Final '30 Rock' leave us rollin' with laughter

Final '30 Rock' leave us rollin' with laughter

Art Streiber/Art Streiber/NBC

Two true 'Rock' stars of comedy: Tina Fey as Liz Lemon and Alec Baldwin as Jack Donaghy

NBC’s “30 Rock” wraps up a seven-year run Thursday night at 8 with a double episode that’s self-referential, self-deprecating, puzzling, appropriate, funny and wholly untroubled by the fact this show’s life story feels odder than many of its loopy plotlines.

Consider:

1. If you listen to critics and the TV industry, “30 Rock” is one of the best sitcoms ever. It won the Emmy for Best Comedy three years in a row. But if you look at its ratings, it never ranked higher than No. 69 in any of its seven seasons. Its finale last season drew 2.8 million viewers, less than a typical episode of “Ax Men.”

2. “30 Rock” was a glittering beacon of prestige for NBC during years when, as the late Daily News’ Bill Bell used to say, the network “couldn’t get viewers in a prison block if it were waving a fistful of pardons.” “30 Rock” and other modestly rated but critically adored sitcoms kept NBC on the map. Yet now NBC Entertainment President Robert Greenblatt is gently and diplomatically saying NBC needs shows with broader appeal.

3. With an inside-the-industry premise, which narrows any show’s appeal, “30 Rock” succeeded largely because its stars were so entertaining. Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin won awards as routinely as pizza-delivery trucks double-park. But ask most TV viewers how they remember Fey in recent years and they’ll say, “Sarah Palin.” Ask about Baldwin and they’ll tell you how they love his Capital One commercials. Tracy Morgan? Loose cannon. Jane Krakowski? Love those lite OJ ads.

Thursday’s final episodes take a final round of digs at NBC. Jack McBrayer's Kenneth, now the network president, explains he only wants brainless sitcoms where people joke with their dogs.

Kenneth also sets up the nominal premise for the finale, that the network must make one more episode of “TGS” even though it was canceled.

This sets up the dysfunctional group’s version of goodbyes, whether that involves Lutz (John Lutz) plotting revenge for seven years of humiliation in the writers’ room or Liz (Fey) and Jack (Baldwin) trying to figure out how they really feel about each other.

It’s no spoiler to reveal that things never become mushy, or that only viewers truly obsessed with the show will get all of the inside lines and references.

Brian Williams and a mirror on the bathroom floor? Alec Baldwin’s character joking about the real-life Alec Baldwin?

But hey, the “30 Rock” folks were clearly having a good time. And really, in the end, what else is happiness all about?

Beyonce goes make-up free during Super Bowl rehearsals

Beyonce goes make-up free during Super Bowl rehearsals

infusla-98/203/INFphoto.com

Beyonce spotted make-up free during rehearsals for Sunday's Super Bowl.

Even the most glamorous can tone it down.

Beyonce is rigorously rehearsing for Sunday’s Superbowl at Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans and the Queen B is doing it au natural.

PHOTOS: STARS CAUGHT WITHOUT MAKEUP

She looks to be working extra hard to put on a spectacular halftime performance for fans after the lip-syncing controversy from President Obama’s inauguration, which according to AP she will finally speak out about publicly Thursday.

The 31-year-old mother was accused of not singing the National Anthem live when a spokesperson for the Marine Corps Band claimed she used a pre-recorded track instead of singing live. Then hours later it was retracted with another statement from the band saying, "No one in the Marine Band is in a position to assess whether it was live or pre-recorded."

RELATED: BEYONCE LIP-SYNCHED NATIONAL ANTHEM!

The singer, who is usually dressed to the nines, was seen Tuesday with mom Tina Knowles prepping for the big show make-up free and in workout clothes and hat and to prove how serious she is about the show. She even posted her own pesonal pics of rehearsals that day to her Tumblr page.

Beyonce may have stepped out with a stripped face this week but she surely glammed it up for her promo shots for Sunday’s big game. She looks super sexy in her revealing referee gear and red-hot lips.

RELATED: SEE: BEYONCE REHEARSES FOR SUPER BOWL SHOW

After this week’s highly anticipated performance, next on the list for the superstar is the debut of her HBO documentary “Life is But a Dream” airing on the cable network on February 16.

Sew fine: Art inspired by patchwork quilts in Myrtle Ave. shop-window exhibit

Sew fine: Art inspired by patchwork quilts in Myrtle Ave. shop-window exhibit

This is African-American quilting like you’ve never seen it before.

A new Myrtle Ave. shop-window exhibit takes the time-honored traditions of quilting as its inspiration.

But many artists in the Clinton Hill show opening Friday never touched a needle and thread to make their eye-catching works.

“African-American patchwork quilts are about storytelling â€" and so is my collage,” said Steven Mosley, 26, of Bedford-Stuyvesant who pieced together paintings of haunting faces on newspaper clippings, comic books and the cover of an Egyptian history book.

Next to each face the message “I AM A MAN” blazes in capital letters.

His patchwork â€" which is hanging in Miracle’s Barber Shop window â€" commemorates Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and protestors in the 1968 Memphis sanitation workers’ strike whose picket signs said “I AM A MAN.”

“I wanted to honor my ancestors as I do in all my artwork,” he said.

His dad R. Steve Mosley also has a work on display â€" a “quilt” made of vivid stained glass. It is decorated with symbols from real-life quilts that served as secret signals to guide runaway slaves in the Underground Railroad.

Other artists made quilt-inspired works from photographs, felt or yarn and thumbtacks.

The Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership picked the nine works to liven up Myrtle Ave. merchants’ storefronts between Classon and Vanderbilt Aves.

“We’re putting art work right on the sidewalk so everyone can enjoy it,” said deputy director Meredith Almeida.

The storefront show is also meant to give emerging artists like Mosley a welcome chance to exhibit their work.

Curator Daonne Huff â€" whose family cherishes 10 quilts her grandmother made â€" picked one traditional quilt for the month-long exhibit she named “A Patchwork Story.”

Arlene Jones made her intricate queen-sized quilt “Afrika on Point” of fabrics she found during travels to Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire and Sierra Leone.

The retired Far Rockaway teacher was inspired to learn quilting because her mother started making quilts right before she died but never had a chance to finish any of her works.

The exhibit is part of a series of cultural events for Black History month â€" a patchwork of activities including dinner with wine tasting and a night of short films.

See www.myrtleavenue.org for further info.

lcroghan@nydailynews.com

You shouldn’t need a job to land a job

You shouldn’t need a job to land a job

Rick Gershon/Getty Images

People at a job fair during the recession.

Having a job shouldn’t be a requirement for getting a job. But for many unemployed New Yorkers â€" even exceptionally qualified candidates, sometimes with decades of experience â€" that’s the message they’re getting from employers.

The jobless are told in so many words: Sorry, if you’re not currently employed, or have been out of work for too long, we’re not interested. That’s if they get a response at all.

Blatant examples of bias against the unemployed began to appear a few years ago in job ads that explicitly told the unemployed not to apply. After a public outcry, recruiters wised up. Nowadays, fewer are broadcasting such exclusions in their job postings, but many still won’t consider applicants who’ve been unemployed for any stretch of time.

It’s a Catch-22. How are unemployed people supposed to get back to work if employers won’t even consider them because they’re unemployed? Many long-term unemployed workers are running out of hope they’ll ever find a new job.

Their despair is reflected in New York City’s unemployment numbers. Our average unemployment rate of 9.4% in 2012 far exceeds the national rate, which was 7.8% in December. Last year, 51% of our city’s unemployed workers were out of work at least six months, compared with 39% nationally. Nearly 30% remain unemployed even after one year.

Nationally since the recession began, more than 6 million Americans have exhausted all available unemployment benefits while still looking for work.

How are we going to improve our unemployment situation if we allow employers to continue saying that only people with jobs can get jobs? That’s just plain unfair, and it’s time to put a stop to it.

Last week, the City Council overwhelmingly passed a bill sponsored by Leroy Comrie of Queens and Vincent Gentile of Brooklyn that makes it illegal to discriminate in hiring simply because an applicant is unemployed.

The bill makes it unlawful for an employer to use someone’s unemployment status against them in a job application, and prohibits job postings that contain this kind of discriminatory language. Workers will be able to file complaints with the city’s Human Rights Commission and pursue remedies in court.

It’s the toughest law of its kind in the nation. We’re proud that New York City is taking a strong stand against unemployment discrimination. And we would welcome the mayor’s support on this measure.

Nothing in this law prohibits an employer from asking job applicants about any period of unemployment; in fact, the legislation expressly allows employers to ask such questions.

Let’s be clear on what the bill does and doesn’t do. Obviously, the bill does not mean that employers will be forced to hire every applicant who’s unemployed. And there’s an easy way for employers to avoid lawsuits: Follow the law! Document the lawful reasons for rejecting candidates.

Nor does it mean an employer can’t ask a prospective employee about his or her job history. That would be crazy. If there’s a substantial job-related reason for taking unemployment into account, the bill guarantees employers the right to do so.

The bottom line: The law would narrowly prohibit slamming the door on applicants merely because they’re unemployed.

It makes no sense that highly qualified workers who want and need work can’t even get past the starting gate simply because they lost their jobs through no fault of their own.

Will this bill put an end to all cases of unemployment discrimination? Maybe not. But it’s a critical step. And it sends a strong message: It is no longer acceptable and will no longer be legal to shut out unemployed workers from hiring in the five boroughs.

Quinn is the speaker of the New York City Council. Stringer is the borough president of Manhattan.

Fresh and Fabulous! Beyonce goes bare-faced for Superbowl show rehearsal

Fresh and Fabulous! Beyonce goes bare-faced for Superbowl show rehearsal

How do Hollywood's hottest stars stack up without their camera-ready paint jobs? Check out the real face of fame ... Hey, Bey, why don't you smile?! Jay-Z's wife looks stunning even without a full face of makeup. Beyonce was spotted fresh-faced in New Orleans on Jan. 24, 2013 rehearsing for the Super Bowl. Maybe Bey's smug look has something to do with her inaugural lip-synching scandal ...

Check out the celebs sporting some new ink.

The paparazzi may snap an unflattering photo now and then, but a mugshot is never a pretty picture.

Breaking up is hard to do, even if you're rich and famous. See the latest star couples to join the celebrity broken hearts club.

Sure they look phenomenal on the red carpet, but what do H'wood's hottest stars really look like ... without makeup? Check out the real face of fame.

Grand Central Terminal is turning 100! Take a look back at the iconic station through the years.

You would think that celebrities would be smart enough to avoid walking out in sheer clothing for fear of ... overexposure. Or is that the point?

Construction for the new Second Avenue subway has been underway for some time now, but New York City commuters can rejoice because recent photos from the site reveal major progress.

Gov. Cuomo's budget has plans to renovate old jail to help curb recidivism

Gov. Cuomo's budget has plans to renovate old jail to help curb recidivism

This Bronx building is no stranger to second chances.

A 106-year-old Claremont building that has been by turns a jail, a synagogue, and a church house, could soon be reborn as a reentry facility for ex-prisoners.

The seven-story brick building at 1511 Fulton Ave., overlooking the southern expanse of Crotona Park, housed the Fulton Community Correctional Facility for 36 years before being closed by Gov. Cuomo in 2011.

According to Cuomo's 2013-2014 budget proposal, plans are in the works for the shuttered jail to be renovated and run by the Osborne Association, a non-profit that works with the formerly incarcerated and runs several programs on Rikers Island.

"This organization provides a valuable service that has widespread community support. Frankly, there is no better use for a former prison than using it to keep people from re-entering one," said Cuomo spokesman Richard Azzopardi.

Several local politicians, including State Sen. Gustavo Rivera and Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., have backed the move.

"It's a great thing, a great thing for the Bronx. The issues of recidivism and reentry are so important to my constituents, and to myself," Rivera said of the facility.

Built in 1906, the stately structure was originally known as the Fulton Avenue Church House, a social gathering place for Episcopalians in the early 20th century.

In 1924 it housed the Bronx Jewish Center with a YMHA and a synagogue, and in the 1950s it transformed into a nursing home and later a drug rehabilitation center.

In 1975, the facility was converted into a minimum security correctional facility, which it remained until its closure in 2011.

"The building has such a rich history and we want to restore it to its role as a cornerstone serving the needs of the community, in particular those returning to the community," said Elizabeth Gaynes, executive director of the Osborne Association.

Osborne, whose main facility is located on Westchester Ave. in Melrose, has committed to making $ 6 million in renovations to the facility.

"We will be operating as a transitional residential facility as well as focusing on workforce development; including job-training and transitioning people back into society," Gaynes added.

Despite a recent decline in crime, the Bronx still leads the city in the number of people either incarcerated or on parole.

As of 2011, more than 4,700 individuals from the Bronx are on parole and close to 10,000 are under probation supervision, according to the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services.

Neighbors along Fulton Ave. had mixed feelings about the latest reincarnation of the building, but most welcomed the change.

"The neighborhood will be all right with it," said Oliver Juan, 53.

"It's good for people just getting out to have a place to go, a place to help them get back on their feet."

LiLo faces cold, and a chilly court

LiLo faces cold, and a chilly court

POOL PHOTO

Lindsay Lohan in court with attorney Mark Heller (l.) on Wednesday

A Los Angeles judge doled out a prescription for Lindsay Lohan when the troubled starlet came into court Wednesday after claiming she had the flu: double doses of doubt and sarcasm.

Judge Stephanie Sautner first stared down the “Mean Girls” star â€" clad in a sleeveless Chanel sheath and bare legs â€" and shook her head dismissively. Lohan’s new lawyer, Mark Heller, previously said she planned to skip the mandatory hearing due to an upper respiratory infection, but the oft-arrested actress reconsidered and hopped a flight from New York with just hours to spare.

“Glad to see you’re feeling better,” Sautner said a few minutes into the pretrial hearing for Lohan’s misdemeanor car crash case. “Thank you,” the actress replied.

Sautner then asked: “Is that a cold?”

“Yes,” Heller replied. “In New York City, it’s the flu.”

“No it isn’t,” Sautner, a former New York City police detective, shot back. “I still have New Yorker in me. The flu is a whole different test.”

Heller then referred to the current flu “epidemic” in New York, saying Lohan’s doctor recommended she avoid air travel “not only for her protection but that of the general public, which includes everybody in this courtroom.”

“She shouldn’t have come,” Heller continued. “She wanted to show respect to the court, and she did feel better. And she’s here.”

Lohan was accompanied by her mom, Dina, who sat in the front row, reports the News’ Nancy Dillon.

Prior to arriving at court, the duo drove from LAX to the posh seaside hotel Shutters early Wednesday, but were turned away due to a history of bad behavior, Lohan’s father, Michael, confirmed to Confidenti@l. “I felt horrible for them,” he said. “When Lindsay was on top, everybody wanted a piece of her. Now that she’s having difficulty no one wants to help.”

Michael was unable to make the hearing, choosing instead to be in Florida with girlfriend Kate Major as she delivered their son, Landon Major Lohan, that afternoon. He told Confidenti@l afterwards, “[I’m] unbelievably happy, but I still love all my kids!!"

Michael adds that he’s now on good terms with his ex, Dina, saying, “It was great she went out there with Lindsay.”

The “Liz & Dick” star was in L.A. to face three misdemeanor charges of lying to a police officer, reckless driving and obstruction stemming from a June traffic accident. Sautner set Lohan’s next hearing for March 1.

SCOUTS HAVE BIG DAY OUT

The Boy Scouts of America started a fire this week without rubbing any sticks together, and now celebs including Neil Patrick Harris, George Takei and Ellen DeGeneres â€" who are all out and proud â€" are fanning the flames.

On Wednesday, Takei, a former troop member, posted a mock scout patch on his Facebook page with a logo reading “I Support Inclusive Scouting.” The badge, created by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), comes with a banner reading “Takei Stand! Tell the Boy Scouts you support ending the ban at www.glad.org/scouts/tellbsa.

Takei, a popular Howard Stern show regular who also played Sulu on the original “Star Trek,” also included a message to Internet friends, asking them to call a number the Scouts have set up so the public can offer feedback.

LiLo faces cold, and a chilly court

LiLo faces cold, and a chilly court

POOL PHOTO

Lindsay Lohan in court with attorney Mark Heller (l.) on Wednesday

A Los Angeles judge doled out a prescription for Lindsay Lohan when the troubled starlet came into court Wednesday after claiming she had the flu: double doses of doubt and sarcasm.

Judge Stephanie Sautner first stared down the “Mean Girls” star â€" clad in a sleeveless Chanel sheath and bare legs â€" and shook her head dismissively. Lohan’s new lawyer, Mark Heller, previously said she planned to skip the mandatory hearing due to an upper respiratory infection, but the oft-arrested actress reconsidered and hopped a flight from New York with just hours to spare.

“Glad to see you’re feeling better,” Sautner said a few minutes into the pretrial hearing for Lohan’s misdemeanor car crash case. “Thank you,” the actress replied.

Sautner then asked: “Is that a cold?”

“Yes,” Heller replied. “In New York City, it’s the flu.”

“No it isn’t,” Sautner, a former New York City police detective, shot back. “I still have New Yorker in me. The flu is a whole different test.”

Heller then referred to the current flu “epidemic” in New York, saying Lohan’s doctor recommended she avoid air travel “not only for her protection but that of the general public, which includes everybody in this courtroom.”

“She shouldn’t have come,” Heller continued. “She wanted to show respect to the court, and she did feel better. And she’s here.”

Lohan was accompanied by her mom, Dina, who sat in the front row, reports the News’ Nancy Dillon.

Prior to arriving at court, the duo drove from LAX to the posh seaside hotel Shutters early Wednesday, but were turned away due to a history of bad behavior, Lohan’s father, Michael, confirmed to Confidenti@l. “I felt horrible for them,” he said. “When Lindsay was on top, everybody wanted a piece of her. Now that she’s having difficulty no one wants to help.”

Michael was unable to make the hearing, choosing instead to be in Florida with girlfriend Kate Major as she delivered their son, Landon Major Lohan, that afternoon. He told Confidenti@l afterwards, “[I’m] unbelievably happy, but I still love all my kids!!"

Michael adds that he’s now on good terms with his ex, Dina, saying, “It was great she went out there with Lindsay.”

The “Liz & Dick” star was in L.A. to face three misdemeanor charges of lying to a police officer, reckless driving and obstruction stemming from a June traffic accident. Sautner set Lohan’s next hearing for March 1.

SCOUTS HAVE BIG DAY OUT

The Boy Scouts of America started a fire this week without rubbing any sticks together, and now celebs including Neil Patrick Harris, George Takei and Ellen DeGeneres â€" who are all out and proud â€" are fanning the flames.

On Wednesday, Takei, a former troop member, posted a mock scout patch on his Facebook page with a logo reading “I Support Inclusive Scouting.” The badge, created by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), comes with a banner reading “Takei Stand! Tell the Boy Scouts you support ending the ban at www.glad.org/scouts/tellbsa.

Takei, a popular Howard Stern show regular who also played Sulu on the original “Star Trek,” also included a message to Internet friends, asking them to call a number the Scouts have set up so the public can offer feedback.

Porn star Ron Jeremy in critical condition: report

Porn star Ron Jeremy in critical condition: report

Adult film actor Ron Jeremy is reportedly in critical condition at a Los Angeles hospital.

TMZ originally reported that the legendary porn star is being treated at Cedars-Sinai hospital for an aneurysm that was located near his heart.

RELATED: MISS NEVADA CROWN AT RISK OVER RISQUE PIX

Manager David Esterman confirmed to the Daily News that Jeremy was unconscious after two emergency surgeries. 

"[Jeremy's] second surgery went smoothly and he is now resting with complete privacy and no visitors," Esterman said. 

PHOTOS: ADULT VIDEO NEWS AWARDS SHOW 2012

Jeremy, whose full name is Ron Jeremy Hyatt, was transported to the ICU on Wednesday after his condition worsened, Esterman said. The 59-year-old actor drove himself to the hospital at 2:30 am Wednesday after experiencing severe chest pain.

"His instincts were correct to seek help at that moment."

RELATED: RON JEREMY PLOTTED TRAP FOR CANADIAN CANNIBAL

Originally from Queens, NY, Jeremy went on to have one of the most successful careers in the adult film industry. He has starred in over 1700 X-rated movies, in addition to cameo and supporting appearances in over 50 mainstream feature films, including "The Boondock Saints" and "The Chase."

CMonde@nydailynews.com

with Margaret Eby

Juror: No Weberman anti-Semitism

Juror: No Weberman anti-Semitism

Jesse Ward/for New York Daily News

Orthodox leader Nechemya Weberman was convicted of sexually abusing a 12-year-old girl -- and a juror is now denying anti-Semitism played any role in the guilty verdict.

They convicted him because of the facts, not because of his religion.

A juror in the sexual abuse case pitting a teen accuser against Hasidic leader Nechemya Weberman said he broke the panel’s silence to refute the notion the jury returned a guity verdict out of anti-Semitic bias.

"It wasn't religion, it wasn't their background, it wasn't revenge," said the 42-year-old man, who asked not to be identified. "It was a young girl and an old man alone in a room."

The juror offered the first public account of the jury's thinking during deliberations in the high-profile trial, which ended Dec. 10 with a guilty verdict to all 59 counts.

Weberman, 54, was convicted of molesting the now 18-year-old for three years starting when she was 12, forcing her to perform oral sex and reenact porn scenes. She started to see the unlicensed therapist after running afoul of the insular sect's stringent modesty rules.

Weberman’s lawyer George Farkas had claimed after the conviction that Hasidic Jews do not have “the same shot with a jury as anyone else."

But the juror said he had no preconceptions about Weberman's community, adding the panel didn't view him as "a monster."

"We realized we couldn't make a flippant decision and ruin a man's life," the juror recalled. "It was, 'Oh boy, we have a serious job.'"

The juror said the panel accepted the victim's "emotional" testimony, which stretched over four days, but didn't want to rely solely on her words.

"We needed something else," he said.

“Something else” came in the form of social worker Sara Fried, who testified she diagnosed the girl with post traumatic stress disorder over the years of molestation.

"That's what clinched it," the juror said during an hour-long interview at a Brooklyn diner last week. "We took the vote and everyone was unanimous."

He also noted there were multiple locks in Weberman's home, that he admitted to driving the girl upstate alone and that he housed other runaway teens.

"It raises a lot of red flags," he said.

The panel of 12 jurors â€" a racially diverse group of different ages, including a college student and a retiree â€" weighed Weberman's fate for about five hours. After, jurors were ushered out of a side exit, escaping the media glare.

Weberman, who's facing a maximum of 117 years, is scheduled to be sentenced Wednesday, though it will likely be later this month.

oyaniv@nydailynews.com

Emmylou Harris charged in hit-and-run

Emmylou Harris charged in hit-and-run

Evan Agostini/EVAN AGOSTINI/INVISION/AP

Harris could be facing up to six months of jail time for leaving the scene of a car crash.

Country star Emmylou Harris has been charged with a hit-and-run, TMZ reported.

The singer, 65, allegedly hit another vehicle with her rental car while driving on Los Angele's 405 back in October.

Harris then left the scene without waiting for the accident to be reported to the police.

RELATED: EMMYLOU HARRIS' STARTS OFF STRONG, FAILS TO SELL THE REST

After an investigation, the L.A. County District Attorney filed a misdemeanor against Harris, which could mean up to 6 months in jail.

A representative for Harris told TMZ that Harris only left the scene because she wasn't aware she had struck another car.

"[IT WAS A] garden variety accident that happens every day on the 405," Harris' rep said.

Justin Timberlake, Tom Ford to do fasion collection

Justin Timberlake, Tom Ford to do fasion collection

You can't say he didn't warn you.

On the heels of his new single "Suit & Tie" Justin Timberlake will design a collection with Tom Ford.

RELATED: SELENA GOMEZ COVERS 'CRY ME A RIVER'

And yes, there will be plenty of suits and ties.

Timberlake's selection, made to complement his upcoming album "The 20/20 Experience," will include a range of formal menswear, from leather loafers to black onyx cufflinks.

RELATED: JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE SHOWS OFF HIS ‘SUIT & TIE’

In fact, the stylish evening attire Timberlake wears in the video for 'Suit & Tie' is a preview of what fashion fans can look forward to.

Ford and Timberlake have long been stylish buddies. Most recently, Ford outfitted Timberlake in a snazzy gray checked suit for the SAG Awards.

RELATED: JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE SHOWS OFF HIS ‘SUIT & TIE’

"I adore Justin," Ford said in a statement.

"He has innate style and enormous talent."

Ford also created the artwork for "Suit & Tie," which features a close-up of a Ford tuxedo and bowtie.

Timberlake is gearing up for a return to the charts. He will also perform at the upcoming Grammy awards.

No prizes for guessing what he'll be wearing.

MEby@nydailynews.com

Pucci creates outfits for Rita Ora tour

Pucci creates outfits for Rita Ora tour

Emilio Pucci

Costume sketches for Rita Ora by Pucci's Peter Dundas.

Following the success of the singer's album "Ora", Emilio Pucci has produced the stage wardrobe for Rita Ora's Radioactive Tour which kicked off this week in Manchester.

Rita Ora was one of pop's biggest breakthrough stars in 2012 and the "How We Do (Party)" star has kicked off 2013 in style with the announcement that Peter Dundas of Italian luxury label Emilio Pucci has designed the costumes for her latest tour.

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Norwegian creative director Peter Dundas worked with the 22-year-old singer to create a series of costumes packed with her signature urban glamour. "I was thrilled to design the costumes for Rita's ‘Radioactive Tour,' from the moment I met Rita we've had a great connection and doing something like this together felt like only a natural progression," he said.

Maintaining freedom of movement was vital for the Kosovo-born British star's extravagant dance routines and choreography, "the costumes have impact and flamboyance in a way that feels personal to Rita whilst staying true to the Emilio Pucci aesthetic," added Dundas.

High fashion regularly meets music onstage. Just last year Givenchy's Riccardo Tisci produced some glamorous black and gold looks for Madonna's performance at the Super Bowl.

Luxury brand Emilio Pucci was founded in 1947 when the eponymous Italian count, fighter pilot, and adventurer turned his hand to fashion design.

Theater Review: 'Manilow on Broadway'

Theater Review: 'Manilow on Broadway'

Richard Corkery/New York Daily News

Barry Manilow rakes in the applause at his curtain call for 'Manilow On Broadway' at the St. James Theater Tuesday night.

It's a miracle. But it looks like he made it â€" back to health.

Almost half of New York State residents are ‘liquid asset poor’ with less than 3 months savings: report

Almost half of New York State residents are ‘liquid asset poor’ with less than 3 months savings: report

Getty Images

Many New York households don't have enough put away for a rainy day.

What economic recovery?

Nearly half of New York State residents are living on the edge without a financial safety net, according to a study released today by the Corporation for Enterprise Development (CFED), a nonprofit that seeks to help low-income and middle income households.

An alarming 46% of state residents are "liquid asset poor" - meaning they have less than three months of savings to cover basic expenses in the event of a job loss, health crisis or other emergency, according to CFED's annual Assets & Opportunity Scorecard.

Sandra Francis, a 40-year-old, unemployed single mother from Queens, knows how it feels.

Francis is supporting two kids and living on Social Security and public assistance. After seeking guidance from The Financial Clinic, a local nonprofit, she's currently training to become a human services assistant.

"You get to the point of, 'What do I feed my kids?' " Francis told the Daily News, noting the city's high cost of living.

"To think about having money in the bank is a dream."

And it's not just people living below the poverty line who are hurting: 25% of people who are considered middle class, earning between $ 58,561 and $ 96,396, have less than three months of savings set aside for emergencies, the study found.

"That's pretty shocking," Jennifer Brooks, director of state and local policy at CFED, told the News.

The findings underscore the vulnerability of residents of New York City, which accounts for 43% of the state's population, CFED said.

Overall, when it comes to measuring financial assets and income, New York scored a "C" grade and ranked in 27th place.

The numbers aren't pretty: While the state's unemployment rate has been coming down in recent months, 15% of New York's residents live in poverty, the survey showed.

Nearly 10% are unbanked vs. 8% for the country overall. The average credit card debt here is $ 11,791 compared with $ 10,736 for the nation.

State residents are still struggling with the lingering impact of the recession, Brooks said.

Adding to their financial burden: high housing costs.

While home values nationwide are three times higher than the median income, home values in New York State are five times higher than the median income.

The high cost of housing, coupled with an extremely high foreclosure rate, earned New York State an "F" grade for housing and homeownership.

But the state scored better when it came to health care, education and jobs, earning a "B" grade on all of those measures.

pfurman@nydailynews.com

SEE: Beyonce rehearses for Super Bowl show

SEE: Beyonce rehearses for Super Bowl show

iam.beyonce.com

Ahead of her Super Bowl appearance, Beyonce released this scintillating photo of her as a referee.

She's not lip-syncing this time.

Hot on the heels of her controversial lip-syncing of the National Anthem at Barack Obama's second Inauguration, the "Crazy in Love" has a lot to prove when she talks the stage at the Mercedes Benz Superdome this Sunday.

PHOTOS:

Ahead of the big match-up between the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers, the NFL released today a scintillating shot of the star as a sexy referee, complete with a fitted black-and-white striped jersey, stiletto thigh-high boots, and oh-so-short high-waisted shorts. 

But Beyonce's own website shows a different story.

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In the snaps the singer posted to her personal site via tumbler, Beyonce isn't strutting so much as sweating.

The photos show a dressed-down Beyonce working with a team of dancers and musicians for her show. 

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Rumors have been swirling around the performance, which may include the hotly-anticipated reunion of Destiny's Child.

One things for sure: With a body like Bey's, it won't hard on the eyes. 

Wine makers pull out of NRA club

Wine makers pull out of NRA club

A little dry, somewhat tasteless, lacking good judgment â€" with just a hint of cherry.

At least that’s how one wine-producer might describe the National Rifle Association’s wine club.

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The NRA, already under fire for what was seen as its comprehensively insensitive response to the shooting tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., is facing another round of criticism from suppliers of its wine club.

The NRA has actually hosted a popular wine club since 2007, but widespread knowledge of it only occurred recently, as the group’s name shot to headlines with increasing frequency due to a recent rash of deadly school shootings.

But now that winemakers are aware that its bottles are being offered to weapons fanatics by the gun-toting organization, some labels that are furious with the group's politics are asking the club to no longer feature their wines.

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Yalumba, an Australian winery, is one such label claiming that there’s nothing sweet about being sold by the NRA.

The vineyard, located in the Barossa Valley, in southern Australia, has pulled its wines from the wine club in protest of the radical group’s political positions.

"Philosophically, I'm not disposed towards the NRA, which runs counter to my family's â€" and I would think all my employees' â€" positions on gun laws,” Yalumba owner Robert Hill told the Herald Sun.

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"We will act to withdraw our stock or at least not service the account any longer,” added Hill, who noted that he had no idea how four of his company’s wines made their way to the list of selections offered by the NRA’s wine club.

NRA Wine Club members do not have to be members of the NRA to join, but they do have to be comfortable with the fact that profits from wine club sales directly support the NRA’s campaign to fight mercilessly for gun rights in the United States.

"Your purchase will directly benefit the NRA's continuing support of America's right to keep and bear arms and the other basic freedoms of the American culture," NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre wrote in a welcome message on the club’s website.

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The welcome message appeared on the site’s homepage as recently as Saturday, but had been taken down by Monday, possibly in response to increasing press attention to the wine club.

Other companies, across multiple fields, have scaled back their business relationship with the controversial gun group â€" and the gun industry in general â€" in recent weeks, following a public outcry over a recent spate of school shootings. There have been five in the U.S. in the past two months alone, including the horrific Sandy Hook massacre in December that left 20 students and six educators dead.

Under growing pressure from gun-control advocates, daily discounts website Groupon stopped offering all gun-related deals in North America last week.

And in December, private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management announced plans to sell its stake in Freedom Group, which makes Bushmaster firearms, including the AR-15 semiautomatic rifle that gunman Adam Lanza used in the Connecticut tragedy.

In addition, Dick’s Sporting Goods ceased selling “modern sporting rifles” in its 511 stores across the country.

'Sopranos' actress Jamie-Lynn Sigler engaged

'Sopranos' actress Jamie-Lynn Sigler engaged

Jamie-Lynn Siegler via Instagram

Actress Jamie-Lynn Sigler shares news of her engagement to Lenny Dykstra via her social networking page.  "This just happened," the star wrote.

Bada bing, she got a ring.

Actress Jamie-Lynn Sigler, most famous for her role on HBO's "The Sopranos," is prepping for a walk down the aisle with the son of former Mets outfielder Lenny Dykstra.

The actress who played Meadow Soprano announced on Twitter Monday that she's engaged to Cutter Dykstra, a baseball player with the Washington Nationals.

"So this just happened," she tweeted along with a photo showing off her huge new diamond alongside her smiling fiancé.

"Thank you so much for all the love everyone. I am so happy and more importantly lucky," Sigler, 31, said in a follow-up tweet.

"She said yes!!" Cutter, 23, wrote on his own Twitter feed.

Sigler was by Cutter's side last month when family members filed into a federal courthouse in downtown Los Angeles for Lenny Dykstra's sentencing in his bankruptcy fraud case.

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The homerun hero of the 1986 World Series was given six and a half months in federal prison for stealing memorabilia, furnishings and a $ 50,000 stove from his mansion in a bid to hide assets from his creditors.

He must also submit to rehab and drug testing when he's released, fulfill 500 hours of community service and serve three years of probation, the judge said.

"I'd like to first apologize to the court, to the government and to my family for my past conduct," Lenny, 49, said. "I made some bad decisions. I don't think I'm a bad person, but I made some bad decisions, and I'm paying for them."

The former All Star player gave a thumbs up to his ex-wife Terri, Cutter, Sigler and other supporters as he was led away in his white jail uniform.

Lenny already is serving three years for felony auto theft and nine months for a separate conviction related to lewd conduct.

He's expected to finish his jail time on the disparate cases this summer.

The upcoming wedding will be the second marriage for Sigler, who was married to her manager A.J. DiScala from 2003 to 2005.

"Jamie couldn't be happier. Cutter is the perfect guy for her," a source told Us Magazine. "Although they have only been together for a year, they both know that this is it for both of them. They are both on cloud nine as are their families and friends."

ndillon@nydailynews.com

LICH losing money at "excessive rate," says top state official

LICH losing money at "excessive rate," says top state official

A top state official in charge of deciding the fate of Long Island College Hospital sees it as a money loser many locals don’t use.

SUNY Chairman Carl McCall suggested LICH is sucking the life out of SUNY Downstate Medical Center which it’s part of â€" and Downstate could run out of money as soon as March.

“There’s urgency to take action to prevent insolvency,” McCall said in his first interview since news broke last week that LICH in Cobble Hill faces a possible closing. “We need to act quickly.”

The Hicks St. hospital has “lost money consistently” â€" and “there was doubt about whether the acquisition should have been made in the first place,” McCall said. “It seemed not to have been a sound acquisition.”

SUNY trustees are expected to vote in less than a month on whether to close LICH which he said “has continued to lose money at an excessive rate” even after SUNY Downstate’s [2011] purchase of it.

“My assumption is SUNY Downstate management tried to improve LICH finances,” he said. “But there seems to be a tendency for people in the neighborhood to go elsewhere for their healthcare.”

Local advocates are beginning to believe the entire hospital will likely not survive â€" and scrambling to figure out which medical services they should push to keep.

“There has to be a presence of some level of health care,” said one source. “People are trying to figure out what (that is).”

Another source said locals hope to keep the emergency room open, plus a small number of beds to treat sick people from nearby Cobble Hill Nursing Home.

“It feels like LICH in its present form is gone,” the source said, adding that new residents moving to Brownstone Brooklyn from Manahttan often stick with their Manhattan doctors and hospitals.

McCall said SUNY trusteesf LICH is under considera

The board has already advanced $ 75 million to shore up Downstate’s finances, McCall said. “We don’t have any more money,” he said. “We’ve got to do something.”

Downstate’s 2012 losses could top $ 200 million â€" and LICH is a major cause of the mess with 17 straight years in the red, an audit by state Controller Thomas DiNapoli’s office revealed.

With LICH and Downstate’s East Flatbush facility both losing money, trustees will try to rescue the latter because they see it as an important teaching hospital.

“The evidence being presented to the board against LICH is so negative that they would likely feel they have to vote to close LICH or they’d look irresponsible,” the source said.

Staffers at 2,200-employee LICH are in an uproar about the threatened shutdown.

“It would do irreparable harm to the community,” said chief medical officer Dr. Marwan Atallah.

“We haven’t had a raise in four years,” said linens department worker Willie Bell. “All of us do two or three jobs. I don’t mind that, but this ain’t fair.”

lcroghan@nydailynews.com

Don't Judge Him! Frank Ocean to pursue charges against Chris Brown over brawl: cops

Don't Judge Him! Frank Ocean to pursue charges against Chris Brown over brawl: cops

Jason Merritt/Getty Images

Chris Brown is being investigated for an alleged assault involving fellow R&B superstar Frank Ocean (inset) Sunday night.

Short-fused singer Chris Brown allegedly landed a punch Sunday night in a fight with rival singer Frank Ocean â€" and Ocean wants Brown to pay, authorities said Monday.

“He’s desirous of prosecution,” Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Steve Whitmore told the Daily News, referring to Ocean.

The violent scuffle was over a parking space, Whitmore said.

Brown, 23, who is still on probation for beating up then-girlfriend Rihanna in 2009, was one of six men allegedly fighting at the Westlake Studio in West Hollywood around 8 p.m., he explained.

By the time cops got to the scene, however, Brown and his posse were gone. Ocean reported the incident to cops â€" and later made sure the Twitterverse was informed, too.

"Got jumped by chris and a couple guys. lol. I only wish everest was there," he tweeted, referring to his Bernese Mountain Dog. "Cut my fin ger now I can't play w two hands at the grammys."

Brown later posted a smiling photo on Instagram with a caption dismissing “negativity,” the website Global Grind first reported.

“Working on my album. Not working on negativity. Focus on feeding ya family. Bullsâ€"t will forever be in the shadows,” he wrote.

Ocean, 25, a top nominee at the Grammy Awards next month, has been virtually feuding with Brown for months.

The quarrel started in 2011 when Brown described Ocean as a successor to at least one R&B singer-songwriter who wrote for him in the past: James Fauntleroy II.

"I f--- with Frank Ocean! Reminds me of a young James Fauntleroy or Kevin (Cossom)," Brown tweeted.

Ocean took offense and responded by saying Brown reminded him of a young Ike Turner, the singer famous for beating his wife, Tina Turner.

"I just dont like underhanded comments. thats all im saying," tweeted Ocean, a member of the alternative hip hop collect ive Odd Future.

"F--- odd future! Make sure y'all smalltime n----s stick yo chess out when u speak to me," Brown shot back.

Tensions seemed to subside when Brown offered support for Ocean when he came out last year.

"My Opinion on the whole Frank Ocean subject is... love who u wanna love,” Brown tweeted. “It's ur decision. People stop searching for BS."

Members of Brown’s entourage denied the police description of the Sunday night fight.

Unidentified sources told the celebrity website TMZ that Brown had actually tried to shake Ocean's hand but was attacked by a member of Ocean's entourage instead. That's when a member of Brown's crew allegedly smacked someone in Ocean's group, the website reported.

"It could have been a minor scuffle that was a mutual exchange,” Whitmore told The News. “There could have been some punches thrown. It could have been shoving.”

Whitmore refered to Brown as the “suspect in a misdeanor” inc ident.

He said the investigation “will go on" and include an interview with Brown.

Brown's criminal lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

It’s certainly not the first time that the word “violence” and “Chris Brown” appeared in the same news story.

Last June, Brown was injured in a brawl with members of hip-hop star Drake's entourage at a New York nightclub.

That fight allegedly erupted over comments made about Rihanna â€" the R&B star whom Brown battered in February 2009.

The singers have reportedly rekindled their romance, appearing in public together and tweeting intimate photos in recent weeks.

Brown also released a new song Monday that sparked controversy due to a pugilistic-sounding lyric about women and a “roundhouse.”

The new song with protégé Luvaboy TJ includes Brown singing: “Two girls on my couch // And I beat a pu--- up, roundhouse.”

Song producer Darnee Washing ton, who goes by the name Unique Weirdo, confirmed the lyric in the song “Jumping Out The Plane” but said it was “metaphoric” for “sexxin” up a lady.

ndillon@nydailynews.com

Kobe and Lakers stun Thunder

Kobe and Lakers stun Thunder

LOS ANGELES - Kobe Bryant had 21 points, 14 assists and nine rebounds, Steve Nash added seven of his 17 points in the final 5 1/2 minutes, and the Los Angeles Lakers held off the NBA-leading Oklahoma City Thunder 105-96 Sunday.

Pau Gasol scored 16 points in a reserve role as the Lakers picked up the most impressive victory of their thoroughly unimpressive season, coolly maintaining a small lead down the stretch of their second straight win after a four-game skid.

Los Angeles had lost nine of its last 11 against the powerful Thunder, including four of five in the clubs' second-round playoff series last spring.

Kevin Durant scored 35 points and Russell Westbrook had 17 points, 13 assists and nine rebounds for the road-weary Thunder, who finished their longest trip of the season at 3-3.

Bryant and Westbrook briefly tangled in the third quarter in an exchange that earned a technical foul for Kobe. Both All-Star guards entered the fourth quarter needing just one rebound for a triple-double, but neither got it.

Westbrook also missed his first eight shots and 12 of his first 13 before finding his shot, but the Lakers didn't wilt down the stretch.

Los Angeles took the lead with 6:15 to play on a jumper by Metta World Peace, who had 15 points and 10 rebounds. The Lakers nursed a small advantage in the final minutes, going up 101-95 on Gasol's driving layup with 1:09 to play.

Bryant then hit a tough 19-foot jumper with 37 seconds left, and Westbrook couldn't answer. Durant didn't have a field goal in the final 6:39, scoring just seven points in the fourth quarter of Oklahoma City's third loss in 11 games.

Oklahoma City routed the Lakers at Staples Center 16 days ago, with Durant scoring 42 points and Westbrook adding 27 while Los Angeles played without Dwight Howard and Gasol.

Howard had eight points and 10 rebounds while fighting foul trouble and missing eight of his 10 free throws. Bryant and Nash led a passionate effort by the Lakers, whose season-long missteps and embarrassments have left them well out of the playoff picture heading into the second half of the season.

The Lakers got off to another solid start against the Thunder, with Antawn Jamison leading a 13-2 run spanning the first two quarters. Westbrook's awful shooting balanced Howard's 1-for-8 woes at the free-throw line in the first half, but Westbrook finally hit his first shot with 8 seconds left to put the Thunder up 53-52 at halftime.

The teams traded the lead 14 times in the first three quarters, entering the fourth tied at 75 despite the Lakers' 12-for-24 effort at the free-throw line and Westbrook's erratic shooting. Bryant also got a technical foul for a brief exchange with Westbrook, who fouled the Lakers star and then bumped him with a shoulder after Bryant put his hand on him.

Westbrook got a technical foul of his own with 5:22 to play after arguing a no-call.

Dick Van Dyke honoree of SAGs Life Achievement Award

Dick Van Dyke honoree of SAGs Life Achievement Award

Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Dick Van Dyke is best known for 'The Dick Van Dyke Show' and 'Mary Poppins.'

Dick Van Dyke will be honored with the Life Achievement Award at Sunday's 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards.

The “Diagnosis Murder” star has been acting since the 1960s, and has won a Tony Award for the musical “Bye-Bye Birdie.”

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Best known for “The Dick Van Dyke Show,”  the legendary screen star says he is appreciative of the recognition.

“This was a surprise,” the 87-year-old Hollywood vet told People Magazine. “People think of me as a song and dance entertainer. To be accepted by my peers as an actor is really a thrill.”

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Now comfortable with his success, receiving the award makes Van Dyke feel as though he’s finally able to appreciate the recognition.

“I’ve always been a bit of an orphan,” he told CBS News. “Actors say, ‘Well, he’s more of a dancer.’ And dancers say, ‘No. He’s really a singer.’ And singers say, ‘No. He’s an actor.’ So, now I’ve got a home.”

A father of four from his first marriage and grandfather of seven, Van Dyke is happy with his 41-year-old wife, Arlene, who he first met at the 2006 SAG Awards, where she was doing makeup.

“There was something about her beautiful eyes,” the actor recalls.

Djokovic caps Aussie three-peat

Djokovic caps Aussie three-peat

MELBOURNE, Australia â€" Novak Djokovic became the first man in the Open era to win three consecutive Australian titles when he beat Andy Murray 6-7 (2), 7-6 (3), 6-3, 6-2 in Sunday’s final.

Little wonder he loves Rod Laver Arena.

“It’s definitely my favorite Grand Slam,” he said. “It’s an incredible feeling winning this trophy once more. I love this court.”

Djokovic has won four of his six major titles at Melbourne Park, where he is now unbeaten in 21 matches.

Nine other men had won back-to-back titles in Australia over 45 years, but none were able to claim three in a row.

Only two other men, American Jack Crawford (1931-33) and Australian Roy Emerson (1963-67), have won three or more consecutive Australian championships.

Born a week apart in May 1987 and friends since their junior playing days, Djokovic and Murray played like they knew each other’s game very well in a rematch of last year’s U.S. Open final. There were no service breaks until the eighth game of the third set, when Djokovic finally broke through and then held at love to lead by two sets to one.

Djokovic earned two more service breaks in the fourth set, including one to take a 4-1 lead when U.S. Open champion Murray double-faulted on break point.

“It’s been an incredible match as we could have expected,” Djokovic said. “When we play each other, it’s always, we push each other to the limit and I think those two sets went over two hours, 15 minutes, physically I was just trying to hang in there. Play my game and focus on every point.”

The 25-year-old Serb didn’t rip his shirt off this time, as he did to celebrate his epic 5-hour, 53-minute win over Rafael Nadal in last year’s final. He just did a little dance, looked up to the sky and then applauded the crowd after the 3-hour, 40-minute match.

Murray’s win over Djokovic in the U.S. Open final last year ended a 76-year drought for British men at the majors, but he still is yet to make a breakthrough in Australia after losing a third final here in the last four years.

Djokovic’s win went against the odds of recent finals at Melbourne Park. In four of the past five years, the player who won the second of the semifinals has finished on top in the championship match. But this year, Djokovic played his semifinal on Thursday â€" an easy 89-minute minute win over No. 4-seeded David Ferrer. Murray needed five energy sapping sets to beat 17-time major winner Roger Federer on Friday night.

“You don’t wake up the next day and feel perfect, obviously,” Murray said of the Federer match. “It’s the longest match I played in six months probably. It obviously wasn’t an issue today. I started the match well. I thought I moved pretty good throughout.”

The win consolidated Djokovic’s position as the No. 1-ranked player in the world, while Federer and Murray will be second and third when the ATP rankings are released Monday.

PIanist-singer Patricia Barber headlines Jazz Standard

PIanist-singer Patricia Barber headlines Jazz Standard

Jimmy Katz

Patricia Barber combines a subtly restrained voice and lyrical grace.

I remember the first time I saw Patricia Barber perform live.

It was last summer during the Montreal Jazz Festival. Her duet there with fellow pianist Kenny Werner impressed me. I already knew him as a virtuoso. The discovery was Barber’s lyrical intelligence, harmonic acuity and sensitive but strong touch.

She displays an emotional freedom. In Montreal, her voice was crystal cool and subtly restrained as she rocked back and forth, moaning with the grooves while improvising and accompanying her partner.

“I’d been a groupie of Kenny Werner for many years, and he became a friend and mentor,” she says during a recent phone interview. Werner connected Barber with her current manager, Reggie Marshall, and even gave her some important advice.

“Kenny told me that when you get comfortable you should change bands,” she recalls. So she auditioned musicians for a year, eventually finding those who accompany her on a new CD and her upcoming appearance in New York.

Barber, a Chicago native, headlines this week at the Jazz Standard, where she will appear with guitarist John Kregor, bassist Larry Kohut, and drummer Jon Deitemyer. The gig kicks off the East Coast leg of a tour promoting “Smash,” her Concord recording.

The singing songwriter and composer has been building a devoted following for several decades in Windy City rooms like the Green Mill.

She digs her current musical group because they are “quieter, more flexible, and more facile.” They certainly support her well on “Smash,” a record with a lingering sense of loss refracted through potent lyrics that rise to heights of poetry.

“Time may suddenly slip/the present may disappear/like the wake of a ship/the thing itself no longer here,” from “The Wind Song,” is a taste of the wafting waves of imagery Barber sets to music. “Redshift,” an astrophysics reference, is a metaphorical journey through the cosmos with a bossa nova beat.

Barber brilliantly weaves heart and science. She can give listeners the feeling of love slowly departing, like light seen from an object that is moving away. The lyrics of the title cut contain images of dissolution, with a screaming guitar solo amplifying the pain as dreams melt away.

But melancholy isn’t the only vibe. Anger and wit mix on “Devil's Food,” her reaction to the right-wing bashing of gay-marriage efforts across the nation last year. In that song, her graphic lyrical descriptions are softened by an alluring musical styling.

In press materials for the new album, Barber describes what happens during a live performance of “Devil’s Food.” As it becomes clear that “Devil’s Food” is “turning into a gay disco song, it’s really fun watching people’s reactions, which is surprise and delight.”

During the course of writing the songs for “Smash,” Barber suffered several devastating losses, including the death of her mom. She had released her booking agency and slowed down the pace of touring, getting off the fast lane. She spent two years “practicing the piano like crazy,” while also tending her organic farm.