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Tag: america’s Got Talent

  • David Hasselhoff: Is This Guy for Real? Legally Changes Name at 63

    David Hasselhoff is no longer David Hasselhoff. Yes, you read that correctly. At the age of 63, the former Baywatch star has legally changed his name. David Hasselhoff will now be called David Hoff.

    “I’ve been wanting to drop the Hassel from my life for years. Now, I have made it official–David Hoff,” he says.

    Fortunately for the man formerly known as David Hasselhoff (does this have a “Prince” ring to it?), he has long been known quite simply as “The Hoff.”

    That will make it a bit easier for fans–of whom he surely has many–to adapt to the name change.

    In addition to Baywatch, the man formerly known as David Hasselhoff is known for appearing in Sharknado 3, Kung Fury, and he served as a judge on America’s Got Talent.

    What’s your take on David removing the “Hassel” from his last name? Might he soon find it to be a hassle in the days to come?

  • Simon Cowell Dishes About Upcoming “America’s Got Talent” Gig, Son Eric Steals the Show

    Simon Cowell sat down for an interview with Extra’s Terri Seymour recently to dish on his upcoming gig on America’s Got Talent. The American Idol alum has announced he will replace Howard Stern as a judge on the next season of the show. Stern announced last season that it would be his last.

    20-month-old Eric Cowell was on hand for his daddy’s interview, and loved stealing the show. The little boy was teasing both Seymour and his father with a carrot Simon Cowell had given him as a snack.

    “That’s my boy!” Simon Cowell said to Seymour. “When he just wants something, he’s like me. He says it over and over again.”

    Something Simon Cowell had been wanting for a while was to serve as a judge on America’s Got Talent. Howard Stern’s exit was perfect timing.

    “We’ve been talking about it for a few years, funny enough, me and NBC,” he said. ‘This year…everything worked. So it was perfect.”

    Seymour questioned if perhaps fatherhood has made Simon Cowell a more understanding judge. Surely everyone remembers how harsh he was at times as an American Idol judge.

    “I’m not going to lie to people when I think they’re hopeless, I just couldn’t do that!” he said. “But no, of course I’m not going to be rude for the sake of being rude. That would be ridiculous. I’ll take it act by act.”

    It sounds like maybe fatherhood has softened the curmudgeonly British chap. Could you imagine Simon Cowell having had the patience to humor a child–back in his early American Idol days?

    That would have been a frightening situation–for all involved.

    Lauren Silverman is little Eric Cowell’s mom. She and Simon Cowell learned they were expecting while Silverman was still married to one of Simon Cowell’s best friends.

  • Jackie Evancho to Sing for Pope Francis in Philadelphia

    Jackie Evancho, the 15-year-old classical crossover singer said to have the “voice of an angel” will use her God-given talent to perform for Pope Francis in Philadelphia on Saturday evening.

    “I never even dreamt of seeing the pope, so I think it’s going to be really cool,” Jackie Evancho said during an interview with a CBS affiliate in Pittsburgh, where she hails from.

    Pope Francis will be in the audience on Saturday. In addition to Jackie Evancho, other performers include actor Mark Wahlberg, comedian Jim Gaffigan, Sister Sledge, and Aretha Franklin.

    Evancho is Catholic, and she believes her abilities as a singer were given to her by God.

    “Since I was very little and people said I could sing [well], I’ve always thought, ‘thank God.’ Always thank God for that,” she says.

    “It’s like I’m telling stories to my friends when I’m singing to an audience,” Jackie Evancho explains.

    Jackie was discovered when she submitted a YouTube audition to America’s Got Talent back in 2010. She was just 10 years old at the time.

    Evancho just returned from Italy–where Pope Francis lives. Now she is in Philadelphia, preparing to sing for Pope Francis.

    He will no doubt agree that Jackie Evancho has the voice of an angel.

  • Criss Angel Helps Rescue Trapped Escape Artist Spencer Horsman During ‘Supernaturalists’ Rehearsal

    Criss Angel can add ‘rescuer’ to his impressive repertoire after he helped save an escape artist during a rehearsal for his new show ‘Supernaturalists’ on Wednesday.

    Spencer Horsman, who first gained national notoriety as an escape artist on the TV show American’s Got Talent, was rehearsing for opening night at Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut when he became trapped in a water tank with his hands tied behind him–30 feet up in the air. Criss Angel noticed that Horsman appeared to be unconscious.

    As crew members were heard screaming, “Get him down,” Criss Angel ran onto the stage and began climbing up the metal chains that held the tank above the stage. He and the stage hands pried the top of the tank off in their efforts to save Spencer Horsman.

    The entire incident was caught on film.

    Spencer Horsman, who hails from Baltimore, is recovering, but the incident caused Criss Angel to reschedule two of the ‘Supernaturalists’ performances.

    “In an effort to ensure the safety of the cast and crew, we will be moving the opening night of Supernaturalists to June 26th,” Criss Angel said in a statement.

    Escape artists clearly take their lives in their hands every time they create, rehearse, and perform one of their acts. Spencer Horsman is very fortunate that Criss Angel and his stage hands were able to get him out of the tank in time to save his life.

    Fox News contacted reps for both Criss Angel and Spencer Horsman, but have yet to receive a reply.

  • Eva Longoria: Newest Member of the Spice Girls #LatinaSpice

    Eva Longoria joined members of the Spice Girls, celebrating David Beckham’s 40th birthday in Marrakech, Morocco on Saturday. While there, she dubbed herself the newest member of the Spice Girls–and used a hashtag to name herself #LatinaSpice.

    According to a report from Ryan Seacrest, all the original Spice Girls except for Melanie Brown–better known as Mel B., were present at the birthday bash.

    Maybe Eva Longoria felt she needed to fill in for the America’s Got Talent host?

    “I’m the new Spice Girl! #LatinaSpice,” Eva Longoria captioned a photo of herself with the rest of the Spice Girls, via Instagram.

    A photo posted by Eva Longoria (@evalongoria) on

    The Spice Girls didn’t perform at David Beckham’s birthday party, so Eva Longoria didn’t try her hand at singing with a girl band.

    Brooklyn Beckham–David and Victoria Beckham’s son–had a great time chatting and joking around with Longoria during his dad’s birthday party.

    “How did this happen? @brooklynbeckham not only beat me to 1M, he now has 2M?? #DB40,” Eva Longoria captioned this Instagram photo.

    A photo posted by Eva Longoria (@evalongoria) on

    Perhaps one day Eva Longoria will be known for her Spice Girl appearance instead of for her acting skills. Do you think the Desperate Housewives star may have found her new calling?

  • Heidi Klum: Too Much Skin Banned Her from Airport

    Heidi Klum modeled recently for a series of photographs advertising for Sharper Image. Some of these photos were destined for McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas. When the company that manages the indoor advertising saw how little the America’s Got Talent judge and host of Project Runway was wearing, they banned the advertisement photos from appearing there.

    Fox News reports that the Las Vegas-based Alliance Airport Advertising determined the images were in violation of a Clark County code designed to protect families that pass through the airport.

    Airport spokeswoman Christine Crews confirmed that the initial set of black and white photos were banned. However she says a new set of photos, “amended” by Iconix Brand Group, which is Sharper Image’s ad firm, have been approved for use inside the airport. They will appear from January 3rd through January 9th–the same time frame during which the initial set of photos was scheduled to be on display.

    Iconix Brand Group said in a statement that it was shocked the initial ads featuring Heidi Klum were “banned in Las Vegas–of all places.” The company says even the initial photos were both “tasteful” and “beautiful.”

    It is kind of an oxymoron that in Las Vegas–where scantily clad women reign supreme–that photos of Heidi Klum were banned. Las Vegas has, in recent years, tried to cater to more of a family crowd. Perhaps Clark County created the code when families began taking their vacations in Las Vegas.

    How often do you suppose Heidi Klum has been told she is wearing too little clothing? It is far more likely that the former supermodel has been told numerous times throughout the years that she’s wearing way too much clothing instead.

  • Mel B: Is Marriage to Stephen Belafonte Over?

    Mel B has reportedly moved out of the London home she shares with husband Stephen Belafonte, fueling rumors that her marriage is over. The America’s Got Talent and X-Factor UK judge was hospitalized briefly on Saturday for an undisclosed illness that sent her off for treatment while ‘screaming in agony.’

    According to Us Weekly, luggage and boxes were removed from the couple’s home just a couple of days later.

    “Mel’s marriage has reached crisis point–in fact it’s on life support,” a source tells them. “She has told friends it is over with Stephen.”

    Mel B appeared on the X-Factor’s season finale following her hospitalization, sans her wedding ring.

    “She knew what she was doing and wanted to send Stephen a clear message about her feelings,” the source adds. “Mel hasn’t spoken to Stephen once since her admission to the hospital last week and as it stands she doesn’t want to see him.”

    Another source claims Stephen Belafonte never visited Mel B while she was in the hospital.

    “It’s a very sad state of affairs given she could have died,” the source claims.

    Speculation about abuse on behalf of Stephen Belafonte has surfaced, but has yet to be confirmed. Those rumors were heightened when Mel B appeared on the X-Factor finale bearing scratches and bruises.

    Belafonte took to Twitter to dispel any notion of having abused his wife.

    The New York Post reports that the scratches and bruises were a result of Mel B’s medical care.

    What do you suppose has transpired between Mel B and Stephen Belafonte to prompt sources to say the marriage is over? And what kind of medical emergency do you suppose the former Spice Girls member suffered?

  • Heidi Klum: Cooking in the Supermodel’s Home Is a Family Affair

    Heidi Klum loves to cook, and she is imparting that love on all four of the children she had with ex-husband Seal.

    “[My kids] cook everything with me. They barbecue with me, they chop with me. The little one washes,” the Project Runway host told Us Weekly during an event Thursday for the charity organization, God’s Love We Deliver, a non-profit group that provides meals for people who are too sick to cook for themselves.

    “Everyone has their part to do, because I think it’s important they see how food is made, how a dish is made,” said Klum. “A lot of younger people nowadays don’t know how to cook. No one taught them. So I think it’s important to teach that to them.”

    The 41-year-old German model has many other lessons she’s also teaching 10 year-old Leni, eight-year-old Henry, seven-year-old Johan, and four-year-old Lou.

    “My son Henry carved his name into the dining room table,” the America’s Got Talent host told Us. “I said, ‘What’s your favorite sports car?’ He said, ‘A Ferrari.’ So I said, ‘Well, imagine you had a Ferrari and I took a knife and wrote Heidi all over the hood.’ I’m like, ‘Think of all the pieces of furniture in the house as little Ferraris, OK?’ He got it.”

    Klum is also teaching her children about charitable gestures, such as donating unused toys or volunteering, as she does consistently for God’s Love We Deliver.

    “I’ve been helping for the last 10 years, because I think what they do is important,” Klum told Us.

    Joan Rivers was another supporter of the organization.

    “Joan brought love, compassion and humor to every delivery she made and every event she supported,” the organization wrote in a statement on its website. “Joan’s impact on God’s Love will be felt always by our clients, volunteers, staff and community. Rest in peace, Joan. You will forever be in our hearts.”

  • Lindsey Stirling, YouTube Sensation, Signs New Deal

    In 2010, Lindsey Stirling was a quarterfinalist for NBC’s hit show, America’s Got Talent. At the time, her act was described as a “hip hop violinist”. Unfortunately, Stirling would be voted off the show during the quarterfinal round. While the news was devastating, it was anything but the end for Stirling: “After I got voted off the show, I was absolutely heartbroken. But I just knew I could do it in my heart. I knew that that was only the beginning.”

    Following her departure from the show, Stirling started to reinvent her YouTube channel entitled LindseyStomp. Partnering with people who knew what’s what when it comes to producing internet videos, Stirling began to heavily promote her talents through her YouTube account. The response was overwhelming, to say the least.

    Today, Stirling has over five million subscribers and viewers have watched her videos over 500 million times. It was this success which led Stirling to sign a deal with Maker Studios, a YouTube multichannel network (MCN), owned by Disney, which works with performers to help them produce and monetize their online content.

    “Lindsey is the ultimate independent music talent — setting the bar for other artists to aspire. Her talent and success is undeniable and we could not be more thrilled to welcome her into the Maker community and work together on new projects,” stated Chris M. Williams, chief audience officer at Maker Studios.

    Maker Studios was not the only party excited about the new deal. Stirling expressed exactly how this move put her career in a much more desirable position:

    Maker is extremely proactive and creative with their talent. They seem to have mastered the difficult task of giving attention to their smaller, growing channels while still being able to add value to their larger established channels and plus, with this partnership, I am one step closer to becoming a Disney princess!

    Partnering with Maker Studios will almost certainly bring enough attention to Stirling’s talents to make her even more of a household name. The studio has partnered with such artists as will.i.am, Snoop Dogg, Kelis, and even EpicLLOYD’s Epic Rap Battles of History. Maker Studios has a subscriber base of 450 million viewers and accumulates an average of 6.5 billion views per month.

  • Heidi Klum and Seal Do Disney With the Kids

    Heidi Klum and ex-hubby Seal may have had a rocky break up but the two appear to be taking their co-parenting duties very seriously–and succeeding at them, too. The two were spotted with their children–Leni is 10, Henry is 8, Johan is 7, and Lou is 4 years old–doing Disneyland and having lots of wholesome family fun. It was Wednesday when the whole gang was spotted riding the rides and laughing with Mickey Mouse.

    Klum, who is presently a judge on American’s Got Talent, and the ‘Kiss from a Rose’ singer split back in 2012 after seven married years together. At Disneyland the family enjoyed King Triton’s Carousel, the teacups (hope no one threw up), a boat ride, and even a roller coaster.

    One of the brave parents (who survives that many theme park rides in one day?) was still smiling when it came time to ham it up with Mickey Mouse.

    “Great day in Disneyland!!!! Thank you Mickey!!” Heidi Klum captioned her Instagram photo.

    On Sunday the supermodel turned 41, so perhaps the Disneyland adventure was a pre-birthday family bash for Mom? No one would believe the former Sports Illustrated cover girl and Victoria’s Secret model was past 40 if they didn’t see it in black and white. Klum has aged gracefully and doesn’t appear as though she’s had much–if anything–done to preserve her youth.

    Kudos to Heidi Klum and Seal for their efforts at co-parenting. For many parents this becomes dropping the children off at the ex’s for the weekend or shuffling back and forth a week at a time. This mode of co-parenting Klum and Seal appear to have isn’t so much about the living arrangements as it is about being a family, and making it clear to the children that even though Mom and Dad couldn’t make their marriage work that they’re still a family and that their parents will unite for their benefit.

    One day all six of them will reap the benefits of having raised their children this way.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Heidi Klum Goes Topless in Mexico

    Heidi Klum Goes Topless in Mexico

    German supermodel Heidi Klum was recently spotted on a beach in Tulum, Mexico while vacationing with her latest boyfriend, 27-year-old Vito Schnabel. Klum, 40, has been dating Schnabel, a New York art dealer, since February, and took a topless dip while in the Caribbean.

    Klum, a mother of four, was also seen last month with Schnabel in Paris, not long after splitting from her bodyguard boyfriend Martin Kirsten in January. Kirsten had been the rebound for Klum’s ex-husband of seven years, the pop-singer Seal.

    Schnabel, son of film director Julian Schnabel, appears to enjoy the company of older women, and has been previously linked to cougars that include Demi Moore and Elle Macpherson.

    Klum snapped some shots of her Tulum stay for Instagram:


    Aside from her work as a model, Klum has seen gigs as a fashion designer and a television host, producer and actress. She’s well-known as a former member of the judges’ panel and as an executive producer on Lifetime’s successful Project Runway. Klum first achieved fame after being featured in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, and became the first German model to become a Victoria’s Secret Angel.

    In 2011, Forbes reported that Klum earned roughly $20 million, making her the second highest-paid model, behind Gisele Bundchen. As an actress, Klum played small roles in films including Ella Enchanted, The Devil Wears Prada and Perfect Stranger. Klum has also made appearances on the television shows Sex and the City, How I Met Your Mother and Parks and Recreation, and is presently a judge on the NBC reality show America’s Got Talent.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Heidi Klum’s Bra Was Stolen By Magician

    The stunning Heidi Klum had no idea what she was in for when she signed up as a judge for hit show America’s Got Talent!

    In the new season of Talent, one very brave magician decided to wow the bra off of the blonde Victoria’s Secret model during the audition process for the reality show.

    “There was a magician and one minute I was wearing a bra, and then next minute he was holding my bra and I have no idea how he did that!” Klum exclaimed at the NBCUniversal Summer Press Tour on Tuesday.

    Klum went on to explain how the magical act happened. She even admitted that she gave fellow co-host Howie a peek underneath her blouse to prove the magician did in fact steal her bra!

    “He wanted to know if it was really missing and he checked and it was gone,” she said.

    “That was my favorite morning so far on the show,” Howie proclaimed. “The show benefited, I benefited and the act benefited.”

    So did the gorgeous Klum ever get her bra back?

    It seems the magician kept the supermodel’s bra leaving Klum bare-chested for the remainder of auditions.

    “I was a little droopy from then on!” she jokingly said.

    Talent premiers Tuesday, May 27 and features some exciting new additions to the show.

    “If we don’t like an act, we can buzz [them off], but now every judge has the opportunity to save someone,” Heidi said. “So if someone gets three Xs and you believe in that person enough, you can hit the Golden Buzzer.” But here’s the catch: each judge can only push the Golden Buzzer once per season.

    Image Via Instagram

  • Nick Cannon Booed Off Knicks Court

    Nick Cannon Booed Off Knicks Court

    Nick Cannon may be a likable television personality, but that doesn’t mean he can just jump onto sacred ground and expect to be welcomed with open arms.

    The “America’s Got Talent” host was booed off the court when he showed up at a Knicks game to film a segment for the show; the crowd got loud for several minutes while trying to get him away from the Madison Square Garden venue.

    Cannon was at the center of some controversy earlier this month when he posted a photo of himself in white face to Instagram; he later said he refused to apologize, even though some people were offended.

    “I’m not gonna apologize. I stand firm in my beliefs and I want to challenge society. I’m glad we’re having this conversation…people are calling me a marketing genius,” the White People Party Music singer said. “I think I was just the lucky person to press the ‘controversy button’ that week, and it was a slow news day. But I love it because as a comedian it’s almost like the great honor — to cause controversy. I think because of social media nowadays, because everyone has a voice, it’s almost like people are ultra-sensitive, because they can voice their opinion and they’ve been empowered and they’re supposed to do this like three times a day.”

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Julie Tremmel’s Fans Defend the Fired Reporter

    Julie Tremmel — a popular TV reporter with NBC affiliate WJAR in Rhode Island — was recently fired among speculation that it was in response to a handdstand she performed during an America’s Got Talent audition.

    Fans on social media have defended her through an online petition, a Facebook page demanding Tremmel’s return, and a plethora of tweets on her behalf.

    The reasons for her dismissal are unclear at this point. She told GoLocal Prov, “I was terminated without cause from WJAR and my Union and I are fighting it through the grievance and arbitration process in our Contract with the Station.”

    This isn’t the first time a video featuring Tremmel has gone viral. Last year, her report on what to do if you come across a bear received thousands of hits on YouTube.

    Following the bear video, Jim Taricani — a former colleague of Tremmel’s and an investigative reporter for WJAR — posted a comment to Facebook that seemed to be directed at her, blogger Jim Romensko reported.

    Romensko wrote:

    “Veteran WJAR investigative reporter Jim Taricani complained on Facebook that Tremmel’s antic was ‘a smudge on our station’s reputation,’ and said that ‘some TV reporters like to draw attention to themselves… [which is] an insult to most of us trying to be professional.’”

    Tremmel says she is consulting with a lawyer but declined to reveal the identity at this point.

    Image via Facebook, Julie Tremmel

  • Heidi Klum: Is She Back Together With Seal?

    Heidi Klum: Is She Back Together With Seal?

    Yesterday rumors were spreading around the internet that Heidi Klum and Seal were back together. Today, those rumors appear to be false. According to E! News, the German super model and the Crazy singer are still separated.

    Seal’s rep put the rumors to bed today. “Seal and Heidi have not reunited as a couple. Their children will always be their priority, and their focus remains on co-parenting.”

    Several different pieces of information led gossip sites and fans to the incorrect conclusion that the couple, who separated in 2012 after seven years of marriage, was not pursuing the plan to finalize their divorce. First, Klum reportedly split from her bodyguard boyfriend Martin Kristen a few weeks ago. Second, Seal was rumored to be sleeping over Klum’s house instead of leaving after dinner. Third, they have three biological kids together plus Seal legally adopted Klum’s daughter. They’ve repeatedly insisted that their children are their top priority.

    Klum, 40, has reportedly been active on the dating scene since her marriage dissolved. Besides her relationship with Kristen, which started a few months after her separation with Seal, she was also allegedly spotted with Demi Moore’s ex Vito Schabel. The America’s Got Talent judge and the 27-year-old art dealer were reported to be kissing at Bootsy Bellows, a trendy Hollywood night club. A person who says to have witnessed the smooch told X!7Online, “Heidi was acting like a teenager. I guess being with a younger guy was making her act like she was in high school. She was kissing his face all over as they enjoyed drinks with friends.”

    You can see Klum back in the judging chair for Season 9 of NBC’s hit reality show competition America’s Got Talent alongside Howard Stern, Mel B., and Howie Mandel. The show is set to air this summer.

    Image via Instagram

  • Howie Mandel Sued For Damaging Restaurant

    Howie Mandel Sued For Damaging Restaurant

    Sometimes if you want to pull a prank of some sort, it’ll cost you some money, especially if you damage other people’s property.

    That’s exactly what happened to comedian and actor Howie Mandel, as he was sued for a sum of $103,408 by the owner of a Los Angeles based restaurant named Cowboys and Turbans.

    Reportedly, Mandel caused the damage when he was filming his TBS show “Deal With It,” where he and others pull pranks on random people in a public area. One of the women on the show had to curse up a storm, very loudly, while in the restaurant, and she also broke many dishes and jumped on expensive furniture, like a Yamaha piano.

    The owner of Cowboys and Turbans isn’t only suing Mandel for the damages, he’s also suing TBS and the show’s production company, Alevy Productions.

    With the impending court case, it’s clear to see that Mandel has his hands full these day, especially since he’s a judge on the popular TV show “Who’s Got Talent?” in addition to hosting his own prank show. But he’s also making the TV rounds talking about America’s mental health problem, as he himself sufferers from ADD and OCD.

    In an interview with CNN’s Erin Burnett, the 58-year old said that he suffered a great deal as a child, because he never knew what was wrong with him, and he felt all alone. “As a child I didn’t know that these things even existed,” he said. “I knew that I felt isolated.”

    Additionally, Mandel said that people need to take the same preventative steps with their mental health, as they do with the other parts of their bodies. “We take care of our dental health, we don’t take care of our mental health,” he said. “We are so behind in the world as to not have something in place that just teaches everyone how to cope.”

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Howard Stern Laughs At NBC And Its “Threatening Kind Of Comment”

    Howard Stern is apparently upsetting some of the execs at NBC, the network for which he appears as a judge on the show America’s Got Talent. He’s been talking about Jay Leno and the company’s budget cuts, and the celebrity DJ said on his Sirius show that he received a threatening comment from one of the execs.

    “I did hear from them actually,” Stern said on the program. “I got sort of a threatening kind of comment from one of the executives. I was laughing my ass off…I said do not tell me not to talk about Jay Leno. I will f–ing talk about Jay for four hours if you tell me not to. I was done with Jay, now I’m all fired up again. F— Jay. Take my job away from me. Who cares?”

    “I will never, ever endorse Jay…” Stern said.

    “They basically accused me of not knowing anything about the budget cuts, and I’m like of course I…I have theories…so what if I don’t know about the budget cuts? I’ll make it like I do know about it,” Stern said on the program.

    “I don’t answer to anybody,” he said. “Everyone knows that. That’s part of the game. And that’s why I’m a great f—ing judge. I will tell people if they suck.”

    “It’s pretty obvious I don’t know anything about the budget cuts over at NBC,” he noted. “So who cares what I think? Nobody cares what I think. Nobody takes seriously what I think.”

    At one point in the show, Stern said, “Jay Leno’s the biggest wuss on the planet. He’s a backstabbing c–bag that I don’t give a s— about. I don’t care who I work for.”

    As long as it’s available, you can listen to the segment via the following YouTube clip (hat tip to Business Insider):

    The other day, DolphinsTalk tweeted at Stern, suggesting NBC is now messing with him on America’s Got Talent:

    To which he replied:

  • Sharon Osbourne Leaving “America’s Got Talent”

    Sharon Osbourne is well-known to be loud and forceful with her opinions (except, perhaps, when it comes to sending contestants away on “America’s Got Talent”), and she’s not going to let a little contract stand in the way of quitting the network she believes has done her son wrong.

    NBC, according to Osbourne, fired Jack from their upcoming show “Stars Earn Stripes” after it was publicly announced that he’s suffering from MS. And while the network contends that Jack had never formally signed a contract with them, Osbourne says the show’s producer sent her son an email welcoming him to their team, but after learning of his illness decided to scrap him.

    The show, which is comprised of several challenging fitness tests, had Jack and the other contestants complete a 30-mile, 16-hour endurance race in January. The email was sent in May confirming his participation, and in June he broke the story about his illness. Two days later, he was cut from the show via email.

    Producer David Hurwitz said, “Unfortunately, because of the strains and the rigors of not only the show, but also our intense shooting schedule, it was best not to go with him at this time.”

    Osbourne thinks they cut him solely on the knowledge that he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis rather than a factor that would keep him from being able to compete. She thinks that having Jack compete would be the best thing for him and for others suffering from the disease, as they can see that there don’t have to be limits in life.

    Although she is under contract with “America’s Got Talent”, there is nothing in it that will force her to stay. She will, however, be unable to judge on another show for five years. When she announced the news via Twitter, some fans thought that perhaps the rocker mom had finally had enough of Howard Stern’s mouth, but she insists that Howard has nothing to do with it.

    “I just can’t be fake,” she said. “It’s discrimination, and it was badly handled.”

  • Sharon Osbourne Says Goodbye to America’s Got Talent: Twitter Reacts

    Sharon Osbourne is apparently the latest celebrity judge to bid farewell to a televised talent show. Catching everyone by surprise, the wife of rocker Ozzy Osbourne took to Twitter — a place where everyone makes official announcements these days — to break the news to her legion of followers that she will not be returned to “America’s Got Talent” for another season. What’s even more peculiar than her apropos-of-nothing departure is the manner in which went about it.

    Instead of giving her fans a reason for leaving the program, Osbourne left the explanation hanging in the wind, kind of like a troublesome loose end from a story that was never very much fun to read in the first place. The tweet name checks Howard Stern, her co-host on AGT. From the way it’s worded, it would appear that Sharon is defending herself against Stern’s remark that she won’t return to the show unless the network cuts her a bigger check.

    Observe the Twitter post for yourself:

    “This is coming out of context and sort of spontaneously, and we don’t even know what’s going on. And it’s probably much ado about nothing,” NBC Entertainment Chairman Robert Greenblatt explained. He refused to comment further on the subject.

    Since Osbourne’s camp is remaining silent, as well, I suppose we’ll have to turn to Twitter to get some reactions to the news. Is Sharon just messing with people’s minds, or is she dead serious about her intended departure from the program? See what folks have to say on the subject by checking out some responses below.

  • Howard Stern and Howie Mandel Have A Catfight

    Considering who Howard Stern is, and considering his new job consists of critiquing people’s talents, it’s not really a shock that he’s getting snarky. In fact, I’ve been waiting for it since his first night on the show.

    Apparently Stern didn’t take kindly to Howie Mandel taking the nice-guy approach with a contestant on Tuesday night’s episode and wasn’t afraid to call him out on it. When “Big Barry” butchered a version of Nina Simone’s “Feelin’ Good”, Mandel gave his critique with some niceties.

    “Barry, I’m going to be totally honest with you. You’re not a good singer. But you’re an amazing character, and you’ve got this God-given stature and sound,” Mandel said. “I think you’re an incredible novelty act that people would come and see and pay for.”

    Stern immediately ripped into Mandel by way of a passive-aggressive comment aimed at Big Barry.

    “You know, the Howie filibuster is getting annoying to me actually,” Stern said. “I gotta tell you, Big Barry, this isn’t about you. This is about Howie and how he treats the show. This is about the apology you owe Flo Jo’s daughter [Mary Joyner], Andrew DeLeon — all the people who could have gotten through instead of Big Barry. It’s offensive.”

    It almost seemed like Mandel wanted to push Big Barry through just to irritate the other two judges, who both voted to cast him out. Sharon Osbourne actually reached over and pushed Mandel’s buzzer for him before getting in the middle of their bickering to get them to stop.

    Similar episodes of “American Idol” come to mind, when the judges were split two to one on whether or not to send someone through and it became something of a matter of principle rather than one of actual talent. We’ll see if Howie continues to rub Stern the wrong way; for now, watch the video of the episode and tell us what you think.

  • Singing Soldier Cut from America’s Got Talent

    Singing Soldier Timothy Michael Poe was cut from the recent episode of “America’s Got Talent”, NBC’s popular talent competition. Poe was effectively given the boot after performing a cover of country singer George Strait’s “The Chair”, which obviously didn’t settle too well with the judges. If you’re still waiting to watch this on DVR, you’ve already read too much.

    “I don’t know that he holds up to other singers on this show at all,” Howie Mandel remarked.

    If Poe’s name sounds vaguely familiar to you, it’s because probably the singer’s introduction on “America’s Got Talent” was caught in a web of national controversy. Poe, who served in Afghanistan in 2009, claims he was injured after a grenade attack, leaving him with numerous injuries and a speech impediment. However, the Minnesota National Guard records indicate that nothing of the sort ever too place. Curious, that.

    To make matters worse, the accompanying photo used on the program wasn’t Poe at all. In reality, the man in the pic was Sgt. Norman Bone, who was understandably infuriated over the debacle. Carrie Morris, Poe’s finance, claims that the singing soldier submitted the wrong picture because he was rushed to do so by the show’s producers. When TMZ asked the contestent to submit records of his injuries, Poe never produced any relevant documents supporting his claim.

    However, despite all of this questionable behavior, FreemantleMedia insists that Poe’s inconsistencies played no part in his elimination, as this portion of the program was filmed before the controversy surrounding his injuries started bubbling towards the surface.