Is Big Mike the man to beat on American Idol ?

Micheal Lynch wow'ed the audience and Judges with a heartfelt rendition of "This Woman's work". It had Randy Jackson beaming with satisfaction, Ellen DeGeneres impressed, Simon Cowell soberly appreciative and Kara DioGuardi in a flood of tears.

Sean Fennessey in his GQ blog breaks down the reaction to Big Mike's Big Moment.

There are but eight men left, and many of them are even better than we initially predicted. But two more have to go. Song choice was the crucial theme tonight. Tim Urban went predictable and preposterous with Leonard Cohen's "Hallejuah." Lee DeWyze dipped into electro-pop with Owl City's Postal Service redux, "Fireflies." Andrew Garcia attempted to rekindle the flame he first blazed with his cover of Paul Abdul's "Straight Up" by reconfiguring Christina Aguilera's "Genie in a Bottle." It all mattered very little. This was all prologue to Michael Lynche's moment. So maybe he deserves some extra attention.

THE GOOD THING: Michael Lynche's astounding, near-moving vocal performance of "This Woman's Work." So many things were right with this; it was so gripping so as to be emotional. The bulky, log-necked Lynche, best known as the guy whose wife gave birth during Hollywood week, has been a gregarious but deceptively unlikable force in these first few weeks. Last night's performance shifted everything. It nodded at Maxwell's famous and revered cover of Kate Bush's gobsmacked original about responsibility and family, from the bracing soprano open to the throat-slashing, heartbroken closer, so delicate and strong simultaneously. Listen and hear how Lynche throws in a little Luther Vandross, a splash of Sinatra, and a lot of femininity. This was a savvy choice by Lynche, who is so big he has become known, unfortunately but predictably as "Big Mike." By paying tribute to his wife and newborn child, nodding at two different and essential artists, and wrestling the spotlight upon his burly shoulders, Lynche gave this season the sort of charge that always happens, but never feels less than thrilling.

THE BAD THING: Everything else about Michael Lynche's performance. The way he swaggered around the stage. His hand motions. The smug, knowing smile that crept onto his face at song's end. Even the tacky red handkerchief in his coat pocket. Whether hustling low-rent James Brown or sloppy, babyfaced Maroon 5 in past weeks, Lynche has been a classic Idol groaner all year. He grins, he chuckles, he riffs with the judges. Just the sort of loathsome garbage that looks as natural as a two-billed duck and flies like one, too. The quickness with which Lynche zapped the good will from his performance was like a lightning bolt metaphor for American Idol: Good thing, then, in a flash, bad thing. No matter, he'll fly through to the Top 12 and likely be cursed by his wondrous performance until he is eliminated.

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Rage Against The Machine storm to Xmas No.1

It is probably the biggest chart upset in recent times.Tonight it has been announced that US rock group has topped the UK charts to grab the Christmas No.1

Over the last few years the best selling single at Christmas has always been held by the winner of the X-Factor competition. Shayne Ward (2005), Leona Lewis (2006), Leon Jackson(2007) and Alexandra Burke (2008) all won the X-Factor and went on to have Xmas No.1's

2009 X-Factor winner Joe McElderry was expected to repeat the formula with his début single 'The Climb', however it was not to be. A Facebook based campaign that had started in protest of The X Factor's dominance of the Christmas Number 1 title and pushed Rage Against the Machine's "Killing in the Name" as an alternative, proved a formidable competitor.

In a sign of how times have changed the upset was achieved on the back of Facebook and Twitter campaigns, and the song being available as an internet download only. Rage of the Machine sold 500,000 to beat McElderry's 450,000 which was sold as both an Internet download and physical CDs.

Interestingly both labels are signed to Sony records so the competition which boosted sales for both artistes would not have been unwelcome.

Can American Idol survive without Simon Cowell?

Love him or loath him it is indisputable that the real star of American Idol is a certain Mr Simon Cowell, the nastiest Judge to hit America since Isaac Parker in the 19th century.

Well it looks like Simon is tired of being Mr Nasty in some else's show, despite being paid over $35 million to do so, and wants to be Mr Nasty in his own show. Press reports suggest that he is preparing to bring his his mega-successful show X-Factor from the UK to the USA.

Cowell, whose "Idol" contract expires in May and who has been in talks with Fox since last summer, is preparing to announce the new arrangement with Fox early next year which will see him leaving AI in 2011 to front a US version of the X-Factor.

"There are discussions going on with 'American Idol' and also about the possibility of bringing 'X Factor' to the United States, but no decisions have been made, and nothing has been finalized," Cowell's spokesman Max Clifford said.

"The X Factor" is a British phenomenon produced by Cowell, who's also a judge on the show. Unlike on "Idol," Cowell and two other judges mentor the "X Factor" contestants, adding competition as the judges -- as well as the musicians -- are competing against one another.

"X Factor" also allows groups to compete in addition to solo singers; "Idol" does not. But just like on "Idol," viewers vote on which singers stay or go.

Since its debut four years ago, "The X Factor" has been one of the most popular shows in Britain. More than 19 million people, the show's biggest audience ever, tuned in Sunday night to watch singer Joe McElderry win in the finale. The winner of the show's third season, Leona Lewis, has become an international recording star.

Will AI survive the loss of Cowell, it could possibly if the right panel is found, however the likely hood is that FOX current home of "Idol" and future home of the American version of the X-Factor is likely to support both and that ultimately would prove the death knell for AI.

As Simon would say "I am sorry...it is a no from me!

Peter Dickinson : The Voice of X-Factor

If you ever watched TV on Saturday night for any length of time, you would have definitely heard his voice.

X-Factor, Britain's Got Talent and Family Fortunes, one thing they all have in common are the deep dulcet tones of ITV's Saturday night "voice over man" Peter Dickinson.

Such has been Peter's fame that he is now becoming a star in his own right and is stepping out from inside the sound booth, as he appears in this BBC comedy clip.

So come Saturday night and the X-Factor and you hear the phrase "THE JUDGES! CHERYL! DANNII! LOUIS! AND SIMON!" you will be able to put a name to the voice that is Peter Dickinson's

The Richest Men and Women on Prime Time US TV 2009

We have got another list form Forbes this time it celebrates the great and the good of Prime Time US TV - yes it is the highest earners (Men and Women) on Prime Time US TV


MEN

1. Simon Cowell ($75 million - American Idol - Fox )
(Earnings - Top Show - TV Network)

2. Donald Trump ($50 million - The Apprentice - NBC )

3. Ryan Seacrest ($38 million - American Idol - Fox)

4. Charlie Sheen ($21 million - Two and a Half Men - CBS)

5. Steve Carell ($21 million - The Office - NBC)

6. Howie Mandel ($15 million - Deal or No Deal - NBC)

7. Kiefer Sutherland ($13 million - 24 - Fox)

8. Jeff Foxworthy ($11 million - Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? - Fox)

9. Hugh Laurie ($10 million - House - Fox)

10. David Caruso ($9 million - CSI Miami - CBS)

WOMEN

1. Tyra Banks ($30 million - America's Next Top Model - The CW Television Network)

2. Katherine Heigl ($18 million - Grey's Anatomy - ABC)

3. Marg Helgenberger ($9.5 million - CSI: Crime Scene Investigation - CBS)

4. Eva Longoria Parker ($9 million - Desperate Housewives - ABC)

5. Mariska Hargitay ($8.5 million - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit - NBC)

6. Julia Louis-Dreyfus (tie) ($8 million - The New Adventures of Old Christine - CBS)

6. Maura Tierney (tie) ($8 million - ER - NBC)

8. Tina Fey ($7 million - Saturday Night Live - NBC)

9. Marcia Cross ($6.2 million - Desperate Housewives - ABC)

10. Jennifer Love Hewitt (tie) ($6 million - Ghost Whisperer - CBS)

10. Ellen Pompeo (tie) ($6 million - Grey's Anatomy - ABC)


Rekated Posts: The richest celebrities in the world 2009.
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Alexandra Burke enjoys life at the top,

Alexandra Burke is on the top of the world at the meoment, a No 1. Single , a No 1. album, fame, adulation and a bright future. She talks to the London Evening Standard on how all this feels.

She talks about her time on the X-Factor

"I mean, they do advise you not to be too professional. They say, whatever emotion you feel, just let it out. If you're acting too professional, that will be your biggest downfall.

"It's like, people on that stage are crying for their dreams. All that anger or sadness or anxiety that you might feel in the week builds up, and builds up, and then it's just that one moment on a Saturday night. On live TV. [The producers] do say: don't repress it. Otherwise you don't look human."

Her relationship with Simon Cowell

'If I don't like something you're saying, you will know about it. I'm not one to beat around the bush, I don't even let my mum and dad tell me what to do.' And Simon said: 'Alex, if I am ever wrong - which I never am - I will apologise to you. But if you're wrong, you need to learn to apologise to me.' Which is fair enough, isn't it?"

Her rejection before X-Factor

"I was told by a specific person in a management company that he wouldn't take me on because he had 'way too many' black people on his books. Like, huh? Why do you have to talk about me in terms of my skin colour?

Her fears after the attack on Leona

"I mean, I don't ring management for a security guard to go down the road but I tend not to go out very much by myself. It can take an hour or more to go round the corner for a pint of milk, so generally I get someone else to do it.

"The Leona attack is obviously going to freak out any artist. It was at a book signing, it couldn't have been prevented. It does make you nervous."

and much more.

Cheryl Cole "I would snog Dannii"

Cheryl Cole handed her drooling male fan base an XXX-tra special fantasy last night after confessing she would snog fellow X-Factor beauty Dannii Minogue.

The Girls Aloud star made her confession during a live web chat on MySpace where she played a game of 'snog, marry and avoid', choosing between Simon Cowell, Louis Walsh and Minogue.

The singer, 26, then stunned her fans when she picked the Australian stunner as her fantasy kiss writing "We would have to go snog Dannii" she wrote. "I'd kind of like to avoid the other two..."

"I'd kind of like to avoid the other two but I could not bear the thought of being married to Simon Cowell" she continued. "Because one, you would not get a word in edgeways, two he is always right, and three because it's enough just sitting next to him on the weekend"

She declared, leaving her no choice but to 'Marry' Louis.

Diversity wins Britain's Got Talent .

What a shocker eh....The whole world was watching, waiting for the coronation of Susan Boyle as the queen of the British hit TV show - Britain's Got Talent (BGT). She had wowed the judges, Simon Cowell, Piers Morgan and Amanda Holden, she had attracted a celebrity following from the likes of Oprah, Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher and she was set to conquer the world.

Except someone forgot to send the script to the British public, who seemingly had fallen slightly out of love with 'SuBo' as the British tabloids had nicknamed Susan Boyle. The public had instead transferred their affection to the incredibly talented street dance group Diversity and in one of the biggest shocks of British Reality TV an estimated 19 million viewers saw Diversity crowned as the winners of the Britain's Got Talent.

So who are individuals behind Diversity ?



The Group is

Ashley Banjo, 20 (He's the spokesman and choreographer)
Jordan Banjo, 16
Ian McNaughton, 25
Jamie McNaughton, 23
Matthew McNaughton, 16
Mitchell Craske, 12
Sam Craske, 19
Warren Russell 18
Terry Smith, 24
Perri Luc Kiely, 13 (He's the cute kid with the afro!)

For more info you can go to Diversity's website.
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The ruthless truth behind the X-Factor

Times Journalist Caroline Scott digs behind the shimmering feel-good veneer of Britain's most popular entertainment programme - The X-Factor and it is not pleasant. If we are honest with ourselves we all know the entertainment industry is ruthless, and more so because it attracts a significant share of naive and delusional folk, which makes it almost brutally ruthless, and X-Factor it seems behind the scenes is no different.

Caroline's article What happens to The X Factor runners up? talks to runners up over the years and unveils a litany of duplicity, delusion and ultimately despite their best efforts a sad gradual decline into obscurity for most of those interviewed.

It is hard to get the full story on all who have gone through the X-Factor conveyor belt as a combination of restrictive contracts and the fear of being permanently black-listed by the industry leaves many contestants fearful of speaking out about their time on the show, but some do:


Steve Brookenstein (Winner 2004)

“Simon kept saying, ‘I know what I’m doing,’ by which he meant, ‘I know what sells.’ But it sounded like karaoke to me. I was offered £12,500 to go away quietly, and when I didn’t take it, life got very difficult. My website came down, there was a lot of negative publicity…”

Niki Evans (fourth, 2007)

"I kept trying to tell Leon [Jackson, winner, 2007], ‘Yes it’s great you’ve got a £150,000 advance and they’re sending cars to Manchester to come and get you, but what you don’t realise, sweetheart, is that you’re paying for them."

Andy Abrahams (runner-up, 2005)

“Well, actually, I wasn’t really a binman, I just helped a mate out for a couple of months” — had been playing pubs and clubs for years.

Ben Mills (third, 2006)

“Every time someone buys my album I get 0.2p. The manager got 20% of my advance and 20% of every gig I did, and the record company took another 12.5%. Still, all I’ve ever wanted is to make a living out of music, and I’m doing that, but there was a point when I certainly felt I’d lost control of my life.”

Sharon [Osbourne, then a judge] wanted me to stage a walkout one week to generate a huge tabloid story and get me votes. When I refused, she didn’t speak to me again. Simon always pre-warned me if he was going to spice up the show a bit by slagging me off, but I’ve never forgiven Ray [Quinn, second, 2006, now playing Danny in Grease in the West End] for crying during the semi. I offered him 50 quid not to, but he’d made up his mind. You could almost hear the old ladies at home reaching for their phones.”

Britain's Got Talent : Why did Shaheen get a second chance?

Yes we're back on the the BGT trip. I made my feelings known about the whole Susan Boyle phenomenon. Apparently, despite my concerns, she is heading on to be one of the most viewed clips on YouTube ever having so far notched up 34 million views, go figure.

Enough about Susan, today we turn cast our beady eyes on a enough BGT phenomenon, the youthful prodigy that is Shaheen Jafargholi. Just to clarify Shaheen is clearly very, very talented which is all the more why I am bemused by the nonsense that surrounded his audition.

It started off with Shaheen coming on stage and proceeding to sing 'Valerie" the Zutons song made famous by Amy Winehouse. Now I am no music Svengali but I thought it was a decent performance and the crowd thought so as well as they were cheering along.

Suddenly though Simon Cowell has his hand up calling proceedings to a halt, cue confused looks all around (or should that be supposedly confused looks) and Simon announces enigmatically to Shaheen"you've got this wrong". Now call me pedantic, but at this point isn't he supposed to press his red button to signify his disapproval, aren't Amanda Holden and Piers Morgan supposed to wade in saying how much they loved the act, which they appeared to be doing, wouldn't any normal 12 year old be reduced to a quivering wreck.

No none of this happened instead Simon asked young Shaheen what else he could sing to which the reply came "Who's loving you" by Michael Jackson. Off you go, says Simon and as it happens the backing track to the song is available (thank God for small miracles eh!) and Shaheen launches into an absolutely pitch perfect rendition of the song.

You might be thinking, OK it is not like this hasn't happened before, and you might be right Cowell has given others a second chance at an audition.

What if you learn that young Shaheen beat a bunch of other equally talented kid to nab the lead role in 'Thriller Live', a musical featuring the songs of Michael Jackson, that he has gone on tour to Germany, Holland and Ireland and that he is a veteran of stage school and has appeared several times on TV in shows like Casualty and Dr Who.

Not so blasé are we now. Nothing wrong with a bit of scripting but please make it realistic, this was just appalling. Anyway the bookies have Susan Boyle followed closely by Shaheen as the top favourites to win the whole lot...:-)

Britain's Got Talent:: Is Susan Boyle mania all carefully scripted?

It is the audition rounds of Simon Cowell's latest celebrity search vehicle, Britain's Got Talent (known to aficionados as BGT). A dishevelled middle aged character comes comes on stage, looking out of place and somewhat overawed by the surrounding and the crowds.

The Judges - Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden and Piers Morgan - look on somewhat dismissively at the contestant who in a media age where physical beauty is paramount is severely lacking in that department. We the audience have become so used to equating physical beauty with musical ability that we expect this to be another one of those shambolic auditions added to give the show a humorous element.

The studio audience start booing and heckling even before the singer starts. In the background the backing track starts, it is a familiar track not to pop-y and well known enough to appeal to all ages, and from this unlikeliest of contestants comes a beautiful vocal rendition. Suddenly Simon with a pen in the corner of his mouth perks up and raises his eyebrows. Amanda looks on totally enchanted, occasionally turning back to to audience to be sure they are sharing in this moment of joy as waves of pure orgasmic pleasure envelope her. Piers stares ahead totally gobsmacked.

That was the reaction to Paul Potts in 2007, and again in 2009 when Susan Boyle hit our screens, but how real is it?

Shows like BGT do not get where they are without great attention to detail. There are armies of researchers and production assistants assessing and screening every contestant before they even make it before the Judges. By the time they get to the Judges the production team know exactly, who they are, what they do, how long their performance is going to last, etc...Are we to believe that the Judges are the only part of the team that don't ?

I don't buy that for a second. The counter-argument is that the Judges' reactions seem so genuine in these cases. That may well be the case, an act like that can be fascinating even after seeing it several times. So their reactions can be perfectly natural even with them in the know, particularly as they can feed off the genuine surprise of the studio audience.

What the Judges, researchers, production company unearthed when they stumbled upon Susan Boyle was this was a chance to repeat the success of Paul Potts. They know the BGT 'ugling ducking' to singing sensation is a winning formula and shows like this are all about squeezing a formula till it squeals.

When Paul Potts did his magnificent rendition of Nessun Dorma, the video was posted on You Tube by viewers and has gone on to be one the most watched You Tube clips in the world. With Susan Boyle ITV which broadcasts BGT haven't left anything to chance, a dedicated You Tube Channel - BritiansSoTaleneted was created allowing it to control and reap the benefits of any success on the Internet for the show which would include Susan Boyle's rendition of 'I dreamed a dream' from the musical 'Les Miserables'.

Also Given the global nature of today's world it came as no surprise that people in the US got caught up in what was going on, thanks to largely the Internet. As Paul Potts Internet fame grew he got invitations to appear on US Chat shows and Morning TV. With Susan Boyle the response from America has been more overwhelming and most importantly more immediate, suggesting either many of these US channels have just run short of things to broadcast or a lot this had been agreed and put in place before her audition was shown last week. Never underestimate how much influence Cowell has in the US media.

Even if it is all stage managed, is it such a bad thing? Well not for either Paul Potts or Susan Boyle, they get the sort of exposure even established artistes will give a lot for. Not for the TV companies it gives them a packaged product without the flaws and uncertainties a real unscripted show can bring. For the audience maybe, but only if you believe wholeheartedly that TV by pure chance stumbled on an "ugly duckling" and gave it the opportunity to turn into a glorious singing swan.

Leona performs at million pound concert

Leona Lewis has bagged a million pound pay day after performing at the Birthday party of the daughter of one of the UK's richest men, phone entrepreneur John Caudwell.

Leona performed the seven song set (£143,000 per song) at the billionaire's daughter's 21st birthday party in front of 200 guests .

She broke her off from working on her second album to do the performance. She had been up to then been on strict orders from X-Factor supremo Simon Cowell to cut down on all outside engagements and focus on the album, clearly a million for seven songs was too much to resist.

X-Factor finalists: Where are they now?

The talent reality show X-Factor is the without doubt one of the most watched programmes on British TV snatching unknown wannabes, dipping them in the syrup of fame and then easing them out into the wide world to fend for themselves. The fifth series of the TV favourite ended just before christmas and we ask where are they now?

The top eight JLS, Eoghan Quigg, Laura White, Diana Vickers, Rachel Hylton, Daniel Evans, Ruth Lorenzo and of course winner Alexandra Burke will all take part in the X-Factor tour. We all know Alexandra is set for bigger things but how have the others fared ?


JLS : Ortise Williams, Marvin Humes, Aston Merrygold and Jonathan Gill X-Factor runners up have hit the the tour circuits hard and are signed up to support Lemar on his UK tour over March and April. They have also signed a major recording contract with Epic Records where they will be joining the likes of Shakira, Lemar and Scouting for Girls.

Eoghan Quigg : May have come third in the competition but is first out with an Album. Having signed up to RCA records he is set to release his debut album on March 16 just in time for Mothers' Day (no it is not a cynical marketing ploy, I think). He has also found new love with 16 year old Eimer Morran after the much hyped ' romance' with fellow contestant Diana Vickers fizzled out.

Diana Vickers : Yes, she of the wavy hands. Like most of her fellow contestants she is doing loads of gigs. She has also bagged a recording contract with RCA. What happened to Gary Barlow we ask? He promised to sign her up if Simon Cowell didn't? I guess with the credit crunch talk is cheaper than ever.

Ruth Lorenzo : Ah our sexy, sultry, Spanish siren. She didn't seem to do a lot post-XFactor other than being photographed shopping with Alexandra Burke, clubbing with Alexandra, holidaying with Alexandra, tanning with Alexandra.......although to be fair to her she did do a gig this month at Toomey Motors showroom in Basildon .. the vagaries of fame, eh.

Rachel Hylton : It looks like Toomey Motors went X-Factor crazy, or got some kind of Cowell-ian "Buy One, Get One Free" offer because also on the bill was Rachel Hylton. She was somwhat late for the occasion after being let down by her driver. Chauffeurs, eh? Elsewhere she is still waiting to see if the contract offer from John Legends recording company comes through, the offer was revealed during one of the X-Factor shows.

Daniel Evans : Well he was never going to be the next X-Factor was he. No he wasn't. He's got the finalist tour but beyond that I think its back to his previous life only a now a bit more famous.

Laura White : Yes we know she was voted off unfairly, if she was so good what has she done since? Well she has been signed up by Epic records, she'll be releasing a single in March, she featured in a concert in Peterborough that pulled in a crowd of 6000, what more do you want ?