‘American Idol’ Chooses Top 12

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‘American Idol’ Chooses Top 12
American Idol Facebook/ American Idol

American Idol Top 12

Christian Post Report – The results are in, and “American Idol” has chosen its Top 12 contestants.

On Wednesday, the top 12 had to perform their audition songs all over again, and the first slot went to Sarina-Joi Crowe of Columbia, Tennessee who sang the One Republic song “Til the Love Runs Out.”

The second spot went to Rayvon Owen of Richmond, Virginia who impressed the judges with his rendition of Katy Perry’s “Wide Awake.”

The third slot went to 15-year old Daniel Seavey of Vancouver, Washington, whose rendition of Paula Abdul’s “Straight Up” had judge Harry Connick Jr. comment on Seavey’s inexperience, but all of the judges agreed that with the right song, Seavey would “shine.”

Maddie Walker of Ankeny, Iowa got the fourth spot, touted as the resident country girl of the season. Walker sang Gwen Sebastian’s “Suitcase”.

Tyanna Jones of Jacksonville, Florida got the fifth spot and performed Little Mix’s “Wings”, and her stage presence impressed the judges.

The sixth spot went to Nick Fradiani of Guilford, Connecticut who sang Peter Gabriel’s “In Your Eyes”. Fradiani previously competed with his band Beach Avenue on NBC’s “America’s Got Talent.”

Jax Cole of East Brunswick, New Jersey got the seventh spot, and she sang a stripped down version of the Beatle’s “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” before increasing the tempo for the last half of the song.

Qaasim Middleton of Brooklyn, New York got the eight spot and he took on Stevie Wonder’s “Sir Duke” complete with some fancy footwork.

Clark Beckham from White House, Tennessee had the ninth spot, and he sang James Brown’s “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World”. Jennifer Lopez declared his performance to be the “vocal of the night.” Beckham is an experienced street performer who taught himself how to play the guitar at age 12 and the piano at age 15.

Spot number 10 went to Joey Cook of Woodbridge, Virginia, who, with her unconventional style, is the most original contestant of the season. Her performance of “King of Spain” by Tallest Man on Earth led the judges to say that she’ll be around for a long time.

The judges wild card pick was Quentin Alexander from New Orleans, Louisiana who sang Lorde’s “Royals”.

The last spot in the top 12 went to Adanna Duru from Diamond Bar, California who sang “You and I” by Lady Gaga. Duru was a previous contestant on NBC’s “The Voice.”

“American Idol” airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. on Fox.

Source : Christian Post

Joe Giudice Cheating Rumors Denied: These Are ‘Lies,’ He Says

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Joe Giudice Cheating Rumors Denied: These Are ‘Lies,’ He Says
Teresa Giudice and Joe Giudice Eduardo Munoz/Reuters/Photo

Teresa Giudice and her husband Joe

Christian Post Report – “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” star Teresa Giudice is currently serving her 15-month prison sentence, but a report and pictures from InTouch said that her husband Joe, has allegedly been having an affair with a woman named Jamie Jackson. Mr. Giudice and Jackson readily refuted the accusations, calling the tabloid rumors “lies.”

“I did not flirt with her, nothing happened between us. Everything InTouch is saying that happened between us are lies,” he said in a statement to Us Weekly regarding the gossip about infidelity.

Jamie also spoke with Us Weekly and completely denied the rumors, saying that they were business acquaintances.

“I definitely never slept with him. Nothing happened with me and Joe … nothing inappropriate happened at any time. We did not hook up, kiss, or anything more. I saw him at the business meals and nothing more,” she explained.

InTouch previously claimed that Joe has started seeing Jamie in December before his wife Teresa even began her federal prison sentence. The magazine said that they drank at Carmine’s restaurant at the Tropicana hotel in Las Vegas, and that they were part of a group that went back to a suite at the Resorts Casino Hotel.

The tabloid then alleged that Jamie was crying hysterically after interacting with Mr. Giudice.

However, an insider totally denied the story, and explained the business association between the two.

“Joe was in Atlantic City for a meeting about getting a wine that he’s involved with into one of the casinos,” the source told E! online. “He was also there to discuss a potential appearance with Teresa for later that month before she surrendered.”

“Jamie, the woman in question, was there because she’s a model who was hired by the wine company to do promotional work,” the insider added.

Source : Christian Post

‘Bachelor’ Chris Soules Joins ‘Dancing With the Stars’ New Season Cast

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‘Bachelor’ Chris Soules Joins ‘Dancing With the Stars’ New Season Cast
Dancing with the Stars ABC

Chris Soules with pro partner Witney Carson pose for their official Dancing with the Stars cast photo

Christian Post Report – “The Bachelor” Chris Soules appeared on “Good Morning America” on Tuesday, March 10 to confirm that he has signed up for the upcoming season of “Dancing With the Stars.”

With fiancée Whitney Bischoff by his side, the 33-year old announced the good news live on GMA.

“Instead of moving to Arlington [Iowa], we are going to be moving to LA for a couple of weeks at least to be on ‘Dancing With the Stars,'” he said.

Us Weekly revealed the news last week that Soules is the mystery contestant who will compete for the Mirror Ball Trophy for the show’s 20th season.

“It’s the worst kept secret ever,” Soules joked, alluding to rampant rumors about his casting.

Soules is paired with Witney Carson, who made her first appearance on the competition show in 2014’s 18th season and won her first Mirror Ball Trophy with partner Alfonso Ribeiro in the show’s 19th season.

According to Us Weekly, Carson recently went to Iowa to visit and bond with her DWTS partner. So as not to reveal Soules as the mystery competitor, Carson reportedly went incognito, traveling in a wig, sunglasses, and an Iowa hat while she was in Arlington.

Soules joins a competitive lineup of celebrities, including Olympic gold gymnast Nastia Liukin, television icon Suzanne Somers, music legend Patti LaBelle, football star Michael Sam,”‘Shark Tank” mogul Robert Herjavec, U.S. Army veteran Noah Galloway, model Charlotte McKinney, “Hunger Games” actress Willow Shields, actress Rumer Willis, “Party Rock Anthem” singer Redfoo and R5 singer-songwriter Riker Lynch.

The 10th anniversary season of “Dancing With the Stars” is being billed as the biggest ever. The show will bring back Disney and Latin theme nights and introduce a new Spring Break special night. Another new element is the addition of all-access cameras in the rehearsal studios, which will be made available in live stream.

“Dancing With the Stars” Season 20 premieres on Monday, March 16 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

Source : Christian Post

Cote de Pablo, Roma Downey Preview Upcoming Mini-Series on Persecution ‘The Dovekeepers’

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Cote de Pablo, Roma Downey Preview Upcoming Mini-Series on Persecution ‘The Dovekeepers’
Cote de Pablo (Photo: Reuters/Steve Marcus)

Cote de Pablo poses backstage during the 14th Latin Grammy Awards in Las Vegas, Nevada November 21, 2013.

Actress Cote de Pablo and producer Roma Downey recently described their upcoming miniseries “The Dovekeepers,” which is headed to CBS later this month.

Based on the popular historical novel by Alice Hoffman, “The Dovekeepers” follows four women who must fight to survive the Roman siege against the Jews in Masada in 70 A.D. De Pablo portrays one of the women, a fierce single mother named Shirah, while Downey is producing the series alongside husband Mark Burnett. Just weeks away from the March 31 premiere, de Pablo and Downey discussed “The Dovekeepers,” including the love stories and drama included in the mini-series.

“It’s hot,” Downey jokingly began in a video on TV Guide, referring to de Pablo’s sensual, mysterious character who is accused of practicing witchcraft in the series.

De Pablo added: “This is one of my favorite things, we saw the trailer and I turned around and said, ‘It’s great,’ then I see Roma and she says, “It’s hot.'”

Both actresses then grew more serious when praising “The Dovekeepers” for its message of resilience and hope in the video.

“Here we are at the worst of times, and we realize life goes on,” Downey said. “There were awful things happening in these peoples’ lives but you know, love can conquer hate, courage can conquer fear, [and] the power of survival can conquer the power of war.”

In a past interview, Downey explained the inspiration behind the adaptation of Hoffman’s “The Dovekeepers” onto the small screen, citing religious persecution.

“I was so profoundly touched by the story of a persecuted people who in the face of persecution, stood up for what they believed in,” Downey explained during the Television Critics Association press tour, according to the L.A. Times. “I think it stays very true to the essence of the book.”

“The Dovekeepers” will air on CBS in two installments on Tuesday, March 31 and Wednesday, April 1. Meanwhile, singer Diego Boneta just released a new music video from “The Dovekeepers” soundtrack on Wednesday.

“I am very excited for my comeback in music with my song ‘Warrior,'” said the singer, according to JustJared. “I am happy to finally share the music video and the single with my fans. Filming the music video in the Mojave Desert was an incredible and new experience as I was very involved with the creative side.”

Watch the video for Boneta’s “The Warrior” here.

Source : Christian Post

Kate Middleton, Prince William Attend Commonwealth Observance, Duchess to Attend More Engagements Before Maternity Leave

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Kate Middleton, Prince William Attend Commonwealth Observance, Duchess to Attend More Engagements Before Maternity Leave
Kate Middleton Youtube Screenshot/ file

The Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William arrive at Westminster Abbey to attend the Commonwealth Day Act of Observance

Christian Post Report – Kate Middleton and Prince William joined the Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Charles, and the Duchess of Cornwall for the Commonwealth Observance at Westminster Abbey on Monday, March 9.

The Duchess of Cambridge appeared to be in high spirits as she arrived with Prince William, fresh from his successful tour in Japan and China.

The Duchess wore a pale pink coat with a matching pink dress underneath for the occasion and accessorized with a pink hat, clutch, and pumps. The royal, who is currently expecting her second child, was seen warmly greeting her in-laws and was photographed greeting Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall with a kiss.

The Commonwealth Day Act of Observance is the UK’s largest multi-faith service and the premier event to celebrate the Commonwealth. The service featured hymns, readings, testimonies and performances from different parts of the Commonwealth.

In other news, the Duchess, who is expected to give birth sometime in April, will be going on several engagements before she goes on maternity leave. On March 11, she will visit the Turner Contemporary Art Gallery in Margate. On March 13, the Duchess will be joining members of the royal family at a service to mark the end of combat operations in Afghanistan, and on March 17, it was reported that she will attend the annual St. Patrick’s Day parade at Aldershot.

One event that the Duchess has been reportedly looking forward to is her scheduled visit to the “Downton Abbey” set on March 12. It has been reported that the Duchess and Prince William are big fans of the show, which is currently filming its sixth season. According to the palace, the visit is to “celebrate the success of the award winning production.”

Source : Christian Post

Joe Manganiello Talks Being 12 Years Sober, Confirms Date for Wedding to Sofia Vergara

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Joe Manganiello Talks Being 12 Years Sober, Confirms Date for Wedding to Sofia Vergara
Joe Manganiello and Sofia Vergara Instagram/ sofiavergara

Joe Manganiello and Sofia Vergara

Christian Post Report – 2015 is looking to be a very good year for Joe Manganiello. The actor is starring in this year’s “Magic Mike XXL,” and will also be in the new TV series “Scream Queens.” Moreover, the “True Blood” star is engaged to Sofia Vergara, and the couple is all set to have their wedding this year.

Though everything is coming up roses for the actor, this has not always been the case for him as he has always been open about his sobriety in the past, most notably in his 2013 fitness book “Evolution.” In a new interview, Manganiello told Us Weekly that he has been sober for 12 years since giving up drinking.

Manganiello spoke to the magazine at the Slamdance Cinema Club screening of “The Resurrection of Jake the Snake,” which is about pro wrestler Jake “The Snake” Roberts and his own problems with sobriety.

“Of course sobriety is something near and dear to me,” said Manganiello. “Twelve and a half years sober. So obviously this is something very close to my heart.”

This isn’t the first time that the actor has spoken about the topic. In a 2013 interview with HuffPost live, the actor said, “There was a period of four years where I needed to quit drinking. It was one of those obstacles I needed to get over. Once again, I needed to clear the road in order for these things to happen.”

When asked about his fiancee’s involvement in his sobriety, Manganiello remained tight lipped but did confirm that they have set a date for their wedding.

While the actor didn’t give any further details about their nuptials, a source from Us Weekly reveals that Manganiello and the “Modern Family” star have done some wedding planning at Palm Beach, Florida and that they were reportedly scoping out a Breakers resort as a potential wedding location.

In an interview with Access Hollywood, Vergara said, “We’re kind of busy so we’re trying to do it maybe [this] fall. It’s going to be big. We started off with 20 [on the guest list], and now there’s like pages and pages.”

Source : Christian Post

Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao Promote May 2 Fight at LA Press Conference

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Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao Promote May 2 Fight at LA Press Conference
Manny Pacquiao vs Floyd Mayweather Youtube Screenshot/ file

Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao have a stare-down at the first and only press conference for their May 2 fight

Christian Post Report – At a press conference for the Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs Manny Pacquiao fight, the two boxers came face to face on Wednesday, March 11, to promote the fight scheduled to take place in Las Vegas.

The meeting marks the first and only time the pair will square off ahead of the weigh in, 24 hours before their May 2 fight.

Pacquiao arrived first and walked the red carpet, and the Filipino boxer was dapper in a dark suit and purple tie. Mayweather arrived next and posed for pictures wearing a light grey suit and striped shirt.

At the press conference, Pacquiao was the first to make his way to the stage, followed by Mayweather who walked to “We Will Rock You.”

The fighters came face to face, and had their first stare-down which amounted to 38 seconds.

“This is the biggest challenge of my life and I’ve been looking forward to this for a long time. We are in the toughest fight of our lives, we are fighting the best fighter in the world,” Pacquiao’s coach Freddie Roach said. “But we are going to kick his [expletive].”

Both boxers were incredibly polite and respectful during the press conference. 

“For the fans of boxing, I believe, this is what you are waiting for since five years ago. Both of us are going to undergo hard training for this fight and we will do our best on May 2 to make you happy,” Pacquiao said.

Mayweather praised his opponent and said that it all came together at the right time.

“This is a fight the world can’t miss,” said Mayweather. “It is an unbelievable match-up. I’m in the gym working hard right now, dedicating myself to the sport because I’ve never wanted to win a fight so much in my life.”

Both fighters also thanked the people who have been instrumental in their success which ultimately led them down to this epic event.

“First off, I have to thank my father,” said Mayweather. “Unbelievable trainer, unbelievable person. It has been a long road but here we are now. Al Haymon—remarkable guy.”

“I want to thank all the Filipino fans who are watching at home. I want to thank Freddie Roach for being nice to me and Bob Arum,” Pacquiao said. “I want to let people know that God can raise someone from nothing to something—and that is me. I came from nothing to something and I owe everything to God.”

The bout, which is the richest in history, will also be the most expensive to see as ticket prices in the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on May 2 will start at $1,500 in the rafters and rise to $7,500 at ringside. It has been reported that tickets have been reaching upwards of $150,000 on the black market.

Source : Christian Post

‘Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End’ Delayed Until Spring 2016

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‘Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End’ Delayed Until Spring 2016
Uncharted 4: A Thief's End Youtube Screenshot/ file

A screen grab from the teaser trailer of Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

Christian Post Report – “Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End,” which is the latest installment in Naughty Dog’s popular action adventure game series, has been pushed back from its original 2015 release date to spring 2016.

In a joint statement posted on the PlayStation blog on March 11, Naughty Dog Creative Director Neil Druckman and Bruce Straley revealed to fans that the game was much more ambitious than what they have originally envisioned.

“After spending so many years with Nathan Drake, he means a lot to the team, and telling the climactic chapter of his adventures is a task we don’t take lightly,” Druckman wrote. “This game deserves every bit of the attention to detail, precise pacing, and nuanced storytelling Naughty Dog is known for. So we’ve made the difficult choice of pushing the game’s release date. Giving us the few extra months will make certain that ‘Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End’ not only meets the team’s high standards, but the high standards that gamers have come to expect from Naughty Dog.”

The game was first announced in 2013 via a short teaser trailer on the same month as the PlayStation 4’s release, with Naughty Dog saying that it will be coming exclusively on the new gaming console. The game will be set three years after the events of “Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception,” with the game’s protagonist, Nathan Drake, now settled into a normal life. Nathan’s world is rocked when his brother Sam, believed to be dead, suddenly appears, and enlists Nathan’s help as they go all over the world to look for a long lost pirate colony and treasure.

Straley and Druckmann assure fans that together with Nathan, they are “in for one thrilling, emotional ride,” once the game is released in Spring 2016.

“We know the extra wait will be excruciating, but you’ll see it will be worth it as we reveal more about Uncharted 4 over the next year,” they promised.

Source : Christian Post

BBC Renews ‘The Fall’ Season 3, Gillian Anderson and Jamie Dornan Return

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BBC Renews ‘The Fall’ Season 3, Gillian Anderson and Jamie Dornan Return
The Fall Title Screenshot YouTube/BBC

YouTube Screenshot of The Fall

Christian Post Report – BBC renewed the third season run of the psychological crime drama television series “The Fall”, according to reports. The series stars Gillian Anderson as a senior police detective who pursues a serial killer, played by Jamie Dornan.

Gillian Anderson is known for her role in the “X-files” TV series and more recently as Hannibal Lecter’s psychotherapist in the series “Hannibal.” Jamie Dornan comes back to the series fresh from his role as Christian Grey in the box-office hit “Fifty Shades of Grey.”

The series is set in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Variety reported. Gillian Anderson’s character is Metropolitan Police Superintendent Stella Gibson, who gets seconded to the Police Service of Northern Ireland in order to take over the investigation of a murder which has gone unsolved for more than 28 days.

When the case turns out to be the doings of a serial killer, Gibson needs to work with the local police help hunt down the criminal who victimizes young professional women in Belfast.

Dornan on the other hand, plays the role of the serial killer Paul Spector. Spector is shown as a working family man and counselor who has a dark secret: he is a sadist who assaults women. Seasons 1 and 2 showed Gibson’s pursuit of Spector, even after Spector moved his family to Scotland at the end of Season 1. The final episode of Season 2 shows the confrontation of Gibson and Spector.

Season 3 will have five more episodes of “the cat-and-mouse game between the two adversaries, further exploring the deeper themes exposed by the intimate story line,” according to a report in Digital Trends.

The series was initially shown on the RTE network of Ireland and on BBC Two in 2013. International broadcast followed in the United States and other countries after Endemol Shine International sold the show to over 200 countries through different distribution channels such as Netflix. In the U.K., the series is said to be one of the more popular series in the BBC network.

No date has been set for the series premiere. The series is written and directed by Allan Cubitt.

Source : Christian Post

HTC One M9 vs Asus Zenfone 2: Comparison of Specs, Features

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HTC One M9 vs Asus Zenfone 2: Comparison of Specs, Features
Asus Zenfone 2 Facebook/ Asus Zenfone 2

Asus Zenfone 2

Christian Post Report – Two devices which have been released at the MWC and CES 2015 are creating major buzz on tech sites nowadays, the HTC One M9 and the Asus Zenfone 2. The M9 is the highly anticipated follow up to the One M8, a device that has earned a lot of admiration last year, while the Zenfone 2 is a budget device which looks, feels, and performs like a premium smartphone.

Here, we compare the two smartphones:

Design:
The HTC One M9 has an all metal body, just like the One M8, but instead of gentle curves, the phone now has defined edges and flattened sides. The phone measures 5.69 x 2.74 x 0.38 inches and weighs 5.54 ounces. The color variations include a gold edge around a silver body, a silver edge around a dark grey body, and a gold body with a black edge

The Asus Zenfone 2 has a hard plastic chassis, and the phone curves at the edges. The device measures 6.00 x 3.04 x 0.43 inches and weighs 6 ounces. It’s available in black, white, red, gray, and gold.

Features:
The One M9 has a 5-inch display with a resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels and pixel density of 441ppi. Meanwhile, the Zenfone 2 has a bigger screen at 5.5 inches and resolution of 1080 x 1920, with pixel density of 403ppi. The Zenfone 2 is protected by a layer of scratch resistant Corning Gorilla Glass 3.

The Asus phone is powered by an Intel Atom quad core processor and runs on the Android 5.0 Lollipop with Zen interface on top, while the HTC device has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 octa-core chipset and runs on the Android 5.0 Lollipop with HTC Sense 7 UI.

When it comes to cameras, the HTC has a better rear camera at 20MP versus the Asus phone’s 13MP rear shooter. However, the Zenfone 2’s 5MP front facing camera is slightly better than the HTC phone’s 4MP front camera.

The Zenfone 2 comes in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB storage options and can be expanded with a microSD card up to 64GB. The One M9 comes with 32GB internal storage and can be expanded up to 128GB.

Price:
When it comes to price, the Asus Zenfone 2 is cheaper as is it is expected to cost $200 off contract. Pricing is currently unavailable for the HTC One M9 at the moment, but AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, and T-Mobile have committed to carrying the phone in the U.S.

Source : Christian Post

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