The Jonas Brothers recently canceled their tour and now the rift that forced the abandonment of their planned concert dates has led to the band breaking up. The brothers Jonas talked to People about their decision to go their own ways – at least for now – and confirmed that they need some time apart to focus on their own projects.
Kevin Jonas told People it’s over for now and brother Nick was quoted as saying, “It’s really hard to say ‘forever.’ We’re closing a chapter, for sure.” Nick was actually the brother who initially expressed his dissatisfaction with the future of the band. In an interview with People, Nick said he was feeling trapped and “needed to share my heart with my brothers.”
Meanwhile, Joe wanted everyone to know that the decision was unanimous.
Directed by Scorsese and adapted from Jordan Belfort’s book by Terence Winter, The Wolf of Wall Street stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, Margot Robbie, Matthew McConaughey, Jon Favreau, Kyle Chandler, Rob Reiner and Jean Dujardin.
Erika, Sarah, Ana, Cassie, Betty and Jenny of 'Private Lives of Nashville Wives' (Photo Courtesy of TNT)
TNT’s new unscripted series Private Lives of Nashville Wives will premiere on February 24, 2014 at 10pm ET/PT but the network isn’t waiting until next year to release the list of women who will be taking on lead roles in the show. The new show will be set in the world of Country music and feature “a group of accomplished, opinionated, and driven women as they deal with professional challenges, family issues, and social relationships.”
Here’s the list of women set to star in Private Lives of Nashville Wives:
Jenny Terrell (@Jenny_Terrell) is an independent-minded woman and Vice President at a leading Internet company. She is married to JT Terrell (@JTTerrell1), one of Nashville’s top event and party producers. Jenny seems to have it all, including a family and a highly lucrative career. But with her tough-as-nails, straight-shooting, liberal personality, and beliefs, this Midwest girl from Pickerington, Ohio, is establishing herself as a force to be reckoned with in Nashville society.
Erika Page White (@ErikaPageWhite) is a former soap opera star looking to make a comeback after a nine-year hiatus. Married to platinum country music recording artist Bryan White (@bryan_white), Erika thinks it’s time to focus on her own career again, but only time and effort will tell whether a comeback is really in the cards.
Sarah Davidson (@SoSarahDavidson) is married to BMI Award-winning songwriter Dallas Davidson (@DavidsonDallas), who has 16 number one hits. Others would be content to be a stay-at-home wife living the good life, but Sarah wants more than anything to establish her own career. She is striving to reach a level of success that equals her passion.
Cassie Chapman (@CassieChapman) is married to five-time Grammy-nominated and seven-time Dove Award-winning Christian music artist Gary Chapman (@GChappy), and together the couple is exploring starting their own family. Cassie’s sweetness masks a toughness that comes out when others question their 23-year age difference. The Chapmans are attempting to prove that for all of the town’s songs of heartbreak and woe, their love is enduring.
Ana Fernandez (@TheAnaFernandez) and Betty Malo (@BettyMalo) are identical twin sisters. Ana, a single mother of two, would love to find her perfect man, but her highly extroverted personality sometimes works against her. Betty, who is married to Mavericks lead singer and songwriter Raul Malo (@RaulMalo01), hopes to be a calming influence on Ana, with whom she has a sometimes explosive yet loving relationship.
Cassadee Pope (Photo Credit: Andrew McPherson / 2013 CMA Close Up® News Service / Country Music Association®, Inc.)
You’ve got to hand it to Blake Shelton: He knows how to pick winners. When he recruited Cassadee Pope for Team Blake on 2012’s The Voice, he found an artist with that rarest of assets: outstanding chops tempered by interpretive sensitivity.
On her debut album for Republic Nashville, Frame By Frame, produced by Dann Huff and, on selected tracks, Nathan Chapman, Max Martin and Shellback, Pope does hit the occasional spectacular high note, but these only emphasize rather than obscure the essence of the song. The final, skyrocketing note on “You Hear A Song” (Nathan Chapman and Pope) is even lowered in the mix, so that we hear it not as fireworks but as a continuation of the song’s complex message.
Her real strength shows in more subdued moments, as she gets inside of a lyric. On her first single, “Wasting All These Tears” (written by Caitlyn Smith and Rollie Gaalswyk), she takes us immediately into the heart of this forlorn story. We find the protagonist collapsed on her bathroom floor, desperate and despairing. Pope taps into her inner darkness on the verses; more impressively, as the melody climbs on the chorus, she uses the crescendos to make these shadows even more tangible.
From her first voice lessons at age 4 to her triumph on national television, Pope’s ascension has been steady and strong — and it’s just beginning.
IN HER OWN WORDS
SONG YOU’D LOVE TO COVER
“I’ve always wanted to cover ‘Best of You’ by Foo Fighters. It’s so powerful and I could really have fun with it at a live show.”
DREAM DUET PARTNER
“I’d be absolutely honored to do a duet with Shania Twain. I grew up idolizing her and became the independent woman I am today because of her influence. We could do a sassy, empowering song together!”
PET PEEVE
“My pet peeve list is pretty long, but I’ll spare you and go with my top annoyance: some people’s lack of respect for personal space. I spend most of my life in airports, and there’s nothing more infuriating than someone bumping into you while you’re going through security. The process is hectic enough! Phew… Sorry. I’m done venting now. :).”
SONG YOU WISH YOU’D WRITTEN
“I wish I had written ‘Cry’ by Faith Hill.”
WORD YOU SAY OVER AND OVER AGAIN
“I say the word ‘badass’ a lot. It’s not exactly the best thing to say on live TV so I’ve had to restrain myself!”
FAVORITE MODE OF TRANSPORTATION
“I’ve always loved flying.”
FAVORITE FOOD ON THE ROAD
“I try very hard to eat healthily but it’s the most difficult part of traveling. When I feel like splurging, I usually want Italian … I’m talkin’ pasta, ravioli and lasagna. Anything of that nature is what I crave when I wanna be naughty.”
Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon in 'The Walking Dead' (Photo Credit:Frank Ockenfels 3/AMC)Wow, you’d have to be one of the walking dead to have not seen this announcement coming. AMC has renewed The Walking Dead for a fifth season which was a totally expected move on the part of the network. Season four of the hit zombie series is currently sitting pretty at the #1 spot among adults 18-49.
The Walking Dead‘s fourth season premiere set a new record for the show by attracting 20.2 million viewers, which, according to AMC, is a record for “any non-sports cable telecast.”
“We are very happy to make what has to be one of the most anti-climactic renewal announcements ever: The Walking Dead is renewed for a fifth season,” stated Charlie Collier, AMC president, announcing the renewal. “This is a show that has erased traditional distinctions between cable and broadcast. Its expanding base of passionate fans has grown every season, most recently – and most notably – with the season four premiere earlier this month, which broke viewership records for the series and became the biggest non-sports telecast in cable history. On behalf of the incredible team on both sides of the camera, thank you to the fans and here’s to more Dead.”
The network also confirmed Scott Gimple will be back as showrunner and Robert Kirkman, Gale Anne Hurd, David Alpert, Greg Nicotero and Tom Luse will return as executive producers.
One interesting little tidbit in the official announcement was the news of a companion series based on a new story and new characters from Robert Kirkman.
Who showed up to help raise money for Hurricane Sandy relief efforts? Check out this list of just some of the acts who performed at the special charity event and who are featured in the documentary film chronicling the historic fundraiser, 12-12-12:
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
Billy Joel
Alicia Keys
Paul McCartney
Dave Grohl
Roger Waters
Eddie Vedder
Chris Martin
Michael Stipe
Eric Clapton
Jon Bon Jovi
The Rolling Stones
The Who
Also helping to raise funds for the relief effort were Adam Sandler, Billy Crystal, Susan Sarandon, Paul Shaffer, Brian Williams, Kristen Stewart, Jon Stewart, Chelsea Clinton, Jimmy Fallon, Stephen Colbert, Sean Combs, Olivia Wilde, Steve Buscemi, Chris Rock, Seth Meyers, Jake Gyllenhaal, Blake Lively, Katie Holmes, Jason Sudekis, Jamie Foxx, Quentin Tarantino, and Christoph Waltz.
The Plot:
On December 12, 2012, some of entertainment’s most iconic names came together at Madison Square Garden for a historic concert to benefit the victims of Hurricane Sandy. 12-12-12 captures the unprecedented gathering of talent who turned up on stage and behind the scenes to raise over $50 million in one night for the Robin Hood Hurricane Sandy Relief Fund to support organizations helping victims in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.
20th Century Fox just released the first official trailer for X-Men: Days of Future Past starring every major X-Men player all together in one big action film. Directed by X-Men veteran Bryan Singer, X-Men: Days of Future Past with Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellan, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Halle Berry, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult, and dozens more opens in theaters on May 23, 2014.
The Plot:
The ultimate X-Men ensemble fights a war for the survival of the species across two time periods in X-Men: Days of Future Past. The beloved characters from the original X-Men film trilogy join forces with their younger selves from X-Men: First Class, in an epic battle that must change the past — to save our future.
Cher will be continuing making the rounds on TV reality competitions with an appearance on Dancing with the Stars. ABC says that the November 4, 2013 episode of Dancing with the Stars will pay tribute to Cher’s career and the Oscar/Grammy/Emmy winner will actually perform “Believe” to kick off the show. After her performance, Cher will join the judging panel of Bruno Tonioli and Carrie Ann Inaba to critique this season’s remaining dancers.
After the Dancing with the Stars contestants have finished performing, Cher will hit the stage again to perform “I Hope you Find It” from her new album, Closer To The Truth. Following that performance, one couple will be eliminated.
Info on the Upcoming Episode:
The seven remaining couples will compete in two rounds of dance. In the first round, each couple will take on a dance style they have not previously performed including the Tango, Argentine Tango, Contemporary, Viennese Waltz, Jazz, Disco, and Foxtrot. The couple to receive the highest total score from the judges in this round will receive immunity and not be subject to elimination. In the second round, the six remaining couples will compete in a thrilling head-to-head “dance off” competition. The winning couples of the “dance off” round will be awarded additional Judges’ points that will be added to their overall score for the night.
County singer/songwriter Garth Brooks’ final performance of his show at the Wynn Las Vegas will be broadcast live on CBS as a two-hour special on November 29, 2013 at 9pm ET (delayed on the West Coast). The upcoming special musical event, Garth Brooks, Live from Las Vegas, will help send off Brooks’ one-man show at the Encore Theater in Vegas while allowing his fans who haven’t made the trek to Sin City to catch the show a chance to see what they missed out on.
“Blame it all on my roots,” stated Brooks, “This is the soundtrack of my life. Growing up the last of six kids, music was the life blood of our family and as you can imagine, mom, dad, and each kid had his or her own favorite stuff and it all funneled down to me.”
“We’re thrilled whenever we get the opportunity to create a television event with an amazing live performer, and there is no one better than Garth Brooks,” said Jack Sussman, Executive Vice President, Specials & Events. “Garth will give the audience a rare opportunity to not only hear his classic hits, but also the music that became the soundtrack of his life and how those influences from the country, rock and pop worlds set him on the road to become the biggest selling solo artist in history.”
Details on Garth Brooks, Live from Las Vegas:
Garth Brooks, Live from Las Vegas will feature Brooks in a very intimate setting, playing his guitar as he takes the audience through the musical journey that led him to become the number one selling solo artist in U.S. history. He will share his experiences listening to different musicians throughout his life, starting with the music of Merle Haggard and George Jones.
Then, other musicians who influenced him like Simon & Garfunkel, James Taylor, Otis Redding, Bob Seger, George Strait and many, many, more. Throughout the show, Garth will perform some of their classic songs and show you how they influenced his greatest hits.
Jonathan Rhys Meyers as Alexander Grayson and Victoria Smurfit as Lady Jayne Wetherby in ‘Dracula’ (Photo by: Jonathon Hession/NBC)
In support of the network’s new Dracula series starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers, NBC will air Why We (heart) Vampires on Friday, November 1, 2013 at 8pm. The one hour special examines our fixation on all things vampire, with interviews and clips of “favorite vampire moments.”
NBC’s Tamron Hall will host the show, which is set to feature “fun” interviews, so don’t expect the special to dig very deep into our fascination with fanged creatures who want to suck our blood.
Details on Why We (heart) Vampires: Our fascination with vampires goes back decades, if not longer, and they continue to captivate our imaginations. Produced by NBC News’ Peacock Productions, Why We (heart) Vampires will feature a mix of some of Hollywood’s greatest vampire experts, including Dracula’s Victoria Smurfit; author Anne Rice; True Blood’s Kristin Bauer and Carrie Preston; Cassandra Peterson, best known as Elvira, Mistress of the Dark; Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s James Marsters, and more. From our fascination with vampires, to their immortality and superhuman powers, Hall will explore why these night stalkers continue to have such an enduring appeal.
Stumble It! 
Cher will be continuing making the rounds on TV reality competitions with an appearance on Dancing with the Stars. ABC says that the November 4, 2013 episode of Dancing with the Stars will pay tribute to Cher’s career and the Oscar/Grammy/Emmy winner will actually perform “Believe” to kick off the show. After her performance, Cher will join the judging panel of Bruno Tonioli and Carrie Ann Inaba to critique this season’s remaining dancers.
