CeeLo Green is Loberace: Live in Vegas

Grammy-winning singer-songwriter CeeLo Green takes center stage in this 2013 performance filmed at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas. Backed by plenty of bling and booty-shaking babes, the portly vocalist opens this 18-song set (including a few medleys) with “Lady Killer” and “Bright Lights, Bigger City,” before segueing into a Stevie Wonder-ish version of INXS's “Need You Tonight,” followed shortly by his rendition of “Do Ya Think I'm Sexy” (short answer, no). And then things start getting weird on this Loberace showcase, with a three-part medley featuring “Boy George” (as a RuPaul superfan, I immediately recognized the impersonator as Drag Race contestant Shannel, aka Bryan Watkins) but no CeeLo. The unremarkable tunes “Nothing's Shocking Anymore,” “Sideshow,” and “Fool for You” lead into Green's version of his Pussycat Dolls hit “Don't Cha” (revised with manlier lyrics about being rich) and “Whoever Loves Me,” which features a sample of the theme to the classic sitcom Soap. The audience seems to warm up considerably for a “Freak” medley, a neat old-school influenced reunion of Green's old hip-hop group Goodie Mob (my favorite moments, hands down), and the radio anthems “Crazy” and “Forget You.” Unfortunately, the music is undercut by the gyrating chorus girls, horrible jokes, and blatant onstage shilling for CeeLo's green liqueur product. Presented in DTS 5.1, Dolby Digital 5.1 and stereo on DVD, and DTS-HD 5.1 and LPCM stereo on Blu-ray, extras include an interview with Green. A strong optional purchase. (J. Williams-Wood)