This week was marred by the deaths of two legends–starting with Pink Floyd founder and keyboardist Richard Wright, who succumbed to cancer on Monday, followed by Motown veteran Norman Whitfield, who died Wednesday at age 67 after a long battle with diabetes. They both will always be missed, and their huge contributions to music will never go unappreciated.
In much, MUCH lighter news, Britney Spears solidified a certain, different type of legendary status herself, when she was declared “The Most Searched Person On The Internet” in the new 2009 Guinness Book Of World Records–reclaiming the title from last year’s most-searchable record-holder, Paris Hilton. Is this as admirable or legendary an accomplishment as playing keyboards on Pink Floyd’s pioneering recording of “Interstellar Overdrive” (Wright) or co-writing the Temptations’ “Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone” (Whitfield)? Well, um, NO. Of course not. But it was another bit of good post-VMAs news for the oft-troubled Britney’s oft-troubled career…especially since it came the same week it was announced that Britney’s new “comeback” album, Circus, is being rush-released on December 2 (Brit’s 27th birthday). It was also revealed this week that Madonna’s upcoming directorial-debut movie, Filth & Wisdom, features a pivotal scene inspired by Britney’s classic “Baby One More Time” video. Now that’s the stuff of legend, right there.
Britney is usually the one causing a underwear-less scandal these days, but this week it was Ciara who had her (removed-by-airbrushing) panties in a knot, so to speak. Ciara understandably expressed outrage over the fact that the editors at Vibe magazine allegedly digitally underdressed her without her consent. The R&B starlet claims she posed for the mag’s October cover photo with her clothes on, but that an intrepid Photoshopper stripped her down so that she appears to be nude in the published pic. Now sources say Ciara is taking Vibe to court. Wow, the Vibe folks should have known better than to mess with Ciara. Didn’t they listen to her when she said her goodies stay in the jar?