NBC says “The Voice” is teaming a crooner and a country singer for the show’s new season.
According to the Associated Press, the network said Monday that Michael Buble will serve as adviser to coach Blake Shelton’s team of contestants when the singing contest returns in September.
Mr. Buble, who described himself as a “big Blake fan,” said he’s having a terrific time working with Mr. Shelton and his singers. Mr. Buble started taping his appearances on “The Voice” Monday in Los Angeles.
NBC has yet to announce advisers for the show’s three other coaches, Christina Aguilera, CeeLo Green and Adam Levine.
Kelly Clarkson, Jewel and Baby Face were among last season’s advisers, guiding contestants in their choice of songs. “The Voice” is back for its third season Sept. 10.
Guilty plea entered in ’Late Show’ theater break-in
An aspiring actor who went on a destructive bender has admitted vandalizing the New York City theater where David Letterman tapes his television show.
James Whittemore pleaded guilty Monday to a misdemeanor criminal-mischief charge, the Associated Press reports. He has paid roughly $7,000 in restitution and gotten alcohol-abuse treatment. He won’t have to do jail time or probation.
The 23-year-old Mr. Whittemore went on an odd tear at the Ed Sullivan Theater after-hours last July. Authorities said he smashed some of the theater’s glass doors and damaged pictures, phones and other items.
Mr. Whittemore told police he’d had at least a dozen beers and several shots and didn’t remember much about what happened. He said he’d had a rough day.
’Jersey Shore’ wraps up MTV show’s sixth season
A group hug signaled the end of filming for the sixth season of MTV’s “Jersey Shore” reality series.
The cast gathered outside their Seaside Heights home and wrapped their arms around one another as the July Fourth holiday week celebration came to an end, the Associated Press reports.
Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino, Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi, Jenny “JWoww” Farley, Deena Nicole Cortese, Vinny Guadagnino, Paul “Pauly D” DelVecchio, Samantha Giancola and Ronnie Ortiz-Magro then loaded their luggage and drove off.
MTV said season six will feature Miss Cortese’s arrest after she was dancing in the streets. She pleaded guilty to failing to use the sidewalk.
’Good Afternoon America’ debut a little bumpy
ABC brought its morning news franchise to the afternoon on Monday, but its producers might want to hold on to their alarm clocks.
The debut edition of “Good Afternoon America” ended abruptly in midanecdote from singer Liza Minnelli, who was being interviewed after performing “New York, New York” in the show’s Times Square studio. According to the Associated Press, host Lara Spencer interrupted her to wave goodbye.
Ms. Spencer was joined as host by Josh Elliott. Both are featured members of the “Good Morning America” team during that show’s second hour, and the afternoon mirrored the morning program’s mixture of pop culture and light topics.
“GMA” has watched its competitors at NBC’s “Today” stretch their show to four hours in recent years, so it is trying out its own expansion. “Good Afternoon America” is airing for nine weeks as a summer replacement series, and if it does well, ABC may look to find it a permanent home.
The show began at 2 p.m. and was blessed on its first day with legitimate pop-culture news: the rapid divorce settlement between Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes.
“GAA” reported that news and conducted an online poll about whether differences in faith should be a deal-breaker for couples. Its second story was about reports that a treatment is being developed to help break down body fat.
The rest of the “Good Morning America” team — George Stephanopoulos, Robin Roberts and Sam Champion — appeared only in a taped segment in which they stuck “good luck” notes to the bottom of studio chairs used by Ms. Spencer and Mr. Elliott.
Cowell seeking two people for ’X Factor’ hosting gig
Simon Cowell doesn’t want to make the same mistake twice.
The “X Factor” chief is taking his own sweet time finding the ideal host for the second season of the Fox version of his hit show. Unlike last year, when host Steve Jones handled the show solo, Mr. Cowell said he wants two people for the gig this fall, according to Entertainment Weekly. Instead of having a host on the singing competition from the very start, the audition rounds, which already are being shot, will be host-free.
“I want to work with a boy and girl, and I definitely think this is a role for two people,” Mr. Cowell recently told reporters. “[We] have narrowed it down to five people.”
Some names said to be under consideration: BET personality Rocsi Diaz, actor and “America’s Best Dance Crew” host Mario Lopez, and actress-model Stacy Keibler. E! Online has reported Khloe Kardashian, Kelly Osbourne, BET’s “106 & Park” host Terrence J, sportscaster Erin Andrews and radio personality Mike Catherwood also may be in the mix.
Sources emphasized that prospective hosts are still being interviewed and testing for the job is not expected for several more weeks.
“They want to make sure the duo has chemistry,” one insider said.
“If you count, which I did, over a two-hour show, we separated what the host says, and it’s 12 minutes — and a lot of that is quite boring information,” Mr. Cowell told reporters. “There are ways of relaying information that it doesn’t become like a news reader’s role.”
• Compiled from Web and wire reports
Please read our comment policy before commenting.