Pop Buzz UK

Kylie Minogue, she’s almost British, even though she’s an Australian by the simple technicality of being born over there. She launched her pop career here under defunct record label Stock, Aitken and Waterman, and now spends most of her time in the UK, living here when she’s not gallivanting around the world on tour… she’s even appeared in Doctor Who for cripes sakes!

So that’s my justification for writing about her here on Pop Buzz UK.

The latest saga to emerge from camp Kylie is the video for new single Wow (crappy title, not bad song) being banned from British television, or at least it’s first version.

The video was meant to be getting an exclusive première on Channel 4 last Wednesday, but was pulled at the last minute due to Ofcom (the television regulators) rules about flashing light effects.

The video heavily features strobe lighting which could affect epileptics and people sensitive to that sort of thing. Yes, while you’re happily sitting there watching a Kylie video, and wishing you could be her, or be with her, depending on your gender, you could suddenly start fitting or convulsing. Which isn’t a good look by anyone’s standards.

(more…)

Ugly Betty and Desperate Housewives fans in the UK will be able to watch their favourite programmes for free on their PCs from tonight.

Channel 4 has signed a deal with Disney ABC which means that all ABC Studios shows will be available on the online 4oD service for 30 days after they have originally aired.

Tonight’s Ugly Betty episode will be the first of the shows available to watch and the deal will cover subsequent seasons of Desperate Housewives, Brothers and Sisters, Reaper and Dirty Sexy Money.

Jeff Ford, Channel 4’s director of acquisitions and Film4 said:

“We want Channel 4 viewers to be able to see our shows in a format, time and platform to suit them and to make the process as simple as possible.”

“This deal means that viewers can now catch up on some of their favourite US shows, alongside home grown product, free of charge at a time convenient to them which can only be good news.”

The programmes will be free to watch, and the service will be supported by video adverts and sponsorships from multiple companies.

(more…)

This is a letter I found while surfing around the Interweb a while back. It’s a letter that Monty Python and Fawlty Towers star John Cleese jokingly wrote to the citizens of America, in which he claims the United States back for us Brits.

It’s a brilliantly witty piece of satirical comedy from the master of the surreal, with references to your great leader as well as ours.

NB: I changed the name of the Prime Minister from Blair to Brown to keep it current. Have a read, have a laugh, if you’re British and a bit stupid be aware that this isn’t real, and if you’re American and have no sense of humour, well, screw you!

To the citizens of the United States of America

(more…)

Debating: The Protests about a 5th Runway at Heathrow Airport

Reading: ‘Next’ by Michael Crichton

Playing: Still the abysmal Transformers Game

Viewing: The start of the new X Factor series with Simon Cowell

Watching: Rush Hour 3 with Jackie Chan & Chris Tucker

Listening: The Cribs new single ‘Moving Pictures’

Buying: Mr Bean’s Holiday on DVD even though it sucks

Searching: For the latest news on Amy Winehouse

Anticipating: Going to see The Bourne Ultimatum at the cinema

Learning: The Rubik’s Cube can be done in 26 moves

Heathrow Airport, Runway, Protests, Climate Change, Michael Crichton, Transformers, X Factor, Simon Cowell, Leona Lewis, Rush Hour 3, Jackie Chan, Chris Tucker, The Cribs, Amy Winehouse, Bourne Ultimatum, Rubiks Cube

Debating: Amy Winehouse’ overdose and career implosion

Reading: ‘Marley And Me’ by John Grogan

Playing: Mario Party 8 on the Nintendo Wii

Viewing: The Start of the Premiership Soccer Season on Sky Sports

Watching: ‘Evan Almighty’. NOT as good as Bruce though

Listening: Robyn’s atrocious dance monologue ‘With Every Heartbeat’

Buying: Kate Nash’s debut album ‘Made Of Bricks’

Searching: Lily Allen after her trouble at Los Angeles Airport

Anticipating: Chelsea winning the Premiership again… well hoping!

Learning: There are dogs with two noses

Amy Winehouse, John Grogan, Mario Party, Nintendo, Wii, Premiership, Sky Sports, Evan Almighty, Robyn, Kate Nash, Lily Allen, Los Angeles, Chelsea

This is the trailer for Jamie Oliver’s new show called ‘Jamie At Home’. I love this trailer as unusually for Jamie, it’s funny and very cleverly thought out. Call me gullible… “Dave, you’re gullible,” but this actually made me want to watch the first episode of the new show.

I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with Jamie. On the one hand I think he’s done some great stuff for the politics surrounding food, especially when it comes to kids. His mission to get schools to provide better dinners for kids up and down the country was inspired, and has hopefully prevented the next generation from being a bunch of fat gits.

(more…)

Debating: The continuing floods blighting the UK

Reading: Reviews of Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows

Playing: Transformers: The Game

Viewing: The Top 5 Phone Pranks on YouTube

Watching: The Transformers Movie

Listening: To Anyone But Rihanna

Buying: Kate Nash’ Catchy Single ‘Foundations’

Searching: The Lyrics for ‘Rehab’ by Amy Winehouse

Anticipating: The Spice Girls World Tour

Learning: There is an itch gene.

UK, Britain, England, Floods, Flooding, Transformers the game, Transformers the movie, Harry Potter, Phone Pranks, The Simpsons, Rihanna, Kate Nash, Amy Winehouse, The Spice Girls

Debating: The Heavy Rain & Flooding hitting the UK

Reading: Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows

Playing: More Brain Training from Dr Kawashima

Viewing: Fonejacker on E4

Watching: Harry Potter & The Order of the Phoenix

Listening: The new Prince album given away free in a newspaper

Buying: The Enemy - We’ll Live & Die in these towns

Searching: For a new book series to replace Harry Potter

Anticipating: Lethal Bizzle’s new album out today

Learning: Seven-year-olds have proms.

Harry Potter, Rain, Flooding, The Deathly Hallows, More Brain Training, Dr Kawashima, Fonejacker, The Order of the Phoenix, Prince, The Enemy, Lethal Bizzle

It’s fish and rice cakes boy! Prepare yourself to laugh like a drain, cos I assure you, you will. This is one of the most bizarre but funny clips I’ve seen on YouTube in a long time. It shows a clip from a British documentary about a guy in training for a body building contest. I have to give credit to the always excellent Iain Lee on LBC for playing this out and making me search the internet high and low for it.

(more…)

Debating: The Smoking Ban which came in to effect July 1st

Reading: ‘Whitethorn Woods’ by Maeve Binchy

Playing: Harry Potter and The Order of The Phoenix

Viewing: The Live Earth concert from Wembley Stadium

Watching: ‘Shrek the Third’ starring that green ogre thingy

Listening: Jack Penate with ‘Torn on the Platform’

Buying: The Traveling Wilburys Collection album

Searching: ‘Cloverfield’, a new film by Lost’s JJ Abrams

Anticipating: The Enemy’s debut album ‘We’ll live & die in these towns’

Learning: Tony Blair proposed to Cherie while she was cleaning a loo.

Smoking, Smoking Ban, England, UK, Maeve Binchy, Harry Potter, The Order of the Phoenix, Live Earth, Wembley Stadium, Shrek the Third, Jack Penate, Torn on the Platform, The Traveling Wilburys, Cloverfield, Lost, JJ Abrams, The Enemy, Tony Blair, Cherie Blair

We’re just two weeks away from the release of the Seventh and final Harry Potter book ‘The Deathly Hallows’ and there are rumours circulating that a soft copy of the book is being circulated by email.

Everyone is speculating about the fate of our favourite child wizard and his friends as he faces off against Voldemort, with the balance of wizard and muggles alike potentially in his hands. Well, according to this website, a 659 page pdf file of the full book is circulating India. Click to read more, which potentially contains spoilers…
(more…)

I think this video needs a little explanation for all the non-Brits who may have missed the British version of the latest series of The Apprentice. Tre Azam was one of the contestants, and all the way through the show he wowed the viewing public with his displays of mondesty and shyness. Or I could be lying…
(more…)

Debating: The foiled terrorist attacks in London and Glasgow.

Reading: ‘Marshmallows For Breakfast’ by Dorothy Koomson

Playing: ‘Forza Motorsport 2′ on the XBox 360

Viewing: The ‘Concert for Diana’ on BBC1 on Sunday

Watching: ‘Captivity’ starring Elisha Cuthbert

Listening: The Editors 2nd album ‘An End Has A Start’

Buying: ‘Scrubs’ Series 5 on DVD

Searching: ‘Grand Theft Auto IV’ Trailers

Anticipating: The last week of Wimbledon tennis championship

Learning: Peanuts can be made into diamonds.

London, UK, Terrorist, Terror Alert, Marshmallows for breakfast, Dorothy Koomson, Forza Motorsport 2, XBox 360, Concert for Diana, Captivity, Elisha Cuthbert, The Editors, An End Has A Start, Scrubs Series 5, DVD, Grand Theft Auto IV, Trailer, Wimbledon, Tennis, Peanuts, Diamonds

I’ve been tagged for my first ever meme! I had mixed emotions when Kelly from Taxgirl let me know that I was one of her chosen 7 bloggers to take part in this, going from happiness, to annoyance. But now, as I write the post, I realise I’m happy again, and I’m going to enjoy writing my 7 random facts about me. But there’s the thing, I thought it would be better to make it fit Pop Buzz UK a bit, so instead here are 7 pop culture facts about me…
(more…)

I unveiled the the Pop Buzz UK banner last week, and asked for ideas for taglines. Now I’ve compiled the best I’ve heard over the last week and here they are for your perusal in a nice poll. If none of you bother to vote, or if there’s a tie, I reserve the right to have the deciding vote… so GET VOTING!
(more…)