It’s that time of the year again: The time for Barbara Walters to air her annual Most Fascinating People special on ABC.
Walters has just released the names of all but one of the people that most fascinated her in 2011 –once again leaving us to guess who the number one person will be until she reveals her/him on her December 14 special.
Here are the ones who made Barbara’s list:
Kim, Khloe, and Kourtney Kardashian. Simon Cowell. Derek Jeter. Donald Trump. Katy Perry. Pippa Middleton. Eric Stonestreet and Jesse Tyler Ferguson.
Who do you think her number one most fascinating person will be? Lady Gaga? President Obama? Any guesses?
On tonight’s (Nov. 22) ‘thanks giving’ episode of X Factor, teen rapper Astro explained his temper tantrum of last week and promised his fans not to let them down again. The 15 year old rapper from Brooklyn explained in a pre-packaged video that he “didn’t know how to control my emotions” last week when he found himself in the bottom two and he “could have handled it better.”
For tonight’s performance, Astro set his original lyrics to Jay-Z’s Show Me What You Got andrapped, “Got my head in the right place and I’m back to win.”
After he finished performing, he said, “To Team Astro and all the AstroNauts across the world, but mostly hip-hop, I’ll never let you down again.”
Simon Cowell said, “The music business needs unpredictability. As long as you keep a good head on your shoulders and always do your very best, you’ll be fine.”
The X Factor USA aired its top 9, special Thanksgiving live show November 22, 2011. Paula Abdul still has one contestant left in the competition, Lakoda Rayne. Nicole Scherzinger has two, after losing Stacy Francis last week. L.A. Reid and Simon Cowell still have all three of their contestants.
Below is the live blogging of the show and the songs each contestant performed and their voting telephone numbers.
LIVE UPDATE: 8:03 Steve Jones tells us that not one, but two acts will be eliminated and going home this week! 8:04 Judges are introduced 8:08 Performances begin (see below)
The X Factor Top 11 Call Numbers:
Rachel Crow– I Believe by Yolanda Adams – 1 855 843 9301 or Text VOTE to 9301
Rachel dedicated her song to her adoptive parents. Rachel grew up in a crack house and was in a hospital after being abused and neglected. Rachel says she thanks her parents every day for having adopted her. Watch Rachel perform below:
Marcus Canty –A Song for Mama by Boyz to Men 1 855 843 9302 or Text VOTE to 9302
Marcus gave thanks to his mother who made huge sacrifices for Marcus and his sister while they were growing up. Watch Marcus perform below:
Melanie Amaro – The World’s Greatest by R. Kelly – 1 855 843 9303 or Text VOTE to 9303 Melanie gave thanks to God for all he has given her. She said everyone else has let her down at some point in life, including her parents with whom she did not always live. So, she learned to rely on God. After her performance, Melanie started speaking with a British Virgin Islands accent where she was born. The judges gave her a standing ovation and Nicole asked to give her a hug for showing her vulnerability. CLICK HERE TO WATCH MELANIE’S PERFORMANCE HERE!
Chris Rene – Let It Be by The Beatles – 1 855 843 9304 or Text VOTE to 9304 Chris gave thanks to Tim Frye, the counselor at his rehab center who helped me become sober and become the man that he is. WATCH CHRIS’ PERFORMANCE BELOW:
Lakoda Rayne – You Belong with Me– 1 855 843 9305 or Text VOTE to 9305 Paige dedicated her song to boyfriend Michael. Hayley thanked her father for supporting her in her music dreams. Dani dedicated the song to her grandmother. WATCH LAKODA RAYNE’S PERFORMANCE BELOW:
LeRoy Bell – Angel – Sarah McLachlan – 1 855 843 9306 or Text VOTE to 9306
He dedicated the song to his mom because she was the one that was always there for him before she passed away. His mom was one of the reasons he tried for the X Factor because she did not believe he should give up. WATCH LEROY’S PERFORMANCE BELOW:
Drew – Skyscraper by Demi Lovato – 1 855 843 9308 or Text VOTE to 9308 Drew dedicated her song to her best friend, Shelby who has been by her side since second grade. After her performance, LA and Simon got into a heated fight with LA saying this song is too old for Drew. WATCH DREW’S PERFORMANCE BELOW:
Josh Krajcik – Wild Horses by The Rolling Stones – 1 855 843 9309 or Text VOTE to 9309
Have we already found our winner on The X Factor? 26-year old Nashville, TN native, Brennin Hunt, sure thinks so.
On the Thursday September 29, 2011 audition episode we met the handsome and talented crooner who says he’s already got a strike against him because he’s hot. OK, that he is. But can he sing?
If you ask Brennin, his answer is that he “is the total package.”
He sang his own original called How We Make It. Simon Cowell called Brennin’s voice brilliant and told him he wants to work with him. Cowell said the reason Brennin has not yet “made it” is because he has not been given the right advice or direction to help propel him to that “next level.”
Paula Abdul told Brennin his voice stuck a chord in her heart. L.A. Reid called Brennin hot.
Watch Brennin’s audition below and tell me what you think. Is Brennin ready for super stardom?
OK — You got us X Factor, you got us. When scruffy-looking Josh Krajcik came on the September 28, 2011 episode of the show, we were like, OK, we get it, this self-proclaimed burrito slinger guy is gonna stink it up. Real bad. The more his mom insisted the guy is the next best singer since Elvis, the more we anticipated a total bomb. Man, was the joke on us.
Just when we thought we know it all, The X Factor pulled the ol’ switcheroo on us, because the second the 30-year old crooner from Columbus Ohio opened his mouth, some of us got goosebumps. The rest of us got chills. Why? Because on his rendition of At Last came out some kind of unexpected and gritty Joe Cocker meets Bob Seger rolled into a soulful Etta James.
On his way to the next round, Simon Cowell told him, “I’ve gotta say, Josh. I always thought after a few auditions over the years I wouldn’t be surprised again. And then you started singing and it just blew me away.” He also said he likes him because, “You are honest. You didn’t come out here with any gimmicks. Good for you.”
L.A. Reid informed him, “You need to give the slinging-burritos job to somebody else.” Then he called him out: “I get why you’re dressed like that. You aren’t foolin’ me for a second. This is your ‘before,’ because the ‘after’s’ gonna be … you’re too good, you are way too good.”
Paula Abdul added: “There are just certain voices that the second you open your mouth to sing, it gets in our skin. What a treat.”
Watch Josh’s Chicago audition for yourself and you be the judge:
Did you catch the oddest contestant we will probably see make it through the next round on The X Factor Wednesday night?
I am talking about J. Mark Inman, the 31-year-old philosophy student who auditioned in Chicago (September 28, 2011) and compared his life to “the algorithm for pi” right after he said “J+Mark+X+Factor= $5Million.”
J. Mark performed his own whacked out take on Radiohead’s Creep. Yet, as bizarre and bad as he was, he was enthusiastically pushed through to the next round as if he had hypnotized and mesmerized the judges.
Backed by a stuttering electronic track of the Radiohead song which of course he made himself, J Mark looked really out of place on the big X Factor stage. Then, the music began and he looked even more misplaced. But his voice didn’t start. At first. He just slithered across stage in some kind of weird hip hop moves and it, I am afraid to admit, worked. Then he started singing. And I couldn’t tell if I loved him or was scared of him. Or, possibly even both?!
As the song ended with the lyrics, “I don’t belong here…,” Paula Abdul and the audiencegave him a standing ovation. Paula of course understood and got him because as Simon Cowell said, “he is from Planet Paula.” She said, “You don’t belong here. You’re other worldly. You are in another jurisdiction, fooor suuure. I think I have visited there once or twice in my life. Oh the places we could go together.”
Said L.A. Reid: “It sounded so bad, but felt so goooood.” Inman was sent through to the next round, and he seemed as shocked as anyone, espeically a wicked-smiled Simon.
Watch the amazingly odd audition video clip below:
The September 28, 2011 episode of The X Factor started hot in the cold rainy Chicago auditions.
First up were Brock and McKenna Sollinger who have been singing together for four years. McKenna calls the duo “best friends.” Brock, on the other hand, is madly in love with her and has not told her yet. Well, not until she watches tonight’s episode. Man, I wish I could see McKenna’s face as she learns…
The duo received a standing ovation from the audience singing Colder Weather by The Zac Brown Band. The judges followed by giving the pair four votes to advance.
L.A. Reid: “You just made my day, I really enjoyed you.” Cheryl Cole: “Your harmonies were spot on and your vocals so controlled.” Paula Abdul: “I think your vocal blend is lovely.” Simon Cowell: “Your voice is sensational.”
Watch Brock & McKenna’s (Or Makenna) performance video clip below:
The X Factorfound its very own Whitney Houston, Beyonce and Mariah Carey rolled into one incredibly talented singer in the Miami auditions which aired Thursday September 22, 2011, and her name is Melanie Amaro.
The 18-tear old college studenthad her very own Dreamgirlsmoment singing Beyoncé‘s Listen while absolutely flooring the judges.
LA Reid said she is truly amazing, has the gift, the soul, the swagger and the X factor.
Nicole Scherzinger was moved to tears and and said this is why she does this show and people like Melanie inspire her.
Paula Abdul said Melanie has a unique ability that Paula has never heard in any other audition, ever.
Simon Cowell said this is why he brought the show to America: to find some one like her.
Watch Melanie perform Beyonce’s Listenin the video clip below:
The first contestant to make it to the next round of The X Factor from the Miami auditions which aired Thursday September 22, 2011 was 21-year old Nick Voss. Nick, a modern-day Elvis impersonator, sang the king’s Trouble.
I am not sure if Nick is as amazing as the judges thought he was, but because he came after 100’s of mediocre to bad singers, Nick was a fresh of breath air to them. Continue reading →
Simon Cowell and Fox’s The X Factor attracted a relatively disappointing 12.14 million viewers for its heavily hyped two-hour debut, and a 4.2 rating among the advertiser coveted 18-to-49-year-old demographic.
In comparison, American Idol‘s debut last season drew 26.2 million viewers and a 9.7 in the said demographic.
Despite falling short of Idol status, so far, The X Factor actually won prime time’s first hour with 11.72 million, against CBS’ Survivor: South Pacific, (10.35 million), ABC’s The Middle (9.35 million), NBC’s Up All Night (6.04 million) and Free Agents (3.86 million) and the CW’s H8R (1.3 million).
It did lose the second hour to Modern Family (14.29 million viewers) and CBS’ Criminal Minds(14.07 million, 4.1). The X Factor beat NBC’s Harry’s Law (7.30 million, 1.2) and America’s Next Top Model on The CW (1.56 million, 0.7).
