Entertaining Posts

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Lauren, Scotty bring country to "American Idol" finale

LOS ANGELES | Tue May 24, 2011 6:13am EDT

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Teens Lauren Alaina and Scotty McCreery sing on Tuesday for the 2011 "American Idol" title in the TV show's youngest-ever, and first all-country music finale.

After 125,000 nationwide auditions and months of nail-biting eliminations, Alaina and McCreery will woo "Idol" judges and some 25 million fans with three songs each in the hope of winning a guaranteed recording contract.

Alaina, 16, from Georgia who has dreamed of appearing on the show since age 6, is the youngest person to reach the finale; McCreery, 17, from North Carolina, has a deep voice that belies his youth and has barely put a foot wrong.

But whichever contestant prevails when the votes are announced on Wednesday -- and predictions as usual are for a close race -- country music may end up the real winner, some experts say.

"Either way they have two people who could do very well in country music. If you look at some of the biggest sellers of the past couple of years they have been Taylor Swift, Lady Antebellum and Miranda Lambert," said Yahoo! Music managing editor Lyndsey Parker.

Swift has sold more than three million copies in the United States alone of her November 2010 album "Speak Now".

Searches on Yahoo! for "American Idol finalists" have spiked 949 percent this week ahead of 10th season climax of the most-watched TV show in the United States.

Alaina is getting nearly nine times as many searches as McCreery, according to Yahoo! data. But that doesn't guarantee that "Idol" is about to crown its first female winner since Jordin Sparks in 2007.

SEARCHES VS. VOTES

"People who are searching are not necessarily the people who are voting," Parker said, recalling that searches for 2009 finalist Adam Lambert far surpassed those of eventual winner Kris Allen.

Media measurement technology firm General Sentiment however found that McCreery was winning the social media buzz war, generating 30 percent more discussion online than Alaina in the last five days.

"I do think Scotty is going to win, but I think it will possibly be the closest race in history of 'Idol'. And although Lauren will probably come in second, she will probably sell more records than Scotty," Parker said.

"She has more crossover appeal in the type of country she does, and even though boys tend to win on 'Idol', girls are dominating the real pop market place right now." she added.

Country singer Carrie Underwood, who won "American Idol" in 2005, is the contest's top earner with 12.2 million albums sold and a clutch of Academy of Country Music awards.

"American Idol" also has plenty to celebrate after its first year without caustic British judge Simon Cowell. After four years of falling ratings for broadcaster Fox, the overall audience is up four percent this year at 24.8 million regular viewers.

That's partly due to a shake-up on the judging panel that brought in Jennifer Lopez and Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler to join veteran Randy Jackson -- and with them a kinder, more supportive vibe.

After dismal sales for recent "American Idol" champions, record company Universal Music will be hoping that Alaina or McCreery can work some country music magic on their post "Idol" careers.

(Editing by Dan Whitcomb)

Monday, May 23, 2011

"Idol" creator Simon Fuller gets Hollywood star

LOS ANGELES | Mon May 23, 2011 9:44pm EDT

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Simon Fuller, the British creator of hit TV show "American Idol," received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Monday surrounded by some of the real-life stars he has helped to create.

"Whenever I see that star, I won't see my name, I'll see all names of the people I've worked (with) and all those amazing artists and people that have helped me achieve this stuff," Fuller said as his star was unveiled.

Over a 25-year career, Fuller has managed singers Annie Lennox, The Spice Girls and Amy Winehouse, English soccer player David Beckham, tennis player Andy Murray, racing driver Lewis Hamilton and a trio of "American Idol" champions, Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood and David Cook.

Former "Spice Girl" Victoria Beckham, "Idol" judges Jennifer Lopez and Randy Jackson, Underwood, Clarkson and the current "American Idol" finalists all joined Fuller for the ceremony.

Fuller recalled that when he and entrepreneur Simon Cowell first tried to sell "American Idol" in the United States, "we had that show turned down by every single network" with the exception of Fox, on which the ratings juggernaut airs.

Created first in Britain as "Pop Idol" in 2001, the format has since been sold to more than 120 other countries and created a multi-billion-dollar global recording, TV and merchandising franchise.

Fuller also created the Fox dance contest series, "So You Think You Can Dance".

Fuller received his star one the eve of the two-part finale in Los Angeles of the 10th season of "American Idol", which has been the most-watched show on U.S. television for seven consecutive years.

(Reporting by Jill Serjeant, editing by Chris Michaud)

Malick win, Von Trier ban share Cannes limelight

By Mike Collett-White and Nick Vinocur

CANNES, France | Mon May 23, 2011 3:04pm EDT

CANNES, France (Reuters) - Terrence Malick won the Palme d'Or in Cannes for "The Tree of Life," but the 2011 film festival will be remembered above all for the shock expulsion of Danish director Lars Von Trier for his Hitler jokes.

The 55-year-old Dane, a previous winner of the coveted top prize in 2000, confessed to being surprised by a ban which many movie goers at the world's biggest cinema showcase questioned.

The unprecedented move by Cannes organizers cast a shadow over the entire festival, widely praised as a strong year with top directors, audacious movies, a long list of A-listers on the red carpet and a bustling market place.

"I think it has been a strong Cannes, although it's not been perhaps as good as we'd all hoped when we saw the selection on paper," said Jay Weissberg, critic at trade publication Variety.

"I do think Von Trier has overshadowed this festival, but I believe in a very temporary way. It's bad for Cannes, but I don't think this is something that will last for long.

"As usual, Cannes needs a talking point and they got it in a much bigger way than they had been anticipating. I thought it was really rather ridiculous. Most people think they went too far and that a warning would have sufficed."

The notoriously provocative Von Trier, presenting his movie "Melancholia," launched into a monologue at a press conference on Wednesday during which he joked he was a Nazi, sympathized with Hitler and declared Israel a "pain in the ass."

Kirsten Dunst, who picked up the best actress prize on Sunday at the closing ceremony for her role in the film, squirmed with embarrassment during the briefing and Jewish groups in France and the United States complained.

Von Trier apologized, but it was too little too late. Cannes did allow Melancholia to remain in competition, however.

BIG IDEAS, BIG STARS

"The Tree of Life" was only Malick's fifth picture and expectations had been high among cinephiles who consider him a master of his craft. Critics were sharply divided, however, and its victory in Cannes will not please everyone.

The movie stars Brad Pitt as a stern father who alienates his eldest son, and it features long sequences of planetary explosions, expanding galaxies, volcanoes and dinosaurs in a majestic portrayal of the beginning of life.

"Melancholia" felt like its companion piece, but the finality of its ending, when a planet collides with Earth to end all life, meant it was as downbeat as Malick's was uplifting.

It remains to be seen whether Von Trier's expulsion from Cannes, which meant he had to stay at least 100 meters away from the main festival building, will affect the film's distribution.

"Von Trier's relationship with festivals themselves has been possibly permanently damaged, but then he's so unpredictable, so you never know," said Weissberg.

"Melancholia's chances of opening in the United States have been hit. It could be very difficult."

The runner-up Grand Prix went to two movies -- the slow-moving, lovingly crafted "Once Upon a Time in Anatolia" by Turkey's Nuri Bilge Ceylan and the moving child drama "The Kid With a Bike" by Belgian brothers Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne.

The duo narrowly missed out on an unprecedented third Golden Palm at the festival.

Best actor went to Jean Dujardin for "The Artist," a popular re-make of a silent, black-and-white romance that transported audiences back to the "pre-talkie" era in Hollywood.

Denmark's Nicolas Winding Refn won best director for his high-octane thriller "Drive," and best screenplay went to Israeli director Joseph Cedar for "Footnote."

Lady Gaga, Kanye West, Jamie Foxx, Janet Jackson and Gwen Stefani were among the big names hitting the party circuit or performing in Cannes this year, adding to the feel-good buzz.

(Reporting by Mike Collett-White and Nick Vinocur; Editing by Matthew Jones)

Eminem, Justin Bieber scoop Billboard Music Awards

By Christine Kearney

NEW YORK | Mon May 23, 2011 3:19am EDT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Eminem and teen idol Justin Bieber dominated the Billboard Music Awards on Sunday, winning six awards each with the 38-year-old rapper taking the top honor for artist of the year.

With Eminem absent, Bieber helped lead the way on stage beside some of pop's biggest current stars at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, marking the music magazine's efforts to revive what was once an annual event following a four-year hiatus.

Sporting his now short, spiky hair and a sparkling gold tuxedo jacket, Bieber beat singer Bruno Mars and rapper Nicki Minaj for best new artist and marveled to the audience, "I'm 17 ... every day is crazy to me because I see so many people and I get to make so many people smile."

The Canadian pop star, who has gained a huge following of "Beliebers" through YouTube and social media websites, also won awards for top pop album, streaming artist and song, as well as social and digital media artist. He thanked "everybody who helped me get out of my home town and live my dream."

Detroit native Eminem, who released the critical and commercial success "Recovery" last year, including the hit single "Love The Way You Lie" featuring singer Rihanna, won awards for top male artist, billboard 200 album, rap artist, rap song and rap album.

Rihanna, 23, kicked off the show with a performance of "S&M" from her 2010 fifth studio album "Loud," and was joined on stage by Britney Spears before going on to win three awards including top female and top radio artist of the year.

She thanked her biggest fan devotees, who call themselves the Rihanna navy, and hailed her native Barbados. The last Billboard artist of the year was Rihanna's former boyfriend Chris Brown, who pleaded guilty to assaulting her in 2009 and did not attend the awards.

Katy Perry won awards for top hot 100 artist and top digital songs, while British singer-songwriter Taio Cruz won the top hot 100 song of the year for his hit, "Dynamite."

"Need You Now," by Lady Antebellum won country song of the year. The title track from their second album introduced the group from Nashville, Tennessee to audiences worldwide and is now the most-downloaded country song ever, according to Billboard.

Taylor Swift, 21, who has swept music award shows in the past several years, won country artist of the year. She sold 1,047,000 first-week copies of her third album "Speak Now" in the United States last November, making it the fastest-selling new album in five years.

Accepting the top duo or group award for the Black Eyed Peas, Will.i.Am singled out "technology because without technology we wouldn't be here as an industry."

Beyonce was honored with the Millennium Award for her musical influence and hailed as a role model for women.

Neil Diamond, 70, won the icon award before performing his 1969 hit, "Sweet Caroline." Other performers included Keith Urban, Nicki Minaj and singer Cee Lo Green.

U2 won the top touring award for its current "U2 360 degrees" tour, which features revolutionary staging and has become the highest-grossing tour of all time.

"You can make classic albums in your bedroom and you can play the greatest show of your life on a one-string guitar, but we just don't do that," U2 frontman Bono told the audience.

The awards, with eligibility from Feb 28, 2010 to March 1, 2011, were based on multiple factors including chart performance, album and single digital sales, touring and streaming and popularity on social media sites.

(Editing by Eric Walsh)

Malick win and Von Trier ban share Cannes limelight

By Mike Collett-White and Nick Vinocur

CANNES, France | Mon May 23, 2011 3:18am EDT