‘I’m very nervous but I’m very excited at the same time,’ 16-year-old contestant tells MTV News before the season 11 finale. By Kara Warner, with reporting by Kelly Marino Jessica Sanchez on the “American Idol” finale red carpet Photo: Getty Images It’s all come down to this: the finale of the 11th season of “American Idol” , with 21-year-old guitar-strumming southern gentleman Phillip Phillips pitted against 16-year-old vocal powerhouse Jessica Sanchez. There are endless sports-related clich
One episode. Two finalists. Three songs. Phillip Phillips squared off against Jessica Sanchez tonight, with the American Idol Season 11 crown at stake. Each contestant was tasked with singing a trio of tracks: Simon Fuller’s selections: Jessica Sanchez, “I Have Nothing” by Whitney Houston; Phillip Phillips, “Stand By Me” by Ben E. King A favorite from earlier in the season: Jessica Sanchez in no heels, “The Prayer” by Celine Dion; Phillip Phillips, “Movin’ Out” by Billy Joel A potential winning single: Jessica Sanchez, “Change Nothing;” Phillip Phillips, “Home” So, who deserves the crown? Watch all six performance videos below and then vote… Jessica Sanchez – “I Have Nothing” Phillip Phillips – “Stand By Me” Jessica Sanchez – “The Prayer” Phillip Phillips – “Movin Out” Jessica Sanchez – “Change Nothing” Phillip Phillips – “Home” WHO SHOULD WIN?
Joshua Ledet just misses out on the big showdown. By Adam Graham Jessica Sanchez and Phillip Phillips on “American Idol” Photo: Michael Becker/ Fox The “American Idol” finale is set, and Joshua Ledet didn’t get an invite. Phillip Phillips and Jessica Sanchez will compete in next week’s season finale after Ledet was voted off the show Thursday (May 17). Ledet, the 20-year-old from Westlake, Louisiana, who was continually praised as one of the best contestants to ever grace the “Idol” stage , received the lowest number of votes from the 90 million votes cast, according to “Idol” host Ryan Seacrest. Ledet set a record for standing ovations from the judges this season on “Idol”; barely a week went by when he didn’t get the judges on their feet after one of his stellar performances. Ledet performed James Brown’s “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World” at the close of the show Thursday, repeating a song that became one of his signature moments. Show mentor Jimmy Iovine took partial blame for Ledet’s performance Wednesday, saying by choosing Mary J. Blige’s “No More Drama,” he didn’t give him a song with enough of a melody to captivate the audience and generate votes. “There was something missing, and I know it was the material. In fairness, I gave him a song that didn’t have enough melody. Joshua needs melody, [and] I take 100 percent responsibility for that,” Iovine said. Still, he thought Ledet deserved to compete for the “Idol” crown next week. “Does Joshua belong in this finale? 100 percent, he should be in anyone’s finale,” he said. Ledet’s elimination gives Sanchez a shot at being the first female “Idol” winner since Jordin Sparks back in season six. At the onset of the season, it was said to be the women’s year on “Idol,” and four of the top six contestants were female. But three women were picked off in a row — Elise Testone, then Skylar Laine, then Hollie Cavanagh — threatening the show’s girl-power contingent. Now Sanchez is carrying the torch for the ladies. Iovine, in summing up Wednesday’s performances, also blamed himself for picking a bad song for Sanchez, but said Phillips won the night with his version of Bob Seger’s “We’ve Got Tonight.” “Hands down, it was the best performance he’s done in the entire contest,” he said, calling it “flawless.” (In fairness, Iovine also said Phillips’ version of Matchbox Twenty’s “Disease” was “a total snooze-fest.” Regarding Sanchez, Iovine said, “She has to have the most magical moment she’s had so far” in order to win it all. “If she gets in the finale,” he said, “It’s about the songs.” Before Ledet’s elimination, Jackson said the final contestants were “three of the best we’ve ever had” and said all three have “big careers” ahead of them. Also on Thursday’s show, Adam Lambert dropped by to perform “Never Close Our Eyes,” and Lisa Marie Presley (huh?) performed her new single “You Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Yet.” What did you think of “Idol” on Thursday? Did the right contestants make the finale? 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. Related Photos ‘American Idol’ Season 11 Performances Most Shocking ‘American Idol’ Exits
Hollie Cavanagh rises up with ‘The Climb’ and Joshua Ledet racks up two more standing ovations. By Adam Graham Hollie Cavanagh on “American Idol” Photo: Fox If “American Idol” was decided by whoever received the most standing ovations from the judges, Joshua Ledet would have this year’s competition in the bag. Ledet racked up two more standing Os from the judges on Wednesday’s (April 25) “Idol,” which found the contestants singing two songs apiece: One from Queen, and another of their own choosing. That brought Ledet’s unofficial standing ovation season total to 12 — that figure according to Skylar Laine, who ribbed him backstage for receiving a dozen standing Os over the course of the season. Ledet first got a rise out of the judges with his version of “Crazy Little Thing Called Love,” which caused Jennifer Lopez to ask, “Is it bad for me to say the Joshua part of the show is my favorite part of the show?” He followed it with a version of India.Arie’s “Ready for Love” — which was sung by Michael Lynche back in “Idol” season nine — which was called “another unbelievable performance” by Randy Jackson. Added an enthusiastic Steven Tyler, “I hope the label finds you a bunch of good songs, man, and you’re off to the moon. I smell the finish line with you.” Hollie Cavanagh received the evening’s other standing ovation from the judges with her second song, “The Climb,” the Miley Cyrus song that seemingly summed up her journey on the show so far. It came after she received so-so marks for her first song, Queen’s “Save Me,” which played into theme of “The Climb” even further. “That’s the Hollie Cavanagh that we love, that’s the one! Hollie is back! Yo!” said Jackson. Added Lopez, “You said it backstage, ‘I gotta step it up,’ and you did! It was perfect.” Steven Tyler’s favorite of the night was Skylar Laine, who opened with “The Show Must Go On” and followed it with Jason Aldean’s “Tattoo’s on This Town.” On the Queen song, Tyler praised her energy and her passion as over-the-top, saying, “the way you hit your notes, for an 18-year-old? Oh my God. That was fabulous.” Lopez said she got “goosies” from Laine, while Jackson dubbed himself a “ginormous” fan of the Mississippi singer. Jessica Sanchez kicked off the show with “Bohemian Rhapsody,” which was shot in black and white while a chorus of Sanchez heads backed her on the oval “Idol” video screen at the back of the stage. For her second song, Sanchez sent a shout-out to her dad, singing a touching version of Luther Vandross’ “Dance With My Father.” Lopez told Sanchez she expected more energy from her during “Rhapsody,” but said her “Dance With My Father” was “the best I’ve ever heard that song sang.” Meanwhile, Jackson summed up her two performances by saying, “every time you get up and sing, you know what’s wrong with it? Absolutely nothing!” Phillip Phillips, who has battled Dave Matthews comparisons from fans all season, seemingly got away from the Matthews talk with his first song, a fun, spirited take on “Fat Bottomed Girls.” “People say that you remind them of Dave Matthews, that didn’t remind me of Dave Matthews at all. That was something totally different,” Lopez said, invoking Matthews name out loud for the first time this season. “That’s the mark of a great singer for me.” And how did Phillip Squared follow it up? With a performance of Dave Matthews’ “The Stone,” on which he sounded like a direct clone of Matthews. Lopez was not pleased, dismissing the song “obscure” and “artsy,” and worrying it would get him voted off the show. Jackson, for his part, admired Phillips’ sticking to his guns. “Die, sink or swim, Phil Phillips will always be Phil Phillips,” he said. “I love that.” Elise Testone took on Queen’s “I Want It All” early and followed it with Jimi Hendrix’s “Bold as Love.” The first song got high marks, though the latter “wasn’t the right song for this time in the competition,” Jackson told her, criticizing her for “boxing” with the song, and saying Hendrix sang “about 1/25 of what you sang” in his original. J. Lo had the opposite reaction. Although she said she wasn’t familiar with the original, “you slayed that song so hard, it didn’t even matter,” she said. Wednesday’s show opened with the Top Six performing a medley of Queen songs, backed by Queen’s Brian May and Roger Taylor. Thursday’s show will feature performances by Katy Perry and 10th season “Idol” contestant Stefano Langone, and one of the six remaining contestants will be sent home. What did you think of “Idol” on Wednesday? 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.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt stares down his older self (Bruce Willis) in sneak peek of the time-traveling thriller. By Kara Warner Joseph Gordon-Levitt in “Looper” Photo: Sony Pictures Entertainment We’ve been dying to see the “Looper” trailer for the past few days, and now it’s finally here, in all its time-traveling, gun-fighting, trained assassin-vs.-himself glory. Here are five key scenes from the sneak peek: Loopers Explained Thanks to the expository voice-over from star Joseph Gordon-Levitt , we learn that Loopers are time-traveling assassins hired by Mafioso types to kill other criminals in the past, so they don’t become problems in the future. We see Gordon-Levitt’s character “at work” in several different ways in the teaser — including one in which his assignment turns out to be his older self. A Realistic Futuristic Setting At the beginning of the trailer, it appears as if the film is set in present day. The characters’ style of dress, cars and guns are not exactly current, but they look familiar. All that changes when we see Gordon-Levitt’s character flying through a modern-looking city on a not-of-this-world motorcycle. The brief glimpses at advanced technology are paired with quick shots of what Gordon-Levitt’s character experiences when he travels through time, a sort of mind-bending distorted reality that tells us we’re in a not-too-distant future. Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Bruce Willis From the moment it was announced that Gordon-Levitt would be playing a younger version of Bruce Willis , we’ve been very curious to see how that might look onscreen. Thanks to this new teaser, we finally get a glimpse of Gordon-Levitt-as-Willis, via a close-up shot of their bright green eyes and a few hints at their similar body movements — before they start trying to kill each other, that is. Gordon-Levitt admitted that he spent three hours in a makeup chair every morning in order to step into Willis, as it were. Emily Blunt in Action Emily Blunt’s appearance in the trailer is almost of the blink-and-you-miss-it variety. We see Blunt wielding a shotgun, possibly in an attempt to off the young version of Gordon-Levitt and in several states of strife. Her scenes are almost a combination of action from the film’s present settings and its flashbacks. Why is she upset? Is she related to Gordon-Levitt and Willis’ character or romantically linked to them? Maybe she is also a Looper? So many questions that need answering! Gunfights Galore This movie is very much a science-fiction thriller and yet, contrary to what a lot of people believe to be true about gun battles in sci-fi movies, there are no laser beams or space guns in sight. The weapons we see in the trailer look like new versions of handguns and shotguns that are powered by regular bullets. And because this is a movie about time-traveling hitmen who off their assignments with guns, we see a lot of gunfight action in this spot, along with some hand-to-hand combat, that only adds to the gritty, futuristic-yet-realistic feel. Check out everything we’ve got on “Looper.” For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com . Related Photos Looper Trailer: Five Key Scenes
On a wild results show, front-runners Sanchez and Joshua Ledet face elimination, with the judges using their save to spare the diva. By James Montgomery Jessica Sanchez, Randy Jackson, Steven Tyler, Jennifer Lopez and Ryan Seacrest on “American Idol” Photo: Fox A shocking Thursday night on “American Idol” began with an onscreen pledge to “Expect the Unexpected,” and boy, did the show live up to that promise. Because, for the first time in the unusually staid 11th season, there really is no clear-cut front-runner, as perceived favorites were relegated to the bottom three and one potential champion was left to sing for her life — almost. After the final seven sang the songs of this decade on Wednesday night’s telecast, most assumed it would be permanent bottom-dweller Hollie Cavanagh sent packing, especially after the judges were left grasping for compliments following her performance of Pink’s “Perfect.” Instead, Cavanagh was spared elimination (and even a spot in the bottom three), and, after a few tense moments, in which front-runners like Colton Dixon and Skylar Laine were left twisting, it was revealed that, this week, the three on the chopping block were Elise Testone — no real surprise, given that she’s been in this position before — and, amazingly, a pair of championship hopefuls: Joshua Ledet and Jessica Sanchez. The judges were understandably shocked by the reveal — Randy Jackson even called the bottom three “ridiculous” — but the surprises didn’t end there. Host Ryan Seacrest would first announce that Ledet was safe, leaving only Testone and Sanchez clinging for their lives. After ratcheting up the tension to the nth degree, Seacrest announced that Testone was also safe, meaning Sanchez, the prodigiously talented, supremely cocky diva, was the week’s lowest vote-getter. In a way, it was fitting that former “Idol” castoff Jennifer Hudson performed earlier in the telecast, because a potential Sanchez exit would have been the most shocking moment on the show since Hudson was given the boot all the way back in 2004. And as the crowd whistled in disapproval, Sanchez grabbed the microphone to sing for the judges’ save — only to be interrupted by Jennifer Lopez, who shouted “Gimme that mic” and announced, along with Jackson and Steven Tyler, that Sanchez would remain in the competition. “We are saving Jessica without any doubt,” Jackson emphatically said. “This girl is one of the best singers in America ever!” The obviously shell-shocked Sanchez was then allowed to finish her song, and as the show came to a close, the judges urged “Idol” viewers to vote for the best contestant going forward. But after the night’s startling results — and without a judges’ save going forward — the deck has certainly been reshuffled, and the stakes are higher than ever before. 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 11 Performances ‘American Idol’ Season 11 Top 13 Contestants
You know what they say: if at first you succeed historically well at covering a late legend, try, try again. That’s exactly the advice Jessica Sanchez took on American Idol this week, as she followed up her version of Whitney Houston’s ” I Will Always Love You ” from last month with a take here on the more upbeat “How Will I Know?” Was it on par with Jessica’s initial Whitney performance? No. But that would have been nearly impossible to match. The judges were clearly impressed, with Jennifer Lopez expressing shock over such a big voice emanating from such a small body. Where do you stand on Jessica Sanchez? Enough Whitney or more Whitney? Watch and react now: Jessica Sanchez – “How Will I Know”
Roselyn Sanchez is a really hot actress, one that you would love to take home and have some fun with and here in this video clip from a movie Continue reading →
Whatever that Great Satan (we kid!!) will try and tell you in this YouTube video, a vote for Mark Sanchez … is a vote for terrorism. Broadcasting platform : YouTube Source : thejetsblog.com Discovery Date : 02/04/2011 23:44 Number of articles : 2
On Tuesday’s Rick’s List, CNN’s Rick Sanchez again bashed Fox News and the conservative media, two of his favorite subjects of ire. Sanchez stated that President Obama was being “dogged” and blamed ” conservative talk radio hosts … lambasting this man 24/7 …. [and] Fox News, which is essentially the voice of the Republican Party, whose job it is to make this man look bad no matter what he does ” . The CNN anchor brought on political correspondent Jessica Yellin at the bottom of the 3 pm Eastern hour to discuss the President’s town hall meeting on Monday. After playing a clip of Velma Hart, an Obama supporter who bluntly told the chief executive that she was “exhausted of defending” him, Sanchez asked Yellin for her take on whether “others out there are thinking in many of the ways that she [Hart] expressed herself.” The liberal correspondent spouted the current administration talking point that “clearly, President Obama inherited this terrible economy and we’re still working our way out of it,” but continued that “the White House, at some point, has to be looking back and questioning their strategy both within Washington and their larger communication strategy outside, and how they’re messaging to the broader public. And it would seem that they’ve made crucial missteps on both fronts, and they have to take some blame for that.” Later, Yellin looked to the last Democratic president as a possible example for the current administration: YELLIN: [Y]ou’ve got to ask, is he messaging correctly? And, you know, with Bill Clinton out on the scene so much lately, it’s a reminder of how effective he is at hitting emotional chords, using anecdotes to help you relate to where he’s coming from, and help you understand his approach to policy. Whereas, President Obama tends to focus on these little examples or- you know, brass tacks sort of technician-type details of what he’s done, instead of giving you this overarching emotional frame. So you don’t end up connecting to it, and that’s one of the ways he seems to be misfiring on this message. Sanchez responded to this with his attack on his regular foes: SANCHEZ: All right- good stuff. It’s an interesting conversation, and I bet you it’s the kind of stuff that people are talking about. And then, of course, there’s the fact that- you know, he is dogged. There’s no question. You’d have to be a fool to not look at the landscape and see conservative talk radio hosts- YELLIN: Of course- SANCHEZ: Literally lambasting this man 24/7. And then, there’s Fox News, which is essentially the voice of the Republican Party, whose job it is to make this man look bad no matter what he does. So, you know, it’s a difficult thing that- YELLIN: Well, this is the time for political jujitsu. SANCHEZ: What’s that? YELLIN: It’s the time for political jujitsu. SANCHEZ: Yes (laughs)- YELLIN: You know, use it against them, right? So, effect- if he could do that- right. SANCHEZ: It all depends on how well he’s able to fight that. And, you know what? He’s got to do it, if he wants to survive in this, certainly up until November. Good conversation, Jessica. Exactly a year ago, on September 21, 2009, the anchor hinted that Fox News wasn’t a “real news organization,” and questioned his competitor’s legitimacy on August 2 of this year. On August 18 , Sanchez labeled Fox News ” way, way, way to the right ,” while putting his own network in the ” middle .” Earlier this summer, the CNN personality, along with guest Roland Martin, targeted Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh .
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