Top 24 for American Idol Revealed (Finally!)

Over the past two nights on Fox, Jennifer Lopez, Steven Tyler, and Randy Jackson had narrowed the top 40 contestants down to the top 24, who will perform live on the American Idol stage with hopes of winning the hearts of America  (Click here to view all contestants chosen). The judges made it apparent that the talent level was through the rook this year—the contestants had to be better than good to have any shot at going into the next round. With that being said, viewers (and some contestants) had to realize that some of those who were great singers had to be sent home, even if they did not necessarily deserve it.



Chris Medina, 26



Among those who many thought did not deserve to go home was Chris Medina. Yes, I have to say that his story was heartbreaking, and his devotion to his now-handicapped fiancé is nothing short of admirable. Not one person can deny that he is just overall a great individual. However, as previously stated, the competition is fierce, and, though it was horribly sad to see him go, he was not consistent enough to meet the par for the top 24.

Another controversial aspect of this season was the decision to lower the entry age to 15, which is a year under the 16-year-old limit of all previous seasons. The judges feel, however, that the right decision was made, due to two 15-year-olds, Thia Megia and Lauren Alaina, being part of the prestigious top 24.

Next week, the official live show will begin; the top 12 men are to perform on Tuesday, followed by the top 12 girls on Wednesday. Thursday night will be the dreaded elimination night, when even more cuts will have to be made. This time, however, America will decide who stays and who goes. Do you have a favorite contestant yet?

Glee Passes Up Legends On Billboard Top 100

With only 18 months of appearing on the charts, the hit show Glee now has more hits on the Billboard top 100 than anyone—this including artists such as the Beatles, Elvis Presley, and Michael Jackson. With debuting six songs last week, they are now up to 113, surpassing Elvis, who totaled 108. Anyone familiar with the show knows that all of their songs are simply covers of other artists’ hits. With that being said, one has to question—is it really a legitimate record for the show to hold? In my opinion, no…and for several reasons. These songs were not written by them, simply re-sang—and often quite similar to the original version. On the contrary, artists such as Elvis and the Beatles primarily produced their own original music. Not to mention, some of Glee’s covers which contributed to their record are songs of these great artists whom they superseded! Not too fair, is it? I don’t mean to offend any lovers of the show. I will admit, I have never watched a single episode, and I’m sure, with how big the show is (and from what I’ve heard from friends), it is a decent show in context. That still does not change my opinions with them holding this record.

"...But You Didn't Have to Get Me Anything!"

Heart-shaped boxes of chocolate, gushy love letters, and dozens of roses—all these things are what we typically relate to Valentine’s Day.  Sure, a diamond ring is always nice, but a sweet note, accompanied by a single rose or box of chocolates, will always suffice. However, these gifts aren’t usually enough to satisfy the world's biggest celebrities. We all know, of course, that buying a fancy, expensive gift is never the way to show your sweetie how much you care. Apparently, some stars would beg to differ. Let’s take a look at what BuzzFeed considers as the top five celebrity gifts over the past several years!

1. Given to David Arquette by his wife Courtney Cox. I guess he was a little too old for a real pony? However, I’m not so sure substituting a carousel one makes it too much more suitable!

2.       What says “I love you, Beyoncé!” better than a platinum, jewel-encrusted cell phone? According to Jay-Z, not a thing…

3.       Romantic nights are common among couples. The difference between the average Joe and Jane couple and the fancy celeb couple? Celebs don’t invite one another to their homes; instead, they rent a $40,000 hotel suite (remember…this is only for one night!), like the one George Clooney purchased for Sarah Larson.

4.       Okay… it’s true. A pricey engagement ring is not exactly out of the ordinary for a Valentine’s Day gift, but if it’s one like Howard Stern bought Beth Ostrosky, it is. In other words, only celebs spend $250,000 on a 5.2 carat emerald-cut rock like this one!

5.       Of all the celebs with the love-bug, Katy Perry must have been bitten pretty hard. What did she purchase this year for Russell Brand?  A $341,000 Bentley, of course! I must say, receiving a set of keys to that beauty would be a sufficient exchange for the key to my heart…*hint hint*



Polaroids, Glasses and LED Lights...Oh My!

Strange accessory crazes are taking off lately. One that has caused bundles of hype? Polaroid glasses; and, of course, who would propose such an idea rather than Lady Gaga, who is far from the average accessorizer. These glasses, the Polarez GL20, contain a camera, as well as two one and a half inch LCD projectors, in the lens. What all does this contraption do? Capture photos, playback said photos, watch slideshows and videos, enable photo sharing—you name it, they are most likely capable! Gaga was inspired by linking two similar iPod screens to play movies; the details were strung along after. Surprisingly enough, it is still possible to clearly see what is ahead of you, due to the LCD screens being positioned just below the line of vision.

A bright white smile sure does attract the eye—but how about a bright green smile…or a bright blue one? Japan has been struck by a new craze: LED teeth. Designed and fitted in a similar manner to an everyday mouth guard, a small LED insert is positioned on the teeth and…VIOALA, a brightly accented smile. A wireless hand-held control switch helps to allow the colors to be changed from blue, green, red and even a flashing sequence of all three options. Creator Moto Ishibashi and his partner Daito Manabe are beginning lessons to teach kids how to make their own LED teeth. One thing’s for sure...anyone will be able to spot that smile from a mile away!

Ohhhh Say... Can You See?

Any singer in the music industry would agree on the fact that having the opportunity to perform the national anthem at the Super bowl is far more than the chance of a lifetime. Performers such as Carrie Underwood, Billy Joel, Diana Ross, Neil Diamond, Mariah Carey and Beyonce Knowles are among the previous to achieve this honor; joining the list this year was Christina Aguilera. As the judges on American Idol have said for years, forgetting the lyrics is a HUGE no-no. If a contestant goes blank, they usually go home. Forgetting the lyrics to the national anthem, as Aguilera did at the Cowboy’s Stadium on Sunday, is an event that does not usually strike spectators in an approving manner. Stumbling on the fourth line of the song, Aguilera sang the phrase “what so proudly we watched at the twilight’s last gleaming” in the place of “o’er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming”.  The singer blamed her fumble on being so caught up in the moment that she lost her place, and assures she knows the anthem by heart by stating she has been performing the song since the age of seven.

*Click here to watch the video, if you missed it on Sunday!