Are you ready to welcome Jennifer Lopez back to the judges’ table, American Idol fans? Following a dismally rated season – and amidst talk that Adam Lambert or Kelly Clarkson will be joining Jennifer Hudson as a panelist in 2014 – an insider tells People that Lopez is “very close” to signing a new deal with the show. Both Fox and the artist want a contract to “happen very much,” the source adds, explaining why J. Lo took last season off: “She had committed to a world tour. But now that the tour is over, she has more time to raise her family, do movies and pursue television projects.” And the schedule of an American Idol judge reportedly fits the star’s plans perfectly. Coming off such a disappointing season, Fox has cleared house at the competition. Mariah Carey, Nicki Minaj and Randy Jackson are all out as judges. Even Nigel Lythgoe has been let go as producer. Is Lopez the answer to this program’s rating prayers? Do you want to see her return? Yes, she’s fantastic! No, the show needs new blood American Idol is still on?!? View Poll » UPDATE : Keith Urban WILL be returning to Idol! Fox President Kevin Reilly made the announcement this afternoon.
Just when you think there can’t be another JFK assassination movie, along comes Parkland. The upcoming Parkland is told from the point of view of the doctors, nurses, and staff of Parkland Hospital in Dallas where President Kennedy was treated and ultimately pronounced dead. Zac Efron stars as the young surgeon, Jim Carricon, who first treated the President after he arrived at the hospital. Carricon stayed at Kennedy’s side until he was pronounced dead. Quite a bit of distance with this role from the rumored Star Wars 7 , Ben Skywalker role . Click through for more Parkland images including Marcia Gay Harden as a nurse and Billy Bob Thornton as Secret Service Agent, Forrest Sorrels. Parkland will premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival before it’s release in theaters on September 20th.
8 Black People Who Hate On Barack Obama Barack Obama hasn’t been close to the perfect President. He’s deserved his fair share of criticism but he also has done plenty right with the country. But that hasn’t stopped the haters from coming after him. And some of those haters are Black. These Black people have earned the slander of Black America for their hatred spewed at the President.
His infamous “47 percent” remark was taken out of context, former presidential candidate Mitt Romney tells The Washington Post in a new interview. The oft-cited quote was widely interpreted as the 2012 GOP nominee stating that 47 percent of Americans can’t be persuaded to take personal responsibility. Romney says that’s not what he was implying at all. Mitt Romney on Obama Voters “Actually, I didn’t say that,” he says. “That’s how it began to be perceived, so I had to ultimately respond to the perception, because perception is reality.” The Mitt Romney 47 percent comment was made at a May 2012 closed-to-the-press fundraiser in Florida, where he made his pitch to donors: “And so my job is not to worry about those people … I’ll never convince them that they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives.” “What I have to do is convince the 5-10 percent in the center that are independents, that are thoughtful, that look at voting one way or the other.” Romney told the Post that the focus of his remarks was on swing voters , not on those who were already in President Barack Obama’s camp. “[I]t was saying, ‘Look, the Democrats have 47 percent, we’ve got 45 percent, my job is to get the people in the middle, and I’ve got to get the people in the middle.'” “They’ve got a bloc of voters, we’ve got a bloc of voters, I’ve got to get the ones in the middle. And I thought that that would be how it would be perceived.” Romney’s argument that the remarks were taken out of context is a new defense for him … and doesn’t quite explain the “care for their lives” bit. In the run-up to the election, Romney at first stood by the remarks, but said they were “not elegantly stated.” Later on he said they were “completely wrong.” Romney nonetheless acknowledged that the quote was “very damaging” to his campaign, and based on the 2012 election results , it’s hard to argue.
This is a damn shame. Train Operator In Spain Derailment Bragged About Going Too Fast On Facebook According to The NY Post Not only was one of the operators of the Spanish train that fatally derailed Wednesday going way too fast, he also found time to brag about it on Facebook. Francisco Jose Garzon Amo posted photos of the train’s speedometer on the social networking site, according to Spain media outlet El Pais. Garzon is in custody at a hospital where he is recovering from minor injuries. The accident claimed the lives of at least 80 people. Garzon, 52, posted a photo of the speedometer reading 200 km/h (125 mph). He responded to a friend who commented on the picture: “If I went any faster, they’d fine me.” A screengrab was obtained by Gawker.com and then later removed from Garzon’s Facebook. “What fun it would be to drive side-by-side the police and then pass them by, triggering the speed radar,” Garzon added. “Haha, bit of a fine or [train operator] Renfe, ha ha!” Garzon, a 30-year veteran of Spain’s national rail network, radioed in right before the crash saying the train was going “190” km/h (120 mph). An Associated Press analysis of video images suggests the train may have been traveling at twice the speed limit, or more, along that curved stretch of track. Spain’s government said two probes have been launched into the train’s derailment Wednesday night on its approach to this Christian festival city in northwest Spain, where planned celebrations in honor of one of Jesus’ disciples gave way to a living nightmare. The regional government in Galicia confirmed that police planned to question Garzon, in Santiago de Compostela’s main hospital with unspecified injuries, as both a witness and as a possible suspect, but cautioned that possible faults in safety equipment were also being investigated. The Interior Ministry raised the death toll to 80 in what was Spain’s deadliest train wreck in four decades. The Galician government said 94 others remained hospitalized in six regional hospitals, 31 of them — including four children — in critical condition. The U.S. State Department said one American was killed in the crash and five others were injured. State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said those numbers were “likely to change” and declined to elaborate. “Today the American people grieve with our Spanish friends, who are in our thoughts and prayers,” President Barack Obama said in a statement. If he would have spent less time on Facebook bragging, people would still be alive.
David Kernell, the former college student who hacked Sarah Palin’s email in 2008 looking for politically damaging information, is FINALLY off probation. Kernell’s prison term ended in November 2011, and a judge has now ended his post-prison probation, The Commercial Appeal of Memphis, Tenn., reports. He was scheduled to remain on probation until late 2014, but Judge Thomas Phillips agreed to Kernell’s request to end his probation early. As NBC affiliate WBIR notes, Kernell’s attorney Wade Davis continues to argue, five years later, that his client only committed a youthful prank. When he did hack Palin’s email, the young man was a student at the University of Tennessee. He did complete his degree after he was out of prison. Phillips didn’t want to send Kernell to prison in the first place. In fact, he had ordered the college student to report to a halfway house in Knoxville. However, the U.S. Bureau of Prisons overruled Thomas and instead sent the 22-year-old prankster straight to the slammer for his cyber “crime.”
Rev up those engines and prepare that DVR, FX fans. The network has announced a premiere date for Sons of Anarchy Season 6 . Jax, Clay, Tara and company will return to chase down enemies, blow up bad guys and cause lots of general mayhem on Tuesday, September 10… via a special 90-minute premiere! Sons of Anarchy Season 6 Promo Look for Season 6 to continue with a focus on Jax’s Presidency, as Bobby has resigned as Vice President and Tara has been sent to jail (by Gemma?). Clay, meanwhile, is nearing the end, while creator Kurt Sutter has labeled upcoming episodes as the “most violent” in show history – which says A LOT. What else could possibly happen in Charming?
Forbes Magazine Apologizes For Calling Irish President ‘Gay’ Forbes Magazine is biting the bullet and humbling themselves after they recently described Ireland’s President as a gay man in a recent article on their website. via ABC News Financial news publisher Forbes says it’s apologizing to Ireland’s president for inaccurately describing him as gay in an online article. The New York-based media company pulled the offending piece from its website Wednesday and replaced it with an apology to readers and, indirectly, to President Michael D. Higgins. “Forbes will be issuing an apology to President Higgins in a separate correspondence,” the publisher said. Higgins, who has a wife and four children, offered no immediate response. The article, posted Tuesday by Ireland-based blogger David Monagan, called Higgins an “acknowledged h*m*sexual.” Higgins, a poet and intellectual who supports gay rights, was elected as Ireland’s ceremonial head of state in 2011. One candidate he defeated, Sen. David Norris, is Ireland’s foremost campaigner for gay rights and famously open about his ho*ose*uality. SMH. They had this man’s wife giving him the super-sideeye for no reason at all.
President Barack Obama has again waded into the controversy that is the death of Trayvon Martin and the subsequent George Zimmerman verdict. Last weekend, he urged the public to honor the deceased, while respecting the verdict. Today’s remarks were more impromptu and less detached. Speaking at the White House about the Martin-Zimmerman case, Obama reacted both personally and as a member of the African-American community. “When Trayvon Martin was first shot, I said that this could have been my son,” he said. “Another way of saying that is Trayvon Martin could have been me 35 years ago.” “When you think about why, in the African-American community at least, there’s a lot of pain around what happened here.” “I think it’s important to recognize that the African-American community is looking at this issue through a set of experiences and a history that … that doesn’t go away.” “There are very few African-American men in this country who have not had the experience of being followed when they are shopping at a department store.” “That includes me. There are probably very few African-American men who have not had the experience of walking across the street and hearing the locks click on the doors of cars.” “That happens to me – at least before I was a senator.” “There are very few African-Americans who have not had the experience of getting on an elevator and a woman clutching her purse nervously and holding her breath until she had the chance to get off.” “That happens often. “I don’t want to exaggerate, but those sets of experiences inform how the African-American community interprets what happened one night in Florida.” “And it’s inescapable for people to bring those experiences to bear.” “The African-American community is also knowledgeable that there is a history of racial disparities in the application of criminal laws, everything from the death penalty to enforcement of drug laws.” “And that ends up having an impact in terms of how people interpret the case.” This past Saturday, Zimmerman was found not guilty by a Florida jury of all charges stemming from the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Martin in 2012. President Obama, who also seemed to reference the Marissa Alexander case with his mention of “racial disparities,” finds himself in an unusual position. As the first African-American U.S. President, many feel he should be more involved in helping lead and shape the national discussion regardng racism. Obama has worked hard, however, to not let his racial background define who he is, and is often reluctant to comment strongly on the subject if at all. Today’s remarks on race reflect that paradox, as Obama tried to express his empathy toward the Martins and others he believed have been wronged. He is willing to point out what he feels are injustices within society, yet is not inclined to offer specific solutions for fear of backlash or making himself the story. By commenting on the verdict, perhaps Obama sought to ease some of the racial tension surrounding the case, yet also reiterate how bad it is. It’s a fine line to walk, and exemplifies what a deeply personal, divisive complex topic this is for so many Americans, even in 2013. Tell us what you think: Did the George Zimmerman jury get it right? And should Obama be weighing in more on the topic of racism? Or less? Or not at all? Sound off below .
Another Uncle Tom . Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson Calls Trayvon Martin A Thug Trayvon was not a thug simply because he walked slowly down the street in a hoodie and was minding his own business. George Zimmerman is the thug because he followed Trayvon for no damn reason and shot him. According Fox News Reverend Jesse Lee Peterson expressed his extreme displeasure on CNN tonight over how the Trayvon Martin case has been covered in the media. He railed against “race hustlers” like Al Sharpton and told Piers Morgan the media is irresponsibly making Martin out to be some kind of “innocent little kid” instead of, in his opinion, being honest about Martin being a young thug. Peterson said that people like Sharpton and President Obama have only injected themselves into this case to “incite the anger of black Americans and others,” adding that they’ve been “using black Americans by dividing the races” and “intimidating white people to get more power.” Morgan asked Peterson if the outcome would have been the same if instead of Martin, it had been a young white man like Mark Zuckerberg in a hoodie. Peterson said it wouldn’t have mattered, and shot down the “absolute lie” that Martin was “some innocent little kid, tip-toeing through the tulips.” He declared, “Trayvon Martin was a thug. His parents know that, you know that, I know that.” It’s not only these tragic cases that hurt black people, but Uncle Toms like this who tear their communities down rather than build it up.
