The Daily Star - Stay Tuned
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The Daily Star, Oneonta, N.Y., Friday, June 15, 2012 2 coverstory By Kyla Brewer TV Media T alent search shows are nothing new, and the genre has experienced a resurgence in popularity, thanks to Fox's ratings jug- gernaut "American Idol." Series such as "Idol" and Singing with the stars Celebrities perform with unknowns in 'Duets' "Voice" certainly clean up in prime time, one series is offer- ing viewers even more. In ABC's "Duets," which airs Wednesdays, the stars don't just sit behind a desk and cri- tique performances. They per- form alongside the singers they've hand picked to com- pete on the show. NBC's "The Voice" follow hopefuls as they perform for superstar judges and mentors such as Jennifer Lopez, Blake Shelton and Christina Aguil- era. Simon Cowell's upcom- ing season of "The X Factor" will even feature controver- sial pop star Britney Spears on the judging panel. However, while "Idol" and John Legend as seen in "Duets" Former host of MTV's "To- tal Request Live," Quddus was a natural choice to host the show. "From the moment I met Quddus hosts this truly one-of-a-kind singing compe- tition, which follows the un- discovered talents in their quest for fame. Mentors Kelly Clarkson, John Legend, Jenni- fer Nettles and Robin Thicke get in on the action and take the stage with their musical charges, adding a whole new element of excitement for both contestants and viewers. It also allows the mentors to experience exactly what the contestants go through each week. There's a lot at stake for the aspiring singers. In each epi- sode, they test their vocal chops against some of the best in the business in front of a live studio audience. After a series of eliminations, only one singer will remain to claim a lucrative recording contract with Hollywood Re- cords. Quddus, I knew he would be the perfect host for 'Duets,' " explained executive producer Robert Deaton. "He first and foremost loves music, and that quality, combined with his great personality, will pro- vide a special connection to both the artists on our show and the audience." But, while TV personality Quddus is a star in his own right, the superstar singers are undeniably the show's main draw. (2003) debuted at No. 1 on the American Billboard 200. Clarkson's career has had its ups and downs in the de- cade since her big TV win, but she has become one of the most successful "Idol" win- ners to date, with album sales topping 23 million, two Grammy awards, 12 Billboard Music Awards and four Amer- ican Music Awards. Clarkson knows a thing or two about TV talent searches. She got her big break on an- other television show when she won the inaugural sea- son of "American Idol" in 2002. While many other "American Idol" winners haven't fared so well in the big, bad music biz, Clarkson's mix of talent and charm quickly elevated her to super- star status. Her debut single "A Moment Like This" broke the Beatles' record for the biggest jump to No. 1 on the Billboard Top 100 chart when it leaped from No. 52. Her very first album "Thankful" Country music star Nettles will also mentor young sing- ers and perform. As one half of the country band Sugar- land, she's well acquainted with the dynamic of a duo. Nettles even had a huge duet hit in 2006 with the country version of Bon Jovi's "Who Says You Can't Go Home," which rose to No. 1 on the Billboard country charts. She and Sugarland partner Kris- tian Bush made history when they ended Brooks & Dunn's nine-year run as the Academy of Country Music's Vocal Duo of the Year when they won the award in 2009. Thicke, son of famed Cana- dian actor and comedian Alan Thicke, may not be in- stantly recognizable to many viewers, but he's been a force in the music industry since he was just 16. Back then, the young Thicke wrote songs for such artists as Brandy and Brian McKnight, as well as the band Color Me Badd. By the time he was 21, he'd worked on gold and platinum albums by Michael Jackson, Pink and Christina Aguilera. It was no surprise to indus- try insiders when Thicke's de- but album "A Beautiful World" (2003) wowed critics. But it was his 2006 release "The Evolution of Robin Thicke" that produced the mega-hit "Lost Without U." His other releases include "Something Else" (2008) and, most recently, "Love Af- ter War" (2011). Legend was the last of the superstars to join the "Du- ets" cast at the end of April. He stepped in to take over for music legend Lionel Richie, who reportedly left the show over "personal scheduling conflicts," according to "En- tertainment Weekly." A multi- platinum singer/songwriter, Legend is known for such hits as "Shine" and "Green Light." He's well known for his collaborations with such luminaries as Kanye West, Jay-Z and Alicia Keyes. Chirstopher's Coins 2 x 2 hollywoodQ&A By Adam Thomlison TV Media Q: Are new episodes of "Law & Order: UK" on BBC America or "Inspector Lewis" on PBS coming out any time soon? A: It's a maybe for the first, and definitely for the second. ITV, the British network that produces "Law & Order: UK," hasn't made any announcement about the future of that se- ries, which is of course a London-based version of the popu- lar American franchise. It just finished airing new episodes in the U.K. in February, though, so there's still time before fans should worry. In better, more definitive news, four new 90-minute in- stallments of "Inspector Lewis," which have already aired in Britain (also on ITV), will premiere in July on PBS's "Master- piece Mystery!" The new batch debuts on July 8, when PBS will air the epi- sode "The Soul of Genius," in which Lewis and Hathaway investigate the death of an obsessive English professor. Three more new episodes follow on the next three Sun- days. Q: Nick Swardson seems to pop up in a lot of Adam Sandler movies, such as "Click" and "Just Go With It." How many things have they done together? A: Nick Swardson is one of a handful of actors who are constantly turning up in not only the films in which Adam Sandler stars, but also the ones he produces with his Happy Madison Productions company. gether, it's six, starting with 2006's "Click," in which Sward- son played "Bed, Bath & Beyond Guy." As you can guess from that, the parts he gets in Sandler films aren't always large. That is, not when he's sharing screen time with the man himself. However, Swardson gets a little more time when Sandler is just working off-screen. For example, he had the title role in the 2011 sex comedy "Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star," which Sandler produced. Prior to that, one of Swardson's biggest big-screen roles As for the number of films they've actually starred in to- was in 2006's "Grandma's Boy," another Happy Madison production, which starred fellow Sandler-gang members Al- len Covert, Peter Dante and Sandler's former "Saturday Night Live" pal Kevin Nealon. Sandler and Swardson don't seem to be tiring of each other, either. They're sharing the screen again in the just-re- leased comedy "That's My Boy." As well, Swardson's slated to appear in "Grown Ups 2," the sequel to Sandler's surprise 2010 hit. Have a question? Email us at questions@tvtabloid.com.