Dear Janet Jackson,
Hey there, Janet. Let’s talk. Over burgers. Yeah, remember those? I know you do. Actually, we can get crazy and order fries, too. I know carbs are the enemy, but I believe in keeping ‘em close, if you know what I mean. Fine, fine, you don’t have to order ‘em, but don’t spend the whole meal picking at mine, okay? And don’t even think about discarding the bun. I hate it when you do that.
Anyway, look, let’s get serious. You ignored my advice about your blah new duet with Nelly, and went with it as your first single, but I’m not here to chastise you. What’s the title again? ”Call on Me”? Sorry, I can’t ever seem to remember it, and I couldn’t find it on Billboard’s top 20, and… no, I didn’t mean that as a dis.
Well, even if I did, let’s put it behind us and discuss the video, the one that’s streaming at AOL and YouTube. Now I’m saying this out of a place of love, Janet, and you know I mean it because I’ve been digging you since back when you were jammin’ to that nasty groove with Paula Abdul in the Control days, and… heh, yeah, I did see that clip of her on QVC.
But damn it, Janet, focus! What’s up with the video? Was there a sale down at Jo-Ann Fabric? You spend the whole clip swimming in a sea of silk and taffeta, and I’m not getting it. Not getting the pirate ship. Not getting Nadia Turner’s ‘frohawk from season 4 of Idol. Not getting the way you’re grinding unconvincingly against Nelly’s bare torso. Not getting you running through the hedges like Gwen Stefani in ”What You Waiting For?" Worst of all, you look tired, hungry, and like you’re not having any fun at all. I know you can do better on your next video. Or if you’re not into it, don’t even make another one. You’ve had a great career; you’ve got plenty of money. You can relax if you want to. Relax and have a burger. And fries. We’ll all still love you.
Love,
Michael Slezak
Janet does best when she is simple like the “Love would never do” video or when she is super sexy like the “If” video. She fails when she does something like “Call on me” or whatever the video was with Busta Rhymes. They are too outlandish to work. She has a sweet smile, she needs to use it in the videos because America loves a sweetheart.
http://lastnightadjsavemylife.blogspot.com/2006/07/if-at-first-you-dont-succeed-try-try.html
This is an amazing video, I know your paid for your opinion. But that doesnt make it the right one.
You cant find her single in the tom 20 because she jumped from 60 to number 25 on the hot 100.
I know you say your a fan but i wonder if your just sharing your opinion or just being snarky and janky.
I’m so sick of Slezak. So you like Janet, do you not. Call On Me is a laid back single. Not the best, not terrible at all. The video, I think, helps make the song, Slezak needs to write a letter to himself to get a life.
I think it’s pretty. it’s like The Cell meets Memoirs of a Geisha, without having the narrative problems of those films. what’s the problem, Slezak? don’t be such a hater.
I agree with Slezak, this video is just as bad as the song. Call On Me when you release the next single! Lets hope that it’s a better one than this tired piece of ship wreck – pun intended!
Yawn… yikes! I fell asleep.. is that video over yet??
I can already tell you this video is NOT going to make it to my top 10 videos list at the bar where I work.
It simply does not work.
So because one doesn’t like the video or EVERY video an artist puts out, then one is a hater? Please.. get off your high horses and un-stick your nose out of her behind. The video sucks big bertha @ss.
Not only is the song blah (frankly, IMO blah has been her oeuvre for quite a while now), but this video really creeped the hell out of me – so much so that I couldn’t even watch it to the end. So many of the shots make her look like brother Michael. I don’t know if it’s her age, diet, stylist or whatever. But Janet: it’s over for you.
girl, you’re in trouble
FYI, the single just jumped from #63 to #25 in the Billboard Hot 100. It just became available digitally. The song is reminiscent of “Doesn’t Really Matter”, one of her biggest hits prior to ‘All for You’.
Amen, Slezak. Remember how good Velvet Rope and All For You was? Then WTF was Damita Jo?! Let’s compare her to Madonna and hope that right now she’s in her Erotica/Bedtime Stories Phase and her Ray of Light/Music/Confessions on a Dancefloor Phase is just around the corner. (No, I didn’t ACCIDENTALLY leave out American Life from that second Phase.)
Dear Janet,
Im sorry but i have to agree, this video, well, its not one of your best. Im being nice, too nice. You really do look bored. And the dancing, why? Why bother when its so obvious you arent feeling it? Did Jermane put you up to this? Are you so in love that you have gone completely blind and death for that matter? How does the video fit the song? Are there pirates in your song? Maybe there are and i fell asleep before that part came up. Did you forget the difference between a slow and amazing song, and slow and painfull death? Oh Janet… Whats wrong? Wanna talk about it?
That has to go on the list as one of the worst videos of the year. I haven’t expected much from JJ in a long time, and she isn’t disappointing me now. Boring song, no chemistry with Nelly, meaningless scenario…I hope the next single is better, because I want Janet to make a comeback. I really do. I thought she was unfairly maligned during the nipplegate thing, while Justin Timberlake got off relatively easy. Plus, I still think she’s the most normal of all the Jacksons, so I’ll keep cheering her on. But I don’t like this video or this song.
Dear Janet fans:
Just admit it: Call On Me is BORING. Janet made a mis-step by releasing this completely forgettable fluff. Furthermore the video is an expensive piece of nothing. And FYI, although the single jumped to #25, it will stall there due to its lagging sales on iTunes simply because no one wants to pay $0.99 for a BORING single! But don’t fret Janet fans – So Excited is coming soon. Slezak – keep the honest opinions coming!
Snooze big time. I turned it off mid-way. I just don’t get it and her vocals – you can’t understand a dang thing she’s saying.