expecting a baby girl.
"Alec and I are overjoyed that we are going to be welcoming a little girl into our lives," the 28-year-old yoga instructor told Extra on Thursday.
Producers pay tribute to TV gun-show host shot dead in Montana
Producers of a popular cable program about hunting and guns said on Saturday they were saddened by the "sudden untimely death" of the show's host, Gregory Rodriguez, who police said was shot to death in Montana by a man who later apparently killed himself.
Authorities in the resort town of Whitefish in northwestern Montana said Rodriguez, 43, host of "A Rifleman's Journal" on the Sportsman Channel and contributing editor at Guns & Ammo magazine, was killed by the husband of a woman with whom Rodriguez was meeting on Thursday night.
The unidentified woman told police that her husband, Wayne Bengston, entered the house where she and Rodriguez were visiting and shot and killed him before brutally beating her, Whitefish Police Chief Bill Dial said in a statement.
Bengston, 41, fled to a relative's house with the couple's 2-year-old son, who was later found unharmed. Authorities tracked Bengston to the couple's home in nearby West Glacier, where he was found dead early on Friday of what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, Dial said.
At a news conference on Friday, Dial said he did not believe Rodriguez was involved with Bengston's wife but that Bengston may have acted in a jealous rage.
The producers of Rodriguez's show said they were saddened by his "sudden untimely death."
"He truly epitomized Sportsman Channel's position of being a leader in the outdoors," Sportsman Channel spokeswoman Michelle Scheuermann said in a statement.
Rodriguez of Sugar Land, Texas, was an authority on firearms and hunting and owned an outfitting business that booked hunting trips to Africa.
He was a former vice president of the Houston Safari Club, a nonprofit group that advocates for wildlife conservation and sporting rights.
"A Rifleman's Journal" chronicled Rodriguez's global pursuit of big-game animals in Africa, Asia and Europe, according to the Sportsman Channel.
Rodriguez and his wife had two children, said the website of his Global Adventure Outfitters business.
Authorities in the resort town of Whitefish in northwestern Montana said Rodriguez, 43, host of "A Rifleman's Journal" on the Sportsman Channel and contributing editor at Guns & Ammo magazine, was killed by the husband of a woman with whom Rodriguez was meeting on Thursday night.
The unidentified woman told police that her husband, Wayne Bengston, entered the house where she and Rodriguez were visiting and shot and killed him before brutally beating her, Whitefish Police Chief Bill Dial said in a statement.
Bengston, 41, fled to a relative's house with the couple's 2-year-old son, who was later found unharmed. Authorities tracked Bengston to the couple's home in nearby West Glacier, where he was found dead early on Friday of what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, Dial said.
At a news conference on Friday, Dial said he did not believe Rodriguez was involved with Bengston's wife but that Bengston may have acted in a jealous rage.
The producers of Rodriguez's show said they were saddened by his "sudden untimely death."
"He truly epitomized Sportsman Channel's position of being a leader in the outdoors," Sportsman Channel spokeswoman Michelle Scheuermann said in a statement.
Rodriguez of Sugar Land, Texas, was an authority on firearms and hunting and owned an outfitting business that booked hunting trips to Africa.
He was a former vice president of the Houston Safari Club, a nonprofit group that advocates for wildlife conservation and sporting rights.
"A Rifleman's Journal" chronicled Rodriguez's global pursuit of big-game animals in Africa, Asia and Europe, according to the Sportsman Channel.
Rodriguez and his wife had two children, said the website of his Global Adventure Outfitters business.
NBA playoff picture: Lakers catch Jazz, but lack tiebreaker
After the Utah Jazz lost to the New York Knicks on Saturday, the Lakers and Jazz are now tied with identical 32-31 records for eighth place in the Western Conference. The Jazz would still be in the playoffs if their records stay tied until the season ends, though, because the Jazz have won two of three games against the Lakers head-to-head, giving them the tiebreaker.
The Jazz are idle on Sunday while the Lakers host the Chicago Bulls at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
Utah plays 11 of its final 19 games at home this season. The Jazz face 10 teams in that stretch with .500 or better records. The Lakers play nine of their final 19 at home and also face 10 teams that are currently better than .500.
Western Standings
| GP | W-L | PCT | |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Antonio Spurs | 63 | 48-15 | .762 |
| Oklahoma City Thunder | 62 | 46-16 | .742 |
| Memphis Grizzlies | 61 | 42-19 | .689 |
| Los Angeles Clippers | 64 | 44-20 | .688 |
| Denver Nuggets | 64 | 42-22 | .656 |
| Golden State Warriors | 64 | 35-29 | .547 |
| Houston Rockets | 64 | 34-30 | .531 |
| Utah Jazz | 63 | 32-31 | .508 |
| Los Angeles Lakers | 63 | 32-31 | .508 |
| Portland Trail Blazers | 61 | 29-32 | .475 |
| Dallas Mavericks | 61 | 28-33 | .459 |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | 59 | 21-38 | .356 |
| Phoenix Suns | 63 | 22-41 | .349 |
| Sacramento Kings | 64 | 22-42 | .344 |
| New Orleans Hornets | 63 | 21-42 | .333 |
Here's Why American Airlines Chose Samsung Over Apple When It Bought 17,000 Tablets
American Airlines owns 33,000 tablets and that's one of the largest corporate deployments, period. 23,000 of them are from Samsung, not Apple.
American bought 17,000 Galaxy Notes last fall. The Note is sometimes called a "phablet" because it's part smartphone and part tablet.
The idea is to equip each flight attendant with a device that gives them ready access to the latest flight information and other customer service info.
The Note was an interesting choice because American already had iPads on its planes. American's pilots use some 10,000 iPads in the cockpit. American considered using iPads for its flight attendants, too.
One reason Samsung won is because it has been pushing hard to lure enterprise customers with programs like "Samsung For Enterprise (SAFE)." SAFE adds security and management features to all Samsung Galaxy devices.
Business Insider talked to Lisa Canada, AA's Managing Director of Operations Technology, to get the details.
BI: Why did you buy so many tablets and what are you doing with them?
Lisa Canada: We’ve started rolling out the Samsung Galaxy Note tablets this year to our flight attendants, who use the device to access customer information like preferences and gate connections to better serve travelers.
Our aircraft maintenance technicians also use a Samsung device – the Galaxy Tab, giving them a modern tool to better troubleshoot and address any aircraft issues. We also offer Samsung Galaxy Tabs to our Business Class customers on certain routes for a premium inflight entertainment experience.
BI: Why Samsung?
Lisa Canada: We chose Samsung devices for select workgroups after months of testing different devices and gathering employee feedback. We felt that Samsung’s tablets were best suited to our enterprise environment, plus we were able to make customizations to fit our needs.
BI: How important was SAFE to you?
Lisa Canada: SAFE provides additional administrative features which facilitates our development and device management.”
BI: Why is this initiative important to AA?
Lisa Canada: Our priority is to make serving our customers easy and as intuitive as possible. This includes efforts such as rolling out tablets that simplify and modernize the American experience.
For instance, because of the applications we were using, we have also provided pilots with Apple iPads containing information and navigational charts. The iPads replaced the paper-based documents they used to carry around in cumbersome 35-pound pilot kitbags. Regardless of mobile platform, we are committed to providing employees with the best technology tools for their specific roles and responsibilities.
Stay tuned for BI Intelligence's in-depth report on how Samsung is winning tablet business over Apple in the enterprise.
American bought 17,000 Galaxy Notes last fall. The Note is sometimes called a "phablet" because it's part smartphone and part tablet.
The idea is to equip each flight attendant with a device that gives them ready access to the latest flight information and other customer service info.
The Note was an interesting choice because American already had iPads on its planes. American's pilots use some 10,000 iPads in the cockpit. American considered using iPads for its flight attendants, too.
One reason Samsung won is because it has been pushing hard to lure enterprise customers with programs like "Samsung For Enterprise (SAFE)." SAFE adds security and management features to all Samsung Galaxy devices.
Business Insider talked to Lisa Canada, AA's Managing Director of Operations Technology, to get the details.
BI: Why did you buy so many tablets and what are you doing with them?
Lisa Canada: We’ve started rolling out the Samsung Galaxy Note tablets this year to our flight attendants, who use the device to access customer information like preferences and gate connections to better serve travelers.
Our aircraft maintenance technicians also use a Samsung device – the Galaxy Tab, giving them a modern tool to better troubleshoot and address any aircraft issues. We also offer Samsung Galaxy Tabs to our Business Class customers on certain routes for a premium inflight entertainment experience.
BI: Why Samsung?
Lisa Canada: We chose Samsung devices for select workgroups after months of testing different devices and gathering employee feedback. We felt that Samsung’s tablets were best suited to our enterprise environment, plus we were able to make customizations to fit our needs.
BI: How important was SAFE to you?
Lisa Canada: SAFE provides additional administrative features which facilitates our development and device management.”
BI: Why is this initiative important to AA?
Lisa Canada: Our priority is to make serving our customers easy and as intuitive as possible. This includes efforts such as rolling out tablets that simplify and modernize the American experience.
For instance, because of the applications we were using, we have also provided pilots with Apple iPads containing information and navigational charts. The iPads replaced the paper-based documents they used to carry around in cumbersome 35-pound pilot kitbags. Regardless of mobile platform, we are committed to providing employees with the best technology tools for their specific roles and responsibilities.
Stay tuned for BI Intelligence's in-depth report on how Samsung is winning tablet business over Apple in the enterprise.
Danielle Fishel poses for Maxim: 'Hello, it's Topanga'
Topanga never looked like this on 1990s sitcom Boy Meets World.
But Danielle Fishel is 31 now and posing on the cover of Maxim magazine.
In the interview, Fishel talks about the show, which was part of a TGIF block of programming on ABC, as she prepares to co-star again with Ben Savage, who played Cory on the show, for an updated version, Girl Meets World.
She recalls one story of flying on a plane with Bob Saget, who at the time was starring on Full House.
"One time we were all on a private jet going to Disney World, and my mom, dad, and brother were also with me. We had these four seats facing each other with curtains, so we had our own little private family area. Anyway, we were trying to take a nap, and all of a sudden Bob Saget walks down the aisle, rips open our curtain, and shouts, 'Do you guys have any coke?!' Then he looks my dad in the eye, laughs, and closes the curtain. My mom was like, 'What was that all about?' "
And Fishel, who is engaged, explains how her character came to be called Topanga. Answer: Yes, she was named after the canyon in L.A.
"Michael Jacobs, who created Boy Meets World, says he was driving down the highway when production called and said, 'We need a name for this character!' He happened to be driving past Topanga Canyon, so he said, 'Topanga.' He says that if they had called him two miles later, I would've been named Canoga, which is the next exit."
She's also inspired parents to name their kids Topanga. "I've met five little girls named Topanga, all after me, and I've heard about many more. People will tweet me, and I've had family members who have met other Topangas. It's crazy and it's flattering, but I never know what to say when they're showing me their beautiful little girls. I'm like, 'Really? Topanga!?' "
And did she and Ben Savage ever date in real life?
"No! That rumor was entirely my fault because I once said, on The Tyra Banks Show, that Ben and I went on a date, and that turned into 'Danielle and Ben dated.' We went on one date, when I was about 15, and by the time the dinner was over we realized mutually that we were more like family than lovers."
But Danielle Fishel is 31 now and posing on the cover of Maxim magazine.
In the interview, Fishel talks about the show, which was part of a TGIF block of programming on ABC, as she prepares to co-star again with Ben Savage, who played Cory on the show, for an updated version, Girl Meets World.
She recalls one story of flying on a plane with Bob Saget, who at the time was starring on Full House.
"One time we were all on a private jet going to Disney World, and my mom, dad, and brother were also with me. We had these four seats facing each other with curtains, so we had our own little private family area. Anyway, we were trying to take a nap, and all of a sudden Bob Saget walks down the aisle, rips open our curtain, and shouts, 'Do you guys have any coke?!' Then he looks my dad in the eye, laughs, and closes the curtain. My mom was like, 'What was that all about?' "
And Fishel, who is engaged, explains how her character came to be called Topanga. Answer: Yes, she was named after the canyon in L.A.
"Michael Jacobs, who created Boy Meets World, says he was driving down the highway when production called and said, 'We need a name for this character!' He happened to be driving past Topanga Canyon, so he said, 'Topanga.' He says that if they had called him two miles later, I would've been named Canoga, which is the next exit."
She's also inspired parents to name their kids Topanga. "I've met five little girls named Topanga, all after me, and I've heard about many more. People will tweet me, and I've had family members who have met other Topangas. It's crazy and it's flattering, but I never know what to say when they're showing me their beautiful little girls. I'm like, 'Really? Topanga!?' "
And did she and Ben Savage ever date in real life?
"No! That rumor was entirely my fault because I once said, on The Tyra Banks Show, that Ben and I went on a date, and that turned into 'Danielle and Ben dated.' We went on one date, when I was about 15, and by the time the dinner was over we realized mutually that we were more like family than lovers."
Dwight Howard: I changed at break
It was four days in a season that at times has felt four years long. But amid the festivities of All-Star weekend in Houston last month, Dwight Howard says he found time to make some very important changes.
"I'm a big thinker," Howard said during a wide-ranging, candid interview after the Los Angeles Lakers practiced Saturday afternoon. "So I just stayed in the hotel and thought about the first half of the season and how I could do better for our team.
"And I just told myself, 'I'm going to commit myself to being better for the second half of the season.' "
That meant cutting sugar completely out of his diet so he could get into the kind of shape he needed to be in to be the Lakers' defensive anchor and run coach Mike D'Antoni's pick-and-roll sets.
That meant acknowledging that he was trying to be somebody he wasn't the first half of the season.
And, yes, it meant admitting to himself that playing alongside the hard-driving Kobe Bryant was something that he needed both personally and professionally.
"It's going to make me a better man and a better player from watching Kobe," Howard said.
Playing in Los Angeles, for a franchise with expectations as high as the Lakers, is "a lot different," Howard said.
"Besides just the expectations," he said. "In games, I mess up and there's somebody in the crowd saying something and I'm ready to snap at 'em. That's not what we're supposed to do.
"But you look at a guy like Kobe and he doesn't care about nothing but going out there and playing hard. That's a lesson a lot of us have to learn -- especially young guys."
Howard said he and Bryant always have had a good relationship, but it's deepened this season, particularly since the All-Star break.
"I told him [Bryant]: 'I'm afraid to miss. When I get out there, I don't want to miss, and I end up missing.' And he was like: 'You know what? Shoot 1,000 jumpshots a day. You're going to miss a lot of those shots. But that's OK. Because you're teaching yourself it's OK to miss.'
"Now I see it. He gets out there and he might miss a couple 3s, but then he'll make nine in a row. You see that and it just kind of gives you more inspiration."
Howard and Bryant are coming off their best two games as Lakers, with the latter becoming the first Laker since Jerry West in 1970 to post back-to-back 40-point, 10-assist games in wins against New Orleans and Toronto, respectively. Howard has dominated defensively while averaging 22 points, 14 rebounds and 4.5 blocks.
In nine games since the All-Star break, Howard is averaging 15.4 points, 14.1 rebounds and 2.4 blocks a game. Moreover, his energy and attitude seem markedly different. "He jumped three or four times after one ball," D'Antoni said of Howard's defensive performance Friday night, when he blocked five shots and intimidated several Raptors. "His conditioning didn't allow him to do that [before].
"I think he was harshly judged because he wasn't 100 percent. There's all kind of little factors, but the further away he gets away from the [back] operation, the better he will be."
Whatever the case, Los Angeles (32-31) will take it. With Utah's loss Saturday night to the Knicks, the Lakers are now tied with the Jazz for the eighth and final Western Conference playoff berth.
"When I first [came to L.A.], I wanted to come here and not talk to anybody and act completely different," Howard said. "But that's not who I am. I've never been that way. I shouldn't ever shut myself off to the world. I don't think that's good for the team or for me and what I want to accomplish in life.
"I thought about it and said, 'No, I can't change. I've got to mature in certain areas,' and I think I have. But I can't change who I am."
When did that change take place?
"At the All-Star break," Howard said. "I just thought about what we're trying to accomplish as a team and I really want to win a championship. That's the reason why I'm in LA."
"I'm a big thinker," Howard said during a wide-ranging, candid interview after the Los Angeles Lakers practiced Saturday afternoon. "So I just stayed in the hotel and thought about the first half of the season and how I could do better for our team.
"And I just told myself, 'I'm going to commit myself to being better for the second half of the season.' "
That meant cutting sugar completely out of his diet so he could get into the kind of shape he needed to be in to be the Lakers' defensive anchor and run coach Mike D'Antoni's pick-and-roll sets.
That meant acknowledging that he was trying to be somebody he wasn't the first half of the season.
And, yes, it meant admitting to himself that playing alongside the hard-driving Kobe Bryant was something that he needed both personally and professionally.
"It's going to make me a better man and a better player from watching Kobe," Howard said.
Playing in Los Angeles, for a franchise with expectations as high as the Lakers, is "a lot different," Howard said.
"Besides just the expectations," he said. "In games, I mess up and there's somebody in the crowd saying something and I'm ready to snap at 'em. That's not what we're supposed to do.
"But you look at a guy like Kobe and he doesn't care about nothing but going out there and playing hard. That's a lesson a lot of us have to learn -- especially young guys."
Howard said he and Bryant always have had a good relationship, but it's deepened this season, particularly since the All-Star break.
"I told him [Bryant]: 'I'm afraid to miss. When I get out there, I don't want to miss, and I end up missing.' And he was like: 'You know what? Shoot 1,000 jumpshots a day. You're going to miss a lot of those shots. But that's OK. Because you're teaching yourself it's OK to miss.'
"Now I see it. He gets out there and he might miss a couple 3s, but then he'll make nine in a row. You see that and it just kind of gives you more inspiration."
Howard and Bryant are coming off their best two games as Lakers, with the latter becoming the first Laker since Jerry West in 1970 to post back-to-back 40-point, 10-assist games in wins against New Orleans and Toronto, respectively. Howard has dominated defensively while averaging 22 points, 14 rebounds and 4.5 blocks.
In nine games since the All-Star break, Howard is averaging 15.4 points, 14.1 rebounds and 2.4 blocks a game. Moreover, his energy and attitude seem markedly different. "He jumped three or four times after one ball," D'Antoni said of Howard's defensive performance Friday night, when he blocked five shots and intimidated several Raptors. "His conditioning didn't allow him to do that [before].
"I think he was harshly judged because he wasn't 100 percent. There's all kind of little factors, but the further away he gets away from the [back] operation, the better he will be."
Whatever the case, Los Angeles (32-31) will take it. With Utah's loss Saturday night to the Knicks, the Lakers are now tied with the Jazz for the eighth and final Western Conference playoff berth.
"When I first [came to L.A.], I wanted to come here and not talk to anybody and act completely different," Howard said. "But that's not who I am. I've never been that way. I shouldn't ever shut myself off to the world. I don't think that's good for the team or for me and what I want to accomplish in life.
"I thought about it and said, 'No, I can't change. I've got to mature in certain areas,' and I think I have. But I can't change who I am."
When did that change take place?
"At the All-Star break," Howard said. "I just thought about what we're trying to accomplish as a team and I really want to win a championship. That's the reason why I'm in LA."
Hurts So Bad': Exclusive Song Premiere
One of Jenni Rivera's last projects wasn't a solo. It was a duet with Edward James Olmos. They recorded the pop ballad "Hurts So Bad" for their film "Filly Brown," which is scheduled for release on April 19.The track is premiering exclusively on Billboard (listen below). The song was written by Olmos, Rivera, Arthur Dominguez, Mico Olmos, Chris Perez, Edward "E-Dub" Rios and David Salas, who performs background vocals.
"That session was like Chicano heaven," says Lisa "Khool Aid" Rios, one of the producers of the film. "We feel honored to have been part of history that will live on forever."
Produced independently by Silent Giant Entertainment, which was founded by husband and wife team Lisa and Edward Rios, the film was shown at the Sundance Film Festival in 2012. The soundtrack goes on sale April 16.
The California-born Rivera, who died in a plane crash on Dec. 9 while working in Mexico, was on the cusp of a career breakthrough, going from a leading singer in the regional Mexican genre to recording music in English and venturing into other projects such as a sitcom loosely based on her life.
"Filly Brown," which was co-directed by Youssef Delara and Michael D. Olmos, features Gina Rodriguez in the leading role as Majo, an aspiring Latina rapper in Los Angeles whose mother (played by Rivera) is in prison and struggling with drug-addiction. Rodriguez learned to rap for the role and Rivera's performance, too, is receiving strong reviews worthy of awards.
"Hurts So Bad" was made in the tradition of an "oldies" song. The film also features other recording artists: Chingo Bling, Baby Bash, Dominator, Braxton Millz, MC Magic, Chrissie Fit, Ese Daz, Nikki Diaz, DamonReel, Jae Black, Fade Dogg, Carolyn Rodriguez, Malik and a spoken dedication to Rivera by Khool Aid:
"Dear Jenni -- You've left us with an empty place in our heart. It's not just an ordinary empty place. It's an empty place that needs to be filled in all we do moving forward... know that you'll live on."
'American Idol' Top 10 Chosen, With Few Surprises From Voters
Leaving the futures of 20 different singers in the hands of the American voting public can be an overwhelming thought, but America pulled few surprises Thursday night as it voted in the top 10 finalists on "American Idol" 2013.
In a setup that involved a long hallway, humongous doors and a tense waiting room, contestants got the news one by one, the finalists emerging to find screaming, adoring fans on the "Idol" stage before being allowed a "victory song" to sing for the audience.
The first contestant to make it through to the top 10 was arguably one of the night's bigger surprises. Paul Jolley, whose good looks and on-pitch vocal had gotten him to that point, improved even more so with the previous night's performance, though he hadn't been universally lauded by the judges in the way that, say, Curtis Finch Jr. had. And yet, through he went, his victory number a relaxed, pleasant "Alone" by Heart.
From there, the voted-in men lined up with judge acclaim. Finch was a shoo-in after some major performances in weeks prior, and once he was through, his version of John Legend's "So High" was just that, with the falsetto for which he's come to be known. Another early favorite, Burnell Taylor, gave arguably the night's top performance with "Ready for Love" after he was sent through, with shades of 2012's Joshua Ledet, though he put his own Burnell spin on it, particularly with the phrasing.
Filling out the top 10 for the guys were Devin Velez and Lazaro Arbos. Both were fan favorites after their turns at the stage Wednesday night, and Arbos was particularly excited, launching into a soaring "Bridge Over Troubled Water," while Velez's "The Power of One" continued to solidify him as a dark horse in the competition, especially after doing a more upbeat number.
But the night wasn't over just yet; the girls still had to be added to the top 10 tally. First up was Janelle Arthur, whose down-on-the-farm country demeanor, looks and vocal has impressed the judges despite two weeks of so-so performances. For her victory song, she chose Dierks Bentley's "Home," fitting quite snugly into the song vocally, perhaps providing a glimpse at what's to come. It was her third time auditioning for "Idol"; looks like third time's the charm.
Candice Glover and Angie Miller, two of the show's most raved about, sailed through, as was expected barring a strange results show. Glover took the moment to do a happy dance and sing Mary J. Blige's "Goin' Down," continuing to assert her dominance in the R&B genre on the show with a commanding performance that did Blige proud. Miller took on "I Was Here," and while it wasn't up to her usual standard, with a few pitch issues, it mattered not -- she was in.
Filling out the rest of the lineup were Kree Harrison and Amber Holcomb, Holcomb with a nice, up-tempo "I'm Every Woman," showing she can, indeed, do more than the ballads.
Eliminations meant the show would say goodbye to the 'Zoanette Era' of "Idol," as Zoanette Johnson was sent packing even after her knockout "Circle of Life" the week before. Joining her was fellow one-time favorite Vincent Powell, as well as Charlie Askew, Cortez Shaw, Elijah Liu, Nick Boddington, Tenna Torres, Breanna Steer, Adriana Latonio and Aubrey Cleland.
But "Idol" wasn't done just yet. Though the rumors of a wild card eventually subsided, Ryan Seacrest announced that next week, the No. 6 boy and girl in voting will sing for a spot on the "American Idol" tour, giving two singers one last chance to secure a little relevancy.
Next week, the top 10 take the Hollywood stage. Will the girls continue to stand out over the guys, or will the tide finally turn? Tune in to find out.
Hot 100 March Madness 2013: Vote Now in Round 1!
Last year's Billboard.com Hot 100 March Madness put a twist on the ever-popular college basketball tournament and asked pop fans to vote for their favorite recent No. 1 song on Billboard's Hot 100 chart. Hundreds of thousands of votes were cast, and Britney Spears' "Hold It Against Me" eventually emerged victorious from the field of 32 songs!
At long last, Hot 100 March Madness is back -- with some updated rules for 2013. Instead of pitting the last 32 No. 1 Hot 100 tracks against each other, we've gathered every smash single to grace the Top 5 of the chart over the past year, and placed them in head-to-head match-ups. Over the next month, it'll up to you to vote in the bracket-style tournament and determine which song is the absolute best of these 32 hits!
Check out the full Hot 100 March Madness bracket below, and then support your individual favorites in the first round of voting.
From April 1, 2012 through the most recent charts on Mar. 9, 2013, there have been exactly 32 songs that appeared in the Top 5 of the Hot 100 chart. The match-ups within the bracket were decided arbitrarily, so don't worry about NCAA-style rankings -- any song has a great chance of following "Hold It Against Me" and tasting Hot 100 March Madness glory.
Speaking of Britney Spears, the pop superstar and Will.i.am face a tough Round 1 opponent, as their hit "Scream & Shout" is matched up against One Direction's "What Makes You Beautiful." Other enticing Round 1 battles include Bruno Mars' "Locked Out of Heaven" facing off against Kelly Clarkson's "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)"; Nicki Minaj's ubiquitous 2012 hit "Starships" pitted against the recent viral smash (and No. 1 single) "Harlem Shake" by Baauer; PSY trying to topple Katy Perry's "Wide Awake" with "Gangnam Style"; and P!nk's attempt to blow one last kiss to Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, of "Thrift Shop" fame. Some artists, like Justin Bieber, Flo Rida, fun. and Rihanna, have more than one song in play, further increasing their chances of taking home a tournament win!
On Monday (Mar. 11), we'll reveal the 16 songs that won their match-ups and survived the round of 32, and another round of voting will begin. On Thursday, Mar. 28, a new Hot 100 March Madness champion -- the Top 5 song that you think was the No. 1 single of the past year -- will be crowned. Will Britney repeat as champ? Can Carly Rae Jepsen repeat her "Call Me Maybe" magic? And which Justin -- Bieber or Timberlake -- will advance further? It's up to you to decide!
Vote now for your favorite tracks below, and be sure to discuss this year's bracket in the comments section!
At long last, Hot 100 March Madness is back -- with some updated rules for 2013. Instead of pitting the last 32 No. 1 Hot 100 tracks against each other, we've gathered every smash single to grace the Top 5 of the chart over the past year, and placed them in head-to-head match-ups. Over the next month, it'll up to you to vote in the bracket-style tournament and determine which song is the absolute best of these 32 hits!
Check out the full Hot 100 March Madness bracket below, and then support your individual favorites in the first round of voting.
From April 1, 2012 through the most recent charts on Mar. 9, 2013, there have been exactly 32 songs that appeared in the Top 5 of the Hot 100 chart. The match-ups within the bracket were decided arbitrarily, so don't worry about NCAA-style rankings -- any song has a great chance of following "Hold It Against Me" and tasting Hot 100 March Madness glory.
Speaking of Britney Spears, the pop superstar and Will.i.am face a tough Round 1 opponent, as their hit "Scream & Shout" is matched up against One Direction's "What Makes You Beautiful." Other enticing Round 1 battles include Bruno Mars' "Locked Out of Heaven" facing off against Kelly Clarkson's "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)"; Nicki Minaj's ubiquitous 2012 hit "Starships" pitted against the recent viral smash (and No. 1 single) "Harlem Shake" by Baauer; PSY trying to topple Katy Perry's "Wide Awake" with "Gangnam Style"; and P!nk's attempt to blow one last kiss to Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, of "Thrift Shop" fame. Some artists, like Justin Bieber, Flo Rida, fun. and Rihanna, have more than one song in play, further increasing their chances of taking home a tournament win!
On Monday (Mar. 11), we'll reveal the 16 songs that won their match-ups and survived the round of 32, and another round of voting will begin. On Thursday, Mar. 28, a new Hot 100 March Madness champion -- the Top 5 song that you think was the No. 1 single of the past year -- will be crowned. Will Britney repeat as champ? Can Carly Rae Jepsen repeat her "Call Me Maybe" magic? And which Justin -- Bieber or Timberlake -- will advance further? It's up to you to decide!
Vote now for your favorite tracks below, and be sure to discuss this year's bracket in the comments section!
Justin Timberlake on 'SNL': Reprises Old Roles
The "Saturday Night Live" Five-Timers Club is an exclusive affair, consisting of some of the show's best hosts and guests, including Alec Baldwin, Steve Martin and Tom Hanks.Saturday night, Justin Timberlake joined the club, and those three -- plus many more -- were on hand to celebrate as "SNL" pulled out the celebrity guest star stops to support Timberlake in what was one of the show's best episodes this season.
Timberlake's opening monologue, an entrance into the exclusive club that recalled the original 1990 sketch introducing it , featured Baldwin, Martin, Hanks, Candice Bergen, Paul Simon, Martin Short and Chevy Chase, as well as original cast member Dan Aykroyd as a bartender. Talk about a star-studded start -- if you're into the legends, of course.
As a recurring host, JT has his share of characters, and he wasted no time in showing them off. "It's a Date," a game show with Bill Hader as host, featured Timberlake and former cast member Andy Samberg as the too-'90s-R&B-for-words friends who created musical poetry with "Dick in a Box," "Motherlover" and more during past seasons. But wait -- there's more! The duo was flanked by Martin and Aykroyd, reprising their roles as the Festrunk Brothers, who are, of course, two wild and crazy guys in search of "big American breasts." Props for the "DuckTales" drop, too.
One sketch later, Timberlake returned as the overly enthusiastic, walking/dancing/singing/rapping billboard for whatever 'ville' is in these days. This year? Veganville, going up against the fine Bobby Moynihan of Sausage Depot. Sure, there were the parodies of "Ice Ice Baby" ("Brown rice, baby"), "We Found Love" ("...in a meatless place) and more, but the "Harlem Shake" bit ("Drink a vegan shake") takes the (egg-free!) cake.
The episode's cold open featured a rare appearance by the show host, Timberlake, playing Elton John performing at a rememberance of fallen Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez. Draped in a flashy blue sequined coat, JT did a parody of John's hit "Candle in the Wind." It's not the first time he's portrayed the legendary singer, either; Timberlake played the singer in his 2002 video for "This Train Don't Stop There Anymore," and has been linked to a possible Elton John biopic.
Also of note on the Timberlake side: a bit as the court officer in the recurring "Maine Justice" skit, featuring Samberg as the straight man in a Maine courtroom that doesn't seem to know where Maine actually is. Also, also: as Roman emperor Caligula (he'd have sex with a pig) and porn star Ricky V.I.Penis.
And of course, the songs. Accompanied by backing band the Tennessee Kids, JT rolled through lead "The 20/20 Experience" single "Suit and Tie," a surprisingly filled-out rendition (at least, compared to its studio version) that featured Jay-Z on the rap, surprising no one. It was, understandably, a suit-and-tie affair from Timberlake to the backing dancers, and JT is a master showman, strutting about the stage with Hova in tow. By the way: the lyric "shit so sick / Got a hit and picked up a habit" was changed slightly to "My hits so sick / Got rappers acting dramatic." Kanye diss, mayhaps? You be the judge.
He followed it up with a curtailed version of the eight-minute "Mirrors," introduced by Chase, Short and Martin as the Three Amigos (but seriously, why was this the only way they reprised this role?).
But Timberlake wasn't the only star of the show. After months away from the Weekend Update desk, Stefon made a gallant return to inform incoming Spring Breakers of the hottest clubs in the city, including the always-classy Your Mother and I Are Separating. Tears.
Justin Timberlake Hosts Star-Studded SNL Feat. Jay-Z, Alec Baldwin, Tom Hanks, More
The multi-hyphenate entertainer returned to host the sketch comedy TV program for the fifth time—his third as both host and musical performer—and was joined by some very special guests.
The 32-year-old singer-cum-actor’s opening monologue was a sketch introducing him into the ‘Five-Timers Club,’ an exclusive club of hosts. After being serenaded by an acoustic guitar-strumming Paul Simon, Timberlake was greeted by a coterie of other five-time hosts, including Steve Martin, Alec Baldwin, Tom Hanks, Chevy Chase, and Candice Bergen—all clad in velvet robes with a ‘5’ emblazoned on them. One-time host and original SNL cast member Dan Aykroyd, meanwhile, served as the club’s bartender, while Martin Short handed out hors d'oeuvres. The sketch was a reimagining of a similar one that Tom Hanks did back in 1990 when he reached the five-time host milestone.
Timberlake, who won Emmy Awards for hosting the show in 2009 and 2011, and has had a hand in crafting classic SNL sketches like “Dick in a Box” and “Motherlover,” brought back many familiar characters. He was joined by his frequent SNL Digital Short co-conspirator, former cast member Andy Samberg—in their bearded, bespectacled “Dick in a Box” garb—for the game show “It’s A Date,” hosted by Bill Hader. But in a surprise twist, the duo was flanked by Aykroyd and Martin reprising their roles as the Festrunk Brothers—you know, the two “wild and crazy” guys.
Later on, Timberlake brought back his hyper-enthusiastic billboard character. This time, he was touting ‘Veganville,’ and butted heads with Bobby Moynihan, who was pimping ‘Sausage Depot.’ Timberlake sang parodies of Rihanna’s “We Found Love” (…in a meatless place), as well as a twist on the “Harlem Shake” (“Drink a vegan shake!”).
Earlier on during the show’s cold open, Timberlake took a few polite jabs at the recently deceased Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez. Dressed as Elton John, Timberlake performed a rendition of his “Candle in the Wind” at a mock-memorial for the former socialist leader, which included lines like “You said the U.S. causes earthquakes and you outlawed Coke Zero, and on your shoulder sat your parrot with a matching red beret,” as well as another dig at how Chavez helped make Venezuela the “kidnapping capital” of the world.
For his musical performance, the crooner was joined by backing band the Tennessee Kids, and started off with his single “Suit and Tie” off his upcoming album The 20/20 Experience. He was joined by rapper Jay-Z, who raps on the tune. But Timberlake may have taken a slight dig at Kanye West, who recently dissed the song in a rant during a show in London, saying, “And I got love for Hov but I ain't f--king with that 'Suit & Tie'.” As payback, Timberlake changed the line “s--t so sick / Got a hit and picked up a habit” to “My hits so sick / Got rappers acting dramatic.” Your move, ‘Ye.
He returned later to perform his song “Mirrors,” and was introduced by Chase, Martin, and Short as the Three Amigos—which was amazing.
It was, without question, the best SNL episode of the season.
Even Alec Baldwin, arguably the greatest host in the program’s history, was won over, tweeting: “Justin was good, wasn’t he? @JTimberlake #hesgotitall.”
The 32-year-old singer-cum-actor’s opening monologue was a sketch introducing him into the ‘Five-Timers Club,’ an exclusive club of hosts. After being serenaded by an acoustic guitar-strumming Paul Simon, Timberlake was greeted by a coterie of other five-time hosts, including Steve Martin, Alec Baldwin, Tom Hanks, Chevy Chase, and Candice Bergen—all clad in velvet robes with a ‘5’ emblazoned on them. One-time host and original SNL cast member Dan Aykroyd, meanwhile, served as the club’s bartender, while Martin Short handed out hors d'oeuvres. The sketch was a reimagining of a similar one that Tom Hanks did back in 1990 when he reached the five-time host milestone.
Timberlake, who won Emmy Awards for hosting the show in 2009 and 2011, and has had a hand in crafting classic SNL sketches like “Dick in a Box” and “Motherlover,” brought back many familiar characters. He was joined by his frequent SNL Digital Short co-conspirator, former cast member Andy Samberg—in their bearded, bespectacled “Dick in a Box” garb—for the game show “It’s A Date,” hosted by Bill Hader. But in a surprise twist, the duo was flanked by Aykroyd and Martin reprising their roles as the Festrunk Brothers—you know, the two “wild and crazy” guys.
Later on, Timberlake brought back his hyper-enthusiastic billboard character. This time, he was touting ‘Veganville,’ and butted heads with Bobby Moynihan, who was pimping ‘Sausage Depot.’ Timberlake sang parodies of Rihanna’s “We Found Love” (…in a meatless place), as well as a twist on the “Harlem Shake” (“Drink a vegan shake!”).
Earlier on during the show’s cold open, Timberlake took a few polite jabs at the recently deceased Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez. Dressed as Elton John, Timberlake performed a rendition of his “Candle in the Wind” at a mock-memorial for the former socialist leader, which included lines like “You said the U.S. causes earthquakes and you outlawed Coke Zero, and on your shoulder sat your parrot with a matching red beret,” as well as another dig at how Chavez helped make Venezuela the “kidnapping capital” of the world.
For his musical performance, the crooner was joined by backing band the Tennessee Kids, and started off with his single “Suit and Tie” off his upcoming album The 20/20 Experience. He was joined by rapper Jay-Z, who raps on the tune. But Timberlake may have taken a slight dig at Kanye West, who recently dissed the song in a rant during a show in London, saying, “And I got love for Hov but I ain't f--king with that 'Suit & Tie'.” As payback, Timberlake changed the line “s--t so sick / Got a hit and picked up a habit” to “My hits so sick / Got rappers acting dramatic.” Your move, ‘Ye.
He returned later to perform his song “Mirrors,” and was introduced by Chase, Martin, and Short as the Three Amigos—which was amazing.
It was, without question, the best SNL episode of the season.
Even Alec Baldwin, arguably the greatest host in the program’s history, was won over, tweeting: “Justin was good, wasn’t he? @JTimberlake #hesgotitall.”
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