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In its review of the decade broadcast on New Year’s Eve, the BBC cut from footage of those planes smashing into the Twin Towers to a man called Will Young winning the original incarnation of The X Factor — as if these two crimes against humanity were equal in their devastation. They are not, of course, although there are similarities. The mastermind behind each atrocity remains at large, planning new miseries for the rest of us. Both have become so familiar to us through their evil intent that they've made cameo appearances in popular American cartoon programmes — Osama Bin...

Simon Cowell’s brother Tony made a bold statement during his weekly podcast, saying that his famed judge sibling will be leaving the U.S.’s biggest television show, American Idol, at the end of 2010. “Meanwhile, Simon prepares for a new season of Idol—or should I say, his last season of Idol,” Tony said during a segment. He continued: “OK, I will. Because it is. As I sit here with my family in the sunny Caribbean, a press statement is being prepared, which will confirm what everyone expected: Simon will leave Idol at the end of 2010 to concentrate on bringing the...

OTTAWA — Ottawa Senators centre Mike Fisher confirmed Monday morning that he is engaged to country music star Carrie Underwood. He spoke about the impending nuptials at the morning skate, ahead of his team's game against the Boston Bruins. "It's true," Fisher said. "We're both obviously excited and very happy and so, exciting times for sure." A wedding date hasn't been set. Fisher said he popped the question Sunday, but he wouldn't go into any more details. He has been reluctant to speak about the relationship in the past. But according to a family friend, Fisher, 29, popped the question...

Simon Cowell could be leaving "American Idol" at the end of the season and starring in an American version of his British hit music show, "X Factor," starting in 2011, according to reports. Cowell, whose "Idol" contract expires in May and who has been in talks with Fox since last summer, is preparing to announce the new arrangement with Fox early next year, the Times Of London reports. The future of "Idol" would be thrown into serious doubt if the show's indisputable star leaves, it would appear. Officials from Fox, "Idol" and Cowell's own company yesterday refused comment. "X Factor"...

American Idol has been a consistent smash hit on television for the past seven years. First year winner Kelly Clarkson has achieved tremendous success, thus paving the way and legitimizing the competition for all those who would perform after her. To date, only Carrie Underwood has truly rivaled Kelly Clarkson for the un-offical title: "The Greatest American Idol." Here is a side by side comparison of the two Christian girls from the South whose triumphant success has inspired millions and forever flavored the world of both pop and country music. ...

Adam Lambert Furor Spreads to Gay Community REUTERS November 25, 2009 LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - "American Idol" runner-up Adam Lambert on Wednesday admitted he got carried away during his racy American Music Awards performance, as furor over his singing and dancing stoked a wider controversy in the U.S. gay community. More than 14 million people watched the gay, glam rocker close the live AMA telecast on Sunday with a performance that included Lambert kissing a male keyboard player and pushing the head of another performer into his crotch. Complaints poured in to the ABC TV network that aired the show,...

Adam Lambert aimed for the kind of controversy Britney Spears and Madonna are known for generating, completely stunning the audience at Los Angeles’ Nokia Theatre and the millions watching the American Music Awards live on ABC. Glambert definitely delivered on his promise of a “sexy” performance as he closed the live show with simulated oral sex from a male backup dancer, a brief make-out session with his male keyboardist and a giant mirrored prop so the audience could see the looks on their own shocked faces. Rolling Stone has learned that producers weren’t informed about the guy-on-guy kiss in advance,...

Those morons at Jeff Zucker's company have stepped in it yet again. It's bad enough NBC can't get anyone to watch its piss-poor network primetime shows, but now NBC is making sure the American public can't watch other networks' shows as well. (This follows an earlier report that NBC doesn't want the Jay Leno Show to book rival networks' TV stars.) The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is known for annually including "cultural touchstones of the moment" in its broadcast, from every American Idol winner since the 2nd season (a Fox show) to the stars of High School Musical (a Disney...

LOS ANGELES – Ellen DeGeneres is dancing her way onto "American Idol," replacing Paula Abdul as the show's fourth judge. In a Wednesday release from Fox and the show's producers, DeGeneres described herself as a longtime fan of the hit singing contest. Abdul, who announced she was quitting the show amid a contract dispute, had been replaced by a succession of guest judges as "American Idol" started next season's auditions. DeGeneres, host of a daytime talk show, wasn't among them. She will join Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Kara DioGuardi for the ninth season starting in January.

<p>FREEDOM Day has arrived for last season's "American Idol" contestants.</p> <p>Last Thursday, the top 36 semi-finalists' contracts ended with 19 Entertainment, the company that owns "Idol."</p> <p>And that means if you haven't been signed to a record deal by "Idol" creator Simon Fuller, you are free to start your career. On your own.</p>

Paula Abdul just twittered. Read what she has to say : ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ # It truly has been breathtaking, especially over the past month # What I want to say most, is how much I appreciate the undying support and enormous love that you have showered upon me # I’ll miss nurturing all the new talent,but most of all being a part of a show that I helped from day1 become an international phenomenon. # With sadness in my heart, I’ve decided not to return to IDOL. I’ll miss nurturing all the new talent, but most of all..Cont'd.

American Idol remains the guiltiest of pleasures here in the United States. It’s a pop culture phenomenon engineered to lift spirits, distract viewers from depressing headlines, and provide a platform for Simon Cowell’s withering put-downs. The Afghanistan version of Idol is literally a life and death affair, with fans embracing the show as the ultimate manifestation of a culture war between modernism and strict Sharia law. Afghan Star, a new documentary named after the country’s Idol-style showcase, reveals just how ingrained the show has quickly become in the country’s culture. But not everyone wants to embrace a show teeming with...

SEASIDE HEIGHTS -- The Toms River man charged in the hit-and-run death of former American Idol contestant Alexis Cohen is scheduled to be in court this afternoon in Ocean County for an initial hearing in the case. Daniel Bark, 23, has been charged with reckless driving and leaving the scene of an accident in the Saturday crash that killed Cohen, a 25-year-old Allentown, Pa. resident. Cohen, a contestant on the seventh season of American Idol, was struck by a car as she was walking near the intersection of Bay Boulevard and Dupont Avenue in the beach town of Seaside Heights.

SEASIDE HEIGHTS, N.J. – Authorities say a 25-year-old former two-time "American Idol" contestant has been struck and killed by a car in a New Jersey shore town. The Asbury Park Press reports that Alexis Cohen, of Allentown, Pa., was killed early Saturday in Seaside Heights.

Weird and tragic. Alexis Cohen, the ranting, foul-mouthed Idol contestant, was killed by hit-and-run in NJ over the weekend. Read more here. Due to copyright issue, only the link is allowed.

Paul Abdul may not return to "American Idol" for a ninth season, her manager claimed in a new interview with the Los Angeles Times. "She's not a happy camper as a result of what's going on. She's hurt. She's angry," David Sonenberg, the "Idol" judge's manager, told the newspaper on Friday. David, who said that he became Paula's manager just weeks ago, at the end of June, added that he has yet to receive a proposal for a new contract for Paula. "I find it under these circumstances particularly unusual; I think unnecessarily hurtful," he said. "I find it kind...

Early salary figures from Simon Cowell's "American Idol" contract negotiations are leaking out and they're eye-popping. Cowell, who reportedly made $36 million last year for judging the hit competition show, has been offered three or four times that amount -- between $100 million and $144 million per year -- by co-producers Fox and 19 Entertainment to stick with "Idol" when his contract expires next May, according to The Guardian, a London newpaper.

During a raid in mid-January on a massage parlor in Midvale, Utah, the father of last year’s American Idol runner-up, squeaky-clean Mormon David Archuleta, was arrested by police and charged with prostitute solicitation, a Class B misdemeanor. According to Us Weekly, Jeff Archuleta, 41, who was the consummate stage dad during his son’s Idol run, has pleaded no contest to the charge, paying a $582 fine following his arrest at an establishment called the Queens of Reiki on January 14th.

The father of American Idol runner-up David Archuleta was charged with soliciting a massage parlor prostitute, stemming from a raid in January. David Archuleta, a seventh season fan favorite, lost to David Cook. He released his first album in late 2008. Jeff Archuleta pleaded no contest and paid a $582 fine after being busted at the Queens of Reiki on Jan. 14 in Midvale, Utah. During the raid, Midvale officers found one client receiving services, according to news reports. "Two of our detectives went back to that room to stop the activity," Midvale Police Sgt. John Salazar told news outlets....

If this is our future, maybe we should just give it all to Obugger and kill ourselves now (be sure to watch this video of a teenager reacting to Adam Lambert losing American Idol ALL THE WAY THROUGH)....