Taylor Swift's 'Red' - Album Art Courtesy Big Machine Records
Taylor Swift’s making other artists turn green with envy over the sales of Red, her new album that was just released on October 22, 2012. Nielsen Soundscan reports the album sold 1.208 million copies over its first week in release, which sent Swift into the record books as the only female artist to pass the 1 million mark twice since SoundScan began keeping track in 1991.
Swift’s record label, Big Machine Records, also reports she’s now moved into second place for the biggest week ever by a female artist. Red hit #1 on Billboard’s 200 Albums chart and joined the exclusive club of 18 albums that’ve sold one million units in a single week.
Red also set a new iTunes record by selling 565,545 copies digitally during its first week, reaching #1 on the sales chart in 42 countries. Swift now holds the record for the most CDs sold in one week at Target with 396,000.
Red also debuted at #1 on the Top Country Albums list and topped the “all-genre Top Albums chart at iTunes within 36 minutes of its release last week, and first-day sales at iTunes alone topped 262,000 albums.”
Swift will be heading out on the Red tour soon. Check out the list of dates here.
In advance of the 46th Annual CMA Awards, the winners of the Musical Event of the Year and the Music Video of the Year awards were announced on Good Morning America. Taking home the CMA Award in the Musical Event of the Year category were Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw for their “Feel Like a Rock Star” duet.
Toby Keith and director Michael Salomon won in the Music Video of the Year category for the popular “Red Solo Cup” video.
“What a great way to lead up to ‘Country Music’s Biggest Night(TM)’ by announcing our winners on Good Morning America and sharing the news with the GMA viewers and the fans here in Nashville,” stated Steve Moore, Chief Executive Officer of CMA.
Winners in the 10 other CMA Awards categories will be announced during The 46th Annual CMA Awards airing tonight (8:00-11:00 PM/ET) from the Bridgestone Arena on ABC.
Kenny Chesney wins the 2012 CMA Award for Musical Event of the Year with Tim McGraw for "Feel Like A Rock Star." Photo courtesy of Sony Music Nashville.
More on Kenny Chesney:
Chesney, who is performing on tonight’s gala, is the reigning CMA Award winner for Music Video of the Year for “You and Tequila” with Grace Potter. He was nominated for three CMA Awards in 2012 including Entertainer of the Year; Musical Event of the Year for “Feel Like A Rock Star” with McGraw; and Music Video of the Year for “Come Over,” directed by Shaun Silva. If Chesney wins Entertainer of the Year, he’ll take the record for the most wins in the category. Chesney is currently tied with Garth Brooks winning the trophy four times in 2004, 2006, 2007, and 2008.
More on Tim McGraw:
McGraw is performing with Faith Hill, Lady Antebellum, and Blake Shelton as part of the Willie Nelson tribute during tonight’s broadcast. He hasnow received 12 CMA Awards including the 2001 Entertainer of the Year. This marks the second time McGraw has won a CMA Award for a collaboration with Chesney. The two received CMA Vocal Event of the Year Awards for their work on Tracy Lawrence’s “Find Out Who Your Friends Are” (2007).
More on Toby Keith:
Keith has received 28 CMA Award nominations in his career, and this marks his third CMA Award win. He was named Male Vocalist of the Year in 2005 and also won Music Video of the Year with Salomon in 2005 for “As Good As I Once Was.” Salomon won Music Video of the Year in 1995 for “Baby Likes To Rock It” with The Tractors.
Jason Gann as Wilfred and Elijah Wood as Ryan in ‘Wilfred’ (Photo Credit: FX)
Wilfred is sticking around for season three as announced by FX’s Executive Vice President of Original Programming Nick Grad. The network’s picked up the comedy series for a 13-episode third season, which will kick off in June 2013.
Behind the scenes, things are changing up a bit, with season one and two showrunner/executive producer David Zuckerman remaining involved as executive producer but not as a showrunner for season three. Writer/producers Eli Jorne and Reed Agnew will be elevated to showrunners for the upcoming season.
“As John (Landgraf) said at the summer TCA, it was only a matter of time before we picked up the show, we just had to work some things out,” stated Grad. “David Zuckerman has done an amazing job adapting and reconceiving Wilfred for FX. It was his decision to step down from the Showrunner’s post, but we’re very happy he is going to stay involved with the show. Both we and David have great faith in the ability of Reed and Eli to seamlessly step up and take over the reins. I have no doubt they’ll do a great job.”
Wilfred stars Elijah Wood, Jason Gann, Fiona Gubelmann, and Dorian Brown.
The Plot:
Wilfred is a half-hour, live-action comedy about Ryan, a young man struggling unsuccessfully to make his way in the world until he forms a unique friendship with ‘Wilfred,’ his neighbor’s canine pet. Everyone else sees Wilfred as just a dog, but Ryan sees a crude and somewhat surly, yet irrepressibly brave and honest Australian bloke in a cheap dog suit. While leading him through a series of comedic and existential adventures, Wilfred the dog shows Ryan the man how to overcome his fears and joyfully embrace the unpredictability and insanity of the world around him.
William Shatner is everywhere and seems set on conquering the world. And now the actor/writer is invading your smartphone with a new app called Shatoetry. The new app will bring the “brilliance of his spoken word to iPhones everywhere,” calling on Shatner’s body of spoken word works to let fans express their own ideas in his voice.
The details: “Those who purchase the app can choose from a library of pre-recorded words to create unique ‘Shatisms,’ which are then played out in Shatner’s voice.”
Says Shatner, “People all over the world have been listening to my voice for so long, but they’ve only ever heard what I wanted to say. I wanted to give people a means to express their thoughts and ideas using my voice. It’s a fun, creative app that I am certain people will enjoy.”
There’s even a multi-user mode that lets “Shatoetists” co-create Shatisms.
“Every time I use it, I enjoy it more and more,” added Shatner.
Packages revolving around the holidays and special occasions are currently in the works. For more details, visit shatoetry.com.
NBC will be hosting a special one-hour telethon to help out Hurricane Sandy victims on November 2, 2012 at 8-9pm ET/PT. The Hurricane Sandy: Coming Together special will be broadcast on NBC, Bravo, CNBC, E!, G4, MSNBC, Style, Syfy and USA and is scheduled to include performances by Bruce Springsteen, Christina Aguilera, Jon Bon Jovi, Billy Joel, and Sting. Jimmy Fallon and Brian Williams are also set to appear on the telethon, with Matt Lauer on board to host.
Per the official NBC announcement “money collected will be donated to the American Red Cross relief efforts for Hurricane Sandy.”
The show will be available for live viewing online at NBC.com.
The American Red Cross Disaster Relief:
“The American Red Cross response to Sandy is very large and will be very costly, affecting a massive area spanning much of the eastern half of the country. Financial donations help the American Red Cross provide shelter, food, emotional support and other assistance to those affected by disasters like Hurricane Sandy. To donate, people can visit www.redcross.org, call 1-800-RED-CROSS or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.”
Jimmy Kimmel introduced the guest he’s always wanted on his show by saying, “Not only is my first guest tonight the main reason I got into television, he’s the main reason I got a television. He’s the host of the Late Show with David Letterman – I’m more excited that he’s here tonight than I’m able to explain.”
Kimmel, who’s pretty much a lifelong fan of Letterman, finally landed an interview with the late night icon. And Kimmel couldn’t keep his enthusiasm in check during the lengthy interview. He even showed off a photo of his 18th birthday cake with the words “L8 Nite” on it and displayed a photo of his Isuzu I-Mark from high school which also had “L8 Nite” as its personalized license plate.
As Pat, Bradley Cooper orders Raisin Bran because he thinks that means there will be no mistaking their meal together in a restaurant as a ‘date’. Jennifer Lawrence as Tiffany counters and says it can still be a date if you order Raisin Bran. The two go on to discuss Tiffany’s dancing thing, Pat’s restraining order, and the people Tiffany is having sex with at work in this new clip from Silver Linings Playbook.
The Plot:
Life doesn’t always go according to plan…Pat Solitano (Bradley Cooper) has lost everything — his house, his job, and his wife. He now finds himself living back with his mother (Jacki Weaver) and father (Robert DeNiro) after spending eight months in a state institution on a plea bargain. Pat is determined to rebuild his life, remain positive and reunite with his wife, despite the challenging circumstances of their separation. All Pat’s parents want is for him to get back on his feet – and to share their family’s obsession with the Philadelphia Eagles football team. When Pat meets Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), a mysterious girl with problems of her own, things get complicated. Tiffany offers to help Pat reconnect with his wife, but only if he’ll do something very important for her in return. As their deal plays out, an unexpected bond begins to form between them, and silver linings appear in both of their lives.
Watch the clip:
Silver Linings Playbook arrives in theaters on November 21, 2012. The cast also includes Robert De Niro, Jacki Weaver, Anupam Kher, Chris Tucker, Julia Stiles, and Dash Mihok.
Nick Cannon will host the Fourth Annual TeenNick HALO Awards airing on Nick at Nite Monday, Nov. 19 at 8 PM (ET/PT). (PRNewsFoto/Nickelodeon) Justin Bieber, Emma Stone, Josh Duhamel, and Tyra Banks are joining with Nick Cannon to honor four exceptional teens with the TeenNick HALO Awards. HALO stands for Helping and Leading Others and the outstanding teens chosen this year will receive their awards at a ceremony set for Saturday, November 17, 2012.
“Each year we continue to be inspired by young people giving of themselves and we are honored to give back to them,” stated Nick Cannon, creator of the awards. “We applaud these HALO honorees and their outstanding commitment to service on a local and national level.”
“The TeenNick HALO Awards started out as a concept Nick Cannon brought to us and it’s become a movement that has grown with every person it touches – the teens who serve others, the celebrities who honor them, the people whose lives they’ve impacted and the viewers who are left inspired,” said Paula Kaplan, Executive Vice President, Current Series, Nickelodeon. “We hope by celebrating teens each year with this show, it will motivate other teens to create positive changes in their communities.”
The TeenNick HALO Awards Winners:
Allyson Ahlstrom, 17, Santa Rosa, Calif. (paired with Tyra Banks) — A bubbly and fashion forward self-starter, Allyson Ahlstrom was inspired to combine her love of fashion and community service to create Threads for Teens, an organization that collects and distributes clothing to disadvantaged (low income, foster care, etc.) teen girls. She provides one-on-one support to every one of the girls as they shop, bonding over fashion, talking about their lives and sharing motivational advice. In just two years Ahlstrom moved her organization into a fashionable pink boutique, raised over $130,000 in product donations and outfitted over 200 girls. Ahlstrom’s HALO match, Tyra Banks, started TZONE at the Lower Eastside Girls Club, providing a rich mix of career development workshops, mentoring, experiential learning opportunities, financial literacy initiatives and community-wide events so hundreds of girls will build self-esteem and develop the tools they need to prepare for lives as entrepreneurs and change-makers in the world.
Matt Ferguson, 18, Hillsboro, Ore. (paired with Emma Stone) — Matt Ferguson was inspired to start Matt’s Chemo Bags after finding out his mom had been diagnosed with invasive breast cancer. He began building bags of essential items (lotion, tissues, warm socks, a handmade blanket, a lap pillow, notebook) to distribute to women suffering from breast cancer in hopes that it would bring them the same comfort that a similar bag brought his own mother as she went through chemotherapy. His organization now services all of Oregon, Southwest Washington, and Northern California and has distributed over 7,500 bags. Ferguson’s HALO match, Emma Stone, is an advocate for Stand Up To Cancer, an initiative created to accelerate innovative cancer research that will get new therapies to patients quickly and save lives now.
Kylie Lan Tumiatti, 16, West Melbourne, Fla. (paired with Justin Bieber) — Kylie Lan Tumiatti developed a passion for giving back to the community early on, after watching her younger sister struggle with learning English. Tumiatti decided to help others who faced similar obstacles and partnered with Operation Hope Florida, a non-profit facility that provides prekindergarten classes to children of migrant workers. Together they implemented a literacy program that enhances the language skills of young children while simultaneously instilling a love of stories and books. Tumiatti’s HALO match, Justin Bieber, is big supporter of Pencils of Promise, which works to build schools and increase educational opportunities in the developing world.
Taylor Waters, 19, Sanford, N.C. (paired with Josh Duhamel) — A compassionate leader and aspiring teacher, Taylor Waters belief in giving back to her community stems from her personal experiences with disaster. She continues to encourage youth involvement through her hometown American Red Cross and she is establishing her own Red Cross Club at East Carolina University. Waters’ HALO match is Josh Duhamel, who supports the disaster relief efforts of the American Red Cross, as well as his hometown’s Minot Area Community Foundation in North Dakota which establishes permanently endowed funds to support both local and national charities and charitable causes.
Ben Caron will be releasing his third EP on Tuesday, November 13, 2012. Love Me Too will, according to Caron, explore “the darker and lighter sides of unrequited love.” This upcoming EP follows his two previous releases, with the tracks off the EPs combining to make his first album. Per the press release, “Love Me Too is the last EP to be released by Caron before all twelve tracks are remixed and remastered for his debut album, which is slated for a February 2013 release.”
Caron’s debut album will be funded by fans. He’s been collecting donations at www.bencaron.info while building up his fan base through performances in and around Southern California, including at Rockwell: Table and Stage in Los Angeles.
The Love Me Too tracks are “Love Me Too,” “Everything We Could Be,” and “This Way Again.”
The public has spoken, the votes have been tallied, and the winners of the first-ever fan-driven Fright Night Awards (presented by Cancer Bites) have been announced. Cancer Bites used the Fright Night Awards to publicize and educate the public on blood cancers and to help survivors and their loved ones bite back.
“Our goal with Cancer Bites is to provide those living with a blood cancer, caregivers, and their loved ones access to critical information and support tools they need to navigate a very difficult journey,” stated Dr. Julie Vose, chair of the Cancer Bites expert panel and chief of Hematology/Oncology at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. “There are more than 70 types of blood cancer; it is among the most common cancers in our country. It is time to raise the level of public awareness and rally support.”
Creator/co-executive producer of FOX Teen Choice Awards Mike Burg is a blood cancer survivor who feels the Fright Night Awards platform “presents a unique opportunity to raise awareness for blood cancer programs and to generate a broad national dialogue.”
“Bringing a touch of entertainment and fun together during a time that celebrates Halloween is really rewarding,” said Burg. “Our ultimate goal is to rally the public to increase overall awareness of blood cancers.”
Vampires proved to be super popular among Fright Night Awards voters, with The Vampire Diaries, True Blood, and Twilight well respected on the list of winners.
2012 Fright Night Winners:
1. Favorite Scary Movie of the Year: The Woman In Black (2012)
2. Most Anticipated Movie of the Halloween Season: Sinister
3. Favorite Vampire Movie of the Year: The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part I
4. Favorite Supernatural TV Show (2012): The Vampire Diaries
5. Favorite Female TV or Movie Vampire: Deborah Ann Woll – True Blood
6. Favorite Male TV or Movie Vampire: Ian Somerhalder – The Vampire Diaries
7. Favorite Movie or TV Werewolf: Taylor Lautner as Jacob – The Twilight Saga
8. Favorite Actor in a Horror Film (2011-2012): Daniel Radcliffe – The Woman In Black (2012)
9. Favorite Actress in a Horror Film: Ashley Greene – The Apparition (2012)
10. Favorite Actor I would like to “Sink my Teeth Into”: Johnny Depp
11. Favorite Actress I would like to “Sink my Teeth Into”: Mila Kunis
12. Favorite Celebrity who Dresses for Halloween Every Day: Marilyn Manson
13. Favorite Celebrity who Dresses for Halloween Every Day: Lady Gaga
14. Favorite Celebrity in Costume (2011): Heidi Klum – “Visible Woman”
15. Favorite Talk Show Host Halloween Costume: Carrie Keagan as Jem from Jem & The Holograms (VH1 Big Morning Buzz Live)
16. Best Scream in a Horror Movie Scene: Scream (Drew Barrymore)
17. Most Frightening Horror Movie Villain of All Time: Michael Myers (Halloween Series)
18. Favorite Series of Horror Movies of All Time: Scream
19. Favorite Male Halloween Costume for 2012: Christian Grey
20. Favorite Female Halloween Costume for 2012: Anastasia Steele
21. Favorite Halloween Candy of All Time: M&M’s
NBC will be hosting a special one-hour telethon to help out Hurricane Sandy victims on November 2, 2012 at 8-9pm ET/PT. The Hurricane Sandy: Coming Together special will be broadcast on NBC, Bravo, CNBC, E!, G4, MSNBC, Style, Syfy and USA and is scheduled to include performances by Bruce Springsteen, Christina Aguilera, Jon Bon Jovi, Billy Joel, and Sting. Jimmy Fallon and Brian Williams are also set to appear on the telethon, with Matt Lauer on board to host.
