Somewhere, someone may love Christmas more than Michael Buble, but if that person exists, it's Santa.
Buble
listens to Christmas music year-round and talks about the holiday with
the sort of sincerity usually reserved for wish lists while perched on
Santa's knee. He brings that love of the holiday, his incredible voice
and warmth back to NBC for his second Christmas special, "Michael Buble: Home for the Holidays," Monday, Dec.10.
"It's better than last year," Buble tells Zap2it. "It's so completely fast, fun and loose."
Buble grew up watching "The Andy Williams Christmas Special,"
relishing the warmth and ease with which Williams welcomed his guests
and audience. Buble aims to replicate that and understands the
importance of being a gracious host.
"The truth is my goal is to have an annual special," he says. "I wanted to make an old-school special."
Relaxing
in a Manhattan hotel overlooking Central Park, Buble is so guileless
and enthusiastic that the interview is less promotional and more
inspirational as he tells why he adores Christmas.
"The
Christmas of my youth was full of love," Buble says of growing up in a
Vancouver home where his mom put up the tree in late October, and he
listened to Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" in the summer -- and fall and spring as well.
Now
his family and friends descend on his Vancouver house, where, he says,
"we all eat too much and drink too much and laugh." Last year's party
went until 4 a.m., when police arrived. They told Buble the party must
be quieter, then the police wound up staying for drinks.
Buble
is so genuinely amped up about the holiday it's natural to ask about
his favorite gifts. He approaches the question far more honestly than
many people who have made a lot of money and says, without airs, that he
can buy himself anything he wants. He does, after all, co-own a hockey
team.
Buble considers what his presents have
been and comes up with socks and underwear. He shows the underwear,
which he is wearing. Only Buble could do this while talking about the
joys of Christmas and not come off as a perv. Incidentally, he reveals
briefs emblazoned with "I want you" that his wife gave him.
"The show isn't about me," Buble says. "Hopefully, it is where artists will come to promote Christmas songs."
The special has him singing with fellow British Columbia native Carly Rae Jepsen, Blake Shelton, Rod Stewart and Elmo.
The
opening is a beautiful montage of Vancouver. Buble alights from a
plane, singing "Let It Snow." He even skate-dances wearing a jersey of
his hockey team, the Vancouver Giants, then drives the Zamboni.
Buble has a duet of "White Christmas" with his beloved Bing Crosby, courtesy of the special-effects people from "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button."
Elmo,
wearing a festive green plaid vest, turns down Buble's offer of cookies
and explains, "Elmo likes wasabi. That's why Elmo doesn't have any
eyelids."
Buble and Elmo sing, "All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth." With Jepsen, Buble sings a medley of "Jingle Bell Rock" and "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree."
"It
was a total ball," Jepsen says earlier in the month from her tour.
"Michael is a lot of fun. He is very easy and hilarious to work with and
was cracking me up. I had to do a lot of takes."
This
was a mutual admiration, as Buble, separately, says, "I kind of have a
crush on her. She is from my hometown, and we went through the same
talent competitions and clubs.
"She had worked
for 10 years before she was signed," he continues. "I was the same. It
makes you more humble, more appreciative. Your head is on straight; you
are more appreciative. She has a great voice and is quirky and
beautiful. All of us fell in love with her."
Another guest on the special is Buble's close pal Shelton. Buble rewrote Shelton's hit "Home" as a Christmas song. They perform that as a duet. Buble cheers Shelton's success.
"That gave me faith that good things happen to good people," Buble says.
This special also has him singing "Winter Wonderland" with Stewart. Stewart solos on "Blue Christmas."
Buble's "Michael Buble Christmas" became the second best-selling CD of 2011, selling more than 6.5 million copies.
"Having
last year's special under my belt, I understood about bumpers
[separating segments]. And doing it from home made it so much fun,"
Buble says. "I'll never again allow anyone to come up with a concept for
anything. I am not a control freak. I have a great team around me, but
ideas? Never, never, ever!"
Source: blog.zap2it.com
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