TuNesday: Gweneth Paltrow

I’m not a mega-huge fan of the concept of Celebrity. I mean, I admire some famous people, but for the most part it’s every-day people doing extraordinary things that impresses me most. When ads come on the telly, I’m often (to my wife’s considerable chagrin) asking ‘Who’s that; are they famous?’ It actually works out pretty well because one of her best party tricks is being able to identify even the pond-scummiest of Z-list celebs in their ‘before/after they were famous’ roles. So I’m thinking she loves it, really, when I ask where I’ve seen that person before. Or , better yet, when I claim a connection that isn’t there – even when I know it’s not. Good times.

Maybe it’s my wilful ignorance of celebrity status that makes me delight and despair in equal measure at some TV and movie stars' attempts to branch out and establish some kind of reputation with a skill other than acting. The best (worst) examples of this tend to come when acting celebs sing, and vice versa. At their worst, these forays into the other frontiers of entertainment serve as a great reminder that some of these people who attract so much fanfare for their acting (some of it well-deserved), are really, really terrible singers. I’ve already alluded to Stephen Segal’s band and Leonard Nimoy’s classic "Ballad of Bilbo Baggins", but for anyone who’s not seen or heard how bad it can get when it goes badly wrong, have a gander and this gem on the tinterweb, and try not to be creeped out. Go on, I dare you. I’m not sure what freaks me out most: the fact that he’s wearing Mr. Spock ears, the fact that he’s got drugged-up kids dancing around him (also wearing Vulcan ears) or the truly terrible song itself. You be the judge:

As bad as that is (and I’d like to think that there’s plenty more “Celebrity Songs that Never Should Have Been Sung” out there), when it goes well, you kind of get blown away. It’s like the entertainment equivalent to a decathlete (or heptathlete); it seems unbelievable that one person can be so genuinely and broadly talented. And this week, my TuNesday spotlight shines on the current Jessica Ennis of entertainment, Gweneth Paltrow. 

For some, Paltrow’s recent exposure as a singer will come as no surprise. If you’re even remotely Gleeky, you would have cooed and squirmed in nerdy pleasure when she appeared in 2010’s ‘The Substitute’ (and will squeal even more enthusiastically when you hear that she’s due to make at least 2 more appearances this year and more again in Season 3). And as much as I love (hate) Glee, I tend to think that her time at Glee is more for fun, whereas stuff like her role in ‘Country Strong’ is more serious. Does that make some kind of statement about the gravity of the TV show versus that of the movie, specifically and in general? Maybe. But, to me, as much as I enjoy listening to her on Glee, what she does on the soundtrack to the film feels more important to her than the stuff on the box. Take this week’s offering, for example… it feels real, it feels emotional. And I haven’t listened to country since my days in the Palouse – and songs like this take me back there immediately. Personally, I think this is one of those cases where people will (or ought to) realise that Paltrow is a real vocal talent; she’s no pointy-eared sci-fi actor trying to milk the proverbial cash hobbit.