Accused Seacrest Stalker Ordered to Stay Away
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – A Los Angeles man arrested with a knife at the workplace of “American Idol” host Ryan Seacrest pleaded not guilty to a stalking charge on Tuesday, and was ordered to stay away from Seacrest.
Chidi Uzomah, 25, was told by a Los Angeles judge to stay at least 500 yards from Seacrest and not to attempt to contact him by phone for three years.
Uzomah was arrested on Friday at the Los Angeles offices of entertainment news outlet E!, where Seacrest hosts a morning radio show and a television newscast.
Uzomah faces up to four years in prison if convicted for stalking and a second charge of disobeying a previous stay away order. He was jailed pending a court hearing in two weeks to determine whether he should stand trial.
Steve Martin, Alec Baldwin to co-host Oscars
LOS ANGELES (AP) ԠSteve Martin and Alec Baldwin are taking on the Oscars.
The two Hollywood veterans will share hosting duties at the 82nd Academy Awards, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said Tuesday.
Telecast producers Bill Mechanic and Adam Shankman said Martin and Baldwin are “the perfect pair of hosts for the Oscars.” The producers have said they hope to resurrect Oscar’s ratings and make the show more fun by building on the changes introduced at February’s ceremony, which tinkered with the way awards were presented and featured Broadway-style musical interludes.
Bringing in a pair of hosts, while not unprecedented, continues the theme of change.
Jennifer Hudson On Her Late Mother: ‘She Was The Strongest Person I’ve Ever Seen’
CHICAGO, Ill. —
Chicago is the place where Jennifer Hudson’s rise to stardom began, but it’s also the place where tragedy struck her family.
Now, in an exclusive interview with Access Hollywood’s Shaun Robinson, Jennifer opened up about motherhood, the importance of family and how her mother ‘†her angel ‘†gave her the strength to go home again.
‘Do you feel her wherever you are?’ Shaun asked.
‘Oh my God, yeah. Definitely, ‘ Jennifer said of her late mother, Darnell Donnerson, who was killed in October 2008. ‘Wherever. Every day I’m like, ‘Wow! I didn’t realize I was so like my mother until now, you know?’
When asked where the strength she has demonstrated throughout the last year has come from, Jennifer said it comes in part ‘ from above.
More Idol Headlines after the JUMP…
Carrie Underwood’s ‘Play On’: Track-by-track
Reviewing Carrie Underwood’s Play On in Tuesday’s USA TODAY, Jerry Shriver writes, “On her third outing, the still-blossoming Idol alum with the sterling pipes invites a diverse handful of outsiders to join her proven Nashville-based songwriting/production team. They expand her sound and worldview just enough to perhaps lure more folks to the party while satisfying country radio programmers and her loyalists.” Since I did the interview pieces that ran in Monday’s paper, I didn’t write the official Play On review — but that doesn’t mean I can’t run down the album track-by-track for you guys.
Carrie Underwood Plays Up The ‘Sass’ With Kara DioGuardi On ‘Undo It’
Carrie Underwood and Kara DioGuardi might not have crossed paths on “American Idol, ” but the ladies did manage to hook up for a couple of tracks on the country singer’s just-released album, Play On. Underwood said working with the outspoken “Idol” judge has helped her embrace her sassy side.
“I love sass, ” she told CMT. “And this is what I think is great about the whole album. People have so many layers and so many different emotions and feelings, and throughout the album, we tapped into a lot of that.”
George Jones: new country music needs a new name
CARRIE UNDERWOOD – HOLIDAY SPECIAL SPOILER ALERT
So You Think You Can Dance Executive Producer Nigel Lythgoe and Dance judge Adam Shankman are co-Producing the Carrie Underwood: An All-Star Holiday Special, with Lythgoe taking on the directing duties.
According to Lythgoe, Underwood will poke a bit of fun at her rise from American Idol season four winner to the top of Country Music. And while both men agree that Underwood is a genuine superstar now (hardly surprising), they were shocked by what terrific comedy timing the Country Music star has.
Carrie Underwood on Mike Fisher: It’s Love!
Carrie Underwood may sing about heartbreak, but in real life she’s found love with boyfriend Mike Fisher, giving the hockey player a shout-out on the liner notes of her new CD, Play On.
“Thank you #12, ” she writes in the notes, referring to the Ottawa Senator player’s jersey number. “You are the most amazing addition to my life! You are such a wonderful person and have had such an amazing hand in the building of this album and in the growth of me as a person. I love you so much! You make my life better in every way! I thank God for you every day… xoxo, Carrie.”
Carrie Underwood CD Review: Back to What She Does Best
You might remember that I was pretty hard on Carrie’s last effort, ‘Carnival Ride, ‘ because I felt like she was trying too hard to prove that she’s a country artist. And after two songs I started to think I might have the same problem this time. But ‘Play’ manages to totally outdo ‘Ride’ by combining just the right combination of uptempo tracks and power ballads that concentrate more on the songs than what genre they are.
George Jones: new country music needs a new name
NASHVILLE, Tenn. ‘†Country Music Hall of Famer George Jones isn’t a big fan of where the genre has moved in recent years.
When asked about what he thought about music by today’s top country stars, the 78-year-old said while they are good, “they’ve stolen our identity.”
Jones made the comment during a recent interview when asked about music by artists like Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift.
“They had to use something that was established already, and that’s traditional country music. So what they need to do really, I think, is find their own title, because they’re definitely not traditional country music, ” he said.
Adam Lambert’s For Your Entertainment: The 30-Second Snippets
Stock up on water, hide your children and do not look directly at its bright shimmering light, because 30-second song previews of have hit the Web. Pop music will never be the same!
OK, so there’s some hyperbole there. (Blame my inner Glambert for taking over.) So before I start claiming his body parts, let’s put on sci-fi lab-coats and break down the song previews in a (somewhat) level-headed manner.
Weezer’s Rivers Cuomo Calls Adam Lambert’s Voice ‘Amazing’
Cuomo said “Pick U Up” draws from a fantastically eclectic combination of sounds. “It sounds like a combination of ABBA, with beautiful pop melodies, and a disco beat like you’d hear in a Donna Summer song, ” he said. “But then there is this heavy guitar feel to it, like from [German techno-metal band] Rammstein or something. It’s just a wonderful hybrid of all the music I love.”
Cuomo clearly enjoyed his time with Lambert and was phenomenally impressed with his instrument. “He has the most amazing voice. It’s exactly the kind of voice I convince myself I have on my best day, but of course I’m nowhere near that amazing, ” he said.
Adam Lambert Song Clips Hit The Web
After months of hype, Glamberts finally got a chance on Tuesday (November 3) to check out Adam Lambert’s debut album, For Your Entertainment. And while the “American Idol” runner-up’s coming-out disc is still a few weeks away from its official November 23 release date, Amazon’s U.K. site posted 30-second clips of all the songs on the CD, which promises to be every bit as over-the-top as the singer has promised.
And, in case there was any doubt, the clips confirm his promise that “glam is back.”
Tokio Hotel Talks New Album, L.A., Adam Lambert & More
Bill, I like the look you have going on. Do you think Adam Lambert is trying to copy you?
BK: I don’t know, I’m not sure. I haven’t seen older pictures of him. [Haha]
Do you know who he is?
BK: Yeah, I know who he is. People have told me about that. We have that same show [“American Idol”] in Germany. I don’t know how he looked before, so I don’t know if he stole my look. Maybe he’s just wearing makeup all the time like me. I started to wear makeup when I was – I think – 12 years old, so I don’t know what his background is.
Live Review: Kelly Clarkson at Cedar Park Center
I want to hear Kelly Clarkson cut some modern R&B with R. Kelly and Ne-Yo and Christopher ‘Tricky’ Stewart.
I want to hear her make some more giant-sized pop with Swedish superproducer Max Martin (‘Since U Been Gone’ ) and Katy Perry (‘I Do Not Hook Up’ ).
I want to hear her do some blues-punk with the Dirtbombs or Jon Spencer. I want to hear a diva-off with Beth Ditto of the Gossip.
I want to hear her sing over beats by Timbaland, Kanye West and Dr. Dre. I want to hear her make 22nd century electronic music with LCD Soundsystem’s producer James Murphy; maybe she can sing that fake Yaz record Murphy’s always wanted to make. I want to hear her cover country songs by Willie Nelson and Sally Timms and Patty Griffin (Her take on Griffin’s ‘Up to the Mountain’ is devastating). I want to hear her Sinatra album and her album with the Foo Fighters.
Kara DioGuardi redeems herself
After penning the ridiculousness that was “No Boundaries, ” I thought Kara DioGuardi had lost her touch and her mind. But I’m happy to report that the woman who scripted Pink’s ‘Sober, ‘ Kelly Clarkson’s ‘I Do Not Hook Up’ and Cobra Starship’s ‘Good Girls Go Bad” was just having an off day judging from the song she contributed to Adam Lambert’s debut disc.
“Strut” is one of 14 songs on “For Your Entertainment” but easily my second favorite (can’t stop listening to the titular single). Now, I’m only judging from the 30-second sneak peek being offered up on Amazon.com but I feel confident that when the disc drops my claim will be reconfirmed.
‘AMERICAN IDOL’ CHAMP KRIS ALLEN IS ANYTHING BUT IDLE
If Kris Allen thought he had to work hard to win ‘American Idol’ last season, it’s nothing compared to the demands he’s facing as he embarks on his post-‘ Idol’ career. As he gets a chance to learn first-hand about the rigors of the music industry ‘†from the endless interviews to the preparation for his live shows ‘†he’s grateful that he had the ‘Idol’ experience to give him a taste of what his life would become. (CLICK ON THE MEDIA BAR BELOW TO HEAR KRIS ALLEN)
Fallon and Roots join Turkey Day parade
With ‘Glee’ -gate in the past, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on NBC finally has a complete list of participants. (Msnbc.com is a joint venture of Microsoft and NBC Universal.)
The latest addition to the roster is late-night host Jimmy Fallon and his house band The Roots. Other non-inflatable celebs include Carly Simon, Andrea Bocelli and Katharine McPhee.
Jordin Sparks’ Halloween Costume: Killer Dorothy!
Jordin Sparks leaves Heidi Klum’s Halloween party in Los Angeles looking ghoulish as she holds hands with rumored boyfriend Steph Jones on Saturday (October 31).
The 19-year-old Idol went to the party with Steph, who dressed as a girl with a bad weave, according to his Twitter.
Jordin will be performing at ‘America’s Biggest Sleepover’ this Saturday. The event, which will be broadcast on beinggirl.com, will bring together girls across the country for a night of fun, sleepover-themed activities.
Rod Stewart realizes dream recording with Smokey
LOS ANGELES ‘†Rod Stewart grew up idolizing soul singers like Sam Cooke, Jackie Wilson and Otis Redding. On his new album, “Soulbook, ” he gets a chance to pay tribute to his childhood idols in song ‘†and even gets a chance to sing with one of them on the CD.
Smokey Robinson is one of the guest stars on “Soulbook, ” which features Stewart singing some of soul music’s most revered tunes. It follows in Stewart’s trend of recording classic covers (he had a resurgence with his “Great American Songbook” album series).
The CD also features appearances by Mary J. Blige and Jennifer Hudson. “Soulbook” was released in October.
La Dolce Musto
And suddenly it was all about hair height when Rock of Ages hosted the Golden Mullet Awards after a performance, honoring the very finest in full-frontal follicle achievement. A high point had the show’s full-tressed star, Constantine Maroulis, presenting a “What Just Happened?” Lifetime award to Bret Michaels, who naturally wasn’t there to accept. “I think he’s fucking my assistant backstage, ” cracked Maroulis. The singer quickly got serious and said he’s glad Michaels healed after banging his head on the Tonys in that notorious Rock of Ages number’â€and, more importantly, “He got us a lot of publicity!”
Fidler takes 46th District
There’s four more years of Lew Fidler on the horizon.
With the polls closed Tuesday, the eight-year incumbent secured another term representing residents in Mill Basin, Mill Island, Marine Park, Canarsie, Bergen Beach and Gerritsen Beach by trouncing Republican challenger Gene Berardelli.
But the voters weren’t the only ones singing his praises Tuesday. Some ‘celebrity talent’ was as well.
Beloved American Idol contestant Sanjaya Malakar was seen handing out Fidler palm cards outside the American Legion Post on Avenue N and East 56th Street in Mill Basin.
‘When I was told yesterday that he was coming I told them I’d believe it when I see it, ‘ Fidler said. ‘But he turned out to be a lovely, humble guy. Lots of people were excited to see him although not everyone recognized him because he didn’t have his pony-hawk.’
EK Success Brands Goes Crafting with the Stars
Musical Stars Natalie Cole, Jordin Sparks, Katherine McPhee, Monica, Colbie Caillat, and Ingrid Michaelson to Create Holiday Ornaments for Charity as Part of new Holiday Concert and Television Special.
Clifton, NJ (MMD Newswire) November 4, 2009 — EK Success Brands has partnered with Holiday Belles, a concert and television music special featuring some of the world’s most popular female artists, to showcase their craft brands through a unique product integration program. EK Success Brands will provide K&Company Holiday scrapbooks and Perler Bead Holiday Ornament sets as gifts for talent, VIPs and media attending a pre-show reception and artist meet and greet before the concert. In addition, the show’s artists will work with EK’s education team to create their own custom holiday ornaments using EK Success branded products. These ornaments will be auctioned off to raise money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
“We are excited to be involved with Holiday Belles’ talented group of artists and to support such a worthy cause thru the expression of crafting, ” commented Rich Ezra, EK Success Brands VP of Marketing.
“So You Think You Can Dance”: Tapping out
As much as tonight’s cut might have hurt Nigel Lythgoe personally, I think it made sense and frankly I’m not surprised that tonight’s eliminated dancers went home. I had a feeling that a certain group would be a quick casualty of the show, and I was right. That group of course is: the tappers.
Actually, I was surprised that Bianca Revels and Phillip Attmore were eliminated before Peter Sabasino, asI thought the first two were favored by the judges, but at the very least in Phillip’s case, it was apparent before his dance was even finished that he and possibly his partner Channing Cooke would be in the bottom three. Their struggles were embarrassingly evident during their Tony Meredith and Melanie LaPatin samba: the way Phillip lifted Channing made it look like she must have weighed 50 pounds more than she did and neither one got the knack of putting their hips into their dance. It was very sad though to hear Phillip reveal that his father recently passed away, but it was heartwarming to hear that so many of his fellow contestants joined him at the funeral.
‘Glee’-fully on Top: Cast of Cult Favorite Revels in Spotlight
The kids are bright-eyed. The teacher is yummy. And the high school hallways are alive with the sound of music.
But saccharine family fare, “Glee” isn’t.
Now barreling into sweeps on Fox television with storylines about potentially adulterous school employees, teen pregnancy and — oh yeah — glee club, the show that initially blew most reviewers out of the water seems to be living up to the hype.
“It was either going to be really good or really bad, ” star Matthew Morrison told ABCNews.com. “As soon as we shot the pilot, there was just this feeling. We knew it was something special.”
Mia Michaels: I’m Going to Be the Next Tyra Banks, Heidi Klum
You’ll still get to see a lot of Mia Michaels, even though she’s no longer on So You Think You Can Dance. The Emmy-winning choreographer, who shocked fans by announcing her exit last month on Twitter, has three shows, a book deal and a clothing line in the works. “It would’ve been very easy to stay, ” Michaels tells TVGuide.com. “But I had all these other opportunities to take my art to the next level. I just constantly want to keep challenging myself and keep putting my work out there.” With so much going on, does she even have time to watch the Fox hit? See what she says, whether she’ll return and why she thinks she’ll be the next media mogul.
‘Dancing With the Stars’ recap: The Same Old Song
Another week, another non-shocking double elimination on season 9 of Dancing With the Stars! NFL star Michael Irvin got the boot first, and everyone is a little sad because he was friendly and exceedingly into it. It’s unlikely we’ll miss much about his dancing, but we may very well miss his abs (see next page). Michael will miss the roaring studio audience most of all, because it’s nice to hear something like that ”when the economy is so bad.” Random! Later, after a dance-off between Mark Dacascos and Aaron Carter, the stupid judges sent Mark home, even though Aaron has been in the bottom 3 like forever. We’ll miss you, Mark. Your Dancing With the Stars tombstone in my mind shall read: ”He Liked To Move It.”
‘So You Think You Can Dance’ recap: Fearless
I don’t know about you, fellow So You Think You Can Dance fans, but last night’s performance/elimination extravaganza has left me more depressed than Jon Corzine’s memory-foam mattress. (Topical humor!) Not only did our foppish British judge unwisely choose to cut our sole female tapper, but a just-ousted Phillip also informed us that his father had passed away little more than a week ago. Add those two sad pieces of information to the fact that last night’s performances left much to be desired, and you’ve got an episode worthy of the frown-y face emoticons Mollee likely texts to pals when her Tamagotchi runs out of batteries. :-( :-( :-(
‘Dancing With the Stars’ results: Dance-off double elimination, part deux
He can finally unclench those butt cheeks and let go of that nickel. After winning over the judges and the audience with his steady improvement and endearing smile, football star Michael Irvin found himself with the lowest combined total number of points, thereby ending his and partner Anna Demidova’s bid for the ‘DWTS’ title.
‘American Idol’ meets Robert Pattinson?
Robert-pattinson-2 Well, sort of. “American Idol” executive producer Simon Fuller has signed on to executive produce “Bel Ami, ” an erotically charged period drama starring Robert Pattinson and Nicole Kidman.
The film, an adaptation of French author Guy De Maupassant’s novel, revolves around a young man’s rise to the top of Parisian society in the 1890s via the beds of the city’s most glamorous and influential women.
Stage directors Declan Donnellan and Nick Ormerod will direct from a script by Rachel Bennette.
