Tag Archives: Exclusive On the Scene

Stevie Wonder Surprises Fans At The Grove – EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS & VIDEO

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If you want to randomly run into a celebrity, you should start with no other place than The Grove in Los Angeles.

Every day, bigger and bigger stars are accidentally found roaming the beautiful outdoor shopping attraction.

Take today for example, I was walking around and all of the sudden, ran smack into one of the biggest musicians of all time: Stevie Wonder.

Extra TV broadcasts their shows from The Grove, and Mario Lopez was there as well and just as starstruck running into Stevie Wonder as I was. Check out the video:

Kim Kardashian @ The Grove With Mario Lopez Of Extra– EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS & VIDEO

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A mere few hours after having flown back to the States from a trip to Italy and France, Kim Kardashian was back to work at The Grove for an Extra interview with Mario Lopez today.

Tweeting to her many fans and followers, Kim wrote, “Heading to The Grove to see my buddy Mario Lopez! Fun interview for Extra! Who’s at The Grove???”

Mario and Kim talked about her European trip, her family, her love life, and Dancing with the Stars: Kim emphatically denied the crazy pregnancy rumors and named her former dancing partner on DWTS, Mark Ballas, as the person she is rooting for this season. Tune in to Extra to get the full interview scoop!
Kim Kardashian gets escorted to The Grove for her Extra interview

Kim Kardashian using a battery-operated fan to cool herself off on this HOOOOOOOOOOT day.

Michael Bolton Performs At Concert Minutes After Dancing w/The Stars –EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS & VIDEO

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Mere minutes after collecting his unfair and disappointing score of 16/30 for dancing the Viennese Waltz as his debut dance routine on Dancing with the Stars, Michael Bolton rushed from the DWTS studios to The Grove next door and performed at an outdoor concert, Songs for Hope, to raise awareness for breast cancer research.

Chelsie Hightower, his partner on DWTS, joined him on stage between songs to urge the audience to vote for the duo known as Team Bolt Tower.

If you liked Bolton’s dance, vote for him by calling 1-800-868-3402!

Watch the short clip below to hear Bolton describe the Songs for Hope event and to talk about his feelings on his DWTS debut performance. Then watch the remaining videos of the songs he performed Monday night at Songs for Hope.
Definitely watch this video of Bolton paying tribute to Pavarotti by singing Nessun Dorma. Make sure you watch in the highest resolution. Bolton is known for his powerful but melodic voice, but who knew he had this powerful of a voice. The entire crowd was moved by this performance:



Watch To Love Somebody: 
I said I love you but I Lied:

Bolton finished the night with his signature song, When a Man Loves a Woman:

DWTS’ Audrina Patridge & Tony Dovolani Interview W/Extra– EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS & VIDEO

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Audrina Patridge, one of the four original primary cast members featured on the MTV reality series, The Hills, will be coming into your homes every Monday and Tuesday starting September 20 as one of the celebrity contestants on this season’s Dancing with the Stars.


Audrina made her debut on the big screen last fall in the thriller Sorority Row. Other film credits include the action-adventure film Into the Blue 2 and Honey 2.

DANCING WITH THE STARS COVERAGE

On DWTS, Audrina is partnered with Tony Dovolani and the pair, known as Team TorinA, were interviewed by Mario Lopez of Extra.  CelebMagnet has exclusive videos and behind-the-scenes photos of that interview here but be sure to also tune in to Extra so you see the interview in full!

Watch parts of Audrina and Tony’s interview with Mario below and tune in this week to see the full interview on Extra.  The second video shows Audrina and Mario teaching each other different dance steps. If you want to vote for Team TorinA, their number throughout the DWTS season will be: # 1800-868-3401.

Watch outtakes of Audrina and Mario teaching each other different dance steps; and see how Audrina “breaks” Mario’s nose in the process.

When Mario asked Audrina how she feels about the impending start of Dancing with the Stars, Audrina said: “I’m excited. I’m nervous. I’m scared. I have all these emotions running, but I am more excited than anything else.”

Audrina and Tony’s first dance will be the Cha Cha Cha, choreographed to Katy Perry’s California Gurls. Audrina said about the song choice, “It is fun and upbeat. I’m ready”

When asked how she feels about other DWTS cast members, Audrina was quick to say: “We love Florence Henderson!”

As to their biggest competitors, Tony pointed out Brandy, Rick Fox and Florence Henderson.
Mario asked Audrina what she does with her time after rehearsals and Audrina was quick to respond: “I go home, I soak my feet, I eat, I go to bed, thats all I do.”

Videos Of Bruno Mars’ Live Performance At The Grove – VIDEOS

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You may not have heard of Peter Gene Hernandez but by now, you probably have heard of Bruno Mars, Peter’s stage name.

This young 24-year old phenom and fellow Libra is known for lending his vocals and co-writing the hooks for the songs Nothin’ on You by B.o.B, and Billionaire by Travie McCoy. He also co-wrote the international hits Right Round by Flo Rida and Wavin’ Flag by K’naan.

As if those weren’t impressive accomplishment on their own, Mars is debuting his own album, Doo-Wops & Hooligans, on October 5.

I am sure you have heard his hit single, Just the Way You Are which has so far peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100. Mars’ career is about to explode to the moon as he will open for Maroon 5 on the fall leg of the Hands All Over Tour starting October 6. Mars will also co-headline with Travie McCoy on a European tour starting October 18.

Mars performed several of his songs at The Grove Friday and @KoolerBeans was there to record the show. Thank you KoolerBeans for sharing your videos of Mars’ performance with CelebMagnet!

Mark McGrath Interview with Mario Lopez of Extra – EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS & VIDEO

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One of the biggest highlights of being a blogger is getting to meet really really cool people. Yesterday, I got to meet one of my favorite musicians and TV personalities, Mark McGrath, all thanks to Extra.

Extra is filming full episodes from The Grove in Los Angeles and CelebMagnet will be bringing you behind the scenes footage and pictures of their shows going forward. But be sure to watch Extra so you see the interviews in full!
Now, back to Mark McGrath – Mark is best known as the lead singer of the rock band Sugar Ray. McGrath is also the previous co-host of Extra and will be the host of Don’t Forget the Lyrics! when the new syndicated version debuts in 2010. McGrath was also the host of Pussycat Dolls Present: The Search for the Next Doll and The Pussycat Dolls Present: Girlicious. He is also a three-time champion of Rock & Roll Jeopardy! on VH1. 
Watch Extra to hear McGrath speak about all of that; about his engagement to Carin Kingsland, after years of on-and-off dating; and about his twin babies.  AND don’t forget to watch the outtakes below with Mario Lopez! These two have great chemistry together!
Make sure you watch in the highest resolution!
Here is a behind the scenes take of a promo for Don’t Forget the Lyrics!

Elizabeth Kitt Of Bachelor Pad – EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW.

Photo Courtesy of ABC

  The season finale of Bachelor Pad airs tonight and the winner of the $250K prize will be crowned.

We are down to the final six contestants and I spoke with one of those finalists, Elizabeth Kitt, and got the scoop on the game, the house, the Fantasy Suite, the challenges, the friendships and her relationship with Jesse Kovacs.

CelebMagnet: What was the most difficult part of living in the Bachelor Pad?
Elizabeth: The most difficult things for me were being strategic, playing the game without hurting my friends, and getting myself as far as possible. It was very difficult knowing everyone in the house had to be strategic. We came in the house with a lot of our friends. And none of us wanted to hurt each other but we also wanted to get ourselves as far as possible. I had a hard time deciding whether people in the house were being honest or shady. The first few days, I couldn’t sleep. I was so stressed. All of the strategy weighed so heavily on me in the beginning, that I decided after the first episode, I would stop being strategic and just play the game. My friends and I made a pact then that we would not discuss strategy at all, other than telling each other who we would vote off right before the vote. This “non-strategy” actually ended up working really well for us because it allowed for sanity for the “insiders” and kept us in the game for the long run. It also kept us from second-guessing ourselves and each other.

CelebMagnet: Other than Kovacs, with whom were you the closest inside Bachelor Pad?
Elizabeth: Ashley Elmore. Ashley and I were on The Bachelor the same season – Jake Pavelka‘s. Ashley is a loyal friend. She is smart. She played the game safe and tried to stay under the radar. I tried to convince her to couple up – but she didn’t and obviously, she left the show when it came down to just the couples staying.

CelebMagnet: Did any one player surprise you?
Elizabeth: Wes Hayden surprised me. I went into the show not having heard anything positive about him. But, he’s a great guy who got a bad wrap. We all have a million sides to us, and only his bad sides were emphasized on The Bachelorette. He is a good guy with a genuine heart. He’s fun to be around and has a ton of friends off the show as well – speaking to how great a guy he is.

SEE PICTURES OF ELIZABETH KITTS’ MAKEOVER FROM BLONDE TO BRUNETTE

 CelebMagnet: Did you and Kovacs get in trouble for using the “Fantasy Suite?”
Elizabeth: No. Kovacs and I had not had a date on the show when we decided to go to the Fantasy Suite. We are both mature adults and did not think it would be in bad taste to take advantage of the Fantasy Suite. We both wanted to take full advantage of the opportunities presented on Bachelor Pad. I mean, how often will we again get the chance to leave behind our cell phones, jobs, TV, internet and just have each other? We became very close to people in the house. And it was just a fun time.

CelebMagnet: Why did everyone on the show start calling Kovacs by his last name only?
Elizabeth: Since there were three people with same first name, the producers asked us to call him by his last name. I don’t call him “Kovacs” in my normal days off the show.

SEE EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS FROM THE BACHELOR PAD CAST PARTY

 CelebMagnet: So, the question we all want answered: Are you and Kovacs still together?Elizabeth: Well, living in the house, you really get to know someone well. The situation lends itself to an accelerated building of a relationship. If Kovacs and I ever had a shot at a relationship, it would have been at the house. After the taping of the show ended, he and I tried for a short minute to continue our relationship. Then he and I talked and it was clear he was not ready for anything other than a casual relationship and I want a commitment. So, we ended things but have remained friends and don’t hate each other. But we don’t hang out. It’s hard on me. I put my heart out there on the show and he would be so nice to my face. But then when the shows aired, I heard him say very uncomplimentary things about me on camera which I found very hurtful. Had I known while I was in the house what he was saying on camera, I never would have gotten closer to him.

I fell so hard for him before coming into the house. Our relationship had started before: We lived three miles away from each other, saw each other often, worked out together, and met each other’s families. But when the shows aired, I found out the other side of what he was thinking about me. He said I had a “screw loose.” He said lots of hurtful things and I did not deserve that. I never mistreated him or spoke badly of him. And I could never date a guy who speaks poorly of me.

CelebMagnet: So, you have watched all of the episodes now – What do you think of the other “insiders” (Tenley Molzahn, Kiptyn Locke, David Good, and Natalie Getz) going with loyalty and keeping you and Kovacs versus being strategic and keeping Peyton Wright and Jesse Beck?
Elizabeth: I had no idea all of that was going on. Like I said before, I was not participating in strategy. I didn’t speak badly about anyone. I was very go with the flow. After watching the shows, I was very surprised to see how many times I was on the chopping block. I knew that Tenley and Natalie had a stronger relationship and had a girl code between the two of them. But I had no idea they wanted me and Kovacs out. I am so glad they kept us because it would have been very sad to leave before the final six.

It’s also funny because I watched that particular episode with Tenley and Natalie – and luckily, it all worked out in the end.

CelebMagnet: What did you think of the challenges/games?
Elizabeth: A lot of us went into the house thinking we had to be in great physical shape for the challenges. But a pie eating contest? WHO can prepare for that? And I can’t tell you how gross the pies were.

The kissing game – it was funny. I was watching all of the girls kiss the guys before my turn. I knew who all were in relationships. So, I tried to kiss the men the way their girlfriends would kiss them to confuse them so they would vote for me as the best kisser. So, even if the games seemed juvenile, there was still strategy involved on how best to win.

The questions/voting game was hurtful and a low blow. We were not prepared for that.

The water balloon game: Dave’s a football player. Kovacs is a baseball player. I knew we would not win because football involves more finesse. That last throw from David to Natalie was a beautiful throw. They did a good job.

Overall, we were caught off guard that such elementary challenges were in the way of us making $250K.

CelebMagnet: What’s next in store for you?
Elizabeth: I live in LA. I am open to any opportunity. I’d be interested in show hosting. Currently, I am in sales and have been in sales since college. Who knows what the future holds for me….

Designer Brian Lichtenberg & Forever 21 Launch Party –EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS

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EXCLUSIVE ON THE SCENE.

Brian Lichtenberg is an LA-based designer known for unique cutouts, geometric details, fashion forward designs and celebrity clientèle.

Lichtenberg is the genius behind Lady Gaga‘s caution tape outfit in Gaga’s Telephone video.

Forever 21 is a trendy LA-based clothing, accessories and shoe retailer.

It made a lot of sense for these two to collaborate on an edgy T-shirt line featuring Lichtenberg’s ’80s-inspired hipster aesthetic and his penchant for using his own initials in his designs.

Kill City The Brian Lichtenberg vs. Kill City Freddy Glove Tank,Tops (Sleeveless) for Women, Medium,Silver

The line, which launches August 13 in all Forever 21 stores, includes both men and women’s tees starting at the low price of $14.80.

By the way, CLICK HERE to add CelebMagnet on Facebook (Or click the “like” button on the right hand side of this page) so we can keep you informed of all happenings and hot news stories!

Below are some pictures from the launch celebration held on the rooftop of LA’s Beverly Center Thursday night. For the full story and additional photos, visit amiintrouble.com.


Brian Lichtenberg’s Holiday 2010 Collection



















John West Signs Record Deal with Mercury / Island Def Jam

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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW.

  The world-famous Third-Street Promenade in Santa Monica is known for two things: Shops and talented unsigned street performers.  If you’ve walked the Promenade any time during the last four years, chances are, you have stopped in your tracks and been mesmerized by the soulful voice of one of those amazing street performers, John West, only to then be charmed by his charismatic personality between songs.
For the past four years, this Louisiana-native has been doing what he calls the “Humble Hustle”: Performing with just his guitar days on end on The Promenade as a way to “share” his music with the 1000’s of passersby who would never have otherwise heard his music and to sell CDs and tickets to his venue shows.
I myself randomly found John’s music on John’s MySpace page back in the day when I lived on the east coast and when MySpace served as the gateway to finding great unsigned artists. I had never heard of John before, but fell in love with his music on the very first note delivered through my computer speakers.
A year later, and while on a trip to LA in 2007, I was at a gathering at the LA Baha’i Center and noticed a handsome, tall smiling guy walk in. I recognized him immediately from a far. This was definitely fate lending a hand in the making of a great friendship as John is not a Baha’i like I. But he happened to be there that night because he is one of the most open-minded and open-hearted people I have ever met; open to all kinds of experiences and people, so, he goes wherever he is invited and feels the love.
John gave me a couple of his CDs that night when he found out I was on a trip with none of my own music and we became good friends instantly and remained in close contact despite our distance. When I needed a performer for a youth-empowerment conference I used to plan in Washington, DC, it was John who flew out to perform, without hesitation. And for free. All to help a good cause. And when I could not make a decision on whether to move to LA or stay on the east coast, it was John who picked me up in his convertible while I was in LA for another visit and drove me to the beach in Malibu by way of the scenic Pacific Coast Highway–only to let me see where it was that my soul needed to be.
I tell you all of this so you know why I am so absolutely ecstatic and and proud of the announcement John West will be making today. An announcement for which he has been preparing for many years: He has just signed a record deal with Mercury / Island Def Jam. You may have heard of some of their artists: Rihanna, Justin Bieber, Kanye West, Bon Jovi, The Killers, just to name a few. So, John will be in good hands and company.
How did this all come about after so many years of the Humble Hustle? John’s manager, Ben Ricciardi, had recently arranged for a showcase for John with Atlantic Records in New York, but it was Island Def Jam that stole John away. John met with Atlantic and several other labels while in NY, each of which had a hard time trying to categorize his sound. “Is John pop, blues or something else?” they asked.
While waiting to hear back from all those other labels, and as his last stop in NY, John met with British-born Dave Massey, the head of the Mercury Records division of Island Def Jam late on a Thursday night. John says about that meeting, “I love British people. They get it. They get that it’s about the music. Dave was the first record executive who got my music immediately-he wasn’t about categorizing my music; he just liked my voice and my songs and came up with a vision for how to proceed. He asked me to come in the next day to meet the rest of the label for what is called a ‘Same Day Signing.'”  A Same Day Signing is when an artist comes in, showcases his music and is signed the same day. A recent artist who had a Same Day Signing with Mercury /Island Def Jam was Rihanna. Pretty amazing road to be on for John.
Needless to say, John is “excited!” He says giddily, “I couldn’t be more grateful.” When I asked him how things will change moving forward, he was quick to tell me: “Nothing has or will change. I am still the same person I was last week; the same 10-year old kid at heart. And I wouldn’t have it any other way. Getting a record label deal is like running for office and winning the bid. Your job only starts with the win. I now have to get into the studio and write great songs.”
John already has a library of 40-50 songs. He will have to go through each and pick the ones he likes and make stylistic changes to fit his evolving sound. He describes his library to date as: “It’s just my voice and my guitar with a soulful sound, because that is who I am.” But recently, John wrote a pop song for anther artist and he liked the experience.
“Writing for another artist opened a whole new creative door for me and gave me an ear for a pop sound.” That experience also gave John the confidence to add a bit of pop into his already urban/soul sound and land somewhere in the middle. He describes his music now as “urban-pop-chill-feel good-love songs.”
John finished our chat by saying, “Now is not the time to rest. My team and I will collaborate together as a family but will have to hustle even harder; the ‘Humble Hustle’ continues.”
You can next find John playing August 28th at the Sunset Strip Music Festival with such acts as The Smashing Pumpkins, Common, Fergie, Slash, and my other good friend, Andy Grammer.

CelebMagnet Readers Can Help Plan A Wedding! VOTES NEEDED!

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CelebMagnet is not exactly the place you would expect to find a post on a bridal designer, but since that is exactly who you are reading about right now, then, that designer must be a very special person. And indeed, she is, both to me and to the world of fashion.

But before I tell you about the designer, let me give you some context behind my post.

My story begins with Allison Kornberg, Assistant Editor at LA Times Magazine. Allison is also a bride-to-be. A very brave bride-to-be. How so? Well, in order to avoid becoming a “bridezilla,” you know, the type of bride-to-be who focuses so much on the event that she becomes difficult and obnoxious, Allison is letting her readers and the public in general plan every aspect of her wedding. 

Whenever a decision has to be made about any detail of her wedding, Allison puts the decision-making reigns in her readers’ hands by giving them three options to choose from. 129 days and counting into the wedding planning “by committee,” Allison has had the theme (French), date (May 2011), the location (at the beach), and the party attire (formal) all chosen for her, by her readers. She will also be hiring a wedding planner. All because her readers told her so.

Pretty darn brave if you ask me.  After first hearing about this story, I said to myself, there is no way that Allison is going to let the public decide her bridal dress for her; I mean, isn’t what dress to wear the single biggest decision a bride can make? Well, that is of course after the choosing of the groom part is done (don’t worry, she DID choose the groom all by herself). But Allison just announced on KTLA-TV (Los Angeles) that even the bridal dress is not off limits. During that TV appearance which you can watch below, models showed off the three dresses from which the public can chose.

THIS is where all MY readers come in: I am encouraging all CelebMagnet readers to vote for the incredible dress designed by my favorite wedding designer, Nanaz Hatami, the fashion guru behind Aalia Bridal. That dress is the one pictured above and is also the second dress shown in the video above. The dress is a French-inspired piece (which would fit in well with the theme chosen for the wedding) and is made up of petal shaped pieces resembling a rose, so the bride can stand out on her big day.  Click here to vote for the dress designed by Nanaz for Aalia Bridal.

Want to know a little bit about the designer, Nanaz Hatami? I have known Nanaz for a couple of years; and she and my parents have been close family friends since childhood. Nanaz is a down-to-earth, sweet, creative, sharp, fun and witty lady. She has designed evening, cocktail and bridal gowns for celebrities all over the world. I was lucky enough to be at an Aalia photo shoot last year, and I fell in love with so many of her designs that I told her the one and only reason I will ever get married is so I can wear one of her one-of-a-kind designs on my big day. She is that good.

So, here is your chance to help Allison pick her dress and help my friend Nanaz win the contest to dress Allison on her big day.  Click here to vote for the dress designed by Nanaz for Aalia Bridal.

I asked Nanaz what inspired her to design the dress that was chosen by Allison as one of her top three choices and Nanaz responded, “All my life I was inspired by Hollywood’s classic looks from the ’50s and ’60s and Valentino’s touch.”  Nanaz’ favorite actresses were Ava Gardner and Audrey Hepburn. When I asked her why those two, she said, “They were always beautiful and they introduced a classic elegance.  Anything they wore became extremely popular because the two were always ahead of the curve. That’s how I feel about Valentino too.  He is a genius.”


And, here is another reason why I love Nanaz: She is always thinking of others. Whether or not you vote for her, she has has kindly offered my readers a special deal.  Anyone who contacts Nanaz and mentions CelebMagnet will receive a free designer veil with the purchase of a wedding dress. Not getting married but invited to a wedding? NO WORRIES! In that case, mention CelebMagnet and receive 20% off of any cocktail or evening dress of your choice.

Vote away guys. Her dress is the best and fits the theme. You only have two weeks to vote! And, thank you 🙂