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samhexum

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  1. In June 1979, the Bee Gees were on top of the world. Months before, their “Saturday Night Fever” soundtrack, featuring songs written and/or performed by the Australian trio, had won a Grammy for album of the year. The year before, it spent 24 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard charts. And now the band was playing 60,000-seat arenas across America.

     

    Disco was king, and the Bee Gees — brothers Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb, clad in white suits and flashing gold chains — were its ambassadors.

     

    At the start of the tour, Maurice got hold of a T-shirt that made everyone backstage laugh. It read: “Shoot the Bee Gees.”

     

    Six months later, as the tour was winding down, nobody was laughing. The disco craze that had ruled the late ’70s had come to a screeching halt, and the Bee Gees, lords of the airwaves for two years, found themselves banned from the country’s most influential radio stations.

     

    They hadn’t been shot, but they were as good as dead.

     

    “Nobody wanted to touch them,” said Simon Spence, whose new book “Staying Alive: The Disco Inferno of the Bee Gees” (Jawbone Press) chronicles the group’s meteoric rise and spectacular fall.

     

    “What happened to them was unprecedented in popular music.”

     

    The Bee Gees had first come to prominence in 1967 when manager Robert Stigwood, who’d had success overseeing Eric Clapton’s career, positioned the siblings as the next Beatles. With their tight harmonies and telegenic looks, songs such as “To Love Somebody” and “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart” cruised into the top 10.

     

    Still, they weren’t exactly winning over America as the Beatles had. Their album sales were faltering by the mid-1970s. But then Stigwood hit upon a bright idea. He had acquired the film rights to a New York Magazine story called “Tribal Rights of the New Saturday Night,” about working-class kids from Bay Ridge who become stars on the dance floor of 2001 Odyssey, a Brooklyn disco.

     

    The movie — “Saturday Night Fever” — was to star John Travolta, a popular TV actor from the sitcom “Welcome Back, Kotter.”

     

    The Bee Gees, with their exposed hairy chests and high voices, were now the butt of ‘endless comedy sketches.’

     

    The Bee Gees were working on a new album at the time, but Stigwood insisted they scrap it to work on the soundtrack. He effectively pillaged five of their new songs, including “Stayin’ Alive” and “More Than a Woman.”

     

    The Bee Gees weren’t thrilled. In fact, “They didn’t give the tracks much thought or care or attention,” says Spence.

     

    “Saturday Night Fever” opened in theaters Dec. 12, 1977. Between Christmas and New Year’s, 750,000 copies of the soundtrack sold. By January, it was the No. 1 album in America. As a result, by 1978, 200 radio stations in America were devoted to disco.

     

    “We all went a bit crazy,” eldest brother Barry Gibb recalled.

     

    A backlash was inevitable. Steve Dahl, a Chicago radio shock jock who hated disco, kicked it off with a demolition on July 12, 1978, at Comiskey Park: About 10,000 people showed up at the ballpark, many clutching Bee Gees records — which were tossed into a bonfire.

     

    Homophobia fueled much of the hatred. White men between the ages of 18 and 34 who loved rock “felt excluded, even threatened, by the disco scene,” Spence writes. “The phrase ‘disco sucks’ was a clear pejorative term.”

     

    In February 1980, Billboard reported that American radio had adopted a “virtual ban” on disco. Barry called it “evil” and “censorship” — but nobody paid much attention. The Bee Gees, with their exposed hairy chests and high voices, were now the butt of “endless comedy sketches,” Spence writes.

     

    Barry couldn’t understand what had happened: “It was almost like people were angry with us and it was more interesting to make fun of us than to actually try and understand or appreciate what we had done.”

     

    Robin said simply: “The public had OD’d on us.”

     

    Maurice, Robin’s twin, took it the hardest. He’d battled drugs and alcohol for years and now upped the intake. Shortly after the tour ended, he checked into a private London clinic for alcohol abuse. His recovery didn’t last long. In 1981 he was thrown off the Concorde for drunk and disorderly behavior.

     

    Rumors swirled that the Bee Gees were going to break up.

     

    “The exhaustion of being the Bee Gees set in, and we couldn’t see what tomorrow was going to bring,” Barry admitted.

     

    But they made another album, “Living Eyes.” Burned by the backlash, they dropped the disco sound. Barry even lowered his falsetto. The record was a bust, overshadowed by tabloid stories about Robin’s tumultuous relationship with his estranged wife. Convinced she was having an affair with her divorce lawyer, Robin broke into his own home to collect evidence. He was arrested.

     

    Still, Maurice and Robin wanted to keep the Bee Gees going. Only Barry understood their era was over. He said of “Stayin’ Alive”: “We would like to dress it in a white suit and gold chains and set it on fire.”

     

    He persuaded his brothers that they should write songs and produce albums — for other artists. They came up with hits for Barbra Streisand, Dolly Parton and others. Their biggest hit was “Heartbreaker,” which Dionne Warwick took to the top of the charts.

     

    But its success further depressed Maurice.

     

    “I cried my eyes out after we wrote it,” Spence quotes him as saying. “I drove home and thought, ‘We should be doing this one.’ ”

     

    Maurice never kicked his addictions. He died in 2003 from ailments brought on by alcoholism. Robin died in 2012 of colon and liver cancer.

     

    Barry, now 71, is the only Bee Gee left. Two months ago he performed at the Glastonbury Festival in England.

     

    His set list included all the songs from “Saturday Night Fever.” The crowd went wild.

     

    During their time apart, Barry co-produced & wrote songs for a movie called HAWKS, starring Anthony Edwards & Timothy Dalton. I saw it in England & loved a couple of the songs.

     

     

     

  2. tumblr_ny8r0pf0Qg1rdkvxmo1_500.gif

     

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    db45a5485f8807500aaa1d0a90f4e0ac.gif http://38.media.tumblr.com/7b8170d1191daa759f01670be6894248/tumblr_nj9mocyT9J1qamfowo1_250.gif

     

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    Jimmy-Choo-Man-Ice-Fragrance-Campaign-Marlon-Teixeira-002.jpg

     

     

    7994587.gif http://37.media.tumblr.com/dc46e14c09273fb4542cac4044d9b480/tumblr_mh74b3VDZt1rjaun7o1_250.gif

     

    9d1de2c3d0c06a416c8f7aca9577b2a4--marlon-teixeira.jpg images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSP3424l8Tvy3KbhvreoF5t5RxDY5LgtEUnCCLDSHpoe3ygkxUW 8a07cc818f5283f4e1e00b85a35b25be--glamour-mexico-marlon-teixeira.jpg

     

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    http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m304h7oVjE1r9gwxjo1_500.gif

  3. Break out the diapers: "Breaking Bad" star Aaron Paul is going to be a dad.

     

    Paul, 38, announced Tuesday that he and his wife Lauren are expecting their first child.

     

    You can book Aaron Paul's ridiculously gorgeous home for $400 on Airbnb

    https%3A%2F%2Fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Fcard%2Fimage%2F92902%2Faaronpaulairbnb.jpg

     

     

    If you've ever wondered how a Breaking Bad star lives, it's in a palatial, two-bedroom house in the bustling city of Boise, Idaho. And now's your chance to get a taste of the action.

     

    Actor Aaron Paul has listed his Boise home on Airbnb, for travelers who are craving a bit of big sky with all the comforts required for a Hollywood A-lister — including an indoor pool, wood-lined interiors and a geothermal hot spring that powers the entire home.n

     

    https%3A%2F%2Fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Fcard%2Fimage%2F92862%2F8a7cf374-d4d8-472a-9483-da363824d140.jpg

     

     

    https%3A%2F%2Fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Fcard%2Fimage%2F92864%2Fdd37056a-7be7-47a3-9340-bb60986ca047.jpg

     

     

    https%3A%2F%2Fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Fcard%2Fimage%2F92870%2Fe18e8c13-1ed6-406c-b4d6-dc360da18d28.jpg

     

     

     

     

    The two-bedroom, two-bathroom house is listed for $560 AUD (about $400 USD) per night, which, split between a few friends, is an incredibly affordable price for such a gorgeous place.

     

    "Breaking Bad actor Aaron Paul is no stranger to the Airbnb community...Guests can relax in Paul’s geothermal hot spring, located in the centre of the estate, which can be altered to their temperature preference," an press release from Airbnb said. "Paul’s home is the go-to Airbnb to rent while visiting Boise."

     

    The home is also situated in a nice, suburban area that is close to downtown Boise.

     

    https%3A%2F%2Fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Fcard%2Fimage%2F92872%2F8d3c52d3-96fd-4fae-83cc-bb37be3b5aed.jpg

     

     

     

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    Currently, the direct link to the Airbnb listing for Paul's home redirects to a search for other Boise estates.

     

    Mashable has reached out to Airbnb on the status of Paul's rental and its current availability.

     

    However, if you've ever wanted to visit Boise, here's a way to do it right.

     

    https%3A%2F%2Fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Fcard%2Fimage%2F92879%2F04876ef2-6650-4e23-b56b-2bf8d576d329.jpg

     

     

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  4. KURT

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    maxresdefault.jpg

    Performer Skills

    • Athletic Skills: Volleyball, Snow Skiing, Baseball, Soccer, Snowboarding, Football, Weight Lifting, Golf
    • Dance: Hip Hop

    Training

    • Actor's Foundry, Vancouver/British Columbia, The Art form of Life, Matthew Harrison, 2014
      Began studies at Actor's Foundry in the fall of 2014: -Grad Class Scene studies (continued) -Pilot Season Prep -Actor's business intensive -Multiple Scene Study intensives -Scene studies class level 1 (in order of most recent)

    Employment Details

    • Work History: Commercial
    • Job Categories: Acting
    • Prior Job Title 1: Uniqlo - Ultra Light Down
    • Prior Job Title 2: Kraft Mayo

  5. My friend, I think that scene is a masterpiece of Romanticism.

     

    Maybe it's just that John Malkovich is one of those actors that makes me want to vomit every time I hear him speak or see him chew scenery (I mean "act").

     

    Nah... it's just an obnoxious scene in an overly-hyped bore of a movie.

  6. Paul McCartney got a little help from his friend to close out his first full concert at Madison Square Garden in a dozen years.

     

    The legendary musician brought his pal Bruce Springsteen onstage Friday to perform the early Beatles hit "I Saw Her Standing There" – not once, but twice – during his encore.

     

    "Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Bruce Springsteen!" McCartney yelled as the roaring crowd began chanting "Bruce."

     

    The Boss then gave McCartney a big hug amid the audience's eruption of cheers.

     

    Springsteen's surprise appearance was one of the major highlights of McCartney's show at the Garden, which was his first concert there since 2005. He also performed there at the Hurricane Sandy relief concert in 2012.

     

    McCartney played 40 songs during the three-hour concert, blending many of his biggest Beatles songs with his solo classics and Wings hits.

     

    In addition to his two renderings of "I Saw Her Standing There" with Springsteen, he played "Yesterday," "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band," "Helter Skelter," "Golden Slumbers," "Carry That Weight" and "The End" during his encore.

     

     

    A MUCH BETTER VERSION:

  7. Lenny Dykstra said Darryl Strawberry is 'hung like

    a swamp mule', whatever that means.

    http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.967058.1319769908!/img/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/gallery_635/gal-darryl-strawberry-jpg.jpg

     

    A Met fan once wrote a letter to the editor saying he looked like Dino Flintstone. The paper ran side by side pics & I definitely saw the resemblance. For the rest of his career, I called him Dino Strawberry.

     

    P.S. Around the same time, the Mets acquired Kevin McReynolds from San Diego, which was owned by Ray Kroc, owner of McDonalds. Another letter to the editor asked, since Kevin was no longer employed by Ray Kroc, would he now be known simply as Kevin Reynolds? That cracked me up, & that's how I referred to him for the rest of HIS career.

  8. I think Yankee ace Luis Severino is cute, with a nice tush:

    luis_severino_2.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&strip=all

    http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.2636601.1463185660!/img/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/article_750/white-sox-yankees-baseball.jpg

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    DI-YkZDXkAAwKbh.jpg

    http://cdn.newsday.com/polopoly_fs/1.12377141.1475017501!/httpImage/image.jpeg_gen/derivatives/display_600/image.jpeg

    (couldn't find a better butt pic)

  9. Favorite current Yankee: GARY SANCHEZ

     

    636250934201557820-GARY-SANCHEZ-1-.JPG

     

    http://cdn.newsday.com/polopoly_fs/1.13494907.1492646628!/httpImage/image.jpeg_gen/derivatives/display_600/image.jpeg

     

    http://images.performgroup.com/di/library/omnisport/c2/e3/gary-sanchez_u3bueg3t2ur415nymommpvwl8.jpg?t=1498230947&w=960&quality=70

     

    http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.2961789.1485986340!/img/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/article_750/sanchez2s-1-web.jpg

     

  10. Athens artist paints giant Giannis image on court 'where it all began'

     

    Giannis Antetokounmpo has left his mark on the neighborhood where he grew up, Sepolia, in his hometown of Athens, Greece. Not only figuratively, but also literally.

     

    On Thursday, the Milwaukee Bucks forward posted photos of an outdoor court featuring a giant painting of himself going up for a shot. He also tagged his fellow "Antetokounbros" -- Thanasis, Alex and Kostas -- and mentioned in the caption that the outdoor space is the court on which they all grew up playing.

     

    http://a2.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2017%2F0217%2Fr181567_1080x608_16-9.jpg

     

    An incredible aerial shot shows the colorful court in contrast to the surrounding city.

    16585054_271756923255272_7909788029181493248_n.jpg

    The massive painting was completed by Athens-based artist Same84, who noted in his own post that the project was a collaboration with Nike.

  11. image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn-s3.si.com%2Fs3fs-public%2F2017%2F01%2F03%2Fgiannis-antetokounmpo-bucks-blazers.jpg&w=700&q=85

     

    SAM FORENCICH/GETTY IMAGES

    Three months later he walks into the practice gym the morning after a home-and-home with the Cavaliers, 76 minutes in close proximity to LeBron James. “You feel different after you play him,” Antetokounmpo reports. “Your legs, your body, you’re sore everywhere. Sometimes you have to lie to yourself, lie to your mother: ‘Yeah, I’m good, I’m good.’ ” The team has the day off. “But where else do I have to be?” he asks. He plays two-on-two. He shoots along the arc with Sweeney. Rookie Thon Maker mops the floor. Antetokounmpo's three-point percentage, 29.3 this season, right around his career mark, is still the source of much consternation. Judging by his practice sessions, it will spike soon, and then there won’t be any way left to defend him. “When I’m coaching,” muses the 39-year-old Terry, “he’ll be pretty much unguardable.”

     

    The next night, against Washington, Antetokounmpo starts the game with a reverse layup, a midrange pull-up, a pair of sweeping hooks and finger rolls. The Wizards can’t keep him out of the lane or off the free throw line. He dunks off a Eurostep, a lob, a back-cut and a put-back. He dunks over Kelly Oubre, Otto Porter and Markieff Morris, flexing as they wince. When Morris fouls him hard on a breakaway, Antetokounmpo sprints over to ask him about it. He has 24 points in the first half, Milwaukee has 73, and the Cream City Clash in Section 222 chant: “Can’t Stop Gian-nis!” He looks as long as Durant, as strong as Davis, as ferocious as Westbrook. He’s got Dirk’s fadeaway, with the right knee raised, and a nifty two-handed scoop all his own.

     

    He finds Parker for a dunk and a layup, Henson for a layup, Dellavedova for a short J. Leading the break, he whips a pass to Terry in the corner for three. I got you, bro. In the post he backs down a trio of Wizards and kicks out to Malcolm Brogdon for another three. With 6:26 left he stands on the free throw line, and the locals break out a rare MVP chant. He has a career-high 39 points. He craves the 40-ball. He tries to settle himself, but the second free throw rims out, and Kidd calls him to the bench. The Bucks lead by 27, which will be their final margin. He winks at Alex, his youngest brother, behind the courtside seats.

     

    In the locker room afterward, players scatter for Christmas, two days away. “Stay out of the gym!” swingman Tony Snell cautions, and Antetokounmpo surreptitiously shakes his head. “I don’t know,” he mutters. A few minutes later the black Explorer turns right on North 4th Street, toward the snow-covered bridge, taking the league’s most unlikely driver to a place only he can see.

     

     

     

     

    GIANNIS COMPARES HANDS WITH OBAMA:

    http://usa.greekreporter.com/files/2016/04/12932948_10153748368229064_4210886089465993397_n.jpg

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