Tara: It was my choice for the subject of MusiClack after our hiatus, and this one was a no brainer for me. I’ve shared the ball drop in Times Square with Dick Clark for many a New Year’s Eve, and you best believe I insisted that the flat screen be switched to New Year’s Rockin’ Eve at the soiree I attended this year. (Oh what my friends have to put up with from me!)
Michael: Well … I don’t see where flipping on New Year’s Rockin’ Eve was any stretch. Clark is a mainstay and an icon when it comes to the last day of the year.
Tara: I know, right? But somehow they had on Fox, expecting Ryan Seacrest. That just shows you how identified he is with that network now. He’s so many places, nobody knows where he is anymore.
Anyway, Michael! Here’s just some of the performances we saw to bring in 2012 …
Tara: I was so glad to see that Lady Gaga was wearing a cage on her head for the New Year celebrations, as well. There I was, feeling uncomfortable on the couch at my gathering! ( I simply donned my gigantic black cage because it went with my outfit and it keeps away strange men’s wandering tongues at midnight.)
Seriously though, I like her. Shoot me if you must. I don’t really think she needs all the gimmicks and bells and masks and whistles, but it works for me. At least she can actually sing. And play instruments and such.
Michael: I don’t know … I’m rather over Lady Gaga. Every time I think of her or see her, it’s all about the gimmickry and, for me at least, isn’t about the performance. Maybe I just haven’t seen enough of her to skew my thinking otherwise. And the lip syncing didn’t help. (P.S. Were there enough ads blazing all around at this event … ?!?)
Tara: Unfortunately, she’s famous for the lip syncing in television appearances. So, I’ll give you that. As far as the ads? Exhausting!
Michael: Here’s another group I haven’t had much exposure to. Not enough exposure to at any rate. I don’t know if I like Florence and her machine or not. Of this performance and song, I’m trying to get in the mode of it being anthemic, but it’s just not working for me. Am I trying too hard with this band? Is that my problem?
Tara: I gotta confess, I don’t dig this band much either. I can handle a song or two, but an entire album would be overkill for me. Yes. Florence has a very distinct voice, but after awhile it all starts to sound the same to me. If that makes any sense. And her hair and outfit were a big mistake.
Michael: Hokay … here comes my crotchety side. Biebester? Don’t talk, lose the earring and just perform from now on. Kid can sing, but there was unevenness in that clip. Regardless, I enjoyed it more than the lip synced performance of Gaga up there.
Tara: I hear ya about wanting him to shut up. His “words of wisdom” before the song were very vague and cliche. And! Why does he always remind me of Hilary Swank in Boys Don’t Cry? It’s very distracting to me. I also agree with you that his rendition of the song was kinda “Meh.” Yes, even with the addition of “Ladies and Gentleman … Carlos Santana!” And really? Carlos didn’t do that much to enhance the whole deal, did he? Maybe he’d had some champagne cocktails.
Michael: Now I’m going to think of Hilary Swank each time I see him again. Thanks for that …
Tara: Although I actually saw Dick Clark make an appearance on this year’s show, I couldn’t find it documented. So here he is counting down the last seconds of 2011. He looks and sounds pretty much the same.
Tara: I see that Dick has appeared on just about every show since 1972 (with the exceptions of taking some time off after his significant stroke in 2004 and a couple other years due to unforeseen circumstances.) I have to say that when discussions pop up over Seacrest taking on NYRE, I always defend the choice. He is Clark’s hand pick after all. And what better one? Ryan has proved himself an entrepreneur and an entertainment industry mogul such as … Dick Clark! I also wonder if Dick just doesn’t physically see a ghost of his former self in Ryan. I know I do.
But! We have to ask this question I think, Michael. Is it sad to let the public see you still appearing when you’re obviously old and ill? Should he bow out? I mean, at the party where I was, there were audible “Oh, poor Man!” And “Shit, this is a depressing way to start the New Year.”
What do you think?
Michael: So many factors are involved with that particular decision I’m sure we could only scratch the surface. Icon that Clark is — and if he’s up to it and viable — why not keep him cranking along on the show? The better part of 40 years of appearances is rather the accomplishment, so why not keep it going if he’s able? It’s going to be how the public perceives him and my take on it is more power to him. That being said, there was a scene in the video above that didn’t appear flattering, causing Clark to seem confused, but that’s live television for you. Nothing you can do about it.
Bottom line? Keep on keepin’ on. He’s too much the embodiment for many of New Year’s Eve.
Clacked by Tara Shrodes
on Jan 06, 2012 @ 12:37 EST5EDT
I didn’t see Gaga’s performance, but I’ve never seen her lip-sync on TV (go back to her first stunning SNL performance … the one that pretty much blew her career up overnight when it was just her and a piano). They may have had to do it for this since she probably didn’t have her entire band with her. But I’ve seen her live with my own eyes and ears and she really can sing without any digital tweaking.
As for Mr. Clark, I agree with the others. It’s kind of sad seeing him now and it really brings the party to a screeching halt. Props to him to having the stamina to still get up there and do it, but someone needs to tell him that it really is time to just stay behind the scenes or if he insists on being on camera, just come out with Ryan and do the countdown. I grew up watching Clark on Bandstand, the various incarnations of Pyramid and NYRE and it just makes me sad to see him like this.
. . . . .
Chuck:
She is known for her live performances, but there have been instances she’s lip synced as well. I can’t name a pop artist who hasn’t.
The reason I called out “and the lip syncing didn’t help” was because of the suspect actions time stamped beginning at 6:00. When you pull a microphone away and can still hear plainly the voice going full boar, you look at it a little more closely. And it had nothing to do with the backing track. I cannot conclude effectively if she’s singing or syncing, but I have the tendency to believe she was “aided” in some way, shape or form …
And yes … I know she can belt out a tune.
I’m not arguing that there hasn’t been lip-syncing on TV, or that Gaga has never lip-synced, it just came off as a generalization that she has had more lip-syncing appearances on TV than live. Hey, even the National Anthem at the Super Bowl is sung live to a pre-recorded track just in the case that something catastrophic happens with the live audio. Sometimes, depending on the conditions, a pre-recorded track is used as a back-up. Of course, some “artists” have made a living from lip-syncing to their tracks even in live concerts.
Yeah, I don’t know what you’re talking about. Gaga is known for not lip-synching on television. I’ve never heard anyone ever say she’s known for lip-synching on television. If no one noticed, the acoustics were awful and she was drowned out during practically 75% of her entire performance, as was the case for most of the outside performances throughout the night. Plus, she was sharp during most of Marry The Night, which if that was a pre-recorded track, would’ve been tuned. There’s a difference between lip-synching and having a backing track.
*POST AUTHOR*
Will and Chuck, thanks for your comments. Maybe I should clarify. When I said she was “famous for lip synching,” I meant it as a personal opinion. There has been arguments both pro and con all over the internet about whether or not Gaga lip synchs. She herself denies it ferociously.
However, there are also proven instances in taped television performances. Google the subject and see the fur fly over the question. Check out her offerings on the American Music Awards and the Ellen show. Sometimes it’s very obvious, sometimes just highly questionable.
Here, I used a phrase I often say in real life … As in “Oh, that guy is famous for being a jerk.” I didn’t mean she was literally only famous for lip synching.
Hope that clears things up a might.
. . . . .
Will:
Acoustics do have the tendency to be off during live performances. I wouldn’t say she was “drowned out” that much – matter of fact, it seemed she did a pretty decent job – but, as I mentioned in my comment to Chuck above, I tend to believe she “had help” … and not from a backing track …
When I see clips like this of Dick Clark, I remember the 1972 (?) TV Elvis special that documented his decline more than his glory. However, as long as Mr. Clark wants to appear, I think he has earned the right. Pre-record a segment that allows him a couple of chances to do his best, or just let him do live what a man of his age and health can do. We are all going to be there someday, and I’m tired of seeing celebs pretend they have not changed. [i.e. Frank Sinatra’s final concert series or Kenny Rogers’ last face lift]
Four people in the room said Dick Clark looked like shit, just god awful. My friend and I said he is doing a lot better than he was, and he still gets the kiss from his wife. That’s all I look forward to on this stupid holiday.
Rock on Dick Clark!