Doc Watson, the blind guitarist and folk musician famous for his finger-picking techniques and Americana style, died on Tuesday afternoon, May 29. He was 89.
Watson had fallen ill in recent weeks, undergoing colon surgery on Thursday, May 24 after a fall in his home the previous Monday. He died at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, N.C., says a rep for the musician.
He is survived by his wife of nearly 66 years, his daughter Nancy Ellen, two grandchildren, multiple great-grandchildren and his brother David, according to the Los Angeles Times.
"Watson's immense talent and spirit will be deeply missed, and our sincerest sympathies go out to his family, friends and all who were inspired by his music," Neil Portnow, president/CEO of The Recording Academy, says in a statement.
Asked how he would like to be remembered after death, Watson said in 2002, "Just as a good old, down-to-earth boy that didn't think he was perfect and that loved music. And I'd like to leave quite a few friends behind.... Other than that, I don't want anybody putting me on a pedestal when I leave here. I'm just one of the people."
A man w as shot to death by Miami police, and another man is fighting for his life after his face was half eaten by a naked man, police said.
The horror began about 2 p.m. Saturday when of gunshots were heard on an off-ramp of the MacArthur Causeway.
According to police sources, a roadside-assistance truck driver saw a naked man chewing on another man’s face and shouted on his loudspeaker for him to back away. A woman also saw the incident and flagged down a police officer.
The officer, who has not been identified, approached and, seeing what was happening, also ordered the naked man to back away. When he continued the assault, the officer shot him, police sources said. The attacker did not stop after being shot and the officer continued to shoot, killing the naked man.
The other man was transported to the hospital with critical injuries, according to police. Their identities were not released.
In a text message, Javier Ortiz, spokesman for Miami police’s Fraternal Order of Police, said the officer who fired the fatal shots was "a hero."
"Based on the information provided, our Miami police officer is a hero and saved a life,” he said.
Sergeant Altarr Williams, supervisor of Miami police’s Homicide Unit, said a man doesn’t have to be armed to be dangerous.
"There are other ways to injure people,” Williams said. "Some people know martial arts, others are very strong and can kill you with their hands.”
Investigators believe the victim may have been homeless and was on the ground when the crazed man pounced.
A 10-year-old girl has is able to hear thanks to a 'bionic ear', ABC News reports.
Sammie Hicks, who was born with a genetic mutation in her ears, has been deaf for much of her life.
But the brave little girl, who has learned to read lips, said she hasn't allowed her disability to slow her down.
"Just because you're deaf, doesn't mean you can't go and do the things you want to do," she said in an interview with ABC News.
Recently, a life-changing moment shook Sammie's world. The little girl learned that her insurance would cover the cost of a cochlear implant -- a device that would help her hear again.
In the hope that her story might inspire others, the Texas girl started keeping a video diary to document the whole process.
After undergoing a successful implant surgery in April, Sammie finally got her 'bionic ear' activated earlier this month.
In the video clip from her diary that documents that special day, Sammie is seen to visibly jump when the audiologist activates the implant.
"It sounds weird," she said aloud. "Hey! I sound weird."
It was a joyful, emotional moment.
Sammie soon began to cry.
"I asked her why she cried," her father, Brian Hicks, told ABC News. "She said, 'It was overwhelming. But the reason I really cried? I couldn't believe all the stuff I was missing.'"
Though exhausted from all the new sounds in her ears, Sammie is readjusting well.
"If you couldn't hear something that everyone else did then you get it and you can hear it and then your whole world is different," she said in a video entry recorded before her surgery.
Culpo, 20, competed in the traditional swimsuit and evening gown competitions at the Las Vegas pageant, but also answered a question - tweeted in from an audience member - about an issue that earlier this year vexed the organizers of the Miss Universe pageant in Canada when a transgendered woman wanted to compete.
Culpo was asked if it was fair that a transgender woman would win Miss USA over a natural born woman, and she answered, "I do think that would be fair, but I can understand that people would be a little apprehensive to take that road."
She went on to say that there are "so many people out there who have a need to change for a happier life. I do accept that because I believe it is a free country."
The audience reaction seemed mixed initially but quickly turned to cheers and Culpo gave two thumbs ups.
Later, when the winner's crown was placed on Culpo's head, tears came to her eyes as she accepted the congratulations of fellow contestants and walked the stage as the new Miss USA in a flowing, purple evening gown that was among the few splashes of color in a competition that featured several white dress.
Culpo, of Cranston, Rhode Island, is a student at Boston University.
Her parents were both musicians, and she began playing cello in the second grade. She has played at the Boston Symphony Hall and Carnegie Hall in New York City, and she continues to perform.
Miss Maryland, Nana Meriwether, was the runner-up, and contestants from Ohio, Nevada and Georgia rounded out the top five finalists. Miss Congenialtiy went to Miss Iowa, Rebecca Hodge, and the most photogenic award went to Miss Oregon, Alaina Bergsma
The Miss Universe pageant will be held in December, but a location has yet to be named.
Earlier this year, Jenna Talackova, who underwent gender-reassignment surgery at age 19 and holds legal documents affirming her identity as a woman, was initially kicked out of the competition in the Miss Canada division, but was later reinstated by the Miss Universe organization's owner, Donald Trump.
Talackova, now 23, went on to compete in last month's Miss Canada pageant but did not win.
Justin Bieber scuffled with a photographer in Calabasas, Calif. while out and about on Sunday (May 27), prompting police and a paramedic to respond, according to multiple news outlets. The scrap unfolded after a paparazzo apparently got a little too close to the Believe singer, who had just emerged with girlfriend Selena Gomez from a movie theater at the Calabasas Commons shopping center. It was at least the second time in several weeks that Beiber has had run-ins with photographers, and this time, the cops showed up.
Details are still sketchy, but photos from the scene suggest that Bieber briefly lost his hat and one of his purple kicks in the fracas. (Note the scowl on Bieber’s face as he puts the shoe back on).
A witness tells entertainment site GossipCenter that Bieber and Gomez hopped into a van and sped away after the incident. Los Angeles County paramedics and local police arrived at the shopping center moments later, and the photographer received medical treatment for an apparent blow to the face.
Bieber has not commented on the incident, though Gomez posted to her Facebook page this afternoon: “THANKS YOU SO MUCH to my fans for always protecting me and being there for me… I can’t thank you guys enough. I’m sorry I had to rush out. Love you guys.”
Does Bieber need to do a better job of controlling his tempter? Or are run-ins with the paparazzi the price of his fame? Let us know on Facebook, Twitter or in the comments.
Junior dos Santos vs. Frank Mir
Cain Velasquez vs. Antonio Silva
Lavar Johnson vs. Stefan Struve
Roy Nelson vs. Dave Herman
Stipe Miocic vs. Shane Del Rosario
Dan Hardy vs. Duane Ludwig
Edson Barboza vs. Jamie Varner
CB Dollaway vs. Jason Miller
Kyle Kingsbury vs. Glover Teixeira
Jacob Volkmann vs. Paul Sass
Darren Elkins vs. Diego Brandao
Mike Brown vs. Daniel Pineda
Main Card (Pay-Per-View):
- Junior "Cigano" dos Santos (239) vs. Frank Mir (261)
- Cain Velasquez (240) vs. Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva (264)
- Roy Nelson (254) vs. Dave "Pee-Wee" Herman (233)
- Shane Del Rosario (246) vs. Stipe Miocic (245)
- Stefan Struve (255) vs. "Big" Lavar Johnson (248)
Preliminary Bouts (FX):
- Diego Brandao (145) vs. Darren Elkins (145)
- Edson Barboza (155 vs. Jamie Varner (156)
- Jason "Mayhem" Miller (185) vs. C.B. Dollaway (186)
- Dan Hardy (170) vs. Duane “Bang” Ludwig (171)
Preliminary Bouts (Facebook):
- Jacob Volkmann (155) vs. Paul Sass (156)
- Kyle Kingsbury (205) vs. Glover Teixeira (204)
- Mike Brown (145) vs. Daniel Pineda (146)
Junior dos Santos successfully defended his heavyweight belt, using a second-round TKO to defeat Frank Mir in the main event of the UFC 146 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Saturday night.
Dos Santos, who dominated the fight from the outset, turned aside a kick by Mir about two minutes into the second round and followed it up with a right hand. The blow knocked Mir down — and may have knocked him out briefly — although Dos Santos (15-1) landed one more punch before referee Herb Dean stopped the action.
“I’m feeling awesome, man,” Dos Santos said during the televised post-fight interview. “It’s amazing, you know. It’s not bad for a nice guy.”
Mir sought to join Randy Couture as the only three-time heavyweight champ in UFC history.
This was Dos Santos’ first title defense after seizing the crown with a first-round knockout of Cain Velsaquez at UFC on FOX 1 in November. It was the first bout between the two, although Mir is well familiar with Dos Santos’ mentor Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira — who had his arm broken at December’s UFC 140 by Mir.
“Nogueira is a tremendous fighter and Mire is a really good fighter, too,” Dos Santos. “That is between them. I don’t care about it. I respect my mentor so much, (but) I came here to defend my belt and I did."
Dos Santos predicted a the fight would end with a second-round knockout. One of the sport’s top strikers, Dos Santos was seen to have less of an advantage if the match went to the mat where Mir is tied with Nate Diaz and Kenny Florian for the most submission wins (eight) in MMA history.
This event was the first time in UFC history where the main card consisted entirely of heavyweights. The total weight of the 10 fighters involved in the final five bouts of the night weighed in at a total of 2,485 pounds.
Ohio authorities are continuing to investigate an alleged hate crime at a Columbus-based Waffle House restaurant which left two patrons injured.
As NBC4 is reporting, one of the victims was knocked unconscious, while the other sustained broken facial bones, during the April 26 attack. Police said that the attackers, identified only as two other patrons, yelled gay slurs at both victims during the assault.
Gloria McCauley, executive director of the Buckeye Region Anti-Violence Organization, was quoted by The Advocate as telling local media that such antigay attacks are common, even in a relatively progressive city like Columbus.
Suspect No. 1 is a white male who is between 30 to 35 years old. He is 6 feet tall and weighs about 250 pounds. He has a shaved head and tattoos on his upper arms. He had on a white T-shirt, black athletic shorts and black tennis shoes.
Suspect No. 2 is a white male who is between 30 to 35 years old. He is 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighs about 290 pounds. He has a shaved head, too. He had on an oversized black T-shirt, long gray shorts, and black and white leather athletic shoes.
There's brave - and there's driving through a busy traffic intersection during rush hour, in the wrong direction, on a toy scooter, when you're three years old.
Yes, behold the poor little lad who was captured on CCTV doing just that, in China's Wenzhou city.
The toddler was thankfully spotted by a police officer, plucked out unharmed and reunited with his grandfather - who looks after him while the boy's parents are at work. And who is clearly doing a sterling job.
Seven people were injured in a fire on a nuclear submarine at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine.
The fire occurred in a forward compartment of the USS Miami SSN 755 that is primarily used for living areas and command and control spaces. The ship's reactor was not operating at the time and was reportedly not affected.
The cause of the fire remains unknown. Firefighters and other emergency personnel are still at the scene, and all "nonessential" personnel were evacuated from the ship.
The fire was reported at 5:41 p.m. Wednesday, and was extinguished about 10 hours later at 3:48 a.m. on Thursday, according to the shipyard. The nuclear propulsion spaces were physically isolated early in the event from the forward compartment fire and remained safe and stable throughout the event.
Capt. Bryant Fuller, the shipyard's commander, said there were no weapons on board, and all personnel were accounted for.
Seven people were injured in the blaze, according to the shipyard, including three shipyard firefighters, two ship's force crew members, and two civilian firefighters providing support. All seven were treated and released and were said to be doing well.
Fuller said firefighters from numerous Seacoast communities, including Portsmouth, Kittery, York and South Berwick, provided mutual aid. An engine and foam truck were requested from Logan Airport in Boston. State, local and federal authorities were also notified.
The shipyard gates remained open throughout the ordeal, and the workforce is expected to report to work as scheduled.
According to the shipyard's website, the USS Miami arrived here on March 1 for maintenance work and system upgrades. It has a crew of 13 officers and 120 enlisted personnel. The website says the Miami is the third Navy ship named for the city of Miami and the fifth "Improved" Los Angeles-class nuclear-powered submarine. Assigned to the Atlantic Fleet, the Miami was commissioned on June 30, 1990, and its home port is Groton, Conn.
During The 7th inning Cardinals-Phillies game. A man fully naked and run in the ground during the match . The man was run down and tackled by stadium security, who took the time to cover him up before escorting him off the field.and Perhaps the only surprising the things about this incident is that it didn't happen during an Orioles game.
Unfortunately for the home crowd, the Phillies overcame their blown 6-0 lead and went on to win 10-9.
The streaker has been identified as 22-year-old Collin Grundstrom. He said he ran on the field because he had lost a bet.A streaker runs onto the field between innings during the May 24th game against the Phillies. The man entered in right field and proceeded to be chased by security over to left field where he was taken down and given a round of applause. My seats were in left center field so I was able to get a decent view of the end of this courageous young man's journey. Enjoy!
Moments before Dustin Penner sent the Kings to the Stanley Cup finals with his overtime goal in Game 5 against the Coyotes, Los Angeles captain Dustin Brown leveled Phoenix's Michal Rozsival with a controversial hit.
The Coyotes were called for offside as Rozsival tried taking the puck into the offensive zone. But just after the whistle was blown, Brown laid out the Phoenix defensemen with a body check. No penalty was called as the two were just about to collide as the whistle was blown, but Rozsival laid on the ice for several minutes before getting helped to the locker room.
Coyotes players believed that the hit was not only late, but also that Brown intentionally initiated the knee-to-knee contact. Their frustration with the officiating and with Brown boiled over into the traditional post-series handshake. Phoenix captain Shane Doan and Martin Hanzal had heated exchanges with Brown when they passed him in the line. Greg Wyshynski of Yahoo's "Puck Daddy" hockey blog called it the "most contentious, hostile handshake in recent memory."
American Idol' Winner: Phillip Phillips Crowned Season 11 Champion
Phillip Phillips.
The White Guy With Guitar strikes again! Looks like that stereotypical streak on "American Idol" isn't being broken any time soon. Whatever else you might say about P-squared (and I fully expect you to in the comments section), the ladies seem to love him. He's got a radio-ready sound -- especially with his Mumford & Sons-esque winner's song, "Home" -- and he probably has the greatest chance of making an impact on the charts, as so many previous "American Idol" winners have failed to do.
Did he have the best vocals, an impressive range or the ability to work the stage? No. But that doesn't preclude him from being a successful artist, I suppose. He can at least play his own instruments and write his own songs, and he's had a firm grasp on his identity all season long, which certainly differentiated him from raw and malleable runner-up Jessica Sanchez. He's not the surprising choice, but perhaps he's the most logical choice, since "Idol" has always been a popularity contest more than a talent competition.
Both finalists have the talent (or at least the "right sound") needed to have successful careers, although I'll be interested to see how Phillip does under Jimmy Iovine, since he's seemed so anti-establishment, in terms of resisting the image and vocal makeovers the producers have been pushing on the contestants all season long. I actually think he might have benefited from escaping the show's gravitational pull if he hopes to be an original and distinctive artist (and Jessica probably could've used Jimmy's hand-holding), but time will tell.
I really had no horse in the race once Elise Testone was eliminated, and Phil-Phil's WGWG credentials paired with Jessica's diva belting made this a fairly obvious Final Two right from the start. That being said, I predicted Colton Dixon going further than he did, with Joshua Ledet potentially poised to steal an upset slot in the finale. But let's face it: Both Jessica and Phillip are ideal representatives of their chosen brands, and both would've had a future in the music industry regardless of the outcome.
The rest of the evening was populated with the usual musical filler, interspersed with embarrassing skits from the judges and inescapable Ford product placement. The Top 12 (sans Jermaine Jones, naturally) kicked things off with a shouty rendition of Bruno Mars' "Runaway Baby," presumably just to remind me how much I hate group numbers and hadn't really missed any of the other contestants.
Phillip did a duet with John Fogerty of Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Have You Ever Seen The Rain" and "Bad Moon Rising," while Jessica paired with ... herself for another haunting rendition of "I Will Always Love You," perhaps as compensation for her horrible winner's song? Bronze medalist Joshua Ledet had the opportunity to sing with his personal idol (and former "Idol") Fantasia Barrino on "Take Me to the Pilot," which was every bit a screechy as you'd expect. Chaka Khan and the Top 6 ladies performed a medley of Khan's songs, while the guys (featuring far too much DeAndre Brackensick for my liking) took on a selection of Neil Diamond hits with Neil Diamond. Thrilling, no? No.
Rihanna, channeling Lady Gaga and sporting trippy fake deadlocks, gave a laser-powered performance of "Where Have You Been," and Skylar Laine got a chance to duet with Reba McEntire on "Turn on the Radio." And that was all in the first hour! Ugh.
The part of the "American Idol" finale I appreciated most was seeing the poor captive celebrities and "Idol" alums held at the mercy of Ryan Seacrest's microphone throughout the hour. Jane Lynch seemed admittedly thrilled by the Chaka Khan number, while Scotty McCreery looked fairly bored throughout. What a difference a year makes.
Perhaps the best skit of the night (since I refuse to include anything involving Steven Tyler and Playboy bunnies) came as a result of Randy Jackson's favorite compliment this season: All of the contestants were so good, they "could sing the phone book." Thus, we saw the Top 12 literally singing the phone book. It was a cute moment -- you probably had to be there.
The second hour kicked off with a double-performance from judge Jennifer Lopez, who energetically sang "Goin' In" and "Follow the Leader," with prerequisite rending of garments. (She tore her baggy top off to reveal a less baggy top ... it wasn't as exciting as it sounds.( Previous "Idol" cast-offs Diana DeGarmo (Season 3) and Ace Young (Season 5) are now dating, so of course they ended up on stage so that Ace could propose to Diana in front of millions of people who had entirely forgotten that they even existed. So romantic.
Then Hollie Cavanagh took to the stage for a rendition of "Never Walk Alone," whereupon she was joined by Jordin Sparks and a full choir. Joshua, Colton, DeAndre, Heejun and Jeremy (with an emphasis on Joshua) then performed a tribute to the Bee Gees in memory of Robin Gibb, which was a little overdramatic, in typical Joshua fashion, but also heartfelt.
Jessica wasn't cheated out of her celebrity duet after all, teaming with Jennifer Holliday for a rousing rendition of "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going," with Jennifer making more terrifying, distracting faces as she performed than Scotty McCreery and Phil-Phil combined. (If there aren't gifs all over the internet within 10 minutes of the show ending, we should just turn the whole thing off.) Snark aside, it really was spectacular, and Jessica's range and control are truly out of this world. It's hard to believe she's only 16 -- no matter how frequently the judges hammer it home -- on numbers like that, holding her own opposite a Broadway legend who would've blown most performers right off the stage.
Aerosmith closed out the show, with Steven Tyler generally behaving like he was on an acid trip while on stage (what else is new?) as the band cycled through a medley of hits. With only two minutes remaining in the show, Jessica and Phillip (sat on a stool -- perhaps because of his rumored health issues) sang "Up Where We Belong," because that entirely superfluous performance was far more meaningful than the rumored tribute to Donna Summer that the Top 6 girls were supposed to do.
And then, the results were announced, and Phillip took up his guitar for one last performance of "Home," struggling to fight back the tears.
After a season full of injuries, record-breaking high scores and William Levy, "Dancing With the Stars" crowned its Season 14 winner: Donald Driver, Green Bay Packers wide receiver.
Driver, together with his pro partner Peta Murgatroyd, wowed the audience with their show-stopping freestyle. This is the first win for Murgatroyd, who joined "Dancing With the Stars" as a featured pro last season.
Despite the judges' constant accolades, opera singer Katherine Jenkins, the early frontrunner in the competition, took second place with her partner Mark Ballas. As always, the freestyle challenge was a game changer. Latin heartthrob William Levy, together with his partner Cheryl Burke, came in third after a disappointing freestyle dance.
With a two-hour show, there was a lot of filler leading up to the big announcement, including performances by Kelly Clarkson and former "Dancing With the Stars" competitor Gladys Knight. All the season's castoffs returned -- Knight, Martina Navratilova, Jack Wagner, Sherri Shepherd, Gavin DeGraw, Jaleel White, Roshon Fegan, Melissa Gilbert and Maria Menounos -- to perform one last time in front of a live audience.
Some of them reaffirmed why they were given the boot early on, while others showed off superior skills that would have potentially landed them in the final three.
Aside from the winner announcement, the main attraction of the night were the top three's final performances. Levy impressed the judges with a hip-shaking salsa, a dance that the telenovela star has perfected throughout the competition. "If this were the Olympics for salsa and rhythm, then you would get a gold metal," said judge Len Goodman. Levy scored a perfect 30 for his final dance.
Jenkins also wowed the judges with her signature dance -- the jive. It was upbeat, energetic and showcased Jenkins' precise footwork perfectly. Goodman called her the "complete package," and judge Carrie Ann Inaba thanked Jenkins for setting the bar so high this season. The opera singer also received a perfect 30 from the judges.
As for Driver, the NFL wide receiver shined with a shirtless cha-cha-cha. Throughout the competition, Driver had relied on his strength and athleticism, and that was clearly on display in his performance. Judge Bruno Tonioli praised Driver for his strategy, saying that he "peaked at the right time."
When it came time to reveal the winner, that Mirror Ball had Driver's name on it. He may not have been the judges' pick, but he clearly got America's vote.
Do you think the right champion was crowned on "Dancing With the Stars"? Let us know in the comments.
Miley Cyrus, however, left no questions hanging with her bold outfit at Sunday night's 2012 Billboard Music Awards: girlfriend wasn't wearing any trousers.
Cyrus, 19, wore one her boldest outfits yet: an oversize Jean Paul Gaultier white blazer. Yup, that appears to be it. If she has a tiny dress or pair of shorts under there, we're at least not seeing it. Are you?
The singer added some va-va-voom hair and Jacquie Aiche jewelry to her look, in addition to black and white Christian Louboutin peep toes.
Miley's been game for some fashion risks lately -- see-through skirts, short-shorts -- but in this sideboob-flashing, pants-forsaking ensemble, we suspect she might have been aiming to make some of her biggest sartorial headlines yet.
Scope out Miley's Gaultier ensemble below and weigh in: is this pantsless look a plus or minus? Plus, see some more photos of celebrities who ditched their trousers.
Dexter Pittman provided perhaps the ugliest moment in what had already been a pretty testy playoff series between the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers on Tuesday night.
With just 19.4 seconds remaining in the Heat's blowout win, the Miami reserve center went across the lane and delivered a forearm blow to the chin area of Indiana's Lance Stephenson.
Pittman, who received a flagrant-1 foul, was caught apparently winking into the television camera (about 55 seconds into the video) as he was waiting for Stephenson to make his free throw -- possibly a sign that the move was in retaliation for Stephenson making a choke gesture toward Heat star LeBron James during Game 3.
If so, James apparently did not appreciate the sentiment.
"There's no room for dirty plays in our game, period -- no matter if it comes from us or Indiana or anyone in the league at this point," James said. "We're all one group and at the end of the day you don't want to see anyone get injured."
Stephenson, whose collarbone was checked by X-rays, tweeted two hours after the game that he was fine.
Earlier in the game, Miami's Dwyane Wade was bleeding with a cut over his right eye after a hit by Indiana's Tyler Hansbrough. Moments later, the Heat's Udonis Haslem -- who needed nine stitches on a cut over his own right eye in Game 4 -- retaliated against Hansbrough and received a flagrant-1 foul.
Jessica Sanchez and Phillip Phillips were battling it out for the champion title of "American Idol" season 11 on Tuesday, May 22. These Top 2 finalists sang three songs, one was chosen by executive producer Simon Fuller, another was self-chosen, and the third was the winner's song.
Per Fuller's request, Jessica covered Whitney Houston's "I Have Nothing" in round 1, while Phillip sang "Stand by Me" by Benny King. Calling it "a battle of the opposites," Jennifer Lopez said, "At the end of the day America has a tough job." Randy Jackson said the first round won by Jessica.
In round 2, Jessica reprised her performance of "The Prayer" by Celine Dion, the song of which she sang before entering the Top 24. As for Phillip, he chose to sing Billy Joel's "Movin' Out" again. Steven Tyler said, "Jessica took this round again," but J.Lo disagreed and said the second round belonged to Phillip. Randy, meanwhile, said, "I think that round was a dead heat, even."
Jessica later sang the song that she will record if she wins the show. It's a ballad entitled "Change Nothing". The judges didn't like the song, but Randy said Jessica "made something more out of the song" and "brought the song to life." J.Lo further advised her, "I did not think your first single was going to be pop, but you will make many records and you need to say this is not me."
Phillip's original song was called "Home" which fits his voice well. "I love the song, I love you, everything about that was perfect, that was your best performance of the night, a true artist, I love it, brilliant genius," Randy gushed. Steven added, "By virtue of your sound and style, you were perfect tonight, you are the man."
The final performance show was wrapped up with Scotty McCreery's performance of "Please Remember Me". Earlier that night, Jason Derulo also took the stage to sing "Undefeated".
"Idol" will return Wednesday, May 23 with the announcement of the winner. Aerosmith and Rihanna are billed as musical performers.
A seemingly routine trip to the laundromat turned into an urgent ordeal after a couple's child became stuck inside an active washing machine.
The father was allegedly playing with his child when he placed him inside the machine. However, when the door locked, the automatic cycle began with the tot trapped inside.
The panicked parents banged and pulled on the door without success as the child continued to spin inside the machine, according to surveillance video posted on YouTube.
Out of options, the dad urgently ran to the back of the laundromat to get the attention of a worker, who rushed to the scene and unplugged the washer. When the door finally unlatched, the worker pulled the child out of the machine.
Despite being trapped for more than a minute, the child managed to escape the machine with only minor bruising, according to Real Talk NY.
Perhaps surprisingly, the youngster isn't the only child to get stuck inside a washing machine.
Fortunately, emergency workers were able to free the boy using the Jaws of Life in a 45-minute rescue effort that ended with Doniven crawling out of the space unscathed.
However, a similar incident resulted in the death of a 1-year-old Oregon boy who fell into a top-loading washer and drowned.
Tiffany Hebb was just feet away from the appliance when she lost sight of Ollie, who would often help with laundry by climbing onto a bin and tossing the clothes inside with mom, according to the Deseret News.
When Hebb reached into the washer, she found Ollie stuck inside and underwater. Neighbors performed CPR on the boy and were able to get a heartbeat after 45 minutes, but the lack of oxygen to his brain caused irreparable damage. The parents later decided to take Ollie off life support.
Kristen Wiig got a musical sendoff on the season finale of "Saturday Night Live" as the popular and versatile cast member made her exit after seven years.
In the show's final sketch, guest host Mick Jagger played the principal at a high school graduation and brought up Wiig, in cap and gown, as "one particular student who is leaving this summer."
She danced in turn with Jagger, cast members and executive producer Lorne Michaels to the tune of the Rolling Stones classic "She's a Rainbow." Then the ensemble sang another Stones hit, "Ruby Tuesday," with its line, "still I'm gonna miss you."
Wiig appeared to be holding back tears.
Though NBC had made no prior announcement of her departure, it comes as no surprise. She starred in and co-wrote the hit comedy "Bridesmaids," and even before that had notable roles in "Friends With Kids," "Paul," "Adventureland" and "Knocked Up," among other films. She has six more in various stages of development.
Wiig's almost limitless range of characters on "SNL" has included neurotic attention-seeker Penelope; Kat, half of the musical duo Garth and Kat (alongside Fred Armisen); and such real-life notables as Bjork, Kathie Lee Gifford and former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.
Andy Samberg and Jason Sudeikis have also been reported to be leaving "SNL," though Michaels recently said any decision on cast changes will wait until the summer.
Robin Gibb, Bee Gees singer and co-founder, died Sunday at the age of 62, according to Rolling Stone. The musician had been battling cancer.
"The family of Robin Gibb, of the Bee Gees, announce with great sadness that Robin passed away today following his long battle with cancer and intestinal surgery," says a statement released by the family's spokesperson. "The family have asked that their privacy is respected at this very difficult time."
Gibb has had a history of health problems stemming from a 2010 liver and colon cancer diagnosis. Though Gibb had recovered from his first bout with the disease, another tumor recently surfaced in conjunction with pneumonia, leaving him in a coma at a London hospital in mid-April. Gibb's wife Dwina and brother Barry stayed by his side, singing to the ailing star in an effort for him to regain consciousness.
Gibb did awaken from his coma in late April and was able to speak with his family members, though he was still reliant on an oxygen mask and intravenous feeding.
"Robin's wife, Dwina and son, Robin-John, his son Spencer and daughter Melissa have been at his bedside every day, talking to him and playing his favorite music to him," Gibb's doctor, Dr. Andrew Thillainayagam said in April. "They have been tireless in their determination never to give up on him."
Robin and his brothers, Barry and Maurice (who died in 2003 due to complications from a twisted intestine), formed The Bee Gees in the late 1960s. The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997 with hits like "Stayin' Alive," "How Deep Is Your Love" and "I Started A Joke."
Will Smith's international publicity tour for "Men In Black III" already produced one moment of viral video goodness when Smith slapped a European reporter who tried to kiss him at a red carpet. But Smith topped that Saturday night on BBC One's "The Graham Norton Show," when he rapped "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" theme song along with the entire studio audience in a moment rife with TV nostalgia.
Smith also spoke fondly of the classic sitcom, and marveled at its lasting impact. "Listen, every country in the world, that is the thing that I am most known for. No matter how big the movies get, it's just 'Fresh Prince' everywhere ... As long as they're shouting 'Will!' it's cool," he joked.
"It is so funny that that many people recognize that theme song," Smith continued. "There's something about TV that's different than movies or music. There's something about television that ... it's like, you're in your underwear at the house, you don't get dressed up to go, it's like people come into your house. Television really attaches you to people in a way that is extremely powerful, and it's humbling. Thank you," Smith said to the audience, who had rapped along with him.
Totally bro! "The Californians," our favorite daytime soap skit featuring the best of California stereotypes, is back at it. From Kirsten Wiig trying to master the simplest of guitar chords to long meaningful looks in the mirror, these California dudes and dudettes sure know how to talk. We mean, enunciate. What we're trying to say is, there's no rush in California, man. According to SNL, we say our words as slowly as we like. But that's not all. Everyone knows that a grocery store is our favorite landmark when giving driving directions, and this episode is no different with Vons/Pavilions getting its very own shout out.
Next there's a book party for "Classic Burger Joints In California," a Mick Jagger "I'm your father" surprise visit, and of course, SNL vet Steve Martin's appearance in the preview for the next episode of "The Californians."
But the most dead on stereotype comes, perhaps, when each character does their own version of the commonly heard phrase "no way!"
A wise person once said, "It's not the destination, but the journey that counts." "The Californians" really take these words to heart: giving driving directions and alternate routes is certainly their most practiced past time.
Adele was the biggest winner at tonight's Billboard Music Awards, taking home twelve trophies off the strength of her Grammy-winning album 21 and singles such as the chart-topping "Rolling in the Deep." LMFAO were the second top winners, grabbing six honors, with their "Party Rock Anthem" garnering five nods. Coldplay and Lil Wayne received four awards each, while Casting Crowns, Jason Aldean and Lady Gaga each nabbed two awards. Justin Bieber took home "Top Social Artist" honors, Taylor Swift grabbed "Woman of the Year," and Whitney Houston received the Millenium Award and Stevie Wonder was honored with the Billboard Icon Award.
The winners for The 2012 Billboard Music Awards are:
ARTIST AWARDS
Top Artist:
Adele
Top New Artist:
Wiz Khalifa
Top Male Artist:
Lil Wayne
Top Female Artist:
Adele
Top Duo/Group:
LMFAO
Top Billboard 200 Artist:
Adele
Top Hot 100 Artist:
Adele
Top Digital Songs Artist:
Adele
Top Radio Songs Artist:
Adele
Top Touring Artist
U2
Top Social Artist:
Justin Bieber
Top Streaming Artist:
Rihanna
Top Digital Media Artist
Adele
Top Pop Artist:
Adele
Top R&B Artist:
Chris Brown
Top Rap Artist:
Lil Wayne
Top Country Artist:
Lady Antebellum
Top Rock Artist:
Coldplay
Top Alternative Artist:
Coldplay
Top Latin Artist
Shakira
Top Dance Artist
Lady Gaga
Top Christian Artist
Casting Crowns
ALBUMS AWARDS:
Top Billboard 200 Album:
Adele "21"
Top Pop Album
Adele "21"
Top R&B Album
Beyonce "4"
Top Rap Album:
Lil Wayne "Tha Carter IV"
Top Country Album:
Jason Aldean "My Kinda Party"
Top Rock Album:
Coldplay "Mylo Xyloto"
Top Alternative Album:
Coldplay "Mylo Xyloto"
Top Latin Album:
Romeo Santos "Formula: Vol. 1"
Top Dance Album:
Lady Gaga "Born This Way"
Top Christian Album:
Casting Crowns "Come To The Well"
SONG AWARDS:
Top Hot 100 Song:
LMFAO Feat. Lauren Bennett & GoonRock "Party Rock Anthem"
Top Digital Song :
LMFAO Feat. Lauren Bennett & GoonRock "Party Rock Anthem"
Top Radio Song:
Pitbull Feat. Ne-Yo, Afrojack & Nayer "Give Me Everything"
Top Streaming Song (Audio)
Adele "Rolling in the Deep"
Top Streaming Song (Video)
Nicki Minaj "Super Bass"
Top Pop Song:
LMFAO Feat. Lauren Bennett & GoonRock "Party Rock Anthem"
Top R&B Song:
Kelly Rowland Feat. Lil Wayne "Motivation"
Top Rap Song:
LMFAO Feat. Lauren Bennett & GoonRock "Party Rock Anthem"
Top Country Song:
Jason Aldean "Dirt Road Anthem"
Top Rock Song:
Foster The People "Pumped Up Kicks"
Top Alternative Song:
Adele "Rolling In The Deep"
Top Latin Song:
Don Omar & Lucenzo "Danza Kuduro"
Top Dance Song:
LMFAO Feat. Lauren Bennett & GoonRock "Party Rock Anthem"
A nude woman who calmly walked into two New York businesses this week shocked employees and attracted the gaze of more than one startled shopper.
Temperatures may have only been in the 60s in Saratoga Springs on Tuesday, but that did not stop 49-year-old Barbara Lafleur from stripping down to her birthday suit while she went shopping along Route 67, authorities said.
"It was bizarre. It was a very bizarre case. We've never had anything like this happen," Saratoga County District Attorney James Murphy III told The Huffington Post.
Lafleur's first stop was Curtis Lumber, where surveillance cameras captured her strolling casually through the store. Contacted by HuffPost Friday, store manager Bob Eakin said he was no longer allowed to comment on the incident. In an earlier interview with the Times Union, Eakin said Lafleur asked a couple of employees what time it was, told them to "Have a good day," and then walked out.
"No one wanted to say much to her," Eakin told the newspaper. "It's not a situation you want to be involved in."
After leaving the lumber yard, Lafleur allegedly walked a short distance to a Stewart's Shops convenience store, where police say she again did little to protect the modesty of the shopping public.
"The clerk said, 'Excuse me, ma'am, did you know you have no clothes on?' and she said, 'Oh yeah I'm totally fine with that,'" Murphy explained.
Stewart's Shops spokesman Tom Mailey said the manager of the store was initially concerned about the woman.
"When something like that happens, I think your first concern is, is something wrong, so he chatted with her briefly and [then] asked her to leave," Mailey told HuffPost.
The Saratoga County Sheriff's Office was called and the woman was picked up and taken for a mental evaluation.
"A psychiatrist examined her and said she is perfectly fine, so that was a different kind of response than we had anticipated," Murphy said. "She was not on any drugs or medications we are aware of."
So why the nude shopping spree?
"She is just a person who believes in the freedom of nudism. That was her explanation," Murphy said.
Lafleur was released pending a future court appearance. If convicted on a misdemeanor charge, she could face a fine and a maximum sentence of 90 days in jail.
After seven years, one of the biggest “Saturday Night Live” break-out stars of the aughts is leaving studio 8H. Kristen Wiig was given an emotional send-off on the finale episode of Season 37 of the popular late-night sketch show.Saturday Night Live” closed its 37th season this weekend by giving rock legend Mick Jagger double duties. As the musical guest, he strutted through some of his greatest hits with backing by Arcade Fire and Foo Fighters. As the host, he Cindy Clark, USA TODAY Mick Jagger drew big laughs as host during Saturday night's season finale of Saturday Night Live. The Rolling Stones frontman performed four times, mocked Steven Tyler and delivered an opening monologue that included answers .Rolling Stones lead singer Mick Jagger did it all on the season finale of "Saturday Night
Live." The rock legend not only hosted the show, but also put on four memorable musical performances, backed up by an impressive roster of friends that included Getty Images AP entertainment writer Kristen Wiig became a star after “Bridesmaids,” despite stealing scenes on “Saturday Night Live” for years. Will she be back next season? / Getty Images How can “Saturday Night Live” possibly replace
BALTIMORE — I’ll Have Another came into the Preakness facing one of the toughest possible tactical situations in racing. His most formidable rival, Bodemeister, was the solitary front-runner in the field and would be able to control the pace as his jockey dictated. That’s usually a formula for victory whether the scenario develops in a maiden race or the second leg of the Triple Crown.
So when I’ll Have Another made his last surge in the Pimlico stretch and caught the leader, this wasn’t simply a case of a stretch-runner overhauling a tired leader. Bodemeister is a superior speed horse and he ran as well Saturday as he has ever done in his short career. I’ll Have Another’s performance — though the winning margin was only a neck — was much more impressive and authoritative than his triumph in the Kentucky Derby two weeks earlier.
He and Bodemeister both ran fast and trounced the rest of the field by almost nine lengths, erasing the impression that this is a mediocre group of 3-year-olds.
In the Derby, Bodemeister had to set a torrid pace to outrun other fast rivals, and I’ll Have Another’s little-known jockey, Mario Gutierrez, secured a perfect trip to rally and catch the tired favorite in the stretch. But when the other speed horses defected from the Preakness field, Gutierrez was put in a damned-if-you-do-damned-if-you-don’t position. Should he try to put pressure on Bodemeister, and risk enervating his own mount, or let Bodemeister have an unchallenged lead. Before the race, Gutierrez told trainer Doug O’Neill: “If he goes slow I want to be on top of him.” O’Neill assented.
But when the gate opened at Pimlico, Gutierrez did something that demonstrated a coolness and sophistication that few people would have expected from a jockey who had spent most of his life in the minor leagues. He didn’t try to impose his will on his horse. He neither restrained I’ll Have Another nor pushed him to chase Bodemeister. He got him out of the gate with alacrity, but then was willing to let I’ll Have Another run his own race.
As Bodemeister took command early, another rival, Creative Cause, tried to chase the leader and apply mild pressure, while I’ll Have Another settled into fourth place and got hung three-wide on the first turn. As owner J. Paul Reddam watched, he was fretting: “When he got caught wide at the first turn, I was saying ‘I don’t know if I like this.’ ”
Jockey Mike Smith, meanwhile, loved the way the Preakness was developing. He was nursing Bodemeister on the lead, maintaining a one-length advantage over Creative Cause, and his mount was behaving perfectly. Bodemeister wasn’t headstrong, as young horses with his running style can be; he cruised on the lead and hit the half-mile mark in 47.68 seconds — a soft pace that should have given him an insuperable advantage. It was the slowest half mile in the Preakness since 1982, when Aloma’s Ruler went in 48 seconds and proceeded to lead all the way. The racing strip at Pimlico on Saturday was relatively slow, but the track was no slower than last year, when Shackleford vied for the lead in 46.87 and went on to win.
Bodemeister shook off the ineffectual challenge of Creative Cause on the turn and opened a three-length advantage in the stretch. That’s when Gutierrez asked his mount to run in earnest. At first he barely cut into the leader’s margin; Bodemeister was still strong after those slow fractions. An eighth of a mile from the finish line, I’ll Have Another still looked beaten. That was Smith’s impression. “I thought I put him away,” the Hall of Famer said. Bodemeister’s trainer Bob Baffert was feeling confident, too: “I really thought he was going to do it.”
But in that final furlong, to the roar of 121,309 people, I’ll Have Another surged powerfully and Bodemeister could not repel the challenge, just as he couldn’t repel it at Churchill Downs. But though the finish at Pimlico may have looked much like the Derby to casual observers, this race helped redefine both horses — and this equine generation.
The charismatic striker was at the heart of Chelsea's unlikely comeback victory in the Champions League final against Bayern Munich on Saturday night, scoring the tying goal in the 88th minute and the winner on the final penalty kick of the 4-3 shootout.
With two minutes to go and Chelsea down 1-0 to the German team in its home stadium, Drogba soared high from a corner to head home the equalizer and force 30 minutes of extra time, which ended 1-1.
When it was still level after four penalty kicks each, the 34-year-old from Ivory Coast who makes a habit of scoring crucial goals did so again, sliding home the winner and giving Chelsea its first Champions League title.
Chelsea's remarkable Champions League season has played out with the intensity of an opera since losing 3-1 to Napoli in a last 16, first-leg match in February.
The club's Russian owner Roman Abramovich – whose craving for a Champions League title since 2003 is routinely described as a holy grail – soon responded by firing coach Andre Villas-Boas and promoting assistant Roberto di Matteo, albeit with just an interim tag.
Di Matteo responded by masterminding a stirring comeback against Napoli, defeat of Benfica and the epic rearguard action to eliminate Barcelona in the semifinals.
"The way we turned things around against Napoli, Barcelona, I think we deserve this trophy," Drogba said. "The last kick of the season and what a way to do it now."
Abramovich now has the fascinating decision of whether to reward Di Matteo by entrusting his billion-dollar investment to the 41-year-old Italian on a permanent basis.
Meet Norman. He's a budding Hollywood star, and he's got mad skills on the scooter, skateboard and surfboard.
Oh yeah. He's also a dog. From surfing at the 2012 Rose Bowl to scooting and skateboarding around his neighborhood in South Carolina, Norman can do things that, well, your average American cannot. And now, he has a new trick -- riding a bike.
Norman's "mom," Karen Cobb, said the biggest challenges she faced were finding the right bike for her big boy and building up the muscles in his back legs, the Daily Mail reports.
And good balance isn't all he has. When Norm is not mastering physical feats, he's charming hearts with his stellar manners. This two-year-old pup shuts doors, wipes his feet when he comes in and wipes his beard off after he drinks!
He's a Briard, a French herding dog, and his first sport was riding a scooter, which gained him the nickname "Norman the Scooter Dog." You can see him as a puppy on his first day riding a scooter in a video in the slideshow below.
Norman is a regular on Animal Planet's "Who Let the Dogs Out?," a reality show about finding the world's most talented pups.
According to his official Facebook page, Norman hopes that his "scooter riding popularity" can raise awareness about the need to adopt rescue dogs and boycott puppy mills.
The world loves Will Smith. Maybe not enough to forgive Men in Black 2, but the world still loves him. They love him so much that he’s been claimed to be one of the only black actor who can open a movie overseas. That’s a lot of love. But sometimes those overseas folk love him too much, like a Ukranian reporter who accidentally brushed his lips against those of the star and got a slap for his effort.
TMZ has video of Smith at the Moscow premiere of Men in Black 3. While walking the red carpet, a male reporter attempted to give him a European kiss on the cheeks. Unfortunately, he got a little too close to the space in between and Smith pushed him back and gave him a light slap. Smith then walked away, saying, “He’s lucky I didn’t sucker punch him.” He then remembered he was surrounded by cameras and brought that million dollar smile right back up.
TMZ is reporting that kissing celebs is apparently that reporter’s “schtick.” That may be the case, but you can’t try that stuff with Big Willie Style. You’re no Kevin James.
Ps. Some of my co-workers really wanted me to headline this post with either “Men in Smack” or “The Pursuit of Slappyness.” Because I respect our readers to much, I refrained.
Former WWE superstar Chyna collapsed in front of the main stage at a XXX convention in Miami moments ago ... TMZ has learned.
Sources at the scene tell us ... Chyna was hanging out at the 2012 Exxxotica Expo when she suddenly dropped to floor.
We're told several people rushed over to help ... and carried Chyna out of the expo and into a nearby hotel where she's now resting.
Sources say Chyna was checked out by paramedics at the scene -- who didn't feel the porn star needed to be hospitalized.
We reached out to Chyna -- so far, no word back ... but we do know she's canceled a Friday afternoon appearance at the XBiz Summit -- another porn convention.
A crowded overnight bus plunged off a bridge into a river in central Vietnam, killing 34 passengers and injuring 21 others in one of the country's deadliest road accidents.
The 50-seat coach lost control and ripped through the bridge's guardrails Thursday night, diving about 18 meters (60 feet) and landing on its top, partially submerged in the Serepok River, said local official Tran Bao Que.
"When the accident happened, everyone in the bus was sleeping," survivor Nguyen Van Khanh told online news site Dan Tri. "I vaguely heard a noise like a gun fire and then people were screaming when the bus was overturned. ... I managed to escape through a window which was smashed opened by others."
Que said it took rescuers four hours to pull the bodies from the bus, which was traveling on a regular 350-kilometer (217-mile) route from the central highland province of Dak Lak to the southern commercial hub of Ho Chi Minh City.
Rescuers used axes to try to free trapped passengers. Photos showed a body hanging limply out the side of the ripped-open vehicle, which was hoisted out of the river by crane early Friday morning.
Y Bliu Arul, deputy director of the General Hospital in Dak Lak, says the bus's two drivers were among the 32 people who died at the scene. Two others died at the hospital. Of the 21 injured, 16 were in serious condition.
Authorities are investigating the cause of the crash. Vietnam has one of the world's highest traffic fatality rates, with more than 11,000 people killed each year.
Amidst a terrible 2-for-13 shooting performance, Dwyane Wade unleashed some frustration during Game 3 against the Pacers on Thursday night. But it wasn't the Pacers who he took his anger out on. Instead, he got in a heated argument with Miami head coach Erik Spoelstra.
During a timeout in the third quarter, ESPN cameras caught Wade going off on Spoelstra while they stood face to face. As the 30-year-old walked away, Spoelstra appeared to say something. Upon hearing this last comment, Wade circled back to argue some more. Veteran teammate Juwan Howard and others on the visitors' bench had to calm down Wade before the game resumed. The Pacers would go on to win, 94-75.
At the beginning of last season, the first year for Miami's super team, Spoelstra was involved in another tense moment with a frustrated member of the "Big Three." LeBron James appeared to bump Spoelstra in the shoulder as he walked to the bench for a timeout during a game against the Mavericks. They were losing by 10 at the time.
First was Joshua Ledet. Randy Jackson said he and his team had chosen Etta James' "I'd Rather Be Blind." Ledet continued in his retro vein. He fondled the retro mike, as if he was a fortune-teller and it was a crystal ball. The Ledet formula is to start slow and build to an extremely forceful climax. This was excellent, professional and veering toward being slightly too sophisticated for the little girls in their pink fluffy bedrooms who might decide the winner. Steven Tyler called it "surreal." Jennifer Lopez called him a "throwback."
In the audience, Heejun Han talked about his "work in progress hairstyle," but not about his singing career.
Jessica Sanchez was next to sing. Jennifer Lopez introduced her and revealed the judges had chosen, gosh, a Mariah Carey song. They made it sound like a revolution.
The president of the Phillipines, Benigno Aquino III, is reportedly rooting for Sanchez. I wonder whether he would have been moved by this highly professional, relatively sultry, but ultimately odd performance.
"We tell people never to do it," said Jackson of Sanchez singing a Carey song that he, presumably, had a hand in choosing.
Lopez was delighted that Sanchez had shown her tenderness and not reached for huge notes.
"I hope you just get used to encores," said Tyler. He also reached for the phrase "over the top." Which, for him, means excellent, rather than excessive.
Sanchez seemed very pleased with herself. She does let her competitive skirts show on occasion, but this was, again, an unbelievable performance - in the sense that her sincerity with the words seemed absent, because she just doesn't have the life experience.
Tyler said they'd chosen "Beggin'" for Phillip Phillips in order to get him to finally, finally carry a melody. This was, supposedly, the Madcon version of the Four Seasons classic. Actually, it turned out to be a fine surge of originality, with two drummers driving him from behind like a Boxster's engine.
Of the melody, Lopez said: "You can't help it. You had to mess with it."
This was harsh. Phillips allowed it to be recognizable. Which was a little as if he'd suddenly agreed to wear Prada and wing tips.
"It's so beautiful to watch you unfold here," said Tyler. "I'm hoping you write your own songs," he added. Then he suggested Phillips might be the next Springsteen. And to think Tyler was doing so well until that point.
ROUND ONE WINNER: Phillip Phillips (For performance and originality.)
So what had Ledet chosen for himself? Oh, in a minute. First, we had to go back home with him to Westlake, La.
"They are really acting like I'm Barack Obama," observed the charming Ledet, as a police motorcade shepherded him from the airport. Large ladies wanted to hug him. Large men wanted to hug him. For his parade, he rode on the back of an open-top Mustang with his little niece.
A woman with an eye patch wanted to take a picture. So did a dog wearing a top hat (It's just that the dog didn't have a camera). And he packed out the Burton Coliseum, for the first time ever. What was wonderful about this is that it showed just how much of a showman Ledet can be and how he appeals to a very broad range of humanity.
His choice was "Imagine." This was exceptional, because he managed to take a song of revolution, drag it into church and make it far more moving than the original - which was, in truth, a slightly miserable little ditty. Ledet does pain and he uses it for good.
The producers cut to Hollie Cavanagh, who had tears in her eyes.
"Every time you sing, you take it over the top," said Tyler, offering a pointless coda to something that had been so very good.
"You have an incredible instrument," said Lopez. She praised him for digging deep into the meaning of the song in order to find a true performance. Tyler could learn from that.
Sanchez revealed that she had been home schooled and hadn't had any friends as a kid. It's hard not to infer from this that she had been schooled to be a singer for a very long time - perhaps too long. Everything she does on stage seems trained, rather than natural. Everything seems professional, rather than human. She has a wonderful voice, but - unlike Ledet - any emotions she offers aren't believable, largely because they can't be.
We drifted back to Chula Vista, Calif., her hometown. It was hard not to see someone who had wanted this from age 5 and was finally experiencing it. But it was like a bookworm getting into college.
Her song choice was "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing." Yes, the Aerosmith attempt at pathos.
This was neither contemporary, nor relevant, nor even especially good. It was Advanced Pageant Standard. Somewhere in Manila, President Aquino might have begun to worry a little more.
"You just took a great song and made it greater," bluffed Tyler.
"You do not know what a big deal that is," explained Lopez. No, really. Tyler was really impressed, apparently. Jackson admitted that it had started slow. Ryan Seacrest pointed out that Sanchez had been 3 when this song had come out.
Phillips went back home to Leesburg, Ga., to see a sign that said "Phillip, you still owe me $10." Perhaps he could go to his dad's pawnshop to get the money. His dad was there in the pawnshop, with a ready hug in his heart and a gun in his holster. Phillips, who has been unwell - as Iovine keeps pointing out - looked overwhelmed by the reception he received from a town whose real hero is the San Francisco Giants' Buster Posey.
With no sense of irony at all, Phillips picked Matchbox 20's "Disease."
This was Carlos Santana low-key. It was if he was saying: "Dear 'Idol,' take that." It certainly wasn't bad, but it was also what was once called an album track - one of those songs that create an interlude between the hits.
"I didn't feel like it was the 'wow' performance," observed Lopez.
"It wasn't over the top, but it was Phillip Phillips," said Tyler.
"I didn't like it either," said Jackson. "You can do those things in your sleep."
Didn't these people see that Phillips Sr. has a gun?
ROUND TWO WINNER: Joshua Ledet (By a lot.)
Each of Iovine's song choices would say a lot about how he saw the performers. What would he choose for Ledet? Mary J Blige's "No More Drama" was it. It really was.
This required, as Iovine had suspected, Ledet to rise to his demented best at the end. He Mary J. Obliged. As his excitement (and the audience's) rose toward Goosie Mach 3 and beyond, he shed his glitter-epauletted jacket. He gained even more respect. This was genuine talent, performing without restraint, shedding all inhibitions and expressing fully the intent of the song.
Cavanagh, Elise Testone and Shannon Magrane in the audience couldn't help but stand and give themselves over to it.
"You have laid everything on this stage that there is to lay," said Jackson, with accidental accuracy.
Lopez loved how he'd taken off the jacket. Sadly, Tyler could only describe it as "over the top."
Iovine chose the Jackson Five's "I'll Be There" for Sanchez, because it appeals to older people, but was sung was someone of lesser maturity.
It was hard to listen to Sanchez instead of stare at her shoes. They looked as if they'd been borrowed from Herman Munster's daughter. Her performance was pleasant, but again lacking in anything that might be described as character. She's good. Really good. But ultimately, she's really mechanical good.
"You almost sounded like Michael," said Lopez.
"I liked it OK," said Jackson with another bout of sudden perspicacity. "There was never a 'moment' moment."
Sanchez looked positively annoyed and she could have done real damage if she'd swung those shoes.
Phillips, like Sanchez, got a big box from AT&T that told him his Iovine selection. It was Bob Seger's "We've Got Tonight."
"The melody is so great that Phillip is going to want to stick to it," said Iovine.
Phillips showed marked sartorial respect by wearing all black. The violins and cellos began to soar, as he tried to whip his voice to follow the melody. His face was pained because this is not the sort of song he wants ever to be seen singing. This was Iovine pawning him onto pop - with a gun in his holster.
He tried to get through it, but a couple of times he was all at Seger. The song exposed his lack of range. His face strained for the bigger notes, but his voice resisted. The judges, though, stood to applaud.
"The perfect song at the perfect time and your best performance on the show ever," opined Jackson.
"There's 20 million girls out there who wished you were singing the song to them," said Lopez.
"You sang like you just didn't give a s---," observed a more observant Tyler. He added that it didn't matter if he didn't sing the notes right - a view from the voice of experience, perhaps.
He may be right. The little girls in pink pajamas knew it was late. They knew they were weary. But still they had to vote 300 times for the one they love best. We'll see what they - or, as Machiavellians might suggest, the producers - decide.
ROUND THREE WINNER: Ledet (By even more than the second round.)
Donna Summer died Thursday morning after a battle with lung cancer.
Lovingly named the "Queen of Disco," the 63-year-old was in Florida at the time of her death, according to TMZ. Born LaDonna Adrian Gaines, the 5-time Grammy award winner rose to fame in the '70s with hits like "Hot Stuff," "Bad Girls" and "Love to Love You Baby."
Following the news of Summer's passing, the singer's family released a statement saying that they "are at peace celebrating her extraordinary life and her continued legacy."
TMZ also reports that Summer was working on a forthcoming album at the time of her death.
"RIP #DonnaSummer - dined with her a few months ago, and she sang Amazing Grace to guests with stunning power. Great lady, wonderful talent," Piers Morgan tweeted about the late singer.
Summer is survived by her husband, Brooklyn Dreams co-founder Bruce Sudano, their two children -- Brooklyn and Amanda -- and her daughter, Mimi, from a previous marriage.
Nicki Minaj stunned us with this one. In previous videos we've seen Minaj paired up with Drake and even 2 Chainz, but for her new clip "Right By My Side," the YMCMB star recruits Nas as her romantic interest. At the end of the video the pair even seal their love with a kiss.
The bright and cheery video opens with a pensive Nicki seated in a high-backed chair fit for a Queen; her mind is clearly elsewhere unaware of the camera’s gaze. Only a few seconds pass before Nas struts into the scene and the two lean in to share a smooch only to find their lives subjected to a rewind sequence before their lips touch.
“It all comes down to this, I miss your morning,” Nicki sings on cue as the viewer is taken back into time.
It’s all pretty rosey as the love sick couple share deep conversation and an inside joke as Nas hands his hunny a silver dollar which she flips into a wishing well. The clip has all the makings of a John Hughes romance flick: There’s PDA, hand-holding, shopping trips and outdoor lunches. In one scene Nas, who sports his trademark half-moon Caesar and big-framed 1980’s inspired glasses surprises Nicki with a new car, topped off with a pink bow of course. The reigning rap queen is so excited she leaps into his open arms.
Chuck Brown, the legendary "Godfather of Go-Go," has died, according to Washington City Paper and other media reports.
The local D.C. musical giant, born in Gaston, N.C., and known for his group's 1979 chart-topping hit "Bustin' Loose," was 75.
Earlier this month, Brown's family revealed that he had pneumonia. He had canceled a planned performance at the newly reopened Howard Theatre in April due to health concerns.
According to the Associated Press, Brown died at Johns Hopkins University Hospital in Baltimore.
Known as the “Godfather of Go-Go,” the performer, singer, guitarist and songwriter developed his commanding brand of funk in the mid-1970s to compete with the dominance of disco.
Like a DJ blending records, Mr. Brown used nonstop percussion to stitch songs together and keep the crowd on the dance floor, resulting in marathon performances that went deep into the night. Mr. Brown said the style got its name because “the music just goes and goes.”
District of Columbia Mayor Vincent Gray said in a statement:
"Go-go is D.C.'s very own unique contribution to the world of pop music, and Chuck Brown was regarded as Go-go's creator and, arguably, its most legendary artist,” Mayor Gray said. "Today is a very sad day for music lovers the world over, but especially in the District of Columbia. Without Chuck Brown, the world –- and our city –- will be a different place. What a loss!
I am thankful that I had so many opportunities to witness Chuck's singular talent in person, and I enjoyed each performance immensely. My heart, my thoughts and my prayers go out to his family."
Mary Kennedy, the estranged wife of Robert F. Kennedy Jr, has been found dead in her home in Bedford, New York, TMZ reports.
Officials told TMZ that Kennedy, 52, was found at 1:36 p.m Wednesday by the Bedford Police Department. Kennedy's attorney Kerry Lawrence confirmed the death, and said that the cause of death is currently unknown. The Westchester Medical Examiner's Office also confirmed to Patch that Kennedy had died.
Mary Kennedy's family issued a statement following the news. From the AP:
"We deeply regret the death of our beloved sister Mary, whose radiant and creative spirit will be sorely missed by those who loved her," the family said in a statement issued by Lawrence. "Our heart goes out to her children who she loved without reservation."
RFK Jr. and Mary Richardson Kennedy were married in 1994, and filed for divorce in 2010. Three days after the split, Mary Kennedy was arrested for driving while intoxicated, with a blood alcohol level of 0.11 percent. She was later fined $500 and had her license suspended for 90 days.
Months after that incident, she was arrested again, this time for driving under the influence of drugs. A Pleasant Valley Town judge later threw out that charge, noting that there wasn't evidence Kennedy was aware her prescription drugs would impair her ability to drive.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr, the son of the late Sen. Robert Kennedy and nephew of President John F. Kennedy, is a prominent environmental lawyer and author, and served as the Assistant District Attorney in New York City.
The Rays-Red Sox game on Wednesday night took a scary turn in the eighth inning when Tampa Bay's Will Rhymes collapsed on the field shortly after getting hit in the arm by a pitch from Boston's Franklin Morales.
Morales' fastball nailed Rhymes in the right arm, causing the second baseman to immediately lose his footing and fall down in pain. Manager Joe Maddon and a trainer ran onto the field to attend to him and Rhymes eventually walked to first.
Once Rhymes got to first, he gestured to the coaching staff that he wanted to come out. Then he took a few steps and collapsed, falling into the arms of first base coach George Hendrick.
The 29-year-old remained down for several minutes before finally moving on his own. He sat up slowly as the medical staff attended to him and was eventually carted off the field.
Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times tweeted that Rhymes was okay and when he was asked a simple question like who he was, he responded saying, "Batman."
"I felt fine. I was all there but when I got to first, I started getting real dizzy and nauseous," Rhymes said in the locker room after the game. "That's when I started walking off and, apparently I didn't get real far."
