Sunday, August 1, 2010

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

MUSIC/ THE WANTED & EMINEM TOP UK CHARTS: The Wanted debut at #1 on the UK singles chart with "All Time Low". They replace "We No Speak Americano," by Yolanda Be Cool and DCup, who fall to #2 after a week at the summit. Other new entries in the singles chart this week include Travie McCoy at #3 with "Billionaire," Flo Rida at #5 with "Club Can't Handle Me," Swedish House Mafia at #7 with "One" and Magnetic Man at #10 with "I Need Air". On the album charts, Eminem remains at #1 with "Recovery," one of the biggest selling UK albums of the year. New entries on the album chart include Tom Jones at #2 with "Praise and Blame," Avenged Sevenfold at #5 with "Nightmate" and reality twins Jedward at #17 with "Planet Jedward". As their celebrity star dims, pundits expect Jedward to quickly disappear off the charts.

TV/ DIOGUARDI TO EXIT "IDOL": Kara DioGuardi is following Ellen DeGeneres out of "American Idol," according to multiple media reports this weekend. "Idol" producers are said to have chosen not to renew DioGuardi's contract and will return to a "3 judge format," with Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler reportedly replacing DioGuardi on the panel. Tyler would be the 2nd new addition after Jennifer Lopez, who was reported to have closed a deal to replace DeGeneres after the talk show host announced her departure from the show on Thursday. Randy Jackson, the only remaining original judge on "American Idol," is said to be keeping his job. DioGuardi, a songwriter and A&R executive who signed Jason Derulo and Iyaz to Warner Bros. Records, was added as a 4th "Idol" judge on season 8. FOX is expected to make an announcement of the show sometime this coming week.

TV/ "GLEE" TOPS TCA AWARDS: Fox's musical comedy "Glee" won top honors at the Television Critics Association's annual TCA Awards last night in Beverly Hills. The freshman series was named program of the year and outstanding new program, and also picked up individual achievement in comedy honors for actress Jane Lynch. 2 other 1st year series, ABC's "Modern Family" and CBS' "The Good Wife," were also singled out by the group: "Modern Family" won outstanding achievement in comedy and Julianna Margulies won the individual achievement in drama prize. ABC's "Lost" tied with AMC's "Breaking Bad" as best drama. Other winners included HBO's "The Pacific," Nick Jr.'s "Yo Gabba Gabba" and James Garner for career achievement. Full details can be found on the TCA website.

TV/ HOWARD JOINS "LOLA": Terrence Howard is joining the cast of NBC's newest "Law & Order" spinoff. Howard will play a deputy district attorney in "Law & Order: Los Angeles," rotating with Alfred Molina, who was previously announced as a prosecutor on the drama. Series creator Dick Wolf said the combination of Howard and Molina makes him feel like the manager of the 1961 Yankees. Wolf said he now had his "Mantle and Maris," referring to sluggers Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris. Also joining the cast of "LOLA," as the "Law & Order" spinoff is nicknamed, is Corey Stoll. He's in the movie "Salt" and guest-starred in the original "Law & Order." "Law & Order: Los Angeles" debuts September 29 on NBC.

THEATRE/ "NIGHT MUSIC" RE-OPENS TODAY: The acclaimed Tony-nominated revival of Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler's "A Little Night Music" re-opened today at the Walter Kerr Theatre on Broadway. Tony-winning theatre favorites Bernadette Peters and Elaine Stritch succeeded Catherine Zeta-Jones and Angela Lansbury, respectively, in the roles of actress Desirée Armfeldt and her worldly-wise mother Madame Armfeldt. June 20 marked the conclusion of Zeta-Jones and Lansbury's contracts; Zeta-Jones won a 2010 Tony Award for her performance, and 5 time Tony winner Lansbury was Tony-nominated. The show temporarily closed to allow the new leads rehearsal time and re-opened in previews on July 13. Reviews are expected to be in tomorrow's papers.

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