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Buzz News Roundup, 12/12

BuzzSugar — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 13:30:05 -0800

Iconic pinup model Bettie Page has died at age 85. - AFP
Summit Entertainment has moved the release date for its comedy The Brothers Bloom (starring Mark Ruffalo, Adrien Brody, and Rachel Weisz) from Dec. 19 to May 15. - Zap2It
American Idol is canceling Idol Gives Back this year and might have 36 instead of 24 semifinalists. - MSNBC
It's confirmed: There's a "reimagining" of A Nightmare on Elm Street in the works. - ComingSoon
Comedy team Lonely Island (consisting of Andy Samberg, Jorma Taccone, Akiva Schaffer) has signed a record deal and will release its debut album, Incredibad, on Feb. 10. - Billboard
Don't worry: The Full House remake is completely dead. - E! Online
Oliver Stone is planning to make a documentary about Venezuela's controversial President Hugo Chavez. - Variety
Dawson's Creek's Grams (Mary Beth Pell) will guest-star with Joshua Jackson on Fringe. - TV Guide
Ben Stiller is set to replace Mark Ruffalo in the Noah Baumbach dramedy, Greenburg. - The Hollywood Reporter

American Idol Rundown: Who Made the Top Seven?

BuzzSugar — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 05:30:33 -0700

Well, there were no charitable surprises on American Idol this year. Someone went home during Idol Gives Back week on Thursday, and the announcement literally made my jaw drop. Which of these eight folks couldn't get past the inspirational-song round? To find out and talk about it, just read more.

Michael Johns! Wow. You know, a couple of you pointed out that he was due for a bottom-three scare, and I also wasn't surprised to see him end up there - but out? Like out of the competition? And so soon? And wasn't it mean of Ryan to, just for a moment, pretend like he was going to let everyone stay in? Michael seemed truly stunned - as did his family, as did most of the audience. I didn't picture him staying all the way to the end, but past Syesha and Kristy Lee, for sure.

Speaking of Syesha, she too was in the bottom this week, along with Carly - nothing too remarkable there. It's interesting to note, though, that all of those three have had a hard time with song choice and/or with connecting with a particular fan base. Was it a personalty issue? Did Michael's hotness just stun everyone into complacency? How surprised were you?

As for the rest of the show, it was an hour filled mostly with leftovers that somehow didn't fit into Idol Gives Back. Here are some more of my thoughts:

So, Idol Gives Back has raised more than $60 million so far, despite the lower-than-expected viewing numbers and the lack of a pay-per-vote incentive. Not bad. I'm guessing the iTunes downloads helped a lot, especially that top-selling opening number.
How can you not love Forest Whitaker after his Africa videos? It's nice when the people in Hollywood who you thought would be good people turn out to actually be good people, you know?
Jordin Sparks is adorable. I'm really rooting for her to succeed, and "No Air" seems to be helping her more than "Tattoo" did.
I know we're at the point in the season that Ryan starts getting all tricky with the eliminations and the who's safe/who's out pattern and all that, but I still didn't expect the first five safe, last three in the bottom outcome.
Uggghhhhh, John McCain really made a Michigan and Florida delegate joke?
So, I kinda liked the "Stayin' Alive" goofy dancing montage. Of all the Idol Gives Back leftovers, that's the one I would have most liked to see on Wednesday, just to lighten the mood a wee bit.

Your thoughts on Thursday's show? Were you surprised by the elimination? And who's got some work to do?

Photos courtesy of Fox

American Idol Rundown: Idol Gives Back Edition

BuzzSugar — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 09:34:21 -0700

As a concept, Idol Gives Back is a great thing. Here we have the most-watched show in the country, with an active viewing and voting base, working to get people to make the world better. Can't say I recall, oh, M*A*S*H or Seinfeld doing that.

The show's second installment aired Wednesday night, taking up a super-sized two and a half hours - apparently a little more, since my DVR chopped it off somewhere just past Miley Cyrus, Part II - and showing numerous views of tragic living conditions around the globe with big-name celebrities as our guide. The bulk of the show was taped over the weekend, but live in the Idol studios, the top 12 answered phones and the top eight gave us a few more inspirational songs. Executive producer Nigel Lythgoe said he wanted the show to be bigger and better than last year - and to top its $76 million fundraising effort. So, how do you think Idol did?

Without any actual Idol-related event (there wasn't even a fakeout elimination - instead, the goodbye comes tonight), the Idol Gives Back telethon is . . . just a telethon, albeit one with well-produced packages about poverty and tragedy, appearances by major stars, and musical numbers galore. There were a lot of good things about the special, and there were a few that didn't quite hit the mark. I suppose I was expecting something more fun, considering all the talent involved - but, then again, would "fun" have been the right note for a charity special? I'm not really sure.

Fox hasn't released any donation numbers for Idol Gives Back yet, but I'll keep you posted; I believe the last number I heard during the show was $20-something million, not including the $200 million of mosquito nets from Great Britain, but I could be wrong. Were you moved to donate? Did any of the acts stand out? You can read a few of my thoughts if you read more.

I admit to getting chills down my spine when Seacrest opened the show with "Together, we're gonna save some lives." I mean, it really doesn't get more stark than that, does it?
Also, brave of the guy to proclaim there would be 30 million of us watching at home. I'd say that's optimistic. But I get the point. (Update: Yup, the show averaged 17.6 million viewers.)
If I learned one thing from Idol Gives Back, it's how much I truly love So You Think You Can Dance. I got the biggest, dumbest smile on my face picking Hok and Dominic out of the crowd, and even the Mary Murphy / Nigel Lythgoe bit made me laugh. Seriously, I feel so much warmer toward that show than I do toward Idol itself. Is that weird?
How adorable were the kids with Snoop Dogg? Especially the ones who were really into the hand-waving.
It's been so long since I've seen Greg Grunberg and Jesse Spencer do anything that I'm even willing to forgive Teri Hatcher's "Before He Cheats."

When did this night become Miley Cyrus Gives Back? She got two performances (and both as Miley, not as Hannah) and an extended "comedy" bit with Billy Crystal. Meanwhile, seems that those planned appearances by the presidential candidates fell by the wayside.
Before I poke a little fun at anything else, I want to mention that I found the celebrity visits to poverty- and disease-ravaged places almost uniformly moving. The celebrities Idol sent to the various places truly seemed to connect with the issues they were observing; Annie Lennox, in particular, visited Africa for the show and returned to give one of the night's most passionate performances. And Alicia Keys talking about changing lives "for the price of a pair of shoes" hit home, too. Also, if you use "Breathe Me" as music for anything, it will make me cry.
I loved that Heart seemed to not really understand what they were supposed to be doing with Fergie, who had this wild "c'mon, guys, dance with me!" look in her eyes the whole time.
Jimmy Kimmel and Simon's nipples = too much, too much, too much. But "who parts that for you, Moses?" actually made me laugh.
I say this as a longtime fan, but . . . does anyone find Robin Williams funny these days?
When Brad Pitt is introducing Daughtry, it really is a topsy-turvy world.

And there we have it: Another 150 minutes of Idol giving back. What were your thoughts? Was the closing song (which I missed; thanks, DVR) better than last year's? Which celebrity appearances did you most enjoy? And will you be tuning in for the elimination show tonight, or are you all Idol-ed out for one week?

Photos courtesy of Fox

American Idol Rundown: The Top Eight Try to Inspire

BuzzSugar — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 09:35:57 -0700

It's American Idol cliche at this point to talk about song choice, but I'm going to do it anyway: Considering how treacly and dull the show's Inspiration Night had the potential to be, I was really impressed with the variety of songs the top eight performed. It wasn't the overall best Idol performance night of the season (I still give that to Beatles Night, take one), but it was pretty good for still having so many darn singers in the competition.

There were a few other things that stole the spotlight last night, namely Randy's crotchetier-than-average commentary and Paula's odd boobs. But for the most part, the night was a chance for some singers to step up (and some favorites to falter). Don't forget to vote for who's going home, and to get my take, just read more.

Michael Johns - After last week's detour into bluesy rock, Michael was back to the '80s/'90s alternative scene this week with Aerosmith's "Dream On." At the risk of sounding like Randy, I didn't like the beginning but thought he worked it out by the time he got to the chorus. He does have a good classic rock voice (though I don't know about that falsetto), but I think I like him better when he's not trying to be a capital-R Rocker. Randy thought it was pitchy, Boobilicious Paula said he sounded as good as he looked, and Simon said he doesn't like Michael's rock-star impersonations either.

Syesha Mercado - First thought on hearing she was singing Fantasia's "I Believe"? Dangerous! Poaching an Idol-winning song is scary in the first place, and Syesha just keeps picking songs that will leave her compared (unfavorably) to someone else. It wasn't a bad performance, but she sounded a little out of control on some notes and never seemed that into it. It was a pretty song, not a passionate ballad. Randy said she didn't connect enough, Boobilicious Paula said it was one of her better nights, and Simon called it technically good but not emotional.

Jason Castro - Driving home the stoned-folkie image further, Jason performed a Hawaiian ukulele take on "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." First of all, I think ukuleles are hilarious, so just watching him play the teeny thing was enough to make me laugh. But more importantly, his voice sounded so pure, and I was utterly captivated by him for the first time since his "Hallelujah" performance. Randy called it "blazing molten hot," Boobilicious Paula said it was the perfect song, and Simon deemed it fantastic.

Kristy Lee Cook - She's getting smarter about this whole country thing, picking a song ("Anyway" by Martina McBride) that's country on purpose. And it hurts me to admit this, but I thought she did well. She has the vocal range the size of a pea, but it's obvious when she's doing a song that's exactly in it because her voice has a strength behind it that disappears otherwise. This was one of her good ones. Randy loved it, Boobilicious Paula said she'd outdone herself, and Simon said she was very good and looked like a star.

David Cook - First of all: I still can't get over how much better his hair looks! David picked one of his favorite songs, "Innocent" by Our Lady Peace, and I don't think it was a good call. The song seemed to force his voice artificially low, which he'd make up for by getting screamy in parts, and he clearly didn't draw the crowd in the way he usually does just by opening his mouth. Nice touch with the "give back" on his hand, though. Randy said it wasn't his strongest, Boobilicious Paula still loved him, and Simon didn't like it at all.

Carly Smithson - Have we heard a woman try to sing Queen on this show before? Carly's voice is actually pretty suited to it, so I was excited to hear what she'd do with "The Show Must Go On." If I closed my eyes, it sounded cool, but watching her, something just seemed off, as it does with so many Carly performances. Randy said she was pitchy on the high notes, Boobilicious Paula said she just isn't feeling engaged with Carly, and Simon said she lost control of the song and came across as angry, which I agree with. She also still seems to get rattled so easily, and we can all see when it happens.

David Archuleta - After some of the lite-rock dregs David's chosen already this season, I was downright terrified to see what inspirational song he'd pick, but thankfully "Angels" was at least a song I've heard. He did his typically excellent job with it, but here's the question: Is it bad to be an adult-contemporary singer when you're 17? David's a technically great singer, and there is something about his voice that's instantly captivating, but I just can't see him being a pop star (despite the outpouring of teenybopper love). Randy called the performance his hottest of the season, Boobilicious Paula said it was fantastic, and Simon said it wasn't his best vocal but admitted he was nitpicking.

Brooke White - I like Brooke best when she's being an innovator, but I can also understand why inspiration week would have seemed like the time to pull out some Carole King and sing it straight. "You've Got a Friend" was clearly her thing, very folky and sweet, though not different or unusual in any way. Randy didn't love it, Boobilicious Paula thought it was a great way to close the night, and Simon dubbed it "a pleasant walk in the park" - but not necessarily in a positive way.

My favorites: Jason Castro and, um, Kristy Lee, kinda?

Bottom three: Based on performance, David Cook should be there, but he won't be, so I'll say Brooke, Carly, and Syesha.

Going home: Syesha.

Photos courtesy of Fox

Which American Idol Contestant Is Going Home Next?

BuzzSugar — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 05:30:00 -0700

As Idol Gives Back week began on Tuesday, the top eight American Idol hopefuls sang songs intended to inspire us - and, I suppose, pull out our wallets to make some charity donations. Alas, one contestant's performance will be deemed not inspirational enough. Which singer do you think is going home next?

Photo courtesy of Fox

Link Time! 4/8

BuzzSugar — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 12:30:17 -0700

Kanye West, Jim Henson, and Where the Wild Things Are? Thank you, Vulture.
Cinematical discusses the problem of renting DVDs with your significant other.
Popwatch takes sides in this week's stupid feud: Snoop Dogg vs. Barack Obama.
Give Me My Remote analyzes The Office-centric cover of TV Guide.
The MTV Movies Blog has a clip from the upcoming Uma Thurman-Evan Rachel Wood movie The Life Before Her Eyes (which also happens to be this month's Buzz Book Club selection!).
If you can't wait for Idol Gives Back, TV Squad has a report from the Kodak Theater taping.
Rolling Stone's Rock & Roll Daily explains the keys to a proper viewing of Celebrity Fit Club.
Andrew Bird is magnificent live and YouAintNoPicasso has evidence with an MP3 of Bird performing "Scythian Empire."
In case my Rachel Dratch casting challenge isn't enough, the TV Addict has some other actors who desperately need jobs - including most of the stars of The West Wing.

Source

TV Tonight: Idol Gives Back Week Begins

BuzzSugar — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 09:30:00 -0700

Idol Gives Back, which airs its second annual special this week on Fox, is a curious blend of Hollywood event and fundraising telethon. It's also a good look at what can happen when the biggest TV show in the nation and the biggest names in entertainment come together to ask everyday folks to give. In the first year, the special certainly succeeded, raising $76 million for various charities. This year's goal, according to executive producer Nigel Lythgoe, is even higher.

The work begins tonight, when the top eight American Idol contestants sing songs that inspire them. Last year, the contestants got a reprieve with a surprise non-elimination round during Idol Gives Back, but it doesn't sound like this year will be quite so charitable. Nobody will be eliminated during Wednesday's two-and-a-half-hour special - but there's still an elimination show set for Thursday. But Idol Gives Back shouldn't be about a clever trick or a big twist, Lythgoe told reporters last week. He said:

Idol is Idol; that is always going to be watched, and for some 17-year-old like David Archuleta to come forward and say, hey, give your money because we need it - it isn’t a question of blackmailing an audience; it’s time to inform and educate an audience to realize they should be doing this.

After tonight's performances, the Idol top eight will go on phone duty, taking donations from callers during Wednesday's show and maybe even singing for a few lucky givers.

Part of Idol Gives Back was taped over the weekend, while still more performances will air live on Wednesday. This year's beneficiaries will be American Save the Children, America's Make it Right, Children's Defense Fund, the Children’s Health Fund, Malaria No More, and the Global Fund. How are you feeling about a second year of Idol Gives Back (not to mention the whopping four-and-a-half hours of Idol-related TV this week)? And what inspirational songs would you like to hear tonight? To watch a preview for Idol Gives Back, just read more.

Photo courtesy of Fox

Idol Will Give Back Again

BuzzSugar — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 14:30:48 -0800

American Idol is bringing back its behemoth charity event, Idol Gives Back, for another round in the spring.

The 2007 version raised $75 million for various US and global charities, including programs to fight poverty in Africa. The Idol contestants all sang favorite inspirational songs during the competition portion of the event, and the next night tons of stars took the stage to urge people to pull out their wallets.

The only detail Fox has released about this year's Idol Gives Back is the date: April 9. As Zap2it points out, contestants can probably call that a non-elimination night already.

With no end in sight for the Hollywood writers' strike, Idol could be even more dominant than usual this winter. I'm glad the show's using its huge reach to do some good. What's your take?

Photo courtesy of Fox

Buzz News Roundup, 4/26

BuzzSugar — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 16:30:42 -0700

"Idol Gives Back" has now raised more than $60 million, reports Zap2it.
SciFi.com reports that Kirsten Dunst will make her directorial debut with a short film about ghosts. She's also going to star in it, alongside Michelle Williams.
Advocates from the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood think Shrek shouldn't be in an anti-obesity commercial if he's also in ads for junk food, says the AP.
Billboard tell us that Kanye West and Rod Stewart will be performing in the concert to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Princess Diana's death.
Citing the nation's obscenity laws, an Indian judge has issued warrants for the arrest of Richard Gere and Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty for kissing on television, Reuters reports.
The singer of "Monster Mash," Bobby "Boris" Pickett, has died, the AP reports.

Photo courtesy of Fox

"American Idol": Non-Elimination Round

BuzzSugar — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 09:31:36 -0700

Charitable, indeed: After a night of special performances, appeals for donations and even a weird re-animated Elvis, all of the "American Idol" top six got to stick around on Wednesday's special "Idol Gives Back" episode. And really, what else could "Idol" have done? Kicking someone off on a night that was meant to be inspirational would have gone totally against the spirit of the event. Frankly, even if I hadn't already guessed this, I would have figured it out by about two minutes in, when Seacrest said he'd be delivering the most shocking results ever in the history of "Idol." It wasn't the only non-elimination round ever, by the way; they did the same thing the week Corey Clark was disqualified in season two.

I think Jordin totally knew she was safe; she's an emotional gal, and yet when Seacrest told Chris he could sit down, Jordin turned around with a huge smile on her face. Oh, sure, she cried later during the group hug, but the actual elimination part didn't feel even a little tense.

As for the actual point of "Idol Gives Back," the evening raised more than $30 million for Charity Projects Entertainment Fund, and there's almost certainly more to come from downloads of Wednesday's performances. Speaking of which, as I said after Tuesday's show, it's hard to be snarky about "Idol Gives Back" (it makes me feel a little dirty to do it). But "Idol"'s first attempt at a charity event, while educational and occasionally entertaining, still felt a lot like a telethon, so read more

Honestly, some of those video clips of impoverished children were tough to watch - though in the good way, the "pull out the wallet and give some money" way. The stories of the slow recovery after Hurricane Katrina, the cramped living conditions in a slum in Africa, and the struggles of kids in rural Kentucky to learn to read all gave me glimpses of lives that seem so far removed from mine. And "Idol" did a good job of pointing out exactly how our money can make a difference. I mean, $2 for anti-malaria drugs, $30 to help fight AIDS, $10 for a mosquito net that could save a whole family. It helps me believe that the $30 million raised through this event really will make a difference.
Unfortunately, for the most part, the much-hyped performances felt a little low-energy, and the special as a whole seemed to drag on. I wonder how much of that was due to the evening being split between two venues; all of the switching back and forth between theaters and hosts seemed to suck some of the life from the event.

Way to go, Ellen, for giving $100,000 and challenging her friends to do the same. I believe she's the only one of the night's stars to announce a donation publicly.
The top six were all dressed in white Wednesday night. My two favorite parts: Phil's cap and the hoodie Chris wore under his suit jacket.
I teared up a little when the kids of the African Children's Choir started singing "You Raise Me Up" with Josh Groban. I'm a sucker, but man, they were adorable.
Hugh Grant mostly looked like he would have rather been anywhere but in the "Staying Alive" lip-synching segment. Meanwhile, Hugh Laurie and Helen Mirren acted like it was the most fun they'd ever had.
The "Simpsons" Idol parody worked surprisingly well, with a cartoon Simon as a contestant auditioning for a judging panel of Marge, Lisa and Homer. The best part was definitely Lisa as Paula: "Where's the dog? I like dogs! Whoooo!" Bonus points for a Dunkleman reference.
"Idol" got a total of 70 million votes this week, the most ever for a single show (though the voting time was doubled to four hours from the usual two). I suppose some people could feel manipulated because nobody technically "needed" their vote this time, but hey, it's for a good cause. On the other hand, I really wish News Corp. hadn't set that $5 million cap for their donation; it barely would have dented their revenue if they'd given $7 million, 10 cents per vote for all the votes, instead. It also bugs me that the other corporate sponsors, who got name-checked dozens of times over the two nights, aren't saying what they chipped in; Seacrest just said they raised "millions."

Jack Black singing "Kiss from a Rose" was totally awesome, from the moment he was called on stage to the appearance of Seal in the judging panel. And even if Paula's "The School of Rock called - they want their diploma back" line was scripted, it still made me chuckle.
I had high hopes for "American Prayer," the Bono anthem the top six performed at the end of the show, but their voices didn't exactly sound great together live (I actually yelped aloud when Chris started singing). I'd like to hear a studio version, though.
Not that it matters, but Melinda was first to be told she was safe, followed by Blake, then Phil, then LaKisha, then Chris, then Jordin. The contestants weren't ranked at all, so we don't know who was in the bottom three.
Sanjaya was in the audience! And Eric McCormack's "If every person who ever voted for Sanjaya gave just one dollar, we could do so much" was one of the night's best lines.
A few words on the topic of Celine and Elvis: I think this is a prime example of "just because you can doesn't mean you should." But the nerd in me really wants to know how they did it.
Next week's votes and this week's will be totaled together, with the bottom two going home next week. That means "Idol" is still on schedule for a May 24 finale.

Photos courtesy of Fox