LOS ANGELES (AP) — "American Idol" finalist Allison Iraheta has a reason to cry.
The flame-haired 17-year-old high school student from Los Angeles, who crooned Janis Joplin's "Cry Baby" for her rock performance this week, was revealed Wednesday to have received the fewest viewer votes, leaving three singers in the popular Fox singing competition.
Iraheta seemed to take her dismissal in stride, belting out an energized "Cry Baby" reprise then razzing the last three dudes standing — Kris Allen, Danny Gokey and Adam Lambert. Throughout the competition, judge Simon Cowell chided Iraheta for not showing off more of her personality, but she finally lashed back at the acerbic British judge on Tuesday.
"He was asking for it," she said.
Before the results were revealed, the final four were joined by this week's mentor, former Guns 'N Roses guitarist Slash, for a frantic rendition of Alice Cooper's "School's Out." Also taking the "Idol" stage — for the first time ever! — was judge Paula Abdul in a smokey pre-taped performance of her new single, "I'm Just Here for the Music."
Tuesday night's pre-show drama didn't seem to linger during the lead-up to Iraheta's elimination. The behemoth "Idol" logo which toppled over was back — and glowing — in place above the audience. And that moving staircase was also operational Wednesday after a crew member was sent to the hospital following a reported 20-foot fall from the top Tuesday.
However, Seacrest still seemed a little shaken up following all of the tumultuous tumbling, especially after No Doubt singer Gwen Stefani strutted down the steps, behind the judges' table and through the crowd while belting out "I'm Just a Girl" for an elimination episode performance. Seacrest joked she was making him nervous running around the stage.
"It's been a high-risk place this week," he said.
The finalists left in contest are Lambert, a 27-year-old theater actor from San Diego; Gokey, a 29-year-old church music director from Milwaukee; and Allen, a 23-year-old college student from Conway, Ark.
This week, the three singers will travel to their hometowns before performing two songs next week: one of their choosing, another from the show's judges.
The next "Idol" will be crowned May 20.
by the associated press
ABrite
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Ryan Reynolds Dives in to for Deadpool ,Wolverine's Spinoff
It's official: The mutants are taking over Hollywood. And we're not talking about the freaks running the studios.
Following the monster weekend for X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and a day after announcing that a Hugh Jackman-powered sequel is in the works, 20th Century Fox has confirmed to E! News that Jackman's costar Ryan Reynolds will be given his own spinoff and potential franchise-launcher as the Marvel Comics antihero Deadpool.
The 32-year-old Canadian actor, otherwise known as Mr. Scarlett Johansson, will again star as Wade Wilson, a wisecracking, cancer-stricken mercenary who's cured of the disease after undergoing the same Weapon X genetic alteration as Wolverine.
But along with superhuman powers, enhanced strength and self-regenerating healing powers, the slightly unhinged Deadpool can absorb the abilities of dead and captured mutants.
Aside from Deadpool and the Wolverine sequel, Fox is also working on an X-Men spinoff focusing on Ian McKellen's villainous Magneto and another dubbed X-Men: First Class, which is being written by The O.C. creator Josh Schwartz.
Following the monster weekend for X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and a day after announcing that a Hugh Jackman-powered sequel is in the works, 20th Century Fox has confirmed to E! News that Jackman's costar Ryan Reynolds will be given his own spinoff and potential franchise-launcher as the Marvel Comics antihero Deadpool.
The 32-year-old Canadian actor, otherwise known as Mr. Scarlett Johansson, will again star as Wade Wilson, a wisecracking, cancer-stricken mercenary who's cured of the disease after undergoing the same Weapon X genetic alteration as Wolverine.
But along with superhuman powers, enhanced strength and self-regenerating healing powers, the slightly unhinged Deadpool can absorb the abilities of dead and captured mutants.
Aside from Deadpool and the Wolverine sequel, Fox is also working on an X-Men spinoff focusing on Ian McKellen's villainous Magneto and another dubbed X-Men: First Class, which is being written by The O.C. creator Josh Schwartz.
from the wire
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Walk in Two Worlds
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Their names mark rivers, valleys, schools and communities across the state, recalling the people who were settled in Arkansas when Europeans arrived in the 1500s.
But while the names may be familiar to many, the history of the Quapaw, Osage and Caddo American Indian tribes might not.
To help change that, the Historic Arkansas Museum has opened a permanent exhibit called "We Walk in Two Worlds” to pass along the history and culture of the three American Indian nations that once were settled in Arkansas.
The exhibit was set up to describe the history of the tribes through American Indian voices, beginning just before European contact, moving through their forced relocations to Oklahoma about 1830 and into the cultural revival that has defined recent decades. It includes more than 160 artifacts from the tribes.
"We try to make sure that the words you read are from Native Americans,” Swannee Bennett, the museum’s chief curator, said. "We wanted to have a Native American interpretation.”
To do that, the museum sought tribal advisers from each nation who helped mold the exhibit into a reflection of their historical and contemporary experiences, as passed down in the tribes.
Ardina Moore is a Quapaw tribal historian and a teacher of the Quapaw language, but is also part Osage. She said the name Arkansas comes from early French explorers who were told by an Illinois tribe that the people who inhabited what is now the state were the "Akansea,” which means "People of the South Wind.”
"What pleases us the most is the idea that people are going to recognize our heritage and our culture, which to this point has been kind of ignored,” Moore said. "It helps to be appreciated.”
by the associated press
But while the names may be familiar to many, the history of the Quapaw, Osage and Caddo American Indian tribes might not.
To help change that, the Historic Arkansas Museum has opened a permanent exhibit called "We Walk in Two Worlds” to pass along the history and culture of the three American Indian nations that once were settled in Arkansas.
The exhibit was set up to describe the history of the tribes through American Indian voices, beginning just before European contact, moving through their forced relocations to Oklahoma about 1830 and into the cultural revival that has defined recent decades. It includes more than 160 artifacts from the tribes.
"We try to make sure that the words you read are from Native Americans,” Swannee Bennett, the museum’s chief curator, said. "We wanted to have a Native American interpretation.”
To do that, the museum sought tribal advisers from each nation who helped mold the exhibit into a reflection of their historical and contemporary experiences, as passed down in the tribes.
Ardina Moore is a Quapaw tribal historian and a teacher of the Quapaw language, but is also part Osage. She said the name Arkansas comes from early French explorers who were told by an Illinois tribe that the people who inhabited what is now the state were the "Akansea,” which means "People of the South Wind.”
"What pleases us the most is the idea that people are going to recognize our heritage and our culture, which to this point has been kind of ignored,” Moore said. "It helps to be appreciated.”
by the associated press
Kansas City has Summer Fun
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Sure, visitors can drop a bundle whiling away hours in Kansas City’s born-again downtown, with its shiny new Sprint Center and Power & Light dining and drinking fun zone. But budget-minded travelers also have a buffet of penny-pinching options in the city of fountains, including rock solid offerings from the holy trinity of summer fun: good food, baseball and jazz. After all, is anything else really necessary?
→BASEBALL: Tickets for the Kansas City Royals start at $14 and go up to about $50. Cut costs by tailgating in the massive parking lot with just about everybody else; http://kansascity.royals.mlb.com/.
But budget-minded travelers also have a buffet of penny-pinching options in the city of fountains, including rock solid offerings from the holy trinity of summer fun: good food, baseball and jazz. After all, is anything else really necessary?
→BASEBALL: Tickets for the Kansas City Royals start at $14 and go up to about $50. Cut costs by tailgating in the massive parking lot with just about everybody else; http://kansascity.royals.mlb.com.
→BARBECUE: What’s the point of a trip to Kansas City without sampling its saucy, smoky barbecue, which can be found in just about any part of town? Stalwarts such as Gates — www.gatesbbq.com — and Arthur Bryant’s — www.arthurbryantsbbq.com — pack in diners for the massive slabs of ribs, chicken and sandwiches for reasonable prices. Both restaurants have several locations. A full slab of ribs will set the family back about $20. Try the Beef on Bun. Help yourself to extra sauce. The burnt ends at Bryant’s are exceptional.
But there are lesser-known spots that locals also swear by.
Oklahoma Joe’s is in a gas station in Kansas City, Kan., at 3002 W 47 Ave. Try the Hog Heaven, pulled pork with sliced sausage on a bun. There’s also a Pig Salad: pulled pork topped with, what else, barbecue sauce; www.oklahomajoesbbq.com.
LC’s Bar-B-Q, 5800 Blue Parkway, not far from Kauffman Stadium where the Royals play, is a stop to load up on tailgating fodder; www.lcsbar-b-que.nv.switchboard.com.
→MORE TO LIFE: Kansas City’s museums include the venerable Nelson-Atkins, where admission is free. Some highlights are the spanking new Bloch Building, which features a Noguchi sculptor garden. Let it all soak in while you sprawl out on the lawn in the shadow of the massive shuttlecocks; www.nelson-atkins.org.
The nearby Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art also is free and hosts family, movie and other events. Check the calendar at www.kemperart.org/home.asp.
→SPEAKING OF FAMILY: The Coterie Theater at Crown Center has live theater for kids and the family. Afterward, if it’s hot and muggy outside, the fountains in front are good for romping. Bring towels; www.coterietheatre.org.
The Toy Museum near the University of Missouri-Kansas City showcases items from miniatures to puppets; www.toyandminiaturemuseum.org.
→SHOPPING: For general shopping, the Country Club Plaza, Zona Rosa in north Kansas City, and The Legends in Wyandotte County, Kan., have the staple choices for shopping and lollygagging; www.countryclubplaza.com, www.zonarosa.com and www.legendsshopping.com.
by the associated press
→BASEBALL: Tickets for the Kansas City Royals start at $14 and go up to about $50. Cut costs by tailgating in the massive parking lot with just about everybody else; http://kansascity.royals.mlb.com/.
But budget-minded travelers also have a buffet of penny-pinching options in the city of fountains, including rock solid offerings from the holy trinity of summer fun: good food, baseball and jazz. After all, is anything else really necessary?
→BASEBALL: Tickets for the Kansas City Royals start at $14 and go up to about $50. Cut costs by tailgating in the massive parking lot with just about everybody else; http://kansascity.royals.mlb.com.
→BARBECUE: What’s the point of a trip to Kansas City without sampling its saucy, smoky barbecue, which can be found in just about any part of town? Stalwarts such as Gates — www.gatesbbq.com — and Arthur Bryant’s — www.arthurbryantsbbq.com — pack in diners for the massive slabs of ribs, chicken and sandwiches for reasonable prices. Both restaurants have several locations. A full slab of ribs will set the family back about $20. Try the Beef on Bun. Help yourself to extra sauce. The burnt ends at Bryant’s are exceptional.
But there are lesser-known spots that locals also swear by.
Oklahoma Joe’s is in a gas station in Kansas City, Kan., at 3002 W 47 Ave. Try the Hog Heaven, pulled pork with sliced sausage on a bun. There’s also a Pig Salad: pulled pork topped with, what else, barbecue sauce; www.oklahomajoesbbq.com.
LC’s Bar-B-Q, 5800 Blue Parkway, not far from Kauffman Stadium where the Royals play, is a stop to load up on tailgating fodder; www.lcsbar-b-que.nv.switchboard.com.
→MORE TO LIFE: Kansas City’s museums include the venerable Nelson-Atkins, where admission is free. Some highlights are the spanking new Bloch Building, which features a Noguchi sculptor garden. Let it all soak in while you sprawl out on the lawn in the shadow of the massive shuttlecocks; www.nelson-atkins.org.
The nearby Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art also is free and hosts family, movie and other events. Check the calendar at www.kemperart.org/home.asp.
→SPEAKING OF FAMILY: The Coterie Theater at Crown Center has live theater for kids and the family. Afterward, if it’s hot and muggy outside, the fountains in front are good for romping. Bring towels; www.coterietheatre.org.
The Toy Museum near the University of Missouri-Kansas City showcases items from miniatures to puppets; www.toyandminiaturemuseum.org.
→SHOPPING: For general shopping, the Country Club Plaza, Zona Rosa in north Kansas City, and The Legends in Wyandotte County, Kan., have the staple choices for shopping and lollygagging; www.countryclubplaza.com, www.zonarosa.com and www.legendsshopping.com.
by the associated press
National Mall to begain Recycling Progam
WASHINGTON — The National Mall, known as America’s "front yard” and stretching from the U.S. Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial, is finally getting a recycling program.
Officials recently said the effort will begin with a study of how much of the nearly four tons of trash generated each day can be salvaged and reused.
A $1.1 million gift from Coca-Cola Co. will jump start the effort and help the National Mall catch up with other urban parks across the country. This summer, the National Park Service and its fundraising partners will study the waste generated to see how many and where recycling bins are needed. They hope to begin putting out bins by October, and are discussing whether revenue can be generated by recycling.
"This is the icon of democracy, and it should reflect the best practices that we have to offer as a country,” said Caroline Cunningham, president of the Trust for the National Mall, a nonprofit group that raises private money to support the mall’s upkeep.
The National Park Service has been slow to get the National Mall to go green, crippled in part by a $390 million backlog on maintenance for the grounds and monuments. Parks in other cities, such at Atlanta’s sprawling Piedmont Park, already have recycling bins placed beside nearly every trash can.
The National Mall attracts about 25 million visitors a year — more than Yosemite, Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon combined. Almost none of the trash visitors leave behind is recycled, except for efforts during some major events.
Coca-Cola is providing $500,000 as a down payment for the recycling program and $600,000 to support programs at the National Mall and other national parks.
by the associated press
Officials recently said the effort will begin with a study of how much of the nearly four tons of trash generated each day can be salvaged and reused.
A $1.1 million gift from Coca-Cola Co. will jump start the effort and help the National Mall catch up with other urban parks across the country. This summer, the National Park Service and its fundraising partners will study the waste generated to see how many and where recycling bins are needed. They hope to begin putting out bins by October, and are discussing whether revenue can be generated by recycling.
"This is the icon of democracy, and it should reflect the best practices that we have to offer as a country,” said Caroline Cunningham, president of the Trust for the National Mall, a nonprofit group that raises private money to support the mall’s upkeep.
The National Park Service has been slow to get the National Mall to go green, crippled in part by a $390 million backlog on maintenance for the grounds and monuments. Parks in other cities, such at Atlanta’s sprawling Piedmont Park, already have recycling bins placed beside nearly every trash can.
The National Mall attracts about 25 million visitors a year — more than Yosemite, Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon combined. Almost none of the trash visitors leave behind is recycled, except for efforts during some major events.
Coca-Cola is providing $500,000 as a down payment for the recycling program and $600,000 to support programs at the National Mall and other national parks.
by the associated press
Sandals gives a thumbs -Up
NEW YORK — Gladiators were tough, but spring’s towering, leather-covered, often-studded sandals are an even bigger kick in the aggressive-shoe trend.
The two must-have styles are clearly cousins, but there’s been an evolution, thanks in part to chunky platforms, woven textures and more sex appeal.
The "it” bag has been replaced by the "it” shoe, says Nicole Fischelis, the group vice president of ready-to-wear fashion for Macy’s. "The aggressive shoe is not a new phenomenon. It’s been on the runway for a few seasons, but it’s more apparent because of the rocker-chick kind of mood that’s coming back into fashion.”
But skinny jeans and a leather jacket aren’t the only way to wear it. These shoes have an "opposite attraction” with delicate, feminine dresses, too.
"I do think that a soft look can be complemented with a strong accessory; it is all about the balance and confidence in how it is worn,” Fred Allard, creative director at Nine West, said. "I think that the platform and studded gladiator sandals from this season can be considered aggressive as well as feminine, depending on the woman who is wearing them.”
"Ethereal spring-summer looks need an anchor that’s a little edgy,” said stylist Tara Swennen, who counts Miley Cyrus as a client.
Tastemakers say aggressive shoes go from daytime to evening, casual to dressy, sexy to serious. This flexibility gives them legs as a long-term trend. Macy’s and Nine West report swift sales.
You know an aggressive shoe when you see it, but it’s hard to describe. Fischelis says the true hallmark is attitude. Swennen touts funkiness. Jennifer Gosselin, vice president and general manager of online shoe store Piperlime, calls the new look a stepped-up gladiator.
There’s often a high heel involved, but some kitten heels and even some flats capture the cool-girl spirit. Generally, there’s a lot of leather up front but sharp cutouts or straps allow flashes of bare skin. Embellishment ranges from Indian beading to punk-rock hardware.
"Everything is gravitating toward an architectural design,” Swennen says. "They’re harder on the feet, but the designs are amazing with extravagant details and interesting materials.”
Swennen says wearers can save their soles with shock-absorbing cushions and a snug-but-not-tight fit. Women can participate in this look by diving in with both feet or just dipping a toe, Gosselin says. She identifies Matt Bernson’s Barracuda shoe, with its medium-brown leather, double-ankle straps, flat heel and pyramid-shaped gold studs as an accessible, wearable translation of the trend. A peeptoe is a more refined, ladylike version.
"Earth tones are a less edgy place. A cognac color is for beginners, and full-on black with silver or chrome studs with a high heel is the most edgy and you can take it down from there,” Gosselin says.
The dramatic, femme-fatale shoe perfectly offsets some of the menswear-inspired fashion coming down the pike later in the year, she says.
"As we look toward fall, you’ll see in fashion a lot of androgyny with the boyfriend jacket, and boyfriend jeans with a ruffled blouse — and killer shoes,” Gosselin says.
For the warmer weather, Swennen likes aqua, yellow or silver shoes worn with black, or darker hues paired with crisp white or sandy beige clothes.
The silhouette works with knee-length skirts, Bermuda shorts and wide- and skinny-leg pants, Swennen said, but stay away from short shorts or maxi dresses — the proportions just aren’t right.
by the associated press
The two must-have styles are clearly cousins, but there’s been an evolution, thanks in part to chunky platforms, woven textures and more sex appeal.
The "it” bag has been replaced by the "it” shoe, says Nicole Fischelis, the group vice president of ready-to-wear fashion for Macy’s. "The aggressive shoe is not a new phenomenon. It’s been on the runway for a few seasons, but it’s more apparent because of the rocker-chick kind of mood that’s coming back into fashion.”
But skinny jeans and a leather jacket aren’t the only way to wear it. These shoes have an "opposite attraction” with delicate, feminine dresses, too.
"I do think that a soft look can be complemented with a strong accessory; it is all about the balance and confidence in how it is worn,” Fred Allard, creative director at Nine West, said. "I think that the platform and studded gladiator sandals from this season can be considered aggressive as well as feminine, depending on the woman who is wearing them.”
"Ethereal spring-summer looks need an anchor that’s a little edgy,” said stylist Tara Swennen, who counts Miley Cyrus as a client.
Tastemakers say aggressive shoes go from daytime to evening, casual to dressy, sexy to serious. This flexibility gives them legs as a long-term trend. Macy’s and Nine West report swift sales.
You know an aggressive shoe when you see it, but it’s hard to describe. Fischelis says the true hallmark is attitude. Swennen touts funkiness. Jennifer Gosselin, vice president and general manager of online shoe store Piperlime, calls the new look a stepped-up gladiator.
There’s often a high heel involved, but some kitten heels and even some flats capture the cool-girl spirit. Generally, there’s a lot of leather up front but sharp cutouts or straps allow flashes of bare skin. Embellishment ranges from Indian beading to punk-rock hardware.
"Everything is gravitating toward an architectural design,” Swennen says. "They’re harder on the feet, but the designs are amazing with extravagant details and interesting materials.”
Swennen says wearers can save their soles with shock-absorbing cushions and a snug-but-not-tight fit. Women can participate in this look by diving in with both feet or just dipping a toe, Gosselin says. She identifies Matt Bernson’s Barracuda shoe, with its medium-brown leather, double-ankle straps, flat heel and pyramid-shaped gold studs as an accessible, wearable translation of the trend. A peeptoe is a more refined, ladylike version.
"Earth tones are a less edgy place. A cognac color is for beginners, and full-on black with silver or chrome studs with a high heel is the most edgy and you can take it down from there,” Gosselin says.
The dramatic, femme-fatale shoe perfectly offsets some of the menswear-inspired fashion coming down the pike later in the year, she says.
"As we look toward fall, you’ll see in fashion a lot of androgyny with the boyfriend jacket, and boyfriend jeans with a ruffled blouse — and killer shoes,” Gosselin says.
For the warmer weather, Swennen likes aqua, yellow or silver shoes worn with black, or darker hues paired with crisp white or sandy beige clothes.
The silhouette works with knee-length skirts, Bermuda shorts and wide- and skinny-leg pants, Swennen said, but stay away from short shorts or maxi dresses — the proportions just aren’t right.
by the associated press
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Alexa Chung will host MTV's new Show
NEW YORK — MTV has been without a show that has defined pop culture since the demise of "Total Request Live” and is betting on a 25-year-old British model who dates a rock star to help fill that void.
"The Alexa Chung Show” will be a mix of celebrity talk, music and online interaction with viewers. The stakes are high; it’s the most important of nine new series the slumping MTV has in the works. The midday series begins June 15.
MTV’s viewership for the first three months of 2009 is down 18 percent from the year before. The docu-soap "The Hills” is still popular, and MTV is generating modest heat with the competition "America’s Best Dance Crew,” but it has lacked the daily stop-off point for stars that "TRL” provided before its slow demise and cancellation in November.
At its height, during the ’N Sync and Britney Spears years, "TRL” set the tone for the music business and drew huge crowds to MTV’s Times Square studio.
Chung, who has been on TV shows since she was 18 and now dates Arctic Monkeys singer Alex Turner, is a fresh face able to relate to both stars and the audience at home, network executives said.
"We just all really fell for her,” said David Sirulnick, MTV’s executive vice president for news and production.
The idea is to introduce Chung’s show at midday for young viewers home for the summer and, if it works out well, move later to an after-school time slot.
Facebook is working with MTV as a partner in the series. MTV wants to use Facebook and Twitter to reach viewers in a way that "TRL” — which asked viewers to vote on their favorite videos — could barely touch upon.
"The show will air one hour a day,” Sirulnick said. "But for the other 23 hours, we want viewers to be engaged with Alexa and what is on the show.”
Sirulnick said MTV has been searching the past few years for someone to build a show around.
MTV is going against the grain in that many young viewers are seeking a version of comfort TV, given the popularity of reruns of "George Lopez” and "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” said Brian Graden, MTV’s entertainment president.
Among MTV’s other new shows will be "The Buried Life,” with four men trying to cross out items on a young person’s version of a bucket list; "Gone Too Far,” an intervention series for addicts; and "Disaster Date,” a hidden camera show about people on awful blind dates set up by their friends.
by the associated press
"The Alexa Chung Show” will be a mix of celebrity talk, music and online interaction with viewers. The stakes are high; it’s the most important of nine new series the slumping MTV has in the works. The midday series begins June 15.
MTV’s viewership for the first three months of 2009 is down 18 percent from the year before. The docu-soap "The Hills” is still popular, and MTV is generating modest heat with the competition "America’s Best Dance Crew,” but it has lacked the daily stop-off point for stars that "TRL” provided before its slow demise and cancellation in November.
At its height, during the ’N Sync and Britney Spears years, "TRL” set the tone for the music business and drew huge crowds to MTV’s Times Square studio.
Chung, who has been on TV shows since she was 18 and now dates Arctic Monkeys singer Alex Turner, is a fresh face able to relate to both stars and the audience at home, network executives said.
"We just all really fell for her,” said David Sirulnick, MTV’s executive vice president for news and production.
The idea is to introduce Chung’s show at midday for young viewers home for the summer and, if it works out well, move later to an after-school time slot.
Facebook is working with MTV as a partner in the series. MTV wants to use Facebook and Twitter to reach viewers in a way that "TRL” — which asked viewers to vote on their favorite videos — could barely touch upon.
"The show will air one hour a day,” Sirulnick said. "But for the other 23 hours, we want viewers to be engaged with Alexa and what is on the show.”
Sirulnick said MTV has been searching the past few years for someone to build a show around.
MTV is going against the grain in that many young viewers are seeking a version of comfort TV, given the popularity of reruns of "George Lopez” and "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” said Brian Graden, MTV’s entertainment president.
Among MTV’s other new shows will be "The Buried Life,” with four men trying to cross out items on a young person’s version of a bucket list; "Gone Too Far,” an intervention series for addicts; and "Disaster Date,” a hidden camera show about people on awful blind dates set up by their friends.
by the associated press
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