You know how it is with star couples when they first get together–they’re blinded by love.
Unfortunately, they’re not deafened by love.
And so we get stuck with the dreaded Songbird Couple, as we did most recently with Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes. As people.com recounts, they took the stage together at a Scientology charity dinner over the weekend and belted out rock songs with the house band, including “Mustang Sally” and “Old Time Rock and Roll.”
Thank goodness it was a private event. We weren’t so lucky with these other Songbird Couples.
Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony
Scene of the crime: 47th Annual Grammys (February 2005)
Aftershocks: Critics slammed J.Lo’s singing and Anthony’s stiff movements, but they continue to perform together successfully, including at the President of Latin Music Festival in the Dominican Republic last month (above).
Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey
Scene of the crime: “The Nick and Jessica Variety Hour” (April 2004, on ABC)
Aftershocks: The cheesy special drew 11.4 million viewers and made ABC give them a subsequent holiday special, which did better. They also sang “America the Beautiful” during the opening weekend of NFL season. But with their married life under constant scrutiny, it remains to be seen how many times they’ll sing together again.
Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme
Scene of the crime: “Steve Allen Presents The Steve Lawrence-Eydie Gorme Show” (1958)
Aftershocks: The schmaltzy singers have been performing together for 40 years and share a Grammy award. (Barf!)
Sonny and Cher
Scene of the crime: The song “I Got You Babe” (1965)
Aftershocks: Launched the TV hit “The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour,” but it fell apart–as did the couple’s marriage–in 1974. Worse, it inspired future variety specials like Nick and Jessica’s (see left).
Beyonce and Jay-Z
Scene of the crime: The song ” ’03 Bonnie & Clyde” (2003)
Aftershocks: “Crazy in Love,” which came afterward, was a success, and the couple is ultraprivate to begin with, but it’s worth noting that Beyonce and Jay-Z haven’t collaborated much after “Bonnie & Clyde.”
Reel bad
Bad movie couples aren’t exempt from this list, either. Some recent, forgettable pairings:
Jude Law and Sienna Miller (“Alfie”)
Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner (“Daredevil”)
Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez (right) (“Gigli”)
Ashton Kutcher and Brittany Murphy (“Just Married”)
Sarah Michelle Gellar and Freddie Prinze Jr. (“Scooby-Doo”)
Madonna and Warren Beatty (“Dick Tracy”)
Madonna and Sean Penn (“Shanghai Surprise”)
