The Highlight Reel presents This Week's Recap for May 20th

THIS WEEK’S RECAP…

Superstar of the Week: Country Music



Over the last couple of weeks, country music has shined ever more than usual with success on the Billboard charts, at award shows, and even on reality television. 

On May 19th at the 2013 Billboard Music Awards, Taylor Swift dominated the awards show. Going in with 11 nominations, Swift left the awards show with eight honors - ore than any other artist. Swift walked away with wins for Top Artist, Top Billboard 200 Album for Red, Top Female Artist, Top Billboard 200 Artist, Top Digital Songs Artist, Top Country Artist, Top Country Album for Red, and Top Country Song for “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.”



Meanwhile, Lady Antebellum and Kenny Chesney are coming off back-to-back number one albums in all of music as their most recent released both topped the Billboard Top 200. Kenny Chesney’s Life on a Rock topped the charts for the week of May 18th. Then, Lady Antebellum’s fourth studio release Golden topped the charts the following week, the week of May 25th.

In addition, Trace Adkins won the All-Star Celebrity Apprentice on May 19th after raising $1.6 million for the American Red Cross and impressing Donald Trump with his ability to bring in money. Kellie Pickler is among the final four on this season’s Dancing with the Stars. 

Country music is all over the pop culture landscape right now. From reality shows to award show domination to success on the music charts for all genres, country music is winning and winning big. 

Jerk of the Week: The Internal Revenue Service

I am going to start by saying that I do not know, nor do I care, about all of the little intricate details of this story that turn it into either a pro-Republican or a pro-Democrat story. All I know is that the IRS recently showed something we all have suspected for decades - they are as corrupt and crooked as every other governmental group in existence.

Earlier this month, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration released a report confirming the targeting of Republican and “Tea Party” based groups by the IRS in recent years. IRS agents placed groups specializing in supporting conservative causes on “Be on the Lookout” lists as soon as March 2010. Among some of the stories becoming public in the aftermath of this scandal, a conservative organization named Media Trackers applied to the IRS for non-profit status and received no response after 16 months. However, when the organization’s founder reapplied with what he said was a “liberal-sounding name” (“Greenhouse Solutions”), the group was approved in three weeks. That was one of many stories to become public knowledge as the scandal became the latest black eye to the American governmental system. While claiming to have no knowledge of the corrupt actions, many are pointing fingers towards President Barack Obama as those impacted by the improper actions of the IRS were all anti-Democrat and anti-Obama groups.

I do not know if Obama was behind this in a wicked politically-based move that would make Richard Nixon gleam with pride or if he is an innocent pawn taking blame for the actions of others. However, I do know that the IRS - a group Americans despise to begin with because of their role in taking money away from hard-working Americans - is now guilty in the court of public opinion of more corruption. People wonder why it is so hard to be proud to be an American. I think it is hard nowadays simply because of how corrupt our leadership is, from the very top with the poster child of the government to the very bottom rungs of the political ladder. There is no way to change it either. The system only grows more corrupt with every generation of new politicians appealing to voters (sheep) who grow more naïve with each silver-tongued devil they let into their heads. The lies about “change for the better” continue while nothing changes at all. 

The Internal Revenue Service added a new reason to despise their group with their recent acts of cowardice, corruption, and dubious decision making. Regardless of if President Obama was involved or not, and I for the record believe the poster child of the Democratic National Party and the United States Government could not have a clue this was going on, I believe the hatred and distrust directed towards the IRS in the wake of this will all be just. Just, something one cannot say about the IRS. 

Babe of the Week: Taylor Swift

 

That t-shirt says it all. “Haters gonna hate.” Let those haters hate, Taylor. 

A Melancholy Happy Trails to…
- Ray Manzarek, 74 - American rock musician and founder of The Doors (May 20th)
- Ken Venturi, 82 - American golfer and golf analyst (May 17th)
- Dick Trickle, 71 - American stock car driver known as 1989 Winston Cup Rookie of the Year and winning over 1,200 short track races across the country. (May 16th)
- Dr. Joyce Brothers, 85 - American psychologist, columnist, and actress (May 13th)
- Jeannie Cooper, 84 - American actress best known for The Young and the Restless (May 8th)