One Direction Launches First Headlining Tour Of North America In Late May

Leave it to Canada.

On the night of March 27, about 300 hardcore One Direction fans waited 35 hours to see their heartthrobs in person.  The quintet was scheduled to perform at a studio in Montreal, Canada.

Unfortunately, 14 fans had to be treated by paramedics and six of those were taken to a local hospital.  Some of the fans were treated for… wait for it… here it comes… hypothermia.  Temperatures dropped to 14°.

It wasn’t funny to the fans (or their parents), but you have to admit that hypothermia is the least sexy of all the aliments that could strike while you’re waiting for a record-setting boy band.  Also, only in Canada could you suffer hypothermia in late-March.

Being treated for fainting, heat exhaustion, or injuries stemming from being trampled or crushed are the traditional calamities that befall rock/pop fans, not hypothermia.  All the aforementioned ills capture the romance and mystery of catching a glimpse of your favorite music star.  Hypothermia does not.  Hypothermia captures the romance and mystery of ice fishing.

After all, in The Who song “Sally Simpson” the titular gets a ”gash across her face” not mild hypothermia.  The frigid conditions conjure up images of tweens peeking through stocking caps and scarves while clapping their arctic-rated mittens as One Direction files into the recording studio bundled in North Face jackets and ski masks.

Obviously it wasn’t exactly like that.  I was exaggerating to make a point.  And that point is freezing temperatures and mild hypothermia don’t go well with the glamor and sexiness of pop music.

You can’t blame those 300 young Montrealers for wanting to see One Direction.  The band may skew young but they are red hot right now.

Their first album, Up All Night, debuted at Number One on the Billboard 200.  Now get this, they are the first British group to ever do that.  Yeah, that’s right, the Beatles didn’t even accomplish that feat. 

So if 300 fans waited 35 hours just to get a glimpse of the band as they walked into a building, how many will wait in line for One Direction tickets?  The boys launch their first headlining tour of North America on May 24 in Fairfax, Virginia.  The tour’s last concert is scheduled for July 1 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Highly anticipated stops on their route include a One Direction concert in New York City at the Beacon Theatre on May 26; a One Direction performance in Rosemont, Illinois at the Allstate Arena on June 2; and a One Direction gig in Universal City, California at the Gibson Theatre on June 16.

In total, the boy band has 21 dates on their calendar.

Don’t dismiss Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, Harry Styles, and Louis Tomlinson as nothing but handsome young men who just happen to fit the wardrobe.  The third place finishers on the seventh series of The X Factor (UK version) can really sing.  Not just one or two, but all of them; each takes turn singing lead.  Their shows are fun and exciting and are sans the usually start-to-finish choreography we’ve come to expect from our boy bands. 

Are their lyrics very deep?  Of course not, but the lead single off their debut album, “What Makes You Beautiful,” is catchy and fun to listen to. 

As you might expect from a band with one album, a 1D concert is padded with some covers.  Currently, the boys are singing the Black Eyed Peas’ “I Gotta Feeling,” the Kings of Leon’s “Use Somebody,” and Gym Class Heroes’ “Stereo Hearts,” among others.

See and hear what we mean when One Direction plays Las Vegas on June 9 or when One Direction rocks Dallas on June 23.

If you need more proof, check out One Direction’s concert in Orlando on June 30.  Clickitticket guarantees that no one will get hypothermia waiting outside the Amway Center.

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Tim Tebow Traded To Jets

The most famous player in America’s most popular sport has been traded to the country’s biggest city.

Tim Tebow has been traded from the Denver Broncos to the New York Jets for fourth and sixth round picks in the upcoming draft.  In addition to getting Tebow, the Jets also receive the Broncos’ seventh-round pick.

Tebow became expendable when the Broncos signed future hall of fame quarterback Peyton Manning earlier in the week.

The Tebow deal was announced on Wednesday and then put on hold for about eight hours.  The reason?  Money of course.  The teams had to decide who would pay Tebow’s $5 million in guarantees.  The solution: over the next two years $2.53 of that $5 million will go back to Denver from New York.

Let’s quickly recap the events of mid-March 2012.  Peyton Manning signs with the Broncos.  The head coach of the New Orleans Saints, Sean Payton, gets a year’s suspension for the Saints bounty program.   The Chicago Bears sign Michael Bush.  Tim Tebow is traded to the NY Jets.

Guess what.  It’s all for not.

The biggest development of March was New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady restructuring his contract.  By doing so, he frees up more than $7 million in cap space.  The Patriots are already having the best offseason in the league signing players like Brandon Lloyd, Donte Stallworth, and Anthony Gonzalez.  Teams are trying, but the Patriots are still the team to beat in the NFL.

Tebow’s New Role
In a week, Tebow went from starting quarterback to backup, from the Rocky Mountains to the Big Apple, and from running the offense to running the wildcat.  Tony Sparano is the new offensive coordinator for the Jets and the genius behind the previously mentioned formation.  Tebow’s ability to run and pass (at least well enough for the Wildcat) will make him a perfect fit for the gimmicky offense.

Effect on Mark Sanchez
Conventional wisdom is that Tebow’s arrival will make Mark Sanchez better.  The organization is hoping Tebow will put pressure on Sanchez and force him to take his game to the next level.   If Sanchez doesn’t improve, then the New York Jets will become the “Tebow Jets.”

A Different Perspective
The trade is a little odd in the sense that the Jets now have two quarterbacks that are identical in nature (although Tebow is a much better rusher).  Both are lauded for their intangibles and chided for their lack of accuracy.  Both struggle for three-fourths of the game and then shine in the 4th quarter.  Both have won playoff games (Sanchez has four wins, all on the road, and Tebow has one).   The real question is will either one win a Super Bowl?

Handling The Pressure of New York Media
The circuses that surround all New York sports team have gobbled up players far more accomplished than Tebow.  So how will he do under the bright lights of Broadway?  Fine.  He’s Tim Tebow.  He’s one of the most popular sports figures in America and has been for years.  There might be a few more cameras in NYC than in Denver, and reporters might ask a few more sardonic questions, but it’s nothing he hasn’t heard or experienced before.  Tebow will be fine.

The Biggest Loser (1A)
The biggest loser in all this is the Jacksonville Jaguars.  Jacksonville is just an hour away from Tebow’s alma mater, the University of Florida.  One source said that Tebow was given his choice of either the Jets or the Jaguars.  There are also reports that Jacksonville didn’t trade for Tebow because the coaching staff didn’t want him.  A lot of NFL fans wanted Tebow to land in Jacksonville so he could give that generic franchise an identity.  Apparently those sentiments are not shared by Tebow or the Jags coaching staff.  Regardless, the Jaguars are still boring and they’ve placed all their eggs in Blaine Gabbert’s basket.

The Biggest Loser (1B) 
If you dislike Tim Tebow.  If you think he’s a mediocre quarterback.  If you’re tired of hearing about him.  You just got screwed.  If you think he was discussed a lot when he played in Denver, just wait.  He’s going to get a lot more attention now that he’s in the Media Capital of the World. 

2012 Prediction
Together or separate, Sanchez and Tebow do not exceed the talents of Tom Brady.  The Patriots are still better than the Jets and the class of the AFC East.  Unless someone else defeats the Pats in the playoffs (as well as the Steelers, Ravens, and Texans), the Jets aren’t going to the Super Bowl at the end of the 2012 season.

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Kristin Chenoweth seems to be one of the hardest working women in show business. When she's not on a Broadway stage, she's on both the silver and small screens. And when she's not there, she might well be in the recording studio or on tour. Oh, and she's also authored a memoir. Busy girl, that one. Here's the breakdown:

Stage
Animal Crackers
Babes in Arms
Phantom
The Fantasticks
Box Office of the Damned
Scapin
Steel Pier (Broadway)
Strike Up the Band
A New Brain
You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown (Broadway)
Epic Proportions (Broadway)
On a Clear Day You Can See Forever
Wicked (Broadway)
Candide
The Apple Tree (Broadway)
Young Frankenstein
Music in the Air
Promises, Promises (Broadway)
 

Television
Paramour
Annie
Kristin
The Music Man
Sesame Street
Ugly Betty
The West Wing
Pushing Daisies
Sit Down, Shut Up
Glee
GCB
Hot in Cleveland
 

Film
Topa Topa Bluffs
Bewitched
The Pink Panther
RV
Running with Scissors
Deck the Halls
Stranger Than Fiction
Four Christmases
Into Temptation
You Again
 

Albums
Let Yourself Go
As I Am
A Lovely Way to Spend Christmas
Some Lessons Learned

Books
A Little Bit Wicked: Life, Love, and Faith in Stages

Chenoweth's latest TV series, GCB, is currently kicking up various dust storms, but she defends the show. It's worth noting up front that Chenoweth is a dyed-in-the-wool Christian and proud of it. She has never made any bones about that. So, when she is attacked for being on a show that was originally titled Good Christian Bitches, she stands her ground, insisting she would never do anything that “crossed the line.”

The Tony- and Emmy-winning actress/singer also stands firm about a controversial storyline. One of the female characters is knowingly married to a closeted gay man. They sit together in church and go about their lives as a happy, hetero couple, despite their secret arrangement.

To the naysayers out there who insist the portrayal is out of bounds, Chenoweth says no way. She also suggests they look around their own communities and consider who among them might well be living a lie in order to not be judged by God or their peers.

This is not the first gay issue Chenoweth has waded into, either. While starring in Promises, Promises on Broadway opposite Sean Hayes, Chenoweth rebutted the notion set forth by a journalist that gay actors can't play straight. When she and Hayes co-hosted the Tony Awards show after the fact, they even staged a big-do kiss to drive the point home.

With GCB making a witty enough case for itself, Chenoweth is free to pursue her other passions. In fact, she is readying to go on tour behind her latest CD release, Some Lessons Learned. The country-pop set includes works from iconic songwriters like Dolly Parton and Diane Warren.

The 19-city trek will be her first-ever solo tour which kicks off on May 9 with Chenoweth in Seattle. The final stop on the Oklahoma native's itinerary is in her hometown of Broken Arrow. Chenoweth plays the Broken Arrow Performing Arts Center which is slated to be renamed in her honor.

Among the other stops, Chenoweth hits Atlanta, Dallas, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Chicago, Minneapolis, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, and more.

Peyton Manning Joins Denver Broncos

Peyton Manning’s 400th touchdown pass will come in a Denver Broncos uniform.

The most coveted free agent in NFL history selected the Rocky Mountains over the Tennessee Titans and San Francisco 49ers on Monday.  Manning is likely to sign a 5-year contract with the Broncos worth 90 million. 

A big factor in Manning’s decision to go to Denver was the team’s vice president of football operations, John Elway.   The hall of fame quarterback has a close relationship with Manning and was able to win Super Bowls when he was 37- and 38-years old.  Manning turns 36 on Saturday.

The Broncos are coming off a year in which they reached the divisional round of the playoffs.  With Manning now under center, the team is likely to trade their current quarterback Tim Tebow.

Manning was released by the Indianapolis Colts on March 7 after four neck surgeries and missing all of 2011.  Had Manning stayed, he would have received a $28 million bonus.  The 14-year veteran has won four MVP awards, amassed more than 54,000 passing yards, and thrown for more than 399 touchdowns. 

Are The Broncos Contenders?
Manning will definitely improve the Broncos (they were the second worst passing team in 2011), but they are still not better than the New England Patriots, Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, or Houston Texans.  Besides, these types of roster moves never result in Super Bowl victories.  Yes, Craig Morton and Kurt Warner took two teams to the Super Bowl, but they are the exceptions to the rule—see Brett Favre, Joe Montana, Boomer Esiason, Donovan McNabb, Ken Stabler, Fran Tarkenton, and Johnny Unitas.  Don’t get us wrong, it’s going to be great having Manning back, but they aren’t going to the Super Bowl anytime soon.

What’s Going To Happen To Tebow?
While no one wants to be replaced, this will ultimately be good for Tim Tebow.  Obviously, he wasn’t the choice of John Elway or the coaching staff.  Now Tebow can go to a team that wants him, maybe the Miami Dolphins or Jacksonville Jaguars.  While Tebow is both beloved and hated, neither side should forget that he has won a playoff game.

Denver Has Peyton, Now What?
We are firm believers that to win in today’s NFL you need a Pro Bowl quarterback—a guy who can complete passes when everyone in the stadium knows you’re going to pass.  Even so, you still need other pieces.  The Broncos need to bolster their running game and find some big play receivers.  While their defense is solid, they still need help in the secondary.  They’ve been so busy chasing Manning, that the team hasn’t done anything else on the free agent market.

Are The Broncos Even The Best Team In AFC West?
Listen, we can’t stand the San Diego Chargers any more than you do.  They’re always picked to go to the Super Bowl but always find a way to blow it (usually to the Patriots) in the NFL Playoffs.  However, the Chargers owned the Colts when they were shepherd by Manning.  Remember, the Bolts ended the Colts quest for 16-0 in 2005 and then ousted them from the postseason in 2007 and 2008.  Furthermore, the Kansas City Chiefs and Oakland Raiders will be better in 2012 than they were in 2011.

What’s The Broncos’ Schedule Like in 2012?
Even with Manning, the Broncos still might finish 8-8.  Why?  The Broncos have a tough schedule in 2012.  Besides two games against each the Chargers, Chiefs, and Raiders, the Broncos play seven playoff teams from 2011—Houston, Pittsburgh, and New Orleans Saints at home and Baltimore, New England, Cincinnati Bengals, and Atlanta Falcons on the road.  By the way, the Broncos won’t play the Colts in the regular season until 2013.

When Can Manning Begin Working With The Team?
Under parameters of the new collective bargaining agreement, Manning can't have anything to do with the Broncos coaching staff until April 16.  Because he’s recovering from an injury, he can’t step foot on a field until May 2.  Of course Manning and his teammates can work out together all they want.  Knowing Manning’s work ethic, they are probably already practicing pass patterns.

What Number Will Manning Wear?
The number 18 has been retired by the Broncos.  It was worn by Frank Tripucka, the first quarterback in team history.  Of course, news travels fast and the 84-year old Tripucka has already been contacted by the media and asked if he’s okay with Manning wearing his number.  He is.

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