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Never let it be said that Jimmy Kimmel doesn’t have a sense of humor.
The late-night talk-show host and Academy Awards MC was the butt of a joke when Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent and Eminem piled in for a surgery sketch which aired Tuesday (March 19) on Jimmy Kimmel Live.
Dre, the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame-inducted producer and hip-hop’s first billionaire, takes the lead in the “Dre’s Anatomy” sketch, which sees Kimmel on his back in the ER, with his privates under scrutiny.
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As Dre struggles to locate the issue, Snoop, then “Dr Jackson,” introduce an array of instruments fit for task.
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Snoop applies some of his special smoke, Kimmel flatlines, the unmistakable sounds of “Still D.R.E.” kick in and the hip-hop legends get down to operate on some beats. Crisis averted.
Eminem appears late to give it “one shot” – a mean looking green goo prepped in a horse-sized syringe.
Though Dr. Dre might not have the letters M.D. after his name, the West Coast legend does now have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Dre officially received the 2,775th star during a star-studded presentation on Tuesday afternoon (March 19), with the likes of Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent, Eminem and Beats co-founder Jimmy Iovine in attendance and sharing words of praise for the creative.
“Growing up in Compton, I never imagined that I would one day be represented here among some of my childhood heroes,” Dre told guests.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to make a living doing exactly what I love to do. How about that? Isn’t that the dream?” he continued. “Over the course of my career, I’ve had the privilege of finding and nurturing new talent as well as pushing the boundaries in hip-hop both in content and substance.”
As a member of N.W.A., Dre was inducted into the Rock Hall in 2020, and last year was named by Billboard as the greatest rap producer of all-time. Eminem was a member of the Rock Hall class of 2023.
Watch the “Dre’s Anatomy” spot from ABC‘s Jimmy Kimmel Live below.
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Go west, they said. Scarlett Lee did just that with an audition on American Idol, for a glittering result. Raised in London, the Brit stepped into auditions Sunday night (March 3) and showcased her warm tones and extensive range, performing a cover of Emeli Sandé’s “Clown.”
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The three judges lapped it up.
“Oh, my goodness,” was Lionel Richie’s immediate response. “You do know that your trip was worth it. It was so well executed. I really enjoyed what you did.”
Luke Bryan chimed in: “What I do love is you have a neat personality. You have a neat little aura and vibe going on.”
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Katy Perry admitted she was hesitant when she heard the song choice. “Are we being pranked here,” was her initial thought. No, no it wasn’t. “That is one of my favorite songs,” the “Firework” singer continued. “It’s so vulnerable.”
It’s not the 26-year-old’s first rodeo. In 2018, Lee competed in the 15th season of the U.K.’s X Factor, finishing in second place, behind winner Dalton Harris; and participated in the 14th season, reaching the six-chair challenge.
Wearing a red dress, heels and bringing a “vibe” to the Idol auditions, Lee immediately won fans. “You’re fun and a little bit funky,” Perry continued. “Your personality is so big, and sometimes people don’t take you seriously. But when you sing a song and you sing a song like that, then you cut through all of the layers. It doesn’t matter the makeup, it doesn’t matter the outfit. You become Scarlett Lee the artist. The possible next American Idol. You become serious. So I’m taking you seriously. Your soul is shining through.”
It’s three yeses for Lee. And a golden ticket to Hollywood.
Judges Richie, Perry and Bryan and host Ryan Seacrest have all returned for the current, 22nd season of American Idol, which will be Perry’s last, she revealed in an interview with Jimmy Kimmel Live! ahead of the season premiere on Feb. 18.
The talent show airs on Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
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Katy Perry is ready to close the door on American Idol, and open another chapter in her music career.
Idol will premiere on ABC this Sunday (Feb. 18), marking the TV talent show’s 22nd overall season. It’ll be Perry’s seventh and final season as a judge.
Perry broke the news when she stopped by Jimmy Kimmel Live on Monday night (Feb. 12). “I love the show so much,” she tells the host, “but I want to go see the world and maybe bring new music.”
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The “Firework” singer has been a judge on alongside Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan since it was revived by ABC in 2018.
“I think this will probably be my last show, my last season for Idol,” she continues. “I love Idol so much. It’s connected me with the heart of America, but I feel like I need to go out and feel that pulse to my own beat.”
Perry is buzzed about visiting Brazil this September to perform at the Rock In Rio festival. “It’s really exciting. It’s a big deal,” she says of her spot on the bill.
By leaving her regular gig on Idol, “let’s just say I’m creating space for my new wingspan.”
Perry can spread those wings far and wide. Last year, Litmus Music, a catalog rights company backed by private-equity giant Carlyle Group LP, said it acquired the rights in five studio albums released for Capitol Records, including her Grammy-nominated Teenage Dream.
Sources told Billboard that Litmus paid $225 million for Perry’s stake in the master recording royalties and music publishing rights to her five albums released between 2008 and 2020 — One of the Boys, Teenage Dream, PRISM, Witness and Smile.
Perry remains the first woman and only second artist ever (after Michael Jackson) to send five songs from the same album to the summit of the Hot 100, which she did with 2010’s Teenage Dream (“California Gurls,” “Firework,” “E.T.,” “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)” and “Teenage Dream”).
2020’s Smile peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 chart, and is Perry’s last full-length studio album.
During her late-night TV stint, Perry also discusses Usher’s Super Bowl performance (“he was awesome”), singing at King Charles’ Coronation, and lodging at Windsor Castle (her mother tagged along. “That’s like the best gift you could ever give your mom”).
Watch the full interview below.
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The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame‘s primetime airing on ABC was a hit on New Year’s Day, drawing 13 million total viewers and a 0.38 rating among people people aged 18 to 49, according to Nielsen data. The Jan. 1 airing, which was the ceremony’s first time on a broadcast network after decades on HBO, […]
Jason Mraz has never had a No. 1 on the Billboard 200, though he has got agonizingly close (on multiple occasions).
On Tuesday night, Oct. 3, the U.S. singer, songwriter and guitarist felt the fresh air at the top of the tree following his second round performance on ABC‘s Dancing With The Stars.
Mraz and his dance partner Daniella Karagach did a Rumba to “Quizas, Quizas, Quizas” by Andrea Bocelli featuring Jennifer Lopez, and got the judges moving and grooving to their efforts.
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The judges awarded the pair 24 out of 30, equaling the night’s (and season’s) best, also notched on the evening by Marvel star Xochitl Gomez and Val Chmerkovskiy, who danced to Camila Cabello’s “Don’t Go Yet”.
Mraz is now joint leader. First, no doubt, feels great for the two-time Grammy Award winner who has landed two top 10s on the Billboard Hot 100, and five top 10s on the Billboard 200, including two No. 2s — for 2012’s Love Is a Four Letter Word and 2014’s Yes.
The three eights awarded by the DWTS judges is an improvement on the three sevens awarded for week one, when Mraz and Karagach strutted out with a Cha Chat to “I Feel Like Dancing,” one of his own songs.
In June, Mraz released his eighth studio album, Mystical Magical Rhythmical Radical Ride, and, last month, issued the 15-year anniversary Deluxe Edition of We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things. We Deluxe.
He’s competing for the Mirrorball Trophy, now in its 32nd season and renamed in honor of the late head judge Len Goodman.
Watch Mraz’s dance below.
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One celebrity no longer in contention is Jamie Lynn Spears, Britney Spears’ younger sister.
On Tuesday, Spears and her dance partner Alan Bersten performed a Cha Cha to “Shake Senora” by Pitbull featuring T-Pain and Sean Paul. The routine didn’t cut it.
When fan votes and judges scores were counted, Spears was eliminated.
Watch Spears’ dance below.
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Source: SOPA Images / Getty / Charter Spectrum
Charter Spectrum customers, unfortunately, got caught up in Charter Communications’ dispute with Disney.
Reuters reports Disney let Charter Communications and its customers know it was not playing when it pulled several channels, including ESPN and ABC, over an unresolved distribution agreement.
The move left Spectrum customers in massive markets like New York and Los Angeles in the dark and during significant sporting events like the return of College Football and the U.S. Open.
Charter Spectrum serves more than 32 million customers in 41 states and was paying Disney roughly $2.2 billion in annual programming costs.
Per Reuters:
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Charter flashed a message on screen that urged viewers to contact Disney. “We offered Disney a fair deal, yet they are demanding an excessive increase,” it read.
“The rising cost of programming is the single greatest factor in higher cable TV prices, and we are fighting to hold the line on programming rates imposed on us by companies like Disney.”
The dispute is mainly over sports network ESPN, which does not have a streaming service and is a big cable attraction despite losing subscribers each year to cord-cutting.
This Dispute Could Push Disney Into A Direct-to-Consumer Model
As expected, the “unresolved distribution” between the two companies is hurting both company’s stock prices. Reuters reports Spectrum’s shares fell 2% after losing what it describes as the “lynchpin” of its video service in ESPN.
Disney’s shares fell to 2.7%, joining other media companies, Warner Bros Discovery and Paramount Global, which lost between 4% and 6% thanks to down numbers on their streaming platforms.
The website further reports if this dispute continues, it could speed up the House of The Mouse’s direct-to-consumer ambitions. Returning CEO Bob Iger said the company is actively searching for a “strategic partner” to start a joint venture or purchase a stake in the sports network to bring it directly to customers.
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Photo: SOPA Images / Getty
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American Idol has a new champion.
Following months of auditions, solo highs, the goodbyes, duets, trips to California and Hawaii, all of it came to a head on Sunday night (May 21) as America chose its Idol.
For those who’ve been a passenger for this latest, 21st edition, the winner had announced himself months ago. The grand finale was confirmation of what many already knew.
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During the special on ABC, the three finalists – Iam Tongi, Megan Danielle, and Colin Stough – had their last chance to impress the viewers by way of solo performances and duets with the stars.
And, with millions watching on at home, the stars did come out. Keith Urban, Kylie Minogue, Ellie Goulding, Lionel Richie, TLC, REO Speedwagon, Pitbull & Lil Jon, and others filled the screens.
America chose Tongi and Danielle as the final two contestants.
There could be only one, and that was Tongi.
The Hawaii highschooler with the beautiful voice and the tragic story had captured the hearts of Idol obsessives in recent months. With each performance, Tongi’s legend grew.
On the final, he performed Keith Urban’s “Making Memories of Us,” “Cool Down,” got the tears flowing with a tribute to his own, late father, “I’ll Be Seeing You,” and teamed-up with James Blunt for a rendition of “Monsters.”
Tongi can now kick start his career with a recording contract, part of the spoils that come with winning the annual competition.
Get the winning feeling below.
Season 21 of American Idol is in its final straight, as three contestants lived out their childhood fantasy on Sunday’s (May 14) Disney night. On the evening, five became three as America cast its votes. Going through to next week’s final is Iam Tongi, Megan Danielle and Colin Stough, while We Ani and Zachariah Smith […]
The “Iam Tongi Show” continues to pull-in the viewers, as the teen sensation from Hawaii competed in American Idol’s top 20.
The competition is live, its tense and just 20 singers are still in the game, all of whom delivered their best for Monday night’s (April 24) episode.
Tongi impressed Katy Perry so much this week with a cover of an ABBA classic, she suggested Idol was now “The Iam Tongi Show.”
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He was at it again, this time delivering a reggae interpretation of Lionel Richie’s ballad “Stuck On You”.
Tongi has grown in confidence as he progresses through the season, and tonight he was all smiles. And how would Richie react to Tongi covering one of his classics with a Polynesian twist? As the performed ended, the Commodores frontman raced on over for a hug with the high-schooler. There’s your answer.
Tongi has won fans at every stage of the competition, an instantly likeable kid with touching vocals and a sad story to tell.
After tonight’s show, an even dozen remain. Michael Williams, Hannah Nicolaisen, Mariah Faith, Nailyah Serenity, Paige Anne, Matt Wilson, Kaeyra and Olivia Soli were eliminated, while Lucy Love and Nutsa were saved by the judges.
Tongi progresses to the top 12. Next Sunday night (April 30) on ABC, the hopefuls will be put through their paces once again, for the reveal of the top 10 plus performances from mentor and Idol album Adam Lambert.
Watch Tongi’s latest performance below.
Cyndi Lauper reminded us “Girls Just Want to Have Fun.” They also want to win, especially when they’ve reached the Battles round of NBC’s The Voice.
Team Niall singers Kate Cosentino, the 23-year-old from Kansas City, MO, and Tiana Goss, the 29-year-old from Los Angeles, stepped onto the stage and into the bright lights for a stripped down cover of Lauper’s enduring ‘80s classic, with some shimmies for good measure.
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“That was a really cool arrangement of that song,” Chance the Rapper remarked. “I felt the lyrics for the first time.” He thought it was “awesome,” and the singers “smashed the choreography.” If he had to choose who would go on to become a star, well, he wouldn’t want to choose. Based off this Battle, he remarked, Cosentino had the edge.
Kelly Clarkson concurred. “I think it’s a level playing field.” Blake Shelton said Goss had the magic dust, at least on this occasion.
Horan, as the team boss, isn’t allowed to sit on the fence. He went with Cosentino.
In the spirit of the song, these girls both get to have fun. Chance used his steal, and welcomed Goss into his team, and back in the game.
Watch below.