Reaction to Drug to Treat Alcoholism Sends Hasselhoff to the Hospital

Last night America’s Got Talent judge David Hasselhoff was rushed to the hospital for what was reported to be alcohol poisoning.

This morning Hasselhoff’s reps said that the problem was not that he was sick from alcohol poisoning, but from the medications he was taking. According to E! Hasselhoff felt that he was a bit unsteady on his feet after taking the drugs Antivert for nausea and Antabuse, which is used as a treatment for alcoholism.

According to sources, the former Knight Rider star became ill and could not reach his doctor, so he called paramedics.

In 2007 Hasselhoff was hospitalized for alcohol poisoning several weeks after a video was released that showed a shirtless Hoff drunkenly eating a cheeseburger off the floor while his daughter implored him to get help.

Susan Boyle Doesn’t Win Britain’s Got Talent. Now Can We Talk About Something Else?

In a surprising turn of events, Scottish amateur songstress Susan Boyle didn’t win Britain’s Got Talent last night. I think the hissy fit she had earlier in the week probably had a lot to do with that. Fame is not for everyone.

You may be wondering why am I choosing to write about Susan Boyle now that the competition is over. Why didn’t I write about her weeks ago, when her talent was first brought to America’s attention? First of all, I was busy working on a couple of tech projects and my time was limited. I had to decide what was worth writing about with the little time I had to write. Susan Boyle was not at the top of my list.

Also, the thing at the heart of the Susan Boyle story is kind of ridiculous when you think about it. Let’s be honest; the story is not about her voice. She’s got a great voice, but there are a lot of other people out there with great voices that deserve our attention. The heart of the Susan Boyle story is this:

“How could someone so homely sing so beautifully?”

The logic behind this is absurd if you give it some thought. Why wouldn’t she have talent? Does Mother Nature not bestow talent on the fugly? Is this a rare case?

The truth of the matter is that behind the “feel good story,” hides a story about appearance-based prejudice. But that will not be uttered by the media, because then we would have to admit that even the best of us have shallow thoughts. People will insist that this story is about her voice, not how surprised they were that her voice came out of a plain face, and unattractively attired, pudgy body.

I have to admit; I did drink the Kool Aid when I first saw her video on You Tube. I was almost tempted to write about it. Then something horrible happened. I saw Susan Boyle being interviewed on the Today Show. Susan Boyle had jumped the shark faster than MySpace. When a story that breaks on the internet reaches television (unless it’s a legitimate news story), it’s time to drop it. Now your grandma knows about it. And sure enough, within days Susan Boyle was all over the television singing, “I dreamed a dream of times gone by….” The thing that was even crazier was that we’re in America. We can’t even watch Britain’s Got Talent! Why are we supposed to care?

Hopefully, now that the competition is over and since Ms. Boyle didn’t win, the media won’t think care anymore. Susan Boyle will be just fine. She’s probably better off not winning. She can chose what she wants to do with her voice and how much attention she wants it to bring her. And she can retire to a semblance of her former quiet life whenever the demands of the public become too great.

Besides, I’m sure the people at America’s Got Talent are frantically looking for the lead character in their own “feel good story” of the season. We’ll have our own Susan Boyle soon enough.

America’s Got Talent Now Casting Via MySpace!

MYSPACE TEAMS UP WITH NBC AND FREMANTLEMEDIA ENTERPRISES TO FIND NEXT BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMER ON “AMERICA’S GOT TALENT”

MySpace Users Invited to Upload Talent Videos For the Chance to Appear In Special Broadcast Episode

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. – May 1, 2009 – MySpace, the world’s premier social portal, is teaming up once again with NBC and FremantleMedia Enterprises on the hit summer series “America’s Got Talent” which premieres Tuesday, June 23 (9-11p.m. ET) and will continue Wednesday, June 24 (9-10p.m. ET). While the show has already traveled to several major cities around the country, MySpace will open up the search to every corner of America. MySpace users and aspiring contestants will again have the opportunity to audition for the current season of the show by uploading videos showcasing their talents at a special “America’s Got Talent” community hosted by MySpace at http://myspace.com/americasgottalent.

“America’s Got Talent” video submissions will be accepted on MySpace starting May 1 through May 11. The show’s producers will review submissions and selected participants will take part in an audition show dedicated solely to MySpace submissions. Contestants will compete for slots in the semi-finals and finals. All of the acts will be eligible for the $1 million grand prize.

New this season on “America’s Got Talent,” the multi-talented entertainer/producer and comedian Nick Cannon joins as host. The show will continue to be presided over by the explosive combination of celebrity judges David Hasselhoff, Sharon Osbourne and Piers Morgan.

With the talent search open to acts of all ages, “America’s Got Talent” has brought the variety format back to the forefront of American culture by showcasing performers from across the country. The series is a true celebration of the American spirit featuring a colorful array of hopeful singers, dancers, comedians, contortionists, impressionists, jugglers, magicians and ventriloquists, all vying for their chance to strut and perform on stage hoping to win America’s hearts — and the $1 million prize.

Third-season winner Neal E. Boyd, an insurance salesman with dreams of becoming a professional opera singer, had his life changed forever last August when he was crowned the champion. Not only did he win the $1 million grand prize, but he also received the opportunity to perform at the MGM Grand on the Las Vegas strip.

Second-season winner, Terry Fator, a ventriloquist from Dallas, Texas, achieved his lifelong dream when he signed a five-year $100 million deal to headline at the Mirage in Las Vegas. He currently performs five nights a week in The Terry Fator Theatre.

“America’s Got Talent” is produced by FremantleMedia North America and Simon Cowell’s SYCO Televison. Cowell, Cecile Frot-Coutaz (”American Idol”), Jason Raff (”Three Wishes”), and Scott St. John (”Deal or No Deal”) are executive producers. FremantleMedia Enterprises is the brand extension arm of FremantleMedia and comprises global licensing, distribution, home entertainment and interactive operations.

Please visit http://myspace.com/americasgottalent for further details and to submit an entry.

ABOUT MYSPACE

MySpace is the world’s leading social portal for connecting people, content, and culture. MySpace empowers its global community to experience the Internet through a social lens by integrating personal profiles, photo sharing, professional and viral videos, blogs, mobile, instant messaging, and the world’s largest music community. MySpace is the highest trafficked website in the United States and includes an international network of more than 30 local community sites throughout North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Fox Interactive Media is a division of News Corporation. (NYSE:NWS – News, NWS.A – News; ASX:NWS – News, NWSLV – News).

ABOUT FREMANTLEMEDIA ENTERPRISES & FREMANTLEMEDIA

FremantleMedia Enterprises is the brand extension arm of FremantleMedia, offering a one-stop-shop for all Licensing, Distribution and Home Entertainment. It is a division of FremantleMedia, one of the largest international creators and producers of entertainment brands in the world with leading prime time drama, serial drama, entertainment and factual entertainment programming in over 40 countries worldwide. FremantleMedia is a subsidiary of RTL Group, Europe’s largest television and radio broadcast company, which is 90% owned by Bertelsmann AG, an integrated media and entertainment company that commands leading positions in the world’s media markets. For further information, visit http://www.fremantlemedia.com.

ABOUT FREMANTLEMEDIA NORTH AMERICA

FremantleMedia North America (FMNA) is the U.S. production division of global media giant FremantleMedia. Based in Burbank, California, FMNA produces entertaining and innovative television programs for network, cable and syndicated platforms, including the Emmy-nominated musical/reality phenomenon “American Idol” (FOX), “American Idol Rewind” (syndicated), “American Idol Extra” (Fox Reality), “America’s Got Talent” (NBC), “Celebrity Family Feud” (NBC), “The Osbournes: Reloaded” (FOX), “Hole In The Wall” (FOX), “Farmer Wants A Wife” (The CW), “The Phone” (MTV), “Rock The Cradle” (MTV), “Can You Duet” (CMT), “The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency” (Oxygen), “Match Game” (TBS), “Family Feud” (syndicated), “Million Dollar Password” (CBS), and the longest-running game show in television history, “The Price Is Right” (CBS).

Nick Cannon replaces Jerry Springer as host of America’s Got Talent

Mariah Carey’s husband Nick Cannon will be replacing Jerry Springer of the host of NBC’s America’s Got Talent. Springer, who replaced Regis Philbin as the host in 2007, will be leaving the talent show to concentrate on his talk show and a summer theater production.

“I’m thrilled to be with working with NBC,” said Nick Cannon. “Ben Silverman and Paul Teledgy understand my vision as not only an entertainer but as a creative show producer. I look forward to working with the network and their executive team on ‘America’s Got Talent’ and other shows to come.”

Congratulations to America’s Got Talent Winner Neal E. Boyd

Congratulations to the winner of this season of NBC’s America’s Got Talent, car salesman turned opera singer, Neal E. Boyd.

Boyd, who previously had to halt his singing career due to a serious vocal infection, is the winner of a million dollars, and will be headlining in Vegas. The Missouri native is a graduate of both the Unversity of Missouri – Columbia, and Missouri State University, and has studied at the New England Conservatory in Boston. He is nicknamed the Voice of Missouri, not only for his musical talents, but for his commitment to his home state. He has sung for the past three sitting governors of Missouri, and also commissioned for the Missouri Workforce Investment Board.

To read more about Boyd, and to listen to his work, click the link below.

Neal E. Boyd

America’s Got Talent Will Be at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas in October

On Friday, October 17^th, America’s Got Talent Live will debut at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, featuring the dynamic top five competitors from season three of the show; the program’s winner, crowned at the show’s October 1^st finale, is set to headline. This exciting night of entertainment, promoted by AEG Live, will feature host Jerry Springer and a special guest performance from Terry Fator, the multi-talented winner of season two, as well as several more of the show’s hottest stars, in addition to the Top 5 finalists, to be announced shortly.

The show’s top five performers, set to take the stage in Las Vegas, include Neal E. Boyd, an opera singer from Silkeston, MO; Nuttin But Strings, a hip-hop violin duo comprised of brothers Damien and Tourie Escobar from Jamaica Queens, NY; Queen Emily, a soul singer from Stockton, CA; Donald Braswell, a singer from San Antonio, TX; and Eli Mattson, a 26-year-old pianist-singer from Chicago, IL.

The Hoff is So Big He’s Got His Own Social Network

Take that, Tom from MySpace! Actor, singer and America’s Got Talent judge David Hasselhoff was a little hassled at the way MySpace operates and he has started his own social network on his website, DavidHasselhoff.com. Here is the note on his MySpace page:

Hi Guys! I have started my own social network and website. HoffSpace, located at www.davidhasselhoff.com. This is my new and official home. I won’t be interacting much more on MySpace, so come on over and join the fun on HoffSpace. It’s fun and safe. Peace,

David

At this point, there are over 12,000 people at HOFFSPACE, a much lower number that the over 600,000 friends he has on MySpace, but that’s not the point. To me, the point is that everyone knows that MySpace is like a restaurant that is too popular for it’s own good. It’s always crowded, it’s too noisy, service is slow, and you’re never quite sure if you’re going to catch a virus because you went there. I’m glad to see that people who have enough money to offer a better social site to their fans are doing it. This is a smart move.

Vegas Callbacks on America’s Got Talent

It’s come down to the Top 40 on tomorrow’s America’s Got Talent. The contestants who have made it through the past seven episodes now have to convince the judges to put them throught to the Top 40. Have a favorite you’re rooting for? Then don’t forget to watch America’s Got Talent tomorrow night at 9:30 on NBC.

Did You See America’s Got Talent This Week?

The thing about America’s Got Talent is that between the really bad acts and the really good perfomers, there’s something I like to call “WTF? entertainment.”  That is the stuff I like just because it’s goofy. The ZOOperstars fall into that category:

Check out America’s Got Talent on Tuesday’s at 9 PM on NBC

Brandy’s Mother is Suing the Kardashians

Sonja Norwood, mother of R&B singer Brandy and her sex-tape star brother Ray J, will being seeing The Kardashians in court in February.

Norwood is suing Kim and all her siblings for allegedly racking up over $120,000 in authorized charges on her credit card back when Kim worked as her personal assistant and Ray J’s co-star in 2006 and 2007. For the record, the Kardashians vehemently deny the charges. The case goes to court February 9, 2009.

Brandy was last seen as a judge on America’s Got Talent, Kim and her family can been seen every week on the reality show, Keeping Up With the Kardashians on E! Ray J can be seen sitting at home, watching his sex tape, and wondering why it didn’t revive his career.

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