Indianapolis Children’s Choir to join Kelly Clarkson for national anthem – The Indianapolis Children’s Choir has been selected to perform at Super Bowl XLVI on Sunday. Forty-five young singers with the choir will join singer Kelly Clarkson to perform The Star-Spangled Banner on February 5 at Lucas Oil Stadium. The choir will be led by Artistic Director Henry Leck and Assistant Artistic Director Joshua Pedde, who have led performances at the Indy 500 Festival, the NCAA Final Four games and more. The singers will perform immediately preceding the kick-off at 6:29 p.m. Read more at Fox59
Bruce Springsteen to Perform on Grammy Awards – Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band are slated to perform on the Grammy Awards’ Feb. 12 telecast. The Boss and his band join a previously announced lineup of performers including Adele, Taylor Swift, Kelly Clarkson, Foo Fighters, Rihanna, Coldplay, Paul McCartney, Bruno Mars, Jason Aldean, Katy Perry and Nicki Minaj. In addition, the Grammys announced Thursday that Jack Black, Fergie, Questlove and Ringo Starr have been added to the list of awards presenters. – Read more at the Hollywood Reporter – The Hollywood Reporter
‘American Idol’s’ Randy Jackson talks ‘X Factor’ shake up and ‘Idol’ moving forward – On why “Idol’s” ratings have been down this season: “I think the space of singing shows is definitely a little crowded now. With ‘Idol’ and ‘The Voice’ and ‘X Factor,’ ‘Got Talent’s’ got singing – they’re on year-round now. You’ve got a lot of singing, so that’s what happens when the marketplace gets full.” On what we can look forward to on “Idol” this season: “We have a couple little wrinkles we’re going to throw in, because it’s always about finding ways to make it better. One of the things we’ve been tossing around is the judges’ save thing, because last season, we saved Casey – it was the right time, it was the right move, but I certainly wish we had another one or two because it didn’t serve the rest of the team well.” – Read more at Zap2it
‘American Idol’s’ Randy Jackson on the Show’s Future, Softer Ratings and Crazy Hollywood Auditions – The auditions will move to Hollywood next, airing on February 8, 9 and 15. Jackson told reporters that there’s plenty of drama to look forward in Los Angeles, adding that the show’s medical staff was called in “more than ever. It was kind of weird. I think it just shows the intensity of what was going on.” When asked about the recent shakeup on The X Factor, with judges Paula Abdul, Nicole Scherzinger and host Steve Jones leaving the show after one season, Jackson said that “it’s sad to hear all that’s going on with that show.”
Jackson had his own opinion about who would make a great replacement judge for the show: Mariah Carey. “She’d be amazing. I don’t know if that’s ever gonna happen,” he said. – Read more at the Hollywood Reporter
Will “Smash” splash or crash for NBC? – (Reuters) – NBC’s new musical drama “Smash” could hardly have a stronger pedigree: Idea by Steven Spielberg, songs by award-winning Broadway producers, stars including Anjelica Huston and Debra Messing, and screen icon Marilyn Monroe holding the whole show-within-a show together. Yet success couldn’t be harder to assess in the high stakes prime-time TV gamble for NBC as the struggling network looks for its first scripted series hit since 2006. – Read more at Reauters
What Does NBC Have Riding on the Success of Smash? – You’ve heard of Smash, right? That new NBC musical drama premiering Monday at 10 p.m.? Well, of course you have: Since the first on-air promo debuted November 6, the Peacock has been pounding Smash into our collective consciousness by every means possible. Featurettes showcasing Katharine McPhee’s rendition of “Beautiful” have been been part of the preshow reel on thousands of movie screens for weeks now. McPhee and co-star Megan Hilty crooned carols at the lighting of the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, while Debra Messing handed out an award at the Golden Globes. To build word of mouth, the pilot episode has been streaming online, on-demand, and in airplanes weeks ahead of its official debut. And then there are the billboards, bus advertisements, and, in selected areas, NBC execs tackling people and begging them to watch it. – Read more at NY Magazine
EXCLUSIVE VIDEO: William Hung At Work At Sheriff’s Department – Tucked in the basement of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department — far away from thousands of screaming fans — a 29-year-old William Hung works in a cubicle crunching numbers all day. You could say “He Bangs, He Bangs,” the statistics for the sheriff’s department. The American Idol reject turned Internet sensation talked exclusively to RumorFix about his new life — eight years and a few pounds after he won over the nation with his rendition of Ricky Martin’s hit. – Read more at Rumor Fix
