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‘X Factor’: Josh Krajcik Rocks Out On A Rocky Night

Posted on November 17, 2011 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Astro and Rachel Crow also earn high marks, but Stacy Francis and Lakoda Rayne draw Simon Cowell’s ire. By Adam Graham Josh Krajcik performs on “The X Factor” Photo: FOX “The X Factor” took on rock music Wednesday, with decidedly rocky results. The debate of what really constitutes rock overshadowed the proceedings, with the increasingly catty judges sniping at one another over their song choices and whether they fit the evening’s theme. In the end, only one performer, Josh Krajcik, turned in what could truly be considered a rockin’ performance, plugging in and kicking out the jams with the Foo Fighters’ “Pretender.” Krajcik was the evening’s big winner — inspiring mentor Nicole Scherzinger to head-bang her way through his performance — along with teen rapper Astro, who is quickly becoming a favorite in the competition. Astro’s original song, a dedication to hip-hop rapped to Puff Daddy’s “I’ll Be Missing You,” caused L.A. Reid to gush that he not only has what it takes to win the competition, but also to become a “major international star,” while Simon Cowell told him he has more maturity and intelligence than the older contestants he’s up against. Astro’s consistency, meanwhile, irked Paula Abdul. “Can you just suck for once?” she pleaded. “I don’t think you can!” Here’s how the remainder of the contestants fared: The Boys Chris Rene, sporting one of Jay-Z’s controversial Occupy All Streets T-shirts , did Bob Marley’s “No Woman No Cry,” which Cowell argued wasn’t nearly rockin’ enough. “Loved the performance. Would have been great if the theme was reggae,” Cowell quipped. Marcus Canty’s take on Janis Joplin’s “Piece of My Heart” earned high marks from everyone but Cowell, who said it felt like he was pretending to be someone he’s not. L.A. Reid shot back with a simple, “You rocked!” The Girls Coming off a strong performance last week, Rachel Crow took on the Rolling Stones’ “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” which more than satisfied the judges. “The question is, can you sell records? Can you sell tickets? And the answer is yes,” Reid beamed. Melanie Amaro’s piano-and-vocals version of R.E.M.’s “Everybody Hurts” was dismissed as “so not rock” by Reid, and Scherzinger questioned why she wasn’t moved to tears by the song (she explained that, normally, she is a weeping mess by the song’s close). Cowell, however, boasted that the performance reminded him of Adele and Alicia Keys — performers who are not the least bit rock, mind you, but who happen to sell a lot of records. Fourteen-year-old Drew, meanwhile, took on U2’s “With or Without You” — which was similar to her version of Coldplay’s “Fix You” last week — and Reid, Scherzinger and Abdul all stressed they’d like to hear her do something outside her comfort zone. But Cowell dismissed their comments and praised her, saying he’s confident she’ll be in the competition “until the end.” The Over 30’s LeRoy Bell’s straightforward reading of Bob Seger’s “We’ve Got Tonight” was smacked down by the judges. “You’re good, man, but I need more. This is the big time,” Reid scolded him. Stacy Francis dedicated her performance of Meat Loaf’s “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now” to her “Franatics,” but Cowell trashed her performance with his most stinging critique of the season to date. “It was the sort of thing I would expect someone to sing at the Hilton hotel with people turning their backs eating peanuts,” he said. (It’s safe to say he is not a Franatic.) The Group Lakoda Rayne, Paula Abdul’s sole remaining group , got hammered for what Cowell called their “stupid” and “gimmicky” choreography, and he called the group’s performance of the Outfield’s “Your Love” mashed up with Fleetwood Mac’s “Go Your Own Way” “a complete mess.” When Reid called Cowell’s critique harsh, Cowell barked, “Watch your back” at Reid. Me-ow, you two! One finalist is due to be sent home on Thursday’s (November 17) show, which is also set to feature a live performance by Rihanna. What did you think of rock night on “The X Factor”? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos MTV News Extended Play: ‘X Factor’ Judges Simon Cowell, L.A. Reid

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‘X Factor’: Josh Krajcik Rocks Out On A Rocky Night

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‘Glee’-Cap: Newbie Rory Brings ‘Pot O’ Gold’

Posted on November 2, 2011 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Damian McGinty stops by to critique our Gleek’s Irish folk song. By Jim Cantiello Damian McGinty and Heather Morris in “Glee” Photo: FOX In Tuesday night’s “Pot O’ Gold” episode of “Glee,” McKinley High welcomed a new foreign exchange student, Rory (Damian McGinty), which inspired MTV News’ resident Gleek to write an Irish folk song in his honor. The new guy was great, and “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)” was a jolt of excitement, but in the end, did the oddball custody battle, distracting Congressional race and eyebrow-raising Puck/Shelby romance suggest that the third season might be hitting the same uneven patches that plagued season two? At the very least, viewers had next week’s steamy promo to drool over. Sing along to our latest musical “Glee”-cap! Family, friends and fellow Gleeks Come gather ’round for a story About a kind young Irish lad Who goes by the name of Rory He doesn’t fit in Despite being Under Finn’s wing But, boy, can he sing He’s good for a wish Wants Brittany to kiss His place of bliss Instead, he’s dismissed Mercedes recruits Santana the brute Who threatens the cute New Irish suit He ain’t so keen On being green And Brittany careens Into Shelby’s routines [Damian enters, coughs. The music stops] Damian : “Jim, that’s the worst Irish accent I’ve ever heard. It’s offensively bad. You know the Lucky Charms guy? It’s even worse than that.” Jim : “Um. I … Sorry.” Damian : “Thanks for making me feel welcome, you jerk.” Jim : “Say hi to Klaine for me!” [The song resumes.] How could I go this far without Singing about that promo For next week’s epic episode In which my favorite homos Finally do the deed, my friends? I want it NOW, not later But I could use these seven days To buy a defibrillator Raise your hand if you give a f— About Quinn or Shelby or Puck And keep it raised if you still care When Sue makes jokes about Schuester’s hair Yes, it’s great that Burt went and saved The school play from being extinct But the very last thing that “Glee” needs Is a political plotline that stinks Thank God for Klaine For keeping me sane Did you see when he grabbed his hip? I love that what keeps this show afloat Is actually a “ship” “Last Friday Night” Was oh so right A glorious sight Made me high as a kite Even though that Darren Was the one to sing Despite having been In Katy’s thing A stand-out scene You know what I mean The twirl was a dream Cute to the extreme Next week, our two boys Are gonna be poised To make some noise For us to enjoy [to the tune of “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)”] Next Tuesday night, Klaine goes all the way. What did you think of this week’s “Glee”? Share your reviews in the comments below! Related Videos Musical ‘Glee’-Caps Of Season 3

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‘X Factor’: Rachel Crow Compared To Michael Jackson

Posted on November 2, 2011 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

It was a night full of high praise, with Astro, Josh Krajcik and Melanie Amaro all earning the judges’ approval as well. By Adam Graham Simon Cowell Photo: FOX There was no shortage of praise doled out by the judges on Wednesday’s (November 2) episode of “The X Factor,” with two performers hailed as budding superstars, one compared to a young Michael Jackson and a group praised as one of the world’s best bands. And those acts weren’t even considered the evening’s front-runners! Here’s a recap of Wednesday’s performances, and the compliments that followed: The Girls Following her rendition of the Eagles’ “Desperado,” Melanie Amaro was dubbed “the one to beat” in the competition by Cowell. Meanwhile, Rachel Crow’s take on “Walking on Sunshine” caused Scherzinger to compare the 13-year-old to Jackson 5-era Michael Jackson, and Drew — formerly known as Drew Ryniewicz — wowed the judges with her unorthodox take on Nelly’s “Just a Dream,” which prompted both L.A. Reid and Cowell to say the 14-year-old has the makings of a superstar. The Boys Chris Rene was surrounded by flames during his performance of the Carpenters’ “Superstar,” which Cowell said made it look like he was performing in hell. “That’s called fire, baby, ’cause he’s hot!” gushed mentor L.A. Reid. Elsewhere, pintsize rapper Astro’s blend of “Hip-Hop Hooray” and “Get Ur Freak On” — with original verses by the young MC — had Cowell praising his star quality and Scherzinger saying she wanted to take him to the club, while Marcus Canty’s mash-up of B.o.B’s “Nothin’ on You” and Bobby Brown’s “Every Little Step” had Paula Abdul calling him “a total performer.” The Groups The 10-member InTENsity took pieces of Kim Wilde’s “Kids in America” and LMFAO’s “Party Rock Anthem” and blended them into one “fun, fun, fun” performance, according to Reid, who echoed the other judges’ sentiments about the group. Lakoda Rayne’s vocals — especially their harmonies — were celebrated following their performance of “Landslide,” though Cowell attacked their choice of wardrobe, saying their gowns made them look like they were attending the prom. And the Stereo Hogzz kicked off the evening with a steroid-enhanced version of Janet Jackson’s “Rhythm Nation” that had Abdul calling them “fantastic” and had Cowell complimenting them by saying, “I don’t think there’s a band in the world right now who are as good as you.” Over 30s Burrito maker Josh Krajcik took on Christina Perri’s “Jar of Hearts,” and Cowell said the stark ballad came off as a song that Krajcik wrote himself. Mentor Scherzinger put it another way: “I feel like a proud mom, but we’re, like, the same age, so that doesn’t work.” Stacy Francis, after attempting a pop song last week, took ’em to church with “Up to the Mountain,” which was called “magical” and “a shining moment” by Abdul and called one of the evening’s best by Cowell, who let her kiss him onstage. And 60-year-old LeRoy Bell got decent marks for singing Lonestar’s “I’m Already There,” though Reid criticized the song choice and Cowell said he felt Bell had a confidence problem. On this night, that was about as harsh as the criticism would get. One finalist will be sent home on Thursday’s one-hour live episode of “The X Factor.” It was also announced on Wednesday’s show that “The X Factor” will return next year for a second season. What did you think of the top 12 on “X Factor”? Let us know in the comments!

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‘X Factor’: Rachel Crow Compared To Michael Jackson

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‘X Factor’: Melanie Amaro Stands Out As Five Go Home

Posted on October 26, 2011 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

First live episode whittles pool down to 12 finalists. By Adam Graham Melanie Amaro performs on ‘X Factor’ Photo: FOX Five contestants were shown the door on Tuesday’s “X Factor,” the first live episode of the singing competition. Among those sent away during the two-and-a-half-hour episode was Dexter Haygood, the formerly homeless contestant who once lived on L.A.’s Skid Row. Haygood — described early on as the “funky phenomenon” by his mentor Nicole Scherzinger — said he was “kinda confused” by the dismissal, which followed his bizarro-world mash-up of Britney Spears’ “Womanizer” and Katy Perry’s “I Kissed a Girl,” though he then said he didn’t know why he was confused. “Right now I’m in the boggle zone, which is the 21st century twilight zone,” Haygood explained. Also sent packing during the episode were 20-year-old Tiah Tolliver, a favorite of Simon Cowell’s who was never liked by the other judges; 22-year-old Simone Battle, who plugged her upcoming music video even as she was being given the boot; crooner Phillip Lomax, the 22-year-old who was saddled with singing the outside-of-his-comfort-zone “I’m a Believer” on the episode by his mentor L.A. Reid; and brother duo the Brewer Boys, who apologized to their mentor Paula Abdul (older brother Justin referred to her as “Ms. Paula”) for letting her down in their performance. That left 12 finalists who will go on in the competition:

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‘X Factor’ Judges’ Home Round Ends

Posted on October 18, 2011 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Top 32 contestants vie for spots in the top 16. By Adam Graham Paula Abdul with guest judge Pharrell on the “X Factor” on Sunday Photo: FOX The second half of the final 32 “X Factor” acts performed in front of the judges at their respective homes on Sunday’s episode, vying for spots in the top 16. Those 16 will compete in the show’s live episodes and ultimately battle it out for a $5 million recording contract. The judges were joined by celebrity consultants for this round. Rihanna partnered with L.A. Reid at his home in the Hamptons to evaluate the boys; Pharrell Williams helped Paula Abdul critique the groups in Santa Barbara, California; and Enrique Iglesias assisted Nicole Scherzinger while she evaluated the over-30s at her home in Malibu, California. Over in France, Simon Cowell was joined by a team of industry professionals to assess the girls after his original co-judging choice, Mariah Carey, was detained due to a hurricane. First up for the girls was early favorite Jazzlyn Little, who, despite her imminent stage fright, made a lasting impression early on with her rendition of Mary J. Blige’s “I’m Goin’ Down.” Her nerves seemed to have gotten the better of her again prior to performing, though she pulled through on a stepped-up version of Gloria Gaynor’s disco classic “I Will Survive.” Impressed, Cowell said the 16-year-old “put herself back in the frame,” though vocal coach Savan Kotecha was rougher, dismissing the performance as “a little high school talent show.” Rachel Crow is too young to even enter a high school talent show, yet the 13-year-old sang a resonant version of the Backstreet Boys’ “I Want It That Way” on Cowell’s back patio. Cowell called it “unbelievable” and sent Crow off with a “well done, you,” which had the spiral-haired teenager beaming. Tiah Tolliver, the 20-year-old Washington singer for whom Cowell has fought hard in the competition, put a showy spin on Blackstreet’s “No Diggity,” which seemed to divide Cowell’s aides, though Cowell argued yet again, “I always thought she fits in this show.” But he didn’t have to do any convincing of the merit of 19-year-old Melanie Amaro, whose take on Michael Jackson’s “Will You Be There” caused Cowell to mock-faint on his patio couch. There was no mock-fainting going on with Rihanna, but she was clearly intrigued by Chris Rene, the garbage collector and recovering addict who performed “Everyday People” for her and L.A. Reid at Reid’s picturesque estate. “He has something very special. I want to know more about him,” Rihanna told Reid, helping confirm Rene’s status as one of the show’s early frontrunners. Ri-Ri was also intrigued by 20-year-old Marcus Canty, who sang K-Ci & JoJo’s “All My Life” directly to her, though she said she was unconvinced of his potential star power. Rihanna was less impressed with Brennin Hunt, the 26-year-old with the soap-star good looks, whom she called “corny” and said he gave off a ” ’90s boy band” vibe following his performance of Corinne Bailey Rae’s “Like a Star.” She liked 30-year-old country singer Tim Cifers, who performed a twangy version of Luther Vandross’ touching “Dance With My Father,” though L.A. Reid was disappointed by him. “I wanted so much more from him,” he said. In the over-30 group, Josh Krajcik — whom producers somewhat hilariously insist on referring to as a “burrito maker” — caused Iglesias and Scherzinger to debate his potential star power. The husky singer “is not your typical star,” Iglesias said, and Scherzinger agreed he’s “a little rough around the edges.” But both seemed pleased with his version of “The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face,” and the “burrito maker” seems poised to live another day in the competition. Meanwhile, 42-year-old wedding DJ Tiger Budbill seemed to be making a direct plea to the judges with his version of Solomon Burke’s “Don’t Give Up on Me,” which hit home but also had Scherzinger questioning his marketability. (Didn’t she notice his name is Tiger Budbill ? What more do you need?) Christa Collins, meanwhile, a former child star who claimed to be the prototype for Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera, sang an awkward version of Radiohead’s “No Surprises” that left Scherzinger wanting more “pain” and “emotion” from her. And from Scherzinger’s perspective, nerves got the best of 60-year-old LeRoy Bell during his rendition of “Make You Feel My Love,” which could hurt his chances going forward. In the groups category, the standouts were the Stereo Hoggz, the Houston group whom Pharrell praised as mixing Motown soul with Ginuwine swagger, and Intensity, the group of 10 outcast solo artists who were put together as a group by the judges. They performed an exciting mash-up of the Ting Tings’ “That’s Not My Name” and Hall & Oates’ “You Make My Dreams Come True.” On Tuesday’s “X Factor,” the top 16 acts will be chosen, leaving the other half to pack their bags and say goodbye. Who do you think should make the top 16? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos MTV News Extended Play: ‘X Factor’ Judges Simon Cowell, L.A. Reid

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Michael Jackson Doctor Called Girlfriend As MJ Died

Posted on October 4, 2011 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Three of Dr. Conrad Murray’s former girlfriends take the stand Tuesday. By Gil Kaufman Nicole Alvarez Photo: Pool/ Getty Images Prosecutors in the involuntary manslaughter trial of Michael Jackson ‘s physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, called one of the cardiologist’s girlfriends to the stand Tuesday (October 4) in an attempt to nail down what Murray was doing as his famous client was dying of cardiac arrest. Houston, Texas, steakhouse waitress Sade Anding told the jury that six minutes into a phone call with Murray on June 25, 2009, Murray suddenly disappeared as she was telling him about her day. “I realized he was no longer on the phone,” she said of the call that took place less than a half-hour before Murray placed a frantic call to Jackson’s assistant asking for help. At one point, she described hearing coughing, mumbling and other voices on Murray’s end, as if his phone was in his pocket. The call was one of a half-dozen that phone records show Murray made during a crucial time when prosecutors say he should have been monitoring Jackson’s vital signs closely. Other testimony on Tuesday:

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Simon Cowell: ‘X Factor’ Boot Camp Is ‘Uncomfortable’

Posted on October 4, 2011 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘You really do feel what it’s like to be a contestant on one of these shows,’ he tells MTV News. By James Montgomery, with reporting by Jim Cantiello Simon Cowell Photo: MTV News As if early episodes — and folks like Brian Bradley , 2Squar’d and that dude who ripped off Prince &#8212l; haven’t already proven the point, “X Factor” has been working overtime to prove that it’s nothing like “American Idol.” And if for some reason you’re still not seeing the differences, well, just wait until the “Factor” kicks off its Boot Camp on Wednesday night’s show. Because, as judge Simon Cowell told MTV News, unlike the high-gloss “Idol” Hollywood Week, Boot Camp will be, well, real. “I’ve seen them all and I’ve made a ton of them, [and] what I do know, because obviously I was there, [was] that I wanted to show the viewers what actually happened,” he said. “So the first cut you get is the producer’s cut, where everything’s fantastic and I’m hilarious, whatever, whatever. But that was not the week I saw. Just show the process — the good, the bad, the terrible. Let the audience make their own mind up. “I mean, it’s quite uncomfortable,” Cowell continued. “[And] I haven’t seen the finished cut yet, but it’s a lot, lot better, and you really do feel you know what it’s like now to be a contestant on one of these shows and what we felt; we were under pressure as well.” Highlighting that pressure is the added emphasis on choreography, which really comes to the forefront during Boot Camp — for better or worse. But, as Cowell said, viewers will get to see it all, because that’s what auditioning for a singing competition is really like. “It wasn’t a test. We didn’t judge them on it. We just said that if you wanted to be a star today, you’re going to have to be on a stage in front of lots of people, and sometimes you’re going to have to learn how to dance,” he said. “Certain people just flatly refused to do it, other people tried and failed miserably, and then other people we were kind of drawn to because we thought, ‘You should try it … we’re looking at you.’ ” Are you looking forward to Boot Camp on “X Factor”? Let us know in the comments!

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Simon Cowell Denies Calling Beyonce, Lady Gaga ‘Boring’

Posted on September 30, 2011 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘X Factor’ judge clarifies reports that he accused the superstar singers of lacking said factor. By Jocelyn Vena Photo: Ray Mickshaw/ FOX Simon Cowell is conducting damage control following some insulting statements he allegedly made recently. The always outspoken “X Factor” judge reportedly said that Katy Perry , Lady Gaga and even Beyonc

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‘X Factor’ First-Night Ratings Underwhelming

Posted on September 22, 2011 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

With 12.1 million viewers, Simon Cowell’s show pulls half ‘American Idol’ season 10 premiere audience. By Gil Kaufman Simon Cowell on “The X Factor” Photo: FOX Simon Cowell has been talking all week about how he’d like his new reality singing show to bury the competition, which, in his case is his old reality singing stomping grounds, “American Idol.” Well, “The X Factor” is going to have to do a lot better than it did during its Wednesday night debut if it’s going to reach the “Idol” critical mass. According to overnight ratings, not only did “Factor” pull about half of the typical “Idol” market share, it wasn’t even the highest-rated show that aired last night. According to Nielsen, “Factor” pulled in 12.1 million viewers for its heavily hyped two-hour debut, with a 4.4/12 rating in the prized 18 to 49 demographic, which was far below the numbers for the night’s ratings champ, Emmy-winning sitcom “Modern Family,” which boasted 14.3 million viewers and a 6.0/15 for its season premiere. In fact, “Factor” was only the fourth most-watched show of the night. The Hollywood Reporter noted that overall “Factor” averaged an 8.7 rating, which was half of the 16.4 rating “Idol” pulled in earlier this year in its season 10 premiere, which drew 26.1 million eyeballs in January. The trade magazine called it a “quiet start” for a show with the richest prize on TV — a $5 million recording contract — and which the mag reported cost the Fox network $250 million to obtain the U.S. rights from NBC. That’s on top of the untold millions Fox spent promoting the show all summer and what we can only assume is Cowell’s hefty producer/judging fee. Before the “Factor” debut, Cowell told the Reporter he would view anything less than 20 million viewers for the first show as a “disappointment.” As with “Idol,” it’s likely the ratings for “X Factor” will grow as the season progresses and the competition becomes more intense among contestants to whom viewers have become attached. And judging from the first episode, while the show certainly has some glaring similarities to “Idol,” there are enough novel touches — a wider age range of contestants, singing groups and a live audience at auditions — that like the hit singing competition “The Voice,” Cowell’s latest might find its footing and end up with solid, but perhaps not record-shattering ratings. Or, it could be that no matter how much we love to hate Cowell, America doesn’t have enough room in its heart for three celebrity-packed singing shows . Only time will tell. Get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page , where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

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50 Cent To Release First Single From New Album This Week

Posted on April 18, 2011 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

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50 Cent is releasing the first single from his new album this week. The rapper made the announcement of the song’s impending arrival via Twitter today, April 18th. “I’m putting my first single off my new album out this week,” 50 wrote on the social networking site. “Nothing but heat.” 50 has yet to divulge the title of the song or the new album. 50 also revealed last week that his new album will come packaged with a new movie that the rapper will write and direct.  50′s last album, 2009′s Before I Self Destruct also came with a self-written and directed movie. Source: 50 Cent’s Twitter feed RELATED: Jersey Shore’s DJ Pauly D: The Next G-Unit Soldier? RELATED: 50 Cent Being Stalked By “Wanksta” Video Girl

50 Cent To Release First Single From New Album This Week

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