With the bar set very high by Jessica Sanchez and her rendition of ” I Will Always Love You ” on American Idol last night, Erika Van Pelt couldn’t have expected to clear it. But did she come close to matching it? Yes, if you base your opinion on the judges. Van Pelt covered Whitney’s “I Believe in You and Me” for her audition and was told be Jennifer Lopez that gave the panelists “goosies” before even singing a note. Randy chimed in with props for the contestant’s “unbelievable tone,” while Steven added that she simply has a “beautiful fantastic voice.” Watch now and see if you feel the same way: Erika Van Pelt – “I Believe in You and Me”
This broad might need more people… Singer Stacy Francis, a contestant on “The X Factor” last year, spoke with “Extra” about the rumors she was in involved in a scuffle with Whitney Houston, two days before the superstar’s death. Houston spent Thursday at Tru Nightclub in Hollywood with friends, where Francis said she had words with the “I Will Always Love You” singer. “It wasn’t a violent exchange,” explained Francis. “She did not push me… I looked at her and she moved my face away. If it were not Whitney Houston, it could have been very bad.” Whitney was seen later with what looked like blood on her legs. Francis said she wasn’t the cause. “There was nothing that happened between us that caused her to get blood on her leg.” Was the exchange over Whitney’s on-again, off-again boyfriend Ray J? Francis said, “It was a misunderstanding. We went back and forth for a little while, but all I kept saying to her is that ‘I love you very much and I respect you so much.’ I’ve known [Ray J’s] family for a long time. Ray is honestly like a brother to me.” Francis also said she talked to Whitney about the possibility of being a mentor on “The X Factor.” “I said [to Whitney] ‘You should do it. Being a mentor on the show would be so great. And anybody who would be your contestant — it would be so fortunate for them. Man, I would love to go back on the second season for you to be my mentor.” Hit the flizzip to watch this heffa face as she backtracks, recants, and moonwalks better than Michael Jackson…SMH Image via Extra Source
Amy Brumfield spreads a nasty bug, while Richie Law, Brielle Von Hugel and Brianna-Marie Bell fight for the title of Drama Queen. By Adam Graham Group auditions begin on “American Idol” Photo: FOX Group Night Drama took hold of “American Idol” on Thursday (February 9). The whole episode, in fact, zeroed in on the Drama — the infighting, the personality clashes, the late-night bleary eyes — and didn’t make any time for actual, you know, singing. Luckily, there were enough distractions to keep things interesting. A mean sick bug seemed to be going around with the contestants, and Patient Zero was Amy Brumfield, whom you remember as Tent Girl , or the girl who lives in a tent in the woods in Tennessee. Brumfield was down and out for most of the episode, battling flu-like symptoms, while those she came in contact with were also given a mean case of the pukes. Lesson: Perhaps tent life isn’t the healthiest, most stable way to live. Brumfield found herself in a group with Alisha Bernhardt early on, though Bernhardt’s pushiness and insistence her group perform “Joy to the World” — the Three Dog Night version, not the Christmas carol — eventually drove Brumfield away. Bernhardt, a cop, eventually drove everyone in her group away after at one point threatening to fight a fellow contestant; she wound up linking up with another group and rehearsed Sugarland’s “Stuck Like Glue,” rather than “Joy to the World.” But the group’s progress was halted when group member Christian Lopez, wouldn’t you know it, got sick. (No telling if Brumfield was to blame.) Speaking of being sick, Symone Black — the contestant whose nasty fall off the “Idol” rehearsal stage ended Wednesday’s “Idol” episode — made her way back from the hospital to the good news that she’d advanced to the next round but the bad news that most of the groups had already been formed. She was able to quickly link up with a group, however, and her biggest issue seemed to be that her father, George Black, embarrassed her with his level of unconditional support. Competing with Bernhardt for the evening’s Drama Queen title were Brielle Von Hugel, a Hollywood Week veteran who was in a group with Pia Toscano last year, and Brianna-Marie Bell, who turned her nose up at contestants who were unable to identify whether they were an alto soprano or a mezzo soprano. But both were outshined, however, by the cowboy-hat-clad Richie Law, a would-be Scotty McCreery who drove his team — which included wry jokester Heejun Han — with a singular vision and an iron fist. He insisted his group learn multiple harmonies and dance steps and wouldn’t take “no” for an answer, and was seemingly clueless to his teammates’ lack of belief in his vision. “We’re gonna do this my way, and that’s it,” he said at one point, leading to one of many eye-rolls from Han. The episode was all buildup, no climax; viewers will have to wait until next week to find out who stays, who goes and if all the drama was worth it. At the opening of the episode, early favorite Lauren Gray — “I have two words for today: Lauren Gray,” Jennifer Lopez said after the St. Louis auditions — was dismissed. After showing so much promise in her audition, Gray didn’t even end up making it to Group Night. What did you think of Thursday’s “American Idol”? Let us know in the comments! Get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page , where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.
A viral video is one that becomes popular through the process of Internet sharing, via social media, sharing sites, or good ‘ole email. Everyday we highlight some of the best that are currently viral and some that are trending that … Broadcasting platform : Vimeo Source : WebPro News Discovery Date : 08/02/2012 23:11 Number of articles : 2
“American Idol” ended on a scary note Wednesday when the final featured contestant took a tumble right off the stage. Broadcasting platform : YouTube Source : Gossip Cop Discovery Date : 09/02/2012 03:10 Number of articles : 2
‘Adventures of Tintin’ and ‘War Horse’ director tells MTV News, ‘I don’t feel any different than when I was 12 years old making movies.’ By Kara Warner, with reporting by Josh Horowitz Steven Spielberg Photo: MTV News In looking at Oscar-winner Steven Spielberg’s resume or IMDb page, it’s the stuff of two or three careers, not just one. Who knows when the man sleeps, as he has not one but two highly anticipated, expected-to-be-blockbuster films in theaters this holiday season: “The Adventures of Tintin” and “War Horse.” Not that we anticipate he’ll slow down anytime soon, with “Lincoln” and “Robopocalypse” set to hit theaters in 2012 and 2013, respectively — not to mention the slew of films on which he serves as a producer, plus the constant rumblings about the possibility of more “Indiana Jones” and “Jurassic Park” movies. When MTV News sat down with the prolific director recently during the press day for “Tintin,” we asked his thoughts about slowing down. “I never think about being tapped out or retiring. Even though I’m turning 65 in a matter of a week, I never think about that; it just doesn’t occur to me,” he replied. “I just love so much the work and the discovery: the whole process of discovering a new story, a new way to shoot a film, working with new actors I’ve always wanted to work with and never got a chance to until now. And so, for me, every day is a new day, every day is exciting. “And I don’t feel any different than when I was 12 years old making movies with my dad’s 8-millimeter movie camera: I’ve got that same kind of percolation every time I get onto a set.” Check out everything we’ve got on “The Adventures of Tintin” and “War Horse.” For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com . Related Videos MTV Rough Cut: ‘The Adventures Of Tintin’
Josh Krajcik appears to be the favorite going into the performance finale. By Gil Kaufman Josh Krajcik performs on “The X Factor” Wednesday Photo: Ray Mickshaw / FOX Sure, the ratings for “The X Factor” haven’t necessarily scaled the heights that creator/judge Simon Cowell had initially promised and hoped for. But by the time the giant flashing curtain falls on the show at the end of Wednesday night’s (December 21) performance finale, viewers will have tuned in to one of the most unpredictable finales in recent reality-singing show history. The three finalists could not be more different, and if you haven’t tuned in before now, what you’ve missed is nothing less than a master class in building the public persona and marketability of a potential singing star. While Paula Abdul’s groups didn’t last long on the show, the other three judges are still represented in the finale, with each having taken a very different path to Wednesday’s penultimate show. Record executive L.A. Reid has perhaps done the most impressive job building up his contestant, Chris Rene, into a post-millennial everyman. Rene arrived with one of the most compelling backstories of the season. The 28-year-old Santa Cruz, California, singer/songwriter emerged from auditions with the kind of hard-luck tale that you never hear on these kinds of shows. Fresh from rehab and newly sober after years of struggles with crystal meth addiction, Rene — with his heavily tattooed arms and bad-boy pin-up looks — quickly proved to be that rare hybrid rapper/singer who can carry a sweet melody while writing his own hook-filled rhymes. Plus, Rene did something else audiences almost never see: He played an original, the soulful folk/rap hybrid “Young Homie,” during his audition round, which brought the audience, and the judges, to their feet. As the weeks went on, trash collector Rene continued to show his versatility, last week pulling out a guitar and playing his second original song this season (“Where Do We Go From Here”) and unwinding his colorful background during Michael Jackson week as the grandson of Leon Rene, who wrote the Jackson 5 hit “Rockin’ Robin.” And when he revealed this week that he was still using as his father died of cancer and that his dad’s final request was to make him proud, Rene likely melted more hearts across the country. Nicole Scherzinger is represented by wooly bear of a man Josh Krajcik , the 30-year-old Columbus, Ohio, singer whose story line has mainly focused on his determination to not return to his old job rolling burritos. Krajcik, whose powerful, gravelly soul delivery is reminiscent of a young Michael Bolton/ Joe Cocker, has logged many years performing his original songs and covers in Ohio bars with the Josh Krajcik Band, with whom he’s released two albums of original songs. Unlike Rene, though, with the exception of playing piano and guitar on the show, Krajcik has not emphasized his musical chops. Instead, with a few deviations (including a Rihanna song that kind of went sideways on him), he’s covered a variety of songs that are staples on singing competitions, including Etta James’ “At Last,” the Cocker version of the Beatles’ “With a Little Help From My Friends” and the ubiquitous “Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen. The serious, humble Krajcik appears less appealing to a pop audience, as he’s not adept at dancing and is unlikely to have the marketability of a more contemporary singer. His voice, though, is undeniable and fans appear to enjoy hunting out the generous amount of his original material available on the Internet. Plus, as “American Idol” has proven several seasons in a row, America loves a middle-of-the-road Midwestern/Southern dude. Cowell’s lone remaining female contestant, 19-year-old Florida-by-way-of-the-British-Virgin-Islands belter Melanie Amaro came pre-loaded with a crazy story. You see, despite having one of the strongest voices in the competition from the first time she auditioned, Cowell decided after the judge’s home rounds to let her go in favor of some of his other favorites. But in a scene nobody who has followed the almost pathologically self-confident career of Cowell could have predicted, the former “American Idol” judge did an about-face the next week and admitted a mistake and begged Amaro to return. She’s never looked back since, crushing just about any song thrown her way, from the Eagles’ “Desperado” to Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror” and Adele’s “Someone Like You.” Yes, she’s a diva, but she doesn’t act like one, and like her fellow finalists, she’s never been in the bottom three. Which one will emerge victorious and win the much-vaunted $5 million prize? It’s your choice now, America. Who do you think will win “The X Factor?” Let us know in comments below.
Josh Krajcik, Melanie Amaro and Chris Rene will face off in next week’s two-part finale. By Adam Graham Marcus Canty on “X Factor” Photo: FOX Marcus Canty’s luck finally ran out on Thursday’s (December 15) “The X Factor,” as the 20-year-old from Bowie, Maryland, was voted off the show one week away from the finale. That leaves Josh Krajcik , Chris Rene and Melanie Amaro to battle it out for the $5 million recording contract in next week’s finals. Canty found himself in a familiar position on Thursday’s results show when he was among the last two to have his fate read by host Steve Jones. Canty had landed in the bottom two each of the last three weeks but had pulled through each time, including last week’s dramatic finish when he triumphed over cutie-pie contestant Rachel Crow after a controversial decision by Nicole Scherzinger to put the final results in the hands of America’s votes. Canty didn’t have a chance to sing for his life to the judges this week, as votes were decided by America and America only. Krajcik and Canty were the last two standing on the stage, and Krajcik was put through, sending Canty home. The singer, who was compared early on to Bobby Brown, took the news in stride. He was at a disadvantage coming off Wednesday’s episode, after Simon Cowell called his performance of George Michael’s “Careless Whisper” “grotesque” and “an absolute joke.” His version of Boyz II Men’s “I’ll Make Love to You” didn’t fare much better. “It’s not over, just trust me. This is not the last time you will see Marcus Canty,” Canty said after the vote was read. “I gave it my all, and that’s really, at the end of the day, that’s all you can do.” L.A. Reid, who mentored Canty in the competition, expressed sadness at his contestant’s elimination and told Canty he has his support going forward. Some 30 million votes were cast by viewers this week, according to host Jones. Earlier in the episode, Chris Rene was the first act put through to the finals, and Melanie Amaro followed. Jones stressed the results were read in no particular order. The show also saw Florence and the Machine performing “Spectrum” and Nicole Scherzinger debuting her latest single, “Pretty.” Afterward, Cowell weighed in on the performance and mocked Scherzinger’s cosmic judging style by telling her, “I believe in you, you believe in me, you transcend the universe, God is smiling on you, life is a waterfall, and you are the ultimate rainbow.” Krajcik, Rene and Amaro will face off on Wednesday’s 90-minute performance episode, and a winner will be crowned at the conclusion of next Thursday’s two-hour finale. What did you think of the results? Let us know in the comments!
Abercrombie & Fitch is trying to end their ongoing feud with Jersey Shore star The Situation, asking a judge to dismiss his lawsuit against the clothing retailer. If you recall, the ongoing war between Sitch and A&F began back in August when A&F publicly offered to pay The Situation NOT to wear its overpriced duds. A month later, Sitch (real name Mike Sorrentino) sued them, claiming it ripped off his “GTL” and “Situation” trademarks on a line of guido-mocking t-shirts. Now, A&F is trying to put an end to the back-and-forth, claiming he had no right to sue them in the first place because he doesn’t own those very trademarks. He has applied for them, but doesn’t own them. Big, legal difference there. Moreover, A&F claims The Situation’s application for “Gym Tan Laundry” has actually been suspended, because MTV already owns “Gym Tanning Laundry.” The US Patent & Trademark Office thinks they’re too similar. Makes sense. Trademarks aside, A&F insists its shirts are still protected under a law that allows parody as free speech … in other words, the shirts are a harmless joke. Their legal argument is basically that Sitch is full of crap and can’t take a joke. The Jersey Shore star has yet to respond … but watch the Season 5 trailer : Jersey Shore Season 5 Trailer
It’s never easy being the favorite. Just ask the Miami Heat or the Boston Red Sox. But Melanie Amaro has been considered The X Factor front-runner since her very first audition, never faltering under the pressure, giving stellar performance after stellar performance every week on Fox. That didn’t change last night. The talented crooner belted out two covers – one chosen by America, “Hero,” the other on her own, “Feeling Good” – and only cemented her status as the contestant to beat. “You’re the greatest female that ever graced this stage,” L.A. Reid told Melanie. “You are the truth.” Melanie Amaro – Hero Melanie Amaro – Feeling Good
