I’ve never actually seen it, but from what I’m hearing Christina Aguilera’s new show The Voice isn’t doing all that badly in the ratings. So I’m a little confused as to why the producers thought it would be a good idea to squeeze Christina’s chunky thighs into some hot pants and parade them around on stage like you would a cow at a cattle auction. We’re not looking for a good brisket here. We know she’s put on weight, so cover up the thunder thighs and accentuate her new big chesticles in a low cut top and get on with the show. It just seems like common sense to me.
Over at Movieline sister site Deadline, Nikki Finke’s got a whopper of an interview with Simon Cowell , who revealed to her his proposed line-up of judges for the U.S. version of the British reality contest series The X Factor . Will reuniting with fellow American Idol judge Paula Abdul draw in the ratings? Bigger question: Who is Cheryl Cole?
After Chris Brown’s explosive blowup at “Good Morning America” last week, it’s reported that ABC wants to book him in a sit down interview with none other than ex-girlfriend Rihanna. Wow. The network hopes that they will be able to pull this off since the restraining order Rihanna had against Chris was lifted a few months ago. According to Popeater.com , a source close to ABC News told E! that they wanted to “milk this event for everything that its worth.. it’s all about the ratings.” Another rumor is that the network is thinking about offering Chris a reality show even though E! shut that rumor down right at the source, saying “No, that would never happen.” What is more likely to happen according to sources close to the network is having Chris and Rihanna sit down and talk for the first time, on television. E! says that if ABC is able to pull this interview off, Robin Roberts (the same women who Chris sat down with during his Good Morning America interview before he went off in the dressing room), will be the woman orchestrating the television special. In other Chris Brown news, ABC is still allowing him to make an appearance on “Dancing With The Stars” this upcoming week. RELATED: Chris Brown & Rihanna Reconciling? RELATED: Chris Brown’s Publicist Throws Up The Deuces; Terminates Relationship RELATED: Chris Brown Gets It In At F.A.M.E. Release Party [PHOTOS] RELATED: Chris Brown Apologizes For “GMA” Rampage [VIDEO] RELATED: Chris Brown Talks Twitter Hook Ups & Guilty Pleasures [EXCLUSIVE] RELATED: Chris Brown Breaks Down “F.A.M.E.’s” Double Meaning [EXCLUSIVE] RELATED: ABC Won’t Press Charges Against Chris Brown RELATED: Chris Brown Invited Back On “Good Morning America” RELATED: Chris Brown’s Appearance on “DWTS” May Be Cancelled Due To “GMA” Outburst RELATED: Robin Roberts: Chris Brown Approved My Rihanna Questions RELATED: Chris Brown Explodes In Rage, Breaks Window At “Good Morning America” [VIDEO]
The Real Housewives of D.C. has not been renewed for a second season, according to Radar Online . Now if someone would just tell the cast members. The fifth installation of the hit reality franchise arrived with great hype last year, thanks in large part to White House party crasher Michaele Salahi . The downside, however, was that it pretty much sucked from day one. “The show just didn’t do well and it wasn’t worth airing another season,” a source said, noting that the cast still has not been officially told about it. “No one has been contacted yet and told that the show is canceled.” Perhaps, to borrow one of our favorite Office Space quotes , Bravo just decided to halt filming with no notice and “let things work out naturally”? In any case, Miami is also on the chopping block. The latest spinoff has done so poorly in the ratings, producers are scaling back, not expanding. “After DC failed in the ratings and Miami just bombed, they realized they can’t just start a show anywhere and it will succeed,” the source said. The flagship Orange County, Atlanta, New Jersey, New York and Beverly Hills housewives look safe for now. Safe, pompous and oh-so entertaining.
‘Auto-Tune is absolutely a no-no in this show,’ Ray Chew tells MTV News of manipulating the voices of ‘Idol’ hopefuls. By Kara Warner “American Idol” top 13 Photo: FOX Coming into the shiny new season of “American Idol,” the show’s producers made it clear to the viewing masses that season 10 would be a revamped version of the ratings juggernaut. But along with the competition show’s many changes plenty has remained the same, in particular, the show’s stance on all-live singing, all the time. When MTV News caught up with new “Idol” music director Ray Chew recently, we asked him to address those Auto-Tune rumblings that seem to creep into critical discussions and/or Internet message boards each season, and whether it’s even possible to incorporate the device on the show. “No Auto-Tune,” Chew told us. “This is a [singing] contest, so that is absolutely a no-no. Plus the show, it’s happening live, so Auto-Tune would be a process that you’d either have to use globally or selectively with parts,” he explained. “All the vocals that you hear are live, there is no kind of manipulation of anything and auto-tune is absolutely a no-no in this show.” Another point of contention — also mentioned in previous seasons — is the judges, contestants and studio audience experience the sound during live tapings of “American Idol,” versus the version that TV audiences hear at home. (Former judge Simon Cowell, for example, used to make comments that the version he heard in the studio was different from the one he watched on his TV.) Chew assured us that the “Idol” team goes to “great lengths” to ensure the sound quality is the best it can be. “I know that they’ve been aware of comments like that,” Chew revealed. “And we’ve gone to great lengths to improve the audio production and the sonic quality of what happens coming out of the final TV mix,” he said. Before signing on to “Idol,” Chew worked as the musical director for a myriad of live-music performance events, including the BET Awards, the Inaugural Ball, as well as performances by artists like Jennifer Hudson, Rihanna, Prince and Aretha Franklin. Don’t miss “Idol Party Live” every Thursday on MTV.com, following the “American Idol” results show, for analysis, celebrity guests and even some karaoke — get in the conversation by tweeting with the hashtag #idolparty ! In the meantime, get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page , where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Photos ‘American Idol’ Season 10 Performances
‘Idol’ puts up biggest non-sports Thursday ratings numbers since 2007. By Gil Kaufman Steven Tyler holds up his swear sign on “American Idol” Photo: FOX Simon who? Perhaps putting to rest any fears that “American Idol” would nosedive without iconic judge Simon Cowell, Thursday night’s first elimination episode of season 10 put up some stellar numbers for the singing competition. On a night when most of the competition on rival networks consisted of reruns (including, count ’em, six episodes in a row of “The Office” on NBC!) after the vaults were emptied last month during sweeps, “Idol” raked in 25 million viewers to win the ratings crown. In fact, the impressive numbers for “Idol” gave Fox the most-watched non-sports Thursday night number of any network over the past four years. The two-hour extravaganza, which not only shaped the top 10 , but also featured six performances by singers vying to score three wild card spots — not to mention the debut of judge Jennifer Lopez’s “On the Floor” music video — was a 29 percent increase of last season’s first elimination night, according to Billboard With an 8.1 rating in the 18 to 49 demo, numbers were also up 13 percent over last Thursday’s “AI” episode. As you might expect, ratings climbed during the pivotal final half-hour of the broadcast, going from 25.96 million between 9 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. to 26.66 million for the final half-hour. The good ratings news bodes well for the start of live competition next week, when new judges Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez will have to finally show their stuff during two real-time broadcasts a week after charming viewers during the season’s pre-taped episodes. Don’t miss “Idol Party Live” every Thursday on MTV.com, following the “American Idol” results show, for analysis, celebrity guests and even some karaoke — get in the conversation by tweeting with the hashtag #idolparty ! In the meantime, get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page , where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Videos ‘Idol Party Live’ With MTV News’ Jim Cantiello Related Photos ‘American Idol’ Season 10 Performances ‘American Idol’ Season 10 Top 24
‘Idol’ puts up biggest non-sports Thursday ratings numbers since 2007. By Gil Kaufman Steven Tyler holds up his swear sign on “American Idol” Photo: FOX Simon who? Perhaps putting to rest any fears that “American Idol” would nosedive without iconic judge Simon Cowell, Thursday night’s first elimination episode of season 10 put up some stellar numbers for the singing competition. On a night when most of the competition on rival networks consisted of reruns (including, count ’em, six episodes in a row of “The Office” on NBC!) after the vaults were emptied last month during sweeps, “Idol” raked in 25 million viewers to win the ratings crown. In fact, the impressive numbers for “Idol” gave Fox the most-watched non-sports Thursday night number of any network over the past four years. The two-hour extravaganza, which not only shaped the top 10 , but also featured six performances by singers vying to score three wild card spots — not to mention the debut of judge Jennifer Lopez’s “On the Floor” music video — was a 29 percent increase of last season’s first elimination night, according to Billboard With an 8.1 rating in the 18 to 49 demo, numbers were also up 13 percent over last Thursday’s “AI” episode. As you might expect, ratings climbed during the pivotal final half-hour of the broadcast, going from 25.96 million between 9 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. to 26.66 million for the final half-hour. The good ratings news bodes well for the start of live competition next week, when new judges Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez will have to finally show their stuff during two real-time broadcasts a week after charming viewers during the season’s pre-taped episodes. Don’t miss “Idol Party Live” every Thursday on MTV.com, following the “American Idol” results show, for analysis, celebrity guests and even some karaoke — get in the conversation by tweeting with the hashtag #idolparty ! In the meantime, get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page , where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Videos ‘Idol Party Live’ With MTV News’ Jim Cantiello Related Photos ‘American Idol’ Season 10 Performances ‘American Idol’ Season 10 Top 24
In an open letter of his own, Scott Rodger said he’s ‘proud of this band and what they’ve achieved.’ By James Montgomery Arcade Fire at the 2011 Grammy Awards Photo: Getty Images Three days after music-industry vet Steve Stoute took out a full-page ad in The New York Times to blast the Grammys for being out of touch and vaguely evil, the manager of one of the bands he singled out responded, calling Stoute’s missive “a nice piece of self publicity.” In an e-mail to industry insider Bob Lefsetz, Scott Rodger, manager of Album of the Year winners the Arcade Fire , ripped Stoute for calling into question not only the validity of the band’s triumph but also their show-closing second performance. While the encore served as a de facto victory lap for the band, to Stoute it appeared to be proof positive that the Grammys were rigged and in need of a serious overhaul. “Arcade Fire had the final slot on the Grammys as the ratings are low at the end of the broadcast. It really is that simple,” Rodger wrote. “[There was] no big plot. We had no guarantee of air time, but it was simply to play out the end-credits of the show. … For the Grammys international broadcast, our main performance — along with that of Mumford & Sons and the Avett Brothers was completely cut from the show. Our end-title performance was bastardized because they cut our ads/sponsor messages completely. It was a bit of a farce.” Rodger also defended his band’s AOTY win — which Stoute took issue with in his Times open letter, and then again in a follow-up interview with The Hollywood Reporter, — because, well, they “deserved” it. “They made the best album. If the award was named ‘Album Sales of the Year,’ there would be no discussion,” Rodger wrote. “Eminem made a big-selling album, but it was far from being his best work. Katy Perry made a big pop record that simply didn’t have weight or credibility. Gaga’s … was a repackage of the main release. “Arcade Fire are now one of the biggest live acts in the world. It’s not all about record sales. It’s about making great records, and it’s about building a loyal fanbase,” he continued. “The band make great albums, they’re not a radio-driven singles band. … Things couldn’t be better.” Rodger closed his e-mail by taking a final shot at Stoute, saying that his protests were myopic — since Arcade Fire’s triumph was actually celebrated by big-selling artists — and that “he needs to tune in.” “Did he see Kanye’s tweets when we won and the praise he gave us?” he wrote. “I’m proud of this band and what they have achieved.” Related Videos Backstage Interviews From The Grammys Related Photos The 2011 Grammy Awards Show Related Artists Arcade Fire
Justin Bieber got a new haircut today, February 21, 2011. Here are some of the photos of Justin’s new ‘do, be sure to let us know what you think and be sure to let us know if you miss Justin’s famous Bieber Swoosh haircut! Here’s what Justin posted to let his fans know about chopping off his locks: Yeah so it’s true…i got a lil haircut…i like it…and we are giving all the hair cut to CHARITY to auction. Details coming soon. View Poll
LOS ANGELES ( Hollywood Reporter ) – In an unprecedented move, Paramount ‘s Insurge Pictures will release an updated director’s fan cut of “Justin Bieber: Never Say Never” in a one-week exclusive run, beginning February 25. Director Jon M. Chu ‘s updated “Justin Bieber: Never Say Never Director’s Fan Cut” will play only in 3D runs in the U.S. and Canada , replacing the original version. There will be 40 minutes of new footage. Chu has trimmed 30 minutes of footage from the original “Never Say Never” to accommodate the additional scenes. Updated version runs 115 minutes, instead of the original running time of 105 minutes. Move is designed to whip up renewed interest among Bieber’s diehard fans, and spark repeat viewing in the film’s third weekend in release. “Never Say Never” is already a financial success, having grossed $51.4 million in its first 11 days in release. The original “Never Say Never” will continue playing in 2D runs. The cost of a 35mm print makes sending the director’s cut to those theaters financially unworkable. Digital prints, however, are a fraction of the cost. Paramount vice chairman Rob Moore said the studio is “trying to take advantage of options from digital technology that didn’t exist before and give fans even more of what they loved from the first version.” As he began the editing process, Chu realized he had a significant amount of footage that he couldn’t use in the initial theatrical release. He then spent dozens of hours on Twitter and Facebook engaging with fans to see what they would like to see. Some of the new footage includes more of Bieber’s friends and hometown life, as well as new songs and special footage shot of the film’s premiere at theaters across the country. “I realized I had an embarrassment of riches when I was I in the cutting room,” said Chu. “This cut allows me to retain some of the best scenes from the original movie, while incorporating previously unseen footage and new material I shot during our extensive promotional tour on behalf of the movie. Justin’s dedication to his fan base is unwavering and I was inspired as a filmmaker to attempt to provide them a unique experience that showed even more of his world.” Paramount has submitted the “Director’s Cut” to the ratings board. Because the studio isn’t asking for a new rating, it doesn’t need to pull “Never Say Never” from theaters pending review by the Classification and Ratings Administration. (Editing by Zorianna Kit )
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