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Pennies From Peter Vol. 5: Pop Culture War Zone

Pop culture has always been a war zone for the famous. They are attacking an image, not a person who has worked their whole life to make their dream a reality. The reason celebrities can handle it is because they know their careers were built on hard work and ambition, not just talent. When you reach a point of public scrutiny you have already had a million doors slammed in your face. That’s the hard part. Reading about yourself in papers and online blogs about how much people disapprove of you and what your doing is only making them bigger stars...which is what they wanted in the first place.

Everybody wants to be Hollywood

The fame, the vanity, the glitz, the stories

One day I'll become a great big star

You know, like the Big Dipper

and maybe one day you can visit my condo

On a big hill you know, like 9 0 2 1 0

Just imagine my face in the magazine

People analyzing my look, my body or any plastic surgery

You know like the Big Dipper

and maybe one day you can shake my hand

on the planet Hollywood

You say I'm not underground

I'm rich

I'm famous, I'm vanish, I'm glitz

I am the story, I am the the star

You know like the Big Dipper

Sex, Drugs & Rock n Roll

It's over

It's over

I decide it's over

Everybody wants to be Hollywood

Maybe one day you can visit my condo

On a big hill you know

Like 9-0-2-1-0

oh yea

Madame Hollywood (feat. Miss Kittin)- Felix Da Housecat from Guy Sagy on Vimeo.

Pride: What Are You Proud Of?

With the ever so exciting Vancouver pride week just weeks away it is no surprise that everyone is running around talking about their “pride diets” and the parties they plan on attending this year. With all of the different events and all of the excitement that this time brings to Vancouver it is very easy to get caught up in the hype and forget why we have an annual pride parade to begin with.

Most will agree that the first pride parade actually started as a march to commemorate the events of the 1969 Stonewall riots. If you don’t know about the Stonewall riots I suggest you look it up, it’s probably one of, if not the most important moments in queer history. Anyways, the first march took place a year after the Stonewall riots on Saturday, June 28, 1970. This event was known as Christopher Street Liberation Day. On the same weekend gay activist groups on the West Coast of the United States held a march in Los Angeles and a march as well as a 'Gay-in' in were held San Francisco.

These marches were both serious and fun but served a larger purpose. The marches served to inspire the growing gay rights activist moment in the demanding of equal rights for all members on the GLBTQ community. These marches were repeated annually, billed as “Gay Liberation Day”, “Gay Freedom March” and “Gay Freedom Day”. While in later years these names were dropped and simply replaced with “Pride” however, the purpose remains the same.

Personally, I am proud to live in one of 7 countries that provide equal rights and protections to the LGBTQ community (the others being South Africa, Spain, Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Belgium and Iceland which has no army). Having said that, it is easy for us to forget about the original meaning on the pride parade, or the fact that 182 countries worldwide do not give its people these rights.

Vancouver plays host to thousands of people from around the world throughout the week and it is a great time to meet new friends. The parties are amazing, the visuals are spectacular and the community comes alive with excitement and joy. So by all means, get out there and enjoy it. Got to the parade, go to the parties and certainly take the chance to meet new people or see old friends. My one request is that while working on your “pride body” and planning out your pride parties, you keep in mind the millions of people worldwide for whom a pride parade, and full expression of self is forbidden.

We have a long way to go and pride parades and celebrations are a great way to inspire the movement. I just hope we as a community don’t lose sight of the goal of equal rights for every human being, all over the world.

Pennies From Peter Vol. 4: Peter Breeze Reviews Alejandro

So I watched the 'Alejandro' video.

It was weird because I actually got up a lot earlier than I normally do... It must have been my pop-culture-spidey senses tingling. I made my tea and remembered that it was Gaga’s release date for yet another mini movie for us all to drool over.

So I watched it, and I totally dig it. It’s like the dark version of “Telephone”. The imagery alone was a lot more inviting and the symbolic images and situations seemed more relevant than the ones of her making a fucking sandwich with her creepy crooked smile and lazy eye. I really liked her red nun outfit thing... Actually, the religious references in general were really well done. I thought the scenes of her in gay sex positions with her dancers were very clever. It's one thing to be a gay icon, but to write a song and film a video with a rumored “falling in love with your gay friends/fans” theme… She’s making it personal.

So after I swallowed Gaga’s huge load I couldn’t help but wish it was a simple facial instead because you know once you swallow that shit it's in your tummy and until you shit it out, her army of peroxide covered swimmers are going to be dominating whatever you ate for breakfast.

Then I leave my house and on my way to starbucks I see this big mechanical something covered in yellow caution tape (a la telephone video)…that’s when I lost it. Gaga has not only dominated the pop charts she has shimmied and step-snapped her way into everyday life.

Here’s the thing: if you were to just listen to her music on your iPod and never got the chance to see her or hear her talk then I don’t think she would be such a global super power. Her music is simple pop music. Its good, don’t get me wrong but its built like any other tune on the radio. Verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, chorus, chorus, chorus, chorus until the song has burrowed itself in your brain. Gaga just has this way of taking her pop music and enhancing it with images, videos, performances and explanations that take it to a whole new level.

Ok I just watched Alejandro again.

Sometimes I watch her and I find her creativity paralyzing. As extravagant as she is Gaga is probably the most raw and genuine artist who is relevant in mainstream media. She is taking music that would otherwise be considered cheesy pop music and making it relevant. She stands for something. Can you imagine what it would be like for the other pop girls out there? Can you imagine waking up and watching Alejandro and then trying to think of a concept for your next single? Can you imagine knowing that no matter how hard you try you will never be able to puncture the giant bubble that Gaga has placed over the planet?

Poor Xtina.

 

Gaga’s presence in pop culture is essential. She is like a bulldozer that’s taking out all the other bulldozers that are cutting down our trees. She is replenishing our resources. She is not something to aspire to or compete with, she is something to be admired and celebrated! But one day Gaga is going to need someone to make out with at the opening of the MTV Awards and you KNOW I’ll be wearing my finest fur and my best lipstick.

Until then…
Don’t call my name, don’t call my name...

Your friendly neighborhood superstar,
pb


Lady Gaga - Alejandro

Ace of Base - Don't Turn Around

Madonna - La Isla Bonita

Ace of Base - All That She Wants


Editor's Note: We all take inspiration from something, how we choose to represent and mold our inspiration into something new is what makes it our own.

I've Got To Stop Sleeping All Day

I know it sound awful but for the last 10 days I've LITERALLY been sleeping the entire day. I often use the excuse of working at a nightclub and going out on my night's off but really that's not the case.

4-5 nights a week I work until shortly after 3 meaning I can easily make it home by 3:45. A smart person would normally head right home but not me, oh no. I go get food, and gas, and sometimes just drive around listening to music. Often I don't get into bed until 4:30. By 4:30 most people would be drained... not me.

I tend to catch up on TV shows I've missed or... watch a movie to fall asleep to, get a glass of water, fluff my pillows, go to the bathroom and essentially putz around until I'm exhausted, smack my head on the pillow and pass out. It's 7:15am, the sun is fully out. FML.

If the average person needs 8 hours of sleep to function normally and be healthy then the best I can do is 3:15-3:30. How many people wake up and immediately hop out of bed, because I don't. No, I'll roll around, rub my eyes and tend to other things that need tending to in the bedroom for about... 20-30minutes. So at the earliest... I'm up at 4. This is awful. It needs to change.

I'm so sick of wasting the daylight and living in the dark. It's summer, the time for outdoor activities, health, sunshine and fun. So from here on out I'm making a pact to go to sleep as early as possible. I'm also making a pact to tend to the things that need doing at home as fast as possible and be out the door. Fresh air and physical activities will hopefully make it easier for me to get to bed at a semi-reasonable hour.



Britney Spears - Freakshow

Editor's Note: I'm 16 in that picture... 16.

Pennies From Peter Vol. 3: Fake It Til You Make It

I’ve decided to blog about the most fascinating and delicate creatures on the planet: Socialites and Reality stars. Not just about them, but when they bless us with perhaps their most sacred gift of all... Music.

The first one that pops into my head is of course the shameless leader of socialites: Paris Hilton. When she started popping up on blogs and trash mags after the debut of the Simple Life I have to admit I was addicted. I’ve always been a sucker for the mega famous, but she was a new breed. At least she was to me and my generation. I found it fascinating how muttering “That’s hot!” and courting paparazzi made her literally one of, if not the biggest star on the planet. Love her or hate her she knew what she was doing and single handedly made fame whoring without any real talent, other than posing and showing up, a new art and an aspiration for millions.

Defending Paris Hilton is actually one of my favorite topics. I see an art in what she did. Fame can be conducted just like an orchestra and she was pretty much the Beethoven of Hollywood. Status, Gossip, Reputation and Fame is a new medium in performance art and I can appreciate that, hell…I even do it myself. There are incredibly talented Actors and Singers that would never be able to pull off the kind of media circus and social frenzy that Paris did. She was shameless and she was specific and she fed on our insatiable need to live a more glamorous life…then she started making music.

This is where I think she went wrong. “Stars Are Blind” was mediocre and if it didn’t have Paris’s name attached to it would have never seen the light of day. Paris represented the high life. She was a poster child for the rich and the famous and instead of making a track designed to make people feel like they were “hot” like her she released some reggae sprinkled love song with a cheesy beach video. Her first single should have been called “That’s Hot” and followed the same ruthless self promotion the rest of her career did. I swear to god, if she would have done that she could have at least done a club tour. I did listen to her full album and there were some very good “Paris” tracks that should have been released first. That’s the thing…don’t try to convince your audience who you are, give them what they want and feed the illusions they have of you...

Vancouver's Next Top Charity 2010!

There's a little competition running in Vancouver to see who Vancouver's next top charity is. Basically, they are running an auction and accepting donations and the winner of the competition gets the process of the auction/donations. How do they win? It's simple! Every day people get votes and they vote on their favorite charity. Easy right?

I've chosen Friends for Life as my favorite charity. While all of the entries do amazing work, I know have personally seen the great things done by Friends for Life.

Friends For Life serves as a catalyst to enhance the wellness of individuals living with a potentially life threatening illness by providing complementary and alternative health services. We support members to assume responsibility for their own health and well-being. People living with a life threatening illness do better when they gain the tools and resources to make their own best health decisions.

For some people, living with a life-threatening illness can lead to anxiety, fear, depression, and/or social isolation. Friends For Life believes it is of the utmost importance that people learn to take an active role in their wellness journey. At Friends For Life, we recognize that with compassion, support and knowledge, the experience of illness can be a catalyst for positive personal transformation.
for more information please visit our homepage www.friendsforlife.ca

GET ON THERE AND VOTE!!

vote at http://spotteddoing.com/topcharity/entry/11/

Where Do We Begin To Get Clean Again?

CONFESSION: I miss drinking. I know it sounds totally sad and pathetic... it's only been just shy of two full weeks since my last drink and it hasn't even really been that hard to keep away from. I've gone out with my friends countless times in the last two weeks and haven't even considered a drink. Nevertheless, I miss drinking. More than just drinking... I miss wine. I also miss being asked if I want another glass and replying, "Wine Not?" haha!

There's something about wine that invokes a certain mood or sentiment. I can be having the worst day... and a nice glass of red wine just warms me up and washes away any negative emotions from the day. I know this makes me sound like a total alcoholic... but I don't care. I, Matthew David Munn, love wine. I love it a lot in fact. A glass, or a bottle, or a few bottles of wine whether it be with friends (or alone) can change your entire night (or day for some of you!)

Sometimes, I'll have a glass before bed, if I'm feeling really saucy... just to spice it up. Occasionally, that glass turns into a bottle and I'm completely sloshed laughing at my closet, but most of the time it's just a glass.

There's something in the complexity of wines that intrigues me, the differences in region/grape and subtle undertones that you just don't get from beer or spirits. Now before you beer lovers and vodka chuggers jump down my throat. I know there are different flavor qualities in beers and spirits, but speaking personally, I have yet to find a beer or spirit that matches the complex flavor profiles of an amazing glass of wine.

Unfortunately for me (and BC vineyards...) I've got at least two more weeks in my dry spell before I uncork a whole new chapter of "wine not" experiences...



Colbie Caillat - Midnight Bottle

I'm Lazy

There will be new posts this week... I swear I'm not caving so soon. I've just been bizzay! I'll be back with a reloaded attitude once I get some stuff organized at home. :)

xoxo




Lady Gaga (ft. Rodney Jerkins) - Reloaded

Pennies From Peter Vol. 2: Dusk and Dawn

I don’t really know when it started, but since I can remember mornings have always given me such a sense of joy. I remember waking up dreadfully early... like 5 a.m when I was a kid... sneaking downstairs and watching Monty’s Traveling Reptile Show. I was like, obsessed with reptiles. I ended up owning 2 lizards, 2 turtles a snake and a collection of frogs my sister and I caught in our front lawn?? Lol. Wow!

It seems a lot stranger when I say it out loud.

Anyways, back to mornings...

It’s actually very conflicting because of my love affair with the night. It's like the morning is my husband and the night is my mistress. They are both satisfying for different reasons. The night is exciting, glamorous, magical and the morning, when uninterrupted, is soothing, optimistic and calming.

The morning doesn't really effect the night... It's not like waking up early is going to squash your desire to go dancing later that evening. I mean you can always nap. A disco nap…like me… which is actually just a series of... really fast... blinking. But when you stay out really late spending all your time with the mistress…well the morning doesn’t treat you very well does it? You see? Doghouse.

Dawn and Dusk are like the love babies of Morning and Night. Twins, actually. The thing about Dawn and Dusk is that at the right moment for a few minutes they are actually identical."That time of night" as Leah and I call it. If someone was to keep you locked away without natural light and then randomly plucked you down at the perfect moment. You wouldn’t be able to tell weather it was the brilliance of the morning or the longing of the night. It’s so magical. The air is just like a blanket. Nothing chaotic. It’s like the moment when the whole universe collectively takes a sigh of relief.

So am I night time boy or a morning boy? Who knows? I think for now ill just live for the moments when you can't tell the difference.

<3 PB



Panic! at the Disco - When The Day Met The Night

New From Miz Aguilera - GLAM!

So I got my hands on a leaked copy of Christina's new album and while it's no Stripped, there are some gems. Overally I find the album to be good. The few misses are an unfortunate consequence when you don't have enough amazing material to fill up an album and you just throw in some of your leftovers.

Having said that, one of my favorite songs is Glam which is reminiscent of Madonna's Vogue and ONJ's Physical only with a futuristic, darker feel and Aguilera's signature over-singing, which does take a bit away from an otherwise catchy and enjoyable song. Does this mean I think this song is as good as those iconic songs? No. But it pulls inspiration from them and turns it into a fun and enjoyable song.

While it may seem like I'm hating on her just a bit, in all honestly... she can do no wrong in my eyes and will be a guilty pleasure of mine for years to come.

Check out Glam below... the rest of the album is available for download on the interwebs... just be sure to buy it when it come's out June 8th. I know I will.





Christina Aguilera - Glam



Christina Aguilera - You Lost Me

10 Random Facts You May Not Know About Me

1. I played Young Lex Luthor on Smallville when I was 13. I wore a long red curly wig, and shaved my head completely bald!

2. Most people have uneven limbs, one bigger than the other. For me, it's my left leg and right arm. I'm lopsided.


3. It's not hard to make me cry, and it's super embarrassing.

4. My favorite place in the world is New York City, and I was only there for a week.

5. I love the "color" gray. Not in like a gray space, emo, depressing kind of way but in a... damn that's a sexy cool color kind of way.

6. I collect Starbucks cards. Some of them have proven to be quite valuable on eBay... so if you have any rare ones... holla!

7. I actually used to play team sports. Soccer AND baseball. This one makes me laugh.

8. My mom and I are born exactly 19 years 357 days apart.

9. I listen to some of the WEIRDEST music... keep your ears open on this site, I'm sure you'll get a peek into my strange library of music.

10. My perfect date is one that leads to hand holding. I think hand holding is sexy. Extremely.



Owen Pallett - E is For Estranged

The End: Are We Found Now?

I could not BE MORE excited for the 4.5 hour television event tonight!! Starting in just a few minutes, a two-hour recap of the series followed by a two-and-a-half-hour finale extravaganza.

I know it's silly to expect all my questions to be answered but nevertheless I am looking forward to tonight's episode more than any other episode before. Will Jack sink the island? Will the sideways time line become the only time line? Will someone kill M.I.B./Flocke? There are so many things that need to be wrapped up and I'm sure the writers have some amazing and unexpected twists up their sleeves in tonight's episode.

After so many of our favorite losties have died this season and seasons previous, i'm sure there are a few more deaths in store tonight!

If anyone wants to watch the finale but hasn't been keeping up, be sure to catch the recap session at 7pm on CTV or ABC :)



Imogen Heap - Loose Ends

Me Want! - Ray Ban Rare Prints!!

UMMM HI! Whomever buys these for me will be my best friend for life! These gorgeous sunglasses compare two of my absolute favorite things: Classic Black Ray Ban Wayfarers and New York City! According to the Ray Ban website, each pair of their "rare prints" sunglasses are completely original and unique. This series of glasses features classic black exterior with the new york city subway map printed on the interior. Genius!

I'll be getting a pair of these ASAP!!


Jay Z ft. Alicia Keys - Empire State of Mind

More pictures of these spectacular shades after the jump...

Pennies From Peter Vol. 1 - It's A Luck Thing

At the request of one of my dear friends I have decided to start a weekly blog. I’ve thought about doing this for a while but for some reason I just never got around to doing it. I think it’s a good way for me to express myself and for other people to get some more insight into who I am and how I think. I’m gonna call it “Peter’s Pennies” …why? Well I have this weird neurotic thing where if I see a penny on the street I HAVE TO PUT IT IN MY SHOE.

It’s a luck thing.

But it has all these conditions like…it has to be on the street outside. I won’t pick one up if it’s inside. Also, I won’t pick it up if it’s a penny that has fallen out of my own personal change collection. You can’t pick up your own luck. Also if it’s fallen out of my shoe then I won’t pick it up. Once it leaves me it’s for someone else. A gift from the universe…pennies from heaven? Pennies from Peter… OMG!! THAT’S WHAT I SHOULD CALL IT!! fuck “Peter’s Pennies”…my blog is called “Pennies from Peter."

So I just went on this little trip with some friends of mine. I was lucky enough to get a gig performing at this fancy little club in West Hollywood called HERE lounge. Me and my friends had always talked about going on a trip but because we are all fucking lunatics it was hard to actually plan. My show in LA was the perfect reason for us all to get our shit together and go...

He Wants To Make Love To An Ewok!

I just finished watching the latest episode of Cougar Town before heading off to bed. Due to an overdose on candle-cooked marshmallows I was unable to sleep when I got home so I turned to catching up on TV, also known as my crack. If you haven't ever seen this show I definitely recommend it to anyone who loves a quick sitcom to pass 20 minutes. It's such a cute show and the cast has really great chemistry. This is definitely Courtney Cox's best work since Friends.

Having got that out of the way, I have a meeting at school tomorrow morning and really should be getting to bed, so I'm leaving you fabulous internet creatures with the tune that shall lull me into a baby-like sleep.




Mazzy Star - Into Dust

Makeshift Campfire, TV and Bookclubs

While watching Glee, Rachelle and I decided with would be fun to roast marshmallows over a candle. While not the safest thing to do, as seen above... It was delicious! While devouring our scrumptiously burnt marshmallows we watched the two most recent episodes of Glee (the one where Rachel loses her voice and the one with Neil Patrick Harris guest starring). SO much fun! I love this show!

My next big TV night is on Sunday when my mom and I are sitting down for the end of an era, the very last episode of LOST. I've been watching this show religiously for 6 years and can't believe the ending is here. I can't explain how excited I am but at the same time I know my mom and I will be really upset at the loss of such great television.

Rachelle and I also started talking about a summer book club which I will start writing about if it all turns out well! I'm hoping to get some great reading in this summer, on top of the mountain of Shakespeare I have to read!

Keep up the charades,

Munge

Katy Perry, I'm Starting To Love You

So Katy Perry's new album is about to drop and already i've heard not one but two AMAZEBALLS songs from it. The first, California Gurls, was leaked onto youtube a while ago and immediately caught my attention. Katy's answer to Empire State of Mind is a summer anthem for the west coast, or anyone who loves to rock their daisy dukes. I'm lookin' at you Peter!

The second track to leak was sent to me by a friend. It's called E.T. as in extraterrestrial. This song has an amazing bass line and very ethereal vocals from Katy which did shock me. The song takes on an edgier, darker feel than previous songs of hers which is refreshing. I love the lyrics, the beat, the message. The whole song is so well produced and thought out, it's pure pop.

I can't wait to see what the rest of the album holds in store as I was never a big fan of Katy's



Katy Perry ft. Snoop Dogg - California Gurls

Katy Perry - E.T.

I'm ready to go, lead me into the light.

So I just got home from a fabulous trip with my friends Jared, Jordan and Peter. We spent a few nights in Las Vegas and then journeyed (yes, journeyed) over to Los Angeles where Peter performed as part of Ryan Mckillop's launch of his brand new underwear line. The show went down at HERE lounge in Los Angeles and was a total success. Not only were Peter and the boys fabulous but the entire night was so amazing. Not only did we meet James St. James, original club kid from NYC, but a few other star studded faces showed up to support the event. All in all it was a total highlight of the trip. We all created so many memories together and I will be posting pictures of the trip as soon as they are uploaded.

Upon arriving home and the subsequent events of Monday night I realized that no matter how much fun I had on vacation it really is time for a change in my life, I really need to focus on finishing school and getting my life together. Saying this is one thing and acting on it is another but I really do feel like I'm at a crossroad which is a great thing. I'm on the edge of something great, so many options are available to me one I finish school so I really think it's time to decided where I want to take my life, whether I want to continue living in Vancouver or pursuing other ventures elsewhere. Regardless of where I end up, it is this time right here that some of the most important decisions will be made, so right now... I'm looking at my options, and really stepping back to think of what it is that makes me happy and that I am passionate about.