News, Recaps and Spoilers for

X Factor Audition Cities Announced, 5 Mil Prize, Hopefuls Can Have Management Contracts

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X Factor announces their open auditions. Open calls begin March 14 in Kansas City, MO and Austin TX March 14, San Francisco April 20, and Greensboro NC May 1. Online auditions begin March 1, and My Studio auditions begin March 1. See schedule below.

Also: The 5 million dollar prize is back (Ugh). The bottom age limit is still 12.

And this is interesting: Artists with Pre-existing Management Contracts Can Now Audition. Hm. Of course a hopeful has to be management and record contract free to audition for Idol.

Stacy Francis Tells her Whitney Houston Story to Anyone Who Will Listen

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X Factor alum, Stacy Francis tells Access Hollywood about meeting Whitney Houston two days before her death at a club and the dust-up that happened afterward. She tries to minimize the event, claiming there was no physical altercation, and that some of the statements attributed to Whitney were exaggerated.

Reportedly, Stacy sold her Whitney story to the UK tab, The Daily Mail

VH1 100 Greatest Women In Music (List)

02/14/2012 mj santilli 37

Check out VH1’s 100 Greatest Women in Music. The Pussycat Dolls (inexplicably) make the list at 100. The highest ranking Idol is Kelly Clarkson at 19. Idol judge, Jennifer Lopez ranks at 16 and Christina Aguilera from The Voice is at #8.

Happy Valentines Day – Greetings From Tim Halperin, Anoop Desai

02/14/2012 mj santilli 5

Hey! It’s Valentines Day. And to celebrate this ~~fake holiday made up to sell stuff~~ lovely day, here are a couple of love-inspired you tube performances from a few Idol and X Factor alums.

Whitney Houston Offered Seat on X Factor Panel (Report)

02/10/2012 mj santilli 56

Sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that Whitney Houston has been offered a spot to take the place of vacating judges, Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger. The legendary pop diva is said to be considering an offer.

Simon Cowell on Competing With The Voice: Now It’s War

02/08/2012 mj santilli 34

Anticipating that NBC will run a season of The Voice in the Fall, X Factor boss, Simon Cowell, remains unfazed, “If I’m right, ‘The Voice’ is now going to compete with us in the fall. You have to rethink things even more than we were a couple of weeks ago… ’cause now it’s war.”

Simon Cowell Speaks Out On X Factor Firings

02/07/2012 mj santilli 26

Simon Cowell speaks out to Extra for the first time about the X Factor Monday Massacre, when Steve Jones, Paula Abdul and Nicole Sherzinger were all axed on the same day. L.A. Reid has since signed a contract for a second year.

X Factor: Chris Rene to Release Single, February 14

02/06/2012 mj santilli 33

According to this update from Hits Daily double, X Factor 3rd place finisher, Chris Rene will release his 1st single, a self-written tune produced by J.R. Rotem, on iTunes February 14. Happy Valentines Day!