March BEAT

THE TEEN SCENE

by Sarah G. Lounges

HERE WE GO AGAIN...

   Wow, has another month gone by already? It must be so, otherwise I would
not be typing this copy now would I? This will be another “random notes”
type column, simply because my brain is tired and I really don’t want to have
to think too hard.

    Let me see what scribblings I have here to tell you about this month. I
have some movie news, music news and a few TV tidbits. Well, I’d best get
started...

T.V. TRIVIA...

      Okay people, here is your question: What highly popular television show
will be switching networks this fall?

    If you guessed Buffy, The Vampire Slayer, then you are correct!

    Buffy is set to move to UPN this fall, for at least two seasons of new
episodes. FOX-TV has signed a deal to provide UPN with 44 episodes of the
show, after not being able to reach a deal on a new contract with The WB.

      It is unknown what this will mean for its spin-off show ANGEL, starring
that hottie David (sigh) Boreanuz, getting renewed at The WB, or if the two
shows will continue to interact and crossover as they so often have in the
past.

    With the animated Buffy series expected to arrive in early 2002, and
repeat airings of past seasons (re-runs) coming soon to FX, Buffy could soon
be competing with Law & Order for the most screen time each week. What is
interesting about this is that ANGEL’s Elizabeth Rohm is set to replace Angie
Harmon on NBC’s Law & Order as that show’s new Assistant D.A..

      While we on the subject of animated series, it’s interesting to note
that DIC Entertainment is developing a new Josie and The Pussycats animated
series. The show will be the third such Josie cartoon to make it on the air,
following runs on CBS and NBC from 1970-74 and 1975-76, respectively.

BRAND NEW FILMS...

   In related news... Two of the stars from the Josie and The Pussycats movie
– Rachael Leigh Cook and Rosario Dawson – have film projects in the works
this summer.

   Cook is said to co-executive produce and star in Invisible Girl, a
romantic comedy about a young woman nobody notices until she uses herself as
bait to catch a serial killer.

   Dawson will play Will Smith’s love interest, Rita, in Men In Black 2,
which is scheduled to start shooting in June. Also in the movie cast is
Famke Janssen, who played Jean Grey in the X-Men movie, who just signed
on to play the villain.

MUSIC NEWS...

     Gary, Indiana’s most famous export – Michael Jackson – will reunite
with his four brothers for an all-star concert saluting the self-proclaimed
King of Pop’s 30 years in the music business as a solo artist.

    The big show where the Jackson 5 will be reborn, is slated for Sept. 7th
at New York’s Madison Square Garden. Along with the Jackson clan, the show
will also feature performances by Whitney Houston, Jill Scott, Britney
Spears, NSync, Marc Anthony and Shaggy. In a prepared statement, Michael
said: “I am very excited to celebrate my 30th anniversary as a solo artist
with such a distinguished array of talent, friends, and fans. I look forward
to performing live and reuniting with my brothers on this special night.”

     My buddies in BBMak will be guest staring on MTV’s Total Request Live on
May 18th. They will also have a press conference in New York on June 4th,
followed with an appearance on Live With Regis And Kelly on June 5th.

   Of course, the BB boys will be here to thrill us live when they open for
NSync at Soldier’s Field on June 16. Watch for a full length feature Mark,
Ste and Christian in the June issue of Midwest BEAT.

MUSIC VIDEO REVIEWS...

BEST:   O-TOWN / All or Nothing. This video is pretty good. It’s fairly
basic with a lot of concert footage and a girl in a car. Even though it’s a
simple video, the five O-Town hottie were enough to keep my attention! It’s a
lot different than the video for Liquid Dreams.

WORST:   Britney Spears / Don’t Let Me Be The Last To Know. I really hate to
slam a Britney video, but I really thought this one was boring and pointless.
Don’t get me wrong, I love Britney, but I could not help but think this
video was just a bit skanky. Although all of the pop princesses are getting
a little showy in their videos, Britney kind of crosses the line here. It’s
all just her rolling around and making out on a beach with some guy. More
creativity please.

NEW ARTIST ALERT...

    “Everybody Doesn’t” is the first single from Maverick Record’s first
female teen artist. She’s French-born, 15-year-old artist, Amanda, who hails
from Sweden. She is a trained dancer as well as a singer.

    “Everybody Doesn’t” is a very good song and I think that the subject
matter of the song is really appropriate for girls my age. It’s about a guy
trying to get his girl friend in bed by telling her things like – “If you
loved me you would” and “Everybody does it.” His girlfriend tells him
“No!” and tells him to stop pressuring her.

    It’s about time that someone came out with a song like this that says it
is okay to abstain from sex. Most of the songs these days support the
practice of teenage sex, as if it were something trendy, like having scoring
a pair of designer jeans.

    Kudos to Amanda for having the guts to sing against this stupid thought
process and for boldly speaking her mind and echoing the thoughts many of us
have on the subject. Kudos to Maverick also!

   I will definitely have more on Amanda and her music in the months to come.


   Well, that’s all for this month. C-ya next issue!