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Simon Cowell Says Talented Teens Will Be "Tough to Beat" on The X Factor Thanks to Justin Bieber

Molly Goodson — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 05:30:00 PDT

Simon Cowell is ready for the Justin Bieber effect to hit The X Factor. We chatted with Simon on the phone this week, and he talked about the current critcism of American Idol judges, what's the status of his judge search, and what he's looking for in a host. While Simon has yet to get involved with the audition process, there's apparently a huge amount of talent in the younger set. Simon credits the popularity of teen sensations like Bieber and YouTube stars for the fresh crop of talent. As for whether or not America will vote for the younger contestants, Simon puts his faith in the viewers - especially since the mentoring aspect of The X Factor will hopefully rule out the terrible song choice that doom promising singers on Idol. Here's what Simon had to say:

Buzz: Have you seen or heard about any promising auditions so far?
Simon Cowell: I keep a distance while they're doing the open calls, so the producers and the guys from Sony get to see everyone. They fill me in on a day-by-day basis, but they're excited. Where they're seeing an awful lot of talent is in the 12-16 range, which we were nervous about, but apparently they're seeing some really really good people in that category. So fingers crossed, I think we're gonna get a good crop.

Buzz: Do you think the younger contestants stand out because they are especially eager or because of pop stars like Justin Bieber who are so popular right now?
SC: I think it's got a lot to do with the latter, yes. I think with the success of Justin it's encouraged people to come along and audition. I also think that they haven't grown up on these shows, they've been more influenced by YouTube or the Internet than they have talent shows. They've worked out how to be themselves, how to be original, how not to become too old fashioned. When I was auditioning on Idol 10 years ago, I used to have kids come along at 15 and sing "On The Good Ship Lollipop," just terrible songs their mom and dad had made them sing. Now they're completely different, they've worked out for themselves who they want to be what they want to sound like. That's why we lowered the age range. I'm optimistic we're going to find someone good in this age range.

Buzz: With the popularity of young stars, do you think the American audiences will skew toward a younger winner?
SC: Maybe. I've always trusted the American public that they do make the right decisions. Where it's gone wrong in the past is when contestants make crazy song choices. On this show, the judges get to mentor three finalists each, so hopefully you don't have the same level of mistakes. I think you find a great 16 or 17-year-old guy or girl they're going to be tough to beat, but talent will always win in the end. I've always been convinced of that.

Buzz: What do you think sets The X Factor apart from the other competition shows out there?
SC: I've gotta be honest with you, it starts and finishes with who the contestants are. That's why we're doing a lot of press and stuff at the moment, to get the word out, because if everyone turns up boring and useless, you just don't have a show. I know what the scale of this show can be like, but we've also got to try and attract a new generation of contestants who aren't the same as you've seen in the past where they all talk the same and behave the same. You want people who can act their age, who are ambitious, who are entertaining, argumentative. That's really what makes the show, so you've gotta be really broad-minded about your attitude and who you put on the panel with you.

Alison Brie and Danny Pudi Talk About Community's Love Connections and Politics

Shannon Vestal — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 05:00:48 PST

Community has been rocking the Thursday night comedy block, and this week's episode should be no different. In "Intro to Political Science," the gang preps for a student body election when they hear that Greendale is expecting a visit from Vice President Joe Biden. The ensemble's stars Alison Brie and Danny Pudi got on the phone with reporters to talk about the episode, which will also feature Annie and Jeff running against each other in the election, and Abed and Troy taking part as news anchors.

Will we see anything happen between Annie and Jeff in the future?
Alison Brie: You know, I still think that Annie holds a little flame for Jeff. We saw [it] in an episode when we first came back and Rich comes on the scene; you can tell that Jeff gets a little bit jealous. I think that there is a bit of a push and pull between the two of them, and actually in this episode that we're talking about, there's a bit of that tension there as well, throughout the election. I think that their bumping heads kind of fuels more of that. I think that anytime they're together, there's a bit of that, because it can't exist, or because it's controversial. I think that makes it dangerous and interesting, and obviously to Annie, it's exciting to have a crush on an older guy, and she continues to try to challenge Jeff in that way. That spark is not totally dead. You may catch glimpses of it in this episode. We shall see . . . we'll have to wait and see if it amounts to anything.

What TV or movie references can we look for in this week's episode?
AB: I felt like we were actually basing it more on real life and coverage of actual political events. There's a bit of Hillary Clinton, I think, for what Annie is doing, and maybe even some Bill Clinton for what Jeff is doing. We tried to keep it pretty political.
DP: And I play Chelsea Clinton.
AB: Which is great because his hair is super curly.

To find out what else Brie and Pudi had to say, just keep reading

Vanessa Minnillo Says Working With Nick Lachey Is "Weird," Plus Their Valentine's Plans!

Lauren Bradshaw — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 22:42:43 PST

What would Grammys weekend be without the infamous Clive Davis party? The shindig is the Grammy go-to bash, and this year, musicians and actors alike came out for the big event. I managed to grab a couple of minutes with cute twosome Nick Lachey and Vanessa Minnillo, who walked the carpet together. They shared behind-the-scenes scoop about their guest spot on Hawaii Five-0 (airing this Monday!), revealed what's currently playing on their iPod, and spoke about Valentine's Day plans. The engaged couple looked incredibly happy, and Nick even paid his fiancée a sweet compliment. Just keep reading!

You're both guest star on Hawaii Five-0 this week. What was it like filming together?
Vanessa Minnillo: It was weird. They said you need to be this way toward him at this point, and I literally caught myself in giggle moments. I don't know how people do it in relationships, acting together. I couldn't do it.

Hawaii Five-0 is such an action-packed show. Will we see you doing any action scenes?
Nick Lachey: There was a little action. I campaigned to be able to do some of my own stunts, and I was happy the production let me do some of that.
VM: He got a bruise on his elbow.
NL: I was limping for a couple of days, but I was a real warrior at the end. It was a lot of fun, great cast, great group; the whole experience was a blast.

And Vanessa, you're coming off of your guest spot on 30 Rock. Did you enjoy doing comedy?
VM: That was amazing. You know, when you're working beside Tina Fey and Elizabeth Banks, it can only make you better as an actor. But the script is so well written. Honestly, I'm grateful that people are giving me accolades for it, but it's such a great show, and it's just so well written, and the actors are so great that they made it better for me.

So can we expect more TV appearances from you guys?
VM: Yeah, it's pilot season right now.
NL: She was born to be on TV. It's her destiny.

Since this is the Grammys, what are you listening to right now?
VM: You know, on the way here we were listening to Daft Punk, the Tron soundtrack.
NL: I'm addicted to the Tron soundtrack.
VM: We're obsessed with it! Oh my god, if you don't have it, get it, drive with it. It's addicting. I clean the house to it; it's amazing.
NL: It's like going into battle. If you're trying to get fired up for something . . .
VM: "Arena" - that's the song that will get you going.

Any big Valentine's Day plans?
VM: Watching Hawaii Five-0! Is that really corny? We're going to dinner and then watching ourselves on TV.
NL: It happens to air on Valentine's Day.
VM: And then we'll criticize each other, and who knows?

Alia Shawkat on Touching Ed Helms Inappropriately and Hoping For an Arrested Development Sex Change

Allie Merriam — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 05:30:00 PST

Alia Shawkat swung through NYC this week on a busy press tour for her new movie Cedar Rapids, which we previewed last month at Sundance. She plays Bree, a prostitute who enjoys a sordid entanglement with Ed Helms's straight-laced insurance salesman character, in the film directed by Youth in Revolt's Miguel Arteta. Shawkat talked about getting up close and personal with Helms and also addressed the long-running rumors about an Arrested Development movie that have regained steam after the series' creator, Mitch Hurwitz, confirmed his involvement. She also had some interesting ideas for her character, Maeby. Check it out.

BuzzSugar: In this film, you're playing a prostitute, which is new territory for you. What drew you to this role?
Alia Shawkat: "I got a call from [Miguel, the director] and he was like, 'Alia, I want you to play a prostitute!' And I was like, 'Ok!' And it kind of went from there. . . She’s a hooker with a heart of gold so it was fun. I got to do some research - not go out on the street! - but watch films with hookers with hearts of gold. And I got to say some weird dirty things.

BS: You also got to do some crazy things. Was that another perk to this role?
AS: Doing the meth and dancing, and doing real meth - no we didn’t do that! It was really fun. That’s what’s so cool about being an actor, you get to live so many different lives. This one upped every character I’ve ever played.

BS: You and Anne Heche were pretty much the main ladies in the film. Did you two take on the boys comedian club together?
AS: I’m used to being around a lot of male comedians, so it is kind of like a boys club in that you have to sort of earn your say. But after they started hanging out with us for a little while and they see we aren’t just like, 'Oh, tee hee that’s funny!' that we’re funnier than them sometimes, then they start to respect us. They’re all very sweet guys, most comedians are. They’re just a little pervvy.

BS: And of course, the leading man was Ed Helms. How was it working with him?
AS: I was expecting Ed to be a lot dirtier in comparison to some of the other comedians I’ve worked with, that are usually pretty dirty. But he’s such a gentleman, an old Southern boy. He's very polite and respectful with women.

To find out who's on Shawkat's list of dream costars and what she'd like to see happen for Maeby, just

read more. BS: That's always good to hear! AS: I remember one scene in the bathroom, Miguel would sometimes tell one of the actors, ‘Surprise me and do something!’ He told me, ‘I want you to surprise me and surprise Ed.' . . So we’re in the bathroom, and you don’t see me - just the back of my head, and I grabbed his crotch, like grabbed it tight, and he’s supposed to be on meth and he got this amazing look on his face. And afterward he was so pink and blushed, and he was like, ‘I didn’t know you were going to do that! I didn’t know you were going to do that!’ And was all giggly. BS: Everyone of course wants to know about the Arrested Development movie now that Mitch Hurwitz said it's on. What can you say about that? AS: I think it’s very exciting that he said it publicly! It would be great I think it's still kind of in the limbo of we’re in the dark still. But all the cast members, everyone I’ve seen recently, said we’re in! We haven't been sent a script or anything cause he’s still working on it. It’s pretty much the same thing, we just hope it happens but we’ll see when it comes to fruition. But hopefully it’s soon. That was kind of a nice thing, his saying it’s coming out soon. Once we read it I think everyone’s going to be in. BS: Are you looking forward to all the changes for the characters? AS: That’s the weirdest thing, and something that’s so exciting about the prospect of a movie. Every episode we had no idea what would happen to the characters. Week to week we’d be like, ‘What the shit do I have to do? Ok, whatever!’ And now that so much time has passed, and so much is going to already have happened to the characters, they’re going to have to kind of explain where they are at. I have no idea what to expect, and that’s what’ so exciting about it. Unlike any other writer, Mitch is just so out there that it’s thrilling and exciting to see what will happen. BS: Anything you're really looking forward to finding out? AS: Of course, because I’m egotistical, I’m just so looking forward to seeing where Maeby and George Michael’s relationship ends up. Because now that they’re kind of adults, how they relate to each other or if they’re together or if they’re not, it could be anything. BS: What would your dream for Maeby be? AS: My dream? I don’t know. It could be cool to do something fun, like if she got a sex change or something. BS: And you've worked with so many great comedians already - any one left on the list? AS: Everybody! I’d love to work with Bill Murray. That would be really fun. I don’t know if he’d like me very much. Gary Shandling, I don’t know if he’s doing a whole love of movies now, but The Larry Sanders Show was one of my favorite shows.

Judy Greer on Having Mad Love, the Arrested Development Movie, and Jake Gyllenhaal

Shannon Vestal — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 05:00:04 PST

When I visited last week's Winter TCA, I got to hear some details about new CBS series Mad Love starring Jason Biggs, Judy Greer, and Sarah Chalke. After the panel, I sat down for a few minutes to chat with Greer about the sitcom, her role as Connie, and we even talked about the much-anticipated Arrested Development movie and her appearance in Love and Other Drugs, where she got to work with Jack Gyllenhaal. Check it out!

Zach Gilford on His New Series Off The Map and Missing Friday Night Lights

Shannon Vestal — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 14:30:35 PST

At last week's Winter TCA, I checked out the panel for Shonda Rhimes's latest series Off the Map, about a group of young doctors who try to save lives in the South American rain forest. Afterward, I sat down with Friday Night Lights alum Zach Gilford, who plays one of the eager physicians, Tommy, a role that's a pretty far cry from football star Matt Saracen. We chatted about his new TV series vs. his old one, living in paradise to shoot Off the Map, and naturally, how often he'll be shirtless.

Read Up on All My Interviews From the Winter TCA!

BuzzSugar — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 06:00:00 PST

Last week's Winter TCA not only had some interesting panels on new and returning TV shows, it also gave me the chance to talk to some of my favorite TV stars. Check out all the interviews from the press tour that you may have missed!

Courteney Cox on Cougar Town	David Duchovny on Californication	Candice Accola on The Vampire Diaries
Cory Monteith on Glee	Mindy Kaling on The Office and No Strings Attached	Elijah Wood on Wilfred and The Hobbit
Jason Segel on How I Met Your Mother and The Muppets	Aziz Ansari on Parks and Recreation	Dan Byrd on Cougar Town

David Duchovny Talks Surprising Himself on Californication

Shannon Vestal — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 20:56:17 PST

David Duchovny and his Californication castmates gave the Winter TCA some great quotes today, but Duchovny also took a minute to chat about the Showtime series with some reporters. He talked about how he keeps Hank Moody interesting, the heart of the show, and joked about adding in his own bits to episodes.

How do you keep it interesting when you play the same character for years?
David Duchovny: In a way you keep discovering the character. You just kind of remain open to wherever the new storylines are taking you. I'm lucky enough to have really good actors to play along with, not just people who are there every year like Evan and Natasha (McElhone) and Pam (Adlon) and Madeleine (Martin), but people like Carla (Gugino), people like Rob (Lowe), or Kathleen Turner. Actors push one another around into different places. It's kind of an unconscious thing, kind of an instinctual thing. There's a joy in television that's greater than film. It's closer to stagework. In doing something over and over you get to different levels than you would if you had just moved on.

Would you say that Hank is detached?
DD: He is kind of detached. Hank is a guy who doesn't say no, be it drugs, or sex, or experience. What's interesting about him is that he doesn't seek many things out, he's just a magnet that things come to. And in terms of detachment, I think it's true; it's detachment, but an objectivity.

To find out what else Duchovny had to say about the show, and when he has improved a line, just

read more. Have you ever been surprised by the direction of the show? DD: I knew what it was all along. I didn't know that [creator] Tom Kapinos was going to be able to bring the heart [out] of the show. I knew it was going to be funny; I didn't know it was going to be so effective. And I'm really happy for that, because that was my main concern in starting the show. I wasn't really interested in just a guy jumping from bed to bed no matter how funny or articulate he was. It just seemed like it would be an empty exercise after a certain amount of time. So I'm really happy for that. I think other part is, the more comfortable that I get as a performer, period, and as a performer playing this role, I open up to different areas as well. That's the fun part. If I can surprise myself, then other people will be surprised as well. Do you ever improv on the show? DD: Not a lot, lines here and there. Scenes have a shape; it's not a long show, 27 minutes or whatever. There's story you have to do, it's not a film where you can stretch out. There's been times where I've added stuff. Buzz: Any bits that have made it? DD: In the first episode, [there's] a line when I'm with Carla. I'm f***ing around, and then I say, no, I know this is important, I'm here for you, I'll "tumble for you." I'll tumble for you is mine, because I'm old enough to remember the song.

Candice Accola Talks About Having Sparks With Tyler, Stefan, and Matt on The Vampire Diaries

Shannon Vestal — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 20:20:00 PST

Candice Accola, who plays Caroline on The Vampire Diaries, made a stop at the Winter TCA to talk about her role on the Buzz reader favorite. She touched on how her character Caroline has transitioned into the life of a new vampire and what's next for her romantically. We talked about all her potential love interests - yes, even Stefan!

Buzz: Were you shocked when you first found out that Caroline was going to be a vampire?
Candice Accola: It had been hinted. I guess I was shocked at the extreme at which she kicked ass so much within that episode too; it wasn't a slow build. And the fact that they gave her the opportunity to catch on and to be very dominant in the sense that she killed people. When the people you work with on a day-to-day basis look at the blood on your face and have to turn away . . . it was pretty graphic. I'm glad that they allowed the character who's so perky and vain to just get dirty.

Buzz: When did you find out?
CA: I was very happy to get a phone call from Kevin [Williamson] before we went back for season two, so I did know that it was going to happen, but things do get brought up and changed. It wasn't until I saw it on the paper that it was like, this is real, this is happening.

Buzz: You and Michael Trevino (Tyler) recently had a very moving scene when Tyler transitioned to a werewolf for the first time.
CA: It was moving just to be in the room. It was a smaller set and a smaller crew and it was shot over two 12- to 14-hour days, and it was really hard to watch. Trevino obviously wasn't wearing very many clothes, the chains he had on in the episode, they were real chains. He was bawling his eyes out. It was really tough to watch. You know, Trevino is a dude, he is a full-on, very masculine man and so to watch him get so vulnerable, it definitely created a very open space in which [I was] able to feel what was going on.

To find out what Accola had to say about potential romance between Caroline and Stefan, just

read more. Buzz: Where is the relationship between Caroline and Matt going? CK: There's obviously a love triangle; and what's missing in one, the other one has. I think Matt is Caroline's first true love, but I think that Tyler, she can really be her real new self in front of. It's really up to the writers to decide where they want to take it. But I love that their [Tyler and Caroline] relationship didn't start out as a sexual one, there was no sexual tension, it was purely friendship, purely "if you've got my back, I've got your back." And Caroline hadn't had that yet in the season. Buzz: Caroline and Stefan have struck up a friendship; do you think anything romantic will ever happen between them? CA: It's always fun when you have new faces in front of you, and Caroline and Stefan didn't really have a lot of scenework in the first season, so I think that's what everyone is talking about in regards to the second season. They've got a great banter, you know. [But] He's got enough to worry about with Elena. And that's the other thing, it's another friendship; yes, she was attracted to him back then, but at this point it really is just stemming from the friendship, and I just need help. It's refreshing because it's that old question, can men and women just friends? Keep track of all my Winter TCA posts here!

Mindy Kaling Says Natalie Portman Is "Completely Unpretentious"

Shannon Vestal — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 11:38:44 PST

Mindy Kaling may be most recognizable for her role as Kelly on The Office, but she's also one of the show's writers and has so much more in the works. Kaling is working on a book, writing a romantic comedy, and she's also appearing on the big screen alongside Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher in No Strings Attached. I caught up with her at the Winter TCA to talk about everything that's on her plate, including the return of her girl group, Subtle Sexuality!

What's coming for Kelly during the rest of the season on The Office?
Mindy Kaling: It's funny because Kelly appears in episodes at the last minute to tell a funny joke. She doesn't have arcs or anything really. She'll get in a few good jokes but in a lot of ways, she's like a Simpsons cartoon. Not a lot of things happen to her - maybe one or two things in the season. I don't know though. She might get promoted but we're still not sure. That'd be kind of funny.

How was it working with Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher on No Strings Attached?
MK: Well, I only had that one scene with Ashton, but every day on set people would say, "Ashton got a masseuse for everyone on set!" or "Ashton got a juice truck for the cast and crew today!" And even though Natalie has been acting since she was like 10, in her heart, she's just a nice Jewish girl from Long Island whose dad is a doctor and went to Harvard. She just felt like someone I grew up with. She's so East Coast. Her parents really emphasized her education. I got along with her really well. She's completely an unpretentious kind of girl.

Was it fun to film?
MK: Yeah, you know, all of my scenes were with Greta Gerwig and Natalie, which was amazing because I love those girls. It was just a dream.

To find out about Kaling's book, the movie she wrote, and when Subtle Sexuality's next hit will emerge, just

read more. When is Subtle Sexuality's next song coming out? MK: Soon. Last Friday we shot a country pop song. Like Taylor Swift? MK: Like Taylor Swift. We just shot it, I directed it. B.J. [Novak] is in it. He was the best I've seen him in any episode. He was better in this than anything he's ever done. He was just amazing. I'm not sure exactly when it's coming out, but probably in a month or something. We're going to do so much press for it. I'm so proud of it. What is the book you're writing about? MK: It's like short essays and comedy pieces. Some are a page. Some are a couple sentences. Some are two pages. That kind of thing. Can you give an example? MK: Yeah! The titles are kind of self-explanatory. One of the titles is called "The 20 Things You Need to Do If You're a Guy." Another is "These Are the Photos in My Blackberry," and I just show all the photos in my Blackberry with descriptions. One essay is called "B.J. Novak," and it just talks about B.J. Novak, so it's just things like that. Did you enjoy the writing process? MK: Yeah, I love it. Actually, my favorite one is called "Don't Peak in High School." It's very bossy. It's basically a book of all of my bossy opinions. What's going on with the romantic comedy that you're writing? MK: We're looking for a director now. We just turned in our last rewrite, so we're just waiting now. I'm not the lead in my movie, so . . . Why not? Why wouldn't you make yourself the lead? MK: Seriously, right? If I'm writing my own movie, why shouldn't I be the star? I don't know why I did that, but we are looking for a star and that process just started right now. Who would be your dream leading woman to cast? MK: Gosh, there are so many. Reese Witherspoon, Kate Winslet, Greta Gerwig, there are so many lovely actresses out there.