February 3, 2012

Rumblings and tumblings between two top TV talent competitions continue as The Voice coach Adam Levine calls American Idol judge Randy Jackson “irresponsible.”

Levine reportedly took issue with Jackson calling NBC’s The Voice a show for “second chance people” that takes the left-over contestants from Fox’s Idol and X Factor.

Jackson provocatively stated at an Idol TCA panel last month that “The winner of The Voice, I will remind you, was an artist who had a deal at Capitol Records for several years, a failed contract,” referring to Voice victor Javier Colon.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Levine responded to the accusation during a recent visit to the Ellen DeGeneres show, while sitting alongside fellow coaches Christina Aguilera and Blake Shelton.

“Shame on Randy Jackson for saying that,” Levine said. “Because he, out of anybody, should know that if you’re in this business you need second, third, fourth and fifth chances. So we love and embrace that being part of the show.”

Softening the blow slightly, he added “You know, God bless Randy. He was a working musician for a long time and had a lot of success, and then the show Idol kind of blew him out of the water. And he is a household name now. It was an irresponsible thing to say that.”

Something Jackson recently said to THR may shed some light on why he lashed out. He admits that Idol’s success isn’t what it used to be, a reality he blames at least in part on the saturation of their brand of programming.

(Photo by PR Photos)

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February 3, 2o12

Lana Del Rey’s career was not bankrolled by a rich father, says the owner of her former label Five Points Records,

Five Points’ David Nichtern tells MTV that reports daddy funded the pop singer’s foray into the music biz are false.

“There’s a lot of misinformation that I’ve read that’s dead wrong,” Nichtern says. “For example, her father never had anything to do financially with supporting her creativity. I don’t know if he was lending her money to live off of, but at least when she was with us, not a penny. I don’t know if he’s rich or not; I met him and he seemed like a pretty ordinary guy. But that whole thing that she was backed by her millionaire dad is a bunch of crap, basically.”

Other falsehoods, says Nichtern, include reports that the album Del Rey recorded with Five Points was made on a budget of $10,000.

“It was way more,” he says. “It was an all-in budget of $50,000. And we also gave her a significant advance. So I don’t know why … I’m not sure who’s saying what about anything; it seems like people are grabbing at loose facts, but nobody is verifying with anybody.”

It was recently announced that said album, recorded in 2010 and titled Lana Del Ray, a.k.a. Lizzy Grant, will get a re-release later this year. Whether the subtle change in the spelling of her stage name will be amended for the re-release is yet to be told.

Nichtern says the record, which was pulled from iTunes two months after its digital release, was shelved at Del Rey’s demand.

He explains, “[She] and her new manager came in and said ‘We want to get this off the market. We’re going for a completely new deal. We’ll buy you out of the deal.’ So we made a separation agreement.”

(Image: Five Point Records)

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February 3, 2012

Nicki Minaj says she was “probably” the Queen of England in a past life.

The hip-hop superstar tells Wonderland Magazine that she knows for a fact that she was English in a former life, claiming “I was born in London in my past life, no one can tell me different.”

The eccentric star imagines a past that includes trading rags for riches and extending a helpful hand to her followers, who Minaj habitually calls her “Barbies.”

“I probably was like a queen in London, I was probably the people’s queen that fought for lives,” the rapper says. “And I probably started off as a maid and then was just, like, really revolutionary and moved all my [Barbies] into the big queen mansion.”

The star also reveals that there are real and substantial differences between her real self and her colourful stage persona.

“Oh they’re definitely two completely different people,” Minaj admits. “Obviously what I would wear at home is not what I would wear up on stage and I think, when I’m at home it’s a way more introspective character and I think the person people see on stage is anything but, I watch a lot of Judge Judy. And I watch a lot of Forensic Files.

“And I cook – I cook spaghetti really, really good; I cook macaroni and cheese really, really good; I cook chicken really, really good.”

Fans can look forward to seeing Minaj take the stage with the Material Girl as Nicki joins Madonna for the Super Bowl halftime show this Sunday.

(Photo by PR Photos)

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February 3, 2012

Doctors are impressed with George Michael’s recovery after a nearly fatal battle with pneumonia last year. And, fortunately, he no longer looks like the “Bride of Chucky.”

The former Wham frontman was hospitalized in Vienna, Austria, last November, and spent four weeks in care before returning to the U.K. for the holidays.

He’s now recuperating on vacation and has taken to Twitter to inform followers about his progress.

“People, I’m excited….just finishing a ballad that I think is going to make you think my eighties self has been re-born ! Which I suppose it has in a way Even my tracheostomy scar is healing nicely in the sun, was looking a bit Bride of Chucky for a while,” he wrote.

“Spoke to doctors before I came away and they told me my recovery is way quicker than can usually be expected so I’m happy as Larry.”

Michael also told fans earlier this week that he’s hoping to make up the tour dates he had to cancel because of the illness.

“Realistically I can’t see my vocal cords being being ready till the summer,” he tweeted, “But then I have to think about people losing out if they are on their summer hols. So September seems the most likely. Sorry about that everyone. Rest assured I will use the time wisely… As in… working on improving the show, mixing the live tracks, finishing brand new tracks!”

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February 2, 2012

Are the Spice Girls reuniting for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London? Or the Queen’s Jubilee? Maybe!

David Beckham, husband of Victoria “Posh Spice” Beckham, would love to see it happen.

Contact Music reports that the 36-year-old soccer player – who is an official ambassador for the 2012 Games – says of his wife, “She’s a busy girl. The Olympics mean a lot to me so I’d love her to be there. But I’m not sure I can exactly demand her to do it. I’ll try. We’ll have to see.”

Meanwhile, an “insider” tells The Sunday Mirror that four of the five Spices are keen to play the big show, and that Posh is the only one holding out.

“All the girls are desperate for some Spice action except Posh who is simply too busy – she loves the girls and wants to support them and the fans but doesn’t see how she has the time when her fashion business is so successful,” says the source.

Reports on the level of interest of the other Spices are conflicting. Contact Music quotes Melanie “Sporty” Chisholm as saying, “I don’t need that. Sure, it was great being on stage again with Victoria, Emma, Mel and Geri in 2007. But at the moment we don’t have any further plans. I’d rather focus on my solo career. Then I don’t need to compromise.” But the Daily Mail has her saying, “I’d love to do something, but it would have to involve all five of us.”

(Photo by PR Photos)

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