Country superstar Tim McGraw posted a photo of himself on Twitter last Friday, ostensibly showing off a large Nike athletic shoe for some reason. That’s not what fans are buzzing about, though. The 45-year-old McGraw, with his ripped physique, proved that his wife Faith Hill is one lucky lady. “This is a shoe that can really make a man feel inadequate,” Tim wrote with the photo … making every other male in America feel inadequate. And he’s a great singer. Faith 1, Everyone Else 0.
Paula Abdul is yet to figure out her next professional move. But the former American Idol judge and X Factor panelist is headed into a different decade personally: she turns 50 years old today! A startling fact for those of us who grew up on “Opposites Attract” and now feel ancient ourselves, the singer/dancer has made a career out of being zany for the past few years. But the act finally wore thin after just one season on The X Factor , when good friend/producer/constant flirt Simon Cowell was forced to let Paula go. We hope she lands somewhere successful. What do you think Abdul should do next ? Send your best birthday wishes to Abdul now and also to the following celebrities: Zoe Saldana (34), Salman Rushdie (65) and Blaise Pascal (posthumous).
Lovato and Britney Spears expected to be at Monday (May 14) Fox upfront event. By Gil Kaufman Demi Lovato Photo: Tom Pennington/ Getty Images America will meet the rebooted panel of the “X Factor” on Monday and filling the fourth slot at the judge’s table will be Demi Lovato . The 19-year-old Disney star is expected to make the announcement of her high-profile gig on Monday at the Fox network upfront presentation, which will also officially reveal the worst-kept-secret in TV: that Britney Spears has joined the show as well. Lovato is one of the many names that has been in the mix for the gig, which at one point also included Avril Lavigne, Janet Jackson and Mariah Carey. TMZ confirmed that Lovato has scored the gig, which will put her on alongside series creator Simon Cowell and music executive L.A. Reid when the show comes back for its second season in the fall. Last week, Spears finalized her deal, which will reportedly pay her $15 million for one season’s work. Spears and Lovato replace Paula Abdul and former Pussycat Dolls singer Nicole Scherzinger, who were fired in January after the first season of the heavily-hyped show failed to live up to Cowell’s lofty expectations. Both Lovato and Spears are expected to be on hand on Monday when Fox announces the show’s new lineup at its upfront presentations. Though Lovato has a summer tour planned , those dates will reportedly not conflict with her new duties on “X Factor.” A spokesperson for “X Factor” could not be reached for comment at press time. Last week, MTV News asked some media experts whether the move to “X Factor” makes sense for Spears and the general consensus was that it did. “I think it is a good move, actually,” said Entertainment Weekly writer Tanner Stransky. “I think she has so many people on her team watching what she’s doing and being careful. I think nobody would let her take a misstep, but I think it’s the right move right now.” The only concern is how the reclusive star might deal with the increased scrutiny and requirement to think on her feet on live TV. “I think everyone is a little concerned, simply because Britney has been very press-shy since she’s been in her conservatorship, and everything is incredibly guarded and incredibly controlled,” said Keith Caulfield, associate director of charts at Billboard . “And there can be uncontrollable moments on ‘The X Factor,’ and if things are not completely in control and things are not rehearsed, things could go wrong. With a live show, anything can happen, and that can be very exciting but, at the same time, a little worrisome.” Lovato and Spears, 30, are the kind of young singers that “X Factor” producers were seemingly looking for to give the show a more youthful appeal and share their experience with contestants. Both are former child stars who’ve struggled with personal issues and neither has experience appearing on live network television. Do you think Demi Lovato will make a good “X Factor” judge? Let us know in comments below. Related Photos The Evolution Of: Demi Lovato Related Artists Demi Lovato
We look at Britney’s $15 million deal and what that kind of reality TV money can buy. By Gil Kaufman Britney Spears Photo: Splash News Online $15 million. Sure, on the surface that numbers seems pretty gaudy, especially when you consider it’s for one season of work on a reality TV show that will add up to maybe one month’s work in total for Britney Spears . But we’re talking Britney here and when you aim to reel in the big fish you have to use a really big worm. That might explain why Simon Cowell has gone all-in to get Spears to join him and L.A. Reid on the panel of “Factor” this fall. Spears had been rumored for the gig for months, but considering the low profile she’s kept since her string of personal problems several years ago — which included a nearly total retreat from interviews and unscripted public appearances — the idea of Britney agreeing to appear on live TV twice a week seemed remote. Cowell typically gets what he wants, though, and now the world is going to see more of Britney than we have since her late 1990s heyday. What does that $15 mil buy you? We break it down … by the numbers: $12 million : That’s the figure that Jennifer Lopez reportedly earns for her gig on “American Idol.” We’re not exactly sure what fellow former “Mickey Mouse Club” veteran Christina Aguilera makes for each season of “The Voice,” but she reportedly banks $225,000 per episode, which could add up to nearly $10 million a season. 10,721 : The approximate number of copies of Spears’ Circus album that you could buy with $15 large. 15 : The number of Paula Abdul’s you could pay for one season of “X Factor” for the price of one Britney Spears. $131.8 million : Total grosses for Britney’s 2009 “The Circus” tour. $1.5 billion : Total global grosses for Spears’ various fragrances, which have sold more than one million bottles in five years. 15 : Number of high-end music videos you could make based on the $1 million price tag of Britney’s 2004 clip for “Toxic.” 750 : That’s how many $20,000 bras you could buy based on the reported cost of the super high-end 18K gold brassiere Spears wore in her Twister Dance promo. 3 : The number of “X Factor” winners who could get paid with Britney’s salary for one year. $485 million : What would be left over after you subtracted Britney’s paycheck from what Beyonc
Pop star will earn a reported $15 million for one season. By Katie Byrne Britney Spears Photo: Ethan Miller/ Getty Images Move over, Christina! Now that “The Voice” has wrapped, it’s time for another Mouseketeer-turned-diva to judge future music stars: Britney Spears has reportedly signed a deal to be a judge on “The X Factor,” according to E! News . News first broke in early March that the pop star was in negotiations to join the panel of Fox’s reality singing competition, and last month, it was reported that Spears was being offered $15 million for one season of the show — $3 million more than Jennifer Lopez earns as a judge on “American Idol.” “The contract is signed,” a source told E! “There’s been a lot of back and forth over the past few weeks as they negotiated the small details, but she’s on. It’s all completed and Britney is beyond excited.” In an April interview with TMZ , Cowell remained mum about the Spears negotiation rumors but admitted that he would “love” to have her on “X Factor.” “I think it would be a coup,” he said. “I think she would be a fascinating person to sit next to, so we’ll have to wait and see.” Spears will join returning mentors Cowell and record executive L.A. Reid on the panel. Several stars — from Miley Cyrus and Demi Lovato to Janet Jackson and Mariah Carey — were reportedly discussed as possible replacements for Nicole Scherzinger and Paula Abdul before Spears became the front-runner. There’s no word yet on whether one of those rumored contenders (or anyone, for that matter) will join the show as a fourth judge. “The X Factor” returns to Fox in September, with auditions already under way. Are you excited for Britney to join “The X Factor”? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists Britney Spears
It’s actually happening. Britney Spears is going to become a judge on The X Factor , with a deal pending to pay her $15 million for the role, E! News reports. “Both camps were going back and forth on the money but now they have finally come to agreement on the fee,” says one insider with knowledge of the contract. “That was the big sticking point and now, thankfully, it’s been sorted.” “All they need to do now is work out the smaller points. The fact the money is now set, means that there is nothing stopping this from becoming a reality.” Coming along for the ride with Britney is fiance Jason Trawick. A second source reveals that her soon-to-be husband will become a producer on the show. The source says of Trawick, who will soon gain control of her affairs : “Jason is expected to be there every day Britney is on set. He is her rock and will help guide her through the process. He is the person she trusts the most.” When final, the deal will make Britney Spears the highest paid judge on reality TV, eclipsing Jennifer Lopez’s $12 million for American Idol Season 11. Previous reports indicated that Spears wanted $20 million for the gig, but the show balked at anything over $10 million. Looks like they met halfway. Barring any last-minute setbacks, Spears will fill one of two X Factor judging vacancies after Simon Cowell fired Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger. No word on who will join Britney, Simon and L.A. Reid on the panel. Reps for The X Factor and Fox would neither confirm nor deny this, however, a production insider tells E! News that “this is an exciting time for [Britney].” “It’ll be a fun project and she is welcoming the chance to mentor up-and-coming artists. She loves the idea of helping nurture emerging talent. She’s really looking forward to the project and being able to connect with fans.” The X Factor returns in September. What do you think of the decision to bring Britney on board? Will she be a good judge? Tell us in the comments (and poll) below!
‘She would give me that pop I need,’ last season’s fourth-place finisher tells MTV News of rumored addition to judges’ table. By Christina Garibaldi Marcus Canty Photo: MTV News During his final appearance on “The X Factor,” Marcus Canty promised his fans it was “not over” for him yet, and he was right. The fourth-place finisher, who wowed viewers with his energetic stage presence and smooth R&B style, recently signed to Epic Records and has released his debut single, “Won’t Make a Fool Out of You.” Yet at one time it seemed like we might never have heard his music at all. Before “X Factor” Canty tried but failed to get through the audition rounds for “American Idol.” “I tried ‘American Idol.’ I got in front of the judges, I sang my little heart out, but I guess I didn’t make it,” Canty revealed to MTV News. “I guess they didn’t want me.” “Idol” may not have wanted Canty, but “The X Factor” did. With help from his mother, Canty reluctantly decided to step in front of the judges, hoping to get his chance to go to Hollywood. “The funny thing is that I didn’t want to do ‘X Factor’ at first. I was just like, ‘Man, I’m gonna do it myself,’ then I look on the bill and I see L.A. Reid, and I’m like, ‘Wait a minute, that’s L.A. Reid!’ ” Canty said. “For so long I’ve been trying to get music to him. When it came that time, my mom was like, ‘Look, you should just try it.” With Reid as his mentor, Canty battled his way to a fourth-place finish with some show-stopping performances that gained him comparisons to Al Green and Bobby Brown. Canty also developed relationships with the other judges on the show, including former mentors Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger . “I actually was kind of surprised,” Canty said of the departures of Abdul and Scherzinger. “I thought it was a lot of drama on the show with Paula and Nicole, but they were so nice.” Canty was no stranger to drama himself. The R&B crooner found himself in the bottom two during several episodes, most notably edging out Rachel Crow in an emotional and controversial finish . “I feel like Paula was honest. I feel like Nicole was honest — even in certain situations on the show that they got into, with me and Rachel and at one point, me and Drew,” Canty said. “If I was in that situation I probably wouldn’t know what to do.” With Scherzinger and Abdul out of the judges’ seats, rumors have been swirling that pop star Britney Spears may fill one of the vacant spots. “Oh wow, I haven’t heard that one. Britney Spears, wow. That should be interesting,” Canty said in response to the news. “Britney Spears can be my mentor because, first of all, I was the entertainer. I know she would give me that pop I need. That’s definitely a great fit.” Related Artists Britney Spears
With the American Ido l top 10 taking the stage again tonight, and with this shaping up to be one of the more hotly-contested seasons to date, it’s time for the first THG Power Poll of the season. Who do you see as the favorite right now? 10. Deandre Brackensick : Would have been our choice to leave after last week’s debacle. He can hit the high notes… and that’s about it. 9. Heejun Han : Love the personality, don’t see anything on stage that makes him standout above the rest. It’s solid and nothing more or less. 8. Elise Testone : Might suffer some likability issues. Did you notice her NOT applauding for Erika last week? Or not hugging Skylar? Yes, we’re forced to nitpick when the talent is this even. We did love her version of ” Let’s Stay Together .” 7. Joshua Ledet : We expect plenty of disagreement here. It’s not a question of his voice, just of his theatrics. Ledet’s ” When a Man Loves a Woman ” may have been the single best of any contestant this season, but we can see his act growing old. 6. Skylar Laine : She has the energy and the attitude, that’s for sure. She also has the identity: a rocking country chick. She just lacks the range. 5. Erika Van Pelt : Loved her take on“Edge of Glory.” A smooth, consistent voice makes it hard to see this finalist faltering in the next few weeks. 4. Colton Dixon : Love the risks he takes – a song by White Lion ?!? – and love his confidence on stage. Most definitely stands out on a weekly basis. 3. Jessica Sanchez : Will go down in Idol history for her version of “ I Will Always Love You .” That should be enough to keep her around for awhile. But can she go outside the world of ballads? A less-than-impressive take on “Turn the Beat Around” causes us to wonder. 2. Hollie Cavanagh : Has she had an off week yet? Memorable auditions of “Reflection,” “All the Man That I Need,” and “The Power of Love” prove she has staying power. Could work on her versatility and stage presence. 1. Phillip Phillips : He’s a cute young white guy with a guitar. Until American Idol viewers prove they are capable of crowning someone else, he has to be the favorite. WHO IS YOUR AMERICAN IDOL FAVORITE?
Does Katy Perry already have a new boyfriend? One named Baptiste Giabiconi? The blue-haired singer, who surprisingly announced her divorce from Russell Brand late last year, has been on a whirlwind tour of Europe here in March.
