There’s “a whole lotta shakin’ goin’ on” for the next season of “American Idol” on the judges panel, with the departure of Ellen DeGeneres and Kara DioGuardi and the possible addition of Jennifer Lopez and Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler.

American Idol

First, Paula Abdul left the show. Then Simon Cowell bowed out at the end of last season.  So that left original judge Randy Jackson with DioGuardi and DeGeneres as a panel, but rumors had been circulating all summer about who the fourth judge would be for season 10 (Elton John, Bret Michaels, and Howard Stern were among the many rumored contenders.)

Now things have really shaken up with DeGeneres announcing she has quit, stating that she had a hard time being hurtful to the contestants (read Ellen’s statement about leaving “American Idol” here).  I believe DeGeneres brought a bit of humor to the show, but never felt she was really in her element.  So I think this was a wise decision for her. 

As for DioGuardi, she was reportedly fired as an “American Idol” judge, according to a TMZ report. 

The report also states that the show will be going back to its original three-judge panel, and that the three will be Randy Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, and Steven Tyler. 

TMZ also reported that the only way DioGuardi could get a reprieve is if the J-Lo deal falls apart, but that deal is reportedly done.

So what do you think about the reported changes for “American Idol’s” panel of judges?  Did you like Ellen DeGeneres or Kara DioGuardi as judges?  Will the show be the same without Simon Cowell?  And what about the addition of Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler?  What will they bring to the show?  Share your thoughts below.

Former child actor Tahj Mowry has recently been getting lots of attention online, but this time for his singing voice.

Mowry, now 24, who guest-starred on “Full House” and starred on “Smart Guy” in the 1990s and is the brother of twin actresses Tia and Tamera Mowry, has popped up on YouTube singing covers of classic songs.  Mowry has posted the videos of himself singing songs such as Michael Jackson’s “Human Nature,” in which he sounds very much like the late King of Pop (fans have raved about it on  his message boards, and I must agree it is pretty good.)

(Watch video of Tahj Mowry singing “Human Nature” below.)

In his YouTube videos, which he has titled “The Tahj Mowry Channel,” Mowry tells fans to let them know what else they would like to hear. 

Here is his message to fans from the “Human Nature” video on YouTube:

Me singing one of my favorite Michael Jackson songs, “Human Nature.” Hope you guys enjoy it. Love…

Follow me on Twitter!

For more videos of Tahj Mowry performing, visit his YouTube page: http://www./TahjDMowry

Among the sea of Stormtroopers and die-hard comic fans, celebrities also come out to celebrate Comic-Con in San Diego (and perhaps promote their movie, TV show, etc., of course!)

Comic-Con 2010 is under way in San Diego, and runs through the weekend.  For more about the event, click here.

Some of the celebrities spotted so far have included Angelina Jolie, Liev Schreiber, Bruce Willis, Sylvester Stallone, Helen Mirren, Tina Fey, Will Ferrell, Jeff Bridges, Olivia Wilde, Seth Rogen, Jerry O’Connell, and Seth Green, according to reports and photos.

Stars of some popular TV shows, mostly those of a science fiction nature, will be on-hand.  The cast of CBS’s “The Big Bang Theory,” which highlights the lives of four comic-loving, nerdy, but loveable guys (at least in my opinion) will be back (Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, Simon Helberg, Kunal Nayyar, and Kaley Cuoco).  The cast of HBO’s “True Blood” will also appear, as well as the the creators of the children’s pop-culture show, “Yo Gabba Gabba.”

Members of the cast of the upcoming movie Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (opens August 13) will help kick off the 22nd annual Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards on Friday night at Comic-Con.  Cast members scheduled to appear include Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Satya Bhabha, Alison Pill, Anna Kendrick, Aubrey Plaza, Brandon Routh, Jason Schwartzman, Johnny Simmons, Mark Webber, Mae Whitman, and Ellen Wong.

For more about San Diego’s Comic-Con 2010 events, autographs, schedules, and more, click here.

Eminem’s Recovery album is still at the #1 slot on the Billboard chart. Marshall Mathers, the angst-filled rapper from Detroit, Michigan continues his success with his latest album.  Eminem has had huge success with his latest release, which is still at the top of the charts four weeks after it debuted.

Perhaps the most popular track on the rapper’s new record is the song “Love the Way You Lie” which features R&B artist Rihanna.  The mix of the two artists vocals are a very unique blend that make the song one that you find yourself listening to over and over again. According to Billboard News, the song has sold 352,000 digital downloads, up 12% from its previous total. It is the #1 digital download.

On Wednesday, Rihanna had her very first headlining show at the Staples Center.  The guests were pleasantly shocked when she started singing the hook to the #1 song, “Love the Way you Lie” and then out of nowhere Eminem came out on stage and started singing his part of the song. This hit was great for both artist’s careers.

The rapper has had a tumultuous past, which was chronicled in the film “8 Mile.”  The movie, featuring his good friend and late actress Brittany Murphy, was a hit that is still popular whenever it is aired on networks like VH1, MTV, and BET.

Despite the album’s success, it is expected to be de-throned when Rick Ross releases his new album, Teflon Don.

Sources:

LA Times; Billboard News

The stars came out for the 2010 MuchMusic Video Awards (MMVA)  in Toronto, Canada, on Sunday night.

Miley Cyrus 2010 MuchMusic Video Awards

Big winners of the night included Miley Cyrus, Justin Bieber, Adam Lambert, Hedley, and the Jonas Brothers. For the full list of MMVA nominees and winners, click here.

Performers at the MMVA included Katy Perry, Justin Bieber, Adam Lambert, and Miley Cyrus. Miley’s performances (she sang “Party in the USA” and “Can’t Be Tamed”) and outfits are once again being scrutinized by some because they are too sexy, revealing, and inappropriate for her age (17).  Miley appears to be trying to break away from her Disney/”Hannah Montana” image.  However, she recently told The Associated Press, “I’m not trying to be ‘slutty.’”

Justin Bieber, aside from his own performance, made a cameo with Miley.  Watch video below for one of Miley’s performances (and sound off below as to whether you think she is dressing and acting too sexy for her age).

Other celebrities at the event Sunday night included several cast members of “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse” (Ashley Greene, Jackson Rathbone, Kellan Lutz, and Xavier Samuel) and several cast members of “Secret Life of the American Teenager” (Shailene Woodley, Daren Kagasoff, and Megan Park).  Also at the event were celebrities such as Jessica Szohr, Shenae Grimes, Whitney Port, Emily Osment, Snooki and Pauley D (“Jersey Shore”), and Perez Hilton.

For more about the celebrities, performances, presenters, and winners, and to re-watch highlights of the MMVA, click here.

Celebrity blogger Perez Hilton is reportedly in trouble for posting a paparrazi photo of 17-year-old Miley Cyrus, apparently without underwear, online.

Perez Hilton

Along with the link, Hilton stated: “If you are easily offended, do NOT click here … Oh, Miley! Warning: truly not for the easily offended!”  The post and reportedly explicit photo have since been removed, according to Entertainment Weekly.

Hilton then posted a video on Monday stating, “I think now it’s okay for Miley to be a little sexier. Because she’s almost 18, you know, so it’s okay for Miley to show her boobs and expand, uh, her horizons.”

Some sites are reporting that Hilton, whose real name is Mario Lavandeira, could face jail time, as this could be considered child pornography.  A lawyer told EOnline that jail time is not likely.

The 2010 MTV Movie Awards were held at Universal City, Calif., and aired on MTV on Sunday night, but it’s not just the awards everyone is talking about on Monday.

Tom Cruise and Jennifer Lopez

A dance performance featuring Tom Cruise and Jennifer Lopez (J-Lo) was a highlight of the night.  The routine had Cruise in character in his role as film producer Les Grossman from the comedy movie “Tropic Thunder.”

Cruise showed off the foul-mouthed, balding, hairy-armed Grossman’s smooth, not-very-sexy moves in a dance-off with Lopez on her song “Get Right.” 

Cruise told People magazine afterward that “It was a lot of fun – it was a blast!” 

You know, I can dance a bit, and we rehearsed. And my wife’s (Katie Holmes) a dancer, so I like dancing!”

The audience seemed to enjoy the performance. But what did you think? Watch the video below and then sound off!

Rumors have been circulating for months that singer Mariah Carey is pregnant, but now one celebrity Web site said they’ve confirmed it.

Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon

A source close to Mariah Carey and husband Nick Cannon told RadarOnline.com that the couple is expecting their first child. 

“They’re both very excited and very happy,” the source told RadarOnline.

Carey, 40, recently dropped out of a role in Tyler Perry’s movie “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf,” which had fueled rumors that she was pregnant.

Do you think Mariah Carey is pregnant? Share your comments below!

Singer/songwriter/comedian turned satirist Ray Stevens has a new song out that’s getting a lot of attention because of that little illegal immigration problem that the United States can’t seem to fix.  In his new hit song, “Come To The USA,” Stevens has a solution for all those who wish to emigrate from their homelands but don’t really want to be bothered with all the paperwork that is involved in doing it legally.   It’s simple: If you’re into illegally emigrating, Ray Stevens explains, just come to the good ole USA, where illegal immigrants seem to get in penalty free.  Mixing humor with honesty and politics with keen observation, Ray Stevens’ “Come To The USA” makes a common sensical point often lost in the illegal immigration debate.

Ray Stevens has been writing hit songs, both novelty and serious, since the 1960s.  He is probably best known for his 1974 bestselling single “The Streak,” which is a song that chronicles a man’s inability to keep his wife from seeing a streaker (someone running without  wearing clothing) — and then being unable to keep her from joining him.  Other hit songs by the famed singer include “Gitarzan,” “Ahab The Arab,” and “Santa Clause Is Watching You.”  He has also won two Grammys for more serious work: “Everything Is Beautiful” (1970 – Best Male Pop Vocal Performance) and “Misty” (1975 – Best Arrangement Of The Year).

The Georgia native had not recorded a hit song since 2002′s “Osama Yo Mama,” which went gold (1 million copies sold) with little radio airplay, when he decided to tackle the YouTube market near the end of the decade.  Inspired by the grass roots Tea Party movement, Ray Stevens released “We The People” as a single in December 2009.  The video has thus far received over 3 million views.  To capitalize on the success of his first video hit, Ray Stevens then released a succession of songs via YouTube, the last of which is “Come To The USA.”  The video for “Come To The USA” has also proved popular, garnering nearly two million views since its release on May 13.

Stevens released a CD and DVD set of 22 patriotic and politically oriented songs entitled “We The People” on April 1.

Check out the “Come To The USA” video that follows.  You don’t even have to agree with Arizona’s new illegal immigration law to enjoy it.

Lady Gaga is now a ghostbuster?  Perhaps not, but those who work for her might be.  Before Saturday night’s Monster’s Ball Tour concert at the O2 Arena in London, Lady Gaga ordered a ghost busting kit.  According to the Mirror, Lady Gaga believed that she was being haunted by evil spirits.  In order to dispel the spirits at the O2, she ordered a ghost busting specialist kit, which was used in a pre-concert sweep to rid the concert arena — or at least the backstage area — of “bad energy.”

The spirit-detecting equipment, which cost 3,000 British pounds ($4,345), included electro-magnetic field readers.  According to Dan Webb’s ghostbusting company, Lady Gaga’s people called and ordered that they do a complete sweep of the backstage area.

Webb told the Mirror, “When I took the order for the kit I had no idea who it was for.  But then I checked the listings and saw who was playing the O2.

“Her aide said the gear had to be robust as they were taking it on the road - so they must be doing this everywhere Lady Gaga is performing.”

Aides who ordered the equipment for Lady Gaga said the pop singer was terrified of the “bad energy” back stage at the O2.

Could pop’s reigning queen be truly afraid of ghosts or think that “bad energy” or haunting spirits might inhabit the places where she will perform?  Or could this simply be a great publicity maneuver on her part, the extension of which would be for the flamboyant fashion trend-setter and glam rocker to use the ghostbusting equipment as props in her concert act on stage during her Monster’s Ball Tour?

No.  She ain’t afraid of no ghost!

Or is she?

Interestingly enough, there are several mash-up videos on YouTube of Lady Gaga tunes — like “Just Dance” and “Love Game” — and the theme from Ghostbusters.  As good as they are, the original “Ghostbusters” video by Ray Parker Jr. is better.