'FRIDAY' DANCER MAKES A VIDEO
Oh, Rebecca Black. You're the gift that keeps on giving. Not only have you parlayed your "worst video on earth" fame via "Friday" into a Katy Perry cameo and a VMAs appearance, but you've also catapulted your awkward friends into the same kind of fame formerly reserved for Real Housewives and moms of multiple kids. Yes, Bennet "Benni" Cinkle—whom we've talked about before as "the brace-faced girl in pink who flails her arms awkwardly in the back of a convertible as Black sings epic lyrics such as 'Fun, fun/Think about fun/You know what it is'"—now has her own music video. And (surprise!) like Rebecca Black's earnest effort, "My Moment," it's a song with a positive teen message about bullying, believing in yourself and blah blah blah. You get the drift. Called "Can You See Me Now," Black's former Anaheim Hills schoolmate is just as heavily AutoTuned and, well, warbles just as badly as her cohort. Apparently, because of all the nastiness wrought by the "Friday" video, Cinkle was inspired to launch the That Girl In Pink Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness, involvement and donations for "causes that affect kids." From a Sept. 1 Heard Mentality post.
YOUNG THE GIANT ON PERKS OF FAME
A few days before Young the Giant's electric performance at the VMAs, we talked to the Irvine natives in LA. Having just flown in from Amsterdam on their European tour, they were probably too busy to be sitting around for interviews (there were meetings with MTV, private parties to play, fittings with jean companies and rehearsals to take in), but in their defense, Young the Giant were really accommodating and super-nice for the whole 30 minutes we could talk to them.
Some interview highlights:
• Sameer Gadhia on Morrissey declaring his love for Young the Giant: "We go back and forth over email, which he just started using. Apparently, he used to only fax people. He's an eloquent guy—and dramatic—and we're really grateful he's on our side."
• Bassist PayamDoostzadeh on performing at the VMAs: "When we lived here [in LA], we couldn't get shit, so it's cool to get back and do the VMAs and Hollywood Bowl." The band open for Incubus on their fall tour.
• On being hard-partying rock stars: "It's hard to party when you're constantly jetlagged," says Doostzadeh. On their 22-day European tour, the band had one day off. "You want to go out and meet locals and go to bars, but you gotta wake up early and work and do press every day. Luckily, our work is primarily play." But there's also constant social networking to worry about: "Now, it's all about Tweeting every three seconds and reaching out to fans . . ."
"It's a culture of hyperexposure," drummer Francois Comtois finishes. From an Aug. 31 post.
