“American Idol” Smackdown! Who Will Win the War of Words Between Nicki Minaj and Steven Tyler?
Fans are on the edge of their seats, waiting, to see what the newest “American Idol” judge, Nicki Minaj, will do or say next. She is bold on and off the stage, and rarely keeps her thoughts and opinions to herself. It’s exciting. It’s also no surprise then that Minaj quickly took to her Twitter page recently to air out her latest grievances with legendary Aerosmith rocker and former judge Steven Tyler, himself no slouch in the shooting-off-your-mouth department.
While speaking with MTV about Aerosmith’s new album, Steven Tyler made statements about the new season of “Idol.” One could speculate that Tyler’s comments are coming from a place of frustration. He was, after all, reportedly booted off “Idol,” along with Jennifer Lopez.
Tyler says that the new batch of judges, including Keith Urban, is not what contestants need. According to Tyler, the judges “should have something going on, which is called ‘camaraderie.'” Tyler says that the new contestants, “needs to be birthed, not judged by ‘entertainment’ factors, it needs to be judged by people that are honest, true, that have the ‘it’ factor. Not the ‘it’ factor because they can fight.”
Tyler is referring to the former judges’ successful attempts to nurture last season’s contestant, season 11 winner Phillip Phillips. Tyler ends his thoughts by talking about the contestants and saying “these kids, they just got out of a car from the Midwest somewhere and they’re in New York City, they’re scared to death; you’re not going to get the best [out of them]”. He then makes the mistake of involving the notoriously short-tempered Minaj, saying that she doesn’t know how to nurture talent. “If [a new contestant] was Bob Dylan, Nicki Minaj would have had him sent to the cornfield. Whereas, if it was Bob Dylan with us, we would have brought the best of him out, as we did with Phillip Phillips. Just saying.”
Obviously, Nicki Minaj took the statement personally. Hours after the interview was released, Minaj took to her Twitter account to offer a public retort to Tyler in front of her 15 millions followers: “I understand you really wanted to keep your job, but take that up with the producers. I haven’t done anything to you.” She also played an unexpected card, adding: “That’s a racist comment.”
The tirade did not end there. Minaj goes on to make serious allegations, “Steven Tyler said I would have sent Bob Dylan to a cornfield??? Steven, you haven’t seen me judge one single solitary contestant yet! You assume that I wouldn’t have liked Bob Dylan??? Why? Black? Rapper? What? Go f— yourself and worry about yourself babe.”
Minaj, prematurely criticized for her judging style, was not having it. This pattern is something we have come to expect of Nicki. No one can say why Fox chose Minaj, but it was definitely not for her subtlety.
During October, while filming the new season of “Idol” in North Carolina, Minaj got into a disagreement with Mariah Carey. After the dust settled, the situation boiled down to a he said/she said situation. Claiming that Minaj is unstable, Carey said that the “Freedom” singer walked off the “Idol” stage after saying: “’If I had a gun I would shoot that b-tch.” Subsequently, Carey ordered more security while filming with Minaj. Surprisingly, Minaj did not directly or publicly address Carey’s allegations.
Last season “Idol” remained popular, but was plagued with eroding ratings and a waning fan base. Fox, realizing that their money maker was in danger of drying up, enlisted the help of high-wattage new judges like Minaj, but whether it will help remains to be seen.
‘Idol’ is still the gold standard,” said Marc Graboff, president of Core Media Group (the company that produces the show), when speaking with The New York Times earlier this year about the thinking behind the new judges. “It’s very viable, but it definitely needs to be refreshed and it will be.”
Have they have bitten off more than they could chew with firecracker Minaj? With less than a month before the new season debuts, Minaj may only become a bigger liability. However, not even Fox can control the bombs that will undoubtedly drop once live taping takes place. Meanwhile we’re still watching….for now. The new season of “American Idol” debuts January 16th and 17th on FOX.
“Two and a Half Men” Star Angus Jones Says You Can’t Be Funny and Religious At The Same Time – Do You Agree?
What is it about the show “Two and a Half Men” that makes its cast members so loopy?
First, we had the epic meltdown and Chuck Lorre bashing of the “winning” Charlie Sheen. Now, the “half man” himself seems to also want his time in the crazy limelight, because he’s openly bashing the show that made him a star!
In a video that recently leaked, 19-year-old actor Angus T. Jones aka Jake Harper states reveals his thoughts. “If you watch ‘Two and a Half Men,’ please stop watching ‘Two and a Half Men.’ I’m on ‘Two and a Half Men,’ I don’t want to be on it,” he explains. “Please stop watching it. Please stop filling your head with filth. Please.”
His problem with the show is not about its writing, character arcs, or even its late in life addition of Ashton Kutcher to the cast. Jones instead has found religion, and apparently he believes that it doesn’t jive with being on one of the top sitcoms in the nation.
In the video, made for a Christian vlog series called Forerunner Chronicles, Jones goes on to call his entire career thus far a walking contradiction. “You cannot be a true God-fearing person and be on a television show like that,” he explains. “I know I can’t. I’m not OK with what I’m learning, what the bible says and being on that television show.”
Which is too bad because the show, currently in its 10th season, is still really, really popular. It was the number 3 primetime comedy on TV at the end of it’s 9th season with around 15 millions viewers a week. Jones makes $350,000 an episode, which a lot of people in this economy would like to call a weekly paycheck – so as you can imagine, the blowback has been significant.
Oddly enough, it’s hard to tell if the actual content of the show offends Jones, or just the fact that the show is not furthering his opinion of “God’s message.” At a recent Seventh Day Adventist workshop, the young actor was quoted as saying: “It’s very weird being on a television show, especially now that I’m trying to walk with God, because my television show has nothing to do and doesn’t want anything to do with God.”
Personally, I think that while it’s great that Angus has found a religion that works for him, does he really need to slap his fans in their collective faces like this? It’s not like “Two and a Half Men” is a work of art or anything, but America loves it! And we’re guessing that many of the show’s Christian fans might feel a little uncomfortable being told that watching the sitcom is a detriment to their religious beliefs.
Ultimately, “Two and a Half Men” is a diversion from the stresses of every day life. And after a hard day at the office or digging ditches or driving trucks or being a parent, sometime all America wants is to sit down and watch a dumb sitcom. So, while we’re all entitled to our own religious beliefs, perhaps it’s time Charlie Sheen and Angus Jones sit down and watch “Sullivan’s Travels” and remember that purveyors of laughter also have a very important job in this world. Because there’s a lot to be said for making people laugh. Did you know that’s all some people have? It isn’t much, but it’s better than nothing in this cock-eyed caravan…
Anyway, Jones is under contract for another year, and there have been no rumblings on either side about his departing the show early, like Sheen did. We’d love to be a fly on the wall at their rehearsal this morning. Because something tells us that Angus will be getting the cold shoulder at that cold read.
Lindsay Lohan’s Busy Week: “Liz & Dick” Ratings, Charlie Sheen’s Loan, and Will She Get Back With Samantha?
What’s the latest scoop on Lindsay Lohan? Well, it’s not a rekindled romance between herself and Samantha Ronson.
According to Us Weekly, Lindsay says that she wasn’t shy about the girl-on-girl romance, but that she and the deejay are too “toxic” to be together. “I was bold enough to say, ‘Yeah, I like a girl. And?’ That put her in a situation where she was being attacked every day. That’s not fair. And what am I left with? Heartbreak. That was three years ago. It was my last serious relationship.”
“I needed to love myself first before I could be with anyone,” the onetime “Mean Girls” teen star explained. And I was going through a lot. Two toxic people cannot be together. End of story.”
But Lindsay is working now to get her career back on the fast lane. This past Sunday she appeared in one of the year’s most talked-about television events, the Lifetime movie “Liz & Dick,” and the actress has been working the talk show circuit to promote the flick. But how is the movie fairing?
The numbers are here, and although the biopic melodrama about Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton and their storied affair was not Lifetime’s most watched TV movie of 2012, “Liz & Dick” still pulled in 3.5 million watchers for its premiere. Although those numbers may not have been as high as the channel was hoping for, “Liz & Dick” was the fourth most-watched Lifetime movie this year.
Lohan has been keeping herself somewhat busy, and is proud to say that she has two more movies in the pipeline. “I’m happy. I just did three movies in a row, and I’m not even tired,” the actress told Us Weekly. She next appears in “Scary Movie 5” with Charlie Sheen, and then she’ll appear in the “The Canyons” alongside porn star James Deen.
Meanwhile, her costar Charlie “Tiger Blood” Sheen has been giving the actress some advice on her career. He says she should look into TV, where the star was able to make hundreds of millions after his movie prospects began to fade. And Sheen suggests that Lindsay star in a show based on her own life.
A source told the magazine: “Charlie Sheen told her that she should do it. Charlie told Lindsay that it was an easy way to make very good money and help her to get her movie career back on track. Lindsay is loving the idea of having her own sitcom, and would love to play someone in a story based on her crazy life.
Apparently she has asked her manager and agent to see if television would be a good fit. A comedy is what she would really like to do. We all know that Lindsay has the acting chops for comedy, so it will be interesting to see if the project pans out.
Finally, Charlie is apparently giving Lindsay more than just advice. He recently loaned her $100,000 to cover her tax expenses. Generous, no? The two actors became close on the “Scary Movie” set, and Charlie wanted to help out a friend. At first Lindsay refused the offer, but recently her business manager did receive a check from Charlie. Lindsay was reportedly touched by Charlie’s help, and did use the money for her taxes which were rumored to be $234,000. Lindsay should hopefully pay Charlie back soon, as she is expected to earn over $2 million dollars this year.
All in all, Lindsay told the magazine that she’s just beginning her comeback: “I’m not going anywhere,” she insisted.
Justin Bieber Meets Canadian Prime Minister…In Overalls? Was He Being Disrespectful, Or Just Keeping It Real?
Born and bred Canadian Justin Bieber ignited a fashion controversy over the weekend when he wore a backwards hat and overalls to accept an award from his country’s leader. Yes, overalls.
Justin Bieber accepted the Diamond Jubilee medal in Ottawa wearing a pair of striped overalls, perfectly accessorized with a bulky white t-shirt, bright yellow sneakers, and a large silver chain. It was a look the 18-year-old pop star jokingly called “White Trash”. Prime Minister Stephen Harper, meanwhile, dressed for the occasion in a well-tailored suit.
Not surprisingly, Bieber’s choice of attire sparked quite the controversy, especially on social media. After the “Baby” singer posted a photo of himself on Instagram, users let their opinion be known in comments ranging from support to confusion to outright disgust.
Twitter user @rachhhadams said “Justin bieber wears a snap back and overalls to receive the diamond jubilee award from pm harper .. So disrespectful #disgusted.” Others were far more colorful in their distaste for Bieber’s style, posting comments with profanity or derogatory remarks. Some attacked him for wearing a suit to meet President Obama earlier this year, but not showing the same respect to his country’s leader. User @Christalite61 commented “I know I shouldn’t be attached to social norms, but I think Bieber wearing overalls to see the Prime Minister is pretty disrespectful.” Today, @spicyhalapeno chimed in with: “Justin Bieber, please stop dressing like an idiot. #overalls #seriously”
Of course, true to their form, the nation of Beliebers rushed to the heartthrob’s defense. User @lisanestrella tweeted: “maybe #overalls are hip after all…” and @daylemcleod wrote: “YEAH! Justin bibber wore overalls and a backwards hat to accept a medal from our PM. #Overalls.” And @TheOVOBelieber linked to a photo of the meeting and wrote: “THAT’S MY BOY 😉 #justin #bieber #overalls (overrauhls) #proud”
After the controversy had spread, Bieber took to Instagram to defend himself. Referencing an article called “Would a Suit Hurt, Justin?” that appeared in The Daily Mail, he shot back:
“The pic of me and the Prime Minister was taken in a room in the arena where i was performing at that day. I walked straight from my meet and greet to him, if you “Hayley” expect me to have a change of clothes let a loan a suit at that specific time that’s crazy, It wasn’t like it was like I was going into his environment we were at a hockey arena. Wow am i ever white trash hayley peterson lol.”
However, Bieber can rest easy. On Saturday, Harper hilariously tweeted his support for the singer stating, “In fairness to @justinbieber, I told him I would be wearing my overalls too. #cdnpoli #beliebers.” Now that’s a photo op we wish we could have seen!
Jessica Simpson Has Lost Nearly 70 Pounds! Here’s How She Did It!
Is This Chicken or Weight Loss? Jessica Simpson Loses 60lbs on Weight Watchers Diet
Jessica Simpson’s long struggle with weight loss is well documented and giggled at…but it looks like she’s having the last laugh after all! The one time singer has dropped 60 pounds following the birth of her daughter Maxwell Drew Johnson on May 1st 2012 (Dad is former-football player Eric Johnson).
It’s all thanks to one intense Weight Watchers diet! Also, having a high priced personal trainer and working out four times a week probably didn’t hurt.
During Baby Maxwell’s seemingly endless gestation period, Simpson was the subject of intense and – as pregnant women around the world would most likely agree – unfair ridicule for the amount of weight she gained. But, in a cunning move, Simpson signed a $3 million dollar deal to become the new face of Weight Watchers, joining the ranks of such formerly thin-challenged celebrities as Jennifer Hudson.
Of course, conspiracy theorists have also had a lot of fun with Jessica’s up-and-down scale numbers. Suspicions emerged that the one-time “Newlyweds” star’s weight loss plan was not, shall we say, gaining momentum when Weight Watchers released an ad earlier this year that neglected to show viewers Simpson from the waist down.
But I guess we should have trusted the self-proclaimed “just” Jessica when she declared “It’s Working!” in the commercial, because it sure has. And now it can for all of us too, because the blonde mom’s diet has been released to the public.
Jessica started off her diet with a 15-day intense smoothie-filled plan in July. On days 1-5 she was allowed 3 smoothies a day with 2 snacks. Days 6-10 offered 2 smoothies, 2 snacks, and 1 small meal. And days 11-15 let her have 1 smoothie, 2 snacks, and 2 small meals. Snacks could include cut veggies with 10 almonds or 3 whole grain crackers with 1 tablespoon of peanut butter.
Now that she’s back on solid foods once again, Jessica only has 10 more pounds to go to reach her 70-pound weight loss goal. And we truly wish her the best, because there is no way we could stick to that diet or look as good as she does now!
Halle Berry Holiday Drama Continues – Will It Hurt or Help Her Custody Claim?
In a shocking turn of events, what should have been a nice and joyful holiday for Halle Berry and her family turned violent when a brawl broke out between her fiance, actor Olivier Martinez and her former boyfriend and father of her child, model Gabriel Aubry. The Thanksgiving Day altercation allegedly began after Aubry dropped off daughter Nahla at Berry’s Hollywood home, when Martinez reportedly passed along the simple message: “We need to move on.”
Aubry, who just this past January was accused of pushing a nanny while she held his child, apparently took a swing at Martinez, who in turn acted in self-defense and punched Aubry in the face. The fight seemingly ended after Martinez made a citizen’s arrest and the police arrived. While both men wound up at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, it seems Aubry made off worse (if there’s any truth in some of the pictures floating around the web) with a broken rib and one hell of a shiner. Martinez was assessed for damage to his hand and neck, but seemingly came out of it relatively unscathed, physically at least.
The brawl is yet another misfortune in a seemingly endless and nasty custody battle that has played out publicly since Berry and Aubry split in 2010. The 46-year-old actress and 37-year-old model met in 2005, with Berry giving birth to Nahla in 2008, but the post-split mediations between the two have been anything but amicable. Most recently, Berry has been trying to move her daughter to her fiance’s native France, citing the decreased presence of paparazzi and exposure as beneficial to her child’s upbringing, but a judge denied the plea in favor of Aubry’s parental rights.
However, this latest hiccup could prove to be the impetus needed for Berry to gain full custody, as she has repeatedly stressed Aubry’s instability and anger issues. While a judge ordered an emergency protection order requiring Aubry to stay 100 yards away from Berry, Martinez, and Nahla following Thursday’s events, it expires tomorrow. Berry will be seeking a full restraining order this week to continue after the protection order ends, which could keep Aubry from seeing his daughter indefinitely.
Sad News: Kimora Lee Simmons and Djimon Hounsou Confirm Split After Five Years As a Couple
After months of Internet rumors, “Life in the Fab Lane” star Kimora Lee Simmons has revealed to her Twitter followers that she and actor Djimon Hounsou (“Blood Diamond”) are officially separated.
Kimora tweeted: “There have been quite a few hurtful rumors circulating. The truth is Djimon+I have been separated for some time. We have remained happy, loving, co-parenting friends+family. We have much to be thankful for. #HappyThanksgiving.”
The couple had been together for five years and have a son together, Kenzo Lee Hounsou (3), Djimon’s first child and Kimora’s third. Her older children, Ming Lee (12) and Aoki Lee Simmons (10) were fathered by her ex-husband, media and fashion mogul Russell Simmons, whom she claims to maintain a solid friendship with as well. Wouldn’t it be great if all of our relationships ended on such good terms?
Just to give a little background on Kimora Lee, she was born and raised in St. Louis, MO, where she famously admits now to being picked on for being “different.” In addition to being tall for her age, Kimora had a unique background; she is of Japanese and African American descent. As the story goes, her mother Joanne Perkins (herself a Korean-born Japanese woman) refused to let the taunting get to her daughter. She continuously told Kimora that she was beautiful, kept her in the arts, took her to modeling agencies, castings and other activities in an effort to push what she knew was her daughter’s natural gift.
Blessed with fame at the young age of thirteen, Kimora got her start after catching the eye of Karl Lagerfield at Chanel. After landing the prestigious closing slot at a Lagerfield show in 1989 at the fourteen, the sky appeared to be the limit for the woman who would one day launch her own perfume titled quite simply “Goddess.” Suddenly, the exotic looks once considered a drawback had become her strong suit.
In 1999 Kimora launched the fashion phenomenon Baby Phat with then-husband Russell Simmons.
With all of these pans on the fire, I’m sure Kimora will be able to easily fill her newly-free time. She seems like a strong woman, and the fact that she maintains great relationships with the fathers of her children speaks volumes about her character. As for Hounsou, well, go watch the excellent Oscar-nominated 2002 flick “In America” sometime and you’ll see what a fine actor he is in the right role. We wish Kimora and Djimon all the best.
Boxing Champ Hector “Macho” Camacho Brain Dead; Family Planning to Take Him Off Life Support
After being shot in Puerto Rico this past Tuesday, former welter weight champion Hector “Macho” Camacho was pronounced brain dead by doctors on Thursday. The shocking news has rocked the boxing world, and family members are reportedly waiting two more days before they will likely take him off life support.
In a news conference, Dr. Ernesto Torres explained, “We have done everything we could.”
Torres, the director of San Juan’s Centro Medico trauma center, then explained that the former boxing star’s life is all but over. “We have to tell the people of Puerto Rico and the entire world that Macho Camacho has died, he is brain dead.”
Torres added that Camacho’s father has indicated that he wants to take his son off life support and donate his organs. Family members initially disagreed with him, and his mother wanted to wait for Camacho’s oldest son to arrive before they make the decision to take him off life support.
Camacho was shot multiple times in the neck and face during a drive-by incident in Puerto Rico. After being taken to a hospital, he went into cardiac arrest.
Doctors had initially expected Camacho to survive, but according to Dr. Torres his condition worsened when his heart stopped beating briefly. A bullet lodged in his shoulder after it tore through three of four main arteries in his neck, affecting blood flow through his brain. “That lack of oxygen greatly damaged Macho Camacho’s brain,” Torres explained.
Born in Bayamon, a city within the San Juan metropolitan area, Camacho grew up mostly in New York’s Harlem neighborhood, earning the nickname “The Harlem Heckler.”
He won super lightweight, lightweight and junior welterweight world titles in the 1980s and fought high-profile bouts against Felix Trinidad, Julio Cesar Chavez and Sugar Ray Leonard. Camacho knocked out Leonard in 1997, sending him into permanent retirement. Camacho has a career record of 79-6-3.
Camacho leaves behind four children. His eldest son: Héctor Camacho, Jr. is also a boxer. His other children are Justin, Christian and Taylor.
Jon Bon Jovi Opens Up About Daughter’s Overdose
Decades-spanning rock star Jon Bon Jovi has broken the recent silence he’s been holding since his daughter’s heroin overdose. During an interview with Fox 11 in Los Angeles on Tuesday, the 50-year-old rocker called the episode a “tragedy,” adding that ”we’ll get through it.”
Bon Jovi also spoke about the rock lifestyle and the issues that come with it, stating, “It’s human. What I do for a living, it seems glitzy and glamorous but if you don’t take it too seriously it’s a great way to make a living. And then life goes on. Things happen.” He adds that he and his family appreciate all the warm wishes and support they’ve received from fans.
Stephanie Rose Bongiovi, 19, is the eldest of the rocker’s four children with his wife of 23 years, Dorothea Hurley. Bongiovi, who goes by her father’s given name, overdosed on heroin in her dorm room at Hamilton College in Kirkland, NY on November 14th. Drug charges against Bongiovi and her friend Ian S. Grant were dismissed due to recently amended state laws that bar prosecuting someone who overdoses, or someone helping an overdose victim, with possessing a small amount of drugs. Bongiovi recovered from the overdose at a local hospital and has since been released.
Bon Jovi has opened up in the past about his own youthful drug experimentation. In 2007 he told Best Life Magazine, “I did the drug thing very young and wised-up very young too, because I was into drugs a little too much.” He credits his wife and four kids for helping him find stability and meaning.
Next up, the rocker is scheduled to perform a benefit concert for the school’s college scholarship and arts program in Times Square on December 5th. He also joined fellow New Jersey rocker Bruce Springsteen in supporting the Hurricane Sandy Relief Fund effort.
“Breaking Amish” Brings the Drama – But Will Kate Get Herself a Spin-off Show?
The cast of “Breaking Amish” has come a long way from the days of horses and buggies. Now, it seems, drama has finally begun to overtake the Dutch.
First for the TLC program, there was Rebecca Byler’s shocking confession that she has an infant daughter. Now, it’s aspiring model Kate Stoltzfus saying she has no connection with her castmates…and expressing hopes to land her own reality show.
“Kate hates her castmates from ‘Breaking Amish’,” a “show insider” is quoted as saying by US Magazine. “She has no camaraderie with them, she can’t really relate anymore. She has big dreams and they aren’t in line with everyone else.”
Making matters worse for the “Breaking Amish,” Byler was apparently married before she joined the show. But there has been much speculation as to the father of her baby. Her new hubby Abe Schmucker says to those questioning them: Leave his family alone!
There are also rumors that Byler and Schmucker dated before the show. But Byler says it isn’t true. “[Fans] can believe whatever they want, but if they want to know, they can watch the show. If they don’t want to believe, they don’t have to believe it. That’s my opinion. I don’t give a s–t what anybody thinks. People have to discuss our lives so much that we can’t even have our own life anymore. They’re making us out to be somebody I don’t even know.”
In the meantime, Stoltzfus has been working toward getting her life back together. She is dealing with the aftermath of her Florida DUI, and completing alcohol education classes. Kate says, “I’m trying to get everything in my past and move on,” she said during the November 18th reunion episode of the show.
Kate plans to move to New York permanently soon, and is looking to do a spin-off show detailing her aspiring modeling career. On the season finale, Stoltzfus did a photo shoot for a Spiegel catalog, and as the US insider says: “Her team has their fingers crossed on the spin-off.”
Will there be a “Breaking Amish” season 2? With all the drama surrounding the cast and Kate’s aspirations, it seems less and less likely.