Marty the martian on Rock*INXS

Last night on Rock Star INXS - the show where they remove the brains of the remaining members of the once great band and replace them with oatmeal and convince them to have a reality show to chose their new lead singer - there were once again a number of memorable performances. Not necessarily memorable for great singing or performing, but more so for karaoke-like stylings and histrionics rehearsed during many a rainy afternoon in front of mirrors in bedrooms adorned with Winger and Ratt posters.

Once such performance was carried out by “marty” who last week was chosen to do the “encore” which meant he got to sing the same song from the previous night once again. This is apparently the highest praise on the show outside of being called “Hutchencesque”. This week, he sang “Arms Wide Open” which was originally sung by the band Creed and their singer Scott Somethingorother. The antics and bombast would’ve made Scotty proud.

I once pondered, like in the Conan O’Brien skit, what would happen if David Bowie and Edward Scissorhands had a baby. Well, I no longer have to wonder, since marty is apparently the product of their forbidden love. How else could you explain the robot-on-ritalin pop-and-locking and the crazed spider from mars stare?

The crowd and the band seemed to love it all - I think I saw the joker in the corner pumping happy gas into the theater. And I just shake my head and keep watching. . .