SPRINGFIELD — Gov. Pat Quinn is shuffling the deck in his cabinet after running into trouble getting his pick for Illinois Commerce Commission approved by the state Senate.
Monthly Archives: February 2011
Brown, Foxx Were Supposed to See Michael Jackson the Day He Died
*Chris Brown reveals he and Jamie Foxx were all set to spend a few hours at the Staples Center in Los Angeles watching Michael Jackson rehearse for his “This Is It” tour dates when they heard the horrible news that he had died.
Brown, who performed a tearful tribute to his hero at the BET Awards last year, tells Nylon magazine “Me and Jamie Foxx were going to see him and (someone called) and they were like, ‘Hold up. He didn’t show up yet.’
“And then we got the call later (that he had died) and it was devastating.”
Cee-Lo Green Officially Joins NBC’s ‘The Voice’
Cee Lo Green attends the 19th Annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards Viewing Party at the Pacific Design Center on Feb. 27, 2011 in West Hollywood
*Contracts have been signed and it’s now official: Cee Lo Green and Maroon 5 lead singer Adam Levine have joined NBC’s new musical competition series, “The Voice,” from Mark Burnett.
The musicians will serve as two of four coaches on the show, which launches with a two-hour premiere Tuesday, April 26 at 9 p.m. , according to the Hollywood Reporter.
“Cee Lo Green and Adam Levine” represent the essence of The Voice,” said Paul Telegdy, executive vice president of alternative programming at NBC and Universal Media Studios. “These amazing artists are the perfect inspiration for our contestants to look up to as they begin their journeys from ‘voices’ to true artists — and any hopeful singer would be incredibly lucky to have either one as their coach.”
On “The Voice,” hosted by Carson Daly, four musician coaches will select singers to mentor during the blind auditions (Judges will listen to contestants with their backs turned to ensure selection is based on “the voice” alone). Once the team has been formed, the coaches will bring in their songwriters, producers and friends to help their teams grow. America will then decide which singer will win the prize of a recording contract and $100,000.
Following the premiere, “The Voice” will air Tuesday, May 3 at 9 p.m. before moving to its regular time slot at 8 p.m. beginning May 10.
New charges filed against McHenry State’s Atty.
Prosecutors today announced new charges against McHenry County State’s Attorney Louis Bianchi and also reported charges have been field against two of his investigators.
Why Wasn’t Mo’Nique at the Oscars?
*Internet reports claimed 2010 Supporting Actress Oscar winner Mo’Nique “refused” to be a presenter at this year’s Oscars, even though previous Oscar winners always present the next year (she won Best Supporting Actress in 2010 for Precious).
Word had it that she was upset with Oprah Winfrey for doing a show with her brother Gerald Imes, who had sexually abused the actress when she was a child.
Nonsense, says her manager and husband Sidney Hicks: She had to shoot two episodes of her BET talk show Monday in Atlanta, so she made a point to announce the nominees last month.
Mo'Nique and President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science Tom Sherak annouce the nominees for Best Picture onstage at the 83rd Academy Awards Nominations Announcement held at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on Jan. 25, 2011 in Beverly Hills.
Hicks told USA Today, “This was her way of giving respect to the Academy and to her show. Either way her position is you can’t please everyone all of the time, and whatever scrutiny she receives she accepts it humbly.”
Conrad Murray Trial May be Delayed
*A judge says he is considering delaying the trial of the doctor charged in Michael Jackson’s death because the physician’s attorneys haven’t turned over witness statements to prosecutors.
Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor says he is extremely distressed by the lack of information that defense attorneys have given to prosecutors in advance of a trial slated to begin March 24, reports the Associated Press.
Defense attorney J. Michael Flanagan says attorneys are still preparing their case and expect to continue their investigation even after trial starts.
That stunned Pastor, who says he may delay the trial or fine attorneys who aren’t complying with rules requiring them to give potential evidence to prosecutors 30 days before trial.
Dr. Conrad Murray has pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter.
Audio/Photos: Willow Smith’s New Track ‘21st Century Girl’
Willow Smith filming a music video for "21st Century Girl" in downtown Los Angeles.
*Willow Smith, 10, has just released her follow-up to “Whip My Hair.”
The track “21st Century Girl” premiered this morning (Feb. 28) on the syndicated “On-Air with Ryan Seacrest” radio show, and will be sold exclusively on iTunes beginning tomorrow. [Scroll down to listen.]
- Willow, her parents, her brother Jaden and his “Karate Kid” co-star Jackie Chan were all in downtown Los Angeles recently shooting the video for “21st Century Girl.” See photos.
Produced by Twin & Alke, “Girl” is an electro-pop number that features more fleshed-out production than “Whip My Hair” but the same sense of confidence from the young singer. “I set the boundaries, the rules don’t own me/I’m living life on the edge, I choose my path,” Smith sings in the second verse.
After the daughter of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith made a splash last fall with debut single “Whip My Hair,” which peaked at No. 11 on the Hot 100, the singer posted a 16-second preview of “21st Century Girl” on her Facebook page last month. Along with Tuesday’s digital release of the song, Willow Smith will perform the track for the first time on tomorrow’s episode of “The Oprah Winfrey Show.”
Smith has not set a release date for her debut album, although the singer teased on Twitter last month, “Are you excited for my album?! It’s coming soon……..VERY soon!!” In the meantime, the pint-sized singer is gearing up to support Justin Bieber on 13 tour dates when his “My World” trek heads to the U.K. beginning Mar. 4.
A testy George Ryan talks about prison life
He was at times testy and combative. In light moments, he joked about prison food. In a more tense remark, he talked of the frustration of being behind bars.
Columbia prof says he’s behind @MayorEmanuel
The fake Twitter account deftly satirized Rahm Emanuel, and now the mystery writer has been revealed.
Lawyer: Let client have hair done before murder trial
Marni Yang will look like a “crazy woman” if she’s not allowed to have her hair done before her trial begins Tuesday in the murder of the pregnant girlfriend of former Chicago Bear Shaun Gayle, her lawyer said this morning.