Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler, Dave Grohl, Norah Jones and more celebrated the work of Paul McCartney as part of the 33rd Annual Kennedy Center Honors tribute.

The December 5 event aired last night (Tuesday 12/28) on CBS in prime time, paying tribute to the 2010 Kennedy Center Honorees: McCartney, country legend Merle Haggard, Oprah Winfrey, choreographer Bill T. Jones, and composer Jerry Herman.

McCartney was the last of the five honorees to be saluted, and Tyler cranked up the energy of the evening, performing a medley of the final four songs from Abbey Road, the Beatle’s last studio album – ‘She Came in Though the Bathroom Window’, ‘Golden Slumbers’, ‘Carry That Weight’ and ‘The End’:

I’m not a Star Wars fan, but, man this could take taunting the neighbor’s cat to a whole new level! And it’s only $300! Too late for Christmas, but Valentine’s Day is just around the corner (hint, hint…)!

Hong Kong company Wicked Lasers has manufactured “the most dangerous laser ever created,” a lightsaber with a blue beam that can burn retinas and set skin on fire.

The Spyder III Pro Arctic features a 1 watt laser the company warns is the most powerful portable laser available. The beam is a thousand times more powerful than sunlight on skin and the manufacturer warns it could cause cancer.

It’s definitely not something you want to give to your seven-year-old Star Wars fanatic.

Cautions Wicked Lasers:

Warning: Extremely dangerous is an understatement to 1W of laser power. At close range, this Class 4 beam will cause immediate and irreversable retinal damage. Use with extreme caution and use only when wearing proper safety goggles with an O.D. of 3+ is required and 4.4+ for longer exposures.

For your convenience, the Arctic comes packaged with free safety glasses.

World Lasers says it ships the lightsaber to over 70 countries…and, yes, thank you for asking, the U.S. is one of those!!!!

ANNUAL END OF YEAR LONG-ASS BLOG

BEST LOCALS/SEMI-PART TIME LOCALS-
LAUREN-The Fluerty Girl T-Shirt Owner. She fought to keep the phrase ‘WHO DAT’ belonging to the WHO DAT NATION! Suck it NFL!
HARRY SHEARER-His docu ‘The Big UnEasy’ is one of the best films about Katrina ever! Up there with ‘When the Levees Broke’. His efforts to raise money for the NOLA Musicians Fund is unmatched. And damn he is DEREK SMALLS!!!
MITCH LANDRIEU- Hey, he’s not that other guy
WILLIAM TANNER- The Good Samaritan in the Henry Glover Case
BILLY NUNGESSER- Plaquemines Parish President. He should so get his own reality show!
SANDRA BULLOCK- I don’t have enough time or room to explain why she is SOOOO AWESOME! We love you Sandy!
ROSA (erin brokovich-norma rae) FLORES- WDSU News Woman who shook it up during the spill and uncovered a whole heap of mess with the unemployment office. Ask yourself in the New Year-What would Rosa Flores do?
THE NEW ORLEANS SAINTS! nuff said
(sorry Angie and Brad, you are not on this yrs list..)

THE WORST LOCALS/SEMI-PART TIME LOCALS-2010
THE NEW ORLEANS POLICE DEPARTMENT-Not all of them, but as a whole yall got A LOT of work to do!!

MOST ANNOYING OF 2010-
TWEETING
SARAH PALIN
THE TEA PARTY
POLITICIANS
LAME FACEBOOK STATUS’S FROM PEOPLE WITH HUGE EGOS
JUSTIN BEIBER
TOM BRADY’S HAIR
LYNDSAY LOHAN
JERSEY SHORE
ALL THE MURDERS/MURDERES
WHEN PEOPLE THINK I AM THE VOICE IN THE DOT’S DINER COMMERCIALS-I’m not! But I’m sure that’s my future!
PANTS SAGGIN’
BULLIES
TIGER WOODS
SHENG-The broad trying to shut down Fat City. And the other council woman broad trying to shut down t-shirt shops on Bourbon Street. Are they bff’s?

ENTERTAINMENT/LOCAL-
BEST LOCAL COVER BAND- Sorry! Ain’t goin there! Love you ALL!

BEST LOCAL ORIG BAND- THE MORNING LIFE (Bayou House Band)

BEST LOCAL COMEDIAN(s)-STEVIE G, BILL DYKES, 3 CHARMERS, CHRIS ROSE

BEST PLACE TO FEEL GOOD ABOUT YOURSELF- ANY BAR IN FAT CITY
Keep fat city fat and open all night!

BEST LOCAL MADE MOVIE- ‘THE BIG UN-EASY’

BEST MOVE-NORTHSHORE BEING ABLE TO FINALLY GET HORNETS GAMES ON CABLE

BEST LIVE MUSIC TO MAKE OUT TO-JEREMY DAVENPORT

BEST PERSONALITY-THAT NUTTY BITCH ON BOURBON STREET

ENTERTAINMENT/NATIONAL-
I’m just gonna make a list of awesome things/people/places/shows/movies/bands/viral videos/some bad shit too-

BETTY WHITE
TWILIGHT KIDS
DEXTER
TRUE BLOOD
NURSE JACKIE
WEEDS
THE BIG C
COUGAR TOWN
SONS OF ANARCHY
THE SOCIAL NETWORK-movie
TRUE GRIT-movie
THE TOWN-movie
OLD SPICE GUY
CONAN
MEL GIBSON BREAKDOWN
SANDRA BULLOCK
BEATTLES ON ITUNES
ANTOINE DOBSON AND THE BED INTRUDER-video
DOUBLE RAINBOW-video
JIMMY MCMILLAN-THE RENT IS TOO DAMN HIGH-video
COLBERT-STEWERT
REAL HOUSE WIVES- greatest guilty pleasure!
KINGS OF LEON
PEARL JAM- live at JazzFest
BAND OF JOY-Robert Plant’s band
JOHN LENNON-all the re-issues
LADY GAGA’S MEAT DRESS
WIKILEAKS
ELECTIONS
GONZO -greatest co-worker ever!
COLLEGE KIDS
CHARLIE SHEEN STILL MAKES MILLIONS
TREME
ROCKSUGAR-band
PRINCE WILLIAM GETS ENGAGED
PERVY TSA PAT-DOWNS
BRETT MICHAELS ALMOST DIES, TWICE!
LARRY KING RETIRES
CAT HICCUPS/FARTS –video
REPEAL OF DON’T ASK DON’T TELL
SLASH’S SOLO ALBUM ‘SLASH’
30th ANNIVERSARY OF JOHN LENNON’S DEATH
TIGER WOODS MISTRESS’S
JOE BIDEN SAYS-“this is a big FUCKING deal”
JORAN VANDERSLOOT-douchebag
THE SMOKING BABY
HUGH HEFNER GETS ENGAGED TO 23 YEAR OLD

TRAGEDIES-AND DEATHS-
CAPT. PHIL HARRIS DIES
LOST ENDS
HAITI EARTQUAKE
BP OIL SPILL
CHILI TRAPPED MINERS- happy ending!
ELIZABETH EDWARDS DIES
STEVEN TYLER TO JUDGE AMERICAN IDOL
HENRY GLOVER TRIAL
RONNIE JAMES DIO DIES
DENNIS HOPPER DIES
COREY HAIM DIES
TOM BOSLEY DIES
LESLIE NIELSON DIES
D.B.A. GOES SMOKE FREE
LAW AND ORDER ENDS

Personal Stuff of 2010-
PEOPLE I MISS MOST-
Chip and Todd.
Chip, my brother, went to heaven on March 8, 2010. He was the funniest person on this planet! Thanx for giving me my humor brother!
And you already know my Todd left us on July 3, 2009. My very special boyfriend I adored who taught me what ‘unconditional’ means.
Last year I wrote many blogs about him and death. Thank you to those who reached out and sent me sunshine. I can not express to you how much that helped me! I am very grateful for that! And those who don’t get it- until you walk in someone else’s shoes, please shut the fuck up.
Chip loved cats, Todd loved dogs. If you have any in heaven, know they are in good hands up there! Love and miss you both. Forever in my heart.

PEOPLE WHO ARE ALIVE THAT I MISS MOST-
Ashley-We were friends. Friends can and do dump eachother sometimes. She dumped me as a friend. For all the good she does in the world, she is bad-ass at dumping a friend! Ouch!
Leon-I dumped him when we were dating. But he was an awesome fun pal to hang with. Miss you bro!
Robin-She disapproves of me getting married because it happened so fast. ‘Whatever’ is what I say to that. Rather than focus on what you think is negative, focus on the JOY of the situation! (and go fuck yerself)
Mikey C and his wife T- They moved to the N.Shore. Might as well have moved to a foreign country.

PERSON I WORRY THE MOST ABOUT-
David. We all pray for him as he is a Raiders fan.

PERSON I DON’T MISS-
Frenemy. She wants to wear me like last year’s Versace.

GREATEST MOMENTS-
-Saints Winning Superbowl!
-Getting over Cocker
-When I finally realized that God/Buddha/the Spirit/Allah, what or whoever it is that guides us, truly doesn’t give you more than you can handle.
-Realizing you never actually ‘get over’ or ‘move on’ from losing someone to heaven. You simply live with their love in your heart forever and make life and every moment count.

GREATEST GREATEST MOMENT-
-Meeting my future husband Rob Vance. We met, fell in-love, got engaged, planned a wedding! All within less than 4 MONTHS!!!!!!! Yup! Pigs DO fly! I love you husband! 2011 is going to be EPIC!

IN CLOSING FRIENDS, HERE’S TO A TRULY GREAT NEW YEAR FULL OF GOOD LOVIN’ AND SUNSHINE FOR ALL! NOW, GO ENTERTAIN YOUR OWN DAMN SELF!

Wishing you a safe and happy (INSERT YOUR FAVORITE, POLITICALLY-CORRECT, NON-DENOMINATIONAL, SEASONAL HOLIDAY OF CHOICE HERE)!!!

-Gonzo

Dave and Uncle Ted sing “The Christmas Song”

Would a drum lesson from Neil Peart of RUSH help? Sure couldn’t hurt, huh?

The Drum Channel recently did an upgrade to their site, and are offering a free video lesson from their Neil Peart Masterclass Series.

Check out the lesson here:

http://www.drumchannel.com/articles/Neil_Peart_Master_Class_Frontiers_of_Composition_and_Articulation_Lesson_9

Here is the complete list of lessons in Neil’s class – and make sure to check out all of the exceptional Master Classes offered at DrumChannel.com.

This video says it all.

It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) – Tops on any list. We watch it every year, and it just keeps getting better.
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Miracle on 34th Street (1947) – Definitive proof that Santa really does exist?
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A Christmas Story (1983) – We double dog dare you not to like this one.
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White Christmas (1954) – Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye head up this Christmas classic. But the real star of the show is Irving Berlin’s score. A little “Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep” anyone? Great choice to impress your grandparents with your taste in movies. They’ll love you for it.
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A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965 – TV) – I know it’s a made-for-TV movie, but to ignore it would be stupid. Generations of kids have grown up on it.
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Elf (2003) – Will Ferrell drives this great-for-the-entire-family Christmas comedy. Of course the uncredited appearance of Peter Billingsley is a special holiday treat.
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The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) – Tim Burton’s stop-motion feature has already become a holiday classic. “And they call him Sandy Claws!”
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The Chronicles of Narnia (2005) – Not really a Christmas movie but Santa Claus does make an appearance so it must be added to the list! A fantastic movie experience!
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Bad Santa (2003) – Come on, admit it! You know it made you laugh. There’s just something funny about a drunken Santa.
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How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966 – TV & 2003 cinematic) – It’s fun to watch the TV version and the movie version back-to-back.

The Bishop’s Wife (1947) – Who doesn’t like Cary Grant as an angel? Features a great movie quote: “The only people who grow old were born old to begin with”.
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Batman Returns (1992) – The magic of Tim Burton, the grotesqueness of Danny DeVito and the cat suit of Michelle Pfeiffer… Ooo la la.
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Home Alone (1990) – The first one, not the sequels! A really good family film for the holidays, except there’s no family! Funny gags, hilarious antics and truly feel-good moments as well.
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A Christmas Carol (1938) – The best version of the well-worn Dickens literary classic. At a mere 70 minutes in runtime, it’s a short but sweet classic. Beautiful set designs and powerful acting performances put this one of the must-see holiday film list.
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The Santa Clause (1994) – Features one of Tim Allen’s few successful big screen performances. So full of heart and charm it’s becoming a holiday season staple.
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National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989) – Gotta love the holidays with the Griswalds. Watching Clark’s ineptitude makes us all feel a little better ourselves.
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Joyeux Noel (Merry Christmas) (2005) – The true story of how the French and Scottish soldiers of World War I left their trenches and celebrated the holiday with their enemies, the Germans. A bit more serious than most listed here, but none is more heart warming and hopeful.
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Yes Virginia, There is a Santa Claus (1991 – TV) – Richard Thomas, Ed Asner and Charles Bronson star in this cheerful and uplifting version of the 1974 original. Will challenge you to look at things a little differently.

Holiday Inn (1942) – Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire bring this oldie-but-goodie to life. Bing Crosby does Christmas so well! Crescendoes to the magnificent debut of “White Christmas”.
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King Kong (2005) – OK, OK, It’s not a Christmas movie. But it is such a magnificent piece of filmmaking and Christmas does play a significant part, so it must be included on the list. Ahhh…Christmas in New York. Nothing like it!

Trading Places (1983) – A hilarious comedy starring Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd. Oh and another rendition of the drunken Santa Claus. A timeless holiday comedy.
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Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas (1977) – Master muppeteer Jim Henson directs this gentle 1977 made-for-TV tale about a mother otter and her son who both enter a talent show to win money to buy Christmas presents for each other. Wonderful family entertainment.
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The Polar Express (2004) – Adapted from Chris Van Allsburg’s Caldecott Medal winning children’s book of the same name. If you can see past the creepy computer-generated characters with crossed-eyes, this one’s pretty good. The animation is spectacular as it features a rousing song and dance number in the train’s dining car as well as a truly harrowing runaway train sequence.
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Meet Me In St. Louis (1944) – Judy Garland stars in this musical masterpiece about the trials and tribulations of a tight-knit family living in St. Louis on the eve of the 1904 World’s Fair. Among its many musical melodies, it counts Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas and Auld Lang Syne.
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Santa Claus: The Movie (1985) – Dudley Moore and John Lithgow will win your heart in this wonderful story of how Santa got his powers and why he was chosen to deliver toys to all the children of the world. A fun movie for everyone – 6 to 60.
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Scrooged (1988) – The soundtrack, set dressing, and costumes all come together beautifully to leave viewers in a happy and joyous holiday mood. By the way, also contains one of the best quotes from a Christmas movie – “I never liked a girl well enough to give her twelve sharp knives.”
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Gremlins (1984) – The ’80s produce another good one. What began as a furry, cuddly Christmas present turns out to be one of the most destructive creatures when conditions are just right. Perfect choice as a kids first scary movie.
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Die Hard (1988) – New York City Detective John McClane has just arrived in Los Angeles to spend Christmas with his wife… unfortunately, it is not going to be a Merry Christmas for everyone.
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Christmas in Connecticut (1945) – One of the biggest lies ever told becomes one of the best Christmas movies of all time. Stars Barbara Stanwyck and Denn

and…..all Christmas cartoons-Santa Claus is Coming to Town, The Year Without a Santa Claus, Rudolph, Frosty, Grinch, Shrek the Walls, Mr. Magoo as Scrooge. Movie honorable mention- Fred Claus