Carey-Minaj ‘Idol’ feud just idle talk
Mariah Carey says there’s no feud between her and fellow new “American Idol” judge Nicki Minaj at the moment.
Judges Carey, Minaj, Keith Urban and Randy Jackson and host Ryan Seacrest attended a press conference in New York on Monday after auditioning singers for the Fox music reality TV series.
Fox announced Sunday that Minaj and Urban would join Carey and Jackson as judges on “Idol” following Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler’s exits in July.
Carey tried to quell rumors about her quarreling with Minaj by saying they’ve only been together two days and “a feud takes a little longer to happen.”
All the judges burst into laughter.
Minaj said the new “Idol” judges are “getting along wonderfully.”
‘Voice’ welcomes two new judges
NBC says Usher and Shakira are joining “The Voice” as new coaches next spring, when Christina Aguilera and CeeLo Green take a break from the show.
The network said Monday that original coaches Adam Levine and Blake Shelton will remain on board. The series began airing its third season last week.
NBC says Aguilera is going on the road to support her new album, while Green is developing new music and a sitcom based on his life.
Knightley in a good place now
Actress Keira Knightley seems to be in a good place personally and professionally. She’s engaged to marry musician James Righton and stars in the film adaptation of “Anna Karenina” alongside Jude Law.
The 27-year-old tells Vogue magazine’s October issue, there was a time when she wasn’t in such a good place.
She recalled a time when the fame from such roles as “Bend it Like Beckham” and the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise was too intense. She said she “literally had no life outside of acting” and desired to “not be ‘on’ all the time.”
Instead of working, Knightley read books, cooked and lived in France.
The October issue of Vogue goes on sale nationwide Sept. 25.
“Anna Karenina” opens in limited release on Nov. 16.
The birthday bunch
Singer Jimmie Rodgers is 79. Actor Robert Blake is 79. Actor Fred Willard is 73. Singer-actor Frankie Avalon is 72. Actor James Gandolfini is 51. Actress Jada Pinkett Smith is 41. Actor James Marsden is 39. Comedian Jason Sudeikis is 37. Actors Taylor and Brandon Porter (“Party of Five”) are 19.