It's a great opportunity--as long as you the winner's not required to use Trump's barber!

Apprentice-Mania: Some of the show's notorious firings joined Donald Trump on Oprah yesterday. A shouting match straight outta da WWE erupted between Omarosa and Ereka over Omarosa's on-going claim that Ereka used the N-word against her.

Omarosa's claim to fame is that she worked for the White House during the Clinton administration, right? Well her former government co-workers tell People magazine that she was fired from every job she held there (four of them)! The reason? C'mon you know the reason. People wanted to slug her.

A 30-year-old Seattle man has been arrested for stalking Avril Lavigne. Dude, you really need to get your sh*t together… and start stalking someone your own age!

Lex has left the island. The tattooed all-star was voted off Survivor last night in a move orchestrated by Boston Rob, who's seemingly running the show at the moment.

The current crop of American Idol finalists will release their own album--just as previous finalists have. American Idol Season 3: Greatest Soul Classics hits stores April 27th. More info here.

Will & Grace co-star Debra Messing gave birth to a five-pound 14-ounce baby boy Wednesday in Los Angeles.

Jessica Simpson has topped Maxim magazine's Hot 100 list for 2004. "It's nice to get the stamp of approval from the boys," the singer-actress-dizzy blonde says.

BTW, Nick and Jessica have decided to add a little cheddar to the Nick and Jessica Variety Hour, their ABC television special Sunday night. They'll perform "I Got You Babe," made famous by another married couple where the wife had all the success, Sonny and Cher.

Janet Jackson hosts (and is the musical guest) tomorrow night on Saturday Night Live.

New in theaters: The Alamo (Dennis Quaid, Billy Bob Thornton); The Whole Ten Yards (Bruce Willis, Matthew Perry); The Girl Next Door (teenager dates the new neighbor--a porn star!); Ella Enchanted (Anne Hathaway).

The band Jet performs tonight on Jay Leno.

--Greg Valentine

Usher's Confessions held off a strong challenge from Janet Jackson's Damita Jo to stay on top the Billboard magazine album chart. Usher racked up sales of 486,000, about 100,000 more than second-place Janet.

Usher's also the number one single (which is true in more ways than one, now that he's not with Chilli). The song "Yeah" remains on top the Billboard singles chart for an eighth straight week.

Hot DVD: Cheaper By The Dozen sold three million copies in its first 24 hours of release.

Whiteboy rap pioneers the Beastie Boys will release To The 5 Boroughs this summer, their first new album in six years.

Did 80s icon George Michael contact Justin Timberlake and suggest that they pull their own stunt and recreate the Madonna-Britney Spears kiss? Sources say, "yes." I'm guessing JT said, "NO!!"

Boys vs. Boyz: One of the things being planned for the upcoming Backstreet Boys comeback album is a duet with Boyz II Men. The BSB CD is expected in late summer.

Camile Velasco was sent home last night on American Idol--which sucks if you're Camile… right up until you remember that "home" is Hawaii!

Good Charlotte has returned to the studio. A new album is expected in September.

Jon Bon Jovi will star in National Lampoon's The Trouble With Frank, a comedy about a guy who finances an all-girl hockey team by maxing out his credit cards.

It was ten years ago today that Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain was found dead in a room above his garage. The influential singer-songwriter-musician had apparently shot himself three days earlier.

Did New York Giants backup quarterback Jess Palmer find true love as The Batchelor (which debuted last night on ABC)? The New York Post reports Jesse was spotted recently with teammate Jeremy Shockey at a strip club in Weehawken, New Jersey.

NBC airs the number one favorite Friends episode (as picked by fans) tonight: "The One with the Prom Video."

Twice as much fun: Donald Trump fires two contestants on tonight's episode of The Apprentice, leaving just two for next week's live finale.

Our parents (grandparents) had the Beatles on Ed Sullivan-- tonight this generation's musical savior, William Hung, performs on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno!

--Greg Valentine

Wednesday, April 7th, 2004

Is Ryan Seacrest secretly engaged to his girlfriend Shane Walls? Is it a secret because he doesn't want to upset his female fans? That's what the New York Post is trying to say.

Don't call the Olsen Twins "The Olsen Twins!" That's what reps for the popular 'tween stars are saying. The Olsen Twins just wanna be known by their individual names from now on: "That One" and "The Other One."

Jennifer Lopez will appear on an upcoming Inside The Actor's Studio.

Christina Aguilera is using her upcoming tour to raise money for runaway and homeless kids and battered women. You can buy front row tickets for any of her concerts and a chance to meet Christina at the charity auction site StubHub.com.

The Surreal Life will jump from the WB to VH1 for its third season.

The 70s pop band ABBA says they will NEVER reunite, not for any price. They were offered a billion dollars a few years ago to get back together and tour. (Somebody has a billion dollars, and the best thing they can think to do with it is bring back ABBA?)

Word is Simon Cowell will make a special guest appearance on Saturday Night Live this weekend. The show's hosted by Janet Jackson, who's looking to use a little comedy to downplay her recent controversy.

Feeling the love at 89 cents a track: William Hung has an impressive four songs on the Billboard magazine Hot Digital Tracks Chart, which measures paid downloads.

Tamara Gray performs tonight on the American Idol Results Show. The first season finalist's album The Dreamer is finally getting released in June.

In a world that makes sense, "Red-Haired Utah Boy" would depart American Idol tonight. But I said that last week…

Usher performs tonight on the Late Show with David Letterman.

--Greg Valentine

Tuesday, April 6th, 2004

The New York Post ran a story that theorizes Jessica Simpson is a functioning illiterate who can't read or write. The report cites such "evidence" as the time Nick gave her a card and she handed it back saying she couldn't read his messy handwriting.

J-Lo's mom, Guadalupe Lopez, just hit a $2.4 million jackpot playing the dollar slots in Atlantic City. Plus she's not stuck with Ben Affleck as a son-in-law… it's been a good year for the Mommy From The Block.

The band Sugar Ray will star for Spike TV in a sort of "rock n' roll Apprentice" where contestants go on the road with the band and compete for a new car and a job with a record company.

Adam picked Samantha, against the strongly-expressed opinions of his parents, last night on Average Joe: Adam Returns. Parents don't like who their kid is dating? Now that's reality TV!

Pink has been named to play one of her heroes, singer Janis Joplin, in a biopic about the 60s singer. Filming starts this summer.

Prince says today's music videos are "dirty." Ironic, as most of the people making those videos probably heard "Erotic City" and "Darling Nikki" at some point growing up…

American Idol is going back to the Kodak Theater in Hollywood for its finale. The showdown between the top two finalists is set for May 25th and 26th. Idol's first champ, Kelly Clarkson was crowned in the venue, the permanent home of the Oscars.

The nine remaining American Idol finalists will perform Elton John songs tonight. Although the music icon is not a guest judge, the contestants did get to meet him while working on their songs.

Idol castaway William Hung's CD Inspirations hits stores today (with a remake of Elton John's "Rocket Man," no less). Also, Hung's special on Fuse debuts tonight.

Tamyra Gray performs on American Idol tomorrow night. The first-season finalist will perform a new song called "Raindrops Will Fall."

Out on DVD today: The Matrix Revolutions; Cheaper By The Dozen (Steve Martin); Friends: The Complete Seventh Season; In Living Color: Season One.

--Greg Valentine

Monday, April 5th, 2004

Congrats to OutKast. The rap duo was named Favorite Music group, and their song "Hey Ya" won Favorite Song, at the 17th Annual Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards on Saturday night.

Hellboy delivered a smackdown to The Rock's new movie, Walking Tall, claiming the weekend box office belt with earnings of $23.5 million.

Ozzy and Sharon have confirmed daughter Kelly Osbourne has entered a clinic to deal with her abuse of painkillers. I think that makes it a clean sweep--every family member has made it to rehab!

Bobby Brown has hired a camera crew to follow him around and film the (former?) singer doing things like eating dinner and going to parties. Brown hopes to turn it into a reality show. People can't help looking at the mangled cars when they pass an accident--so this one may actually work.

A two and a half minute movie trailer for Spider-Man 2 debuts in theaters today. It'll also air on NBC Thursday during The Apprentice. Spider-Man's new nemesis is… Omarosa?

The Fuse network airs a special tomorrow night on William Hung, and debuts the video for "She Bangs." The clip features such infamous reality TV babes as Joe Millionaire's Sarah Kozar. How low has your celeb status sunk if the only job you can get is singing back-up for William Hung?

William Hung's album Inspirations hits stores tomorrow. While many people probably see the Hung phenomenon as a bit of a joke, the little dude is getting REAL bookings. Hung does the Tonight Show on Thursday, and the Today Show on Friday.

Early word on the Backstreet Boys reunion is that the boy band is becoming… a man band. The group's next album, expected this summer, will feature and more "mature sound" lyrically and musically.

Coldplay singer Chris Martin has allegedly had another run-in with a photographer. Punches, broken camera, complaints to the police, threatened lawsuits, legal maneuvering, charges dropped--the plot's getting pretty easy to figure out. We get it, Chris. You don't like your picture taken.

--Greg Valentine

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