Acceptable only as a guilty pleasure while on the turnpike or at bars after midnight, Bon Jovi reign as kings in the land of cheese, and I'm not talking about dairy products or Wisconsin here. Face it, in the 80's Bon Jovi were the best worst band this side of the Iron Curtain. Comprised of a half-dozen dopes from Jersey, this tacky crew is led by ego-boy Jon, who believes he's a cross between a cowboy and Springsteen's fluffer and Richie Sambora, who for the last two decades has fooled Jon BJ into thinking he can play the guitar. Their latest MTV caper, an unplugged and allegedly "stripped down" set rides the coat-tails of "Lost Highway," and true to form, is a showcase for their latent country tendencies and penchant for overproduction.

Jon BJ possesses this knack for giving an involuntary nod to his influences, which forces a comparison and eventual embarrassment. Not surprisingly the feel of the unplugged show is slightly reminiscent of Elvis's '68 Comeback Special, except Jon BJ doesn't wear black leather and on this occasion, his voice sucks. The band and their assorted collection of musicians remain seated throughout the show, with the exception of Richie and Jon BJ. Sambora awkwardly perches himself on a stool and Bon Jovi stands front and center as always.
   
If you're into this sort of thing, highlights would include their new faux-country anthem, "Who Says You Can't Go Home" and the jazz rendition of "You Give Love a Bad Name" which features some Richie Sambora scat singing. In true MTV fashion, Bon Jovi bring some of the hacks from the All-American Rejects on stage for "It's My Life." Jon attempts to complement their band but bites his tongue before calling them pussies, while the All-American Rejects attempt to comprehend music recorded before 2002 while trying their best not to call Bon Jovi pussies. Then both parties proceed to slobber all over the microphones while Sambora looks even more haggard and hung-over. 
   
The production is slick and performance enjoyable for any confused Yankee North of the Mason-Dixon Line or Jersey trash who likes the sound of red-neck fiddle playing blasting over the roar of flowmasters on a humid afternoon. Since MTV rarely play anything dealing with actual music these days, you can follow this handy link to watch Richie's scat singing or to be "shot down in a blaze of corny." http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?id=1563135&vid=15809