Ellen: Pharrell Williams Women & “Marilyn Monroe” Performance Review

Ellen: Pharrell Williams Billboard Nominations

Pharrell Williams came by Ellen to talk about his new album Girl. Ellen said that when they were talking that morning, she discovered that Pharrell didn’t know he’d just been nominated for 9 Billboard Awards. Pharrell said he didn’t know because his whole team has been swamped and he’s had some difficulty keeping up with things. He said he was grateful to be nominated.

Ellen TV: Pharrell Williams Solo Success With “Happy”

Pharrell Williams has made a career out of collaborating with other people and writing for other people, so Ellen wondered what it’s like to have success on his own. Pharrell said he felt awkward to have the success on his own. Ellen told him he’s an amazing performer and that he should be proud. Ellen said she told him that he would get nominated for an Oscar for “Happy.” Pharrell Williams said it was crazy that Ellen called that, because she had him on her show performing the song before they even could get the song on the radio.

Ellen: Pharrell Williams Equality for Women

Pharrell’s new album Girl is written to celebrate women. Pharrell Williams said that he wanted to give back to women because he felt like he owed them. He said they’re a demographic that has always supported him. He said that he also wanted to do that because there’s a lot of inequality with women. Women don’t make the same as men.

“What is that? The last I heard, the only way that this entire species can come into existence is through the portal of a woman’s body,” Pharrell Williams said. He also said he didn’t understand how we’ve had a space station floating around the Earth for 20 years, but legislators are still regulating women’s bodies. “When I say equality, I mean equality for everybody. Everybody. Who are you to tell who they can marry and who they can’t? What is this? It’s 2014,” Pharrell Williams said.

Ellen TV: Pharrell Williams Hat

Ellen made a pretty big goof with her gift at the end of the interview. She wanted to give Pharrell Williams an even bigger hat than he normally wears, so that it will keep shocking people. She brought out a giant brown six foot tall hat, and Pharrell Williams held it in his lap.

Once it was in his lap, both Ellen and Pharrell realized how much it looked like the male anatomy. “I don’t think you should hold it there personally,” Ellen said. Then she took it off his lap and held it, then paused and said, “I don’t want to touch it.” Then she continued to move it around the stage until finally she laid it down at the side.

Ellen: Pharrell Williams “Marilyn Monroe” Performance

Pharrell Williams then performed his new song, “Marilyn Monroe.” He performed with the same grace and confidence that he did while performing “Happy” earlier in the show, though I still think he was dressed ridiculous. The cameras didn’t show the audience’s reaction to the performance, but I’m betting they were a bit more subdued. “Happy” is an anthem that makes people want to get up and clap (clapping is even built into the song) but this song seemed more thoughtful.

This was the first time I heard this song, and on first impression, I have to say I wasn’t very impressed. Pharrell Williams is a good performer and musician, and this will probably be a hit, but this seems more like the kind of song you hear at 1 a.m. at the club on a Saturday night then a song you hear on Ellen. But judging from the cheering of the audience at the end of the performance, I might be the only one who feels that way.