‘Idol’ Reject Refiles Lawsuit, Now Only Wants $100 Mil
Ian Benardo — the former “American Idol” contestant who sued the show for $300 million — has withdrawn that lawsuit … only to refile a new one for $100 million.
Benardo refiled his lawsuit for workplace discrimination and sexual harassment today in federal court. The original suit was filed with the NY State Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
A rep for Benardo says he was advised that the case was not under the jurisdiction of NY’s EEOC — and instead he had to take the matter to federal court. Benardo is suing because he claims “Idol” producers exploited his sexual orientation and told him to “gay it up.”
Read more at TMZ
More Headlines after the JUMP…
David Archuleta Finds His Voice
David Archuleta is 19 years old and already has a memoir. For a normal teenager, this might be absurd. For a Season 7 American Idol runner-up that has recorded three albums in less than two years after a pre-teen bout of vocal paralysis, it’s not quite so ridiculous.
Like many American Idol participants, Archuleta wants to build a career that lasts longer than the hiatus between Fox’s hit reality show’s seasons. So the teeny bop heart throb has gotten busy with a less audible mode of communication: the written word.
Watch the Video at Forbes
Lea Michele’s Secret Animal Rescue Side Gig
Lea Michele may seem a lot like Rachel Berry, the ambitious girl with a killer voice she plays on the hit show Glee, but she definitely has a softer side.
Michele, who got her start on Broadway, doesn’t just warm up her vocal chords during her downtime – she has also managed to find time to rescue a few animals.
The Emmy-nominated actress and singer tells PEOPLE in its upcoming Glee special issue that she once saved six stray kittens she found on the Paramount Studios lot.
Read more at People
Pics: ‘Glee’ Stars Animated on ‘The Simpsons’
There’s a saying that you know you are famous when you’ve been turned yellow on “The Simpsons”. Some of “Glee” cast will exactly get this treatment when the Emmy-winning show returns this Fall on FOX. Several promo pictures have revealed which of the singing lots would be animated.
Lea Michele’s Rachel Berry is one and Cory Monteith’s Finn is another. These two main characters will only be joined by their friend Amber Riley’s Mercedes. The actors behind the “Glee” characters have provided voice for the animated figures.
Read more and see the photos at Ace Showbiz
Emmy Video: ‘Glee’ kids on Kurt’s BF and Artie’s GF!
No two ways about it: For whippersnappers, Glee clubbers Chris Colfer and Kevin McHale are cagey. On the red carpet before the Emmys, they played dumb as best they could, but you don’t need a diploma from McKinley High to get what they were (trying so hard not to be) saying. Colfer’s suggestion that Puck actually might be Kurt’s new BF spoke volumes about the likelihood that the jock Chord Overstreet will be playing will be making the passes. And then, the future of Artie and Tina was written all over McHale’s face, pretty much in bold letters. See for yourself when you watch the videos after the jump.
Watch the video at Entertainment Weekly
NBC renews ‘America’s Got Talent’
NBC is renewing summer reality hit “America’s Got Talent” for a sixth season.
The Peacock is bring back the competition series for another round next summer after a strong performance this year that has “Got Talent” ranking as the highest-rated summer series.
Read more at the Hollywood Reporter
‘Dancing with the Stars’: David Hasselhoff, a reluctant last minute addition
Zap2it caught up with the “Knight Rider” star, recent roast-ee and German national treasure at the August 30 “DWTS” cast reveal event where he shared apprehensions about joining the show and explained why now is the perfect time to take the plunge.
“After I got the call, I told my daughters, ‘It looks like somebody fell out and they want me to do the show, ‘” says Hasselhoff, who, with a tour, reality series (“The Hasselhoffs”), and film (“Dancing Ninja”) on deck, wanted to decline.
“This stuff is painful. I’ve done Broadway, I’ve done the West End with 40 of the top dancers in the world behind me and I was in such pain. Watching this show, I’d turn it on and say, ‘No, never.'”
Read more at Zap2it
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Bristol Palin: ‘I Want To Set A Good Example For All Moms’
She’s been at the center of controversy but Bristol Palin is turning her life around and tells RadarOnline.com that she wants to set an example for all moms.
The teen mom, who recently broke off her engagement with Levi Johnston, and scored a spot on ABC’s hit show Dancing With The Stars, opened up to RadarOnline.com about how she plans to to balance motherhood with work—miles from her family and home in Alaska.
Read more at RaderOnline
‘DWTS’ Jennifer Grey: Will Baby Be Dirty Dancing?
Just because she’s most famous for cutting a rug in the 1987 movie ‘Dirty Dancing, ’ Jennifer Grey claims it does not mean she is coming into season 11 of ‘Dancing With the Stars‘ with a leg up on the others.
“So unfair, ” she said during the ‘DWTS’ cast announcement Monday night in Hollywood when asked if people have biased expectations of what she is bringing to the dance floor given her ‘Dirty Dancing’ experience. “So unfair! I cannot stress to you how unfair that would be. And, I’m 50. It’s been a lot of years…”
Read more at Fancast
DWTS Cast Celebrates New Season—Sans Situation
After the new Dancing With the Stars cast was announced last night, most of the crew got together to celebrate at STK in Los Angeles. But someone was conspicuously absent from the party and cast photo:
That’s right, The Situation wasn’t in attendance last night, and he’ll be missing the first few weeks of rehearsals due to his Jersey Shore schedule. “He can’t begin rehearsals until Sept. 11, ” an insider tells me.
Hopefully his clubbing and fist pumping will be enough practice to make up for his late start.
Bristol Palin, though, did make it to the party, and she left her baby Tripp at home.
Read more at E! Online
The Situation: I’m The Underdog on DWTS
Because he’s still in production for his MTV show, he’s not going to get to rehearse as much with his professional dance partner, who will be announced on Wednesday.
“I’m going to lose a couple days practice, ” Sorrentino tells PEOPLE. “But I don’t mind being the underdog. I promise to try my hardest and practice as much as I can and be the best that I can be. I hope the Situation Nation shows up to support me.”
Read more at People
The New Cast of ‘Dancing With The Stars’ Talks!
The newest cast of ‘Dancing With The Stars’ got their feet wet last night after the line-up was unveiled by hosts Tom Bergeron and Brooke Burke.
Ten out of the show’s dozen stars did their first round of publicity to tout their participation in the top-rated dance-competition series. (Singer Michael Bolton and reality TV star Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino were unable to attend.) AOL’s TV Squad was on the scene to get the celebs’ reactions.
“My agent called me and asked me if I’d be interested in doing the show, ” said reailty TV star Audrina Partridge of ‘The Hills.’ “And I said, ‘Yes!’ I’m really excited to meet Jennifer Grey. I’m a big ‘Dirty Dancing’ fan.”
Read more at TV Squad
