Nathan James latest to be eliminated from ITV's 'Superstar'

Nathan James has become the latest hopeful to be eliminated from ITV's Superstar.

The singer had received the fewest amount of viewer votes along with Roger Wright following their live performances of 'Born This Way' and 'Handbags and Gladrags' respectively.

The pair then had to perform a sing-off version of Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber's 'Love Changes Everything'.

With the choice down to Lloyd Webber, he told them: "This is not easy now. Despite a fantastic performance, I've got to save Roger."

A relieved Wright told host Amanda Holden: "Any one of us five could have gone, Nathan is phenomenal.

"Twice in the bottom two, it's a humbling scenario, believe me."

A smiling James said of his elimination: "I would like to say thank you for all your comments. I've really tried to do my best, I'm sorry if it wasn't enough.

"Thank you to everyone for voting, this is first time I've been in the bottom two and that's a real achievement."

The final five contestants had earlier performed a cover of Take That's 'Greatest Day' with Gary Barlow on piano.

Ben Forster, David Hunter, Rory Taylor and Roger Wright will battle it out for a place in the grand final in tomorrow's show, which airs at 9pm on ITV1.

Winners of "Teen Choice 2012" Announced

This year, teens cast more than 134 million votes in support of their favorite celebrities from film, television, music, sports and fashion.

Teens Cast More Than 134 Million Votes

The following were honored today at TEEN CHOICE 2012, which aired live on FOX from the Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City, CA. This year, teens logged on to www.teenchoiceawards.com and cast more than 134 million votes in support of their favorite celebrities from film, television, music, sports and fashion.

Hosted by Demi Lovato and Kevin McHale, the special also honored Kristen Stewart with the Ultimate Choice Award as well as awards for Choice Summer Movie Star: Female and Choice Movie Actress: Romance.

In addition, the ACUVUE(R) Inspire Award was presented to Miranda Cosgrove, star of the TV series "iCarly," in recognition of her inspiring work with children and teens advocating the importance of higher education. The ACUVUE(R) Inspire Award recognizes an inspirational person who, over the past year, used his or her celebrity stature to make a difference in the life of teens.

TEEN CHOICE 2012 winners include:

Choice Movie: Action "Abduction"

Choice Movie Actor: Action Taylor Lautner, "Abduction"

Choice Movie Actress: Action Zoe Saldana, "Colombiana"

Choice Movie: Sci-Fi/Fantasy "The Hunger Games"

Choice Movie Actor: Sci-Fi/Fantasy Josh Hutcherson, "The Hunger Games" and "Journey 2: The Mysterious Island"

Choice Movie Actress: Sci-Fi/Fantasy Jennifer Lawrence, "The Hunger Games"

Choice Movie: Drama "The Lucky One"

Choice Movie Actor: Drama Zac Efron, "The Lucky One"

Choice Movie Actress: Drama Emma Stone, "The Help"

Choice Movie: Comedy "21 Jump Street"

Choice Movie Actor: Comedy Channing Tatum, "21 Jump Street"

Choice Movie Actress: Comedy Emma Stone, "Crazy, Stupid, Love."

Choice Movie: Romance "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1""

Choice Movie Actor: Romance Zac Efron, "The Lucky One"

Choice Movie Actress: Romance Kristen Stewart, "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1"

Choice Movie Voice Taylor Swift as Audrey, "Dr. Seuss' The Lorax"

Choice Movie Chemistry Jennifer Lawrence and Amandla Stenberg, "The Hunger Games"

Choice Movie Liplock Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson, "The Hunger Games"

Choice Movie Hissy Fit Charlize Theron, "Snow White & The Huntsman"

Choice Movie Villain Alexander Ludwig, "The Hunger Games"

Choice Movie Scene Stealer: Male Liam Hemsworth, "The Hunger Games"

Choice Movie Scene Stealer: Female Ashley Greene, "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1"

Choice Movie Breakout Rihanna, "Battleship"

Choice Summer Movie: Action "The Avengers"

Choice Summer Movie: Comedy/Music "Katy Perry: Part of Me"

Choice Summer Movie Star: Male Chris Hemsworth, "Snow White & The Huntsman" and "The Avengers"

Choice Summer Movie Star: Female Kristen Stewart, "Snow White & The Huntsman" TELEVISION

Choice TV Show: Drama "Pretty Little Liars"

Choice TV Actor: Drama Ian Harding, "Pretty Little Liars"

Choice TV Actress: Drama Lucy Hale, "Pretty Little Liars"

Choice TV Show: Fantasy/Sci-Fi "The Vampire Diaries"

Choice TV Actor: Fantasy/Sci-Fi Ian Somerhalder, "The Vampire Diaries"

Choice TV Actress: Fantasy/Sci-Fi Nina Dobrev, "The Vampire Diaries"

Choice TV Show: Action "CSI: Miami"

Choice TV Actor: Action Adam Rodriguez, "CSI: Miami"

Choice TV Actress: Action Linda Hunt, "NCIS: Los Angeles"

Choice TV Show: Comedy GLEE

Choice TV Actor: Comedy Chris Colfer, GLEE

Choice TV Actress: Comedy Lea Michele, GLEE

Choice TV: Animated Show THE SIMPSONS

Choice TV: Male Personality Simon Cowell, THE X FACTOR

Choice TV: Female Personality Jennifer Lopez, AMERICAN IDOL

Choice TV: Reality Competition Show THE X FACTOR

Choice TV: Reality Show "Punk'd"

Choice TV: Male Reality Star Paul "DJ Pauly D" DelVecchio, "Jersey Shore" and "The Pauly D Project"

Choice TV: Female Reality Star The Kardashians, "Keeping Up With The Kardashians"

Choice Summer TV Show "Teen Wolf"

Choice Summer TV Star: Female Troian Bellisario, "Pretty Little Liars"

Choice Summer TV Star: Male Tyler Posey, "Teen Wolf"

Choice TV Villain Janel Parrish, "Pretty Little Liars"

Choice TV Female Scene Stealer Candice Accola, "The Vampire Dairies"

Choice TV Male Scene Stealer Michael Trevino, "The Vampire Diaries"

Choice TV Breakout Show THE X FACTOR

Choice TV Breakout Star: Female Hannah Simone, NEW GIRL

Choice TV Breakout Star: Male Beau Mirchoff, "Awkward" MUSIC

Choice Male Artist Justin Bieber

Choice Female Artist Taylor Swift

Choice Music Group Selena Gomez & The Scene

Choice R&B/Hip-Hop Artist Nicki Minaj

Choice R&B/Hip-Hop Song "Starships," Nicki Minaj

Choice Rock Group fun.

Choice Rock Song "Paradise," Coldplay

Choice Electronic Dance Music (EDM) Artist David Guetta

Choice Single by a Group "We Are Young," fun. featuring Janelle Mon�e

Choice Single by a Female Artist "Eyes Open," Taylor Swift

Choice Single by a Male Artist "Boyfriend," Justin Bieber

Choice Male Country Artist Hunter Hayes

Choice Female Country Artist Taylor Swift

Choice Country Song "Sparks Fly," Taylor Swift

Choice Country Group Lady Antebellum

Choice Summer Song "Call Me Maybe," Carly Rae Jepsen

Choice Love Song "What Makes You Beautiful," One Direction

Choice Break-Up Song "Payphone," Maroon 5 featuring Wiz Khalifa

Choice Summer Music Star: Female Demi Lovato

Choice Summer Music Star: Male Justin Bieber

Choice Summer Music Star: Group One Direction

Choice Music: Breakout Artist Carly Rae Jepsen

Choice Music: Breakout Group One Direction FASHION

Choice Fashion Icon: Female Katy Perry

Choice Fashion Icon: Male Justin Bieber

Choice Female Hottie Miley Cyrus

Choice Male Hottie Ian Somerhalder SPORTS

Choice Female Athlete Serena Williams (Tennis)

Choice Male Athlete David Beckham (Soccer) OTHER

Choice Book "The Hunger Games" trilogy, Suzanne Collins

Choice Comedian Ellen DeGeneres

Choice Twit Demi Lovato

Choice Web Star Sophia Grace and Rosie

Choice Video Game Just Dance 3

Choice Social Network Facebook

Syfy's "Defiance" Commences Series Production in Toronto July 24th

Defiance will commence series production in Toronto, ON starting July 24, having completed shooting on the pilot episode this past spring (for a total of 12 episodes/13 hours). The series stars Grant Bowler (Nolan), Julie Benz (Amanda Rosewater), Stephanie Leonidas (Irisa), Tony Curran (Datak Tarr), Jaime Murray (Stahma Tarr), Graham Greene (Rafe McCawley), Mia Kirshner (Kenya) and Fionnula Flanagan (Nicky).

An unprecedented partnership between Syfy and Trion Worlds, Defiance is the first-ever convergence of television and Massive Multiplayer Online gaming, featuring an interconnected world and storylines that will co-exist throughout a scripted drama series and a multiplatform MMO shooter. Both the series and the game will debut simultaneously in April 2013.

Set in the near future, Defiance introduces an exotically transformed planet Earth, its landscapes permanently altered following the sudden - and tumultuous - arrival of seven unique alien races. In this somewhat unknown and unpredictable landscape, the richly diverse, newly-formed civilization of humans and aliens must learn to co-exist peacefully. Each week, viewers will follow an immersive character drama set in the boom-town of Defiance, which sits atop the ruins of St. Louis, MO, while in the game, players will adventure in the new frontier of the San Francisco Bay area. The dramatic tapestry of the series and the intense action of the game will exist in a single universe where their respective narratives will inform one another and evolve together into one overall story.

The series is executive produced by Kevin Murphy (Desperate Housewives, Caprica; Hellcats) & Michael Taylor (Battlestar Galactica). Kevin Murphy serves as showrunner. Scott Stewart (Legion, Priest) directed the pilot; Michael Nankin will serve as director/producer on the series. Defiance is produced by Universal Cable Productions. The game was named "Best MMORPG" from GameSpy at the recent E3 conference in June 2012 (among other accolades).

'X Factor' Tulisa denies Nicole Scherzinger feud: 'P*ss off media'

X Factor judge Tulisa Contostavlos has hit back at "bulls**t" reports of her feuding with fellow judge Nicole Scherzinger.

The 'Young' singer, who famously clashed with departed panelist Kelly Rowland on last year's series, insisted that she "get[s] on fine" with the former Pussycat Doll.

"P**s off media with all ur me n @NicoleScherzy beef talk," she wrote. "Ur always guna try and make a headline cus uve got nothin good 2 write about.

"We get on fine!Just coz we r different doesnt mean we dont like each other!n if we didnt..believe me,Id let u know #hatebulls**t."

Scherzinger was comforted by co-stars Contostavlos, Gary Barlow and Louis Walsh when she broke down in tears during last week's X Factor Boot Camp in Liverpool.

Former X Factor contestant Misha B - who Contostavlos and Walsh accused of bullying on a live show last year - recently told Digital Spy that Scherzinger will "add an extra spice" to the panel.

'Superstar' Nathan James responds to slurs: I'm not a horrible person

Superstar singer Nathan James has hit back at claims in the tabloids that he is acting like a diva on Andrew Lloyd Webber's talent show.

Reports alleged that the Jesus Christ Superstar hopeful had made a member of staff cry backstage and that he was making "a proper show of himself".

Speaking to fans on Twitter, James said people should ignore the stories about his supposed bad behaviour.

"Guys I'm not saying I'm perfect, but I'm not a horrible person. I'm a real person. Hope u like my song tonight," he said.

"So guys, I'm holding my head high today and really looking forward to singing a modern pop song tonight.

"Guys, don't believe all you read...people don't want me to do well in this show and i wanna really want to."

Ben Forster, David Hunter, Rory Taylor and Roger Wright are the other four remaining performers still hoping to secure the role of Jesus in Andrew Lloyd Webber's rock opera revival.

The talent show continues tonight (July 23) at 9pm tonight on ITV1.

Kirstie Alley Hit With Heavy-Duty Class Action Lawsuit

Kirstie Alley is not telling the truth about her weight -- at least, that's the claim made by one woman who's suing the former "Cheers" star over a weight loss program that Alley endorses.

Los Angeles resident Marina Abramyan filed suit in Los Angeles Superior Court on Friday, claiming that Alley's Organic Liaison Weight Loss Program falsely claims that it caused the actress to lose 100 pounds.

Abramyan accuses Alley and Organic Liaison of making "false and misleading advertising claims that the Organic Liaison Weight Loss Program can cause significant weight loss, Indeed, the advertising and marketing for the Organic Liaison Weight Loss Program creates the uniform, false net-impression that the product is an FDA approved weight loss product capable of easily causing significant weight loss and caused Defendant Kirstie Alley to lose a whopping 100 pounds."

Among the false statements made on the company's website, Abramyan claims, are declarations from the actress stating, "I [Kirstie Alley] am proof of its success I lost one hundred pounds on Organic Liaison" and "I [Kirstie Alley] can assure you that if you follow this program, you'll get healthier, lose weight, and not be 'annoyingly' hungry."

Abramyan says that she ordered the program, but "did not experience any of the benefits Defendants advertised." In reality, she says, Organic Liaison consists of "nothing more than run-of-the-mill fiber and calcium supplements."

The suit goes on to claim that Alley's weight loss is due to other factors -- such as the grueling training regimen she underwent on "Dancing With the Stars."

"Ms. Alley's weight loss is not due to the Organic Liaison Program, but rather, is the result of an above average exercise regimen and extremely low calorie diet, including her time on the television program 'Dancing With the Stars' ('DWTS'), where she spent five to seven hours a day exercising as part of the competition." the suit reads.

Claiming false and misleading advertising, violation of California's civil code and breach of implied contract, the suit is asking that Organic Liaison be prohibited from making its allegedly false claims, plus actual damages, punitive damages, interest, attorneys' fees, and the costs of bringing the suit.

Gordon Ramsay's Gross Advice for Your Next Romantic Weekend

Gordon Ramsay has some helpful -- and icky -- advice for your next romantic weekend getaway.

The celebrity chef and hotelier shared his tips for how to get a quality, reasonably priced hotel room at a Television Critics Association panel about his new Fox series, "Hotel Hell." On the show, he travels the country exposing awful hotels.

"If they offer you the honeymoon suite, don't take it," he told a roomful of TV writers, giving them a few seconds to think about why.

He explained that he's taken a blacklight to a few honeymoon suites, and, well.

"I didn't think it could shoot that far," he said.

Ramsay let the room think for a moment about what he meant by "it."

"Ew," said the room.

"I didn't finish," Ramsay clarified. "I'm talking about if you shake a can of Coke and open it."

No, he wasn't.

The TCA summer press tour is taking place at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills. So one of the reporters asked Ramsay what he thinks of the hotel.

"You trying to get me in the shit?" he asked. "That's a shit question."

Big Brother White Room task to feature Golden Ticket twist

The winner of the White Room Big Brother task will land a Golden Ticket to the final and £25,000 of the prize money, it has been reported.

It was revealed last week that there was going to be a White Room task, a challenge which was first used on Big Brother Australia. There will be a special Big Brother White Room episode on Wednesday, August 1.

The challenge involves the housemates having nothing but white food and white clothes, while locked in a white room together. The only way they can get out is by giving up on winning the challenge and pressing a red buzzer in the middle of the room.

The original Australian Big Brother White Room task involved hopefuls battling for a late entrant spot in the house. The UK version is expected to feature current housemates competing for the cash prize.

Exact details on the task are expected to be revealed soon.

Big Brother continues daily on Channel 5. The latest round of nominations is taking place today (July 23).

'Twilight' star MyAnna Buring joins 'Downton Abbey'

MyAnna Buring has joined the cast of Downton Abbey.

The Twilight: Breaking Dawn star will reportedly appear in special Christmas episodes later this year.

Buring will play a feisty servant named Edna in the period drama, reports The Sunday Times.

"You couldn't get two projects more different. I was thrilled when the Downton offer came," she said.

Bad Girls actress Simone Lahbib has also joined the cast as another servant.

The upcoming third series of the popular drama will begin in September, and will see the first appearance from Hollywood actress Shirley MacLaine.

Julian Fellowes has revealed details of the main plots of the third series.

TV Tonight 24th of July 2012

The daily list in alphabetical order, of all the new episodes airing.

    After The Catch S06E06: "Looking Ahead"
    America's Got Talent S07E20: "12 of the top 48 acts perform"
    American Colony: Meet the Hutterites S01E09: "We're Not a Cult"
    Ancient X-Files S02E13: "Death Cult And Bog Bodies of Ireland"
    Beauty and the Beast: The Ugly Face of Prejudice S02E03: "Holly and Nelly"
    Being Lara Bingle S01E07: "Season 1, Episode 7"
    Big S01E16: "Episode 16"
    Big Brother (UK) S14E54: "BB 13, Episode 54"
    Big Brother After Dark S07E13: "Season 7, Episode 13"
    Big Brother's Bit on the Side S04E50: "Series 4, Show 50"
    Blockbusters (2012) S01E32: "Series 1, Show 31"
    Bristol Palin: Life’s a Tripp S01E12: "Kicked To The Curb"
    Bristol Palin: Life’s a Tripp S01E11: "Bearizona"
    Chelsea Lately S06E116
    Come Dine With Me S19E34: "Series 19, Episode 27"
    Conan S02E118: "Eric McCormack, Eric Andre, the XX"
    Covert Affairs S03E03: "The Last Thing You Should Do"
    Craft Wars S01E05: "A Christmas Craft-tastrophe"
    Dance Moms S03E08: "Guess Who's Back?"
    Daybreak S02E226: "July 24, 2012"
    Days of our Lives S47E181: "Ep. #11891"
    Deadliest Catch S08E16: "The Bitter, Bloody End"
    Deal Or No Deal (UK) S07E297: "Episode 1977"
    Degrassi S12E06: "Got Your Money (2)"
    Design Star S07E09: "And the Design Star Is?"
    Destination Truth S05E04: "Alien Invaders/Swedish Lake Monster"
    Doctors S14E63: "Indian Smyth"
    Drive To Buy S01E07: "Episode 7"
    EastEnders S28E116: "July 24, 2012"
    Eat St. S03E09: "Go Nuts for Trucks"
    Embarrassing Bodies S06E11: "Under the Knife"
    Emmerdale S41E172: "July 24, 2012"
    Figure It Out S04E29: "Featuring Cymphonique Miller"
    Four In A Bed S03E57: "Fifteens of Swinley"
    Franklin & Bash S02E08: "Last Dance"
    Frontline (US) S30E20: "Alaska Gold"
    General Hospital (US) S50E80: "#12608"
    Geordie Shore S03E05: "Series 3, Episode 5"
    Hakuouki S03E03: "Episode 3"
    Half Built House S01E03: "Eastbourne"
    Hardcore Pawn S06E03: "TBA"
    Haunted Highway S01E04: "El Dorado Hell Hounds/Georgia Skinstealer"
    Hell's Kitchen (US) S10E15: "6 Chefs Compete"
    Highway Cops S01E06: "Season 1, Episode 6"
    History Detectives S10E03: "100th Episode: TBA"
    History Detectives S10E02: "TBA"
    Holby City S14E41: "From Here to Maternity"
    Hollyoaks S18E147: "July 24, 2012"
    Hollywood Heights S01E27: "Eddie and Chloe Meet Oz"
    Home and Away (AU) S25E132: "Episode 5567"
    House Hunters S50E22
    House Hunters International S34E18
    Imagine (UK) S21E05: "Dancing with Titian"
    Jane By Design S01E17: "The Sleepover"
    Jeopardy! S28E222: "Show #6427"
    Jimmy Kimmel Live S09E284: "Jeremy Renner, Aaron Paul, Nas"
    Katie S02E08: "Series 2, Episode 8"
    Kendra on Top S01E12: "Risque Business"
    Kendra on Top S01E13: "Homeward Rebound"
    Late Night with Jimmy Fallon S02E310: "Roseanne Barr, Nelly, Beach House"
    Late Show with David Letterman S19E106
    Line Of Duty S01E05: "Episode 5"
    Live with Kelly S29E235
    Love In The Wild S02E08: "Season 2, Episode 8"
    Love Your Garden S03E05: "Norwich"
    Masterchef (US) S03E15: "Top 6 Compete, Part 2"
    Masterchef Australia S04E69: "Finals Week: Signature Dishes"
    MTV2's Guy Code S02E03: "TBA"
    Naruto SD: Rock Lee no Seishun Full-Power Ninden S01E17
    Neighbours S28E142: "Episode 6452"
    NY Med S01E03: "Season 1, Episode 3"
    Our America with Lisa Ling S03E06: "The Lost American Dream"
    Paranormal Highway S01E03: "TBA"
    Pretty Little Liars S03E07: "Crazy"
    Repo Games S02E16: "Barely Legal Lindsey"
    Rizzoli & Isles S03E08: "Cuts Like a Knife"
    Secret Dealers S03E12: "Series 3, Episode 12"
    Storage Wars S03E13: "Willkommen to the Dollhouse"
    Storage Wars S03E14: "The Yup Stops Here"
    Superstar S01E11: "Live Show 8"
    Teen Mom S05E07: "Fresh Start"
    The Angel S01E01: "Episode 1"
    The Bold and the Beautiful S26E87: "Ep. #6371"
    The Colbert Report S08E90: "James Fallows"
    The Daily Show S17E128: "Matthew McConaughey"
    The Glee Project S02E08: "Tenacity (Amber Riley)"
    The Jeremy Kyle Show S07E215: "July 24, 2012"
    The L.A. Complex S02E02: "The Contract"
    The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson S08E115
    The Project S04E175: "Season 4, Episode 175"
    The Real Housewives Of Orange County S07E23: "Lost Footage"
    The Tonight Show with Jay Leno S20E125
    The View S15E209
    The Young and the Restless S40E86: "Ep. #9955"
    Tipping Point S01E17: "Episode 17"
    Tosh.0 S04E19: "TBA"
    Trust Us with Your Life S01E05: "Jerry Springer"
    Trust Us with Your Life S01E06: "Florence Henderson"
    Turn Back Time (2010) S02E05: "The 1970s"
    Twenty Twelve S02E07: "Loose Ends"
    Watch What Happens: Live S07E23: "Bruce Jenner"
    What Not To Wear (US) S09E24: "Dolly"
    White Collar S04E03: "Diminishing Returns"
    Winners & Losers S02E05: "A Day in the Life"
    Workaholics S03E09: "Montez's Wife"
    World's Strictest Parents (AU) S04E02: "Florida"
    World's Worst Tenants S01E07: "Red Neck Hand Plunge"
    Yuru Yuri S02E04: "Achoo"

'TOWIE' Gemma and Arg have sex to the Backstreet Boys: 'It was magic'

Gemma Collins and James 'Arg' Argent have spoken about the first time they had sex with one another.

The Only Way Is Essex couple told Heat about the experience as they did their first joint shoot for the magazine.

Argent said: "We had a couple of drinks but we weren't drunk.

"We got to my hotel room and she made me go downstairs and get her a brandy and coke. I came upstairs and she's lying in bed in her silk and lace."

Collins said: "I've always got nice underwear on - I don't mess about."

Argent continued: "And she was playing the Backstreet Boys! It was magic... It's the best sex I've ever had."

Collins added: "He's perfect. We've just got that chemistry. We're like magnets."

Argent said: "It was in Marbella the night after she'd done her big dramatic bit about me not getting 'this candy'.

"I said, 'Will you come back to my hotel room?' I knew she was going to come - she was trying to play it cool."

Collins added: "I was nervous because something was just different.

"I was thinking, 'Am I doing the right thing here?' He was very persuasive.... I think it's been obvious I've liked him for ages."

Argent added: "She gets really shy around me now. Sometimes when I look at her she says 'stop looking at me'."

Of him seeing her naked for the first time, Collins said: "I was self-conscious, even though I can be confident I do get a bit shy in front of him sometimes."

Argent added: "I think she's a beautiful girl, very sexy and I love her curves.

"I think both me and her would lose ourselves if we lost weight - if she wasn't big bubbly Gemma people wouldn't relate to her as much and I love her as she is. When I lost weight I got all cocky."

Collins agreed: "Of course I'd like a miracle pill to make me a size 14 but I'm happy as I am and know it suits me."

President Obama's Latest Campaign Co-Stars: 'The Wire' Cast Members, Nathan Lane, Harvey Weinstein

First George Clooney and Sarah Jessica Parker, and now, stars from HBO’s cult-classic series “The Wire” are getting in on the fund-raising act for President Obama’s reelection campaign.

According to an invitation posted on BarackObama.com, supporters of the  president’s second charge at the White House can visit the Martha’s Vineyard home of Judy and Ron Davenport on the evening of Aug. 15 to mingle with cast members from the HBO drug drama.

Would-be attendees can score tickets for $500 per person, or if they’re feeling especially flush, they can join the host committee at $2,500 a pop. Proceeds will go to the Obama Victory Fund, a joint fund-raising committee comprising Obama for America, the Democratic National Committee and several state Democratic parties.

Why “The Wire”? It’s apparently one of Obama’s favorite shows, although the president isn’t slated to attend that evening, according to the Sunlight Foundation. Meanwhile, Politico mentioned a lineup that included Jamie Hector, Clarke Peters (pictured), Wendell Pierce, Andre Royo and Sonja Sohn as some of the show’s stars expected to stump for Obama at the Davenports’ house.

“The Wire” fund-raiser was just one of three reported events making headlines on Monday. Nathan Lane is planning an Aug. 24 fund-raiser in Bridgehampton, N.Y., with co-hosts Julianne Moore, Edie Falco and Jane Holzer. Vice President Joe Biden is scheduled to attend Lane’s “East End for Obama” event, which will cost from $500 to $10,000 and will feature a performance by James Taylor, according to the New York Post.

Finally, not to be outdone, mega-producer Harvey Weinstein is teaming up with Vogue top editor Anna Wintour for a joint fund-raiser in Greenwich, Conn., on Aug. 6, the Post reported Monday. Joining the guest list for Wintour and Weinstein’s party comes at the considerable cost of $35,800 per booster.

Simon Cowell on 'X Factor' Judges: 'No One Has Any Job Security Anymore, Including Myself'

Simon Cowell doesn't see his current lineup of "X Factor" judges changing anytime soon -- but says that "no one has any job security anymore, including me."

Cowell rolled into the Television Critics Association summer press tour -- via satellite, anyway -- with returning judge L.A. Reid and new panelists Britney Spears and Demi Lovato. He said he had always wanted Spears on the show  and joked that Lovato was "a brat."

Also read: Mariah Carey Named 'Idol' Judge; More Announcements Coming Soon

He once used the same word to describe Cheryl Cole, the judge who was quickly fired from the first season of "The X Factor." He subsequently replaced Cole's replacement, Nicole Scherzinger and Paula Abdul, bringing in Spears and Lovato. But he said he doesn't anticipate similar retooling for his current panel.

"No one has any job security anymore, including myself," Cowell said. "We've always made a point on these shows of changing the shows whenever we think it's necessary... we just felt that we needed a change."

He said of his new panel: "I don't envisage this changing for a while."

Cowell, in Cowellish fashion, took what opportunities he could to gin up conflict. But he took fewer potshots than he did at last year's TCA, when he predicted -- wrongly -- that "X Factor" would overtake "American Idol" as television's biggest show.

This time around, he took small digs at "Idol," which he left after its eighth season, and NBC's "The Voice," which outperformed "X Factor" last season.

At one point, Spears and Lovato were asked what other musical competitions they enjoy.

"Don't mention 'The Voice,'" Cowell said.

"I really enjoyed 'American Idol' when it first came out," Lovato said. Spears agreed.

"Seasons one through eight," Cowell said, referring to his stint on the series.

He also blamed Abdul and Scherzinger for 13-year-old's Rachel Crow tearful breakdown following her "X" ouster last season. (Abdul advised Scherzinger to vote to send Crow home, so that the judges' panel would deadlock. That meant viewer votes sent Crow home.)

"That was the girls' fault, unfortunately, because they could have saved her," Cowell said.

This time last year, Cowell tried to play up a spat between the male and female judges on the show. This time, he said Lovato and Spears were tougher judges than him and Reid.

"Britney's quite mean, which you'll discover," he said. "As sweet as a lemon."

Spears was asked if she thought the show would boost her record sales. "That's not my intention," she said, adding that she wanted to do the show because it would be a different experience.

Cowell also said he was happy for Mariah Carey, who was named earlier Monday as the new judge on "Idol." But he said she might have a hard time saying no to contestants because "she's sweet."

Not sweet as a lemon. Just sweet.

CORE Media Group Gobbles Up 'Man V. Food,' 'Extreme Couponing' Production Company

CORE Media Group, the parent company behind "American Idol" and other reality fare, is expanding its portfolio with the acquisition of Sharp Media, the production company responsible for Travel Channel's "Man V. Food," TLC's "Extreme Couponing" and other unscripted series.

CORE president Marc Graboff and Sharp founder and CEO Matt Sharp announced the acquisition plans Monday. Sharp, who will remain the CEO of his company, called the merger "the perfect fit" for his business.

“This is a perfect fit for our company, and the right time to make this move,” Sharp said. “Our partnership with CORE Media will broaden our opportunities to exploit and distribute our products by aligning us with a company that is rapidly expanding, hungry for new business and nimble enough to get deals done, all the while allowing us to continue to focus on what we do best, which is produce great content for an array of networks and audiences.”

Graboff added that the acquisition of Sharp is part of an ongoing plan for CORE's expansion, and will offer "countless possibilities."

“This announcement is another step in our efforts to expand the breadth of our content offerings and align CORE with some of the industry’s most talented and innovative producers,” said Graboff. “By combining the quality content that Sharp is producing with our expertise and assets in licensing, merchandising and integrated marketing, we see countless possibilities in this exciting partnership.”

CORE, which launched in May as a rebrand of CKx entertainment, counts among its assets "American Idol" and "So You Think You Can Dance," as well as representing the brands of Elvis Presley and Muhammad Ali.

Along with "Man V. Food" and "Extreme Couponing," Sharp produces National Geographic's "Doomsday Preppers" and Animal Planet's "Call of the Wildman."

Mariah Carey Named 'Idol' Judge; More Announcements Coming Soon

Mariah Carey is the new "American Idol" judge, and the show hopes to name the rest of its judging panel within the next two weeks, Fox entertainment president Kevin Reilly announced Monday.

Reilly also said not all of those in contention are "household names."

The show was forced to revamp its panel when Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler parted ways with the show after two seasons by what Reilly called a "mutual agreement." Reilly declined to comment on whether Randy Jackson would return to the show, but made it sound likely. Carey was considered a likely candidate to join "Idol" because Jackson is her manager.

"I'm not going to talk about the deal in regards to the judges," Reilly said of Jackson's chances of returning. "We're not confirming it. We have a very close relationship with Randy. He's a very important part of that television show. So in the next week or so we'll confirm that.

He said he also expected executive producer Nigel Lythgoe to return, even though negotiations are still underway. "That's still a negotiation that's going on. It's not a difficult one."

Lythgoe told reporters Monday that he hoped to see the judging panel change every year, something Reilly said may be a possibility.

"I think change is going to be a part of the show going forward," Reilly said. "We're 12 years old. I think we've got to keep it fresh. It's a lot of work. It's not without risk. ... We're going to keep playing with the formula."

Reilly announced Carey was joining the show at the Television Critics Association summer press tour, in an extraordinarily low-key way. In what at first felt like the setup for a joke about rampant "Idol" speculation, he said Fox had just closed a deal with "the biggest recording artist that any of these shows have ever had."

He then dialed the new judge on his cell phone.

"Hi, Mariah?" he said. "How are you? It's Kevin."

It wasn't a joke. Reilly put his phone on speaker, and Mariah Carey came on the line to address a few hundred reporters.

"I am so excited to be joining 'Idol,'" she said.

It was no coincidence that Reilly officially announced Lopez's exit on the same day Carey was announced as a new judge.

"We were waiting for the Mariah deal," Reilly told reporters. He said that Fox didn't think of her, however, as a replacement for Lopez.

Fox had held off on announcing Lopez's exit even after she said she planned to leave "Idol." It did release a statement for Tyler.

The lack of a formal Lopez announcement made it appear there might be a slight chance of bringing her back. Lythgoe fanned that spark by suggesting at another TCA panel -- barely an hour before Reilly spoke -- that he hoped Lopez might be persuaded to return.

With Reilly's comments on Lopez's exit, those hopes seem to be completely dashed.

He said the next "Idol" judge doesn't need to be "a household name" -- but said that viewers would need "something to talk about."

Reilly acknowledged the difficulty of landing new "Idol" judges in a market so glutted with singing shows. Fox's own "X Factor," hosted by former "Idol" judge Simon Cowell, recently hired Britney Spears and Demi Lovato in an attempt to pull a younger audience for its second season this fall.

"It would be nice... if we were the only ones negotiating with these people," he said.