Kids’ Choice Awards 2015

Kids’ Choice Awards 2015: Angelina Jolie

 Nick Jonas wowed the crowd at the 2015 Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards, held Saturday at the Forum in Inglewood, Calif., which seats 17,500 — screaming kids.

The host pulled double duty, kicking off the live show with a medley performance of his hits “Chains” and “Jealous.” Welcomed by a video montage of A-listers chanting his name — Taylor Swift, Heidi Klum and, of course, SpongeBob SquarePants’ Patrick Star — Jonas took the stage, in front of the star-studded audience, including Chris Pratt, Jamie Foxx and Angelina Jolie, who was joined by two of her kids, Shiloh and Zahara.

“A lot of girls in the house are still struggling after One Direction became two directions,” Jonas greeted the crowd, alluding to this week’s news of the boy band losing member Zayn Malik. Poking fun at himself, he quipped, “What’s next, the Jonas Brother?”

Emma Stone won the first award of the night for favorite movie actress. Next up, Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting and Kevin James presented Liam Hemsworth — who walked up to stage through a fountain of slime — with the orange blimp for favorite male action star. Hemsworth’s co-star Jennifer Lawrence, not in attendance, also won for favorite female action star, and “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1″ won for favorite movie.

Some of the night’s other big winners were Jolie, who won for “Maleficient”; Ben Stiller, who won for the latest “Night at the Museum” installment; girl band Fifth Harmony; “The Voice” for favorite talent competition show; Disney Channel’s “Austin & Ally” and “Modern Family,” whose entire cast was slimed when they accepted their honor for favorite family show.

“When I was little, I was told I was different,” Jolie said during her acceptance speech, picking up the award for best villain. She addressed the room of kids with an inspiring message. “Different is good. So, don’t fit in. Don’t sit still. Don’t ever try to do less than you are. When somebody tells you you’re different, smile and hold your head up high and be proud. And as your villain, I would also say, cause a little trouble. It’s good for you.”

Josh Gad, who headed to the Kids’ Choice Awards after Variety Studio: Actors on Actors, presented the blimp for favorite reality Sh ow with Adam Sandler. The comedians (not to be confused with Gad’s upcoming FX series) announced the winner, “Dance Moms,” but not before Sandler doused Gad in green goo via a gigantic slime gun.

Throughout the night, Jonas made his way through the crowd to take photos with celebrities such as Terrell Owens and Al Roker, who predicted a forecast of slime.

Jennifer Lopez was one of the show’s surprise superstars. The “American Idol” icon presented the award for favorite male singer, which went to the man of the night, Jonas.

Jennifer Lopez was one of the show’s surprise superstars.

“You deserve this and so much more,” Lopez said, bringing down gallons of slime to drench the host. “Do you want some more? Because I can make it happen!” she teased.

Chris Rock, Zendaya, Tia Mowry-Hardrict, Debby Ryan, YouTube phenomenons Bethany Mota and Shawn Mendes, and Nick Cannon, who donned an orange suit, were presenters at the KCAs.

Iggy Azalea and Jennifer Hudson teamed up to perform their single “Trouble” with the rapper dressed up as an inmate and the songstress as a cop.

Closing the night, Australian band 5 Seconds of Summer rocked out to their hit “What I Like About You” — and yes, the stage exploded with slime.

Cr.Variety Post

American Idol 2015 : Season 14th

American Idol

American Idol" tries to recapture the magic with season 14

"American Idol" is practicing addition and subtraction in its 14th season.
Longtime judge, short-time mentor Randy Jackson is gone. He was the last of the originals holding on, but announced last fall that he'd be parting ways with the show: "I'm proud to have been a part of a series that discovered some incredible artists and will go down in history as one of the most successful television shows ever."
Now music executive Scott Borchetta, whose impressive credentials include acting as mentor to Taylor Swift, will play that role for contestants and the winner will be signed to Borchetta's Big Machine Records.
There's another shake up ahead for the series, which returns with an hour-long episode Wednesday (8 p.m. EST) and a two-hour episode Thursday (8 p.m. EST): Starting with the live shows in mid-March, "American Idol" will cut back to a two-hour show once a week, on Wednesday.
It's a logical move given the aging show's ratings decline in an increasingly competitive entertainment landscape, said analyst Brad Adgate of Horizon Media. "American Idol" dipped last season to an all-time low weekly average of 10.2 million viewers, according to Nielsen company figures.
That's about a third of the 30.2 million the singing contest hit at its peak in 2006, when Taylor Hicks claimed the title over runner-up Katharine McPhee. But "Idol" remains a relatively strong performer for Fox, one the network seeks to protect, Adgate said.
"Whatever audience erosion will happen this year will be mitigated by limiting the show to one night," he said.
It's only fair to viewers to reduce the demand on their time, said executive producer Trish Kinane, given that the once-unique "American Idol" is now part of a flood of talent shows, including NBC's popular "The Voice."
"To commit to three hours a week for our or any other of the shows is too much, even if you adore these (talent) shows," she said.
The compressed schedule will allow for a better program, one that combines performances with the results of viewer voting for the previous week's competition, Kinane said.
All the contestants will be on hand for the live episodes, "dressed, ready and with their songs rehearsed," only to find out who is being eliminated, according to Kinane. The results won't be announced at the beginning of the show, but in a "more dramatic way," she said, holding details back for now.
The show will retain a familiar look. Ryan Seacrest, the sole original cast member, is returning as host, and Harry Connick Jr., Jennifer Lopez and Keith Urban will be back for their second year together as judges.
All that's needed now is the kind of compelling contestants and future stars that "American Idol" has discovered in the past, including Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood and Jennifer Hudson.

American Idol : 14th Season

"If I have a criticism of the show for us last year, it is that we haven't found, in the last two years, a group of kids who have captured the imagination of the public," Peter Rice, chairman and CEO of Fox Networks Group, told a news conference after the 2014 season's conclusion.
That bar will be met, Kinane said, with outstanding performers discovered in auditions held in Nashville, Tennessee; New Orleans; San Francisco; and elsewhere. She offered hints about one contestant, whom she described "as a girl who had never sung in public before the first audition" but ended up in the top 24.
"She's really good, but whether she'll win or not is unsure because she's quite raw. Can her raw talent develop through the process" is the question, Kinane said.
As is the performance of "American Idol" itself.
CR. CBS News