By the end of this week, M.I.A. will have been on American Idol (premiering Madonna’s “Give Me All Your Lovin’” video with her and Nicki Minaj), and at the halftime show of the Superbowl. How in the world can you possibly even pretend to be some kind of edgy anti-establishment fight-the-power “bad girl” at this point? But M.I.A. is still hanging onto her hipster metrocard, despite her billion-dollar baby, and upcoming hank-williams-jr astroturf status.

And just in time to confuse the Middle Americans who will be tuning in to watch “Madonner” between bites of cheesy bread on Sunday…M.I.A. drops “Bad Girls,” (via Pitchfork) the lead single for her upcoming 4th album. The song is produced by Danja (Timbaland’s “co”-producer) and sounds pretty much like you’d expect. It’s not horrible. It’s just disappointing.

“Bad Girls” sounds like Gwen Stefani adopting another new ethnicity, or Eve giving it another go with whoever Dr. Dre has locked in his basement, or Kreyshawn doing an Old Navy ad. Zzzz. But with all of the new things that M.I.A. has seen/been bought/been fed in the last few years of her interesting journey…I’d think she’d be able to pull up some of that rich girl rage and act out. (Like with that nutty “Born Free” video) We’ll see what happens with Friday’s “Bad Girl” video debut, also by “Born Free” director Romain Gavras. Will there be black humor and apocalyptic violence? Or just multi-culti kitsch and bad Islamic calligraphy fonts. Oh, wait…that’s already on the single art.

Listen to M.I.A.’s “Bad Girls”….after the jump
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Red Tails is a new movie that takes on the story of the Tuskegee Airmen, the first unit of African-American combat pilots to fight in World War II. The screenplay is a collaboration between John Ridley (who wrote Barbershop), and George Lucas….wait, George Lucas? Yes. As in Star Wars. Somehow that bizarro combination makes me wary, but the cast includes Michael B. Jordan, who I loved as Vince on the tv series Friday Night Lights, as well as Tristan Wilds, who I loved as Michael on The Wire. Fulfilling the unspoken singer/rapper quota is Ne-Yo and Method Man. And then there’s Bryan Cranston from Breaking Bad and Malcolm in the Middle (talk about range!).

But you know what would probably make this movie better?
97% less Terrence Howard.

And 100% fewer lines like “How ya like dat, Mr. Hitler?”

Anyways, didn’t the 1995 HBO movie about the same unit, Tuskegee Airmen do a solid job of covering this story too?
Wait….Cuba Gooding Jr. was in Tuskegee Airmen AND Red Tails? *rubs eyes*

Compare the old trailer after the jump
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(I love Rihanna but her LOUD tour costume designer did her dirty, lol)

I tried to log onto VEVO yesterday and watch that much-hyped Coldplay Unstaged show, streamed from a bullfighting arena in Madrid….but after refreshing about 7 times, I gave up. I know a jillion weekend warriors and college girls were probably doing the same…but aren’t folks as major as Youtube, Coldplay, Amex and VEVO supposed to get it right and tight?

Anyways, I’m enjoying the new Coldplay album, Mylo Xyloto. And the Rihanna x Coldplay collabo “Princess of China” is growing on me too. Then, you already know I’m obsessed with Rihanna’s “We Found Love” video. So I was especially excited to hear Chris Martin and Co.’s rendition of Rihanna’s “We Found Love” from the BBC Radio 1’s Live Lounge this week.

Zzzzzzz.
This version is like the sugar-free, soy-based, gluten-free, vegan version of “We Found Love.” None of the Calvin Harris party, none of the Coldplay wall-of-sound. It’s the Gwyneth Paltrow remix of “We Found Love.” : (

For something waaaay more enjoyable…
Watch Coldplay’s fun, funny, and fuzzy (as in animal suits, lol) “Paradise” video…
And you can watch the entire Coldplay in Madrid concert….
After the jump
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Contrary to some hasty and inaccurate headlines, Esquire did not name Rihanna as their 2011 “Sexiest Woman Alive.” But they did use a dirty short clip of Rihanna to promote their 2011 “Sexiest Woman Alive” voting brackets. And by dirty….I’m referring to actual soot which Rihanna rubs into her face and body. Perhaps an exotic volcanic exfoliation ritual. At the very end of the video there also seems to be some wet paper towel clinging to her arm. So, needless to say…the height of anti-glam.

And in return, Esquire’s readers didn’t even vote her past the sweet sixteen? Rude! In fact, the final four “Sexiest Women Not Dead” came down to Brooklyn Decker, Erin Andrews, Megan Fox, and Katrina Bowden….aka Barbie, Barbie, Veronica, and Barbie! Zzzzz.

(wait…Erin Andrews is the sports reporter who Brett Favre dong-sexted? No, wait. She’s the sports reporter that got violated by a peeper who secretly videotaped her in her hotel room. Not cool.)

Oh, and guess who won?
Katrina Bowden….aka the intern on 30 Rock. Really? Riri was robbed.

Watch Katrina’s cheesy cheesecake Esquire video and Rihanna’s Esquire video after the jump….
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