Pick your pundit when Bill O’Reilly and Jon Stewart face off for a special 90-minute debate about the 2012 presidential race.
The host of Fox News Channel’s “The O’Reilly Factor” and the anchor of Comedy Central’s fake newscast “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” will clash in the event, dubbed “the Rumble in the Air-Conditioned Auditorium.”
This live debate will be streamed online on Oct. 6 from Lisner Auditorium on the campus of George Washington University in the District. The price is $4.95, with half of the profits donated to a number of unspecified charities.
In a statement, Mr. Stewart quipped that “the Rumble” will be entertaining for all, including “people who just enjoy yelling.” It’s why Al Gore invented the Internet, the announcement added.
’Idol’ judges Carey, Minaj deny reports of feuding
Mariah Carey said there is no feud between her and fellow new “American Idol” judge Nicki Minaj at the moment.
The show’s judges — Miss Carey, Miss Minaj, Keith Urban and Randy Jackson — and host Ryan Seacrest attended a news conference in New York on Monday after auditioning singers for the Fox music reality TV series.
Fox announced Sunday that Miss Minaj and Mr. Urban would join Miss Carey and Mr. Jackson as judges on “Idol” following the exits of Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler in July.
Miss Carey tried to quell rumors about her quarreling with Miss Minaj by saying they’ve only been together for two days and “a feud takes a little longer to happen.”
All the judges burst into laughter.
Miss Minaj said the new “Idol” judges are “getting along wonderfully, darling.” Miss Minaj and Miss Carey collaborated on a remix of Miss Carey’s song “Up Out My Face” in 2010.
Miss Carey confessed she’s “never been a fan” of singing competition shows.
“I’ll be completely honest,” she said. “But I realize what this show has done for such talented artists and truly giving them careers.”
When asked why TV watchers should view “Idol” versus another Fox show, “X Factor,” which boasts Britney Spears and Demi Lovato as judges, Miss Carey simply pointed her fingers to herself.
“Did I do that? I didn’t mean that as a final gesture,” she said with a smile. “I’m sorry.”
Then the multiple Grammy Award-winner said she wants to help those who dream of careers in music even if they don’t get to move on to the next round on the show.
“[What] I’m bringing to the table is years of experience writing songs, performing,” she said.
Miss Minaj, who has had multiple hits on the Billboard charts and two platinum albums, said she has been through a lot since she came on the scene in 2009 and she wants to give the contestants a real perspective of the music industry.
“I would love to be able to tell the contestants honestly and truthfully what they can really expect, and sometimes you have to tell people, ’Hey, you really might not want to be in this,’ ” she said.
The 12th season of “Idol” premieres in January.
Usher, Shakira to fill in on ’The Voice’ next season
Usher and Shakira are joining “The Voice” as new coaches next spring, when Christina Aguilera and Cee Lo Green take a break from the show, NBC said Monday.
Original coaches Adam Levine and Blake Shelton will remain on board in season four, the network said. The singing contest began airing its third season last week.
Miss Aguilera is going on the road to support her new album, while Mr. Green is developing new music and a sitcom based on his life for NBC.
“As I have expressed since Day One of the show … I am a singer and performer first and I am so excited to get back to that love,” Miss Aguilera said in a statement. But she expressed eagerness about returning to “The Voice” in the future.
So did Mr. Green, who said he’ll be back for season five. In the meantime, he invited Usher and Shakira to make themselves at home.
“The Voice” started as a midseason show and then added a fall cycle after posting solid ratings for NBC. The network’s entertainment chief, Bob Greenblatt, said that created a time crunch for the coaches, and that NBC was glad to help Miss Aguilera and Mr. Green take time from the program.
Longtime ’General Hospital’ actor, John Ingle, dies
The actor who for two decades played a scheming patriarch on the daytime drama “General Hospital” has died in Los Angeles. John Ingle was 84.
Mr. Ingle took over the role as the ruthless Edward Quartermaine in 1993 and made his final appearance in an episode airing last week, according to the Associated Press. He died Sunday.
In a career spanning more than 30 years, he had acting credits in TV shows including “Days of Our Lives,” “Big Love” and “The Drew Carey Show” and in films including “Batman and Robin” and “Heathers.”
The native of Tulsa, Okla., was a graduate of Occidental College. He taught at Hollywood High School, UCLA and Beverly Hills High School.
His wife of 57 years, Grace-Lynne Martin, died in February. He is survived by their five daughters.
• Compiled from Web and wire reports
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