Starbucks in Westeros? HBO speaks up on 'Game of Thrones' set blunder

HOLLYWOOD — With two episodes of HBO's wildly popular medieval fantasy saga "Game of Thrones" to go, puzzled fans took to social media on Monday after heroine Daenerys Targaryen was joined at a wooden banquet table by a rogue to-go coffee cup.

Jokes, spoofs and critiques quickly followed the anachronistic appearance of the beverage -- taken to be a Starbucks coffee by many who noticed -- in the fourth episode of the eighth and final season.

"Seriously, they have Starbucks in Winterfell," one commenter wrote on Twitter, while others lamented the slip-up after waiting two years for the eighth season to air.

Yet another tweeted a redrawn logo of the American coffee chain with the title changed to "Winterfell coffee" and the wolf's head sigil of the Starks, one of the noble families at the center of the series.

HBO spoke up as the blunder went viral, tweeting that "the latte that appeared in the episode was a mistake" and playfully adding that Daenerys -- played by British actress Emilia Clarke -- had ordered an herbal tea.

Meanwhile, executive producer Bernie Caulfield told WNYC radio she couldn't believe the error, saying that "our on-set prop people and decorators are so on it 1,000 percent."

"We're sorry!" she said. "If that's the worst thing that they're finding, we're in good shape."

HBO called it a "craft services coffee cup" but Caulfield echoed a theme spread widely on Twitter, speculating that Westeros -- the fictional continent where the action takes place -- "was the first place to actually have Starbucks."

Though he hadn't personally watched Sunday's episode, entitled "The Last of the Starks," art director Hauke Richter told Variety magazine: "Things can get forgotten on set."

Starbucks seized the opportunity to capitalize on the faux pas, evoking its popular dragon fruit-based thirst-quencher in a statement that read: "We're surprised she didn't order a Dragon Drink."

It was not immediately clear if Daenerys, known in the show as the Mother of Dragons for her mastery over the winged creatures of legend, has ever tried coffee.

Season eight began airing on April 14, nearly 20 months after the seventh season's conclusion. The last ever episode will be shown on May 19.

source: philstar.com

‘Game of Thrones’ star breaks silence over controversial sexy scenes

MANILA, Philippines — Fans of HBO’s “Game of Thrones” fans were shocked after Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) had a steamy scene with Gendry Baratheon (Joe Dempsie).  

Social media erupted with discussions about the scene, with netizens saying they were not prepared for the young lady assassin having a love scene with her friend. 

#AryaStark #GameofThrones pic.twitter.com/5nlk7OWHrq

— JoJo Donovan (@JoJoDonovan) April 25, 2019

— ????α???α. (@aleexa_gp) April 25, 2019

Maisie took to Twitter to address reactions from fans. 

“If u feel uncomfortable just know that my mother and my step dad and my 2 sisters and my 4 brothers have all probably watched this too ahahakillmeehehe,” Maisie wrote. 

if u feel uncomfortable just know that my mother and my step dad and my 2 sisters and my 4 brothers have all probably watched this too ahahakillmeehehe

— Maisie Williams (@Maisie_Williams) April 23, 2019

Arya and Gendry have been friends since the earlier parts of the series. The two characters slept together before the Night King and his army of dead attack Winterfell. 

“I want to know what it feels like before I die,” Arya told Gendry before doing the deed. 

Maisie’s age was reportedly one of the most searched keywords in Google after the episode was released. 

Arya’s character is already 18 years old while Maisie is 22 years old. 

Ne ara büyüdü ????
#AryaStark #GameOfThrones pic.twitter.com/JYNf6yTqox

— The Geyik (@thegeyikcom) April 25, 2019

Sophie Turner, who plays Arya’s sister Sansa Stark in the series, took to Instagram to troll her friend about the scene. She posted a video of herself sipping wine. 

“In honor of Easter, I guess ‘Game of Thrones’ wanted to have a little storyline of a little Easter bunny hop, hop, hoppin’ into that pussaayyyyyy,” Sophie said about the video.

source: philstar.com

WATCH | Pinoy macho dance group earns three yes votes on ‘Asia’s Got Talent’

“Asia’s Got Talent” judge Anggun can’t help but grin from ear to ear. So did most of the ladies in the studio audience.

And why not? The latest Filipino act to audition on AXN’s popular talent search show was none other than an all-male dance group called The Stripboys. From their name alone, one can already imagine that there was more to them (or in their particular case, less) than just dancing.

Entering the stage wearing bathrobes, a giggling Anggun had to exclaim, “I cannot wait to… ssseeeee… your act. If you’re ready, I am… very ready, too!”

The Stripboys then proceeded to do their thing much to the delight of the women in the crowd. In addition to revealing their chiseled figures and short black boxer briefs, the boys elicited oohs, aahs, gasps, and cheers with their fancy footwork, dazzling backflips and graceful acrobatics.

“That was fun! Well boys, I was super entertained by that!” Anggun blushed.

“Thank God your underwear didn’t slip off while you’re dancing!” Jay Park said, grinning.

Jay further added that while the dance number was not exactly his “favorite concept” but gave props to it just the same as it was, in his words, “something new” and something he had not seen before.

“I think it would have been better if they were all girls,” David Foster cracked. “But you know what? It was really a lot of fun, it was entertaining, it was kinda unique, good, clean fun, so thank you for that.”

When it was time to vote, Anggun initially played coy before declaring, “You made me really, really happy so I say yes!”

Jay and David voted yes as well and now The Stripboys are now in the running to advance to the semi-finals stage of the competition. The five young men ages 23 to 25 said they joined “Asia’s Got Talent” to prove that stripping is a form of expression, and not necessarily a negative thing.

“Asia’s Got Talent” airs on AXN every Thursday at 8:30PM with replays scheduled throughout the week. For program schedules, visit www.AXN-Asia.com.

AXN is available on Cablelink Channel 38, Cignal Channel 121, Destiny Cable Channel 61, Dream Satellite TV Channel 20, G Sat Channel 51, and SKYCable Channel 49. AXN HD is available on SKYCable Channel 247.

Watch The Stripboys’ audition on “Asia’s Got Talent” here:

source: interaksyon.com

‘Selfie’ explores online addiction, embarrassment

LOS ANGELES — Narcissism, isolation, control freakery: the deep impact of the Internet and social networks on our modern lives is coming under the spotlight in a new American TV show and an upcoming movie this month.

TV show “Selfie,” which launched on ABC this week and the film “Men, Women and Children,” which hits the big screen later this month, both reflect the ravages wreaked by being constantly online.

The ABC network’s show depicts Eliza Dooley, who works in marketing but who is a social networking “superstar” due to her 263,000 “followers” on the Instagram photo sharing service.

She shares with them her every move, and posts pictures of every meal and herself in every state of undress. She measures people based on their “friends” or “followers” on the Internet.

But her life is upended when she finds herself a laughing stock online due to an unfortunate viral video.

“I’ve spent years laughing at stupid idiots on Instagram, and now the stupid idiot was me,” says Dooley, played by Karen Gillan of recent box office hit “Guardians of the Galaxy” fame.

To escape this online nightmare, she calls on marketing ace Henry, who tells her she has become pathetically dependent on “the instant gratification of unearned adoration of perfect strangers.”

“When Siri is the only one there for you, you realize being friended is not the same as having friends,” sums up Dooley’s plight.

The show has earned mixed reviews — the Hollywood Reporter said it “has potential despite cloying pilot” aired last Tuesday.

People ‘more bold’ online 


But it does broach some of the real problems of our ultra-connected society: the isolation of online life, the difficulty in real-life communication it highlights, the ubiquity of mobile devices at mealtimes or in the bedroom.

“Men, women and Children,” by Jason Reitman — who directed “Juno” (2007) and “Up in the Air” (2009) — depicts a well-known urban scene: a street packed with people, all with their heads down locked into their smartphone screens.

The movie, which comes out on October 17 in the United States, tells the story of a group of high school friends. One celebrity-seeking teenager finds herself exploited when naked photos of her leak online.

An anxious mother (Jennifer Garner) seeks to protect her daughter from sexual predators by going through every single of her texts, emails or Facebook posts. But it is an uphill task.

Technology is increasingly pervasive in the plots of any number of TV shows and films: think texting in “House of Cards,” geolocalization in “Earth to Echo” and recent thriller “November Man.”

Tom Nunan, a professor at the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television, cites notably 1998′s “You’ve Got Mail” by Nora Ephron as prescient about the impact of email on our love lives.

“‘You’ve got Mail’ has only grown in affection and respect over the years, as people look back… at the time, people didn’t think it came at the level of ‘When Harry met Sally,’ but that movie has aged very well,” he said.

More recently, Netflix drama “House of Cards,” about a lawmaker climbing the political ladder by any means available, uses texting to “accelerate the plot very quickly,” said Nunan.

Smartphones we carry everywhere have become “our courage devices,” said the academic, adding that they allow people to “say things we would not have the courage to say face-to-face.”

“We’re much more bold,” he added.

Other aspects of online behavior — cyber-bullying, for example, or so-called “revenge porn” — are ripe areas for filmmakers. One only has to think of the recent leaking of naked celebrity photos.

The film is probably already being made somewhere, or at least planned.

The depiction of our increasingly online life seems likely only to grow in the coming months and years, on the small and big screen.

source: interaksyon.com

‘Wowowillie’ bows out with 4-hour farewell show; Willie Revillame vows to return soon

Almost five months after Willie Revillame announced that his noontime show on TV5, “Wowowillie”, will have its last show on October 12, the popular but ofent-controversial comedian and TV host made good on his promise with a grand four-hour “farewell party” at the Delta Theater.

Despite the heavy rains, the place was packed with a standing room only audience, many of whom came from places like Bataan, Cavite, Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac, the United States, Kuwait and Japan. Upon acknowledging the crowd, Willie immediately hollered that each one be given P5,000 each.

Yes, lots of money were given away throughout the show as Willie and co-hosts Mariel Rodriguez, Rufa Mae Quinto, Grace Lee, Ava Jugueta, Joy Viado and Cacai Bautista conducted the usual contest portions.

Randy Santiago, who had filled in for Willie for several days leading up to the final show, was also on hand to help out in the hosting chores and even performed a song number with rapper and Saturday mainstay Abra.

Other musical numbers were provided by soul siren Nina as well as by Mariel, Ava, Joy, Cacai and former co-host Camille Villar, who departed last February to pursue masteral studies in Spain.

Former co-hosts Arci Muñoz and Lovely Abella were also around to join the celebration while Camille’s parents and long-time Willie allies, former Senator Manny Villar and wife Senator Cynthia Villar, were among those Willie acknowledged in the audience.

Reflecting not only on the 10-month run of “Wowowillie” on the air but also on his three years with the Kapatid network as host of previous shows “Willing Willie” and “Wil Time Bigtime”, Willie asserted how his shows were able to connect with the masses though the countless prizes they were able to give away.

“Dito po ang pinapansin ang mga hindi pinapansin. Ang importante po dito binibigyan ng halaga kahit sino ka lalo na ang mga taong kapuspalad,” Willie intoned during his final speech to close the show. “Yung mga tao pong akala nila wala nang pangarap pero merong pag-asang binibigay ang mga programang katulad nito. Nandito kami hindi lamang po maging masaya kami, nagiging masaya kami kapag nakapagbibigay kami ng kasiyahan sa inyo sa araw-araw.”

In thanking the Villars in particular, Willie noted that his shows were able to give away a total of 28 houses and lots from Camella Land and Vista Land. “Sina Senators Manny at Cynthia Villar, parang 911 yan. Isang tawag lang namin, bigay agad ng bahay yan,” he stressed.

Like his previous shows, the 10-month run of “Wowowillie” was not without its share of controversies.

Co-host Ethel Booba had a falling out with Willie that she said had started as early as the show’s initial broadcast last January 26 when he jokingly blamed her for the two power failures that marred the show. Ethel said the last straw came when he berated her and fellow co-host Ate Gay on the air the following month after allegedly complaining on the result of a costume contest won by choreographer Anna Feliciano.

Ate Gay himself left the show in April after he felt slighted when then newly hired co-hosts Cacai Bautista and Joy Viado took his usual place as the finale act of the show’s mini-concierto segment.

Another former co-host, Lovely Abella, was reportedly dismissed after she accepted an out-of-town engagement without the show’s consent.  Unlike Lovely, Ethel and Ate Gay were not present during the final show on Saturday. Still, Willie acknowledged their contributions while stressing that he harbors no hatred and bitterness towards anybody.

Then there was the show’s run-in with the Movie Television Review and Classification Board who conducted a gender sensitivity seminar for the show’s cast and crew after the bountiful cleavage of dancer Charm went on full display during the show’s “Tutok to Win” segment, which also took place last April.

But after Willie’s announcement last May that the show’s days are numbered and will formally say goodbye this October, “Wowowillie” was devoid of controversy and ran smoothly, if uneventful, in its final months.

In his final speech, Willie thanked everyone who helped him in his career, from ABS-CBN executives Charo Santos-Concio, Cory Vidanes and Gabby Lopez who gave him his first break on “MTB” and “Wowowee” to TV5 COO Bobby Barreiro, former president CEO Atty. Ray Espinosa, president and current CEO Noel C. Lorenzana and Chairman Manny V. Pangilinan.

“Ngayon lang po ako umalis ng network na binigyan pa ako ng handa,” he quipped as he also revealed that MVP hosted a farewell dinner for him the night before his last show.

Reserving his most heartfelt gratitude to the masses who helped who brought him to where he is now, Willie promised that he and his team will soon return on the air.

“Pag natapos po ang mga usapan,” he assured without giving away any details. “Dito na po magsasara ang aming pinto, sa pagbukas po muli nito, sana ay tayo-tayo pa rin ang magkikita.”

source: interaksyon.com

Amy Perez leaves TV5 ‘due to personal reasons’, network wishes her well

Amy Perez will no longer be a part of “Face the People”, TV5′s revitalized reformat of “Face to Face”, the hit show she had resigned from in July.

When the upcoming show was announced last month, the network said it will bring together Amy and Gelli de Belen, who had hosted “Face to Face” during Amy’s lengthy maternity leave till early this year.

Instead, “Face the People” will now be hosted by Gelli and Tintin Bersola-Babao.

“TV5 Management and Ms Amy Perez have mutually agreed to part ways. TV5 respects the decision of  Ms. Perez to leave the Network due to personal reasons.  She had been a valuable talent of TV5 and we wish her well and the best of luck in her future endeavors,” TV5 said in an official statement on Saturday.

Amy had quit “Face to Face” in July after a falling out with members of the production staff. She will no longer be seen in any TV5 show, including “The Good Morning Club”. She has likewise left her radio program on Radyo Singko DWFM 92.3FM.

In her Twitter account, Amy told her followers that she has moved to another radio station, 106.7 Energy FM.

“I will forever be grateful. Thank you for the memories,” she tweeted without directly referring to TV5.

source: interaksyon.com

Willie Revillame says new show has blessings of Joey de Leon, Sharon Cuneta

A mellow and relaxed Willie Revillame told media on Wednesday that “Wowowillie” has the blessings of Joey de Leon and Sharon Cuneta — two colleagues who might have something to say about his new variety show on TV5, set to debut on Saturday.

Joey, of course, is one of the pillars of “Eat Bulaga”, Philippine television’s noontime champ for over three decades, with whom Willie famously feuded in 2007 when he was still hosting “Wowowee” on ABS-CBN.


The two have since mended and enriched their friendship, so Joey’s sentiment was one of Willie’s first concerns when TV5 president and CEO Atty. Ray Espinosa first broached the idea of a return to the noontime slot (11:30AM to 2:30PM).

“Nasabi ko naman ‘yun kina Atty. Ray. Ayoko kasi na may masabi rin sa akin sina Joey. Yes, there was a time, nabanggit ko nga, hangga’t maaari hindi kami magsasalubong sa same time slot,” Willie told media at a press conference on Wednesday at his nightclub Wil’s Events Place.

Willie decided he needed to reach out to Joey. He spoke to him two weeks ago shortly after “Wil Time Bigtime” — his second TV5 show in the early evening slot — went off the air.

“I called him up. Out of respeto. Sabi ko sa kanya, I have to tell you, magkakaroon ako ng noontime show. And you know naman Joey, he’s very gentlemanly in every way. Okay naman sa kanya,” he related.

Willie said Joey — who is also a Kapatid because he co-hosts TV5′s Sunday noontime variety show “Game ‘N Go” — even quipped that they’re too old for petty rivalries and, who knows, they might even end up together in one show someday.

Willie had also been exchanging text messages with Sharon, whose talk show “Sharon: Kasama Mo, Kapatid” was terminated recently, paving the way for “Wowowillie” to take over its venue — TV5′s Delta Theater studio on Quezon Avenue.

“Magka-text kami ni Shawie. Wala pa siya ngayon dito, nasa Amerika pa ‘ata pero dapat kasama siya sa almost a hundred stars na guests sa Saturday. Kami, walang sama ng loob sa isa’t isa,” he said.

Willie noted that Sharon’s current negotiations for her own new program are a private matter between her and the TV5 bosses: “Sila ng TV5 ang nag-uusap. Kaya, hindi ko sila puwede panghimasukan.”

Ever since he transferred to TV5 in 2010 and hosted “Willing Willie”, he always found the remote location of its studio in Novaliches to be a liability.

“Ang mga matatanda o senior citizens nagbi-biyahe pa ng malayo para lang makapanood ng programa. Jeep-jeep, truck-truck nandiyan sila sa gilid ng studio, dun pa sa TV5. Nagpa-park sila sa SM Novaliches. Nakikita namin ang efforts nila,” he shared.

Needless to say, he is very excited about planting his roots on fresh ground. Willie said TV5 spent over P100 million and his own production company chipped in P35 million to expand and refurbish the theater. The result, he believes, should give the “Wowowillie” studio audience the illusion of being in a Las Vegas theater.

Willie said it was not his but TV5′s idea to return to noontime and go up against “Eat Bulaga” and “It’s Showtime”.

“Wala naman sa isip ko ang noontime. Kasi by October tapos na dapat ang kontrata ko. And now, they are asking me kung gusto ko pa itong ituloy ng three to five years. Saka ko na muna iisipin ‘yun dahil ang focus ko eh, nandito ngayon sa big day namin sa Sabado.”

That big day also happens to be his 52nd birthday. As he turns a year older and begins another chapter in his career, he does not feel the pressure of competition this time around.

“Kung sasabihin na pressured ako, wala. Sa akin, there is no competition right now. More on nakatutok ako sa content ng show. Hindi sa numbers game. Kailangan ko munang palakihin ang show, pagandahin at pasayahin ang mga taong manonood nito,” he said.

Willie vowed to give away more meaningful prizes to contestants, the kind that would have a lasting impact on their livelihoods. He also revealed his plan to provide houses to his own staff, many of whom placed their fortunes on his hands when they joined him when he left ABS-CBN for TV5.

And finally, he expressed his hope that “Wowowillie” would further boost TV5′s ascendant status in the ratings game, if only to make the network bosses, especially TV5 chairman Manny V. Pangilinan, happy.

“Siyempre, gusto nating matulungan din ang istasyon. Kasi dito naramdaman ko ‘yung pagmamahal. Imagine, big boss tine-text ka, kinukumusta ka, tinatapik ka sa balikat for a job well done. Very inspiring na amo. At sasabihan ka ni MVP ng ‘Your pain is our pain, your fight is our fight.’”

source: interaksyon.com

Good News to the next level!

Mas pinasiksik, mas pinasigla at mas pinabongga! ‘Yan ang pangakong hatid ng Good News—ang programang nag-uumapaw sa good vibes.

Makichicka kay Vicky Morales at sa mga Good News girls na sina Bea Binene at Love Añover na may baong mga kuwentong siguradong magpapangiti at kikiliti sa inyong damdamin.Magaan ang buhay ‘pag may Good News!








ABANGAN ITO NGAYONG October 14, Linggo, 7:55 PM, sa GMA News TV.

Panata ng mga Artista
Ang mga kapuso celebrity, hindi lang guwapo't maganda, pati ang kanilang kalooban, may handog na kabutihan.  Alamin ang mga volunteer work na pinagkakaabalahan nila sa likod ng camera--mula sa pagpapatayo ng mga bahay para sa mahihirap hanggang sa pangangalaga sa kalikasan.  Siguradong mas hahangaan n'yo sila dahil sa kanilang espesyal na mga panata.

Hataw na sa Sitaw!
Ang sitaw, madalas na pa-extra-extra lang sa mga paborito nating ulam gaya ng kare-kare at sinigang, pero pwede rin pala 'tong maging bida! Siguradong matatakam kayo sa Japanese-inspired Sitaw Sushi, pati na rin ang Pinoy na Pinoy na Sitaw Sisig.  At kung naghahanap naman kayo ng panghimagas pagkatapos kainin ang mga ito, present din ang kakaibang Minatamis na Sitaw!

Mga D-I-Y na Panlinis!
Ang mga liquid hand soap, bleach at shampoo, hindi n'yo na kailangang bilhin at pagkagastusan. Sa tulong ng isang chemist, aalamin natin ang mga paraan kung paano gawin ang mga 'to sa sarili nating mga tahanan!  At ang dagdag good news, murang-mura ang kanilang halaga dahil ang mga sangkap, karamiha'y sa kusina lang matatagpuan!

Ano ang Good News Mo?
Kahit saan, kahit kailan, siguradong may good news kang matatagpuan.  Puwede itong isang tao, pangyayari, o kahit anong kuwentong masaya.  Inalam namin ang Good News ni Juan--mga positibong chikang mula mismo sa aming mga tagapanuod. Kaya naman mula ngayon, bukas na ang aming programa para sa mga Good News ninyo na aming mga tagasubaybay.

Best Kaldereta in the Metro
Ang katakam-takam na kaldereta, sa mga Espanyol pa raw nagmula!  Kaya naman isa ito sa mga paborito nating hinahanda.  Nilibot namin ang Maynila para tikman ang mga pinakapanalong bersyon nito--mula sa kalderetang may sili't gata hanggang sa kalderetang hinalo sa lasagna!  Alamin kung alin ang pinakamasarap sa tulong ng mga expert food blogger!

source: gmanetwork.com

'Game of Thrones,' Kathy Bates, win early Emmys

LOS ANGELES - Medieval fantasy "Game of Thrones" lead the winners at the Creative Arts Emmys on Saturday in a ceremony that also honored Kathy Bates for channeling Charlie Sheen on "Two and a Half Men" but shut out Emmy darling "Mad Men."

On a night that rewarded guest actors, choreographers, musicians and editors of the year's leading TV shows, "Game of Thrones" on HBO won six awards, including costumes, make-up and special visual effects.

Sketch show "Saturday Night Live" took home four - including a best guest actor trophy for comedian Jimmy Fallon as host - tying for second place with the Charles Dickens drama "Great Expectations" on PBS and Discovery Channel's nature documentary "Frozen Planet."

Bates, 64, was a popular winner for her guest actress turn as Charlie Sheen's killed-off bad boy Charlie Harper in CBS comedy "Two and a Half Men."

The Oscar-winning Bates, who this week revealed she had recently undergone a double mastectomy, played the ghost of Sheen/Harper complete with cigar and trademark bowling shirt.

In a night of surprises, 1960s advertising show and four times best drama series Emmy winner "Mad Men" was shut out of the creative arts portion of the biggest honors in the TV industry.

"Mad Men" will still hope to capture the top prize next week at the Primetime Emmys, which honors the best dramas, comedies, writers and actors and take place on Sept. 23 at a televised ceremony in Los Angeles, hosted by comedian Jimmy Kimmel.

On Saturday, the Nickelodeon animated show about a group of commando penguins, "The Penguins of Madagascar," beat popular Fox comedies "The Simpsons," "American Dad," and Bob's Burgers."

There were surprises too when the NBC backstage musical drama "Smash" took the award for best choreography over the three entries for perennial winners "So You Think You Can Dance."

On his second try, Jeremy Davies won for his guest drama role in the FX modern Western "Justified", while Martha Plimpton was named best guest actress in a drama for her turn as a devious lawyer in CBS legal show "The Good Wife."

"Hatfields and McCoys," the History channel miniseries about a legendary 19th century family feud starring Kevin Costner, won three Emmys on Saturday for sound, editing and make-up. The drama drew a huge 17 million average audience when it aired in May, leading to 16 Primetime Emmy nominations including nods for Costner and co-star Bill Paxton.

Reality show "Undercover Boss," in which senior executives leave their company boardrooms to work alongside ordinary employees, won the best reality program Emmy.

HBO finished Saturday night as the channel with the most Emmys - 17 - followed by CBS with 13 and 11 for PBS.

A complete list of winners can be seen at website Emmys.com — Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com

Power balladeer Jessica vs. ‘genius’ Philip on ‘Idol’ finale

LOS ANGELES – Jessica Sanchez, the teen with the big voice, chose power ballads while Phillip Phillips went with an indie vibe as the two diverse “American Idol” finalists sang on Tuesday for the hearts and votes of America.

Sanchez, 16, bidding to become the youngest ever winner of America’s most-watched TV show, was deemed ahead after performing songs made famous by Whitney Houston and Celine Dion.
But it was acoustic guitar-playing Phillips who brought all three judges to their feet at the end of the performance finale.

“You were perfect tonight, and I think you are the man,” said judge Steven Tyler as Phillips closed the show with his potential first single “Home”—a song that mixed the style of folk-rock band Mumford and Sons with Paul Simon and featured a marching band.

Randy Jackson called the Georgia singer’s performance “brilliant, genius” and added “Dude I loved the song! I loved you. I loved the production … Everything about that was perfect.”

Phillips, 21, also put his own spin on his two other songs—Billy Joel’s “Movin’ Out” and the classic “Stand By Me”—earning screams of adulation from the audience of 7,000 in Los Angeles. But he failed to convince the three judges.

“This is a tough one,” said Jennifer Lopez. “It’s like a battle of the opposites.”
Sanchez, a home-schooled California teen, won praise for her renditions of Whitney Houston’s “I Have Nothing” and Celine Dion’s “The Prayer.”

But her potential first single, a pop ballad called “Change Nothing,” fell flat with the judges, bringing tears to the eyes of the young singer.
Jackson thought the song was “just okay” while Tyler said “It didn’t feel like the proper song for you to sing.”

But the judges’ impact is limited to potentially swaying audience votes. America’s “Idol” will be chosen by viewers and fans who have four hours to vote by phone, text and online after the show ended on Tuesday.

Results will be announced at the end of a star-studded two hour finale Wednesday (Thursday morning in the Philippines).

Based on social media buzz and Twitter postings going into Tuesday’s final, Sanchez had a 17 percent lead in Yahoo! searches, the Internet search engine said.

She also generated 60 percent more mentions in social media than Phillips, according to a survey by analytics company General Sentiment.

But Phillips, whose goofball humor has charmed millions of young female viewers, has never been in “Idol”s bottom three.

Sanchez, who is sometimes criticized for failing to connect emotionally with her lyrics, was saved by the judges from elimination in April after coming bottom in the public vote.

The young girl of Mexican and Filipino descent has millions of supporters in the Philippines, while Phillips has won sympathy for a kidney problem that has plagued his health during the show.
“Pheel Better Phillip” read one poster in Tuesday’s audience.

The winner will receive a guaranteed recording contract, putting him or her on a potential road to the stardom enjoyed by early champions Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood.

But more recent winners have fared less well and audiences for “American Idol”, now in its 11th season, have fallen by 23 percent to an average 19.2 million viewers.

article source: interaksyon.com

Comic '21 Jump Street' leads box office

LOS ANGELES - A comic spin on 1980s television hit "21 Jump Street" nabbed the No. 1 slot on North American movie box office charts over the weekend, beating forecasts and knocking two-time winner "The Lorax" to second place.

"Jump Street" locked up an estimated $35.0 million in U.S. and Canadian ticket sales from Friday through Sunday, according to studio estimates compiled by Reuters. The performance prompted distributor Sony to order a sequel.

The movie stars Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum as bumbling young cops who go undercover to bust a high-school drug ring. The TV show was a more serious teen drama that launched the career of Johnny Depp, who appeared in a cameo in the new film.

Critics liked the makeover, with 87 percent giving the movie a thumbs-up in reviews collected on the Rotten Tomatoes website. Audiences graded the film a "B" on average in polling by survey firm CinemaScore.

Going into the weekend, Sony had projected sales around $25 million in U.S. and Canadian theaters for "Jump Street." Sony's Columbia Pictures and MGM produced the film for about $42 million.

Advance screenings and an Internet marketing campaign helped build buzz ahead of the movie's debut, said Rory Bruer, president of worldwide distribution for Sony Pictures.

"I think we were very successful in getting an opening like this with tremendous word-of-mouth," said Bruer, who confirmed the studio planned a sequel.

Males made up 53 percent of the movie's audience, with half of filmgoers under the age of 25 and half older than 25.

'Jump Street' was the only new nationwide release over the weekend, which for the first time this year lagged the same frame in 2011. Ticket sales for all movies slumped 6 percent from a year ago, according to the box office division of Hollywood.com. Year-to-date receipts are running nearly 16 percent ahead of last year.

Holdovers hang on

This weekend, "The Lorax" fell to second place with $22.8 million at North American (U.S. and Canadian) theaters. Sixteen international territories brought in $14.1 million. The family film about a fuzzy, orange creature that speaks for the trees has grossed $172.5 million around the globe since its debut.

In third place, Disney's costly sci-fi epic "John Carter" pulled in $13.5 million domestically, dropping 55 percent from its disappointing start a week earlier. The movie added $40.7 million from overseas theaters during the weekend.

The film about a former military captain who is transported to Mars remains far shy of turning a profit. Total "John Carter" ticket sales now stand at $179.3 million worldwide. The movie cost an estimated $250 million to produce plus tens of millions to market.

In the fourth and fifth spots, comedy "Project X" about a high-school party that spins out of control took in $4.0 million domestically, while "A Thousand Words," starring Eddie Murphy as a literary agent with limited words to speak before he dies, earned $3.8 million.

Also this weekend, Spanish language comedy "Casa De Mi Padre" starring Will Ferrell earned ninth place in limited release. The movie took in $2.2 million at 382 theaters.

The movie division of Sony Corp released "21 Jump Street." Comcast Corp's Universal Pictures distributed "The Lorax." "John Carter" was released by Walt Disney Co. Time Warner Inc's Warner Bros. distributed "Project X" and Viacom Inc's Paramount Pictures distributed "A Thousand Words."

Lions Gate Entertainment released "Casa De Mi Padre." — Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com