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Kelly Clarkson Passes Carrie Underwood with Stronger

By
Rebecca Murray
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Kelly Clarkson 'Stronger'Kelly Clarkson knocked her fellow American Idol alum Carrie Underwood into second place on the bestselling single from an American Idol contestant chart. Clarkson’s “Stronger” passed Underwood’s “Before He Cheats” to take the title, selling a total of 3,510,000 singles. Underwood’s “Before He Cheats” is currently at 3,509,000.

Billboard also reports Clarkson’s “Stronger” made it to the number one position on 11 Billboard charts. The single remained in the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks, the longest stretch yet for a Clarkson release.

Underwood’s “Before He Cheats” made it as high as number eight on the Billboard Hot 100.

According to Billboard, Underwood lost the bestselling Idol single of all time race but still holds the record for the most albums sold domestically.

Source: Billboard

Josh Groban Raises Half a Million for LA Schools

By
Rebecca Murray
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Josh Groban with members of the LACHSA Jazz and Vocal Choir
Josh Groban with members of the LACHSA Jazz and Vocal Choir - Photo Credit: Howard Pasamanick

Josh Groban took part in a special “An Evening with Josh Groban” event held at The Music Center’s Walt Disney Concert Hall in downtown Los Angeles, raising funds for his alma mater, the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts (LACHSA), and his Find Your Light Foundation. Over half a million dollars was raised at the sold-out event which found the singer/songwriter performing alongside LACHSA students on “February Song,” “Lullaby,” “Weeping,” “You Raise Me Up,” and “Machine.”

“I am thrilled that we were able to raise over half a million dollars to support LACHSA and Find Your Light,” stated Groban. “It feels great to be able to give back to the school that gave me the foundation to explore my craft and support me while I was finding my feet as a performer. I want to thank everyone at LACHSA and those who attended the concert for enabling me to offer that same support to the students and future artists. It was truly a great night.”

More on the Find Your Light Foundation [Courtesy of Warner Bros Records]

Groban established the Find Your Light Foundation in 2011 as a way to enrich the lives of young people through arts, education, and cultural awareness. Groban’s personal experience and his belief that early exposure to the arts helps shape young people’s lives, combined with the sobering reality that such programs are on the chopping block at many educational institutions, has made him more attuned than ever to the need to focus his efforts on helping students find their light.

Source: Warner Bros. Records

Christine Lahti Joins the Cast of Hawaii Five-0

By
Rebecca Murray
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Christine Lahti
Christine Lahti - Photo Courtesy of Robert Ashcroft
Oscar winner Christine Lahti will have a recurring role on CBS’ Hawaii Five-0‘s third season. Lahti’s been tapped to play the key role of Doris McGarrett, mother of Steve McGarrett (Alex O’Loughlin).
 
Making the casting announcement, executive producer Peter Lenkov stated, “The mysterious character of Doris McGarrett is a pivotal one to the mythology of our show, and we are thrilled to have a seasoned and beloved actress such as Christine to portray her. She’s a wonderful addition to the H50 family and the fans will certainly enjoy what we have in store for her. Let’s just say that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”
 
Lahti earned an Emmy Award for her performance on Chicago Hope. Her other TV credits include Jack & Bobby, Law & Order: SVU, and Amerika. She was nominated for an Oscar for Swing Shift and won an Academy Award as director of the short film Lieberman in Love.
 
Source: CBS

Filming Begins on Geography Club

By
Rebecca Murray
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Nikki Blonsky
Nikki Blonsky at the 'Hairspray' Premiere - Photo © Richard Chavez

Filming has begun on Huffington Pictures’ feature film adaptation of Brent Hartinger’s bestselling young adult novel, Geography Club. Gary Entin’s directing from a script by Edmund Entin, with shooting taking place around Los Angeles.

The comedy stars Cameron Deane Stewart, Justin Deeley, Andrew Caldwell, Allie Gonino, Meaghan Martin, Ally Maki and Nikki Blonsky. Marin Hinkle, Ana Gasteyer and Scott Bakula co-star. Michael Huffington and Anthony Bretti are producing.

The Plot:

Geography Club is a fast-moving account of contemporary teenagers as they navigate the clique mined landscape of Goodkind High School.

Source: Huffington Pictures

Take a Look at the Dredd 3D Motion Poster

By
Rebecca Murray
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Lionsgate will be hosting a special screening of Dredd 3D at the San Diego Comic Con and the film’s star, Karl Urban, will be moderating a panel of website contributors during the sold-out geekfest. And in addition to all the Comic Con news, Lionsgate’s just released this cool motion poster promoting the sci-fi action film.

For more info on the Comic Con advance screening, visit http://www.judgementiscoming.com/.

The Plot:

The future America is an irradiated waste land. On its East Coast, running from Boston to Washington DC, lies Mega City One- a vast, violent metropolis where criminals rule the chaotic streets. The only force of order lies with the urban cops called “Judges” who possess the combined powers of judge, jury and instant executioner. Known and feared throughout the city, Dredd (Karl Urban) is the ultimate Judge, challenged with ridding the city of its latest scourge – a dangerous drug epidemic that has users of “Slo-Mo” experiencing reality at a fraction of its normal speed.

During a routine day on the job, Dredd is assigned to train and evaluate Cassandra Anderson (Olivia Thirlby), a rookie with powerful psychic abilities thanks to a genetic mutation. A heinous crime calls them to a neighborhood where fellow Judges rarely dare to venture- a 200 story vertical slum controlled by prostitute turned drug lord Ma-Ma (Lena Headey) and her ruthless clan. When they capture one of the clan’s inner circle, Ma-Ma overtakes the compound’s control center and wages a dirty, vicious war against the Judges that proves she will stop at nothing to protect her empire. With the body count climbing and no way out, Dredd and Anderson must confront the odds and engage in the relentless battle for their survival.

The endlessly inventive mind of writer Alex Garland and director Pete Travis bring DREDD to life as a futuristic neo-noir action film. Filmed in 3D with stunning slow motion photography sequences, the film returns the celebrated character to the dark, visceral incarnation from John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra’s revered comic strip.

Dredd hits theaters on September 21, 2012.

Source: Lionsgate Films

Spotlight On: Mean Girls Music Video from Rachel Crow

By
Rebecca Murray
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Rachel Crow EPRachel Crow didn’t win The X Factor, however she won over viewers who became fans of the outgoing now-14 year old with the big voice. Shortly after leaving The X Factor Crow signed a record deal with Columbia Records/Syco and has been keeping busy recording as well as appearing on Nickelodeon’s Big Time Rush.

Her first EP features the single “Mean Girls,” a powerful anti-bullying anthem aimed at teens. The song and video speak to teens who’ve been the victims of bullying, with Crow declaring “mean girls won’t rule her world” anymore. On her official website, Crow talked about her own experiences with bullies. “School was hard for me,” revealed Crow, “because I lived in a small farm town and I was so out of the box that I didn’t feel like the other kids really understood me…I really want to not only inspire kids who have been bullied, but I also hope to inspire the kids that do the bullying to stop that behavior.”

Watch the music video:

First Look: Jack Reacher Trailer with Tom Cruise

By
Rebecca Murray
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Tom Cruise in Jack Reacher
Tom Cruise stars in 'Jack Reacher' - Photo © Paramount Pictures
Was Paramount Pictures always planning a July 3rd launch of the first teaser trailer for Jack Reacher or is this a bit of sly marketing since Cruise is currently all over the news? On Friday, June 29th it was announced Cruise and Katie Holmes would be divorcing after five years of marriage and since that revelation, it’s been nearly impossible to go a day without seeing some news report on their break-up.

With Cruise making headlines, Paramount wants us to take a look at his big upcoming action film hitting theaters in December. Cruise stars in the big screen adaptation of Lee Child’s bestselling novel, adapted for the screen and directed by Christopher McQuarrie (writer of Valkyrie and The Tourist). Jack Reacher also features Rosamund Pike, Robert Duvall, and Richard Jenkins.

Watch the trailer:

KISS Announces New Album and Lyric Video

By
Rebecca Murray
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KISSRockers KISS will release their 20th – yes, 20th! – studio album (Monster) on October 15th (October 16th in North America). Monster‘s first single, the autobiographical rocker “Hell or Hallelujah,” is available today digitally.

The new album’s comprised of 12 tracks and features co-founders Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons as well as longtime members guitarist Tommy Thayer and drummer Eric Singer. According to the group, Monster represents the type of music that inspired them to don makeup and entertain crowds in the first place.

“There are no symphony orchestras, boy choirs, keyboards, outside producers or songwriters on this album,” promised Gene Simmons. “The best thing we did was to turn inwards to ourselves. Tommy and Eric have revitalized this band, with a work ethic and the talent to back it up. This is a real band effort. KISS has become a behemoth. We’re going where no bands have gone before.”

Watch the “Hell Or Hallelujah” Lyric Video:

In support of the release of “Hell or Hallelujah,” KISS will perform at The Forum in London on the 4th of July. The concert will benefit the “Help for Heroes” organization, a British charitable group that raises money for its wounded, sick and injured troops.

Source: Universal Music Enterprises

Rizzoli & Isles Will Return Next Year

By
Rebecca Murray
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Rizzoli and Isles
A scene from season three of 'Rizzoli & Isles' - Photo by Doug Hyun/TNT
TNT will be bringing back the dramatic series Rizzoli & Isles for season #4. After moving to Tuesdays at 9pm, the show starring Angie Harmon and Sasha Alexander has captured 7.1 million viewers and is the “summer’s #1 returning scripted series on basic cable,” per the network. The cast also includes Lee Thompson Young, Bruce McGill, Jordan Bridges, Brian Goodman, and Lorraine Bracco.

A 15 episode season four will air in 2013.

“Anchoring a new night in its third season, Rizzoli & Isles has proven itself to be a strong and enduring hit, not only in terms of the great storylines and performances, but also in terms of the show’s stellar ratings,” stated Michael Wright, president, head of programming for TNT, TBS and Turner Classic Movies. “We’re thrilled that Rizzoli & Isles will continue to be a vital part of the TNT lineup.”

The Plot:

In the series, Harmon plays Jane Rizzoli, a tough-as-nails Boston police detective, and Alexander is Maura Isles, a smart, impeccably dressed medical examiner from a privileged background. Despite being complete opposites, the two women share an offbeat chemistry and strong working relationship that lets them solve complex murder mysteries in the city of Boston.

Source: TNT

Andy Griffith Passes Away at 86

By
Rebecca Murray
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The Andy Griffith ShowAndy Griffith, the star of The Andy Griffith Show and Matlock, has died. The 86 year old actor, producer, and writer passed away at his Dare County, North Carolina home this morning. The beloved actor is survived by his wife Cindi and daughter Dixie. Griffith’s son Andrew Jr died in 1996.

In tribute to the multi-talented Griffith, TCM will be remembering his life and career with a four-film memorial tribute on July 18th at 8pm ET. The four films are:

8 p.m. – A Face in the Crowd (1957) – with Patricia Neal, Anthony Franciosa, Walter Matthau and Lee Remick. Directed by Elia Kazan.

10:15 p.m. – No Time for Sergeants (1958) – with Myron McCormick, Nick Adams, Murray Hamilton and Don Knotts. Directed by Mervyn LeRoy.

12:30 a.m. – Hearts of the West (1975) – with Jeff Bridges, Donald Pleasance, Blythe Danner, Alan Arkin, Richard B. Shull, Herb Edelman, Alex Rocco and Marie Windsor. Directed by Howard Zieff.

2:15 a.m. – Onionhead (1958) – with Felicia Farr, Walter Matthau, Erin O’Brien, Joe Mantell, Ray Danton, James Gregory and Joey Bishop. Directed by Norman Taurog.

[Updated to add]

The Recording Academy has issued this statement:

GRAMMY® winner Andy Griffith was an American television icon bringing beloved characters into family homes for more than 50 years with shows such as “The Andy Griffith Show” and “Matlock.” In addition to acting, Griffith had a passion for music and recorded a number of albums, including I Love To Tell The Story — 25 Timeless Hymns, which garnered him a GRAMMY Award for Best Southern Gospel, Country Gospel Or Bluegrass Gospel Album. He was an immense talent and a true gift to the entertainment industry and will be greatly missed. We extend our deepest sympathies to his family, friends and fans.

Neil Portnow
President/CEO
The Recording Academy”

Our thoughts are with Andy Griffith’s friends and family at this difficult time.

Sources: TCM, The Recording Academy

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