William Hung is undeniably the most memorable “American Idol” reject. So what has Hung been up to since leaving the show?
William James Hung Hing Cheong (Traditional Chinese: 孔慶翔, Simplified Chinese: 孔庆翔,; born January 13, 1983), commonly known as William Hung, gained fame in early 2004 as a result of his off-key audition performance of Ricky Martin’s hit song “She Bangs” on the third season of “ American Idol.”
William Hung auditioning on American Idol
Lana Del Rey is a name you’re going to hear a lot of in 2012. She’s the internet sensation whose debut song Video Games is already the ‘Single Of The Year’ pre-release, having attracted almost 17 million views on YouTube. Her first UK concert in November sold out in about 30 seconds.
Lana Del Rey
Her husky voice makes her the “It” girl of 2012. She calls her shtick “Lolita in the hood” or “the gangster Nancy Sinatra”. Music bloggers agree almost unanimously: the voice, lyrics, arrangements, melody – it’s all there.
25-year-old Lana Del Rey, real name Elizabeth Grant or Lizzy Grant, was born on June 21, 1986 in New York City and grew up in Lake Placid, New York. When she was fifteen, she left Lake Placid to go to boarding school in Connecticut. She is the daughter of domain investor and millionaire Rob Grant.
Lana Del Rey aka Lizzy Grant
Grant’s management chose her stage name, “I wanted to be a band but the label I was with and the team I had around me absolutely wanted me to be a solo artist. Lana Del Rey came from a series of managers and lawyers over the last 5 years who wanted a name that they thought better fit the sound of the music.”
Del Rey tried to make it as a mainstream artist with the release of an album titled “Lana Del Rey” in January 2010. It was the singer’s first professionally produced album, released under Lizzy Grant on an independent label with producer David Kahne. Del Rey stated that “David asked to work with me only a day after he got my demo. He is known as a producer with a lot of integrity and who had an interest in making music that wasn’t just pop.”
Her father, Robert Grant, helped with the marketing of the album, which was available for purchase on iTunes for a brief period before being withdrawn for unknown reasons.
In June 2011, Del Rey was signed with Stranger Records, to release her debut single “Video Games”; in October 2011, she was signed with Interscope Records.
The song Video Games put the 25-year-old American singer into the public eye. Her YouTube video for the song is heavy with nostalgia, filmed like a home movie with stills from old films, classic motorbikes, skateboards and 50s fashion.
Lan is scheduled to release her debut album Born To Die in January 2012. The second single and title track “Born to Die”, a string-laden torch song oozing with high drama, is set for release on January 22, 2012. The music video for it leaked on December 14, 2011, and was based on a concept created by the singer, under the direction of Yoann Lemoine. The music video received generally favorable reviews from contemporary critics and has received more than 9 million views on YouTube.
More tracks from Lana’s highly anticipated album Born to Die have hit the web – National Anthem and the infectiously poppy This Is What Makes Us Girls .
Lana cites Britney Spears, Elvis Presley and Kurt Cobain as her musical influences and her music has been described as “cinematic dark pop” by thedailytransmission.com.
Busty Chinese model and actress Viann Zhang Xinyu 張馨予 has been scorching hot online lately after a photo of her lounging in bed appeared on the Sina Weibo account of Ron Ng 吴卓羲 .
The photo of Viann Zhang Xinyu on Ron Ng
Ron Ng stepped forward on Thursday to clarify that he was not responsible for the photo and said it was Zhang who accessed his account and posted the photo, using his account details which he freely shared with her.
“I’d first like to apologise to my fans, family and friends. I didn’t know the situation on my micro blog because I was at Toby Leung’s wedding.
“After that I went somewhere else to drink till 4am and was shocked when I came home and saw the blog post,” said Ng.
“I have called her to understand the whole matter. She has admitted her mistake and apologised. I forgive her.”
Cheryl Cole may have been unceremoniously axed from the X Factor USA by Simon Cowell but she is showing Simon Cowell what he is missing as she oozes sex in her steamy 2012 calendar.
Cheryl Cole's 2012 Calendar
Cole’s sultry new calendar shoot is her sexiest yet, making sure that 2012 will be hot, hot, hot all year round.
In the pictures, taken in the south of France earlier this year, Cole can be seen in a whole range of very, very skimpy outfits, a far cry from her normal designer gowns, or tracksuit bottoms.
While her boyfriend Justin Bieber still acts like a kid, Disney darling Selena Gomez has blossomed into a sexy young woman and the dream girl of a whole army of male fans.
19-year-old Selena Gomez showed off plenty of cleavage in a low-cut number at a show in Vancouver, Canada on Thursday. The show was part of her debut headlining tour We Own The Night.
Selena Gomez thrills her fans as she ran across the stage in her low-cut dress in Vancouver
LA Lakers star Ron Artest is now legally known as “Metta World Peace.”
World Peace clowning around
The most ballyhooed name change of the year became official Friday morning when a Los Angeles County Superior Court commissioner granted Ron Artests name change petition to become Metta World Peace, more than three months after Mr. World Peace decided to undergo an identity switch.
World Peace was expected to attend the hearing, but about an hour after the court doors opened, his attorney, Nahla Rajan, announced that the Lakers forward was not coming because of a ‘jam-packed schedule for ‘Dancing With the Stars.’ A few minutes later, Commissioner Matthew C. St. George approved the name change in a hearing that lasted about 30 seconds.
World Peace is 6 feet 7, wears No. 15 for the Lakers and once participated in the infamous “Palace brawl.” He will be wearing his new jersey with World Peace stretched across the back.
Ron Artest's new jersey
World Peace’s publicist, Courtney Barnes, said his client had been contemplating the switch for years, “but it took many years of research and soul-searching to find a first name that was both personally meaningful and inspirational.” Metta is a Buddhist term that means loving kindness and friendliness toward others.
World Peace had hoped to adopt his new moniker last month but was rebuffed because of an outstanding traffic ticket. He was cited for driving without a license and faced an additional charge after missing a court date, Rajan said.
Now that the outstanding debts to the DMV has been settled, World Peace can now reign.
Americas Got Talent, the countrys most-watched summer series, wrapped up its sixth season Wednesday, crowning a car washer the winner.
Following a two-hour season finale of America’s Got Talent, Nick Cannon announced that Landau Eugene Murphy Jr had triumphed over Team iLuminate, Silhouettes and Poplyfe to emerge winner.
Landau Eugene Murphy Jr
Murphy, who has four children, has been washing cars at a car dealership in Chapmanville, West Va. With his win, he won’t be washing cars again — unless they’re his own.
Its undeniable that there’s something genuinely special about Landau Eugene Murphy Jr. He’s a class act and a worthy winner for a talent competition.
The soulful vocalist sang his way to victory on Wednesday on “America’s Got Talent”, surprising a lot of his fans by switching up the style of song completely with a more uptempo jam with Patti LaBelle.
“Thank you so much for supporting me and believing in me, and helping me believe in myself on national television, in front of the whole world,” Murphy said, barely holding back his tears as the crowd applauded. “This is so important to us, man. This has been a long, hard journey. I been busting my butt out here doing this for so long, ever since I was a kid, and it’s finally paying off.”
With his rich voice, vocal styling, humility and mild-mannered persona, Murphy had been most endearing throughout the season. He beat three other finalists on the season-ending telecast. They included The Silhouettes, a troupe of youngsters from Arvada, Colo., who use shadow dancing to illustrate music. This enormous group, more than three dozen strong ranging in age from 3 to 19 years old, had charmed the audience with its visual effects.
Moments earlier, the other two acts had been cut. They were teenage rock band PopLyfe from Oakland, Calif., as well as Team iLuminate, whose dancing performers equip themselves with wearable wireless lighting systems.
Viewers had cast their votes after Tuesday’s performance show, when Murphy sang Frank Sinatra’s “My Way.”
On Wednesday’s broadcast, Murphy performed “You’re All I Need to Get By” in a duet with Patti LaBelle.
Murphy has earned $1 million and the honor of headlining a show in Las Vegas with the other three finalists also on the bill on October 28, 29 and 30 at the 4,500-seat Colosseum at Caesars Palace with Jerry Springer as the host.
Congratulations, Murphy! You did it your way!
What a dream start Jade Richards had in her X Factor audition yesterday!
The 21-year-old from Fife wowed all the four judges with her emotional and stirring performance, reducing judges Kelly Rowland and Louis Walsh to tears. Tulisa Contostavlos and Kelly gave her a standing ovation at the end of the audition and she sailed through to Boot Camp with Yes votes from all the four judges.
Jade Richards belted out a performance to change her life forever last night with her show-stealing rendition of Adeles Someone Like You, making her the new favourite to win The X Factor. Her performance, watched by more than 12 million viewers, was the best performance of the series so far.
Jade Richards is the X Factor!
Kelly, who could hardly control her emotions, told Jade: Oh God Im so emotional, I whispered to Gary before you started singing, if this audition goes the way I think it goes, its going to be amazing, because I had a dream.
This is crazy, youre all not going to believe me, I have been thinking about this song all weekend, and the fact you came here and sang that song so beautifully, its amazing. Oh my God, you have the X Factor and then some.
Tulisa added: While you were singing, I felt like I heard your whole life story through your voice. I have never heard someone sing a song like they mean it so much.
Tulisa continued: “This is your moment and I want you to take it all in – a humungous ‘yes’.”
Gary Barlow told Jade: That was absolutely fantastic. You have blown this whole place away, where have you been hiding? Jade, that performance is going to change your life.
Louis, who was so emotional that he was reduced to tears, told Jade: ‘You have a God-given talent and you just make the whole show worthwhile, I’m so glad we came here.
‘I’ve been doing this show for 8 years and this it’s what it’s all about – finding someone who deserves a break, and you deserve a break because you’ve got talent.’
Enjoy her rendition of Adele’s ‘Someone Like You’:
Jade lives at home with her careworker mum Trudie. Her older brother Paul Richards, 28, lives nearby. For moral support she took her gran, a former professional singer, along to the show. She said: When I was little my mum used to work all the time because shes a single parent so I was always at my gran and granddads.
I have an amazing relationship with my gran. My gran is one of my main inspirations for singing.
Singing runs in my family and my gran sang in working mens clubs, but she had to work really hard for her money and it wasnt obviously that much. Shes influenced the kind of music that I like to sing and shes such an inspirational person.
I am always singing in the house. My mum gets on to me all the time, she gets embarrassed because if Im in the bath singing away, the next door neighbours can hear us, so shes always, like, urgh.
Giving credit to her grandma who was there supporting her, Jade said: My gran, my gran is quality, she used to be a singer as well so that’s where I got my influence from. She just encourages me all the time, and supports everything that I do.
Asked on the show how winning X Factor would change her life, she said: Well it would obviously get me out of somewhere I dont want to be.
Most people where I stay dont really do much, so this would hopefully give me the boost.
I want to do something with my life, Jade admitted she wanted the X Factor to take her out of her life in Fife.
Jade was thrilled with the comments, saying: It means everything I just want to make my family proud of me.
When the judges invited Jade’s gran to join her onstage and asked what she thought, Jades gran replied: “I think she IS the X Factor.”
Jade Richardss X Factor dream was almost ruined before it had even begun when another car smashed into the side of her car as she was driving near her home in the coastal town of Buckhaven, leaving her with painful neck and back injuries.
Jade, a former student at Glasgows Academy of Music and Sound, was taken to hospital where she was treated for the effects of whiplash. And fortunately for X Factor, she was able to make it to the show!
Jade Richards is the X Factor!
His name is Maru. His biography book, “I am Maru,” is set for release on August 23, 2011. What’s the big deal?. Well, for starters, Maru is a cat.
The biography 'I Am Maru' in Japanese
The book, published by Harper Collins, has been compiled by his human companion, mugumogu, and provides cute insights into the life of this internet feline celebrity. The original version, written in Japanese, was first published in September 2009. The biography “I am Maru” is bound to become one of the true greats of its genre.
The plot of “I am Maru” sounds like a feline-focused version of MTV Cribs. See where Maru hides. Meet his favorite cupboard. Find out what kind of cereal box he enjoys sticking his head into. Check out his cool kitty toys.
Maru hiding under a sofa
Maru...internet's favorite cat
Maru...internet meme and celebrity
Maru , born May 24, 2007 is a male perk-eared pudgy Scottish Fold cat in Japan who has so become popular on YouTube that he has become an internet meme and celebrity. The YouTube videos show him playing in a childlike fashion with his silly antics, such as playing with its toys, hiding under the sofa, peeking into boxes, jumping into small cardboard boxes and sliding across his owners wooden floor.
When Maru first entered his home, he was only four months old, but he weighed over 5 lbs (2.4kg) already. Maru has always been a pudgy cat (now 5.5kg or 12.1lbs). The name Maru means round in Japanese, but according to Marus hooman, Mugumogu did not name him because of his round shape. The name was decided before Maru arrived. It is a short name and easy for the cat to understand.
Marus obsession with boxes started when he was a little kitten. He played with boxes and used them as beds. Maru is mischievous and loves to command attention. He will act silly on purpose in order to get people to notice him. Maru loves to play with water. Whenever Mugumogu is washing up in the bathroom, Maru will join in and swat the water with his little paws.
Maru is obssessed with boxes
Maru playing in a sink
Didn't I mention that Maru has an obssession for boxes?
In November 2007, Mugumogu decided to start a blog to chronicle Marus life in photos. And starting in July, 2008 Mugumogu began posting videos of Maru on YouTube. The videos became so popular that there was a whirlwind of Maru love sweeping through the Internet.
Marus exploits spread across the internet in 2008 on BoingBoing, Neatorama, EW PopWatch and Urlesque.
In 2008 and 2009, Maru won YouTube Japan video awards in the Pet/Animal category.
Maru acting cute
Maru in a funny pose
Maru in a playful mood
In 2009, Marus videos began to spread to hubs like I Can Has Cheezburger, CuteOverload, and Ebaums World. His videos also appeared on Sundance Channels SUNfiltered blog and Laughing Squid.
The cats popularity has spawned off two books, with the first one published in September 2009 and the second in August 2010. 2010 also saw the release of a compilation DVD of Maru.
Coverage of Maru did not stop in 2010, when his videos were featured on the L.A. Times Unleashed Blog, New York Times Television section, and the Ellen Degeneres show. He was also interviewed by the cat blog LoveMeow.
Maru was voted the Internets Favorite Feline in Urlesques August 2010 Catfight, beating Ceiling Cat in the final round.
Ain't he cute?
Maru playing in a box
As of August 2011, Maru YouTube channel mugumogu have been viewed over 110 million times and with over 151,000 subscribers, it is the 8th most subscribed channel of all time in Japan and the 9th most viewed channel of all time in Japan. Videos featuring Maru have an average of 1,000,000 views each and he is mentioned often in print and televised media discussing Internet celebrities. His owner, who does not show her face on camera or speak in the videos, posts videos under the account name ‘mugumogu’.
Entertainment Weekly mentioned Maru alongside Keyboard Cat and Nora in its “Notable Kitty Videos” article. The New York Times mentioned Maru in an article about cats and dogs in the media and included pictures of the cat. Maru has also been featured on advertisements within Japan, for various products.
You can follow Marus twitter @Maru_0524 and visit Maru at his blog or YouTube Channel.
Chinas popular actress and microblogging queen Yao Chen has more than 10 million followers on Chinas microblogging site Sina Weibo. She has got more microblog followers than Ashton Kutcher’s Twitter. With China’s huge population and an ever-increasing broadband penetration, Yao will soon outrank Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber as having the most microblogging followers.
Yao Chen
Sina.com.cn crowned Yao as the “queen of microblog” when her microblog at t.sina.com.cn/yaochen garnered more than five million followers in January. Her engagement with current world events, addressing social and political issues in Weibo, has won her the huge number of followers.
Yao Chen was born on 5 October 1979 in Shishi City, Quanzhou, Fujian province, China to a middle-class family. She first studied Chinese folk dance at the Beijing Dance Academy from 1993 to 1997, before moving on to study at the Beijing Film Academy from 1999 to 2003.
Yao Chen in Vogue China
The charismatic actress shot to fame in 2006 for her acting debut role as the daughter of a powerful martial artist in popular 1995 sitcom “My Own Swordsmen”. Following this, in 2008, she played the part of an iconic guerilla leader in the series Undercover. Her first stage appearance was as a white-collar heroine in A Story of Lala’s Promotion (2009). She has since appeared as Mango in Feng Xiaogang’s If You Are the One 2 (2010), in Chen Yilis Colour Me Love (2010) and in Shang Jings My Own Swordsman (2011). She won the Golden Eagle Award for Best Actress in 2010.
In 2004 Yao Chen married the Chinese actor Ling Xiao Su, but they divorced in January 2011.
Yao Chen and her ex-hubby Ling Xiaosu
In 2011 Yao Chen visited Mae La refugee camp in northern Thailand as UNHCRs Honorary Patron for China. The number of followers of her microblogging during this visit increased dramatically, won over by her sincere, fearless communication and her honest engagement with current world events. As she left Mae La she said, “I hope to spend part of every year with refugees.”
Yao is the first non-Twitter microblogger among the worlds 10 most followed microbloggers. Sina said, Her charisma is attributed to the honesty expressed in her postings, which are like text messages sent between old friends.”
Yao Chen...China's microblogging queen
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