Melanie Amaro, winner of season one, will be debuting her brand new single “Long Distance” on the December 6, 2012 episode of The X Factor. The single will be released to radio stations after her performance and is already available on iTunes.
“So much has changed since I won X FACTOR,” said Melanie. “I’ve been able to spend every waking moment pursuing my career as an artist, and I’m recording in a real studio with incredibly talented writers and producers. I’m as excited about being on the show as I was when I first auditioned, and I’m as devoted to music as I’ve ever been.”
Melanie’s debut album, Truly…, will be released by Epic/Syco in early 2013. Amaro worked with Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins (Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry), Kuk Harrell (Britney Spears, Usher, Chris Brown), C. “Tricky” Stewart (Rihanna, Christina Aguilera, Mary J. Blige) and Bleu McAuley (Demi Lovato, The Jonas Brothers, Selena Gomez) on her album which merges “R&B and dance-pop with the kind of ballads she became known for on THE X FACTOR.”
Commenting on what fans can expect from Truly…, Amaro said, “There’s one side of me that’s all about pop, the kind of music you can move and dance to and have fun with, but my biggest influences have always been singers like Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey, and I definitely stayed true to that on the album.”
The cast of 2013’s ‘The Biggest Loser’ (Photo by: Chris Haston/NBC)
The Biggest Loser is breaking new ground with its upcoming season debuting on January 6, 2013 at 9pm. The series will feature kid participants for the first time, hoping to shed light on childhood obesity by showcasing the stories of three inspirational kids. And with the addition of kids as participants, The Biggest Loser will be welcoming childhood obesity expert and pediatrician Dr. Joanna Dolgoff to the show.
Alison Sweeney returns as host, with Jillian Michaels back on staff along with Bob Harper and Dolvett Quince.
Details on the 2013 Season [Courtesy of NBC]:
With the childhood obesity epidemic at an alarming, all-time high, jeopardizing the health of kids and future generations, The Biggest Loser is committed to tackling this critical issue by featuring children this season to serve as ambassadors of change who can inspire kids all over the country to get healthy. The focus for the kids will be on getting healthy rather than numbers on a scale, so they will not be eligible for elimination and will not weigh in on camera. They will work at both the ranch and at home, and their progress will be featured in every episode.
The show’s three kid participants will be 13-year-old Noah “Biingo” Gray, who aspires to be a professional baseball player and describes himself as a “skinny kid trying to get out of a fat teenager’s body”; 16-year-old Sanjana “Sunny” Chandrasekar, who juggles Advanced Placement classes and extracurricular activities like singing and tennis, and says that being overweight takes away from her self-confidence and affects every aspect of her life; and 13-year-old Lindsay Bravo, who loved being a cheerleader for two years but gave it up when others started teasing her about her weight, and hopes that by going on the show, she can inspire others to change their lives and get healthy.
This season’s 15 contestants will be divided into three teams — supervised by trainers Harper, Michaels, and Quince. Each trainer and team of five adults will be paired with one child participant who will compete with and contribute to their respective teams.
The adult contestants for season 14 of The Biggest Loser will include Lisa Rambo, a high school special education assistant and mother of four who wants to be a healthy role model for her children and hopes to one day open a special needs gym in her community to help her overweight students; 21-year-old Jackson Carter, the show’s first openly gay contestant who was bullied both for his weight and his sexuality after coming out at age 14, and now works as a volunteer coordinator for an LGBT youth outreach center, and Joe Ostaszewski, a former high school and college football player who continued to eat like an active football player long after his athletic career was over.
Also competing this season will be 47-year-old attorney, law firm owner and mother of two Gina McDonald, who is very accomplished in her professional life, but has not been able to get control of her lifelong struggle with weight; 51-year-old police officer David Jones, who at 307 pounds is struggling to keep up with the physical demands of his job, and college professor and communications consultant Michael Dorsey, the heaviest contestant this season at 444 pounds, who wants to be a healthy role model for his young son and says. “Losing weight just seems like that impossible mountain that I cannot overcome.”
The Biggest Loser Kid Participants:
The three kid participants this season are:
Lindsay Bravo (eighth grade), 13, Fillmore, California
Sanjana “Sunny” Chandrasekar (11th grade), 16, Rochester, New York
Noah “Biingo” Gray (eighth grade), 13, New Windsor, Maryland
The Adult Contestants:
Dannielle “Danni” Allen (Advertising account coordinator), 26, Wheeling, Illinois
Jackson Carter (Volunteer coordinator for LGBT resource center and movie theater assistant manager), 21, Layton, Utah
Nicole “Nikki” Davis (Make-up artist), 26, Chatsworth, California Michael Dorsey (College professor and communications consultant), 34, Baltimore, Maryland
Pamela Geil (Executive assistant), 43, New York, New York
David Jones (Police officer), 51, Kiefer, Oklahoma
Cate Laughlan (Student), 28, Ransomville, New York
Gina McDonald (Attorney and law firm owner), 47, Hoover, Alabama
Nate Montgomery (Financial advisor), 25, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Francelina Morillo (Student and store manager), 25, Albany, New York
Jeff Nichols (Pharmaceutical representative), 24, Monroe, Michigan
Joe Ostaszewski (Senior sales executive), 43, Williston, Florida
Thomas “TC” Pool (Purchasing manager), 31, Albany, Oregon
Lisa Rambo (High school special education assistant), 37, Houlton, Wisconsin
Alexandra “Alex” Reid (Legal assistant), 24, Carollton, Texas
Legacy Recordings will be releasing the soundtrack to the documentary West of Memphis on January 15, 2013. The soundtrack, West Of Memphis: Voices For Justice, will feature tracks by Eddie Vedder, Natalie Maines, Patti Smith, and Lucinda Williams, with a portion of the proceeds going to support the West Memphis Three.
Sony Pictures Classics is releasing West of Memphis on December 25, 2012.
“Music has always played a huge role in my life. In my early years, it allowed me to escape the crushing poverty I was born into. Music took me out of myself and into a thousand other worlds. Then, when I was put on trial, it was music they used against me. My love of heavy metal was considered ‘proof’ that I was evil and a satanic murderer. And then, ultimately, it was music that helped to free me when friends and supporters came together to put on the Voices for Justice concert in Little Rock,” states Damien Echols, producer of the film and one of the West Memphis Three.
Some of the music in West of Memphis comes from Nick Cave and Warren Ellis (The Dirty Three, Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds) who contributed the original score and performed on the soundtrack. “It was an honor to have made a contribution to the film and to have played a part in raising awareness of the case of the West Memphis Three,” stated Cave.
The Story:
West of Memphis is a new documentary film produced by Echols, Peter Jackson, and Fran Walsh (the Lord of the Rings trilogy), Amy Berg, and Lorri Davis. Directed by Amy Berg, the film reveals the untold story behind an extraordinary and desperate fight to bring the truth to light; a fight to stop the State of Arkansas from killing an innocent man.
Starting with a searing examination of the police investigation into the 1993 murders of three eight-year-old boys in the small town of West Memphis, Arkansas, the film goes on to uncover new evidence surrounding the arrest and conviction of the other three victims of this shocking crime–Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley. All three were teenagers when they became the target of the police investigation for crimes they did not commit.
Each of the West Memphis Three spent more than 18 years in prison while outside the gates, mounting evidence and testimony pointing to their innocence led to an outpouring of support, particularly from the music community and artists featured on this album such as Eddie Vedder, Henry Rollins, Natalie Maines, Marilyn Manson, Dave Navarro, and Patti Smith.
West of Memphis: Voices For Justice Track List
1. Henry Rollins (feat. Nick Cave & Warren Ellis original score) – “Damien Echols Death Row Letter Year 9”
2. Natalie Maines – “Mother”
3. Lucinda Williams – “Joy”
4. Camp Freddy – “The Jean Genie”
5. Tonto’s Giant Nuts feat. Johnny Depp & Bruce Witkin – “Little Lion Man”
6. Marilyn Manson – “You’re So Vain”
7. Band of Horses – “Dumpster World” (Live)
8. Citizen Cope – “DFW”
9. Eddie Vedder – “Satellite”
10. Bill Carter – “Anything Made of Paper”
11. The White Buffalo – “House of Pain”
12. Bob Dylan – “Ring Them Bells”
13. Nick Cave & Warren Ellis – “West of Memphis Score Suite”
14. Tonto’s Giant Nuts feat. Johnny Depp (feat. Nick Cave & Warren Ellis original score) – “Damien Echols Death Row Letter Year 16”
BONUS TRACK
15. Patti Smith – “Wing” (Recorded Live at Voices For Justice Benefit Concert – August 28, 2010)
The CW will debut the new drama series Cult on Tuesday, February 19, 2013 at 9pm. The one-hour drama stars Matt Davis (The Vampire Diaries), Jessica Lucas, Alona Tal, and Robert Knepper, and is executive produced by Rockne S. O’Bannon, Josh Schwartz, Stephanie Savage, and Len Goldstein.
The Plot: Investigative journalist Jeff Sefton has learned to laugh off his younger brother Nate’s relentless string of obsessions, especially his latest rant that a hit TV show intends to harm him. However, when his brother mysteriously disappears, Jeff takes Nate’s paranoia seriously, and in the process uncovers the dark underworld of the TV series Cult and its rabid fans, who are obsessed with the show’s charismatic cult leader, Billy Grimm.
As the show’s gruesome plot twists begin to play out in the real world, Jeff enlists the help of a young research assistant Skye in a race to save Nate and unravel the mystery behind the TV series whose hardcore fans would literally kill to see what happens next…
Thanks to @jdmorganinfo, we’ve got details on an auction involving one of your favorite actors – Jeffrey Dean Morgan. An exclusive lunch for two with Jeffrey Dean Morgan is now up for bid on ebay, with the proceeds going to support the Adrienne Shelly Foundation. The Adrienne Shelly Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting women filmmakers.
Up for bid is a lunch with Morgan in either Miami, New York or Los Angeles (depending on his shooting schedule). You have to be at least 18 years old to bid and you will be required to pass a background check if you’re the winning bidder.
The Adrienne Shelly Foundation [Courtesy of the Foundation’s Official Website]:
The Adrienne Shelly Foundation was established in Adrienne’s honor to aid and nurture the talent of women filmmakers who possess the drive, vision and passion that Adrienne was known for in her own career. Through the Foundation’s various partnerships with some of the most prominent academic and filmmaking institutions in the country, the Adrienne Shelly Foundation awards film school scholarships and grants for workshops, readings, film production and finishing funds.
Ben McKenzie and Shawn Hatosy in ‘Southland’ – Photo Credit: Doug Hyun/TNT
Filming on season five of the gritty crime drama Southland is now underway in Los Angeles. TNT announced the start of production on the critically acclaimed series, which returns on February 13, 2013 at 10pm.
Michael Cudlitz, Shawn Hatosy, Regina King, and Ben McKenzie are back in starring roles, with guest star C. Thomas Howell getting promoted up to series regular. Dorian Missick, L Scott Caldwell, and Emily Bergl will be returning in guest-starring roles.
The network also announced Chad Michael Murray will have a two-episode arc during the fifth season.
The Plot: In Southland, Cudlitz plays Officer John Cooper, a recovering addict who, this season, starts to wonder what he has really accomplished after more than 20 years on the force. Hatosy plays Officer Sammy Bryant, a detective-turned-beat-cop facing a whole new set of problems with his estranged wife. King plays Detective Lydia Adams, who meets probably the biggest challenge of her life – becoming a mother. And McKenzie is Officer Ben Sherman, whose growing maturity as a cop brings a darker attitude and increased tension between him and his partner, Sammy.
Now a series regular, four-season veteran Howell plays Officer “Dewey” Dudek, a recovering alcoholic who revels in his unpredictable behavior and off-color remarks. Missick reprises his recurring role from last season as Detective Ruben Robinson, who provides some experienced parental insight for his partner, Lydia. Bergl will return as Tammi Bryant, who has brought nothing but trouble upon her soon-to-be ex-husband, Sammy.
Caldwell will return in her recurring role as Lydia’s caring but sometimes intrusive mother. And Murray is set to appear in a two-episode arc as Dave Mendoza, a likable cop who is a bit of a loose cannon and whose off-duty behavior may not always be the best influence on Ben.
I have to admit I knew next to nothing about this film before watching this clip, and after having watched it I feel no more enlightened as to what the movie’s about. I do know Not Fade Away marks the feature film directorial debut of The Sopranos creator David Chase who also wrote and produced the movie, and that Sopranos star James Gandolfini is mentioned high up in the cast list.
Also featured in the film are Jack Huston (love him in Boardwalk Empire), Christopher McDonald, and Brad Garrett.
The Plot: It’s 1964, the Rolling Stones appear on television and three best friends from the suburbs of New Jersey decide to form a rock band.
Lifetime’s America’s Supernanny: Family Lockdown (a new title) will be back for season two, with Deborah Tillman back as the child care specialist who moves in and helps out families as they deal with the issues that arise while raising kids. Season 2 premieres on January 8, 2013 at 10pm.
Tillman won the title of Supernanny last year after a nationwide search for the country’s “best homegrown nanny.” She’s a wife, mother, author, and childcare specialist with more than 20 years of experience in early childhood education.
The Details: In America’s Supernanny: Family Lockdown, Tillman moves into the homes of parents throughout the country who are seeking guidance and assistance on how to best raise their children. During the week of Tillman’s stay, the family will be required to remain in the house at all times and not allowed to use any computers, phones, games and television so that all distractions are minimized and they can focus on spending quality time with one another and put all of their effort into learning from Supernanny.
For one week, she will dive straight into the chaos and heart of the matter, giving viewers an all-access look at troubled households by closely observing each family dynamic to pinpoint their complicated problems and follow through to resolve their issues to put families on the road to happiness. Those problems range from poor disciplinary habits, separation anxiety, and picky eating to bad bedtime routines, clinging to mom or dad, spoiled behavior, and serious attention problems.
Fox is expanding its animation lineup with a new comedy Murder Police. The network greenlit the series with a 13-episode initial order, and they anticipate debuting the new animated series during the 2013-14 season.
David A Goodman (Family Guy) and Jason Ruiz created and wrote Murder Police, with Goodman serving as executive producer and Ruiz as co-executive producer.
Announcing the series, Kevin Reilly, Chairman of Entertainment, Fox Broadcasting Company, stated: “David and Jason came to us with a really fresh take on law enforcement that we’ve never seen before. With Murder Police, these guys are taking a staple genre of television – the cop show – and turning it on its head by pushing the warped comedic boundaries that only animation can offer. It’s the kind of show our Animation Domination fans will absolutely love, and I can’t wait to introduce it next season.”
The Details:
MANUEL SANCHEZ (voiced by co-creator Ruiz) aspires to be a good cop, but his efforts to solve crimes are constantly put in jeopardy by his own clumsiness and the incompetence of his fellow detectives, including his partner, TOMMY MARGARETTI (Will Sasso), a tough, rule-breaking “bad cop” who can’t interrogate a suspect without beating him up.
Voice actors on the pilot include Jason Ruiz as MANUEL and MARIO SANCHEZ, Will Sasso as TOMMY MARGARETTI, Chi McBride as RANDALL HICKOX, Horatio Sanz as DONEL, Penny Marshall as SYLVIA GOLDENBERG, Peter Atencio as CAPTAIN JOHN RUSHOUR, and Justina Machado as ROSA SANCHEZ.
The CW will debut the new drama series Cult on Tuesday, February 19, 2013 at 9pm. The one-hour drama stars Matt Davis (The Vampire Diaries), Jessica Lucas, Alona Tal, and Robert Knepper, and is executive produced by Rockne S. O’Bannon, Josh Schwartz, Stephanie Savage, and Len Goldstein.
