It's the FINALS!

On The Voice last night the 4 finalists battled it out for the title! They were amazing as were their duets with their coaches. Let's take a look at their individual performances first. Dia sang, "Inventing Shadows" while playing piano. Unfortunately this was a performance I didn't quite like from her, although she appeared confident, I felt that her performance lacked energy. The judges and audience still applauded her and I feel that with her Nelly Furtado-Michelle Branch vocal style, she'll go far in her singing career. Vicci sang, "Afraid to Sleep." Ms. I'm BRINGING IT, lol! With this song she made me proud, she owned it and of course the judges had no criticisms. This girl has tons of energy and she brings it! Voice, moves, and likeability. Although she says she wants to improve, I don't see how that is possible since she is amazing just the way she is! Beverly sang, "Love Sick" and well that performance was sick! She had a crowd on their feet, and is just an overall great performer. Lastly, Javier!!!!!!! I love him! He sang, "Stitch by Stitch" and where do I start? He had perfect breath control, never pitchy, works the stage, true star quality, likeable, and every time he performs, he looks like it doesn't even phase him since as he is naturally comfortable on stage. The guy definitely has it all!

On to the duets! Dia and Blake sang, "I Won't Back Down" on guitar. Cute. Their act looked almost like a Men in Black with their black suits and sunglasses lol. They did a great job, although both have different vocal styles. My only criticism would be they had to have more energy but other than that, well done. Ms. I'm BRINGING IT and Cee Lo sang, "Love Is A Battlefield" with cute young kids as their backup dancers! Wow those children can really move! They're rendition of the song, sounded much like the original...simply FAB! Vicci brought it again, showing the emotion. What I like about her other than her performing style is how genuine she is! This girl could never come off as fake, she connects to any song she sings and the overall result is a phenomenal performance! Beverly and Christina sang, "Beautiful" Unfortunately I didn't think it was all that "beautiful" seeing as Beverly didn't get to showcase her vocals. Even though everyone knows what she's capable of, I felt an uptempo song would've been better for her, like Christina's "Lady Marmalade" or "Come On Over." Lastly, JAVIER!!!! He and Adam sang Michael Jackson's, "Man in the Mirror" JUSTICE, lol! Javier totally gobbled Adam up in this song. We know that no one can copy the iconic Michael Jackson, but this was a great take, it was smooth, energetic, a great vocal! Ta-da!

Tune in tonight to see who's taking it home! Results @ 8pm! Ciao 4 now :)

The Voice: SEMI-FINALS!

Let's break down our finalists in their groups. From Team Christina: Frenchie and Beverly. From Team Adam: Casey and Javier. From Team Blake: Dia and Xenia, and lastly from Team Cee Lo: Vicci and Nakia. The groups battled it out last night for America's and the judges' votes. We shall see who came out on top, but first a glimpse at last night's performances.

Frenchie rocked the arena with her rendition of Madonna's, "Like A Prayer", as did Beverly with her rendition of, "The Thrill Is Gone." Casey pleasantly surprised the judges with her vocal range and stage presence during her rendition of Whitney Houston's, "I Will Always Love You," as did Javier with his version of Coldplay's, "Fix You." Dia, always unique, showed poise and true professionalism while playing the guitar for her take on, "Losing My Religion" and Xenia continues to attempt to show America that she's got what it takes to stay in the competition with her performance of, "The Man Who Can't Be Moved." Vicci brought the crowd to their feet with her take on, "Dog Days Are Over" and Nakia showed originality and worked the stage with his interpretation of Adam Lambert's, "Whataya Want From Me."

I give these young people credit for nailing each song week after week, however I would love to see Xenia come out of her shell and move on stage! Other than that, I've got no criticisms. They were fantastic! Thanks for following my posts, guys. I'll keep you updated on the results!

America's Got Talent - Anna Graceman Audition - Video - NBC.com

America's Got Talent - Anna Graceman Audition - Video - NBC.com


CLICK THE TITLE TO VIEW VIDEO! ENJOY!

AGT: Helloooo ATLANTA!

Let's take a look at the acts that wowed both the audience and the judges in Atlanta! Get ready to be disgusted with Capt. Stab! Performing with his lovely wife, Stab did more than just charm the judges, he shoved coat hangers and swords down his throat and even lifted cinder blocks chained to his mouth! As painful as it was watching his performance, the judges voted him through. Another couple took the stage, Armand and his fiancée Angelina. Their act? To perform "My Heart Will Go On" half in English and half in Italian. Sounds nice, right? Except that their act was like the Titanic's maiden voyage, horrible! He sang like a drunken sailor and his wife who's formally trained in opera, was fantastic! But both styles just didn't flow nicely together. The judges felt it was a guilty pleasure and so this pop-opera group is on to Vegas!

At this point, although the previous acts made it through to Vegas, the judges were praying that the next act left them pleasantly surprised. Their prayers were answered when 11 year old Songbird, Anna Graceman took the stage performing Alicia Keys' hit, "If I Ain't Got You". This girl brought the house down!! she sang with such maturity and poise, a true professional at a young age, phenomenal! Put this link in your URL bar to relive this performance!

BRUINS VICTORIOUS JUNE 2011 STANLEY CUP!

Ok! Where do I start? Game 7 in Rogers Arena Canada was amazing! Vancouver Canucks vs. Bruins, what a game! What a play! I'm excited to report Vancouver didn't score once. But of course Canucks fans didn't take defeat lightly. I can understand their frustration of being so close to the cup before and being defeated, and coming close now and being defeated. Vancouver has never won the cup before, they only have made it to the finals twice. Boston, on the other hand, won the cup in 1972 and hasn't won since then, until now. While we watched massive crowds dancing in the streets in Boston, all hell broke loose in Vancouver. People were flipping cars, burning jerseys, and looting. Many were arrested and beaten by police.

On to Boston to welcome our champions! Saturday June 18th was an unbelievably joyful day for Bruins fans everywhere! Even the MBTA chose to have more trains running then it normally does on weekends, to transport passengers to and from Boston for the huge event, with 45 minute delays. I witnessed massive crowds at the train station in Gloucester who couldn't wait to get to get to Boston to get their party started! Young guys were chaotic on the train, hitting windows and the ceiling at each stop, demanding that the train be moved to catch what was left of the parade. But it was too late. It took 2 hrs to get to Boston and so these guys decided to open beers, acting like it was Mardi Gras! Once we reached Boston it was like, "Who let the dogs out?" They ran out of the train like they were just released from prison, lol! Stepping out of North Station was ridiculous! Police everywhere, crowds of people everywhere, the streets cluttered with confetti!

Walking on the sidewalks was pointless because of how many people there were. It took my friends and I an hr to find each other because with the screaming, calling each other was pointless. The malls and restaurants were unbelievably packed! No wonder, hundreds of thousands of people were in Boston that day! I was approached by screaming guys, who just ran up to me screaming, "YAYA BRUINS, who you for?!?!" Yup, truly memorable. Bravissimi Bruins, time to shave and do it all over again! If they do win again, I'm definitely staying home, lol!

What's the CATCH behind THE VOICE?

After a night of powerful performances comes the results show. Who stays and who's going home? Well from Team Christina there was no surprise that Beverly and Frenchie are powerhouses, each of different genres. From Team Blake we assumed Xenia was the weakest of his contestants and Jared Blake one of the strongest. Let's see what happened. You will be surprised!

From Team Christina Raquel Castro and Lily Elise although strong vocally, they are also the youngest of her group and therefore weren't voted through. America voted to keep Beverly, which left Christina Aguilera with the toughest decision, getting rid of 2 of her girls and allowing 1 to move forward. But who would it be? Frenchie Davis. Why? Well seeing as Lily and Raquel are the youngest they still have opportunities to make it in the industry, and now with their connections to Christina Aguilera, they could most definitely have a shot at stardom. Beverly and Frenchie are older and have tried through other singing competitions to make it big, with no success. This is their time to shine.

Now comes Team Blake. Results. America voted Dia Frampton through which left Blake Shelton to decide who else would stay in the competition. He chose......Xenia, meaning that power rocker, Jared Blake, and country crooner, Patrick Thomas are sent packing! Is there a catch here? Why would he choose Xenia over the other 2? Maybe because he saw that if he had voted one of the guys through, with the powerful voices they have, they may take business away from him once they became stars? Hmm...

Let's take a look at reasons why Christina Aguilera made the choice she made in voting Frenchie through to join Beverly. Could it be that she felt Raquel and Lily were too pretty and uber talented, so she felt that as they get older they'd take the beauty image away from her if they became stars? And because Frenchie and Beverly were the least attractive from the group, could it be that Christina felt that she'd be safe if they went through because they don't have the look the industry looks for?

I couldn't help but notice the pattern between Blake and Christina's choices in which of their contestants they chose to vote through. Seems to me like there's more of a beauty contest going on than a talent competition.  Sadly there's not much to report on Team Cee Lo and Adam. I guess we'll just have to tune in next week.

AGT: On to Seattle!

Hey guys! Let's recap last night's episode of America's Got Talent. Just when you thought the acts couldn't get crazier, they do. First up is a realtor who writes songs for the deceased. Her act was a tribute to Piers Morgan, not kidding. Nick jokingly holds a candle backstage pretending to cry uncontrollably that Piers was, "such a good man, and why oh why the Good Lord had to take him so soon," lol! To mock her, Piers gave her a "resounding yes" but she was not voted through. Second act, a guy who felt he could totally pop a hot water bottle by blowing enough air into it in 20 seconds! Sadly, he failed but you couldn't help but feel bad for him as he was gasping for air. Third, some guy who resembled a woman named Alaska who came out on stage flapping his arms, Nick mimicked him, lol. Yes, that was his act, odd but true. Needless to say he didn't make it through to Vegas. Fourth, an operatic group singing Britney Spear's, "Baby One More Time." Surprisingly, they made it through! Lastly, a group of kids ranging from 8-10 years old, Art of Teknique" rocked the stage with their break dancing. They made it through as well as other aspiring singers.

What exactly can we take from this episode? If you're crazy, pinning yourself with needles, using drills, or flapping around the stage, practically giving yourself a heart attack on stage by attempting to pop a huge bottle, chances are you won't make it on this show, lol!

That's all! Catch AGT Tuesdays @ 8pm and Wednesdays @ 9pm on NBC! The Voice is up next!

Give It Up for NBC's new hit show, The VOICE

With Idol done, you thought you probably weren't going to watch any other singing competition, huh. Wrong. The Voice is in its first season and it's getting hot! It's the show where a panel of 4 judges pick the contestants to be in each of their groups. Once the groups are formed, it's up to America to vote for their favorites. The judges are superstar Cee Lo Green, country star Blake Shelton, Maroon 5's Adam Levine, and one of the powerhouses in pop music, Christina Aguilera. Hosted by........Carson Daly, crazy right?! Who remembers his TRL days? Well his hosting personality hasn't changed. He's still with his hand in his pocket except now he wears suits. Ok! Back to the show!

To catch all of you up, I'll present the groups. Team Blake consists of: Patrick Thomas, Elenowen, Xenia, Jared Blake, Tyler Robinson, Dia Frampton, Serabee, Sara Oromchi. Team Christina consists of: Tarralyn Ramsey, former Idol Frenchie Davis, Beverly McClellan, Lily Elise, Cherie Oakley, Raquel Castro, Julia Eason, and Justin Grennan. There are 2 other judges but their contestants haven't performed yet therefore I'll leave them out til next week. I am only going to focus on Team Blake and Team Christina.

Last Tuesday night was amazing! From what I saw both groups so far have incredible voices, but for me the strongest would be Team Christina. In part because Frenchie Davis is among her contestants and she alone is a powerhouse. She tried out for American Idol many years ago so she knows what it's like to perform in front of an audience. As a result she has great stage presence and is not afraid to belt out those notes! Beverly McClellan is the rocker chick. She knows how to get the crowd on their feet, and has phenomenal vocals. Lily Elise is in a league of her own. This 19 year old beat out a contestant who already was in the music industry, just not recognized. Therefore I think she's going to sail through the competition. Lastly, Raquel Castro is the youngest contestant, but this girl you may recognize from her role in Jersey Girl as Jennifer Lopez/Ben Affleck's daughter. Raquel not only acts but sings so maturely for someone her age. At 16, she's one of the ones to beat. Watch out, world! 

Now for Team Blake. The ones who stand out are Patrick Thomas with his rendition of "I Hope You Dance" that melted Christina Aguilera, the rocker Kings of Leon sound-alike, Jared Blake, Dia Frampton with her soulful rendition of Kanye West's "Heartless", and the shy but melodic Xenia. 

That wraps it up. Unfortunately the photos didn't upload, but I'll try to fix that. Team Cee Lo and Team Adam are up next week! Can't wait! Until next time...

Howie Mandel, Nick Cannon as amazing as the TALENT on AGT

Hey guys! We're up for yet another spectacular season of America's Got Talent. The judges, Piers Morgan, Sharon Osbourne, and Howie Mandel are the same, but the talent is greater than ever. Of course we've seen magicians, people drilling themselves with power tools, fire swallowers, jugglers, and dancers, but I feel like this season the spectacular acts outweigh the insane acts. Live from Houston and Minneapolis, the contestants blew us viewers and the judges away!

I loved watching The Silhouettes with their shadow show, Lys Agnes with her amazing rendition of, "Ave Maria", the shocking performance of the Sandou Trio, with the blonde girl doing high, acrobatic flips on a trampoline-like bar, a variety of breakdancers, including the most adorable 6 year old boy I've ever seen on the show, Tanner, who gave a shout out to his girlfriend Abby. In addition, who doesn't love a talking parrot? I know it sounds kind of cliche, but yes, two women communicated with parrots this season so far. Weird, that a parrot knows the sounds of different animals and also sings, "Old McDonald." Needless to say all these performers made it to Vegas for Round 2!

Hmm, now comes the insane acts. Who could forget the guy juggling 3 electric guns while standing in a basin of water? Well believe it or not, he may have come very close to dying onstage, but made it to Vegas. Another unforgettable act...settle down, class is in session with...Professor Splash! Yes, this 47 year old guy was amazing, yet crazy for jumping from 26 feet into a pool filled with a foot of water. I nearly had a heart attack watching this, I can't imagine what the audience was feeling. Nick Cannon joked saying he didn't want to get wet so chose to wear latex, then advised kids to not try Prof. Splash's stunt at home.  Miraculously, Splash came out of the water feeling, "fantastic" and promises to break the record on the show if he makes it to Round 2. What do you know? He's moving on to VEGAS!

Although each act was more exciting than the last, before the great performers came out onstage, Piers randomly grew a little impatient when Howie and Sharon were allowing what he called, "pathetic acts" to move forward. To the actors dressed as gnomes, "Those Funny Little People", Piers immediately left the judge's panel when they were voted through. As a joke, Howie says, "Because you can piss off Piers, I say yes." Then convinces Sharon to do the same. Backstage, Howie invites this group to Piers' dressing room to chill with him, haha! Later on, as the group is accompanied out, Howie closes Piers' door, pushes a vending machine in front of it, then knocks and tells him, "A few minutes til the next act, Piers" while laughing on camera, lol. Who doesn't love Howie Mandel?

Time to move on to the next city. Tune in next week for more updates. Thanks for following this, ciao!

I called 911 because your HAT nearly killed me! LOL!

Thank Goodness for Pippa and Kate! Why? They are the fashionistas with SENSE! For those of you who saw the Royal Wedding live, you most definitely saw those ill-looking hats. I know many of you must have been thinking, "WHAT does she have going on her head?!" as you saw the many guests get out of their cars. Oh yeah, I can relate. But honestly with all that is royal and serious, there is also comedy! Who knew? William pushing the ring on Kate's finger when he realized it was kind of small for her was nothing compared to THOSE hats! Watching it from beginning to end, I was so glad my mother and sister were blasting the TV at 5am that morning. If I had continued sleeping, I would have missed out!

The queen of sass, sarcasm, Joan Rivers had her own comments about the royal attire. Sitting with Tori Spelling, and Mel B of the Spice Girls. Rivers was appalled by the style of each hat claiming they looked like a women's private parts. To be blunt, she said, "Now ladies, I know you're single but really that is no reason to have to wear your vagina on your heads!" (See photos).  Leave it to Joan Rivers to tell it like it is! Even David Beckham pictured here looks like he's holding back from laughing at wife Victoria's hat. For Princess Beatrice in beige (pictured below), Rivers said, "She's too desperate to get married but she's wearing an I.U.D. on her head. The hat is like she's trying to make funnel cakes." LOL! Kudos, Joan. Although I commented that her hat looked like a railing, I feel like Joan's comment was spot on, 100% accurate! For Kate she said, "I like that she did her makeup herself, but it blows my mind 'cause I have a makeup girl come in even when I'm just shopping online!" I have many favorite quotes from Joan on the royal wedding, but one that I just loved was her comment on Pippa's dress. Rivers said, "The dress is too sexy. You know Kate tried this on first and said, "Too sexy, take it back.' And Pippa said, "Not so fast bitch, I'm single!" Oh Joan, Joan, Joan..who doesn't love her?

I'm always looking forward to her comments just to see what she's gonna say next. Sort of like when you have a parrot. You say something but then get close to the cage to see if the parrot is going to repeat what you said.

Well that's it! Another post done. I hope you had as much fun reading this as I had writing it. Ciao for now!

Is it bye bye Pippa for the paparazzi?

Are we saying, "Arrivederci Pippa?"...HA! Not even close! The world is still in love with her as is the media. The Baronness, Countess' sister has been in the paparazzi eye since the Royal Wedding and is there to stay. We all remember the ceremony, right? April 29, 2011 sitting on the edge of our chairs, or couches curious and anxious to see Kate's dress and wanting to know the designer she chose. Well, many women did, not men, of course. Although I'm sure men got a kick out of looking at those obnoxious-looking hats! I know I did! Who knew the British love wearing their hats practically on their foreheads? But as her sister's Maid of Honor, Pippa stole the show with her size 2 figure and the white dress Kate refused to wear. Who would've thought the Maid of Honor wearing white, not traditional for many of us, but hey at least she had Kate's permission. 

The reception was another event where Pippa turned heads. Although Kate looked stunning in her white, slightly pleated gown with short cashmere cardigan, Pippa once again wowed the guests wearing a long, flowy, emerald green, low cut gown, with diamond embellishments on her belt and straps (See photos). Che bellissime donne! Gorgeous! I adore these girls' fashion sense.

While there was talk about Pippa and Prince Harry being the next royal couple, it looks like the only moment they shared was laughing and smiling as they were walking down the aisle --not the 2 of them walking down the aisle, lol. Turns out both have relationships of their own. Pippa has a boyfriend, and Prince Harry might just marry his on-off girlfriend, Chelsy Davy whom he accompanied at the royal wedding. So don't be believing everything you hear, guys, Pippa and Prince Harry are not a couple. 

That's it for now on Pippa and Kate, London's 2 superstars. With the wedding done, I still have yet to post about Joan Rivers' comments from her Fashion Preview of the Royal Wedding. Stay tuned, you don't want to miss it!

In need of a vacation but can't get away?

GET IN TO THE SPIRIT OF A SPIRIT CRUISE! They do business in a number of different cities such as: Boston, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Chicago, New York, New Jersey, Norfolk, and even the nation's capital. Book the one closest to you, you won't regret it! Enjoy a full buffet while taking in the scenic views, hit the dance floor, or experience the nightlife outside. Have fun under the stars or under the sun. You can have a cruise anytime of day, lunch, dinner or moonlight. Having a special occasion? Spirit cruises have got you covered. No matter what the celebration, enjoy a holiday or themed cruise! Book yours over the phone or online. Visit spiritcruises.com for information on rates and schedules.

In May 2011, I went on this cruise in Boston as part of Salem State College's annual Senior Week events (basically a week of events leading to graduation to congratulate students on a job well done in their academic career), and I was not disappointed. My graduating friends had no idea what to expect, but were glad I talked them into going. We were welcomed by the friendly crew, who took our picture to be purchased later, enjoyed the sites despite fog, as well as the buffet, and danced the night away. Entertainment basically consisted of today's music from salsa, rap/R&B, hip hop, to international techno. So no worries guys it's not like you're being serenaded by a Lawrence Welk orchestra, haha. However if you're into that kind of music a DJ is always willing to take requests. Now that's AMORE! My friend, Adia felt it would be hilarious to confuse people by requesting "Wannabe" by the Spice Girls, so as a side note to anyone who was on that cruise and heard that song played, yes, that was us!

Congratulations to SSU Class of 2011, and thanks to the rest of you for taking the time out of your life to read this :)

Tons of sequins, tanner, and overall TALENT!

     Ciao! (a universal greeting, haha), wow I can't believe I have yet another blog. The last one I had was on myspace years ago. Why doesn't facebook have a blog app? I just hope I'm going to continue going strong with this one and actually update it. Ok, enough about me. I'm going to recap what recent events took place in the entertainment world. I know you can always watch Access Hollywood or Extra to get the latest updates on shows and celebs, but I think you'll find my blogs are better considering I'll get right to the point, and there are no commercial breaks, lol. Let's start with the finale of Dancing With the Stars Season 12. What can I say about the set setup? Not much since it hasn't changed from previous seasons..or has it? I just started watching the show last season to see Jersey Shore's Mike "Situation" Sorrentino, get his newfound "elegance" on with the lovely Karina Smirnoff, but then fell in love with the show after finding Bristol Palin, Kyle Massey, Florence Henderson, and Jennifer Grey were among the contestants competing. 
     Now back to Dancing With the Stars Season 12 results. Honestly I loved Chelsea Kane/Mark Ballas, Kirstie Alley/Maks, Romeo/Chelsea Hightower, Ralph Macchio/Karina Smirnoff, and Hines Ward/Kym Johnson. Overall we can agree that everyone who goes on the show is working their butt off for the Mirror Ball Trophy and nailing difficult dance choreography week after week, but it all comes down to who has the rhythm, musicality, "perfect lines", and shows proper feet, hip, and leg action. The couples for me who had this whole package were Chelsea/Mark, Ralph/Karina, and Hines/Kym. Chelsea/Mark for their unbelievable dance moves! I especially liked their Harry Potter themed waltz, but sadly they came in 3rd place in the competition. I loved Ralph/Karina for their chemistry, consistent teamwork through rehearsals, and persistence to get through each dance, despite a knee injury sustained by Ralph which towards the end interfered with his performance, and caused him to be eliminated. Like Ralph, Kym sustained a neck injury during rehearsals, but she quickly recovered and she and Hines pulled through one HOT performance, earning them the Mirror Ball Trophy! Congrats! Surprisingly, Kirstie/Maks came in 2nd in the competition despite their accidents on the dance floor. What I can say was that this was one hot season for Dancing With the Stars, I can't wait for next season!
     Like Dancing with the Stars I've got to say this past season was also one of Idol's best seasons yet! Who didn't love Pia, Lauren, Scotty, James, Casey, and Stefano? We were all shocked with the elimination of Pia after her killer performance of "River Deep, Mountain High." Personally I think she did a GREAT rendition of that song, phenomenal actually. But was it really her lack of movement that caused her to be eliminated? Hmmm,  I feel controversy coming on. Seriously Pia?!? Many had their own opinions as to what caused the brunette bombshell to be voted off. For example, people assumed she was safe and they voted for those who may have been in danger of elimination instead. Or her looks played a part where young girls were intimidated by her, or young girls were obsessed with Scotty and so voted for him repeatedly. Does it matter? NO! I must admit her elimination brought tears to my and my family's eyes, but Jimmy Iovine scooped her up and signed her less than 24hrs after her elimination. So we definitely haven't heard the last of Pia Toscano. Apart from her new record deal, Pia found love in the spotlight with her new beau, Dancing With the Stars cutie, Mark Ballas. Yes, Pia couldn't be happier so don't worry, world! I can't wait to see her on tour!
     *Seacrest's voice* On to this season's results! Dim the lights and here we go! Despite Lauren's laryngitis, she was still able to outsing Scotty in the finale. Her duet with Carrie Underwood of "Before He Cheats" was a show-stopper and crowd pleaser! Scotty, on the other hand, had night of slow, soft performances but yet he was crowned winner! I love them both so when they were the final 2, I didn't choose sides even though I know the win should've gone to Lauren. While hugging Lauren he said, "I love you, babe" and announced that he and Lauren were going to be together forever. Hmmm...we as the public don't really know what that means, but on Jay Leno's show, Lauren insisted that she and Scotty are nothing more than just good friends. Bummer :( Just kidding! Apart from praising his co-contestants and the public, the true highlight for me was when he said he had to thank God first and foremost because without Him, he would not be where he was at that moment. Ohhh can I get an AMEN?!? Bravo Scotty! God Bless you, you will definitely go far in your career :)
     That wraps it up! Another season of Idol and Dancing With the Stars done. Catch all your favorite contestants on the American Idol tour this summer! For more information visit americanidol.com.