A long wait is finally over for the nation, when the jury members of the reality based Talent Hunt show ‘American Idol’ will finally reveal the Top 24 semifinalists. The auditions which got over for the ninth season of American Idol saw the Judges’ pick their well deserved 24 Idols. The top 24 contestants consist of 12 females and 12 males, all coming from different nooks and corners of America, with the promise to deliver the most amazing and undiscovered talent with a lot of surprises along the way.

The earlier episodes of the talent hunt show saw a lot of talented singers trying to prove their mettle in front of the judges. The show saw the contestants singing their solo numbers, before the judges revealed their lucky top 24 contenders. The sensational singers enlivened the air with their numbers, although there were a lot of repeated songs, yet, each singer tried to make their songs as unique as possible.

The 24 lucky semifinalists who managed to battle their way in are: (females) Didi Benami, Crystal Bowersox, Lacey Brown, Michelle Delamor, Katelyn epperly, Siobhan Magnu, Paige Miles, Ashley Rodriguez, Lily Scott, Katie Stevens, Haeley Vaughn and Janell Wheeler. While the male members consist of Lee Dewyze, Andrew Garcia, Tyler Grady, Todrick Hall, Casey James, Aaron Kelly, Alex Lambert, Michael Lynche, Joe Munoz John Park, Jermaine Sellers and Tim Urban.

The next episode of American Idol will have the 24 singers divided among two groups- the male and the female who will battle it out by performing the top 10 hits from the Hot 100 chart. The first night will see the ladies setting the stage on fire with their scintillating performances followed by the boys who will level it down on the next day.

So it is a matter of wait and watch, as the contenders get the show rolling, with a lot of nerve rattling moments, as tensions mount due to the competition for their first performance show. After each performance the voting lines will be open for the viewers for two hours where the American Idol fans will vote for their favorite contestants. Idol fans can also use the branded toll-free telephone numbers (1-866-IDOLS-01, -02, etc.) until 12:00 AM ET/PT (11:00 PM CT/MT), subject to time zone restrictions, and AT&T wireless subscribers can use their cell phones to vote by texting the word “VOTE” to the four-digit short number (5701, 5702, etc.) that corresponds with the contestant of their choice. The results of the viewers pick will be announced on the second day of the program, where the nation will see two girls and two guys being eliminated on the first result show of the season.

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The tenth staging of the Santa Fe Film Festival is held from December 2-6, 2009. The founder Jon Bowman will be stepping down after ten years as heading the Santa Fe Film Festival operations. His interest in films started while making popcorn in Albuquerque, New Mexico at the Silver Dollar Drive In when he was 15. The organizers are moving towards their aim of making it a world class festival. According to Karen Redhawk Dallet, the festival’s new operations director, the film festival will one day surely achieve the level of the Toronto and the Sundance Film Festival. Once known for being a perfect location for making movies, New Mexico is now also considered as an ideal place for showcasing them too. Karen plans on moving the festival dates to October in hopes that this will accommodate more viewers and filmmakers. This year’s festival has low temperatures in the high teens making for some chilly nights.

 The Santa Fe Film Festival this year is all set to celebrate Oscar stars by honoring Tommy Lee Jones, actress Ellen Kuras and Wes Studi. Mark Rydell, Director of “On Golden Pond” and Inside Actor’s Studio Director, will also be honored with an award. Bill Richardson, the Governor of New Mexico mentioned that the Santa Fe Film Festival is recognized at both the national and international level. The film industry of New Mexico is growing at a very fast pace and the credit for the same goes to Richardson’s film incentive program along with the Albuquerque Studios.

 The film festival hold screenings of over one hundred independent films categorized into narrative feature, documentary, animation, short narrative, short documentary and indigenous. The films are going screened at seven different locations within downtown Santa Fe. The collection is not only entertaining but aims at reflecting issues that each one of us is concerned about to a great extent. The films that are going to be screened will focus on aspects like family love, individual challenges, environmental awareness, immigration, international affairs, truth and humor and of course entertainment. The film festival triggers emotions with a wide variety of films.

 The opening night screening will be “Everyone’s Fine” starring Robert De Niro, Kate Beckinsale, Sam Rockwell, Drew Barrymore, Katherine Moenning and James Frain. This is a remake of Giuseppe Tornatore’s “Stanno Tutti Bene.” This is the story of a widower, (De Niro), who goes on a road trip to connect with his grown children. He discovers his children are not perfect and they discover a new side to their father. He gets to know his children as adults and develops a relationship that he did not have when they were young.

 The Santa Fe Film Festival also includes parties, panels and filmmaker workshops. The center of this activity is the Hotel Santa Fe.

Hotel Santa Fe | Sponsor for the Santa Fe Film Festival

Opening night party is at The Cowgirl. The party has music, BBQ and of course tequila by sponsor Silver Coin Tequila. Call them and tell them you read about The Cowgirl on My Entertainment News

The Cowgirl host to the opeining night party for the Santa Fe Film Festival. 505.982.2565 319 S. Guadalupe St Santa Fe, NM

Warning Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince spoiler, but if you have read the book you know what happens anyway.

Some 17,000 fans who won a ticket lottery entered by almost 1.6 million people for the privilege of being there, gathered at the cavernous Staples Center in Los Angeles to bid farewell to the King of Pop. This marked the final curtain call of the legend’s glittering career. It was a somber event, attended by Jackson family, stars from the music world and incredible numbers of fans.

Before a gold-plated casket holding the remains of Michael Jackson took center stage at the memorial service, people listened to Michael Jackson songs. The service began with Smokey Robinson reading the letter from Diana Ross-

“Michael was my great love, a very important part of my world, part of the fabric of my life in a way that I can not explain. No words to express this feeling.”

It was a star-studded memorial with some of the biggest names in pop music taking part in the memorial service, including Stevie Wonder, Mariah Carey, Lionel Richie, Usher, Jennifer Hudson and John Mayer. Other prominent figures who spoke at the memorial service included civil rights leader Al Sharpton and Martin Luther King III, basketball stars Magic Johnson and Kobe Bryant, congresswoman Sheila Jackson, Hollywood actor Brook Shield and Bernice A. King.

The rose covered coffin bearing Michael Jackson rests in the front of stage while the celebrities gave their speech and performed and Jackson family mourned. Usher, Stevie Wonder and Mariah Carey led an emotional public memorial and sang for the music legend during the ceremony.

The memorial service for one of the greatest entertainers ever was filled with celebs, but those who could not make it to the event sent statements that were read on stage to family of Michael Jackson and millions of fans. Robinson read the letter from Nelson Mandela,

"A big honor for his great talent and was able to triumph over all the tragedies come upon his life. Michael was a giant and a legend in the music industry. We have troubles with millions of fans around the world.”

The farewell to the pop legend could not get bigger! It was beautiful, but heartbreaking! Michael Jackson died on June 25, 2009 after suffering cardiac arrest at his home in Los Angeles. He was 50 years old when he died.

By Gerry Grant

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Farrah Fawcettt was a Texas native and former model who was starred in TV movies “Nazi Hunter: The Beate Klarsfeld Story, “The Burning Bed”, “Small Sacrifices” and more. Some of her big screen credits include “Dr. T and the Women”, “Extremities” and “The Apostle”. The actress also made guest appearances on “The Guardian”, “Spin City” and “Ally McBeal” series.

The model became 1970s pop-culture icon after the release of the poster in which she was wearing a red swimsuit. Millions of copies were sold and she retained the sex-symbol image by posing for Playboy Magazine at the age of 50.

Farrah Fawcettt was nominated thrice for Emmy Award: Once for guest actress in the drama series “The Guardian (2003)” and twice for lead actress in “Small Sacrifices (1990)” & “The Burning Bed (1985)”.

When “Farrah’s story”, a video diary about her courageous battle against cancer was run as an NBC special last month, more than 8.9 million people tuned in to view it. She also advocated for domestic violence victims as well as fought for the privacy of patients in hospitals.

Farrah Fawcettt’s longtime partner, actor Ryan O’Neal told People Magazine, “ She’s gone. She now belongs to the ages. She’s now with her mother and sister and her God. I loved her with all my heart. I will miss her so very, very much. She was in and out of consciousness. I talked to her all through the night. I told her how very much I loved her. She’s in a better place now”.

The actress died at 12.28 pm. EST at St. John’s Health Center and is survived by O’Neal and their 24 year old son Redmond O’Neal. Farrah Fawcettt was previously married to actor Lee Majors.

The Tonight Show host and the legendary TV star had been battling ill health for some time. Doctors diagnosed him with systemic bone cancer and he was being admitted for pneumonia since February in the hospital.

Ed McMahon was Johnny’ Carson’s sidekick forever and hosted blooper shows & Star Search. He also made a special guest voice in on The Simpsons. The booming voice and barking laugh were the traits of his personality.

When his voice changed at adolescence, McMahon did part time work calling bingo games. He also worked as a street vendor and carnival barker, as well as became an unseen voice in many TV and radio commercials. McMahon also got dummy’s job where he was required to laugh extra loud at Carson’s jokes. For thirty years, his job was to laugh and shout “Heeeeere’s Johnny!”.

Ed McMahon also acted in cheesy movies and sitcoms, became Jerry Lewis’s co-host on muscular dystrophy telethons and hosted “specials” on T.V. He stopped endorsing products since breaking his neck in a fall in 2006.

“Ed McMahon’s voice at 11:30 was a signal that something great was about to happen. Ed was a true broadcaster, and an integral part of Johnny Carson’s ‘Tonight Show.’ We will miss him," said Letterman.

"I am deeply saddened by today’s news about Ed McMahon. He is responsible for giving so many artists their first shot, including myself. … He was a wonderful man and will be greatly missed", Britney Spears Tweeted on Tuesday.

McMahon’s last years were surrounded by legal troubles and financial difficulties. When he fell at a friend’s house, he sued the homeowners and doctors at a Los Angeles hospital claiming that he was misdiagnosed for neck fracture.

He filed various lawsuits related to mold at his California mansion and was facing financial difficulties. All this would have ended up in Ed McMahon losing his home and falling behind on mortgage payments.

The main cause of Ed McMahon’s death is still not confirmed. He is survived by his wife Pam Hurn and five children.

The pop star got full cardiac arrest at his Holmby Hills home in LA and paramedics were unable to revive him. CPR was performed when we has being taken to the UCLA Medical Center where he was declared dead.

The Los Angeles Times said that robbery-homicide detectives are still investigating the death of eccentric entertainer, though there was no evidence of a wrongdoing. An autopsy will be conducted by Los Angeles County Coroner to find out how Michael Jackson died. The post-mortem exam will be performed on Friday.

Michael Jackson was an Indiana native and the 7th youngest member of the pop group family. He enjoyed a successful solo career with “Beat It”, “Thriller” and “Billie Jean”. Moonwalk dance, glittery glove and military-style costumes soon became his fashion statement and gave him the highest place in pop-culture history.

However, the reports of bizarre behavior, plastic surgery and legal & financial allegations later overshadowed the glorious career of Michael Jackson. He was also accused of child molestation. All this made Michael maintain a low profile in the past few years.

Jermaine, Jackson’s brother said “ His personal physician, who was with him (at the house) at the time, attempted to resuscitate my brother, as did paramedics. A team of highly skilled doctors, including emergency physicians and cardiologists, attempted to resuscitate him for a period of more than one hour, but were unsuccessful.”

The pop artist known for his falsetto voice is survived by three children: Michael Joseph Jackson Jr., Paris Michael Katherine Jackson and Prince Michael Jackson II. His two marriages, one to singer-songwriter Lisa Marie Presley and another to former dermatologist nurse Deborah Rowe ended in divorce.

This says it all. I was lucky enought to have known him when I was a boy.