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Miss Venezuela Dayana Mendoza is Miss Universe 2008

2008-07-17T17:05:00.004+03:00

Miss Venezuela Dayana Mendoza, has won the Miss Universe pageant. The 22-year-old stunner beats runners-up from Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Russia and Mexico to clinch the diamond-studded golden crown.

Miss Universe 2008: Miss Venezuela Dayana Mendoza

1st Runner Up: Taliana Vargas (Colombia)

2nd Runner Up: Marianne Cruz Gonzalez (Dominican Republic)

3rd Runner Up: Vera Krasova (Russia)

4th Runner Up: Elisa Najera (Mexico)

Top five stunners

After the stunning top ten hopefuls sashayed the ramp, the judges announced the top five as: Dayana Mendoza (Venezuela), Elisa Najera (Mexico), Marianne Cruz Gonzalez (Dominican Republic), Taliana Vargas (Colombia) and Vera Krasova (Russia)

Best National Costume Award goes to Miss Thailand.

Miss Congeniality is Miss El Salvador

Miss USA trips on stage

For the second year in a row, Miss USA has fallen down during the evening gown competition at the Miss Universe competition. It was a nightmare come true for Miss USA Crystle Stewart, a Texan, who tripped on the train of her bejeweled evening gown as she made her entrance.

During the 2007 Miss Universe contest in Mexico City, Miss USA Rachel Smith also tumbled during the evening gown competition and became an unintended star on YouTube, where the video was shown over and over again.

Miss Universe 2008 Miss Venezuela Wins

Top ten contestants announced

The finalists walked across the stage in bikinis for the swimsuit competition and the excitement was spectacular when the top 10 contestants were announced.

The top ten finalists are: Dayana Mendoza (Venezuela), Zana Krasniqi (Kosovo), Elisa Najera (Mexico), Laura Dundovic (Australia), Marianne Cruz Gonzalez (Dominican Republic), Claudia Ferraris (Italy), Taliana Vargas (Colombia), Vera Krasova (Russia), Crystle Stewart (USA) and Claudia Moro (Spain).

After narrowing to 10 contestants, the show will move to evening gowns, with the smiling hopefuls walking across the stage to music. From there, five contestants will be eliminated, and the judges will choose the winner from the five remaining.

15 semi-finalists announced

The field is reduced to 15 semi-finalists, including: Dayana Mendoza (Venezuela), Zana Krasniqi (Kosovo), Elisa Najera (Mexico), Lam Thuy Nguyen (Vietnam), Tansey Coetzee (South Africa), Laura Dundovic (Australia), Hiroko Mima (Japan), Marianne Cruz Gonzalez (Dominican Republic), Claudia Ferraris (Italy), Taliana Vargas (Colombia), Vera Krasova (Russia), Jazmin Dammak (Hungary), Eliska Buckova (Czech Republic), Crystle Stewart (USA) and Claudia Moro (Spain).

The 80 contestants gathered in the seaside city of Nha Trang, Vietnam, vying to succeed reigning Miss Universe Riyo Mori of Japan.

Miss Universe 2008: Curtain raiser!

Gates of Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa, Vietnam have opened, and hundreds rather thousands of people are thronging the venue while millions across the world have already tuned in to their TV sets to watch eighty of the world’s most beautiful women battle it out for the hot spot – the Miss Universe 2008 crown.

The show is hosted by Jerry Springer as well as former Spice Girl Mel B. The judges panel comprises of Donald Trump Jr., (executive vice president of the Trump Organization); Roberto Cavalli (fashion designer and entrepreneur); Nadine Velazquez (international cover girl); Jennifer Hawkins (television presenter and Miss Universe 2004); Louis Licari (celebrity colorist and “Today Show” ambush makeover expert) and John Nguyen (vice chairman of Hoan Cau, LTD Investment and Construction).

Actress Eesha Koppikhar has also been selected as one of the judges at Miss Universe 2008! And apparently, she’s the first Bollywood actress to judge this particular contest.

Confirming the news from Hong Kong, where she was to board a flight to Vietnam where the contest is taking place, she said, “It all happened at the last minute. I’m so excited! I have an international agent who mailed my details and they thought I was qualified to judge the show. I’m sure I’m going to have a rocking time!”

Apart from the beauties sashaying down the ramp, the pageant promises a power-packed performance by sensational pop star Lady GaGa on her hit number ‘Just Dance’. The thud has rocked several venues around the world and is expected to bring the same excitement to Vietnam.

In a few hours, Miss Universe 2007 Riyo Mori will hand over the exquisite crown to her successor. The Top 15 finalists will be judged in three categories: swimsuit, evening gown, and interview during the broadcast. Also, the winner for Best National Costume, as decided by online votes, will be announced.

Tanya Hutchinson wins TV Land's 'She's Got the Look' reality series

2008-07-17T16:59:00.004+03:00

Tanya Hutchison of Orange County, CA has been crowned the winner of "She's Got The Look," TV Land's original reality series searching for the next great supermodel -- over 35. Hutchison was announced as the winner on last night's dramatic season finale and has landed a lucrative modeling contract with Wilhelmina Models, Inc. and a fashion spread in SELF Magazine.

"She's Got The Look," is a collaboration with Wilhelmina Models, Inc., which sets out to discover a sophisticated, beautiful and confident woman 35 or older who is destined to become the next great supermodel. Iconic supermodel Kim Alexis, who has graced the covers of more than 500 magazines, hosts "She's Got The Look." Supermodel

Beverly Johnson -- who made history as the first African-American model to appear on the cover of American Vogue -- celebrity stylist Robert Verdi and Wilhelmina president Sean Patterson are featured as regular judges on the series. The series is executive produced by Emmy Award-Winner Allison Grodner ("Big Brother," "Blowout").

In last night's finale, four finalists remained, and they had to put to use everything they've learned throughout the series to make it to the top. The women pitched themselves to the editors of SELF Magazine and then realized their pitch in their ultimate cover girl photo shoot.

Tanya Hutchinson wins She's Got The Look

"Tanya truly embodies what this competition is all about," states Larry W. Jones, president, TV Land. "Not only is she beautiful but she has also had rich life experiences and has overcome so many obstacles to become the woman that she is today. 'She's Got The Look' is about the whole package, and Tanya has that."

"Tanya not only embodies beauty inside and out, but she is charming beyond belief," states Wilhelmina President Sean Patterson. "The goal of 'She's Got The Look' was to prove to the world that women over 35 who aspire to model would encompass more depth, charm and ultimate beauty than the average model. With Tanya, we found a uniquely beautiful and inspiring woman who will undoubtedly be a success in the modeling industry."

Hutchison is a 45-year-old wife and a mother of five who resides in Orange County, CA. Having begun modeling at a young age, Hutchison is proud to have overcome a life-threatening knife attack that left her scarred internally and externally. After the incident, she began to doubt herself and the price of beauty. She recently found a deeper meaning in her life by committing to missionary work in Africa, where she lectures young women on the importance of empowerment.

TV Land's nationwide search, which included months of online submissions, auditions and regional competitions around the country, resulted in flying 20 contenders to New York City. These semi-finalists were put to the test of expressing themselves and their fashion know-how. Ten finalists were then selected to live in a New York City loft and compete in challenges such as photo shoots, runway competitions and tests on their fashion sense. At the conclusion of the competition, one woman is crowned the ultimate winner.

Last week, TV Land announced that it has renewed the series "She's Got The Look" for a second season. Emmy Award-Winner Allison Grodner will return as executive producer. Premiering in 2009, the second season of "She's Got The Look" will expand from six episodes to eight and will again set out to discover a sophisticated, beautiful and confident woman 35 or older destined for supermodel stardom.

"She's Got The Look" is an Allison Grodner produced exclusively for TV Land. Keith Cox and Sal Maniaci serve as executive producers for TV Land; Sean Patterson and Corey Preston are executive producers from Wilhelmina.

Christina Machamer defeats Louis Petrozza to win 'Hell's Kitchen'

2008-07-09T19:00:00.001+03:00

Christina Machamer was the Hell's Kitchen fourth-season contestant with the least amount of experience, but Gordon Ramsay rewarded her on potential.

The 25-year-old culinary student from St. Louis, MO was revealed to be Hell's Kitchen's fourth-season champ during last night's finale broadcast on Fox.

She claimed the position of executive chef at Gordon's recently opened The London West Hollywood -- a job that comes with a $250,000 salary.

"Oh my goodness. Holy f**king s**t! I am like so happy on 10 different levels, I can't even explain it," exclaimed Christina after her victory. "I'm really happy. It's almost like a fairy tale. I guess it really does happen to people, even big goobers like me... Mostly what I'd like to say to Chef Ramsay is thank you for your faith and your trust in me."

Christina defeated Louis Petrozza, a 47-year-old catering director from Charlotte, NC, during the finale broadcast.

"It's been a tough journey. It's been hard, it's been painful, it's been long but it's been good. It's been good," said an emotional Petrozza. "I've met so many beautiful people, so many beautiful people. How priceless is that?"

Hell's Kitchen fourth-season finale began where the previous episode left off with Petrozza having to choose between Matt Sigel and Jennifer Gavin for the last spot on his team for the final dinner service.

"Matt, he's a freaking lunatic, and Jen, she can be a bitch," opined Petrozza.

He chose the bitch, who joined Bobby Anderson and Ben Caylor on Petrozza's team. Christina go Matt, who joined Corey Earling and Louross Edralin on her team.

With 10 hours to go before the service commenced, Petrozza and Christina went over their menus with their teams. Petrozza was confident thanks to his buds Bobby and Ben while Jen sulked about not being in the finals. Matt had a problem respecting Christina as his leader, and she tried to compliment his risotto to get in his good graces. It worked.

"You earned my respect just now," he told her.

"He bought it hook, line and sinker," she said in a confessional. "It was great."

Petrozza then told his team nothing was prepped, and they were frustrated by his lack of organization.

"I'm a tiny bit overwhelmed," he said.

Prep work began with six hours to go before the doors opened, while construction continued in the restaurants. Designer John Janavs then met with Christina about the color of her half of the restaurant, and she was frustrated it still wasn't done and she wasn't in control. Petrozza's booth upholster also wasn't ready, which had him nervous.

During prep work Jen asked Gordon for a letter of recommendation, which Christina called "classless." Meanwhile Matt was screwing around in the kitchen and Corey complained to Christina about how he wasn't taking it seriously. Corey and Matt bickered as Jen copped an attitude with Ben after he called her "sweetheart. Jen pouted and told Petrozza he couldn't trust her.

"She's doing the same dance we all know her for," said Petrozza. "If Jen smarts off, I'll throw her out in a second."

With an hour to go, Gordon was ready to review Christina and Petrozza's dishes. Each finalist prepared three appetizers, three entrees and three desserts.

Christina's appetizers featured a trio of beef sliders, her entrees included a New York strip steak with succotash, while her deserts featured a tropical sundae. Gordon thought the appetizers were "very delicious" but wondered where the variety was and suggested she "sex them up." He complimented the dessert and implored some innovation.

"It was my strategy to be reasonably simple. I don't like things that are overcomplicated," she said.

Petrozza's appetizers included a lobster strudel, his entrees featured a filet mignon with risotto and onion ring, while his desserts included a vanilla souffle. Gordon thought the texture of the appetizer was "overcooked and terrible," complimented his beef but wasn't a big fan of the risotto, and called the dessert brave before liking the way it was made.

Gordon thought they had "two completely different menus" -- with Petrozza going for "highly imaginative food," which was dangerous; while Christina "played it safe," like a "plain Jane." Petrozza's booth upholstery arrived with a half hour to go and the paint was done on Christina's half. Gordon liked the mood Christina created with her design and also enjoyed the comfort of Petrozza's.

Hell's Kitchen's final tenth-season dinner service then commenced with Christina concerned about Matt being "unpredictable" and Bobby worried about Jen's bad attitude disturbing Petrozza's team. Each kitchen would serve 13 tables and 50 diners. Customer reviews and Gordon's observations would determine the winner.

Orders came into both kitchens with Petrozza and Christina communicating well with their teams, and Gordon was excited to see if they could keep up the momentum.

Christina's appetizers were enjoyed by the customers while Bobby had problems executing Petrozza's difficult strudel. Petrozza criticized it for being cold and asked Bobby to redo it. Gordon was impressed with the way Petrozza handled the situation and Bobby corrected the mistake, with the patrons enjoying the dish.

Christina continued to push her team to the limit and she got antsy, wanting to jump in and personally help Louross instead of controlling the pass. She sent Matt to help Louross, which wasn't exactly the biggest help.

"Working with Matt, it was like really frustrating," said Christina as Matt asked tons of questions about the salad he was making. "I have no idea how we're going to get through service."

Petrozza's appetizers were out to half his customers before his kitchen ran out of the cheese for his salad. Jen blamed Petrozza in a confessional for the station not being properly prepped before Bobby dropped the bomb that they were also out of strudel.

"What can we do? We can't take two of the appetizers off," said Gordon. "I swear I'll stop it."

Petrozza was angry and didn't know what to do, so he asked Bobby who compromised with a lobster risotto. The quick thinking led to food once again going out of the kitchen, and the appetizer worked as the patron's liked it. Some of Christina's entrees then returned to the pass when they weren't warm enough, which further delayed the kitchen.

"Come on, now we're backed up now!" said Gordon, asking Christina to turn up the volume a bit with her communication.

She did so and Gordon thought it made her team "on top of their game." The effort was reflected in Christina's satisfied patrons. Petrozza was plating the food too slowly, unwilling to pull others off their stations. He relented and took help from Ben and Jen who quickly rectified the situation, pushing the entrees out.

Christina criticized Matt for his monk fish being raw and Gordon reiterated the complaint. Matt began to mumble under his breathe at Gordon.

"F**king useless," said Gordon, who called Matt over and told him to concentrate.

Jen's "crummy attitude" compounded the fact that she was slow delivering an onion ring, and then when she did, it had to be redone. Petrozza implored Jen to move more quickly and Gordon backed him up by encouraging Petrozza to remind her who was boss. He did so and she delivered the onion rings.

Petrozza was up 10 tables to eight over Christina, who pressured Matt to deliver the monk fish. Once again it was undercooked and Christina was cursing Matt for landing on her team. When Christina couldn't straighten Matt out Gordon offered to do it for her.

"I'll f**king tell him if you want me to," he told her. "I'll run it! Run your brigade!"

Christina was more assertive and Matt continued to mumble under his breath about wanting to be left alone.

"I don't know what Matt's problem with the monk fish was," she opined. "This is my night and I'm not going to let him ruin it."

She pushed him forward as both kitchens reached the homestretch, with Gordon describing the competition as neck-and-neck. The desserts were sent out to compliments from the patrons and Hell's Kitchen officially came to a close for the fourth-season.

Gordon congratulated both kitchens for having "more highs than lows" but reminded them their would be only one winner. Petrozza and Christina then said goodbye to their teams before retreating to the dorms.

"I really do feel pretty good about it. I feel like I've got a good shot at this. I think I've got an edge," aid Petrozza. "But you can never be certain."

Gordon poured over the comment cards and reflected on the recently concluded dinner service before calling both Petrozza and Christina downstairs.

"Making this decision has been shear agony for me. I went back and forth a number of times," Gordon told them. "Clearly you both have strengths and without a shadow of a doubt are two very worthy finalists. After getting to know you both and watching you grow through Hell's Kitchen, I know both of you are going to go on to great success."

Christina was then revealed to be Hell's Kitchen's fourth-season winner and she celebrated the victory with her parents and her teammates from the final dinner service.

"Oh my God I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you guys," she exclaimed as she gave Corey a hug. "If it wasn't for you guys I wouldn't be here."

"Christina had the least amount of experience coming into Hell's Kitchen," said Gordon at the finale's conclusion.

"But I saw something in her that was quite special. She had the best potential across any other chef in Hell's Kitchen, and in my business, I think long term. I definitely, definitely made the right trust. I feel like I've been on a roller coaster the last three months. Of all the Hell's Kitchens, this has been the one with the most ups and downs. But we ended on a high note, and now it's time for me to get the f**k out of Hell's Kitchen."

'Bachelorette' DeAnna Pappas picks Jesse Csincsak, gets proposal

2008-07-09T18:57:00.002+03:00

Jesse Csincsak proposed marriage to DeAnna Pappas and she accepted during last night's The Bachelorette fourth-season finale broadcast on ABC.

Pappas subsequently presented her final rose to the 25-year-old professional snowboarder from Breckenridge, CO after rejecting the marriage proposal of Jason Mesnick, a 31-year-old account executive and single father from Kirkland, WA.

"I know she's the one," said Jesse just prior to his proposal. "I'm so in love with DeAnna -- I don't even know how to put it into words, how badly I want to be engaged to [DeAnna]. She's just that one person that I can't see myself without. I just want to start my life with her. I've never felt this way about anyone. I really think she's my soul mate."

The Bachelorette's fourth-season finale began with Jason and Jesse traveling to DeAnna's hometown of Newnan, GA to meet her dad Greg, her sister Crissy and her brother Thomas.

The Bachelorette DeAnna Pappas Picks Jesse Csinkcsak

"Today is the most important day in this process," said DeAnna. "I am extremely close with my family, and it's very important to me if my family accepts them."

While DeAnna's family was very accepting when they met The Bachelor eleventh-season star Brad Womack, suffice it to say they were a slightly more protective this time around.

"We all thought Brad was going to choose my sister, and then in the end, it just completely crushed her," commented Crissy. "It completely crushed our family."

Jason was up first and he was "overcome with excitement" at the prospect of meeting DeAnna's family. He made a good first impression by arriving with flowers, which caused DeAnna to call him "sweet and thoughtful." Jason told DeAnna's family about how he's divorced and has a 3-year-old son from the marriage.

"I don't want to look at it as a pro or a con, but she moves immediately into a family," said Greg. "I'm not sure if she's ready for that right now."

Jason explained how important his son is to him, and DeAnna said that's how important she is to her father. Greg quickly said it would be tough for DeAnna to leave Georgia, and Jason said he could appease that by lots of visits.

"It would take an awful lot of visiting, replied Greg.

Crissy then spent some alone time with Jason and stressed how important it was for him to not break her sister's heart. DeAnna talked with her dad about what she liked in Jason, who then finally had some time to speak with Greg, and he quickly got to the point.

"I want you to know how serious I take marriage," said Jason. "I want to get your permission to propose to her."

"Nobody's ever had the guts to ask me that," replied Greg. "I would expect it... I appreciate your sincerity, and if she chooses you, you have my blessing."

Jason thanked Greg, who was impressed with the suitor.

"I think he's a great pick for my daughter," said Greg.

Jason said goodbye to DeAnna, who then spoke with her family about how their time with him was. Greg spilled the beans about Jason's question, and DeAnna was glad to hear Jason asked.

"It simply solidified my feelings about him," said DeAnna.

Jesse then had his turn to meet DeAnna's family, which he described as "nerve wracking."

"I knew he was nervous right off the bat," correctly guessed Tommy.

Greg knew Jesse was a guy DeAnna doesn't normally date and also knew meeting him would be different than Jason. Jesse immediately dug a hole for himself when he had no long-term employment plan beyond his snowboarding career.

Greg took Jesse outside and asked if he'd ever been in a serious relationship. Jesse answered he had, but then added they "grew apart." He continued to get grilled by Greg, who stressed the importance of "frequent visits" to Georgia if he's the chosen suitor.

Crissy asked DeAnna if she could honestly see herself settling down with him.

"I don't know if I know Jesse yet," Crissy told her.

Jesse knew the short amount of time he had with DeAnna's family didn't go well.

"I blew it," he opined as he left the house.

DeAnna met with her family and revealed she still didn't know which suitor she was going to choose.

"Jason is absolutely falling in love with you. There's no doubt about that," said Greg, "Jesse told me the same thing, but it's just the way he said it and the way Jason said it -- there was a difference there. I just felt it was more heartfelt from Jason than it was from Jesse."

"Did Jesse ask your permission?" quickly asked DeAnna

"Nope," replied Greg. "It's just that's the way he is, so that's the way he's going to be."

DeAnna was more confused then ever as the night came to close. The next morning, she awoke and welcomed her extended family to meet the guys.

"The guys can expect a big fat Greek party!" said DeAnna.

Jesse was the first to arrive, unaware of the twist that awaited him. But then the doorbell rang and in walked Jason.

"It was a little intense. It was like another competition almost," opined Jesse. "I know that I have to put myself out there 110% and if I don't there's not a shot in hell I have of being with her."

Jesse and Jason then flanked DeAnna on the couch, and the two exchanged playful jabs as she sat uncomfortably between them. Both professed why they were there and how much they care for her, and the situation became a bit more real for Jason.

"I know what I want, but to see and know and hear that she's got feelings for Jesse is really hard," said Jason. "It doesn't feel good inside at all."

After a Greek lunch, both Jesse and Jason spent some alone time with various family members. Jason was well-spoken in professing his love for DeAnna when speaking with her grandparents, and grandma Lilian was obviously smitten.

"You're the one for her," Lilian told him.

Jesse didn't have the same luck with Crissy and DeAnna's sister-in-law Crystal.

"We all want nothing but the best for DeAnna, and Jesse is just a hometown guy," said Crystal. "He just seems to be very grounded, it didn't seem like he was thinking very thoroughly about the questions we were asking him."

Realizing his chance was going down the tube, Jesse pulled Greg aside and asked the all-important question Jason popped the previous day.

"If she does choose me, I would like to get close to her," began Jesse. "I guess I'm asking your blessing and your permission that if DeAnna does feel that I am the guy for her than it would obviously mean the world to me to have your blessing to propose to her."

"Are you ready?" replied Greg.

Jesse then explained how he had been talking to his own dad about how he knew when his mom was the one, and the answer has always been "you'll know." After DeAnna visited Jesse's hometown, he said that his dad gave her the "stamp of approval."

"It meant the world to me, and it would mean the world to me to have your stamp of approval to pursue your daughter," he continued.

"I just want to make sure that she gets the very best and she's treated with the dignity and respect she deserves," said Greg. "I think you would do that, and I offer you both of you my blessing."

As the day came to a close the family invited Jason and Jesse for a shot of Ouzo before saying goodbye.

"It's hard to ay if my life would be better with Jesse versus Jason," said DeAnna. "I've been trying to figure that out all day long."

DeAnna retreated to her family for some input, and Crissy made it known that she felt Jason was the better choice because of their comfort level around each other and Jason's life experience. Crystal disagreed and thought DeAnna would be better suited with a fellow "free spirit" like Jesse.

"If you picked Jason, you'd be fast-forwarding your life five years," she told DeAnna, who was still confused about her decision.

"I don't know which guy's dreams are going to come true and which guy's heart's going to get broken," she said.

As it got down to crunch time, DeAnna returned to Grand Bahama Island in preparation for her last one-one-one dates with both Jason and Jesse. However...

"I found out that Jeremy wanted to talk to me," she said, referring to recently rejected suitor Jeremy Anderson.

"I'd rather be like Brad and run the other way and not have to deal with any of this. But I can't bring myself to do that because I know what that feeling feels like. I know what that confusion and that heartache and not understanding feels like. I couldn't bring myself to put Jeremy through that pain and that heartache I experienced. I hope and I pray that he leaves here with a better understanding and that he feels better about me sending him home."

Jeremy and DeAnna met that night and he was anxious to see her to tell her his true feelings. He received a hug upon his arrival before telling her how he felt.

"I really do feel like you're making a big mistake with me," he told her before expressing regret for not putting himself out there fully. "I'm terrified of getting hurt, that's the biggest reason why I'm so guarded."

DeAnna said she sympathized with how Jeremy felt.

"It's just not in my heart," she said through tears. "Right now I feel it for two other people."

"That hurts," answered Jeremy.

"I will not lead you on. I will not drag this out to the last day and promise you something that I cannot keep," she said. "Right now, I am not in love. I feel like at this moment, as much as we have shard and as big of a bond as we have, if we were meant to be my feelings would be stronger, but they're not... If you were to propose to me, I couldn't do it."

After rejecting Jeremy -- incredibly ironically for the second time -- DeAnna awoke the next morning to focus on Jesse and Jason.

First up was Jesse, who accompanied DeAnna on a seaplane to a deserted island, where they spent the afternoon walking the beach.

"I want her to know that I love her and I want to spend the rest of my life with her," said Jesse.

That night he gave her a "book of thoughts" and said he hoped to have the opportunity to continue to fill its pages with her.

"I just want you to know that I've never been so sure of something in my life," Jesse told her. "I'm ready to settle down and spend the rest of my life with you. I'm falling in love with you and I feel like I am that guy that will make you happy for the rest of your life."

"It felt really good to hear Jesse say, 'I love you,'" DeAnna explained to the cameras later. "It's exactly what I want to hear, but to say anything back, I don't want to do that because I was in that position and in the end, I was left alone. I want to make sure I'm being fair... I want to know that in the end I only look one of them in the eye and say, 'I love you' in return."

The next day DeAnna and Jason went scuba diving among tropical fish and sharks.

"I am in love with DeAnna and I want to spend the rest of my life with her," said Jason.

That night at dinner she said she had no unanswered questions about him before he presented her with a board game he created himself and had them completing tasks like reenacting their first kiss.

"The game really just helped me say a few things that I wanted to say," he said before using it to open up to her.

"You are perfect for me. I see us, I really do. I wouldn't be here if I didn't," he told her. "I love you DeAnna. I really do. There's not a doubt in my mind. I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

"I melted. I felt like the luckiest woman in the world," said DeAnna in a confessional afterwards. "Jason showed me everything tonight He was this romantic guy, he was this thoughtful guy. He makes me feel like no one else does... I can see an amazing future with Jason. He has so much to offer to me, that's why I'm falling in love with him."

DeAnna then said goodnight to Jason and retreated to her room for the night.

"I do not know what I'm going to do tomorrow," she said. "It's not a question of being in love anymore. I'm in love with two totally different guys. I definitely don't know how I'm supposed to let one of them go home when I'm in love with both of them."

The next morning DeAnna arose for the big day and still said she could see herself spending her life with either Jason or Jesse.

"I've made tough choices all along and this is the toughest by far but I know who I'm going to pick," she said. "I can only hope that he feels the same way about me."

Jason and Jesse went out and picked out engagements ring for DeAnna, with both nervous about whether or not they'd be the one with the opportunity to give it to her. The reality of the situation was also sinking in for DeAnna.

"It's going to hurt to let someone go that I'm falling in love with," she said. "He's going to feel just as I felt the day Brad sent me home... I'm facing two moments right now -- one moment where I'm going to feel like the happiest woman in the world, and one moment where I'm going to b the saddest woman in the world. Even though I waited so long to make my final decision, I am 100% sure... I am expecting a proposal today. This evening, I will hopefully be engaged to a man who loves me as much as I love him."

The Bachelorette's final fourth-season Rose Ceremony then commenced, and Jason was the first suitor to exit the limousine -- sealing his fate.

"I can't wait to get down on my knee and propose," he said.

"No, I can't," she said as Jason got down.

"You have no idea how much I care about you," she said. "You're this amazing, perfect person that I've never had in my life before. I know that my life would always be good with you -- that I would always be safe and that I could depend on you. Even though I'm in love with you, I am in love with someone else."

"You're in love with somebody else?" he asked.

She nodded yes.

"I saw a million similarities," he said. "I thought you felt it to. I was wrong."

"No, please no!" she said. "I meant everything I ever said to you. I would be the luckiest woman in the world to ever be with you. I just can't because my heart is somewhere else."

"I understand you," he quietly replied. "I heard you say that. I really did fall in love with you."

The two shared an emotional embrace and DeAnna walked him out.

"I'm completely shocked. Why me?" said Jeremy as his limo pulled away.

"I feel like I'm a good enough guy who cares about people genuinely. I was so ready to be in love again. I was so ready to be there again. It hurts to be so close to somebody and for her them to say, 'You know, I do like you a lot, but I like him more.' She wanted something that I couldn't offer her. She wanted this alternative world, or she thinks she wants it. She wants safety and security and once you have safety and security you want to live on the edge, and then once you live on the edge you want to go back to your safety and security. The best person is both, the one who has them all. I thought I did. I think I do. God I want to fall in love. I've had this huge hole in my heart now for years... I just got hurt again. I've had up body armor since my wife left me. I thought it was coming down. Now it's up. The only for sure thing I have is my little boy."

As Jesse's limousine approached, DeAnna didn't waiver in her decision.

"I am extremely confident about the man I've chosen," said DeAnna. "I am sure he's the one... Today I am ending up with my soul mate. I have found the man of my dreams."

Jesse then approached DeAnna.

"When I first came into this, I would have never have thought that this process was real and that I could fall in love here," said Jesse to deAnna. "But I have fallen in love with you. The thought of not being with you kills me. When I look at you, the word that always pops up in my mind is forever. I ant to spend forever with you and I truly believe that you are my soul mate."

Jesse got on bended knee.

"DeAnna Marie Pappas, will you spend forever with me?" he asked.

"Yes!" she replied.The two embraced and kissed before Jesse slid the ring on her finger.

"I would not be okay if you weren't in my life, and I love you," said DeAnna. "I've waited so long to say that. I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

"I want to spend the rest of my life with you," he replied.

"Jesse will you accept this rose?" she asked.

"I would love to!" he said. "I've waited forever to get this rose!"

During the After the Final Rose special that followed The Bachelorette's finale, DeAnna and Jesse revealed they've already set a wedding date: May 9, 2009.

"It's going to be a big wedding," Jesse told The Bachelorette host Chris Harrison.

"I think we're planning the Bahamas -- it's where we fell in love, it's where we got engaged," DeAnna explained.

Alexandra 'Ally' Evans crowned Britain's Next Top Model 2008

2008-07-09T18:53:00.003+03:00

Public school girl Alexandra Evans has been crowned Britain's Next Top Model.
The 19-year-old beat her friend, red-head Catherine Thomas, 18, in the final judging session in Cape Town, South Africa.

Evans wowed the judges in the last task, which saw her and Catherine strut their stuff in a catwalk show in front of a packed crowd.

She also wins the chance to front a £100,000 campaign for cosmetics brand Max Factor, as well as a photo shoot (below) that will appear on the front cover of Company magazine in August.

In the early stages of the 12-week competition, Alex had been criticised for her inability to walk like a model but she so impressed one of the panel with her catwalk performance that he said she was better than the professionals.

Britain's Next Top Model 2008 Alexander 'Ally' Evans Wins

The winner, from Cranleigh, Surrey, says she will turn to journalism if her modelling dream does not turn out.

But there is little chance of that now that she has bagged the top prize of a contract with modelling agency Models 1, who also represent Twiggy, Linda Evangelista and Amber Valletta.

A thrilled and shocked Alex said: 'Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I could achieve anything like this... but now I have proved myself wrong.'

Judge Lisa Snowdon was full of praise for the winner, saying: 'This girl blossomed before my eyes.

'She's always been one of the most interesting girls. She's very special looking and all her pictures are fierce - the fashion world is her oyster.'

Curvy brunette Stefanie Wilson, 22, who the judges had earlier criticised for being 'too Playboy', was the first to be kicked off the last round of the show.

Broadcast last night, it showed the three finalists battle it out on a photoshoot in the wilds of South Africa.

Catherine had to pose in a skimpy gold outfit while 'wearing' a yellow python as a stole.

Alex had the slightly easier job of lying on a rock alongside an Iguana - which she appeared delighted by when it was presented to her at the start of her shoot.

Stefanie, meanwhile, was completely horrified to be given a tarantula to pose with but manage to pull off some fabulous pictures as it crawled over her back.

The show, running over 12 weeks on Living TV, saw 13 contestants battle it out for the top prize.

The girls, mentored at times by designers including Zandra Rhodes, Sadie Frost and her partner Jemima French, faced tough challenges along the way to test every aspect of their modelling ability.

The final decision was made by the judging panel, made up of British model Snowdon, Icelandic model-turned photographer Huggy Ragnarsson and stylist to the stars, Gerry DeVeaux.

Demelza Reveley is Australia’s Next Top Model 2008

2008-07-09T18:49:00.002+03:00

After eleven weeks of intense competition, catwalk cattiness and emotional drama, Demelza Reveley (pictured) has been named AUSTRALIA’S NEXT TOP MODEL during last night’s live finale of the hit FOX8 reality series. The 16-year-old school student from Wollongong took the title after narrowly beating Alexandra Girdwood, 21, from Sydney in a nail-biting fight to the finish line.

The winner was announced during the massive live finale at Luna Park’s Big Top in front of an audience of close to 2,000, and again incorporated a viewer vote to help decide who would be named AUSTRALIA’S NEXT TOP MODEL.

As winner of the fourth series, Demelza takes home a prize package including representation for 12 months by premiere model agency Priscilla’s; an all expenses paid trip to New York to meet with top international agencies; a Ford Fiesta Zetec; a contract as the face of Napoleon Perdis which includes an international photo shoot; and an eight-page fashion feature with Vogue Australia.

“I am so excited to be following in Alice Burdeu’s footsteps, this is an absolute dream come true” said Demelza after the announcement was made last night.

“I have worked so hard these past few months to trim down and set myself up as a major contender in the modelling world, and it’s so good to have my hard work pay off. New York, here I come!” she said.

Australia's Next Top Model 2008 Demelza Reveley Wins

Hosted by Jodhi Meares, AUSTRALIA’S NEXT TOP MODEL is the hit reality series exclusive to FOX8 that follows a group of young women as they try to prove they have what it takes to make it in the high-stress, high-stakes world of modelling. The 13 finalists, chosen after a nationwide audition tour in November 2007, spent ten weeks living together in a waterfront mansion while filming the series earlier this year.

Aside from the stress of learning the ropes of the business, the finalists had to deal with the ups and downs of ‘model house’ life: all the tears, tantrums and high drama you’d expect when you put 13 competitive and hugely ambitious girls under one roof! In each episode, the program’s panel of judges – including leading fashion designer Alex Perry and fashion identity Charlotte Dawson – assessed task performance and potential.

After each critique, one girl was eliminated and sent home. By the final, live episode, just two girls remained – Demelza and Alex. Both finalists have been the subject of intense media scrutiny throughout the series – Demelza coming under attack for being one of the “Dapto Dogs” who bullied Byron Bay student Alamela Rowan, and later for her drastic weight loss; and Alex being criticised for having collagen implants in her lips… with disastrous results. The results were close but in the end Demelza proved too good for her competition and beat Alex to become AUSTRALIA’S NEXT TOP MODEL.

Jennifer Hof is Germany's Next Top Model 2008

2008-06-14T17:27:00.007+03:00

Last night millions tuned in to watch the grand finale of the third season of Heidi Klum’s immensely popular TV casting show “Germany’s Next Top Model. The audience held their breath as 17-year-old Jenny Hof was named the winner and scooped the prize of a modeling contract and a cover photo on the German edition of Cosmopolitan magazine.

The teenager with the short platinum blonde hair was handled as the favorite early on. But before the winner was named, the candidates were cut down to two and the remaining girls had to show their worth by posing for a photo shoot with a huge spider and a snake.

Countless advertising breaks later, when Jenny was finally announced of the winner, it came as no surprise, but merely confirmed the rumors of a secret list that had predicted she would win.

Jennifer Hof Germany's Next Top Model 2008

Hof, who is 180 cm tall and has incredibly long legs, measured at 113 cm, certainly has model proportions. She will soon begin shooting for her own campaign with C & A, but recognized herself, “It will probably take a few weeks, before I understand what happened today.”

I think this 5′11″ beauty has what it takes to go far. Her look is fresh and hot–does anyone else think she’s a bit reminiscent of Agyness Den?–and she’s really young. I hope to see her around the fashion circuit! As the winner, she receives a contract with IMG modeling management.

Germany's Next Top Model Season 3 Finalists Catwalk

Stephanie Izard wins 'Top Chef,' becomes show's first female champ

2008-06-14T17:14:00.003+03:00

Stephanie Izard became Top Chef's first-ever female winner when she took home the Top Chef: Chicago title during last night's fourth-season finale broadcast on Bravo.

"It's real exciting being the first female to win Top Chef," said Stephanie after her victory was revealed. "I'm so glad that I was able to pull through. Finding out that after all this hard work and maybe doubting it a little bit, this is just a reaffirmation. This is what I'm meant to do in life."

The 31-year-old chef from Stamford, CT who currently resides in Chicago, IL claimed Top Chef: Chicago's grand-prize package of $100,000 in seed money to help open a restaurant; a feature in Food & Wine magazine; a showcase at the Annual Food & Wine Classic in Aspen; and a "gourmet dream vacation" in the French Alps.

Stephanie defeated Lisa Fernandes, a 27-year-old chef from Toronto, Canada who currently resides in New York City, and Richard Blais, a 35-year-old chef and culinary designer from Uniondale, NY who currently resides in Atlanta, GA, during last night's finale broadcast.

Stephanie Izard wins Top Chef's first-ever female winner

"I was just hoping. In my mind, I was like, 'There a really good shot I could take this.' Then she said Stephanie's name and I was like, 'F**k!,'" said Lisa after the winner was revealed. "This whole journey's been awesome. I'm proud of the dishes I've done, and this is what I want to do. This is what I'm always going to do."

"It's just disappointment," added Richard. "Losing at the last second sucks. That's why it's tough too, because you put your whole heart into it and then it doesn't work out. One thing that's good about this is to kind of refocus, just keep doing what I love to do. The future's bright for sure."

Top Chef: Chicago's finale began in San Juan, Puerto Rico following conclusion of the previous Judges' Table, which had ended with the elimination of Antonia Lofaso.

"There has never been a female Top Chef winner, so hopefully I will be the first one," said Stephanie.

The three remaining finalists met Top Chef judge and restaurateur Tom Colicchio and host Padma Lakshmi for their final challenge, and they were introduced to professional chefs April Bloomfield, Dan Barber and Eric Ripert. Tom explained that for the final challenge, each contestant would prepare a traditional four-course meal consisting of fish, poultry, meat and dessert dishes.

The three aforementioned professional chefs would be serving as sous chefs for the challenge. Since Richard and Stephanie both had four fourth-season elimination challenge victories to their credit, they drew knives to see who would pick which sous chef they wanted. Stephanie won and chose Eric, Richard picked Dan and Lisa got April.

The contestants would have three hours that day and four hours the following day before they'd have to serve their four-course meals head-to-head to nine dinner guests at a black-tie event.

All the chefs got to work and Lisa explained she wanted her courses to reflect her Thailand and Vietnamese cooking style, which she said she is naturally good at and wanted to showcase. Richard planned to use his Top Chef journey as the concept for his courses, with a mix of classic training and molecular gastronomy. Stephanie wanted to highlight her style, which she said was a well-balanced mix of different flavor combinations.

Richard quickly impressed April, Dan and Erik as he pulled out liquid nitrogen and gave an impromptu demonstration in molecular gastronomy.

"I think I just showed Eric Ripert something that he hasn't seen before," said Richard with slight amazement. "That's f**king cool."

Lisa and April got along really well and conversation flowed easily between the two, which surprised Stephanie since Lisa hadn't gotten along with any of the fourth-season contestants. The first day of work on their final courses then came to a close.

The next morning the three finalists arrived in the kitchen and were met by Tom, who revealed that they'd be without their sous chefs for the final four hours of preparation -- a move that obviously made the day a lot more difficult for the finalists.

Lisa was preparing grilled prawns, Tom Kha Gai soup and dumplings, Wagyu beef and black Thai rice pudding; Richard was preparing scallops, Guinea hen, foie gras and eggs, pork belly and banana "scallop" and bacon ice cream; while Stephanie was preparing seared red snapper, quail with lobster ravioli and quail eggs, lamb medallions and ricotta pound cake.

"All in all, all three menus sound great," commented Tom. "We're looking forward to a great meal."

With only a few hours remaining the contestants began to put the finishing touches on their dishes, however Stephanie was having doubts about her dessert because she had only made it once before.

"Stephanie's biggest weakness is the doubt that she puts on herself sometimes," said Lisa. "It's like, 'Stop doubting yourself! Be confident!'"

It was time for the chefs to present their meals. Joining Padma, Tom and fellow regular Top Chef judges -- Food & Wine magazine editor Gail Simmons and former Queer Eye food and wine expert Ted Allen -- for the dinner were April, Dan and Eric, as well as Delirio chef/owner Alfredo Ayala and Tim Zagat.

The chefs served their first course and Stephanie's red snapper was the most well-received.

"I think it's probably the best of the three," commented Alfredo.

"It was good. It was almost really good," added Tom.

All nine people at dinner gushed about Lisa's Tom Kha Gai soup and dumplings, and it was clearly the favorite in the second course.

"Lisa's soup was absolutely delicious," said Gail. "It was really well-balanced. I could eat a giant bowl of this and be completely satisfied."

"Lisa's was really very good," said Tim. "I probably would be happy to have seconds."

Both Richard's pork belly and Lisa's Wagyu beef received mixed reviews during the third course, while all of the diners were pleasantly surprised by Stephanie's use of mushrooms, braised pistachios, blackberries and olives on her lamb medallions.

"I thought she was going to crash and burn when I saw those olives," said Gail. "The second I put it in my mouth it was like a light bulb went on. I said, 'Oh, she's really thought about this.'"

"This is the first time I hear at the table everyone is using the words, 'I love,'" added Alfredo. "We haven't heard that yet."

"Richard's dish just needs work, Lisa's dish is just pedestrian, Stephanie's is full of surprises and it works," said Tom.

The desserts were then served, and both Lisa and Richard received rave reviews. However Stephanie's fears were realized when her ricotta pound cake wasn't very well-received.

"It was okay, but it was nothing special," said Tim.

With the dinner in the books, all of the diners discussed the meals.

"I think over the entire season -- over the last several months -- we've seen these chefs grow. We've come to know them," said Tom. "Richard is definitely more intellectual and out there. Lisa is sticking true to herself, what she likes to eat and what she likes to cook. Stephanie tends to have more of a homey spin on things. I think we have a very strong contrast of styles and flavors and I think it's going to be a very interesting Judge's Table."

Top Chef: Chicago's final Judges' Table then commenced.

For the first course, Padma thought Richard's scallops were under-seasoned and Tom agreed, calling them a "little bland." He thought Lisa was "very assertive" with her first course and she said it reflects her "spicy personality." Gail commented that Stephanie's first course was a "beautifully presented dish," and Ted and Padma agreed.

Gail thought Richard's second course "became kind of muddled," a general consensus amongst the judges. Ted said Lisa's was "virtually unanimous" as the favorite and "blew everybody away." Stephanie's dish was mostly complimented, however Tom said he couldn't understand why she used raw, crunchy leeks.

Richard's third course was criticized for the beef not being crispy enough, and he explained it was only seared because he wanted to keep the "integrity" of its flavor intact. Lisa said her beef was also "just barely seared" and Tom questioned that decision. Gail said the sweetness of the sauce used by Lisa threw-off the beef's taste. Stephanie's lamb was praised.

"I think it was one of the more creative things to happen all night," said Ted.

"This dish kind of reminded me why you should always keep a very open mind when you're eating," added Tom. "It was the last dish I tried. I thought it was full of surprises."

Richard and Lisa both received compliments for their desserts, and it became clear that the final course was obviously Stephanie's weakest.

"I had some issues with the dessert," said Tom to Stephanie. "It was a miss."

Stephanie admitted she "fell short" on the dessert and Lisa boasted about how she was confident in all of her courses. The same couldn't be said for Richard.

"I feel like I choked a little bit," he said. "I think I over thought things too much. I think when I'm at my best is when I'm not thinking. I think it certainly wasn't my top performance that I've had so far on the show."

The judges began to deliberate and Gail immediately expressed surprise at Richard's comment.

"In a sense, I agree with him," said Tom. "He made a few mistakes. When he says he chokes, he looks at the pork belly dish and knows that dish wasn't complete. I think we all agree that dish could have been better."

Tom quickly added Lisa and Stephanie also had "a few missteps" as well before the panel seemed to reach a decision after taking a poll on each dish.

Richard, Lisa and Stephanie then reconvened at the Judges' Table.

"This was a very, very tough decision -- very difficult to make," Tom told them. "In the end, we based our decision on which meal we would go back and like to have again."

Padma then revealed that Stephanie was the winner.

"I won Top Chef! Holy s**t! Really?" said Stephanie after her victory was revealed. "This is the biggest thing that's happened in my life. My life is about to change. It's going to be absolutely insane."

Bravo has already renewed Top Chef for a fifth season.

Lee McQueen named as The Apprentice UK Season 4

2008-06-14T17:02:00.003+03:00

Sir Alan Sugar announces his decision

Recruitment sales manager Lee McQueen has become Sir Alan Sugar's fourth Apprentice - despite having been caught lying on his CV earlier in the series.

McQueen, from Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire, said he had to take "a deep breath" when the tycoon told him "you're hired" in the hit BBC show.

The 30-year-old beat three other hopefuls to land a £100,000 job alongside Sir Alan.

He said he would buy his girlfriend new shoes with his first pay cheque.

McQueen will begin work as Sir Alan's new apprentice on 1 July.

As well as planning to lease a new Porsche, he also said he wanted to help his mother get central heating in her flat.

"It's a terrible moment when you've got two great people and I have to make my mind up," said Sir Alan, who chose McQueen over runner-up and favourite Claire Young.

He called McQueen "a team player", adding that "he always seemed to give his all".

"He delivered every single time I asked him to do something," the Amstrad founder said.

Of Young, a retail buyer, who frequently clashed with Sir Alan in the boardroom, he said: "She's always got my help and assistance whenever she needs it."

Lee McQueen named as The Apprentice UK

Final showdown

The series pitches aspiring entrepreneurs to prove themselves in the world of business in the hope of winning a contract to work alongside Sir Alan.

McQueen was pitched against fellow hopefuls Young, Alex Wotherspoon and Helene Speight in a task to create a men's fragrance.

But Wotherspoon and Speight's efforts were not good enough for Sir Alan, who called McQueen and Young - a retail buyer nicknamed The Rottweiler - back for one final showdown.

Sir Alan told the pair: "Claire, you have some great attributes and Lee, you're very convincing. You are very, very, very convincing. I've concluded... Lee, you're hired."

"When I heard those words 'you're hired' it took a couple of seconds to sink in," McQueen said.

"What swung it for me was when I rolled off my record to Sir Alan. I've been a project manager three times, won three times and never been in the boardroom.

"Claire doesn't need anyone to feel sorry for her but I am gutted for her. I believed at some point that Sir Alan would choose her. She probably went through the biggest journey."

'Very emotional'

He added: "I'm a big softie and when we learnt we were the final two it was very emotional."

McQueen - who earned £78,000 last year - has been asked by Sir Alan to launch a digital advertising product which will come under one of the tycoon's "portfolio of companies".

He said he was "very ashamed" to have been caught lying on his CV in an episode when he was also hauled over the coals for his poor spelling.

"It lost me some of my integrity," he said.

"I got a good grilling and I deserved it, and I learned from my mistake. It won't happen again."

George Sampson's high-energy dance earns Britain's Got Talent victory

2008-06-13T22:49:00.002+03:00

ITV celebrates ratings triumph as 14.4 million viewers watch live talent-spotting programme.

More than 20 million viewers tuned in for the Saturday night battle of the talent shows as ITV celebrated a ratings triumph with the help of a breakdancing teenager.

George Sampson's victory in Britain's Got Talent was watched by 14.4million viewers, turning the live programme into the most watched entertainment show of the year.

The figure, 60 per cent of all Saturday night viewers, topped the 13.9million who tuned in to the first ITV Pop Idol final in 2002, when Will Young beat Gareth Gates.

The ITV1 show left I'd Do Anything, its BBC One rival, trailing. A peak of 7.3million viewers watched Jodie Prenger, 28, win the competition for the role of Nancy in a West End production of Oliver! Prenger, a size-14 singer from Blackpool, won the contest after benefiting from a public backlash against suggestions from Cameron Mackintosh, the musical producer, that she was “not right” for the part.

George, 14, from Warrington, beat nine other acts to take the £100,000 prize and will appear at the Royal Variety Performance. His high-energy dance routine to a version of Singing in the Rain, complete with a staged thunderstorm, won over the judges and garnered millions of viewers' votes. But agents and record companies are wasting no time in turning all the finalists, including Faryl Smith, a 12-year-old operatic singer, into star names. George, Faryl and Andrew Johnston, the 13-year-old singer who finished in third place, will headline a nationwide Britain's Got Talent tour beginning this Friday at Hammersmith Apollo in West London.

Britain's Got Talent George Sampson Wins

George, who is being guided by the public relations team that looks after Robbie Williams, will sit a mock GCSE music exam before joining the tour. The show's producers promised that the wellbeing of the child stars will be paramount as they embark on a taxing 13-date tour appearing before thousands of fans each night. Tutors will join the tour party to ensure that the children do not fall behind.

Grorge said that he plans to spend his money paying off the mortgage of his mother, Lesley, to thank her for paying for his dance lessons.

He said: “This is like the star on the Christmas tree. I've danced on many stages since being 6 but the Royal Variety is the biggest variety show of all time.”

He was less enthusiastic about his imminent exam. “I've not had much time to revise, but hopefully it should be OK.”

An ITV decision to schedule Britain's Got Talent nightly last week, building momentum for the final, helped it to overshadow Lord Lloyd-Webber's search for an actress. The audience figures for Doctor Who slumped as a result of the ITV competition. Britain's Got Talent, co-produced by Simon Cowell, averaged ten million viewers for each episode during the series, making it one of ITV's biggest successes.

The Times understands that 2.2million votes were cast during the Britain's Got Talent final, suggesting that viewers were less keen to participate than in previous shows. A total of 8.7million votes were cast during the 2002 Pop Idol final but since then ITV has admitted a series of deceptions carried out during telephone votes. George was the clear winner in the telephone poll, which raised £600,000 for the Entertainment Artistes' Benevolent Fund.

David Cook beats David Archuleta, crowned 'American Idol' champ

2008-05-22T23:40:00.003+03:00

David Cook took David Archuleta's Tuesday night "knockout" punch and came out a champ.

The 25-year-old from Blue Spings, MO who currently resides in Tulsa, OK was crowned American Idol's seventh-season winner during last night's live two-hour finale broadcast on Fox.

Cook won Idol's seventh-season title after host Ryan Seacrest said "97 and a half million" home viewer votes were cast immediately following Tuesday night's live performance broadcast that saw Archuleta and Cook each sing three songs.

Seacrest said Cook defeated Archuleta, a 17-year-old from Murray, UT, by a 56% to 44% home viewer voting margin, or roughly 12 million votes.

"I started this season -- much to [Simon Cowell's] chagrin -- as the word nerd, and I'm absolutely at a loss for words right now," said Cook after the results were revealed. "Thank you, you guys... This is amazing. Thank you."

David Cook beats David Archuleta, crowned American Idol cham

Cook joins original Idol Kelly Clarkson; second-season winner Ruben Studdard; third-season champ Fantasia Barrino; fourth-season winner Carrie Underwood; fifth-season champ Taylor Hicks; and sixth-season winner Jordin Sparks as the recipient of a management contract with Idol creator Simon Fuller's 19 Management and a recording contract with a division of Clive Davis' BMG Music Group.

While Cowell labeled Archuleta as the "one to beat" when the competition was still in the semifinal rounds, it became clear Cook was a force to be reckoned with as the season continued.

Cowell and fellow judge Randy Jackson went on the record as foreseeing an Archuleta vs. Cook finale when there were still eight finalists remaining and Cowell subsequently reiterated that claim when there were only four finalists remaining.

Cowell then predicted Cook would win the Idol crown during a Tuesday appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, however during that night's live performance episode he awarded all three rounds to Archuleta.

Jonas Brothers, David Archuleta One Republic Apologize Idol

"Tonight, I think we've witnessed one of the great finals," said Cowell at the conclusion of Tuesday night's broadcast. "In my opinion [Archuleta], you came out here tonight to win. What we have witnessed is a knockout."

But right before Seacrest revealed the results at the conclusion of last night's bloated finale, Cowell backed off his strong words from Tuesday.

"I went back home to watch it and it wasn't quite as clear-cut as we called it," he said. "[Cook], I will take this opportunity to apologize because I think I was verging on disrespectful with you and I don't think you deserve that. The thing I like about the both of you is you're triers. You've both given it your best, you're both very nice people, and for the first time ever, I don't really care who wins. I think you've both done terrific."

All of Idol's Top 12 seventh-season finalists participated in the finale, with the Top 6 males performing a medley with Bryan Adams and the Top 6 females performing a medley with Donna Summer.

The filler-filled broadcast also included a a video montage of the seventh-season Ford music video clips; Archuleta and Cook performing a duet; third-place finisher Syesha Mercado performing with Seal; fourth-place finisher Jason Castro singing "Hallelujah;" fifth-place finisher Brooke White performing with Graham Nash; and sixth-place finisher Carly Smithson and eighth-place finisher Michael Johns singing a duet.

Viewers also saw Archuleta and Cook each receive a new Ford Escape Hybrid; Jimmy Kimmel deliver a roast-style seventh-season review; Cook perform with ZZ Top; Archuleta perform with OneRepublic; live updates with Cook fans in Kansas City, MO and Archuleta aficionados in Salt Lake City, UT; Sparks sing "One Step at a Time; Underwood sing "Last Name;" live performances by both the Jonas Brothers and George Michael; and a live performance of Renaldo Lapuz singing "We're Brothers Forever," a tune he wrote and originally sang during his Dallas audition (mercifully there wasn't a 3rd Annual Golden Idols).

Thanks to the wonder of technology, Hollywood stars Jack Black, Ben Stiller and Robert Downey Jr. also performed as The Pips with Gladys Knight during a 1972 performance of "Midnight Train to Georgia."

Jordin Sparks and Carrie Underwood American Idol Finale

Seacrest also put Tuesday night's vote total into perspective, stating that if "every single person" in Canada, Spain, Ireland and Australia had voted, it still wouldn't have matched the "97 and a half million" home viewer vote total.

"You didn't just break the record for the show, you smashed it by over 23 million," said Seacrest at the beginning of the broadcast.

The finale broadcast concluded with Cook singing "The Time of My Life," which was written by Regie Hamm and won Idol's seventh-season songwriting competition.

Zack & Stephanie Win Paradise Hotel 2’s ‘Grand Prize’

2008-05-22T23:31:00.003+03:00

After several weeks, several new guests and several twists and turns, Paradise Hotel 2 finally comes to a close. Tonight the final two couples of TD/Ryan and Stephanie/Zack faced off against the seven judges of Paradise to crown the winner. It all started off with a lengthy recap showing last weeks drama and how all four of those left in the finales were targeted and argued with someone. The next morning Stephanie and TD realized their actions were stupid and once again became friends. It seems this happened throughout the whole season once the hangover wore off.

The seven judges then convened to question the two couples and to see how they should vote. Mike and Krista both targeted TD as they blamed her for their demise the night before. Both got an answer they didn’t expect and that was TD apologizing and basically saying she didn’t push Ryan to vote them out but he agreed with her that was the move to make. James’ comment got a few jaws to drop as he asked Steph if she was “sleeping her way to the top” since she “crushed” with both finalists: Ryan and Zack. The said she didn’t but it just seemed to end up that way. Myrna’s question once again brought up Zack’s mention of why he would be mean to her. He told her it was done to make sure people didn’t believe the two were together. He said they all hated her so he had to hate her to “fit it”, she didn’t like that too much.

Paradise Hotel 2 Finale

The four were then given the chance to say one final statement to all voters. Zack was first and let them all know that he was loyal to everyone he gave his word to and everyone that gave their word was loyal to him. Stephanie was up first and gave a really good reason why people should vote for her and Zack. She let each of them know what she will take back with her and how they changed her since she entered the hotel. TD was next and gave a very tear filled speech as to why she played the game the way she did. She was right as she shouldn’t feel guilty that she is in the finals and that she shouldn’t feel guilty for speaking her mind and I think some of the judges were swayed by this. Ryan was last to go and actually had something to say. He only spoke to Krista and Mike, the two he hurt the most, and let them know he is sorry. He wasn’t asking for their vote but only asking them to forgive him.

That night it was then time to crown the winner and that the judges did. Each were asked to pick the couple they want to see win the grand prize and in a close vote of 4 - 3, Zack and Stephanie were crowned the winners of Paradise Hotel 2. Like the previous season the win came with a twist as TD and Ryan were given the power to crown only one winner between Stephanie and Zack. That winner would receive an envelope containing the prize. Although it seemed they would pick Stephanie, both decided to give Zack the title of winner of Paradise Hotel. He was then shocked with another twist that allowed him to split the money between himself and two others in any amount he chose. He was given $200,000 to either keep or he could split it between one or two other people from the judges and the other final players.

After some deliberation Zack made his chose and decided to split his prize money between both TD and Stephanie. He gave TD $20,000 and then split the remaining between himself and Stephanie evenly. This gave both Stephanie and Zack $90,000 each and also gave them the share in the win. That concludes Paradise Hotel 2 and the drama that came along with it. I was kind of surprised to see Zack win after coming back into the game for a third time and then so generously splitting his money. It was a great run for the show and hopefully it will be back for a third season. If you aren’t done with Paradise Hotel 2 yet you can catch the reunion on Fox Reality. Once I see it I’ll be sure to rehash all that went down!

Kristi Yamaguchi and Mark Ballas win 'Dancing with the Stars'

2008-05-22T23:26:00.003+03:00

Kristi Yamaguchi proved Maksim Chmerkovskiy wrong -- a woman can win Dancing with the Stars.

The Olympic gold medalist figure skater and her professional partner Mark Ballas were crowned Dancing with the Stars sixth-season ballroom champions during last night's live finale results show on ABC.

"I love it... This is just the icing on the cake," said Kristi after host Tom Bergeron revealed she was the sixth-season celebrity champion based on the combination of the judges' score shares for the dancers' Monday and Tuesday night performances and the share of home viewer votes cast immediately after Monday night's broadcast.

"I honestly from the bottom of my heart thank all the fans out there and everyone involved with Dancing with the Stars -- from the crew, hair and makeup -- everyone who's made this a dream experience."

Kristi became the first female celebrity to win the Dancing with the Stars title since Kelly Monaco and professional partner Alec Mazo did so during the show's initial Summer 2005 season.

"You did i

Kristi Yamaguchi and Mark Ballas win 'Dancing with the Stars

t! You flipped the curse!" exclaimed Tom after revealing the results.

Kristi and Mark took home Dancing with the Stars' mirror ball trophy after 10 weeks of competition, defeating NFL star Jason Taylor and his professional partner Edyta Slwiniska, who finished second, and telenovela actor Cristian de la Fuente and his professional partner Cheryl Burke. Kristi and Mark had been atop the judges leader board throughout most of the competition and never found themselves in the bottom two.

In addition, Kristi is the second Olympic athlete to take home the mirror ball trophy -- following in the footsteps of speed skater Apolo Anton Ohno, who won the show's fourth-season title last spring with professional partner Julianne Hough.

The victory represents Mark's first mirror ball trophy. Last fall -- Mark's first season on the show -- he was unexpectedly eliminated from the competition with celebrity partner Sabrina Bryan, who had been considered to be one of the season's frontrunners.

"I want to say thank you to Kristi," said Mark after last night's victory. "Obviously, she's been the most amazing partner."

During Monday night's live performance episode Kristi and Mark received a 30 from the judges for both the cha-cha-cha face-off and their freestyle routine, giving them a perfect combined score of 60 out of 60 possible points.

Usher Performs in Dancing With A Star Finale

The score easily placed them atop the judges leaderboard -- as Jason and Edyta received a 24 for the cha-cha-cha face-off and a 27 for their freestyle routine, giving them a combined judges score of 51 out of 60 and placing them in third for the night.

Kristi and Mark and Jason and Edyta also performed their favorite sixth-season routine during last night's live results show -- with their scores contributing to their final combined judges score total but not being voted on by home viewers who had already voted based on Monday night's performances.

Kristi and Mark performed their Week 6 jive routine, for which they originally received the sixth-season's first perfect 30; while Jason and Edyta performed their Week 7 quickstep, for which they originally received a 29, their highest score of the competition.

However, both couples received perfect 30 scores from the judges for last night's performances, so they had a negligible affect on the competition's ultimate outcome.

Tom then revealed the results and awarded the sixth-season mirror ball trophy to Kristi and Mark, eliminating Jason and Edyta.

"I never, ever thought I would get to this point -- I never thought I would do the show -- and here I am today in the finals," said Jason after he was revealed to be the runner-up. "Kristi is so deserving and like she said, everyone's been so fantastic... Kristi very much deserved it and I had the time of my life."

Similar to last season's finale format, the couple who received the lowest score based on a combination of the judges' scores from Monday night's two routines and home viewer votes cast immediately following the broadcast was eliminated at the beginning of last night's broadcast.

That was Cristian and Cheryl, who had found themselves in between the other two couples on the judges' leaderboard following Monday night's broadcast.

The pair had received 52 out of 60 possible points for their two routines -- a 26 for both the cha-cha-cha face-off and for their freestyle routine. However both performances were hindered by Cristian's ruptured tendon, which he suffered several weeks ago. Despite needing surgery to repair the damage, Cristian ultimately decided to remain in the competition.

"I would of never had the feeling of going to the final after an injury if it wasn't for Cheryl and staying in this competition," said a somber Cristian after his ouster was revealed. "So I'm glad we made that decision."

Last night represented the third time Cheryl had made it to the Dancing with the Stars finale -- but also the first time she waltzed away empty handed, as she captured the show's second-season title with Drew Lachey and the third-season crown with Emmitt Smith.

"She's been the best partner I could have -- a real friend," said Cristian about Cheryl. "Not only a dance partner but a support when I really needed her. That I will never forget."

"Out of all my five seasons I've been on this show, it's not about winning," added Cheryl. "It's the journey you take and I've had one of the best times with Cristian. I love you and I'll miss you and your family so much."

Cristian plans to undergo surgery to repair his ruptured tendon on Friday.

Whitney Thompson wins 'America's Next Top Model,' first full-figured

2008-05-15T19:59:00.002+03:00

Whitney Thompson is the first girl with curves to win America's Next Top Model.

The 20-year-old student from Atlantic Beach, FL became the first full-figured model to win Top Model, as she was crowned the reality competition series' tenth-season champ during last night's finale broadcast on The CW.

"There's definitely times I've looked in the mirror or at other girls and thought that I wasn't like them -- always being judged and thinking, 'Am I different? Is there something wrong with me?'" said Whitney after her victory.

"No. I do feel good about myself and I want other women in America to feel good about themselves. I honestly think that girls will look up to me and say, 'I can do that. I can be that. I don't have to starve. I don't have to have plastic surgery. I can really be like that. I can be on the billboard. I can be on that magazine cover. Why? Because I'm beautiful -- on the inside out.' I have breasts, I have hips, I have a butt -- and I am so proud of those things. I am here and I am me. I'm not going to change myself."

For winning Top Model's tenth season, Whitney claimed the grand prize package of a management deal with Elite Model Management; a $100,000 contract with cosmetics company CoverGirl; and a cover story and six-page fashion spread in an issue of Seventeen magazine.

"It feels amazing to be America's Next Top Model," added Whitney. "This is exactly what I want. This is exactly everything that I ever wanted since I was a little girl."

Anya Kop, a 19-year-old in retail sales from Honolulu, HI, finished second.

"I'm going to go back home and I'm going to cry," said Anya. "I'm proud of myself. I may not be America's Next Top Model, but I have my whole career ahead of me."

Whitney Thompson wins 'America's Next Top Model,' first full

Top Model's tenth-season finale began following the previous judging panel that saw the elimination of Dominique Reighard. The three remaining contestants then received Tyra Mail that contained their lines for an upcoming CoverGirl commercial shoot.

"At least it's in English," said Whitney, referencing a previous tenth-season CoverGirl commercial shoot where the girls had to deliver their lines in Italian.

The next day the girls met Top Model art director Jay Manuel at The Colosseum, where they would film a CoverGirl television commercial and also participate in a photo shoot for a print ad. In addition, Jay told them that the winner would have her CoverGirl photo on a Times Square billboard. Top Model ninth-season winner Saleisha Stowers then met the girls and dispensed some advice as they had their hair and makeup done.

Fatima Siad, a 22-year-old student from Boston, MA, was the first to film her commercial, and she was "excited."

"I know I'm gonna do well," she boasted.

While Jay was "very impressed" Fatima was able to memorize her CoverGirl commercial lines, she was delivering them way too quickly and they weren't making sense.

"Fatima just kept running all the lines together and it just sounded a bit robotic," he opined. "Her looking so perfect coupled with her being robotic made her look a little not human."

Whitney did much better than Fatima, and while Anya had some problems with her lines, Jay thought her "wonderful energy" saved the commercial. The three girls then had their CoverGirl print ads shot by photographer Jim De Yonker.

"I want this so bad," said Fatima after the shoot was complete. "I just feel like I have it. I really feel like America's Next Top Model. I want the judges to see it."

Top Model's penultimate tenth-season panel then commenced, where the girls would be judged by Top Model creator and lead judge Tyra Banks; photographer Nigel; runway expert J. "Ms. J" Alexander; and supermodel Paulina Porizkova.

Tyra thought Whitney was "directable" in her commercial shoot, and Paulina added it had the vibe of a "Miss America competition." As for her photo, Ms. J. thought Whitney looked "very pretty" and Nigel added it had a "vintage" quality to it. Tyra commented the photo was "absolutely stellar."

The judges then watched Fatima's commercial.

"If that was a toothpaste ad, that would be fantastic," commented Nigel, not exactly a glowing review.

Paulina echoed Jay's on-set criticism that Fatima talked too fast. While Nigel thought Fatima looked "stunning" in her photo, Paulina had a problem with the way her eyes were positioned.

Tyra commented Anya's commercial was "the biggest train wreck in the world" but added it was the "best commercial" because of Anya's energy. Paulina agreed that Anya came across as "convincing and honest," and Nigel called her "naturally charming." Tyra thought Anya's photo was "commercial" but still had an "edge" to it.

Before the judges began to deliberate, Tyra revealed that the two finalists would be competing in a runway fashion show while wearing designs handpicked by Donatella Versace. The judges then deliberated.

"Fatima wants this so much that it's taking control of her," commented Nigel.

Paulina thought Fatima made a "wonderful print model."

"I love that [Fatima] has struggled and gone through such cruel things that a lot of us in American could never even imagine or fathom," said Tyra, as Fatima was a victim of genital mutilation. "She stands before us with pride and is not a victim."

The judges then revealed that Anya and Whitney would be the two tenth-season finalists as Fatima was given the boot.

"I feel like I've accomplished so much," said Fatima after her ouster. "I've made history. I'm the first Somali refugee woman to be a part of America's Next Top Model. Hopefully I'll be a role model for a lot of young women, especially East African women. They can look at me and say, 'Wow! Look at her, she went out there. She did her thing.' I feel like I'm born again. I just have to let go of everything that ever happened to me and start all over again. I feel so new, I feel so beautiful, I feel so strong... Trust me, you will not forget about me. You will see this face."

Anya and Whitney then returned to their Roman apartment.

"My entire life, I've grown up with a bunch of mean girls picking on me all the time -- the back-handed compliments, 'Oh my gosh! You don't even look that fat!'" said Whitney, who had an emotional moment during the previous panel. "I've got a tough skin from that, which is the only reason I can stand here and be confident in being a plus-sized model in a house full of little toothpicks."

The next day the girls met Seventeen magazine editor-in-chief Ann Shoket for their Seventeen photo shoot, with Nigel serving as the photographer. The winner of Top Model would receive a six-page spread in Seventeen's July issue and also appear on the cover.

Anya and Whitney then arrived for their Roman runway show, where they were met by Jay and Ms. J. Since it was a real runway fashion show, the girls would be walking with other models -- including Saleisha.

With both girls nervous, the show commenced. Both girls executed their first time on the runway fairly flawlessly, however Whitney had her heel get tangled up in her second gown while Anya had a hard time walking in her second gown since it was constricting the movement of her feet. After the show was over, Tyra went backstage and said she was "proud" of both Anya and Whitney.

Top Model's final tenth-season panel then commence.

"You didn't bring it as strong as you could have, you didn't bring it as strong as you should have," commented Ms. J about Anya.

Paulina said "to be fair," Anya's dress was "very narrow" at the bottom. Ms. J wasn't buying it, and said "there was a way to move the body to make it look elegant."

"You're just so stunning on that runway. The camera loves your face, the light loves your face," added Tyra.

Ms. J thought Whitney nailed the runway show right off the bat, while Nigel said he wasn't a big fan of her first outfit.

"That being said, you saved yourself with your second walk," he added.

Tyra said Whitney reminded her of herself on the runway and added she did a "great job," but gave her the slight criticism that she didn't pose at the end of the runway to give photographers a good shot.

In addition, the judges evaluated Anya and Whitney's photos from the previous tenth-season shoots before deliberating their decision.

Whitney was then revealed to be Top Model's tenth-season champ.

"This should not be called plus-size or full-figured," said Paulina. "This should just be called beautiful."

'Bachelor' star Matt Grant proposes to Shayne Lamas, rejects Chelsea

2008-05-14T19:42:00.003+03:00

The Bachelor: London Calling star Matt Grant presented his final rose and a marriage proposal to Shayne Lamas -- and she accepted both during last night's finale broadcast of the ABC reality dating series' twelfth installment.

The 27-year-old British financier awarded his heart to the 22-year-old actress from Malibu, CA instead of Chelsea Wanstrath, a 24-year-old pharmaceutical sales representative from Durango, CO who became the final bachelorette to be rejected by The Bachelor's first-ever international star.

"This is the happiest day of my life," said Shayne at the broadcast's conclusion.

The Bachelor: London Calling's finale began with Matt in London meeting Chelsea before introducing her to his mother Trish, his father Tony, and his brother Simon.

"There hasn't been a straight forward journey for Chelsea and I," said Matt. "I've been questioning whether or not she's really into me."

Chelsea was excited to see Matt and be in London, since if he gave her the final rose she might be relocating there. She said she was "nervous" and "intimidated" to meet the family.

"My relationship with Matt has gotten so much more intense," said Chelsea. "The stakes are really high right now."

Chelsea gushed about Matt over dinner. Simon thought Chelsea was "charming" and "incredibly beautiful," while Trish thought she was "doing a very good selling job."

"But I don't know her well enough to know whether that was genuine or not," added Trish. "She's got to convince me hasn't she? Very difficult situation for her to be in."

'Bachelor' star Matt Grant proposes to Shayne Lamas, rejects

Chelsea explained to Matt's mom she was falling more in love with him every minute but was having a hard time opening up to him.

"It's not something I wanted but it's so hard not to because you're deathly afraid this person is going to break your heart," said Chelsea. "But I need to make myself vulnerable and open."

Trish said she could see Matt and Chelsea have a "very good relationship" and her son acted like himself around her. Matt then talked to his mom about Chelsea, and she told him that Chelsea needed to be more vulnerable.

"I'm not prepared to pick somebody if I'm not sure they're feeling a 100% like I am," Matt told mom.

Chelsea then said goodbye to the family before Matt walked her out.

"It's safe to say that I feel like I could be a part of the Grant family," she said. "Everything went better than I could have ever planned."

The next day Matt met with Shayne, whom he said had an "uphill struggle" since Chelsea did so well the previous day. Matt and Shayne took a double-decker bus tour of London before going to his parents' house.

"The second the bus pulled up, I was nervous," said Shayne. "I am absolutely shaking in my boots, but I'm falling in love with their son, so I have absolutely nothing to hide."

Shayne immediately opined about being unable to go shopping while on the tour.

"When I first saw Shayne I thought, 'Wow, beach blonde hair...'" said Simon. "To be honest, I didn't think she was very 'Matt' at all."

Tony asked Shayne how old she was and she joked she was 12 before giving her real age. She then talked about her career as an actress and how it was tough for Matt to get used to it, and the family seemed to eventually open up.

"I feel like I gave Shayne a really hard time today," said Simon. "But to be fair, she came across really well."

He then told Shayne she "grew" on him during dinner and he was happy she opened up.

"In two days, you could be engaged to be married to him," Simon told her. "Does that freak you out?"

"No," she answered. "It freaks me out knowing that in two days I could lose him."

Trish told Shayne from the moment she met her she felt "at ease" before asking what she's looking for in a husband.

"Matthew's got a very difficult decision," said Trish. "I think he's very, very fond of both Shayne and Chelsea. I don't know which way he's going to go."

Shayne said goodbye to Matt's family.

"I really had a beautiful time meeting them," she said. "It was beyond my expectations. If it's not Matt and I at the end, I'm going to be crushed."

Matt then conversed with his family and said he feels the "most at ease" with Shayne but thought there might be "more passion" with Chelsea.

"My gut instinct was that Shayne was more sincere than Chelsea," said Trish, but Simon disagreed and said he could imagine his brother being more with Chelsea. Dad sided with mom that Shayne was the one for their son.

"What you've got to realize is the final decision is yours," said Mom.

Next it was off to Barbados for a final date with each of the girls before the final Rose Ceremony. Matt took Chelsea on a helicopter ride around the coast of Barbados and they subsequently settled on a sandy beach for a picnic.

"I think you and I leaving this place would have a great future together," Chelsea told him before he held her in the surf and they kissed.

Chelsea wanted to share a piece of her heart with Matt on their last night before the Rose Ceremony, and she gave him a California survival kit that contained items representative of their future together. She explained she gave Matt the "Chelsea brochure" throughout their six weeks together that was metaphorical on two sides -- it showed different sides of her and also took a while to unfold.

"My whole thing is... so I'm falling in love with you. Absolutely, 100%" she told Matt. "But I don't feel like you can truly love somebody unless they have the capacity of loving you back."

"I'm falling in love with you as well," he replied. "You know that."

They then kissed and she urged him not have fun with Shayne the next day.

"Without a doubt I'm falling in love with Chelsea," said Matt. "She's everything I ever wanted. She's incredible, she's absolutely incredible. I hope we can get through this together."

The next day Matt met with Shayne for their final date before the Rose Ceremony. Matt said he has "so much fun" with Shayne and described her as a "monkey" when they cuddle.

"Today is very serious," said Shayne. "I will definitely show my feelings today and why I want to be with him for the rest of my life."

The two then went parasailing and Shayne took time to reflect.

"I want Matt forever. I love him," she said in a confessional. "I'm just ready."

That night she gave him a gift -- photos of her spelling out "I love you" in beach sand. Matt thought the gift was "so sweet" and said it melted his heart.

"I knew that was so hard for her to do," said Matt on the gesture. "How big a jump she has taken. I was really touched."

Matt then told Shayne he's "falling in love" with her, and she said the same about him.

"I haven't made my decision yet," said Matt as he said goodbye to Shayne for the night. "I'm coming out of today completely confused and perplexed at what decision I'm going to make. I never regret, so I know when I do make it, that is it. Now I've got to make it."

The morning of the final Rose Ceremony, Matt looked at some "amazing" Tacori engagement rings and found one he was wowed by.

"I've never been this nervous, I've never been this apprehensive," he said. "I never thought I'd fall in love with two women... I never thought I would so emotionally attached to two people. I'm going to have to say goodbye to one of them at the end, and regardless of what decision I make, somebody is going to get hurt. I just thought to myself who out of these two women can I see as a life-long partner. It was quite clear to me."

The Bachelor: London Calling's final Rose Ceremony then commenced in Barbados, and Chelsea was the first girl to exit the limousine and approach Matt.

"There's still a chance I could get my heart broken," she said. "I'm really, really hoping that Matt chooses me... At the end of all this I would be so thrilled and so honored to have Matt propose to me. I just don't see myself without him. I really don't."

Matt greeted Chelsea with a kiss and explained he never thought he would meet someone like her and he found himself falling for her when they went on the group date to Las Vegas. Since then, he said they got "so close" and "shard some amazing times." But...

"I've come here to find my life-long partner, as I know you have as well," he told her. "And when I think about that long and hard, I'm thinking I can't give you everything that you need. My only buts with you are the fact that it has taken us a long time. It's been a tough journey, and at times, I've felt so much for you. This doesn't take away from the fact that I found myself falling in love with you."

Chelsea cried and said she had no regrets about her experience.

"I just find it so hard to think that I would have fallen for someone unless they were falling for me..." she told Matt.

"I was falling for you," he replied.

"I felt like I got the reassurance and the okay from you to open up. I was genuine about everything I said because it took me longer..." she said. "Know that although it took me a while, I've met everything I've said. I guess I was just too late..."

"At times I thought you were the one. Many times," he said before wishing Chelsea the best and sending her on her way.

"I don't understand!" an increasingly upset Chelsea blurted out to Matt about Shayne. "To me she was the falsest person here!"

"You know what? She isn't," Matt answered sharply. "The individual that I know is fairly different from the individual you know."

Chelsea then said goodbye and was whisked away.

"It's the hardest thing," said Chelsea from the back of the limousine. "You feel like you just admitted to yourself how much you love somebody and want to spend a future with him and my relationships have been let down after let down after let down. It bothers me that I was so sincere and I feel like I was maybe too honest with him... He's a fool. He is a fool."

Matt said the only way he was able to get through rejecting Chelsea was knowing that he had meeting Shayne to look forward to, and he was excited at the prospects of proposing.

"I know that she will always be there for me," he said.

As she prepared to meet Matt, Shayne said she was "nervous and sad and scared and very anxious and a little worried."

"What an amazing way to fall in love, "she said. "Matt holds every single quality that I want in a husband and somebody that I want to spend the rest of my life with. I've given Matt everything I could and if I lose him I would be heartbroken."

Once Shayne arrived, Matt explained he first thought Shayne was "too good to be true" and eventually learned she was there to "find someone for life."

"I know when I look in those beautiful brown eyes that you'd always be there for me," he said. "I hope that you know that I'll always be there for you. I don't have much more to say..."

Matt then got on bended knee.

"Give me your hand," he asked. "Shayne Lamas. I love you..."

"I love you!" she replied.

"I have something for you," he said. "Monkey... Will you marry me?"

"Yes" she answered. "Matt, I love you!"

The two hugged.

"Okay, I have one thing to tell you," said Shayne. "I will marry you under one condition -- that you will never look at another woman for the rest of our lives. Because you have looked at way too many during our relationship."

"I promise you," he said.

Matt then presented Shayne the final rose.

Matt's proposal to Shayne and her acceptance of it marked only the second time in its last six seasons and just the third time in its last nine editions that a The Bachelor edition ended with its bachelor proposing to his final bachelorette.

Parvati Shallow wins 'Survivor: Micronesia,' defeats Amanda Kimmel

2008-05-12T20:19:00.004+03:00

Parvati Shallow was more than just the flirt this time around.

She organized the all-female "Black Widow Brigade" responsible for blindsiding several of the stronger male castaways before winning Survivor: Micronesia Fans vs. Favorites during last night's finale of broadcast of the long-running CBS reality series' sixteenth edition.

The 25-year-old former Survivor: Cook Islands castaway from Los Angeles, CA claimed Survivor: Micronesia's $1 million grand prize during the live portion of last night's finale broadcast from New York City.

"I wasn't going to start playing in the beginning. I was going to fly under the radar and play the flirt and let everyone underestimate me," Parvati said after she was revealed to be the winner. "[But Jonathan Penner] outed me and said, 'This girl's a threat! We've got to get rid of her!' I was like, 'Okay. I've got to start playing.' I got my head in the game and started making moves."

Parvati defeated former Survivor: China castaway Amanda Kimmel by a 5-3 margin during the final Tribal Council jury vote. The finale marked first time since Survivor: Panama, the show's twelfth season, that a Survivor edition had ended with a Final 2 instead of a Final 3.

Parvati Shallow wins 'Survivor: Micronesia,' defeats Amanda

Survivor: Micronesia's finale broadcast began at the Dabu camp with Parvati, Amanda, former Survivor: Panama castaway Cirie Fields and Natalie Bolton celebrating being the show's first ever all-female Final 4, which they were able to achieve by convincing Erik Reichenbach to give-up the Individual Immunity Idol at the previous Tribal Council.

The next morning, the "Black Widow Brigade" continued to bask in the fact that they were able to eliminate all the guys while Natalie was surprised and happy to be the only remaining Fan.

"I definitely made a personal bond and connection with Parvati," added Natalie. "I think Parvati is an ally for me in this game."

The girls then received some Tree Mail, and were unsure if it would be a Reward or Individual Immunity Challenge.

"We're thinking that winning this challenge is pretty much guaranteed Final 3," aid Cirie. "So we have to beat Natalie."

Amanda, Cirie, Natalie and Parvati then arrived for Survivor: Micronesia's sixth Individual Immunity Challenge, and host Jeff Probst explained the rules.

Each castaway would start on a very small perch at the top of a 20-foot pole in the water. Using a bucket with several holes in it, they'd each gather water, which they would then pour into bamboo shoot. As the water filled up the shoot, it would raise a set of keys.

Once the keys were reachable, the castaways had to unhook them, jump in the water and swim to shore -- where they'd each unlock a chest containing 16 individually shaped latter rungs. The first castaway to correctly assemble her ladder and raise her flag would win Individual Immunity.

The challenge commenced and Natalie and Parvati got off to quick starts, as Natalie grabbed an early lead swimming to shore. Both opened their chests just as Amanda and Cirie grabbed their keys and began to swim to shore.

Natalie was the first to begin assembling her ladder but the other girls quickly caught up to her and Amanda eventually started to pull away. She subsequently completed the ladder and raised her flag to win Immunity.

"I made Final 3! I can't believe it," Amanda told the cameras later. "I'm ecstatic. That's twice in a row. This time I played my game so different and I feel so much better about it."

Meanwhile Natalie opined being the "low woman on the totem pole," but vowed to "explore all [her] options" before Tribal Council. She planned to be "calm, cool and collective."

"There's a way to weasel in and communicate with them in a way that may seem reasonable," said Natalie, who planned to appeal to Parvati as a last chance by explaining that Cirie is a bigger jury-vote threat.

Amanda and Parvati discussed who they would vote for, and Amanda thought Natalie "definitely deserved to be here" because she played a better game than Cirie.

"I don't who I'm voting for tonight," said Amanda.

Natalie then told Parvati about Cirie being a bigger jury-vote threat.

"I love Natalie to death and I think she's a lesser threat as far as jury votes than Cirie," said Parvati in a confessional. "Now the time has come where I could switch it up now and then we have our biggest jury threat out of the game."

Cirie was aware she might be booted.

"I could be going home tonight," she said. "They could of made a deal with Natalie."

The four women then arrived for Survivor: Micronesia's fourteenth Tribal Council, and the jury members --Eliza Orlins, Ozzy Lusth, Jason Siska, Alexis Jones, James Clement and Erik -- entered. Natalie gushed how Erik's blindside went down "seamlessly" before Jeff asked what she expected to happen with the impending vote.

"I think at this point the four of us respect each other enough that I don't think that there would be a blindside," said Natalie, a comment that made Jeff and the jury look a bit surprised. "I would pray for a blindside on some levels because now it would actually benefit me better than all the other four."

Amanda and Parvati said they were surprised by Natalie's comment and Jeff asked if they had just been assuming that there would be a Final 3 instead of a Final 2.

"No one here -- I think I can honestly say -- is expecting a Final 2," answered Amanda. "At this point in the game, it would take us for another whirlwind."

"It is nerve-racking to think that it could be a Final 2 because that makes me feel like -- once again -- I'm on the bottom of the alliance," said Cirie. "Which is not a good place to be Jeff."

Amanda then interjected and asked Cirie when she began to think she was on the bottom of the alliance.

"From the five -- when I started with you, Ozzy, James and Parvati -- basically it's unspoken that I'm on the bottom," Cirie answered, adding it was "obvious" she was also at the bottom when it came to her alliance with Amanda and Parvati. "Not one person in any alliance has ever said, 'I won't vote for Cirie'... So that clearly places me at the bottom of the alliance. I would be foolish not to think that."

Natalie said she saw the bickering as an "opportunity."

"I'm just letting them duke it out and may the best woman win," she said.

However Amanda and Parvati stuck to their alliance with Cirie and all three women voted for Natalie -- who became the seventeenth castaway eliminated from the competition.

"I have to say that I'm pretty happy with the way I played the game," said Natalie after Jeff snuffed her torch. "I was the last Fan standing, and I feel proud of the group of girls that I finished with. I respect the way that you guys played the game with me and I thank you."

Back at camp, Amanda accused Cirie of trying to make she and Parvati look "awful." Amanda and Cirie continued to argue about Cirie being on the bottom of the alliance, with Amanda mostly upset about Cirie mentioning it in-front of the jury.

"If you were me, what would you feel?" asked Cirie as her voice begin to raise. "And because I said it out loud, you're upset?"

She reiterated she's been at the bottom of "every single alliance" and Amanda continued to insist she didn't understand.

"I can't explain it anymore," said Cirie.

"It makes sense," added Parvati, agreeing with Cirie.

Amanda then "broke down" and cooler heads prevailed as the three girls hugged and apologized.

"I feel like I've been doing this forever," said a tearful Amanda. "Straight from China and I come here and I just can't take it."

Amanda told Parvati and Cirie she "almost lost it" when Jeff mentioned there "might be a Final 2."

"There's no way that it would be a Final 2," assured Parvati, although Cirie wasn't so sure.

"It would just break my heart to find out it would be a Final 2," said Cirie.

The next morning the girls let "Gloria" -- their final chicken -- go in the wild. Instead she immediately made a nest at camp to lay an egg.

They then retrieved some Tree Mail, which informed them they'd be remembering Survivor: Micronesia's 17 previously booted castaways via the game's traditional "Fallen Comrades" journey before going to their final Individual Immunity Challenge -- meaning there would be a Final 2.

"It's like when is it going to end. There's only so much you can take," said Amanda. "I am so tight with these girls. This just sucks completely."

Cirie saw a Final 2 instead of a Final 3 as "almost poetic."

"We've been blindsiding people left and right, and essentially we got blindsided," she added. "We thought we had it made. I guess what goes around comes around."

Once the "Fallen Comrades" journey was complete, the Final 3 met for Survivor: Micronesia's seventh and final Individual Immunity Challenge, where Jeff explained the rules.

Each castaway would have a long, wooden cylinder that had been cut into several pieces. In the center was slot, which would hold a metal ball. On Jeff's go, the castaways would pickup the first pieces and balance the ball. Every five minutes, the castaways would have to add pieces to their cylinder, making it longer and more difficult to hold onto.

The castaway able to keep their metal ball from falling the longest would win Individual Immunity at the impending Tribal Council and decide who would sit next to her in the Final 2.

The challenge commenced and all three castaways easily survived the first two rounds. However Parvati dropped her ball during the third round, which both Cirie and Amanda were able to survive.

The fourth round began -- with Amanda holding her cylinder underhand and Cirie going overhand -- and both survived to make it to the fifth round, which would last until somebody dropped her ball. Cirie lost her concentration, dropped her ball and Amanda claimed Individual Immunity for the second time in a row -- receiving a spot in the Final 2.

Back at the Dabu camp, Amanda called deciding between Cirie and Parvati as the "hardest decision" she's had to make in the game so far. Cirie opined her defeat in the challenge.

"Unfortunately Amanda won. Since Parvati and Amanda are so buddy-buddy, unless something happens, I'm probably going home tonight," she said.

Parvati said she was "fairly confident" Amanda would take her to the Final 2.

"We've had an alliance since Day 1 out here," she said. "We also have a really tight relationship that's developed over the course of this game. So I'm not worried about it, really."

Somewhat stupidly, Parvati then told Amanda she thought Cirie "pissed way more" jury members off than she did -- which placed a seed of doubt in Amanda's mind about taking Parvati. Amanda went to talk with Cirie.

"I feel like your best shot with the jury is taking me over Parvati," Cirie told her. "Every person she's screwed over, I've screwed over. We did everything together. Every blindside we orchestrated together -- most of them I did most of the talking for."

Amanda agreed, but said she was still nervous of having Cirie in the Final 2 since she's one of those people who can "talk their way in or out of anything they want."

"Cirie has pissed a lot of people off on the jury -- probably more than Parvati," said Amanda. "But Cirie is a hell of a speaker. She can convince anyone to do anything. In the final Tribal Council, if she can convince the jury -- that's $1 million. So it's kind of a catch 22. Making this decision tonight is killing me. You kind of have to just go with how you feel, your gut feeling. But I know that this decision could cost me $1 million."

Survivor: Micronesia's penultimate Tribal Council then commenced and the jury entered. Amanda described winning Immunity as a "blessing and a curse" because it gave her a "hard, hard decision." Cirie said she believed it was a difficult decision for Amanda since the three of them had been together since Day 1.

"I honestly don't envy Amanda's position at all right now," added Parvati. "I don't think it's going to be an easy decision."

Amanda said picking between Parvati and Cirie was a "toss-up" and got emotional about the impending choice.

"I feel like either way it's a lose-lose situation for me at this point," said Amanda. "I know that this vote tonight is going to hurt someone's feelings. I'm just having a hard time with that."

Amanda then cast the Tribal Council's lone vote for Cirie, who became the eighteenth castaway eliminated from the competition.

"Here I am again, coming up just short," said Cirie, who finished fourth during Panama. "I tried my hardest. It just wasn't meant to be."

The next morning Amanda and Parvati both expressed excitement about being in the Final 2 and being able to go home that night. They received a breakfast basket and celebrated their accomplishment, which both said was the biggest of their life so far.

"I think it's interesting that me and Parvati are in the end of this game together because we have played completely different games," said Amanda. "I think I have played this game loyal to my alliances, and Parvati pretty much did anything she needed to do to take control. Because of that, a lot of people on the jury don't like her. That could be a benefit for me."

"I really honestly feel so relaxed going into this final Tribal Council," said Parvati. "I feel like I've played a game that's been very true to myself. I don't feel like I could have played this game better. My game was a lot more aggressive than Amanda's game -- it was a lot more cutthroat and more cold blooded. I was playing this to win. I think my strongest point that I an make tonight is standing up and owning that I have been a powerful, controlling player throughout the duration of this game."

Survivor: Micronesia's final Tribal Council then commenced. Jeff explained that Amanda and Parvati would each make an opening statement before each of the eight jury members would have the opportunity to either ask a question or make a statement of their own.

Amanda said she entered the competition wanting to "play a loyal game" and "fight physically, strategically and mentally to the end," and thanked the jury for helping her get to the Final 2.

Parvati said she had a reputation as "the flirt" from Cook Islands and had to "play so much differently" in Micronesia -- which included her being more aggressive and making "bold power plays." She assured the jury "honest answers."

Eliza commended both for playing "great strategic games" but added she had no idea who she'd be voting for. However she said she'd "have a lot of difficulty" giving Parvati the $1 million because she "might just be a mean person." In addition, Eliza accused Amanda of being "superficial."

Jason then asked Amanda if they would have told her about their plan to blindside Ozzy before it happened, would she have warned him.

"Yes," she answered.

Jason then asked Parvati about what some of her "redeeming qualities" were in the game since he saw her as "manipulative." She said she was "very protective" of her alliance with Cirie and Amanda and was loyal to them all the way to the end.

Alexis asked Parvati what makes her a better role model for young girls, and Parvati answered she's "more independent" than Amanda.

"Amanda, I have seen a bunch of Oscar Award-winning performances," said Alexis. "We couldn't help but be laughing when you were crying about sending Cirie home... I think you cried wolf so many times that, what about -- if any -- part of your game has been genuine?"

Amanda answered that crying about booting Cirie was "genuine."

"I didn't come here trying to get sympathy votes. I don't want sympathy votes," she added.

Natalie said both Amanda and Parvati have her "respect" and asked Parvati how being a flirt "resonates in the bedroom." The jury laughed at the odd question, and Natalie explained she was asking if Parvati being a flirt was one of her real-life qualities or something strategic for the game. Parvati said she flirts with both guys and girls at home and often uses it to get what she wants.

"It is an old standby, I'm not going to lie," answered Parvati.

Natalie then accused Amanda of always having a "glazed-over look" on her face and asked if that was a strategy or who she really is a person. Amanda said she's a "strong woman" who "definitely has substance" and came into the game to compete with the guys, which she felt she was able to do.

Erik said he would have been "100%" voting for Amanda and saw her as a "big sister" until she had harsh words for him at the two Tribal Councils leading up to his ouster, which he said left him feeling "totally burned" and "thrown under the bus." He asked her on what basis she had to judge him?

"Everything I said in Tribal Council was honest," she answered. "You were un-loyal to me and you tried to get me voted out and I was hurt. I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings."

Erik didn't believe the apology and called "too little too late."

James said he felt Amanda already had the jury vote "in the bag" and added he thought Parvati fed him a "bunch of fluff" after Ozzy was blindsided and asked her to be honest.

"There was no chance for me to win this game if I stuck with you and if I stuck with Oz," she answered. "I felt like I had to make that move when I made it. It also gave me a lot of control, and that's what I wanted."

Cirie asked Amanda "why Parveti deserves a $1 million more than I do." Rather than turn the question into an explanation of how she'd deemed Cirie to be the bigger threat, Amanda instead said that Parvati had "played a very aggressive, bold game" and earned her respect by standying by her throughout the entire game. Amanda added while she also respected Cirie, Parvati made "bolder decisions" and was "kind of the powerhouse" in making those decisions happen. Neither response seemed to go over well with either Cirie or the jury.

Parvati then said Cirie played a "pretty brilliant" game that was a little more under the radar than her own. In addition, Parvati said it would have been difficult for either her or Amanda to compete for the jury's vote against Cirie because she has three children.

Ozzy was the last jury member to face Amanda and Parvati. He said he was "hurt" by Parvati's "great move" to blindside him.

"I never in a million years thought that you could do that to me," he said. "You put a price on our friendship. You threw us away like garbage. It hurts. It really does hurt. How can you say you're a role model when you're willing to discard a valuable friendship like that."

Ozzy didn't even give Parvati a chance to talk.

"Honestly the hardest part for me was the fact that you took away 14 days that I could have spent with Amanda," continued Ozzy to Parvati, adding he was never faking his feelings for Amanda.

"I honestly feel like I started to fall in love with you. I'm glad I didn't win Cook Islands so that I could be here and meet you."

The eight jury members then cast their votes, with Parvati winning by the aforementioned margin.

During the subsequent live reunion show, Jeff revealed James had won the "Survivor of the Season" text message/cbs.com vote that allowed home viewers to award $100,000 to one of the season's castaways. James had also won Survivor: China's "Survivor of the Season" $100,000 prize.

In addition, Jeff also confirmed recent online rumors that Survivor's Fall 2008 seventeenth season will be set in Gabon, a west-central African country along the equator that borders Guinea, Cameroon, Republic of the Congo and the Gulf of Guinea.

Jack Chambers wins So You Think You Can Dance Australia

2008-04-29T21:25:00.004+03:00

JACK Chambers hotfooted his way to being crowned Australia's first So You Think You Can Dance winner last night after shining during three months of intense competition.

The Brisbane funk/hip-hop dancer claimed victory over fellow contestant Rhys Bobridge, Kate Wormald and Demi Sorono to secure the title of Australia's favourite dancer at CarriageWorks in Redfern.

Jack Chambers wins So You Think You Can Dance Australia

"I just want to say thank you very much. I'm so glad that dance ... has been put on the map and I have guys coming up to me in the street saying they are taking dancing lessons, which is amazing," the 19-year-old said.

He pocketed $200,000 in prize money and tuition at Hollywood's top dance studio.

As host Natalie Bassingthwaighte read out the verdict, judges Bonnie Lythgoe, Jason Coleman and Matt Lee punched their fists in the air with delight.

The energetic two-hour finale featured performances by British singer Leona Lewis and dance troupe Tap Dogs.

The final four contestants, Chambers and Bobridge along with Demi Sorono and Kate Wormald, were slowly whittled down to two over the course of the show.

Funky Sorono was the first contestant to leave, followed by Wormald, with the final two Bobridge and Chambers.

Chambers and Bobridge thrilled the audience with a jazz-jive style routine before the winner was announced.

Chambers had been the frontrunner to win but said he was so privileged just to be part of the show and thanked his fans.

"It's such a cliche but we have grown so much,'' Bobridge told the crowd.

The Channel 10 program showed the remaining top 20 contestants return to perform with numbers from the final 10 and final four as well.

Wormald, who has shown amazing technical ability over the course of the show, was praised by judge Jason Coleman, while Sorono was commended for her beautiful nature.

"Kate is and was and probably will remain the best female dancer in this competition,'' Mr Coleman said.

Earlier, Mr Coleman joined fellow judges Bonnie Lythgoe and Lee for the opening high energy number to Rihanna's Don't Stop the Music.

Mr Coleman said it had been years since he had a dance but said "it was just brilliant''.

Meanwhile, the UK's Lythgoe thanked Australians for opening their hearts and letting her into their homes.

Favourite performances from the show were given another run in front of the screaming crowd, including Henry and Vanessa's African Samba, Laura and Anthony's disco inspired 70s theme, Wormald and Hilton's foxtrot and Kassy and Graham's contemporary routine.

'The Pussycat Dolls Presents: Girlicious' Winners Selected

2008-04-29T21:21:00.003+03:00

Four contestants; Natalie, Nichole, Tiffanie and Chrystina are made the new girl band alongwith the premiere of their music video.

Four winners of The Pussycat Dolls Presents: Girlicious have been selected, they are Natalie, Nichole, Tiffanie and Chrystina. The four girls were officially announced as the new group after contestant Charlye was eliminated by the panel of judges that includes Ron Fair, Lil' Kim, and Pussycat Dolls' creator, Robin Antin.

The Wednesday, April 23 episode that was broadcast on The CW saw an episode called "You Are Girlicious" where the top five were required to harmoniously sang as a five-piece as well as solo. Charlye who performed Carrie Underwood's "Before He Cheats" sadly did not impress the judge enough to make her stay in the competition.

Along with the announcement of the winners, came a music video for the song "Like Me". The clip that was premiered on Yahoo! shows the girls energetically dancing and singing in a boxing ring with sexy costumes, in the trademark of Pussycat Dolls.

Girlicious will release an album this year with reports saying that it will come in June. "Like Me" the single has been available on iTunes while the video and another one called "Stupid Sh**" can be found on their official site.

Pussycat Presents Girlicious Group Members Revealed

"The Pussycat Dolls Presents: Girlicious" was brought up as the spin off to "The Pussycat Dolls: the Search for the Next Doll" that ran down last year. Asia Nitollano was crowned as the seventh member of the troupe but she backed out to pursue solo career.

Adam Jasinski wins 'Big Brother 9,' beats Ryan Quicksall via 6-1 vote

2008-04-28T18:10:00.002+03:00

Adam Jasiniski was crowned Big Brother's ninth-season winner during last night's live finale broadcast of the CBS reality show.

The 29-year-old public relations manager from Del Ray Beach, FL took home Big Brother 9's $500,000 grand prize on Day 81 by a 6 to 1 jury vote.

"I'll give to the United Autism Foundation -- $100,000 -- and help these children with an after-school program," said Adam when host Julie Chen asked what his plans were for the money.

Ryan Quicksall, a 27-year-old college student from Columbus, OH, was the runner-up and claimed $50,000.

Big Brother 9 jury members Matt McDonald, Natalie Cunial, Sharon Obermueller, Sheila Kennedy, Chelsia Hart and James Zinkand all voted for Adam, while Joshuah Welch was the only person to vote for Ryan.

"I love you guys man, so much. All of you guys," said Adam after Julie revealed all the jury votes. "Thank you so much for helping me be here."

Big Brother 9's finale broadcast began with Sheila arriving at the jury house following her eviction on Day 77.

Adam Jasinski wins Big Brother 9

"Adam basically did what he normally does and he..." said Sheila to the six other jury members.

"... He screwed you over," said Matt, finishing her sentence.

"Yeah," quickly agreed Sheila. "He dropped the ball on the third [round of the final Head of Household] competition. He basically gave it up so Ryan would do his dirty work."

Sheila said Adam seemed arrogant and pledged her allegiance to Ryan over Adam while the other jury members debated who they thought was the most deserving out of the Final 2.

After their discussion, the still-sequestered jurors questioned Adam and Ryan via satellite, with Matt asking each what they'd do with the $500,000.

Adam stated his desire to start an after school program for kids and added he'd also "love to start a business" before reiterating he wanted to "help children, change lives." Ryan said he would help out his mom by doing something nice for her while adding he'd also like to do something nice for himself and his girlfriend -- previously evicted houseguest Jen Diturno.

Sharon then asked why Ryan chose not to take her to the Final 3 even though they were in a secret alliance. In addition, Sharon also mentioned Ryan and Adam's post-eviction eye contact that had revealed her eviction was part of a plan they had.

Ryan described Sharon as "very loyal" and said he "did not want her out of house" and "fought for her all week" until the "last second" when Adam had a "gut feeling" about taking Sheila to the Final 3 instead.

"I was not gunning to get you out one bit," said Ryan to Sharon. "I wanted you to stay. I didn't want you out of the house."

Chelsia seemed disgusted that Ryan would use any of the prize money on Jen -- especially after she had accused him of being a "racist" when the couple had been on the chopping block against one another. Ryan reiterated his stance at the time -- that he's "not a racist at all" -- but added he also "loves Jen to death."

"I was not happy," said Ryan about the comment. "I still love the girl, and I want to be with her the rest of my life."

Chelsia called that the "wrong answer."

Joshuah then accused Adam of letting Ryan do all of his "dirty work" in the competition, but Adam disagreed and said he had a "well-balanced" game that consisted of "physical, mental, and emotional" aspects. While Adam also admitted to throwing the first round of the three-part final HoH competition, he refuted Sheila's claim that he threw the third.

"I gave my best shot and lost fairly to Ryan," assured Adam.

After Joshuah warned Adam about screaming excitedly at the jury members instead of talking to them with respect, James asked Adam why he deserved to be in the Final 3.

Adam described being saddled with Sheila -- his former "perfect-match" partner -- as a "bum deal" since Day 1. However he added he took a bad situation and did the best he could with it, competing as a "straight shooter" in the house who also minimized risks. Still, he said he "brought [Sheila] a long way in this game."

Natalie asked Adam and Ryan why they ultimately decided against keeping her around.

"You've got to respect the wishes of HoH," answered Adam, referring to Sheila, who as HoH that week was responsible for breaking a 1 to 1 eviction vote tie.

Sheila commented how she was being "thrown under the bus" by Adam's response. Ryan didn't do much better with his answer, offering more of an apology and calling it "one of the hardest decisions" he had to make.

Sheila then refuted Adam's claim that he carried her through the competition and asked Adam why he had "lied to her face" about guaranteeing her a spot in the Final 2.

"We carried each other equally through this game. I had to make certain deals and do certain things to keep me in the Final 3 -- to give you and I a better shot at getting there Sheila," Adam said before reiterating he didn't throw the third round of the final HoH competition.

"I'm sorry you're not sitting next to me here, but we both -- together -- got as far as we could have gotten," continued Adam, adding he felt "obligated" to "carry" Sheila during the competition.

"Adam, you did not carry me at the end of this game," answered Sheila. "I don't want you to take all the credit."

Adam reminded Sheila that they were the final remaining "perfect-match" couple -- and made-up two-thirds of the Final 3 no less. For yet another time, Adam assured Sheila he did not throw the third round of the final HoH competition.

"I don't care what anybody believes in that jury house," he said.

In addition to the Final 2 and seven jury house members, previously eliminated Big Brother 9 houseguests Jacob Heald, Parker Somerville, Jen, Alex Coladonato, Amanda Hansen, and Allison Nichols were also at the live finale. Neil Garcia -- the first American Big Brother contestant to ever voluntarily leave the competition -- was not in attendance.

Before the jury cast their votes, Julie asked Jen how she felt about Ryan's former "perfect-match" partner Allison.

"I don't care for her," Jen answered bluntly. "She definitely thought she was a better match for my boyfriend than I was. She told him that several times after I was out of the house. She asked Ryan several times what he saw in me and how he could be with somebody like me."

"I think that Jen and Ryan have a great relationship. I really have no hard feelings towards Jen... I saw a side of Jen that I didn't care for in the house," answered Allison, who accused Jen of "trying to sabotage Ryan's reputation," which is "not exactly the acts you would do if you loved somebody."

Also during last night's broadcast, home viewers were allowed to vote via CBS' website for their favorite jury member, with the winner receiving $25,000. James had the most votes and claimed the money while Sheila finished second.

Big Brother's tenth season is scheduled to premiere Sunday, July 13 at 8PM ET/PT, with Tuesday night episodes airing at 9PM ET/PT beginning July 15 and Wednesday night episodes airing at 8PM ET/PT beginning the next night and serving as the live eviction show.

Leona Lewis Performed on American Idol

2008-04-24T22:41:00.003+03:00

Leona Lewis made a performance for the first time on American Idol stage and for the umpteenth time in front of Simon Cowell. The winner of British reality show X Factor, that also sees Cowell as the judge, sang her #1 hit "Bleeding Love" on the result show on Wednesday, April 23.

While Lewis celebrated her performance, contestant Carly Smithson was cut off the show after receiving the lowest amount of vote on the Andrew Lloyd Webber week. On Tuesday, the Irish singer who lost her chance in the show's season 5 due to visa problem, performed "Jesus Superstar" and even got praised by the acid-tongue Cowell. She was put on the bottom two along with Syesha Mercado who managed to get into the top five along with David Archuleta, David Cook, Brooke White and Jason Castro.

Along with the result show, there was a screening of a message from the U.S. President, George Bush and First Lady Laura Bush who thanked viewers for the donations made during "Idol Gives Back" episode. The special event managed to raise $22 million dollars that will go to six charity organizations.

American Idol 7 Leona Lewis Bleeding Love

Contractor Stephen Paletta wins 'Oprah's Big Give'

2008-04-24T22:35:00.003+03:00

Stephen Paletta was revealed to be Oprah's Big Give's winner during last night's finale broadcast of the ABC reality competition series.

The 43-year-old real-estate developer from Bedford, NY claimed the show's $1 million grand prize -- $500,000 to keep for himself and $500,000 to use for additional gives to others.

"I'm in shock," said Stephen after his victory. "It was such an incredible honor and privilege to be part of this show and to be chosen as the biggest giver with all of these wonderful people."

Stephen defeated Cameron Johnson, a 22-year-old entrepreneur and dot-com millionaire from Roanoke, VA, and Brandi Milloy, a 23-year-old pageant queen from Chicago, IL, to take home the Oprah's Big Give title.

"Cameron and Brandi made it so tough," said Oprah's Big Give judge Jamie Oliver after Stephen was named the winner. "We couldn't just base it on this task alone -- we had to dig back over the weeks. I know that regardless of this show, you're going to go on and do such wonderful things in the future."

Stephen Paletta wins Oprah's Big Give

Oprah's Big Give's finale began with the three finalists meeting Oprah Winfrey at Chicago's Union Station, where she explained the rules of their final mission, dubbed "The Shirt off Your Back."

The three would work as a team and have 48 hours with no seed money to give in Oprah's hometown. While they'd be working as a team, each finalist would be judged individually when they faced the judges for the last time.

The final mission commenced and each of the finalists wanted to step up. Stephen called his friend Bob Muzikowski -- the founder of Chicago Hope Academy -- and the three finalists arrived at the preparatory school. Bob told them the school needed an athletic field, with a cost of $100,000.

"Stephen looked through his Rolodex, called an old friend and kind of forced this school upon us," said Brandi.

Stressed out, Brandi suggested helping Shriners Hospital for Children as the three began to brainstorm. She and Cameron suggested having every Miss Illinois titleholder perform, however Stephen was not impressed.

"The reality is, you've got to think a little bit bigger. This is the biggest challenge we have," said Stephen. "If worse come to worst, let's set that up as a fallback. But to tell me that's what you want to do as the biggest give, it's a little bit insulting. It's kind of like, 'Guys! We have to do better than that."

With only 40 hours left they still had no concrete ideas and continued to banter about suggestions, but time continued to pass with nothing planned.

"I am so stressed out right now. This is the Big Give finale and we have no ideas," opined Brandi. "Zero. Zilch. I just want to get out of here."

Jamie than arrived for an update and didn't like what he heard.

"To be honest, you ain't got nothing now -- nothing very interesting," Jamie told them. "[Cameron's] entrepreneurial. [Brandi's] incredible with people. [Stephen's] kind of a bit of everything. So split the group into those attributes. Don't overcomplicate. You have 36 hours. Be realistic and over deliver. Don't go for something too big and underdeliver. You'll look like bloody idiots."

They took his advice and decided to back Stephen's idea to help Chicago Hope Academy. Cameron called in some money from friends and also got in touch with Blue Man Productions, which offered to donate $100,000 to the school and a performance by Blue Man Group.

Cameron and Brandi weren't happy Stephen told the Chicago Hope Academy kids about the Blue Man Group performance because he didn't have any hand in planning it. Brandi described it as "selfish."

Prior to serving the Chicago Hope Academy kids a special luncheon, Cameron and Brandi instead traveled to Shriners Hospital for Children. Stephen secured $60,000 for the academy while Brandi convinced Anthony Reyes, a local chef, to donate a free cooking class to the kids at Shriners.

Stephen served lunch at the Chicago Hope Academy -- by himself -- before the Blue Man Group performance commenced. Once at the theater, Phil Stanton, one of the Blue Man Group founders who donated the $100,000, wanted to meet Cameron. Alas, Cameron was stuck in traffic with Brandi and said he might be late.

"This is the big reveal. This is what we're giving the Chicago Hope Academy, and you guys don't even have the decency to be there when we show up?" said Stephen after Brandi suggested he start the show without them. "Blue Man Productions is donating over $100,000 plus the show. You've got to show these people respect and show up on time. It's an embarrassment to me, and it's an embarrassment to Oprah's Big Give."

The Blue Man Group performed with Oprah's Big Give's three judges -- Jamie; NFL star Tony Gonzalez; and philanthropist Malaak Compton-Rock, who is comedian Chris Rock's wife -- all in attendance.

After the show, the donations were revealed and included $110,000 to put toward baseball fields; $50,000 to go toward music and arts programs; 15 brand new guitars; and a Baldwin upright piano.

"It's unbelievable that they put that together in 48 hours," said Bob. "We had no idea they were coming, and to help us like that is just beyond anything we dreamed of."

The finalists then went to Shriners, where Anthony gave his cooking lesson while Cameron and Stephen left to spend an extra $10,000 that Cameron raised on toys for the hospital's kids.

The three finalists then returned to Oprah's Big Give headquarters, where they were met by the seven previously eliminated contestants -- Angelo Adams; Olusegun "Sheg" Aranmolate; Rachael Hollingsworth; Eric Klein; Kim Prentiss; Marlene Snipes; and Carlana Stone.

Cameron, Brandi and Stephen also received their final remarks from the three judges.

Before the winner was revealed, actress Jennifer Aniston dropped by with a surprise -- the winner would be receiving $1 million; the other two finalists would receive $100,000 each; and the seven previously eliminated contestants would each receive $30,000.

Stephen was then revealed to be the winner.

Leona Lewis' Spirit Album Tops US Chart

2008-04-19T10:40:00.004+03:00

Leona’s debut album Spirit has gone straight in at the top of the American album charts! Not only is she first British female to achieve such an amazing feat, but she is the first British artist in history to debut at number one!

Selling a massive 204,841 copies in one week, Sprit outsold the number two (Troubadour by Straight George) and three (Sunset Man by Otto James) albums by an impressive 88,256.

This phenomenal result comes just two weeks after her first single ‘Bleeding Love’ went in at number one, making her the first British female vocalist to take the number one single spot in an almighty 21 years.

Having dropped a few places last week, ‘Bleeding Love’ returned to the number one spot this week which means that Leona has done the unthinkable and bagged a double whammy of chart topping success in the States; a notoriously hard market to crack.

Simon Cowell has commented, ‘What Leona has achieved is simply incredible. This is the hardest market to crack and for her debut album to go in at number 1 is unbelievable.’

Other record-breaking news:

· Leona Lewis’ triumph marks the first time in music history that any album by a British female artist has entered at Number One on the Billboard Top 200.

· Spirit (J Records/SyCo Music) marks the first time ever that any British artist, male or female, has entered the US chart at Number One with a debut album.

· Spirit is the biggest-selling debut for a first album by a female artist since Carrie Underwood’s Some Hearts in 2005—and it scored the biggest digital album sales week ever for a new artist, male or female.

Related Stores:
Leona Tops the US Single Chart
Leona Winning the X-Factor

American Idol: Idol Gives Back 2008

2008-04-12T21:36:00.003+03:00

Well, this is what you've all been waiting for, right? What's that? Finale? Yeah, I guess that'll be cool, too. But if you've listened to Ryan all season then you know TONIGHT is really what it's all about! If you're looking to find out who got eliminated by vote last night you're going to have to wait until tomorrow. But if you're looking for two-and-a-half hours of entertainment chock full of celebrities and song and charity, then you're looking for "Idol Gives Back."

Last year's inaugural edition was very good, and Kristin's report of the Idol Gives Back taping from this past Sunday was also very positive. We don't have any pesky (non) eliminations to deal with like last year, so just kick back, donate and enjoy. And, if you want, join us online and chat about it in real-time with other giving Idol fans.

"If AIDS got half ... half of the attention the media gives to celebrity dramas, this issue would be well on its way to being solved. So I want to ask you, shall we be the generation that says no more injustice to the poor. Shall we commit to eradicating AIDS, extreme poverty and more. Or shall we continue to allow ourselves no voice in the world our children will inherit." --Alicia Keys

Tonight's show was a hybrid of new material interspersed with the recorded segments from this past Sunday. But in true Idol tradition, they pretended that all were happening at the same time. They set up the Top 12 on stage with laptops to take live calls from donors during the show; a nice touch. Even Ryan bantered with a few of the callers live throughout the show.

One of the things I learned from the night is that there are just so many different places in the world in need for so many different reasons. How can there still be so many problems in a world were there are people with billions of dollars, nations with health care for everyone and all the medical technology we've uncovered? If the peoples of the world would just stop and care enough about everyone we share a planet with, couldn't we make so many of these things go away?

Even if Idol Gives Back doesn't raise the level of money they're shooting for, $100 million, at least they're doing a tremendous thing in raising awareness for the various causes spotlighted. The weird thing for me now is that by removing the Results portion of the show, like they had last year, it no longer feels like an episode of American Idol at all. Now it truly is just a charity special, so it became sort of an odd fit for the series. Don't get me wrong, I think it's a great thing for a show of this magnitude to do, it's just a weird thing now to air a special completely unrelated episode between the performance of the Top 8 and the elimination of one of them. But maybe that's just me.

There was a ton going on in the show, starting off with that great So You Think You Can Dance piece with the Top 8 singing Rhianna's "Please Don't Stop the Music." And if I'm not mistaken, that was SYTYCD contestant Hok's entire dance crew there toward the end.

American Idol: Idol Gives Back 2008 Finalists Performances

CELEBRITY APPEARANCES

The show was filled with celebrity appearances, some introducing video segments and live performances, while still others got more actively involved in the various charities and causes promoted throughout the night. California first lady Maria Shriver opened the show surrounded by more than a hundred volunteers at various organizations in California. Shriver was there to encourage you to find a way to volunteer in your community

Ben Stiller introduced a Jennifer Connolly dramatization where she served water from a lake to kids. 1.1 billion people don't have access to clean drinking water was the message. It was a nice piece and effectively sold its message, but as it was the only dramatization of its kind, it was a little weird comparatively on the night

Paula Abdul & Randy Jackson came out to talk about childhood obesity in America. They went to Goshen School, less than 200 miles from the Idol stage, but in a community mired in poverty. The per capita income is less than $9,000 per year. The community has no resources to make safe places for kids to play, and due to gang violence and fear, most just stay at home. Save the Children runs a promotion where kids can come, get homework help and most importantly be kids.

Jimmy Kimmel came on to introduce Simon Cowell's video segment, and did so in the fashion of a celebrity roast. There are over 50 million people without necessary health insurance, 15 million of which are children. He hooked up with the Children's Health Fund, a van of roving health care that brings needed assistance to families without insurance. We meet a family where the mother has lupus, the daughter has rheumatoid arthritis and the son is just recently out of a wheelchair. This poor family has lost their home already due to medical costs. Honestly, this is an area of this country that I am unable to fathom, how we disenfranchise so many people in a first world nation that thinks itself the leader of the free world from affordable health care.

Miley Cyrus and her dad Billy Ray Cyrus went back to Clay County in Kentucky, where Billy Ray hails from. Fifty percent of the children in this region live below the poverty line. The Cyrus' met a family living in horrific living conditions. There is a Save the Children after-school program there that is helping kids learn at appropriate levels. The program even delivers books to families that could never afford them.

Eli & Peyton Manning came on to talk about how the communities of their hometown New Orleans and the surrounding region are still struggling with the aftermath of Hurrican Katrina three years later. We learned about the very real horrors that the children of the area were subjected to. The Mannings went to a community center to talk and play with some of the kids in the area.

Reese Witherspoon came on to spotlight The Children's Defense Fund, which focuses on education for children. Reese went to an impoverished region of New Orleans where she met a single mom raising her thirteen-year old daughter. She told a story about a four-year old who shot himself. Could that possibly be suicide? Surely it was an accident. How could a four-year old want to die so badly? Freedom School is an after-school program that's available there and keeps the daughter out of trouble and helps her become a better person. It's one thing to see suffering in Africa, and yes it's horrible, but when you hear the statistics of how many children are suffering right now here in America it just breaks your heart.

David Spade introduced Brad Pitt's efforts in New Orleans to find homes for familes who lost theirs. 275,000 homes were lost in Katrina. Over 200,000 people remain displaced from their homes even now. Even former President Bill Clinton helped Make It Right, an organization that helps build affordable homes for the people. I'm not sure why he got a standing ovation when he hit the stage. I liked when his mic fell and the woman who came out said "I just needed a reason to touch him," while fixing it. Ad lib humor better than Ryan usually manages.

Brad Pitt introduced Daughtry's trip to Uganda, Africa. This journey was presented in the form of a music video for Daughtry's single, "What About Now?" filmed in Africa. He performed it for a huge crowd of kids and invited them to sing the chorus with him. He went in affiliation with One.org, a unity of charities to enhance the good they can do. Ryan told us Bono would tell us more about that tomorrow night.

Bono traveled to Africa to meet children and people ravaged by AIDS. We met Sophia, a 14-year old girl suffering with AIDS, and our funds keep her in the medicines she needs. I couldn't help but wonder if Sophia could understand him when he talked to her, but nevertheless it is inspiring. Esophea (sp?) volunteers her time and efforts to help so many in her community after losing three of her own children to HIV. Keep a Child Alive is a global organization that deals with AIDS in Africa. Later, Dane Cook introduced a portion of Alica Keys' African journey with this group, the entire video of which is available for download at AmericanIdol.com.

Bono's second report of the night was about the children and people of Africa striving to remember those they've lost to AIDS. It also served as an introduction to Annie Lennox's journeys in Africa where she too finds so many people who've lost everyone they've known and loved to AIDS. She found a group of brothers, all children 15 and under. The eldest now is the caretaker for the family. Annie took them to be tested and all were negative. And these losses could be preventable as most who die from AIDS do so from lack of diagnosis and available treatment. After the video, she came on stage to perform and play piano.

Sarah Silverman did what she does and you either like her or you don't before getting into her bit on malaria and introducing Forest Whitaker's video. He went with his wife to a community ravaged by this disease. Malaria takes more lives in Africa than anything else. They met Maria who suffered from a severe case of malaria. A thing as simple as a ten dollar mosquito net could have prevented this illness. So many families don't even have access to the facilities that saved Maria's life.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown followed up on Forest's bit by announcing that the UK will pay for 20 million more malaria nets for Africa and will urge other world leaders to do the same. That's $200 million donated by the UK to this worthy cause. Now we've got a lot more people in the US than they do in the UK, so if we can't match that donation we're going to look pretty damned cheap, people.

Robin Williams was introduced as the winner of the latest Russian Idol. I'm sorry but this was a pretty stupid bit for me. Robin was pitchy in places and it went on forever and ever. After bantering with Ryan a bit he stood in front of Randy, Paula and Simon to "audition" for them. He sang a horrible "My Way" Russian mess and then got "critiqued" by the panel. Why did this get an entire segment?

There were tons of other celebrity recordings interspersed throughout the show by Jimmy Johnson, George Lopez (who gave his promotion in Spanish--a very cool move), Kylie Minogue (who did hers in the Queen's English so that British people could understand the message, too), Kobe Bryant, Triple H, Mary Murphy (who said she would scream as she does on So You Think You Can Danceuntil someone donated), Nigel Lythgoe (who begged us to give so Mary would stop screaming), The Jonas Brothers, Julianne Moore (who should have taken the time to learn her lines, or at least gotten her teleprompters closer to the camera), John Cena, Adam Sandler (whose bulldog donated), David and Victoria Beckham, Kiefer Sutherland, Celine Dion, Whoopi Goldberg, Ellen DeGeneres (though I would have much rather had her do the co-hosting she was supposed to), Keith Urban, Vanessa Hudgens and Ashley Tisdale, Rob Schneider and Tyra Banks

LIVE PERFORMANCES

Snoop Dogg w/ Charlie Wilson and the Youth Football League of LA - "Can't Say Goodbye"
You gotta give props to Snoop for having his logo and name crested onto his mic. I don't think I've ever seen a mic with bling before, so mad props to one of the original "dawgs" of modern rap.

Teri Hatcher w/ "Band from TV" - "Before He Cheats"
This was introduced in a cheesy clip of Carrie Underwood getting plumbing help in her dressing room by James Denton from Desperate Housewives. That was enough to get Teri Hatcher jealous. "If you're going to steal my man, I'm going to steal your song." I liked the "Band from TV" schtick as I recognized James Denton behind her on guitar, Jesse Spencer (Chase from House) on violin and, Greg Grunberg (Parkman from Heroes) on drums. Teri, however, was not good on vocals. t the end, Carrie herself came onto the stage to give the charity numbers.

Miley Cyrus - "Good and Broken"
Billy Crystal came on to introduce and make a dream come true for a talented newcomer who dreamed of singing on the Idol stage, and then mispronounced Miley Cyrus' name. They had a cute enough dialogue back-and-forth where Crystal tried to offer her career advice and she showed him up with her recent success. The only connection they had was that he was the voice of Mike on Monsters, Inc. When she corrected him on pronouncing her name, he got star-struck realizing who she was. She sang well enough, but there's something funny about seeing her throw her hair and body around like a rock star up there. Admittedly, I've never paid a few thousand dollars to go to one of her actual concerts, so maybe she does this there and it's amazing. I wonder if Hannah Montana was jealous that Miley was invited to be on the show and she wasn't.

Fergie w/ John Legend - "Finally"
Heart w/ Fergie - "Barracuda"
Fergie hit us with an Idolpower note during her performance. Maybe the stage brings those out of singers. Her performance served as an introduction to Heart who performed "Barracuda." Ann Wilson may be heavier than we've ever seen her, but she still sounds absolutely amazing. Fergie came back out and sang with Ann on the track, and gave every bit as much as Ann on the song. How many times have we heard Idol wannabes butcher Heart, and here's Fergie almost perfectly nailing the required vocal intensity and prowess of the song. Fergie wore the tight leather pants that the Wilsons don't wear anymore (thank goodness) and even did two one-handed forward cartwheel.

Annie Lennox - "Many Rivers to Cross"
What can you say? Annie is a legend and is just as amazing a vocalist and performer now as she's ever been in her amazing career.

Carrie Underwood - "Praying for Time"
It's a shame that Carrie couldn't get her dress from the dry cleaners in time. If only she could have she wouldn't have had to wrap the drapes from her dressing room around herself. Carrie again proves why she was versatile enough to win American Idol. Even though she's a country singer, just as she was able to nail Heart on her season, she effortlessly takes on George Michael, himself an amazing vocalist. Can I say that I liked Carrie more with a bit of meat on her bones. Celebrities are too skinny! And why couldn't she get up, did she forget to take out the curtain rods?

American Idol: Idol Gives Back 2008 Carrie Mariah Daughtry

Gloria Estafan w/ Sheila E. - "Get On Your Feet"
I'm not sure how she did it, maybe she drinks Dick Clark's blood, but Gloria Estafan is virtually ageless. She hasn't lost a bit of her voice either, and her performance featured another welcome return of those SYTYCD dancers.

American Idol 2008 Top 8 - "Seasons of Love"
This was one of the better group performances of the season for the Idol contestants, and I think it has more to do with the lack of awful choreagraphy than anything else. Wow, they're so much better to listen to when they're not being forced to do bad "boy band" routines across the stage. Take notes, Idol folks.

Miley Cyrus - "See You Again"
Miley came out again with a high-octane performance. I'll give the girl credit that she knows how to put on an entertaining show at fifteen years old. But is she a rock star? Certainly fans seem to react to her like she is, so maybe I'm just too old for her. I did like the dancers in boxes background thing she did. But why did Miley get two performances and a video segment? Is FOX courting her for a show on their network?

Mariah Carey - "Fly Like a Bird"
With our own Randy Jackson on bass behind her, word has it that Mariah is next week's celebrity mentor. Mariah is just amazing, and that didn't change tonight as she closed out the show. If they're going to do Mariah's songs, then this could be the most challenging week ever in Idol coming up.

Top 8 - "Shout to the Lord"
To wrap up the show, the Top 8 put on their purest white garb for this number, though why Syesha translated that to mean white shorts I'm not sure. I'm also not sure why the SYTYCD kids were back with the choir. They're not singers. It was overall a nice performance and a nice show, though again it no longer fits quite right as just another episode in the middle of the season. Maybe it should be a special after the finale. They could air it that next Saturday or Sunday, like a Pro Bowl and bring back all of the Top 24.

Holly Kiser Wins Make Me a Supermodel Season 1

2008-04-07T17:29:00.006+03:00

It’s 3 guys against one girl in the finale of the reality series “Make Me A Supermodel” and guess what? Girl power rules as 21 year old Holly Kiser bested all the contestants to become the next supermodel.
Holly grew up on top of a mountain in the heart of Appalachia in a very strict and traditional family. She has overcome many hurdles in her life, including suffering third degree burns on her face after graduating high school, but she credits her ability to overcome these struggles to her faith. She now lives with her fianc� in Miami and is struggling to jump-start her modeling career. She describes herself as sassy, outspoken and quick witted. In her spare time, she enjoys running and spending time at church.

Holly wins the photoshoot and catwalk challenges in 3 episodes and she’s been in the bottom 3 only once. Ronnie and Ben, or “Bronnie” as what their fans call them, have been in the bottom 3 for a number of times but because the televiewers enjoy the “relationship” that they share during the competition, they made it to the final 4. Ben is a prison guard, married, while Ronnie is a gay man. Joining Ben, Ronnie and Holly in the final 4 was Perry, the one who was perceived by the judges as “cocky” but was able to redeem himself in the end.

See Holly's photo gallery here:

Holly Kiser Wins Make Me A Supermodel

Leona Lewis tops Billboard Hot 100

2008-03-28T16:08:00.002+02:00

Leona Lewis has become the first UK female solo artist in more than 20 years to top Billboard’s Hot 100 chart.

Her single Bleeding Love, which is released through Syco/J Records in the US, has climbed 8-1 on the newly-announced chart to make it only the second single by a British act in the last decade to lead the countdown.

Bleeding Love’s chart-topping triumph follows Lewis last week performing the song on Oprah Winfrey’s hugely-influential TV show in the States. Lewis was introduced by Syco founder and X Factor/American Idol judge Simon Cowell on the programme where Winfrey also interviewed her.

The last UK act to top the Hot 100 was James Blunt whose You’re Beautiful spent a week at number one in March 2006. However, the clock has to be turned back to June 1987 when the last UK female solo artist reached number one on the chart. That was Kim Wilde with her cover of the Holland-Dozier-Holland evergreen You Keep Me Hangin’ On.

Watch the video as Simon Cowell talks about his protege's success.

Lewis, who appeared on NBC’s The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on Monday night, is due to return to the States around the release there of her debut album Spirit on April 8.

Watch Leona perform in Oprah show.

Leona's Official Website: http://www.leonalewismusic.co.uk/international