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"Dancing" Champ Melissa Rycroft: The One Thing Tuesday's "DWTS" Winner Will Need

Carmen Cox — Tue, 21 May 2013 23:37:25 +0000

Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images(LOS ANGELES) -- Last winter, reality show veteran Melissa Rycroft and her partner, Tony Dovolani, won Dancing with the Stars: All-Stars, and she’s got some advice for this season's finalists: Invest in comfortable footwear.

“My feet are still rebelling about high heels,” she told ABC News with a laugh. “I was wearing, like, five-inchers and I’m working my way up. I had a herniated disk in my neck this time. At the ripe old age of 30 my body was falling apart. I’m so not jealous [of the competitors tonight]. I don’t want to be back out there.”

In spite of her (literally) scarring experience on Dancing with the Stars, Rycroft, who also was on The Bachelor, has been watching this season. As far as she’s concerned, there’s no clear winner, at this point.

“I said from day one it’s Kellie [Pickler]‘s trophy, and I still think it’s Kellie’s trophy, but I would love to see, like, Aly [Raisman] come in there and sneak it,” she said, adding that she’s “a huge Jacoby [Jones] fan.”

“They’re all phenomenal,” she said. “I’m glad I didn’t have to go up against any of them.”

Now a spokeswoman for Banana Boat’s Unconditional Fun Sweepstakes, Rycroft has begun to think about her own summer plans, which include spending time at her parents’ beach house and going to Europe with her husband, Tye Strickland, and their 2-year-old, Ava.

One thing not on the agenda just yet? Baby No. 2.

“We’ve always talked that we want a big family, but I look at Ava and go, ‘I’m not ready to share her yet,’” Rycroft said. “It’ll happen eventually.”

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

Justin Bieber's Pet Monkey Now Belongs to Germany

jc — Tue, 21 May 2013 16:42:00 +0000

CHRISTOF STACHE/AFP/Getty Images(MUNICH) -- Justin Bieber's abandoned pet monkey is now German property.

For nearly two months customs officials in Germany had been asking Bieber to pick up his capuchin monkey, named Mally.

Bieber had brought Mally with him on tour, but reportedly didn't have the proper paperwork to take the monkey with him on the road in Germany and was forced to leave it behind.

The German animal shelter that has been keeping Bieber's monkey has asked the singer to pay for his pet's two-month stay. Mally has reportedly racked up a bill of several thousand euros for food, housing and veterinary care.

Bieber has six weeks to contest ownership.

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Chris Harrison, Lara Spencer to Host Miss America 2014

jc — Tue, 21 May 2013 15:49:14 +0000

ABC/Lorenzo Bevilaqua | ABC/Craig Sjodin(NEW YORK) -- Two ABC television personalities will co-host the 2014 Miss America beauty pageant in Atlantic City, N.J., the pageant announced Tuesday.

Lara Spencer, the lifestyle anchor for ABC News’ Good Morning America, and Chris Harrison, who hosts ABC’s reality TV show The Bachelor, co-host the competition on Sept. 15 at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. The event will be broadcast live on ABC.

“Hosting Miss America is one of the most iconic hosting jobs in television so I am thrilled to host it on this historic return home. I am extremely pleased to see the pageant return in September and to be a part of this tremendous television event with Lara,” Harrison said in a release.

Harrison has hosted the pageant’s live broadcast for the past four years.

Spencer served as a national judge for the pageant in 2012.

The pageant started in 1921 in Atlantic City. Winners earn scholarship opportunities and travel across the country to represent the pageant and promote their chosen platforms.

Tickets for the pageant will go on sale in early June through Ticketmaster.

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Jennifer Lawrence’s "X-Men" Look Revealed

jc — Tue, 21 May 2013 15:41:03 +0000

BryanSinger/Twitter(MONTREAL) -- Attention, comic book fans: X-Men: Days of Future Past is already in production and now, director Bryan Singer is giving a sneak peek of what Jennifer Lawrence will look like in the 2014 blockbuster.

Reprising her X-Men: First Class role, the Oscar-winner will star as Mystique -- and from the looks of it, she’ll be fairly unrecognizable. (Lawrence, 24, has said that it took makeup artists about six hours to complete her look for the first film.)

Singer is clearly excited about the flick, and has been tweeting up a storm from the Montreal set. Many of the stars from the 2011 X-Men film will also return, including Hugh Jackman, Michael Fassbender, Ellen Page, and Lawrence’s ex Nicholas Hoult, with whom she was recently spotted having dinner.

X-Men: Days of Future Past is scheduled to be released on July 18, 2014. The studio is Marvell Entertainment, which is owned by The Walt Disney Co., which also owns ABC News.

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Luke Skywalker’s Pants at Auction; "Star Wars" Series in Development

jc — Tue, 21 May 2013 15:32:54 +0000

Terry O'Neill/Getty Images(LOS ANGELES) -- The pants worn by actor Mark Hamill in his portrayal of Luke Skywalker as a Jedi Knight in Star Wars are being sold at auction.

Nate D. Sanders Auctions says the current high bid for the pants is $22,413. The auction company expects the pants to sell for as much as $100,000 when the auction ends May 21 at 5 p.m. Pacific time.

The auction company says Hamill once stated in an interview that the pants were actually “just bleached Levi’s with the tag still in them. Additional details about the pants at NateDSanders.com.

In other Star Wars news, production has begun on Star Wars Rebels, a new animated TV series set to air in the fall of 2014 as a one hour special on the Disney Channel before shifting to Disney XD Channels around the world.

According to Disney, Star Wars Rebels is set in the time period between Star Wars: Episode 3 and Episode 4, an era in which the Empire is “securing its grip on the galaxy and hunting down the last of the Jedi Knights as a fledgling rebellion against the Empire is taking shape.”

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Why Haven't Arnold and Maria Gotten Divorced?

jc — Tue, 21 May 2013 15:31:57 +0000

Chelsea Lauren/FilmMagic(LOS ANGELES) -- Maria Shriver filed for divorce from Arnold Schwarzenegger back in 2011, but the couple, who had been married for 25 years, never finalized the paperwork.

TMZ is reporting there could be two reasons for this: "either they're so rich it doesn't matter," or they're getting back together again -- despite the Terminator star having secretly fathered a child with their longtime former nanny.

The gossip site reports friends of the former power couple say they've been getting "mixed messages" from the pair about whether or not they'll finally pull the trigger or reconcile. TMZ reports that unlike contentious splits, the pair have already decided to split their reported $400 million fortune down the middle.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

"Dancing with the Stars" Recap: Zendaya Leads Pack in Final Week

Jeanette Torres — Tue, 21 May 2013 09:03:56 +0000

ABC/Adam Taylor(LOS ANGELES) -- The four remaining couples on ABC's Dancing with the Stars pulled out all the stops Monday night in their final bid to win the mirror ball trophy. Each couple performed three routines, including the all-important freestyle.

At the end of the night, Zendaya and partner Val Chmerkovskiy were atop the leader board, while Jacoby Jones and Karina Smirnoff found themselves in last place.

The fourth-place couple will be eliminated within the first hour of the results show on Tuesday, and in a final element of the competition, the three remaining couples will perform a new routine in an instant dance. The routine will be scored and added to the judges' scores for both nights.

The couple with the highest combined total of judges' scores and viewers' votes will be declared the winner.

Host Tom Bergeron made a point during the broadcast to mention the deadly tornado that struck Oklahoma Monday afternoon. Bergeron said “our thoughts are with everyone who has been affected by the devastating tornado...” He then asked the studio audience to applaud the “amazing courage of the first responders on site.”

The Routines:

For the first routine, the judges picked a style of dance each star had previously performed, asking them to re-do it and improve upon it. The second routine was a cha cha cha relay in which all the stars danced and had the opportunity to earn up to five extra points from the judges. The third dance was the freestyle.

Jacoby Jones: For their first dance, the jive, the Baltimore Ravens wide receiver and partner Karina Smirnoff got some advice during rehearsals from head judge Len Goodman, who advised the NFL star to make his kicks sharp and crisp. Judges saw improvement in Jones' kicks during the ballroom performance, but said the routine had a few flaws. “The footwork was a bit better...you got excited on occasion and you lost it but overall I've got to say, I saw that slightly crisper footwork,” Goodman said. Bruno Tonioli told Jones he always brought a "limitless supply of energy and power" but said he missed the beat "quite a few times" and also went flat-footed. Carrie Ann Inaba told Jones he “always brought the swagger” and was always exciting to watch. Total score: 27 out of a possible 30 points.

In the cha-cha relay, judges ranked Jones fourth place, earning him two extra points.

Jones' tap dance-inspired supersized freestyle came with help from several other dancers on the ballroom floor, and while the judges commended the upbeat, celebratory air, they also found flaws. Tonioli said the routine was "like watching a Mardi Gras parade down Bourbon Street.” Inaba thought the production was good but felt that it overshadowed Jones. "That's the sad part. I wanted you to be the star," she said. Total score: 27 out of a possible 30 points.

Aly Raisman: The Olympic gymnast got advice from Tonioli, who walked her through performing the samba roll, a difficult move, for her first dance. Her samba with partner Mark Ballas wowed the judges. Tonioli said Raisman did everything he asked for and she was "prettier than ever, and cleaner and slicker than ever." Inaba told Raisman she had the musicality and sensuality, swagger and beautiful lines of her fellow finalists. Goodman said the routine was "a little bit heavy in the legs on occasion," but overall, the performance was terrific. Samba score: 28/30.

In the cha-cha relay, Raisman was ranked third, picking up three points.

Raisman’s supersize freestyle was a futuristic performance that unfolded with her and Ballas dancing on poles to showcase her gymnastic ability. The judges were impressed. Inaba said it was "one of the most amazing routines" she'd seen in a finale freestyle, and Goodman said he loved the concept, adding that it had "great imagination." Tonioli told Raisman that she took "an incredible risk." The risk paid off. Total score: 30/30.

Kellie Pickler: The country music star and partner Derek Hough performed the quickstep for their first dance. Pickler had danced the quickstep before and Inaba had noted that she didn't see enough body contact. The ballroom audience loved Pickler's routine Monday and gave her prolonged applause. Inaba also approved, saying the performance had the body contact she wanted to see. Tonioli told Pickler the routine was, technically, "a tour de force.” Total score: 30/30.

In the cha-cha relay, Pickler was ranked second, earning four points.

Pickler's contemporary freestyle routine brought her another enthusiastic standing ovation from the audience and a hug from a teary-eyed Inaba. "Kellie, you just bared your soul on the dance floor and it was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. Thank you," Inaba said. Goodman also stood up to applaud for Pickler, telling her the routine drew everyone in. Tonioli called the routine "a dance of spellbinding beauty." Total score: 30/30.

Zendaya: The season's youngest competitor had a visit from Inaba during rehearsals for her first dance, the samba, and she got some pointers from the judge. Inaba Ann called the 16-year-old Disney star's performance with partner Val Chmerkovskiy “magical,” while Goodman exclaimed, “That was eye-popping, show-stopping, jaw-dropping - that's a samba.” Tonioli added, “You're just incredibly fierce, child...you have a natural flamboyance that's so easy. It comes out without effort.” Total score: 30/30.

Zendaya won the cha cha cha relay, earning 5 points.

Zendaya's freestyle, with elements of contemporary, cha cha cha and hip hop, ended with several young dancers joining her and Chmerkovskiy on the ballroom floor. Goodman liked the variety of styles in the performance. "There were so many parts to that number but it all came together and created a fabulous routine," he said. Tonioli said Zendaya brought a “unique luminosity” to everything she performed. Total score: 30/30.

The Scores (First dance, second dance, freestyle dance, grand total):

Zendaya and Val Chmerkovskiy: 30, 5, 30. Total: 65
Kellie Pickler and Derek Hough: 30, 4, 30. Total: 64
Aly Raisman and Mark Ballas: 28, 3, 30. Total: 61
Jacoby Jones and Karina Smirnoff: 27, 2, 27. Total: 56

The two-hour season finale results show, featuring musical performances from Pitbull, Wynonna and PSY, airs on ABC Tuesday at 9 p.m. Eastern time.

Catherine Zeta-Jones Checks Out of Rehab

Jeanette Torres — Tue, 21 May 2013 08:58:53 +0000

Donna Ward/Getty Images(LOS ANGELES) -- Michael Douglas says his wife, Catherine Zeta-Jones, has completed her current treatment for Bipolar II disorder and is heading home.

In an interview with People magazine on Monday, Douglas revealed, “She comes home tomorrow. She’s doing a really good job of getting balanced. I’m proud of her.”

The 43-year-old actress entered a treatment facility in April.

Zeta-Jones previously sought treatment for the condition in spring 2011.

Seth MacFarlane Won't Return to Host Oscars

Jeanette Torres — Tue, 21 May 2013 08:56:51 +0000

Kevin Winter/Getty Images(LOS ANGELES) -- It's official: Seth MacFarlane won't return to host Hollywood's biggest night.

"Traumatized critics exhale: I'm unable to do the Oscars again. Tried to make it work schedule-wise, but I need sleep," the Family Guy creator announced Monday via Twitter.

After being offered the gig by the telecast's producers -- Craig Zadan and Neil Meron -- MacFarlane turned down the job and claimed he suggested another host: Joaquin Phoenix. (No word on if that was a joke.)

MacFarlane immediately rejected the possibility of hosting again after receiving tons of criticism when he hosted the 85th Academy Awards in February. One of the most criticized elements of the show was the "Boobs Song," in which MacFarlane sang about the topless scenes of many Hollywood actresses.

Perhaps the Oscars didn't fit in MacFarlane's schedule because he's currently busy preparing for his next film, a comedy titled A Million Ways to Die in the West, which will star MacFarlane, Charlize Theron and Amanda Seyfried. He is also planning a sequel to his blockbuster 2012 comedy, Ted.

The 86th Academy Awards will go on without him on Sunday, March 2, 2014, from inside the Dolby Theatre on level one of the Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood. It will air live on ABC.

Kelly Rowland and Paulina Rubio Join "X Factor" Judges’ Panel

Jeanette Torres — Tue, 21 May 2013 08:54:44 +0000

Laura Cavanaugh/FilmMagic(LOS ANGELES) -- The rumors are true. Fox announced Monday night that one-time Destiny’s Child member Kelly Rowland and Mexican singer Paulina Rubio will be joining Simon Cowell and Demi Lovato on the judges’ panel when The X Factor returns this fall.

“It’s taken more than a decade, but I’m delighted to finally be on a panel with three girls (I think!), Cowell declared in a statement. "Paulina and Kelly both have great taste and massive experience in the music industry and together with Demi, this is going to be a fun panel. It just feels like the time to do something different.”

Rowland and Rubio fill the vacancies left by the departures of Britney Spears and L.A. Reid.

Rowland served as a judge on the British version of The X Factor in 2011.

"I am very exciting to be reuniting with Simon Cowell and The X Factor family," said Rowland in a statement. "It feels great to be able to take this journey here at home in the states."

Rubio, who has sold more than 20 million records and released 10 studio albums, said in a statement, "I love The X Factor. I can't wait to find the next big music star here in America. Simon, be careful what you wish for. Let's see if you are ready to handle me, empieza la fiesta, amigo."

"Downton Abbey" Stars Auctioning Themselves Off for Charity

Jeanette Torres — Tue, 21 May 2013 08:53:16 +0000

iStockphoto/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) -- Great news for Downton Abbey fans who may be experiencing withdrawal symptoms due to the lack of new episodes at the present time.

The New York Post reports Brendan Coyle, the actor who portrays the valet Mr. Bates, and Lesley Nicol, the actress who plays the cook Mrs. Patmore, will be auctioning themselves on May 30 to benefit the Origin Theatre Company in New York City.

Last year, someone paid $20,000 to read poetry to Coyle in a horse-drawn carriage in Central Park, followed by dinner. This year, Coyle is adding the opportunity to have lunch with him in London.

Nicol is offering a lucky bidder the chance to have tea with her at Tea and Sympathy in Manhattan.

Additional details can be found at Biddingforgood.com.

Hayden Panettiere Slams Engagement Rumors

Jeanette Torres — Tue, 21 May 2013 08:51:32 +0000

Andreas Rentz/Getty Images(LAS VEGAS) -- Hayden Panettiere is waving off reports that she's engaged to her on-again boyfriend, pro boxer Wladimir Klitschko.

"No ring," the Nashville star told E! News while walking the blue carpet on Sunday night at the Billboard Music Awards.

Panettiere was photographed wearing a fancy ring on her right hand at an ABC event last week to promote the network's 2013-2014 schedule in New York City. Panettiere and Klitschko dated in 2010 and 2011 before breaking up, though they reconciled in January.

The 23-year-old also dismissed rumors of a real-life Nashville tour.

"I'm kind of confused as to when they think that's going to happen," Panettiere said. "We shoot from the end of July to the end of April."

Fans of the ABC series can still get their fill when Nashville's season finale airs Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET/PT.

CBS Pulls "Mike & Molly" Tornado-Themed Finale

Carmen Cox — Tue, 21 May 2013 00:41:05 +0000

George Doyle/Stockbyte/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) -- In light of the real-life devastation that tornados are causing in the Midwest, CBS has decided to postpone the finale of the sitcom Mike & Molly, which dealt with a tornado hitting Chicago.

“Due to the tragic events this afternoon in Oklahoma, we are pre-empting tonight’s season finale of Mike & Molly, which has a related storyline,” a CBS spokesperson tells ABC News in a statement. “A repeat broadcast of Mike & Molly will run in the time period.”

On Monday, a huge tornado ripped through Oklahoma City, delivering a “direct hit” on an elementary school. The twister is just one of more than 50 devastating storms that have ravaged the Midwest since Sunday, leaving dozens of people dead and injured.

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The Doors' Ray Manzarek Dead at Age 74 After Battle with Cancer

Carmen Cox — Mon, 20 May 2013 22:44:27 +0000

The Doors in 1968. Ray Manzarek (far right) died May 20, 2013 (Express/Express/Getty Images)(ROSENHEIM, Germany) -- Ray Manzarek, founding keyboardist of The Doors, died Monday at age 74 at a medical clinic in Rosenheim, Germany, after a long battle with bile duct cancer. At his side was his wife of 45 years, Dorothy, as well as his brothers Rick and James Manczarek.

Ray co-founded The Doors in Venice Beach, California, in 1965 with singer and fellow UCLA film student Jim Morrison, along with guitarist Robby Krieger and drummer John Densmore. Driven by Morrison's charismatic stage presence, powerful voice and poetic lyrics, as well as Manzarek's hypnotic, jazzy keyboards, the band soon shot to stardom on the strength of such classic hits as the chart-topping "Light My Fire" and "Hello, I Love You." The group continued to release popular albums and singles until Morrison's death from heart failure at age 27 in July 1971. On the strength of The Doors' enduring body of work, the band has gone on to influence and inspire countless other artists, while selling more than 100 million albums worldwide.

After The Doors broke up in 1973, Manzarek continued his music career, releasing a number of solo albums and collaborative albums. From 2001 until his death, Manzarek performed Doors music in a popular touring group with Krieger that most recently was called the Manzarek-Krieger Band. Manzarek also has recorded albums with blues guitarist Roy Rogers and poet Michael McClure, has produced music by such bands as Echo and the Bunnymen and X, and has written a memoir and two novels.

Commenting on Manzarek's death, Krieger said in a statement, "I was deeply saddened to hear about the passing of my friend and bandmate Ray Manzarek today. I'm just glad to have been able to have played Doors songs with him for the last decade. Ray was a huge part of my life and I will always miss him."

Besides his wife and brothers, Manzarek is survived by a son, Pablo Manzarek, as well as three grandchildren -- Noah, Apollo and Camille. No official funeral plans have been confirmed. The family is suggesting that rather than sending flowers, fans can make a donation in honor of Ray to StandUp2Cancer.org.

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"30 Rock" Actress Katrina Bowden Weds

jc — Mon, 20 May 2013 16:29:35 +0000

Ali Goldstein/NBC(NEW YORK) -- Katrina Bowden, who played Cerie, the ditzy secretary of Tina Fey's Liz Lemon, on 30 Rock, is a newlywed.

She and musician Ben Jorgensen married in Brooklyn, N.Y., on Sunday, according to People magazine.

The actress tweeted, "I married y'all!!! I'm now Mrs. @benjorg!!!!"

The 24-year-old Bowden got engaged to Jorgensen in January 2012.

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