Overrated
Russell Brand is the kind of comic I'm prone to adoring -- daring, unpredictable, British. There's just one teensy problem: He's not funny. Sure, I found him kind of adorable in "Forgetting Sarah Marshall," but his charm was lost on me as I skimmed his autobiography, "My Booky Wook," and endured his two stints as host of the MTV Video Music Awards. Now whenever I see him on screen, I have the overwhelming urge to take a shower.
UNDERRATED
Whitney Houston's "Million Dollar Bill" was released in August, but it has taken its own sweet time climbing up the charts. That's unfortunate, because the old-school dance hit (written by Alicia Keys) is vintage Houston -- contagiously hummable and sassy -- with some smoky husk thrown in for seasoning. With the exception of Pink's "Funhouse," this is the best single of the season -- and proof that Houston is anything but whack.
NEAL JUSTIN
