Not So with Kelly.

While her figure did look amazing, viewers had started to write into the show from the minute she walked out.  They were writing in comments such as these,

“People keep saying it’s a nice dress but your nipples should not be showing,”

“I think your headlights are on.”

Ripa starting defending herself saying that what people were seeing was not in fact her nipples but the “darts” of the dress.  That it was the way the dress was made.

She said,

“It’s not nipples, it the darts of the dress.” Ripa pointed to her chest. “It’s the stitching of the dress.”

She then went on to thank the audience for making her feel insecure, saying it with a laugh.

Her next guest was Reese Witherspoon and Kelly Ripa immediately asked Reese if she could borrow her jacket to which Reese replied,

“You need a thicker bra Kelly”

It seems as if more and more stars are having these kinds of wardrobe malfunctions and are pruposefully wearing more risque outfits in order to generate buzz.

Do you think that Kelly Ripa didn’t realize that it appeared as if her nipples were showing in the dress or she wanted the extra attention?

See for yourself and watch the now infamous “Nipple Dress”

Kelly Ripa Defends Wardrobe Malfunction [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Matt Lauer is set to leave NBC’s Today in December when his contract is up and now sources close to the talk show host say he’s willing to stay…if NBC puts up a heap of cash.

Lauer is currently earning $17 million a year for his work on Today and sources say he is willing to stay on the show if they up that amount to $30 million a year.

If that source is to be believed Lauer decided he would make a big offer after hearing that NBC officials were looking to hire Ryan Seacrest as Matt Lauer’s replacement. Basically Lauer got jealous and didn’t want his relationship to NBC ending on a Seacreast note.

The other school of thought is that Matt Lauer has always wanted to keep his job but chose to use the “I’m leaving” card so he could ask for a massive $30 million payday.

It’s hard to tell if the network will bite however Today is by far the highest earning property for NBC, earning more than $450 million per year.

NBC hasn’t confirmed whether they have received a Matt Lauer offer for $30 million. At this time a poll on TMZ reveals that only 25% of respondents think Matt Lauer is worth keeping at the higher number, then again the TMZ crowd isn’t necessarily the Today Show crowd.

Do you think Matt Lauer is worth $30 million a year to NBC?

Matt Lauer Will Stay At ‘Today’ For Massive Sum of Cash is a post from: The Inquisitr

Megan Hilty recently spoke with the Wall Street Journal after the premier of NBC’s Smash, and the co-star had a lot to say about the goings-on back stage, from her experience working with producer Steven Spielberg to backstage drama.

In the interview, Hilty talks a bit about the show, but the big focus in the interview is on the actress behind the character. Among other things, Hilty explains what it’s like transitioning from theater to TV.

“It’s great because the subject matter is something that’s very close to what I know and what I’ve always grown up knowing and wanting to do, but I’m just kind of adjusting [to] my audience now,” she said. “My audience is a couple of inches away instead of filling a 2,000-seat auditorium. So it’s great. It’s like a little adventure every day.”

For more, including what she has to say about Spielberg, check out Wall Street Journal’s video interview with Megan Hilty below.

Going by all of NBC’s promotion leading up to the premier of Smash, it was easy to get the impression that Katherine McPhee was the star of the show, or at least one of the only singers vying for the role of Marilyn Monroe. If you caught the premier, you know that isn’t the case–Hilty’s character, Ivy Lynn, is just as determined to land the big part.

In another interview with Christian Science Monitor, Hilty gives us a rundown of her character, Lynn, and what could be in store for her in the coming episodes.

“Very quickly you’ll see her relationships, her family life and the emotional roller coaster that is in store for Ivy that explains a lot about her behavior. We actually reshot a scene a couple of times [from the pilot] because we didn’t know what to give away about my mother, but you’ll find out fairly quickly how my family feels about my career choice and all of that.”

Megan Hilty talks Smash, working with Spielberg is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Duggars aren’t the only family in their neck of the woods to welcome 19 children into the world, family friends Gil and Kelly Bates caught up to them on Feb. 1 when Jeb Colton was born into this world at 7 lbs., 8 oz.

Speaking to PEOPLE Gil, 47, said of the birth:

“You would think with your 19th child, you wouldn’t get excited and nervous. But I was as nervous with this baby as I was with our first.”

The Duggars and the Bates have been friends for decades and the family has even appeared on the families 19 Kids and Counting series on TLC.

The Bates will also have a one-hour special on March 27 which will air after the 19 Kids and Counting finale.

Among the families children are Jeb, Zach, 23; Michaella, 22; Erin, 20; Lawson, 19; Nathan, 18; Alyssa, 17; Tori,16; Trace, 15; Carlin, 13; Josie, 12; Katie, 11; Jackson, 9; Warden, 8; Isaiah, 7; Addallee, 5; Ellie, 4; Callie, 2 and Judson, 1.

In the meantime Kelly, 45, couldn’t be happier, revealing:

“It is very exciting, and we’re nervous, too.”  While she also revealed of the families upcoming 1-hour special, “our biggest desire is to be real. The Duggars have helped people. We talked it over with the children, and everyone likes the idea of helping others. It is not wonderful all the time. We have the same struggles everyone has.”

The Bates say that when they married 25 years ago they had planned on having a “normal family” with maybe two or three kids, that number quickly snowballed after Zach was conceived 3 months into their marriage. Just like the Duggars they decided to “trust god” with their family planning decisions which led them to baby number 19.

Gil and Kelly Bates Welcome Baby No. 19, Catch Up to Family Friends The Duggars is a post from: The Inquisitr

Oprah Winfrey will take a stab at the Oscar’s this year when her OWN network airs original Oscar coverage nearly one week leading up to the Academy Awards ceremony. The event is expected to become a yearly franchise for the network.

In the past Oprah has hosted the “After-Oscar Party” which aired live from the Kodak Theater on the Monday following the Academy Awards.

The move back into Oscar territory may pay off for Oprah as her post-Oscar shows in the past have been some of her highest rating attractions. During those shows Oprah sat down with the nights biggest winners including the Best Actor and Best Actress winners.

On the OWN network Winfrey plans to now interview nominees before the big night and she has already lined up The Help actresses Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer along with Moneyball’s Jonah Hill (pictured above), those interviews will air on Oprah’s February 15 Oscar special.

Before his interview with Oprah on Tuesday Jonah Hill tweeted:

“On my way to get interviewed by Oprah at the coffee shop I went to growing up with my family.#weirdestsentenceihaveeversaid“

In the meantime ABC announced last week that ”Live! With Kelly” is taking over where Oprah left off by hosting an “After the Oscars” live event from the Kodak Theater this year.

With her own talk show bombing in the ratings and most other OWN network shows struggling to attract new viewers the move to familiar territory could be exactly what the OWN network needs to succeed because obviously Oprah’s attempting at creating a new “brand” around herself simply isn’t working.

Do you think Oprah’s OWN network can benefit from pre-Oscar interviews the same way Oprah has in the past with her “After the Oscars” live broadcast or will Kelly fill in her shoes by taking over the post show?

Oprah Announces Oscar Special For OWN Network is a post from: The Inquisitr

Snooki and Jwoww will soon begin filming their new Jersey Shore spinoff in Jersey City, NJ but that doesn’t mean city officials are giving Snooki permission to do as she pleases. According to officials police will be assigned to watch Snooki at “all times” ensuring she doesn’t get too out of control.

In order for producers of the new reality TV series to obtain the needed working permit to film in the city they had to agree to the following no-bargain agreements:

1) The show must allow at least four Jersey City PD officers to be stationed at Jwoww and Snooki’s home at all times.

2) The cops will stay with the cast and crew when they leave the home. Cops have agreed to keep an appropriate distance from the operation, so they don’t get in the way of production.

3) If MORE cops are called in to handle an incident due to events related to the show,producers MUST reimburse Jersey City for all related costs.

City officials say they don’t care if it’s a TV show, if Snooki, Jwoww or any other cast members break state or city laws they will be immediately arrested and booked.

Producers quickly agreed to the rules after Hoboken’s mayor refused the same type of permit to the show’s producers.

Production on the new series is set to begin later this month and I have the feeling that Snooki will end up being arrested, after all that’s what she does for part of her publicity.

Do you plan to watch the new Snooki and Jwoww reality TV series when it debuts?

Jersey City Promises To Arrest Snooki If She Gets Out Of Control is a post from: The Inquisitr

The producers of the smash hit “House” have announced that after 8 seasons the show will be coming to an end.  The FOX medical drama has reached the end of its run and will end after this season’s 177th episode.

Producers David Shore, Katie Jacobs and Laurie called the decision “a painful one,”.  They also said that after all the awards and acclaim the show has brought House stands as  “a source of great pride to everyone involved.”

David Shore, Katie Jacobs and Hugh Laurie, who are all of the show’s Executive Producers released a statement to Fox News saying,

“After much deliberation, the producers of House M.D. have decided that this season of the show, the 8th, should be the last. By April this year they will have completed 177 episodes, which is about 175 more than anyone expected back in 2004. The decision to end the show now, or ever, is a painful one, as it risks putting asunder hundreds of close friendships that have developed over the last eight years – but also because the show itself has been a source of great pride to everyone involved.”

The show stars Laurie as the eccentric Gregory House, a genius Vicodin addicted doctor who only takes the most ridiculous medical cases.  He and his team solve the cases while House verbally abuses everyone involved in his life.  House’s masochistic behavior has landed him in jail, prison and psychiatric hospitals throughout the show’s last 8 seasons.

FOX Broadcasting President Kevin Reilly said of the executive producers decision, “While it’s with much regret, and a lump in our throats, we respect the decision. For eight seasons, the entire ‘House’ team has given us — and fans around the world — some of the most compelling characters and affecting stories ever seen on television,”

How do you feel about House leaving television after this season?

“House” to End Show at The End Of This Season is a post from: The Inquisitr

Zooey Deschanel, who must be described as “charming,” “adorable” and “quirky” in every article ever written about her (it’s the law) will be hosting this weekend’s Saturday Night Live.

The star of Fox’s New Girl will hop across to NBC for her SNL debut, and the channel has started the promotional push with the preview footage you can view below, providing you’re in the right region (I’m not, though I bet it’s charming and adorable and quirky).

Apparently, the 32-year-old Deschanel is paired with actor and comic Kenan Thompson in the clips. I hear that there’s a joke about contracting ‘jazz hands,’ and then a section where Thompson challenges the actress to yell out facts for Black History Month.

There’s also (allegedly – again, I couldn’t tell you) a bit where Thompson cracks a gag about Zooey being the “new girl” on ‘SNL.’ That doesn’t sound so great. But then Deschanel right-hooks Thompson him in the face, which sounds great again. Elsewhere in the preview, the pair look at what’s on this weekend, through the medium of opera. Opera! There’s a high probability this could be quirky! Only, I can’t tell for sure.

Deschanel pops her SNL cherry on Saturday, February 11 at 11:30PM ET on NBC. Before you watch the clip below, please enjoy some of these lines from other sites about this week’s charming, adorable and quirky show:

“Zooey Deschanel gets quirky (well, quirkier) for ‘Saturday Night Live’ promo” — Entertainment Weekly

“[Deschanel's] promos for the appearance are exactly what you’d expect: quirky, funny and adorable.” — PopCrush

“Zooey is paired with Keenan Thompson in the clips, which show off the 32-year-old’s charming comedic side.” — Cambio

Zooey Deschanel to Host SNL this Weekend, Preview Promos Surface [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

After eight seasons of romances, drug addictions, various lives saved and plenty of clever, mean-hearted banter from Gregory House, Fox TV series House M.D. will draw to a close.

Producers for the show laid rumors of the series’ demise to rest on Wednesday when they announced that the series finale will air in May.

Fox president Kevin Reilly announced that it was the shows producers and actor Hugh Laurie who all decided that it was time to move on during a high creative note.

In his statement Reilly said:

“While it’s with much regret, and a lump in our throats, we respect the decision Hugh, David [Shore] and Katie [Jacobs] have made.  A true original, on the page and amazingly brought to life by Hugh Laurie, there is only one Dr. House.  For eight seasons, the entire HOUSE team has given us – and fans around the world – some of the most compelling characters and affecting stories ever seen on television.  They have been creatively tenacious and collaborative throughout this incredible run, and they are amongst the most superior talents in the business.  For all the above, we wholeheartedly thank them, and the fans who have supported the show.”

After much deliberation, the producers of House M.D. have decided that this season of the show, the 8th, should be the last.  By April this year they will have completed 177 episodes, which is about 175 more than anyone expected back in 2004.

The decision to end the show now, or ever, is a painful one, as it risks putting asunder hundreds of close friendships that have developed over the last eight years — but also because the show itself has been a source of great pride to everyone involved.

Since it began, House has aspired to offer a coherent and satisfying world in which everlasting human questions of ethics and emotion, logic and truth, could be examined, played out, and occasionally answered.  This sounds like fancy talk, but it really isn’t.  House has, in its time, intrigued audiences around the world in vast numbers, and has shown that there is a strong appetite for television drama that relies on more than prettiness or gun play.

But now that time is drawing to a close.  The producers have always imagined House as an enigmatic creature;  he should never be the last one to leave the party.  How much better to disappear before the music stops, while there is still some promise and mystique in the air.

The producers can never sufficiently express their gratitude to the hundreds of dedicated artists and technicians who have given so generously of their energy and talent to make House the show it has been— and perhaps will continue to be for some time, on one cable network or another.

The makers of House would also like to thank Fox Broadcasting and Universal Television for supporting the show with patience, imagination and large quantities of good taste.  The Studio-As-Evil-Adversary is one of the many clichés that House has managed to avoid, and for that the cast and crew are deeply grateful.

Lastly, the audience:  some have come and some have gone, obviously.  This is to be expected in the life of any show.  But over the course of the last eight years, the producers of House have felt immensely honored to be the subject of such close attention by an intelligent, discriminating, humane and thoughtful—not to mention numerous— audience.  Even the show’s detractors have been flattering in their way.

Making the show has felt like a lively and passionate discussion about as many different subjects as could possibly be raised in 177 hours. The devotion and generosity of our viewers has been marvelous to behold.

So, finally, everyone at House will bid farewell to the audience and to each other with more than a few tears, but also with a deep feeling of gratitude for the grand adventure they have been privileged to enjoy for the last eight years.  If the show lives on somewhere, with somebody, as a fond memory, then that is a precious feat, of which we will always be proud.

Everybody Lies.

I have to admit that as a fan of the show I’ll miss watching it go away, however at the same time I can’t fault the producers for not allowing the show to drag on with an endlessly new cast of doctors meant to once again grab our imaginations.

The announcement shouldn’t surprise Hugh Laurie fans, the actor announced that he would retire from TV once the series ended which led to speculation that the current season would be his last.

Will you miss House once it leave the network in May 2012?

Fox Announcement: Season 8 Of ‘House’ Will Be The Last is a post from: The Inquisitr

“I would’ve liked to have kept [Paula]. She was very gracious, and I said that to her. She understands it’s business; it’s never personal.”

Cowell also comments on Scherzinger when adding:

“I don’t think she’s mad. I think she’s disappointed.”

Simon admits that his expectations for the show led to the firings:

“It’s only because I opened my big mouth and said we were going to get 20 million [viewers],” Cowell says. “If I hadn’t said that, everybody would be saying the show was a huge success.”

In the meantime Simon Cowell calls rumors of a Beyoncé judging slot “complete nonsense” which means she likely won’t be on the show earning $100 million per season as recently rumored

As for his choices, Simon says Madonna would be great to get but “expensive” while he thinks Katy Perry would be “fun and feisty.”

Cowell also says that Mariah Carey would be great to have on the show but he fears that just giving birth to not one but two kids would make the commitment needed for the show hard on Mariah.

Who would you like to see replace Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger on X Factor?

Simon Cowell Wanted Paula Abdul To Remain On X Factor is a post from: The Inquisitr

Last week, virtually no one was surprised when thinly-veiled hate group OneMillionMoms.com called for the firing of Ellen DeGeneres as the spokeswoman for JC Penney due to the fact that DeGeneres is an “open homosexual.”

Ellen is also host of the popular TV chat show that bears her name, and it is likely JC Penney seriously considered the whole “lesbian” thing before they brought her on as host. While the star does not hide her sexuality nor her lengthy relationship with Arrested Development star Portia De Rossi, neither is she overtly political in tone and hardly believable as a soldier in the “culture war” OneMillionMoms claims is ongoing.

Predictably, the group has wrapped their bigotry up in “family values,” with the implication that perhaps one of the most positive personalities on television today is somehow damaging to the morality of viewers. But Ellen has spoken out, admitting that while she rarely addresses such issues on her show, it was important to her to thank JC Penney for not cowing to the (probably very weak) pressure to “fire” her.

Ellen segued in to the topic by mentioning the ruling that Prop 8 in California was unconstitutional, and she added:

“I’m sure the people who oppose it will try to appeal it, but it’s a step in the right direction. So I’m happy… But there’s a group called One Million Moms that isn’t happy about it. And normally, I try not to pay attention to my haters- but this time I’d like to talk about it, because my haters are my motivators.”

Ellen continued:

“This organization doesn’t think I should be the spokesperson because I’m gay. They wanted to get me fired, and I’m proud and happy to say that JC Penney stuck by their decision to make me their spokesperson. Which is great news for me because I also need some new crew socks. I’m really going to clean up with this discount… After JCPenney didn’t back down, I thought the story would be over… it did not go away. The group has posted a message on their Facebook page.”

DeGeneres then noted for the crowd that “being gay or pro-gay isn’t a bandwagon. You don’t get a free ride anywhere. There’s no music. And occasionally we’ll sing ‘We Are Family’ but that’s about it,” before thanking fans and the retailer for sticking by her. (She also added that “not that there’s anyone counting, but for a group that calls themselves a Million Moms, they only have 40,000 members on their page. So they’re rounding up to the nearest million and I get that.”) Ellen says:

“I usually don’t talk about stuff like this on my show, but I really want to thank everyone who is supporting me. Here are the values I stand for. I stand for honesty, equality, kindness, compassion, treating people the way you’d want to be treated and helping those in need. To me, those are traditional values. That’s what I stand for… I also believe in dance.”

Do you plan on shopping at JC Penney more to support their support of their openly gay spokeswoman?

Ellen DeGeneres Addresses One Million Mom ‘Haters’ on Show is a post from: The Inquisitr

We were first introduced to Katharine McPhee and her stunning singing voice back in the fifth season of American Idol, and now we get to hear her all over again in her role in NBC’s Smash.

In the debut episode of Smash, which centers on the production of a Broadway show about Marilyn Monroe, we’re introduced to McPhee’s character as a country girl from Iowa with a whole lot of talent. McPhee’s character travels to the big city in hopes of following her dreams, and auditions for the role of Marilyn Monroe in the Broadway production.

There was a whole lot of hype-building from NBC leading up to the premier of Smash, so the network clearly was banking on the show being a success and, going by the first impressions, it looks like it may well be. Hank Stuever from the Washington Post had this to say:

“Smash,” the network’s easily engaging new Monday night drama about the making of a Broadway musical, turns out to be quite the little sunbeam. It has some endearing characters, an instinct for backstage meows and a firm grip on its own sense of camp control, which, if nothing else, sets it apart from Ryan Murphy’s now fully atrocious “Glee.”

In addition to being a critical success, at least initially, it looks like Smash was a hit with viewers as well. NY Daily News reports that upwards of 11.5 million viewers tuned in to watch McPhee in Smash‘s debut episode.

Did you catch Smash last night? Let us know what you thought of it in the comments.

Katharine McPhee’s ‘Smash’ scores high ratings is a post from: The Inquisitr

Real Housewives of Beverly Hills reality TV star Lisa Vanderpump says she felt ambushed during Part 1 of the shows reunion episode, an ambush she says likely happened because she was “out of the loop.”

Vanderpump appeared on Good Day LA to discuss the barrage in which she says she was out of touch with the shows other female stars because she was busy planning her daughter’s wedding and opening a new restaurant while the other ladies were working together to go after her and her actions on the popular reality TV series.

When host Steve Edwards joked about the other ladies gaining up on her on purpose she agreed and said it was an elaborate conspiracy in which  ”Adrienne did say to Brandi, ‘Oh, let’s meet the night before,’ and Brandi declined. I know that for a fact.”

Drama between Vanderpump is nothing new, at one point Adrienne Maloof claimed that she was selling gossip to Radar Online, a rumor that the celebrity gossip website has since denied. Maloof and Vanderpump also have competing shoe lines for which Vanderpump nicknamed Maloof’s shoeline “The Maloof Hoof.”

It’s still unclear what type of “ambushing” might occur when the second half of the Reunion special airs but you can find out via the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills Reunion Part 2 which first airs on Monday at 9 p.m. EST on Bravo.

Do you think the “ambushing” was warranted based on Lisa Vanderpump’s actions towards the other Real Housewives or were they just bullying her for the sake of better TV ratings?

Lisa Vanderpump Says She Was “Ambushed” During Real Housewives Reunion is a post from: The Inquisitr

19 Kids and Counting family the Duggars were recently the target of an extortion scheme that was investigated by federal officials and eventually led to the arrest of an Iowa woman believed to be the mastermind behind the extortion plot.

That female, Teresa Hunt, was charged in U.S. District Court with one count of extortion after allegedly demanding that the family’s show be cancelled or he be paid 10,000 from TLC parent Discovery Communications. In exchange she would not release photos of Duggar family members involved in “apparently intimate situations.”

Federal authorities arrested Hunt on Wednesday after completely a sting operation in which a federal agent posed as a representative for  Discovery Communications.

Radar Online reported that the photos were of 25-year-old Amy Duggar, daughter of Jim Bob Duggar’s older sister. Amy was allegedly in a compromising situation with an older man.

According to Amy the women’s story is a lie and the man in question is a “longtime family friend” and nothing more.

With their squeaky clean image still in place I have to admit that I found this story hard to swallow the moment I heard news of the extortion scheme. If you’re going to try and get money out of a TV celebrity at least try for a believable story, perhaps against Snooki or one of the “Real Housewives” cast members.

What was your initial reaction to news of a possible Duggars scandal?

TLC’s Duggar Family Target of “Intimate Photo” Extortion Plot is a post from: The Inquisitr

American Idol contestant Ethan Jones told a touching story this week about his dad who couldn’t be with him because of a stint in rehab but as it turns out Todd Jones wasn’t in rehab at the time of the audition but rather he was at a funeral.

Before the singing part of his audition (watch the video below) Ethan explained that he was in a band back in St. Louis with his dad but he had to leave to go into rehab.

After Steven Tyler, no stranger to addiction himself, heard about the boys story he said “I want to meet your father when he gets out.”

After the episode aired Ethan’s dad revealed that he wasn’t in rehab but was at the aforementioned funeral and had been out of rehab for the six months leading up and through the audition process.

In the meantime Todd Jones says he would love to meet Steven Tyler and hear about his own stories of addition which he believes would be “enlightening.”

It doesn’t take away all that much from the young man’s struggle as a singer and child of a father with an addictive personality but these type of “lies” don’t tend to sit well with American Idol voters.

Here’s the official Ethan Jones American Idol audition:

Do you think Ethan Jones has a strong enough voice to make it into the American Idol live rounds?

Ethan Jones’ American Idol Audition Wasn’t Truthful, Dad Wasn’t In Rehab During Show Taping is a post from: The Inquisitr

The ABC hit comedy show “Modern Family” is no stranger to hilarious guest star cameos including David Cross, Shelley Long, and Nathan Lane, and now  quite possibly one of the biggest pop sensations we’ve seen — Britney Spears.

The news started when Britney tweeted on Tuesday about her love of the show: “I know everybody is excited about the Super Bowl, but I personally can’t wait to see the next episode of Modern Family! Funniest show on TV.”

As you can probably guess it took off from there. The Modern Family star actress Sofia Vargara retweeted Spears’ tweet, and soon after Vargara’s manager chimed in on the situation “@BritneySpears on Modern Family? What do you guys think?”

After that Britney responded with a very enthusiastic tweet “Ahhh I would love to be on it!”, which then prompted fans to start a rabid campaign #GetBritneyonModernFamily and resulted in a trend topic for the popular social networking site.

So far neither Britney’s camp or Modern Family’s officials have confirmed about the guest starring role, but you never know, odder things have happened, and “Modern Family” hasn’t been a show to shy away from anything out of the ordinary.

The show recently came under fire for showing a toddler curse in an episode, riling up anti-profanity crusaders across the globe.

Spears has dabbled in comedy before, guest starring on “Glee”, “How I Met Your Mother”, and “Will & Grace” just to name a few. As a child Spears was also featured on the hit relaunched variety show “The Mickey Mouse Club”.

Britney Spears Wants on Modern Family is a post from: The Inquisitr

Following his very public and surprisingly melodic Al Green rendition, President Obama has been invited to perform on American Idol by executive producer Nigel Lythgoe.

Obama took everyone by surprise last month when he crooned a line from Green’s ‘Let’s Stay Together’ at a fundraiser event (those who dwell beneath rocks can watch it below). The crowd lapped it up, and now Lythgoe wants to pull off the Idol celebrity booking of the decade and get Obama and Al Green to perform a duet.

Using the handle @dizzyfeet, Lythgoe tweeted an invite to the Commander-in-Chief on Tuesday:

“@BarackObama we loved your vocal performance so much we’d love to invite you on to #AmericanIdol this Season for a duet with Al Green.”

One politician who won’t be getting an Idol offer is GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney. Romney sung – if that’s the correct word – a verse from ‘America the Beautiful’ at a recent rally, and his vocals were pancake-flat. Lythgoe was decidedly unimpressed:

“If it were an election based on vocal talent @barackobama would beat Romney hands down. Mitt was very flat singing America the Beautiful.”

Admittedly an Obama appearance on Idol is a supremely unlikely occurrence, but it’s a fun idea, no?

President Obama Asked to Sing on American Idol is a post from: The Inquisitr

ABC is looking for more funny! Or at least that’s what it looks like by the projects they’re taking on. It was announced today that ABC has decided to take on more comedy projects, one written and starring Reba McEntire. The McEntire attached project will also see the singer as an executive producer, which is tentively titled “Malibu Country”,  a multicamera comedy show.

The half hour comedy project will center around Reba, a recently divorced woman who decides to sign the papers after she catches her husband cheating on her. She then decides to move the family from Nashville to Malibu. There she’ll try to rebuild her family and singing carer to keep her kids from going insane in the materialistic world of Malibu. There’s sure to be some hokey fun in this project, especially when Reba herself is concerned.

The project nabbed Kevin Abbott as a writer, with McEntire’s manager Narvel Blackstock, and Laura Ziskin Productions’ Pam Williams, Dave Stewart (get this, formely from the Eurythmics) and Acme Productions’ Mindy Schultheis and Michael Hanel.

That 70s Show’s husband and wife writing duo will pen and executive producer “Prairie Dogs”, a half hour single-camera project from ABC. This particular project revolves around Neil, an unhip blue collared (“prairie dog”) at one of the hippest companies in the world, who also happens to be a victim of identity theft. When he finds out the thief has created a better life for him, he engages  in the conman to save his life of mediocrity.

The projects also join Judy Greer’s “American Judy”, Dan Fogelman’s alien family project, and “The Manzonis”, starring Kristie Alley and Rhea Pearlman.

Looks like everything’s coming up comedy!

ABC Picks Up Comedy Pilots with Reba, Judy Greer & Kristie Alley is a post from: The Inquisitr

Hoboken mayor Dawn Zimmer isn’t a fan of the popular MTV reality series Jersey Shore and for that reason she has denied Jim Bianco and 495 Production the necessary permits required to film Snooki and JWoww’s new Shore spinoff in the New Jersey city.

In the letter which denied the permit Zimmer noted:

“Based on protecting public safety and quality of life concerns for Hoboken residents, the city has denied a film permit for a spin-off of the ‘Jersey Shore’ to be filmed in public locations.”

The show was originally announced in April 2011 at which point staff from 495 Production began scouting out locations before settling on Hoboken.

In a statement teasing about the show MTV officials initially released this short synopsis:

“Always inseparable and ready to get the party started at the shore, viewers will get to see how they deal with life and love when the vacation is over in this 12-episode series” and ”The locale may be different, but the friendship is sure to remain the same.”

Here’s the pull letter sent from Zimmer to 495 Production:

Do you think the mayor of Hoboken made the right decision to deny a Jersey Shore spin-off permit which in turn allows the city of Hoboken to protect it’s image which could easily have been replaced with the faces and antics of Snooki and JWoww?

Jersey Shore Spin-Off Won’t Film In Hoboken Thanks To City’s Mayor is a post from: The Inquisitr

The White Collar star Matt Bomer will be heading to Lima, Ohio (well, at least fictionally) as he prepares for a guest role on FOX’s Glee.

TVLine learned exclusively that Bomer will play the older brother to McKinley High’s second out and proud gay teenager Blaine Anderson portrayed by the How To Succeed in Business star Darren Criss.

No leaks on why the elder Anderson (Matt Bomer) is around but word is that the brothers will be singing a mashup. It turns out that legendary rock band Duran Duran has freed up a few tracks just for the occasion, giving Bomer time to spread his wings as an actor and music man.

Glee is no stranger to celebrity cameos. In the last three years they’ve managed to snag Britney Spears, Kristin Chenoweth, Idina Menzel, John Stamos , Gwyneth Paltrow, Neil Patrick Harris, and up next is Ricky Martin, who will be playing the new Spanish teacher.

So far this season we’ve seen Rachel (Lea Michelle) and Finn (Cory Monteith) get engaged, Quinn (Dianna Agron) snatch her adopted baby back, and a hot for teacher romance between Puck (Mark Salling) and Shelby (Idina Menzel) making for continuity issues and questionable uneven storylines.

In addition in the last year there has been many changes to the primary cast of glee, exits by Ashley Fink and the disappearing and reappearing Chord Overstreet, has made for an uneven season thus far.

Matt Bomer to Guest on Glee is a post from: The Inquisitr