Archive: May 2011 (271-280 of 457)

May 12 2011 03:42 PM ET

'American Idol' behind the scenes: 'Idol' coaches talk the Top 4 -- EXCLUSIVE

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Filed under: About Last Night, American Idol, Reality TV, Television, TV and tagged: , , , ,
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Image Credit: Michael Becker/Fox; Kevin Winter/Getty Images (2)

How did James, Haley, Scotty, and Lauren choose their songs this week? What was it like working with Lady Gaga? Did the unfamiliar songbook of Leiber and Stoller stymie the contestants? In our ongoing series, American Idol vocal coach and arranger Debra Byrd and associate music director and arranger Michael Orland answered these questions and more while discussing last night’s Top 4 performance show with EW. For a decade, Byrd and Orland have been on the front lines with the contestants, from Hollywood Week to the grand finale in May. The two work with the contestants on their respective songs, helping them shine on the Idol stage and in front of a national TV audience. Check out their insights below:  READ FULL STORY »

May 12 2011 03:25 PM ET

Will Ferrell to receive Mark Twain Prize for Comedy. What's his best role?

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Image Credit: Elliott Marks

It goes without saying that Will Ferrell is a funny guy, but the folks at the Kennedy Center want to say it anyway. On Oct. 23, Ferrell will be presented with the 14th Annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, an honor previously bestowed upon the likes of Tina Fey, Bill Cosby, and George Carlin.

In honor of Ferrell joining the ranks of the greats, I think it’s appropriate to remember his finest moments. Yes, there are many standouts (All hail the POTUS!; Ron Burgundy) but, I can’t help it: READ FULL STORY »

May 12 2011 02:30 PM ET

Dolores Fuller, Ed Wood's angora-wearing muse, dead

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Filed under: Movies, News and tagged: , , , , ,
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Image Credit: Photofest

Dolores Fuller, the muse to the “worst director of all-time” Ed Wood, passed away on Monday from complications of a stroke, according to the New York Times. She was 88. Fuller had been a small-time television actress when she answered a casting call from an unknown director in the early 1950s. Wood was immediately smitten by her beauty — and her angora sweater — and the couple went on to live together for four years, during which the cross-dressing filmmaker turned his fetish into the film, Glen or Glenda. “The first time I saw the whole film, I wanted to crawl under 
the seat,” Fuller, who hadn’t been allowed to read the entire script, recalled to the Kansas City Star in 1994. “I wasn’t crazy about our private life
 becoming public.” READ FULL STORY »

May 12 2011 02:06 PM ET

So... you're saying there's a chance... ?

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Filed under: Movies, Those Crazy Kids!, To Care or Not to Care and tagged: , , , , , , , , , ,
titanic

Hey, they’re both single now. Just sayin’. We’ll never let go.

Follow Kate on Twitter @KateWardEW

Read more:
Kate Winslet ‘Titanic’ drawing pulls in reported $16,000 at auction. How much did you spend on ‘Titanic’?

May 12 2011 01:15 PM ET

What is so vexing about Haley Reinhart?

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Filed under: About Last Night, American Idol, Reality TV, Television, TV and tagged: , , , , ,
american_idol_haley

Image Credit: Michael Becker/FOX

We’ve debated why the American Idol judges (at least Randy Jackson and Jennifer Lopez) seem to have it in for Haley Reinhart. We’ve found out from Haley that she refuses to let them break her. But the thing that still has us puzzled: Why can’t they understand her? The two possibilities we’ve come up with: Is it because she doesn’t really have a genre? That was okay for Casey Abrams because with all the instruments he plays, he’s like a one-man band (and really, he should just be a non-kitsch version of Marty & Elaine, who, for the record, I adore). But now that Haley, whose primary gift is her voice, is left with “simple” country singer Scotty, Martina McBride-wannabe Lauren, and rocker James, is her pop-blues vibe just too much for them to process?  READ FULL STORY »

May 12 2011 11:15 AM ET

Jon Hamm laughing at 'Bridesmaids' clip is one of best reviews film could get

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Filed under: Movies, Television, TV and tagged: , , , , , ,

If EW’s grade-A review of Bridesmaids hasn’t convinced you to see the movie, watching Jon Hamm laugh while watching a fresh clip of himself and Kristen Wiig on Conan last night might seal the deal. Watch the nine-minute interview below. They talk about the film at the very end, and Hamm giggles at the mention of his character — the “unrepentant douchebag” who is Wiig’s boyfriend. It’s a genuine laugh that only builds when he talks about their awkward sex scene that opens the picture (good to know, don’t show up late!), and climaxes after the clip is shown of him suggesting Wiig take a nap in his lap while he’s driving.

Seriously, it could be the best he’s ever looked. The entire interview is charming, particularly when Conan does his Jack McBrayer impersonation and Hamm describes himself and EW cover boy Zach Galifianakis sitting at the table behind Donald Trump at the White House Correspondents Dinner and laughing “very loudly” at the president’s Trump jokes while The Apprentice star did not. READ FULL STORY »

May 12 2011 09:46 AM ET

Jon Stewart raps Fox News with uncommon beat

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Filed under: News, Television, TV and tagged: , , , , , ,

There was nothing common about Jon Stewart’s critique of Fox News most recent political furor last night. Yes, he played clips of Fox’s biggest stars lambasting the White House for inviting the rapper Common to a prestigious poetry event, since they claimed some of his lyrics were misogynistic and celebrated cop-killing. Sure, Stewart then followed that up with archival Fox footage that seemed to undermine their noble ideals when the shoe was on the other foot. Par for the course, you say? Yawn? “This isn’t even fun any more,” Stewart himself lamented, referring to the footage his staff finds of Fox’s personalities contradicting themselves. “We’ve actually started burying these tapes around the office just to make this sporting.”

So that’s when Stewart took it to a new level. He demanded a beat and brought the libs to their feet. With a rap so wack that even his enemies would not dare attack… Yeah, yeah, check out Stew-Beef, dropping some mad words. READ FULL STORY »

May 12 2011 09:00 AM ET

This Week's Cover: The stars of 'The Hangover Part II' share wild tales from the set

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Filed under: Movies, News and tagged: , ,

Having delivered the craziest morning-after in cinematic history with 2009′s The Hangover, the team behind the Hangover Part II knew they needed to up the ante for the sequel. But how do you top the mayhem of a rampaging Mike Tyson, a live tiger, Tasers, roofies, and general Las Vegas debauchery? Apparently you go to Bangkok.

In this week’s cover story, Wolfpack members Zach Galifianakis, Bradley Cooper, and Ed Helms and director Todd Phillips gather for a raucous roundtable to talk about how they raised the insanity quotient in the highly anticipated sequel (out May 26). It all started with a script so wild and raunchy — complete with international crime, sexual depravity, a severed finger, and a drug-dealing monkey — that Galifianakis says even he was shocked the first time he read it: “I remember thumbing through it, going, ‘Oh God. Oh God.’”  READ FULL STORY »

May 12 2011 08:00 AM ET

I'm gonna miss Guerrero on 'Human Target.' Which Fox loss are you mourning?

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Filed under: Television, TV and tagged: , ,

Jackie-Earle-HaleyImage Credit: James De Leon/PR PhotosMay 10, 2011. A date which will go down in television history books everywhere as the day of The Great Fox TV Massacre.

It was a quiet evening. Families were settling in to watch the kids on Glee go to prom — and others were sitting down hoping to avoid it. Then, the unthinkable: Five bubble shows were suddenly sent to pasture a week before the official announcements were expected to be made, leaving a collective audience that is probably smaller than the number of people who tune into American Idol every week very upset. I was among them.

I’ll miss parts of every show that got the axe Tuesday night, but most of all I’ll miss Guerrero from Human Target. Much of the credit for turning that character into a fan favorite is owed to Jackie Earle Haley, whose unique combination of dry humor and pure badassery made Guerrero eclipse other characters without even trying. In fact, I’d pluck the character out of the Human Target universe and plop him into any show I currently watch just for a chance to enjoy him again every week.

We barely knew ye, Guerrero…and other shows.

Your turn, PopWatchers. Which character on one of Fox’s fallen shows will you miss the most? (To recap: Target, Traffic Light, Breaking In, Lie to Me, and Chicago Code were all canceled.) READ FULL STORY »

May 12 2011 07:00 AM ET

Jeff Probst on episode 13 of 'Survivor: Redemption Island'

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Filed under: Reality TV, Television, TV and tagged: , , ,

Image credit: Monty Brinton/CBS

Each week, Survivor host Jeff Probst answers a few questions about the most recent episode of Redemption Island.

To me, the most telling exchange of the entire season was Natalie telling Rob, “I’m scared,” and then him responding, “Don’t be scared. All you have to do is do what I say.” How many alarms would be set off in your head if someone said that to you in this game?
I didn’t even pick up on that moment. Great observation. I think you have to step back and really appreciate the situation. Rob is older and has played this game four times. Natalie is the youngest to ever play and she is learning as she goes. She has attached herself to Rob and as a result I think he is the one person out there she feels she can trust. Rob on the other hand is using her to help him get to the end. It’s a win-win.  Natalie couldn’t do it on her own. She doesn’t have enough game experience or life experience. I can’t imagine myself on a show like this when I was only 19. I would have been a disaster. I’ve been very impressed with Natalie. I’m very impressed with Rob.  Sorry, what was the question? READ FULL STORY »

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