NO CRIBBING: J-Lo screws up fans on watch we can watch on her upcoming reality show!

LATEST: JENNIFER LOPEZ has denied fans the chance of an in-depth look at her world in her forthcoming reality TV show - as the program will not feature any aspects of her personal life.The singer/actress was reported to have given the camera crew licence to follow her while she tries to juggle her music and acting careers with motherhood. But now the star has insisted the program, commissioned for U.S. cable channel TLC, will only cover launch of her new fragrance - and not her home life. Who wants to watch some perfume reality show. Cancel the damn thing!

Lopez's manager Simon Fields has revealed that anyone hoping for a glimpse of her life with husband Marc Anthony and their baby twins will be disappointed. He tells People.com, "The recent show Jennifer Lopez plans to produce for TLC is not a reality show. "It's a show that will track the creation, production and eventual launch of a new fragrance. Jennifer will appear in a creative, entrepreneurial capacity and will absolutely not feature her children and family life."

CTV and MTV Funded Canadian Series 4REAL Honoured with United Nations Screening.

CTV Inc. leads the way and connects to the world with sociall relevant programming.

The United Nations is honouring 4REAL, the CTV
and MTV in Canada eight-part original documentary series, with a special
screening of 4REAL Yawanawa at UN headquarters today in New York City. 4REAL
follows a different celebrity each week, to some of the most heartbreaking
places on earth, and spotlights inspiring community leaders. 4REAL also
received international recognition earlier this month, when producer and
co-creator Sol Guy and co-creator Josh Thome were the first Canadians to be
honoured with the National Geographic Emerging Explorers Award, for their work
on the series. 4REAL is part of CTV's ongoing commitment to produce and
support socially relevant programming that helps affect positive change around
the world.

Guy and Thome are joined at UN headquarters by Chief Tashka Yawanawa,
leader of the Yawanawa tribe, and his wife Laura. 4REAL Yawanawa tells Tashka
and Laura's remarkable story of how they helped their community come back from
the brink of extinction, and protect the endangered Brazilian rainforest.
Featuring executive producer Joaquin Phoenix, 4REAL Yawanawa previously aired
on CTV in primetime -along with the rest of the series - and airs again
tomorrow, Wednesday, April 30 at 10:30 a.m. ET/PT on CTV. The episode also
airs this coming Monday, May 5 at 8 p.m. ET on MTV.

4REAL airs regularly Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on MTV. Upcoming episodes
feature Casey Affleck, Mos Def, and Eva Mendes (visit mtvmedia.ca for complete
broadcast listings). The 4REAL series is available at mtv.ca and 4REAL.com.

"4REAL is a success story for Canada not only because it has received
international recognition, but because it aims to affect positive change
around the world," said Susanne Boyce, President, Creative, Content and
Channels, CTV Inc. "CTV is committed to supporting inspiring programming and
we are proud to be a part of this ground breaking series, created by two
dedicated and talented Canadians. Congratulations Sol and Josh!"

"As social entrepreneurs it was critical to create a business model that
had a triple bottom line - creating a successful business that is also good
for people and good for the planet," said Sol Guy, Producer and Co-creator,
4REAL. "CTV honoured this aspect of our business by cutting a groundbreaking
deal, allowing us to give 50 per cent of our profits to the communities
featured in the series. This is the business model for the future, creating
economic engines for social change."

4REAL is one of a long list of CTV Inc. projects inspiring positive
change that includes: the CTV and MTV in Canada-produced MTV Presents:
Degrassi in Kenya; the MTV in Canada special Me to We 2007; the CTV Original
Documentary A Window Opens - Margaret and Sophie in Ethiopia; Al Gore's Live
Earth: The Concerts for a Climate in Crisis; MuchMusic's original series
MuchTalks; the 2007 One X One Gala which aired exclusively on CTV; and Live 8
on CTV.

The National Geographic Emerging Explorers Program recognizes and
supports uniquely gifted and inspiring young adventurers, scientists,
photographers, and storytellers - explorers who are already making a
difference early in their careers. 4REAL is currently airing on various
National Geographic channels around the world. It will be seen in 166
countries in 35 languages over the next six weeks.

FALCO REFUSED CASTMATES' SYMPATHY WITH SECRET CANCER.

THE SOPRANOS star EDIE FALCO kept her 2003 cancer battle a secret from her fellow castmates because she couldn't bear their sympathy.The 44-year-old actress was given the all-clear from breast cancer in 2004, but didn't want to tell her co-stars as their well-wishes would have "driven (her) crazy". She tells Health magazine, "I kept my diagnosis under the radar, even from the cast and crew, because well-meaning people would have driven me crazy asking, 'How are you feeling?' I would have wanted to say, 'I'm scared, I don't feel so good, and my hair is falling out!' "I bucked up, put on my Carmela fingernails, and was ready to work."

Vanity Fair's website has CRASHED--The Miley Cyrus photos!

Controversial pictures of teen actress MILEY CYRUS caused the website of U.S. magazine Vanity Fair to crash - after a surge of Internet users keen to see the shots logged online. Vanity Fair magazine's website logged more than four million hits on Monday (27Apr08) and had to temporarily shut down the site to surfers who wanted to see the Hannah Montana star's saucy shots.

The 15-year-old posed for the Vanity Fair magazine shoot wearing nothing but a blanket wrapped around her chest. But the pictures - taken by renowned photographer Annie Leibovitz - have caused outrage in her native America, released just a week after candid snaps of the singer/actress posing provocatively in lingerie were leaked on the Internet.

SPITZER 'CALL-GIRL' SUES JOE FRANCIS (Girls Gone Wild)

UPDATE: GIRLS GONE WILD founder JOE FRANCIS has offered call-girl ASHLEY DUPRE $1 million (£500,000) to drop a lawsuit against him - and wants her to take up a job with his company.

We photoshopped her on a Playboy cover. The woman at the centre of the New York Governor call-girl scandal is suing GIRLS GONE WILD founder JOE FRANCIS - claiming he exploited her name and image for profit. Ashley Alexandra Dupre is seeking more than $10 million in damages in the lawsuit filed on Monday (28Apr08).

Dupre alleges that Girls Gone Wild representatives approached her while she was vacationing in Florida in 2003 and offered her alcohol before encouraging her to expose her breasts for their cameras when she was just 17. I thought that underage case was over and Joe was free. The suit claims Girls Gone Wild has illegally exploited Dupre's name, picture, voice and likeness in a number of deceptive ad campaigns and on websites, reports People.com. Francis said he was "surprised and in fact amazed" by the lawsuit. He adds, "She's seeking $10 million for topless photos taken in front of a room full of people, including two newspapers and multiple crews we had in the room.

"These images were taken in public places and contain no sexual contact. We expect to triumph in this matter." Last month (Mar08), Francis was released from a jail in Nevada, where he continues to face federal tax evasion charges. He is currently fighting separate charges in Florida for allegedly filming underage girls in Panama City. Francis claims that the girls lied about their age. Meanwhile, Dupre has not been seen in public since New York Governor Eliot Spitzer was outed as one of her clients. Good luck to them all!

NO MORE MAMBO AS LOPEZ & DANCING PARTNER SPLIT!!

Actor MARIO LOPEZ and his professional dancer girlfriend have split. Lopez met and fell for Karina Smirnoff when they partnered on hit TV show Dancing With The Stars and the couple moved in together last year (07). Now, the dancer, who has recently been romantically linked to her latest Dancing With The Stars partner Mario, is moving out, as Lopez stars in A Chorus Line on Broadway. Karina can now go for the next Mario----the R&B singer.

THE SIMPSONS IS COMEDY NUMBER ONE.

Cartoon classic THE SIMPSONS has been named the best comedy TV show of all time in a new poll. Editors at AOL Television named the long-running animation top of a list of 50 of the greatest small screen funnies, claiming, "The townsfolk of Springfield... have become engrained into modern pop culture." Seinfeld was named second, followed by All in the Family, The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Cheers. None of the top ten shows are still running - and only six of the top 50 are currently on the air; The Office (14), South Park (16), Curb Your Enthusiasm (18), 30 Rock (20), Scrubs (40) and Family Guy (47).

The top ten is as follows:
1. THE SIMPSONS
2. SEINFELD
3. ALL IN THE FAMILY
4. THE MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW
5. CHEERS
6. THE HONEYMOONERS
7. THE COSBY SHOW
8. ROSEANNE
9. MASH
10. I LOVE LUCY
.

Fresh New Stories on Keminications!

I have been very busy with upgrades of sorts on this site. Thanks for your patience media news lovers. Here are your latest stories........Kemi

MySpace launches Karaoke!!!

MySpace's new karaoke service, launching Tuesday, allows users to upload their own audio recordings singing hit songs. The new MySpace Karaoke debuts nearly two years after News Corp.'s Fox Interactive, the parent of MySpace, purchased the karaoke site kSolo.com. Time to get my practice going for next year's Media Idol!

HELP: Roaches INVADE Newbie's apartment!!!

Newbie is the new morning show producer at Flow 93.5FM. He spoke about his dilemma on the air in his new apartment since he just moved to Toronto. He signed the lease and then roaches started to come out of every room. Poor thing! Toronto has some environmental issues Newbie, with pain relievers in the water, (that could be a plus/money saver for my aching blogger's back) roaches in apartments, generations of mice families etc. Callers called and text in for solutions. One stupid caller I believe told him to kill them with a shoe and he tried that already with roach parts everwhere! Ewwwwwwwwwww!

These Canadian roaches are out of their minds. They even want to eat with you on the table!!!! I had a few my first 2 months here after signing the damn lease (yeah Newbie) and some sticky gel thing was put down , they ate it and you never see them again. Awwww.........I hate PESTS! Never had that in the States!

Newbie, forget any spray from the store or exterminator spray. Tell him you want the

GEL TREATMENT=$50!

SCREAMORAMA ON RUDYCOASTER: Rudy Blair screams on Canada's tallest roller coaster!

*NEW* Media Idol regional winner, Rudy Blair screams on Canada's tallest roller coaster. Watch 680News' music reporter take a dive on the Behemoth, Wonderland's newest roller coaster.Watch now on the main page of 680news.com under features online........Hey Rudy, on May 4th 1988 I got that pharmacy degree in addition to Journalism. 20 years this week and you didn't even call me for the nausea pill? Watch this and laugh your head off and there were no cheerleaders this time!

DEVO BROWN of Flow 93.5FM GOT SCREWED! He LOST the damn Raptor's Bet!

Some Co-workers can be CRUEL!!!

Well, The Toronto Raptors lost the chance to be in the playoffs and the bet is off. You see, Our Devo Brown at Flow 93.5 of the Flow Factor drivetime show made a bet that if Orlando makes the playoffs, he would wear a Mickey Mouse suit and walk/flaunt it at the CN Tower but if we had won, they would have had to wear I believe a Barney outfit an do the same over there.

Whatever the case, Devo needs to get a damn Mickey costume. He could use a sponsor too as my dog's Halloween outfit will be too small for him. C'mon y'all can pay for that outfit or rent it for him! We at Keminications will support him emotionally since we are broke and you haven't sent your donation via Paypal up there.

TO SPONSOR THAT OUTFIT, E-MAIL HIM AT DEVO@FLOW935.COM OR DROP HIM AN E-MAIL AT DEVOBROWN.CA

It's not so bad a costume Devo. It could be WORSE (above) !!! At least there are other choices in looking cool like the hip-hop group down there Wu-Tan Mouse!

HELLO: The Apple i-phone finally arrives in Canada!

Canada is always the last. Remember TiVo came 2007 and has been in the States since 1999. We are finally getting Apple's i-Phone. Rogers announced a deal, Tuesday, to bring the much-anticipated Apple iPhone to Canada. "We're thrilled to announce that we have a deal with Apple to bring the iPhone to Canada later this year said a spokeman .......Hope the glitches have been fixed!

Baby Bumps GONE! Congrats to all the local news women!

Tracy Moore of City delivered Sidney last week and blogged all about it from when the contractions started to when the water broke!






Also Carolyn Mackenzie at Global News also delivered a baby girl as the stork came by to Toronto!!!

Previous Story:

Thursday, November 29, 2007

Toronto Media Baby Bump Alert!!

Okay, so we all know that Liz West at City may pop any day now and we've seen Natasha on CBC news at 6pm doing the weather and moving sloooooowly across the weather map with that huge bump.

Now comes word that another Toronto media hottie has a bun in the oven. It's Tracy Moore of City and she's a Reporter over there. What's in the water at CityTV? LOL. Tracy is also one of our featured members at the Canadian Association of Black Journalists website. She also is seen regularly on BT (Breakfast Television.) Carolyn MacKenzie's also preggo at Global! Congrats to her and we hope everyone has a safe and healthy pregnancy.

Angela Bassett to join cast of "ER" next season!

Angela Bassett will join the cast of the Emmy-winning medical drama, ER as a regular next season. The Oscar-nominated actress will play portray an attending with a troubled past who’s coming back to Chicago after a few years in Indonesia doing tsunami relief, during the season’s fifteenth and final season. “Angela is a wonderfully talented actress whom I’ve long hoped to work with,” said “ER” exec producer John Wells.

Jimmy Fallon to replace Conan O'Brien as Jay Leno's contract runs out in 2009.

NBC will officially name Jimmy Fallon as Conan O'Brien's "Late Night" replacement within the next few weeks, if not sooner, according to network insiders. NBC is also expected to reveal the details of O'Brien's transition from "Late Night" to host of "The Tonight Show."

NBCU Memo Confirms Sale of Burbank Lot.

Developer M. David Paul/Worthe Real Estate Group is purchasing NBC Universal's 34-acre Burbank, Calif., lot, according to an internal memo. Among the groups to be moved from Burbank to the company's Universal location are the local NBC stations and NBC Network News.

New York Magazine Eyed as Favorite in Awards.

The New Yorker and New York magazine are among the titles expected to be big winners at the 2008 National Magazine Awards, to be presented in a ceremony Thursday at Jazz at Lincoln Center. Among the biggies expected to attend: Charlie Rose, Tina Brown and George Lois.

Disney FUMES at Vanity Fair's Miley Cyrus shoot!

Disney star Miley Cyrus says she is "embarrassed" about a photo of her appearing semi-topless in the new issue of Conde Nast's Vanity Fair. A Disney Channel spokesperson says: "Unfortunately, a situation was created to deliberately manipulate a 15-year-old in order to sell magazines." Nobody forced this billionaire kid to do the shoot? This people all make me sick! My God! Her dad was even in the shoot!

U.S. Newspaper Circulation Still Dropping.

U.S. newspaper circulation is continuing its steep downward slide, according to new figures released by the Audit Bureau of Circulations. The New York Times lost 150,000 copies on Sunday in the last reporting period.

Zuckerman Matches Murdoch's Newsday Bid.

New York Daily News owner Mort Zuckerman is offering $580 million to acquire Newsday from Tribune, matching an earlier bid by Rupert Murdoch. U.S. regulators are expected to scrutinize any possible Murdoch deal out of concerns of too much control over the New York media market.

Mike Eisner gets Hollywood Star?

Michael Eisner, the former CEO of Disney, is being honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. "My success is tied to the people I worked with," he says. Eisner was ousted from Disney in 2005. He now runs Tornante, an investment firm he founded to invest in new media. Seems everyone gets that these days! Exactly what makes Eisner a star? Can someone tell me?

MySpace, NBC Prove 'America's Got Talent'.

MySpace, NBC and FremantleMedia are expected to announce a partnership that will allow MySpace users to upload audition video clips for the third season of the NBC reality show "America’s Got Talent." One episode of the show will be devoted to auditions of MySpace users.

NEWSMAN LEHRER UNDERGOES HEART SURGERY.

U.S. newsman JIM LEHRER has undergone successful heart valve surgery. The NewsHour host had the operation last Wednesday (23Apr08) after complaining of illness and checking into a Massachusetts medical facility. He spent two days in hospital. Lehrer is expected to return to front the PBS network nightly show, The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, next month (May08).

Remember SNL's Cheri Oteri? Her dad was stabbed to death by Singer Richard Fagan!

Singer-songwriter RICHARD FAGAN has been arrested and charged with the fatal stabbing of comedienne CHERI OTERI's father in Nashville, Tennessee. The 61-year-old Be My Baby Tonight hitmaker faces criminal homicide charges following the death of Gaetano Thomas Oteri, 69, on Saturday night (26Apr08).

The two men were roommates and longtime business partners. Arrested after the incident for drink-driving, Fagan told police that the two men had fought and he'd used a pocket knife to cut Oteri across his body before leaving the scene. Oteri's body was discovered on Sunday afternoon. The dead man's daughter once appeared as a regular on Saturday Night Live. She recently starred opposite Jessica Simpson in comedy film Major Movie Star.

MTV accused of cheating staffers out of meal breaks?

Viacom's MTV Networks cheats employees out of meal breaks and overtime pay, says a lawsuit filed by two production assistants for the MTV television series "The Hills" and "Next." The suit claims the assistants were forced to turn in pre-filled out time sheets that did not reflect forced overtime. I hope this has no merit. This is our favourite network!

XM-Sirius Deal Opposed by States.

The proposed merger of satellite radio rivals Sirius and XM is being opposed by four states that say the combination of the only two pay radio companies poses a threat to competition. The states Connecticut, Maryland, Ohio and Washington want U.S. regulators to reject the deal.

Microsoft calls for 'msn-ing' to be erased from Dutch dictionary!

Microsoft is requesting the Dutch dictionary Van Dale remove the verb "MSN-ing" from the latest edition in order to stop the term MSN from being used by other companies as a brand name. "MSN-ing" is not to be allowed as a synonym for sending instant messages.

Child TV star Gary Coleman headed to reality Divorce Court show---already?

"If he doesn't get his way, he throws a temper tantrum like a five-year-old does," Price says. Coleman says he gets frustrated because "the male is always the bad guy." (Neil Leventhal / Associated Press)

Former child star GARY COLEMAN and his wife are heading to U.S. reality legal show DIVORCE COURT in a bid to save their seven-month marriage. The couple has taped a TV showdown with Divorce Court regular Judge Lynn Toler, hoping her advice can help them reach their first wedding anniversary. The actor, 40, and his 22-year-old bride wed in secret last year (Sep08) but the romance has already been replaced with hostility.

In an interview with U.S. news show Entertainment Tonight, Coleman's young wife Shannon admits she's had enough of the former Diff'rent Strokes star's tantrums. She says, "If he doesn't get his way, he throws a temper tantrum like a five-year-old does." Meanwhile, the actor, 40, insists his wife doesn't listen to him: "If I have to throw something or break something, that's what's going to happen." After taping the show recently, Judge Toler asked the couple to return to her courtroom in six months for an update hearing.

CNN's Richard Quest heads to rehab after being caught with drugs!

The Guardian reports CNN reporter Richard Quest has entered drug rehabilitation following his arrest last Friday morning in Central Park. CNN released a statement, saying, "At this time, CNN's primary concern is for his health and wellbeing. We look forward to Richard returning to CNN International." As part of his court arraignment, Quest agreed to undergo drug counseling and therapy for six months. He's not going to be fired!

Murrow's Legacy Honored at Newseum.

A taping of the Newseum program Inside Media took a look at the legacy of Edward R. Murrow who died 43 years ago this past Sunday and who would have turned 100 last Friday.

TVNewser attended a live taping of Inside Media Saturday afternoon. The Newseum program was a tribute to Edward R. Murrow commemorating what would have been his 100th birthday.

Former CBS and NBC News correspondent Marvin Kalb, and Bob Edwards, host of "The Bob Edwards Show" on XM participated in the panel which was moderated by Frank Bond.

The half hour program touched on Murrow's greatest moments as a reporter first on the radio, then on CBS TV. From the London blitz to his See it Now program exposing Sen. Joseph McCarthy, Kalb, who was the last reporter hired by Murrow, called him "the gold standard." Explaining how he grew up in the lumber camps of Washington state, Edwards added, "He was driven to be somebody."

In discussing Murrow's legacy and the current state of journalism, an audience member asked where people should look today for integrity in reporting. "It is absolutely possible today for people to get information that is important to them," Kalb said, "but it takes work," he added. "People go to their own comfort zone, whether it is NPR or Fox," said Edwards.

Another in the audience of about 140 asked "Who is today's Murrow?" Edwards offered, "The closest one is Bill Moyers," which drew applause from the audience. In disagreement, Kalb said Ted Koppel is the closest citing the old Nightline model of news and hard-hitting interviews, "but Ted isn't doing that anymore," Kalb said.

Source: TV newser

ABC's Diane Sawyer missing?

You won't see Diane Sawyer on "Good Morning America" this week - but it's not for lack of trying on her be half. Sawyer, in fact, is off celebrating her 20th anniversary with husband Mike Nichols. Forget the May sweeps. They are headed to an unknown destination!

CNN News Network Sets Post-Election Sales Plan

The cable news networks, which are getting a ratings boost from presidential politics, still will have to sell ads after the election’s been decided. At CNN, that means packaging shows and multimedia features to minimize the boom-bust dynamic.

Four time Grammy winning Producer talks to Canada's leading hip-hop blog HipHossip in the monthly "hip-hop phemonemom" feature.

DJ Toomp is an American record producer and DJ who works in Atlanta, Georgia. He is known for producing rapper T.I.'s chart-topping hit, "What You Know." More recently, he contributed to production on Kanye West's Graduation, including producing the singles "Can't Tell Me Nothing" and "Good Life" with West, and the song "Say Hello" on Jay-Z's latest album American Gangster. I recently interviewed him for my hip-hop blog HIPHOSSIP. Here is the Press release.

REMEMBER KEN: Radio Jock Howard Stern stunned as sidekick dies in JAIL after being accused of child abduction

Shock jock HOWARD STERN's former radio sidekick KENNETH KEITH KALLENBACH has died at the age of 39, after contracting pneumonia in jail. Kallenbach - described by Stern as the "ultimate airhead" died on Thursday 24th at the Riddle Memorial Hospital in Pennsylvania.

He was in custody at Delaware County Jail after being arrested and charged with attempted child abduction. The death was revealed by his mother Fay Kallenbach, and broadcast on Stern's Sirius Satellite radio show. Fay claims her son suffered cystic fibrosis and wasn't properly cared for behind bars. County officials have disputed the allegation. This is truly a strange story. Whose child was he allegedly trying to abduct anyway? I hope this was not a pedophile case! R.I.P.

GROUNDED! TORONTO, THE FOURTH LARGEST CITY IN AMERICA HAS NO TRANSIT SYSTEM!

A midnight strike by the TTC caught many people off guard, some showing up early this morning expecting a train, bus or streetcar only to find the lines abandoned. Last night, clubgoers poured out of bars when news of the strike spread. "No way, no way," Jorge Bayona, out with friends at Yonge-Dundas Square, said at 11:40 pm. "You're kidding me. We live an hour away." Toronto Lawmakers are getting their ass back to work at 1.30pm Sunday! They have CARS!

The Toronto Star

The Toronto Sun

The Canadian Broadcasting Corp (CBC)

City News

National Post

Arnold Schwarzenegger on April 24 Tonight Show with Jay Leno (Video)

Today Show April 25 Madonna Interview (Video)

680News scoops several industry awards!

680News has won two prestigious Edward R. Murrow International Region awards from the U.S. Radio and Television News Directors Association.

680News was honoured with the award for "Best Newscast" for Storm Centre coverage on December 17, 2007.

680News also won the "Writing Award" -- the winning submission for
writing on February 26, 2007, the day after the Academy Awards were
presented. Peter Gross cleverly incorporated more than a dozen references to
actors and movies nominated for Oscars during his sportscast.

To listen to Peter's award-winning broadcast go to:
http://qml.quiettouch.com/files/radio/680news/audio/petergrossoscarsportscast.mp3

UNHAPPY ROMJIN TO QUIT UGLY BETTY!

Actress REBECCA ROMJIN is quitting UGLY BETTY after the current second season, claiming new writers on the show have wrecked her character.

Romjin has become a regular castmember since first appearing as Alexis Meade in the first season of the ABC TV show.

A third series has been approved, but Romjin will only return for guest appearances - hinting that she has fallen out with new writing staff recruited after the Writer's Guild of America strike late last year (07).

She tells NYPost.com's Pop Wrap, "They made a tremendous amount of changes, especially with the writing staff (during the writer's strike).
"And while I know I'll be coming back next season, with all the changes, I'm not sure they can take care of my character they way they have been. So I'll be leaving, back in a recurring capacity, but time for me to leave and find something else."

New Social Network Targets 35-And-Older Crowd.

GetBack Media, a social network from the founders of DVD company Shout! Factory that's geared for people over age 35, launches yesterday (April 23) stocked with music and TV content.

O.J Simpson coming to a TV show near you!

Former sportsman-turned-actor O.J. SIMPSON is desperate to take part in the next season of THE CELEBRITY APPRENTICE - and has reportedly asked DONALD TRUMP for the chance to star on the reality show. The hit U.S. TV show, which sees various celebrities vie for the approval of property mogul Trump, could score a ratings coup if it recruits Simpson, who has been surrounded by controversy since being named a suspect in the murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman in 1994. He was acquitted of the charges in 1995, but was later found responsible for their deaths in a civil trial held in 1997. But, according to New York gossip column PageSix, Simpson's appearance on the show has been met with mixed reactions by the show's producers. A source says, "Simpson really wants to do it. Trump and NBC are thinking about it, but are being very cautious. There's a certain amount of heat associated with Simpson." Trump spoke about it on "Access Hollywood" and saw nothing wrong with it!

Howard Stern may be getting cold feet!

Shock-radio host HOWARD STERN is having second thoughts about walking down the aisle with fiancee BETH OSTROSKY. Stern, 54, has plans to wed Ostrosky in October (08), but is nervous about following-through on his second-round of nuptials after divorcing first wife Alison in 2001, according to his on-air sidekick Robin Quivers. Quivers reveals, "He's like, 'Am I doing the right thing? Should I do this again?'" But she doesn't think his nerves are too much cause for concern, adding, "They're very happy together." Then go marry Robin and stop quivering!

TV Star Star Jones files for divorce!

TV personality STAR JONES has filed for divorce from her husband of three years, AL REYNOLDS. The former The View talk show host, 46, filed the notice on 26 March (08) at Manhattan's Supreme Court in New York, which was subsequently labelled an "uncontested matrimonial" case by officials. In a statement released to U.S news show Entertainment Tonight, Jones says: "Several years ago I made an error in judgment by inviting the media into the most intimate area of my life A month ago I filed for divorce.

"The dissolution of a marriage is a difficult time in anyone's life that requires privacy with one's thoughts. I have committed myself to handling this situation with dignity and grace and look forward to emerging from this period as a stronger and wiser woman." Jones and Reynolds wed on 13 November 2004 in a lavish New York City ceremony, which came under scrutiny after she plugged the nuptials' corporate sponsors at length on her chat show.

Crazy supermodel Naomi Campbell to star on "Ugly Betty."

Supermodel NAOMI CAMPBELL is to follow in the footsteps of fellow fashion queen VICTORIA BECKHAM after accepting a cameo role in hit TV series UGLY BETTY. The catwalk queen will play herself in the upcoming second series finale, according to the show's star Becki Newton. So I guess we should see some fighting on the show!

The actress says, "She's going to be in our last episode, which is exciting. "I've personally requested that I don't stand next to her because (my character) Amanda would not like to be seen with such a tall, pretty person." Campbell was originally announced as a guest star last year , but the Hollywood writers' strike scuppered plans. A spokesman for network ABC confirmed Campbell would be appearing in the show.

Keminications Linkorama!

I'm on assignment this morning at the station. Here are some quick links. Have a nice day!

• How Judges avoid scouring on Dancing reality show. (MSNBC)
• President Bush appears tonight on game show. (MSNBC)
• NewsCorp goes on trial on sabotage charges! (Wired)
• Live commercials are coming back to TV. (Adweek)
• Hollywood Studios in web premium TV deal. (financial Times)
• Networks are turning to foreign programming. (Variety)
• AOL to cut 100 jobs in ad unit. (Reuters)
• Six Apart launches ad network for bloggers. (Fortune)
• The CNN China protest continues. (LA Times)
• Forbes redesigns homepage and adds comments. (B to B)
  

CBS boss Moonves says he's not replacing Katie Couric!

CBS Corp Chief Executive Les Moonves offered Katie Couric his support on Friday, telling the CBS News anchor and her staff there were no plans to replace her.

Bush appears on 'Deal' to thank a contestant (and war vet).

A presidential thank-you is part of the deal for a contestant on NBC's game show, "Deal or No Deal," when President Bush makes a surprise appearance.

The episode, airing Monday, features Capt. Joseph Kobes, as he attempts to win enough cash to pay off his parents' home. But the dealmaking is briefly halted for Kobes, a Purple Heart and Bronze Star recipient who has served in Iraq three times. Bush surprises him by appearing on a screen to express gratitude for his service and wish him luck in the game. This is the same contestant that made the President cry for the dead in the war during the Purple Heart awards at the White House last month.

"The Simpsons" back on air in Venezuela!

Madness with the government regulators when after being kicked off from Venezuela's daytime airwaves, The Simpsons is back on air, and this time it is being shown much earlier than the previous broadcasting time.

Televen TV, the Venezuelan network returned Matt Groening's brainchild to the airwaves on the night of April 16, this time running the series at 7 p.m. as opposed to its previous scheduling of 11 a.m., when it was apparently consumed by an impressionable and much younger demographic.

Earlier last week, the NTC said Televen may also face a fine or even be taken off the air for up to three days, for failing to promptly remove The Simpsons from the daytime schedule after preliminary warnings.

CNN's Richard Quest arrested for drugs in New York!!

He's that sharp funny British guy! A New York judge ordered CNN reporter Richard Quest to undergo six months of counseling on Friday after Quest was arrested in Central Park for possession of a controlled substance, his lawyer said.

The British reporter is known for his boisterous and quirky style, especially on CNN International. Police discovered a plastic bag containing what was believed to be methamphetamine in his pocket, police spokesman John Grimphel said. No word YET from CNN since this happened Friday. More to come.

Pope celebrates mass in New York City.

It was truly a media event as Pope Benedict XVI, during a mass in New York City on Saturday, urged priests to seek "purification" and the truth as they try to overcome the damage left by a clergy sexual abuse scandal. He also urged them to co-operate with bishops, who he said were working to resolve the crisis. On a day marking the third anniversary of his election as pontiff, the Pope was preaching in Manhattan's St. Patrick's Cathedral as he kept up a hectic pace during his first visit to the United States.

He was met outside the Gothic-style cathedral on Fifth Avenue by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, while former mayor Rudy Giuliani was inside.
About 3,000 priests, deacons and members of religious orders from every diocese across the United States attended the mass.

Media Attention: 416 children ordered to have DNA Tests by U.S Court!!

How could all this be happening and no one knew? An African American woman has now been suspected to be the tipper of the whole thing. That is a whole different case now. She's a prankster we hear. Meanwhile, 416 children from a US religious sect have been ordered by a Texan judge to undergo DNA tests. They will be held until the tests are completed to determine who their parents are.

The authorities removed the children along with around 130 women after receiving reports that girls as young as 13 were forced to marry. The children are members of a breakaway polygamist sect of the Mormon Church called the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The group is one of the largest Mormon breakaway groups with nearly 10,000 members.
It was formed in the 1930's and has recently been run by Warren Jeffs, who was forced to resign in November after being sentenced to ten years to life on charges of being an accomplice to rape. His father, who also led the group, reportedly had 20 wives and around 60 children.

More Media Attention: 13 years later.......The Oklahoma bombing in the USA......

Who would ever forget these images? The Oklahoma City bombing was a domestic terrorist attack on April 19, 1995 aimed at the U.S. government in which the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building was bombed in an office complex in downtown Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The attack claimed 168 lives and left over 800 injured. Until the September 11, 2001 attacks, it was the deadliest act of terrorism on U.S. soil.

Hundreds of news trucks and members of the press arrived at the site to cover the story. The press immediately noticed that the bombing took place on the second anniversary of the Waco incident. Many initial news stories, however, hypothesized the attack had been undertaken by Islamic terrorists, such as those who had masterminded the World Trade Center bombing two years before. Some responded to these reports by attacking Muslims and people of Arab descent.

The FBI led the official investigation, known as OKBOMB, with Weldon L. Kennedy acting as Special Agent in charge. It was the nation's largest criminal case in history, with FBI agents conducting 28,000 interviews, amassing 3.5 tons of evidence, and collecting nearly one billion pieces of information. The investigation led to the separate trials and convictions of McVeigh, Nichols, and Fortier.

On June 2, 1997, McVeigh was found guilty on eleven counts of murder and conspiracy. Although the defense argued for a reduced sentence of life imprisonment, McVeigh was sentenced to death. He was executed by lethal injection at a U.S. penitentiary in Terre Haute, Indiana, on June 11, 2001. The execution was televised on closed-circuit television so that the relatives of the victims could witness his death.

I was priviledged to be a member of the press that sat in on the execution in 2001. Yes! Priviledged. It was an act of cruelty and Mcveigh had no remorse even till his last seconds on earth!

Much More Media Attention: 15 years later.....The death of the Branch Davidians!!

The U.S government has long had enemies within it's own citizens. Here is another one on this cursed date. On February 28, 1993, the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) attempted to execute a search warrant at the Branch Davidian ranch at Mount Carmel, a property located nine miles (14 km) east-northeast of Waco, Texas. An exchange of gunfire resulted in the deaths of four agents and six Davidians.

A subsequent 51-day siege by the Federal Bureau of Investigation ended on April 19 when fire destroyed the compound. Seventy-six people, including 21 children and two pregnant women, along with Davidian leader Vernon Wayne Howell, better known as David Koresh, died in the fire. This has come to be known as the Waco Siege or the Waco Massacre.

The FBI voiced concern that the Davidians might commit mass suicide, as had happened at Jonestown where 900 people killed themselves at their leader's behest. The newly appointed U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno approved recommendations by the FBI to mount an assault after being told that conditions were deteriorating and children were being abused inside the compound. Because the Davidians were heavily armed, the FBI's arms included .50 caliber guns and armored vehicles (CEVs).

Combat Engineering tanks used bombs to puncture holes in the walls of buildings of the compound so as to pump in ("tear gas") and try to flush out the Davidians without harming them. The stated plan called for increasing amounts of gas to be pumped in over two days to increase pressure. Officially, no armed assault was to be made, and loudspeakers were used to tell the Davidians that there would be no armed assault and to ask them not to fire on the vehicles. When several Davidians allegedly opened fire, the FBI's response was to increase the amount of gas being used.

After more than six hours no Davidians had left the building, sheltering instead in a cinder block room within the building or using gas masks. The official FBI claim is that CEVs were used to punch large holes in the building to provide exits for those inside. Most Davidians dispute this claim because the "exits" were blocked by debris, structurally unstable, elevated and largely inaccessible due to smoke and large quanitities of tear gas. Several Davidians were blocked when a floor above collapsed, and nearly all Davidians said they feared being shot were they to leave.

On April 19th, 1993 at around noon, three fires started almost simultaneously in different parts of the building. Even then, as the fire spread, only nine people left the building. Most Davidians attest that those remaining had no opportunity for escape.

The remaining Davidians burned to death as fire engulfed the building, with footage being broadcast worldwide by television. In all, 74 died.

Nothing remains of the buildings today, as the entire site was bulldozed by the ATF just two weeks after the end of the siege. Only a small chapel, built years after the siege, stands on the site. Despite significant primary source video, much dispute remains as to the actual events of the siege.

My Single Mom Blog is UP!!!

Know any single moms out there? Wanna know what celebrities are doing? Then Celebrity single moms blog is for you. Hey, I am and check on the stars often, their madness and all the things that they have and I don't.....THE M-O-N-E-Y! LOL! So visit there now and spread the site address. Wanna sponsor CSM, contact me at mediakemi@rogers.com.

The photo of the Day!

Some white wine followed by a gush of water to celebrate the winning of Media Idol by 680News' Rudy Blair.

BREAKING NEWS: Rudy Blair of 680 News wins Final spot in Media Idol Finals!

"This is how we do it at 333 Bloor Street y'all!"...........Rudy Blair, Music Reporter at 680 News introducing himself as a contestant for Media Idol and showing the viewers the support of Rogers employees sitting behind him in the audience.

R-U-DY B-L-A-I-R IS OUR MEDIA IDOL!!! Keminications Media thanks all it's readers.

Canadian Idol Alert – April 16, 2008

Practice Makes Perfect: Toronto’s Rudy Blair Wins Final Spot in National Media Idol Finals
-- 680News Reporter wins $1,000 for charity by pulling out all the stops to become Toronto’s Media Idol --

CTV announced today that Rudy Blair, entertainment reporter for Toronto’s 680News, became Toronto’s 2008 Media Idol regional champion. The competition was fierce, but it was Blair’s show-stopping audition taped at the Velma Rogers Graham Theatre, complete with Toronto Argonauts cheerleaders and an energetic audience, that lead him to victory.

Blair’s supporters had been keen followers of his seven week on-air preparations for his Media Idol performance of “Killing the Music”, his own version of the Doobie Brother’s classic “Listen to the Music”. Blair went so far as to enlist the help of Helix singer and friend Brian Vollmer, a well-known vocal coach, to help him train for his performance.

The crowd in attendance for Blair’s audition was also treated to special surprise appearance by Canadian Idol’s newest cast member and JUNO Award-winning powerhouse, Jully Black, who offered Blair moral support and tips for his performance.

As part of his Media Idol prize, Blair has earned $1,000 for the charity of his choice, The Alzheimer Society of Peel. “This is a dream come true,” said Blair when contacted about his win. “I wanted to know what it was like to compete for Canadian Idol, and for seven weeks I took singing lessons and shared every bad note with our 680News listeners. Everyone came out to support me, but the biggest support came from all the 680News listeners who voted for me.” Blair becomes the 10th and final regional Media Idol winner who will get the chance to wow voters once again as one of the 10 Media Idol regional finalists heading to Toronto later this summer to experience Canadian Idol live and in-person.

The winning performance was watched online from coast to coast at www.idol.CTV.ca and featured heartfelt performances by other media including: Shannon Boodram of Rogers Television; Tom Brown of CTV News; Leanne Cater, “Lea” of Mookie & Lea on The New Country 95.3; Josie Dye of CosmoTV and 102.1 The Edge; Mary Jo Eustace of 103.9 PROUD FM; Bridget Foley of Star 93.3/107.9 The Breeze; Sharon Lem of the Toronto Sun; Chris Tindal of Metro News Toronto; Murtz Jaffer of Reality Obsessed; J Wyze of Flow 93.5; Lainey Lui of eTalk; Jacqui Skeete of CosmoTV; Wilder Weir of CosmoTV; Denette Wilford of TV Guide.ca and Paul the Intern of MTV.

With the Canadian Idol Audition Tour wrapped, Idol hopefuls who have sung their way to Gold Tickets are getting ready to perform for the judges once again this May in Toronto for the chance to vie for a coveted spot in the Canadian Idol Top 22. More information about Canadian Idol auditions can be found at www.idol.ctv.ca.

For More Information, please contact: Allie Page, Canadian Idol, 416.559.4365 or apage@ctv.ca

Rudy Blair speaks to Kemi after his Media Idol Audition.

Originally posted Mon 14th April: Watch this video, then go vote here today please!!!!!! The very useless You Tube version of the video may say "no longer available". That's YouTube for you. It's just processing the raw file so check back and see a Media Idol who gave it all for the cause of Alzheimer's disease. Hit the Daily Motion video and watch NOW!

Rudy Blair's Media Idol interview with Keminications Media
Uploaded by KeminicationsMedia

WORTH THE WAIT: Rudy Blair of 680 News finally auditions for MEDIA IDOL!

Originally posted April 12th 2008: It was a cold dreadful morning with freezing rain but was nothing like that inside the Rogers building on Bloor and Jarvis downtown. They call it 333 Bloor street! Things were HOT as everyone waited for our favourite Media Idol contestant Rudy Blair of 680 News.

I met the whole 680 News family including Scott Metcalf the News Director (big boss) and Gloria Martin who does the showbiz news we all know as "Globiz." She's in red in the above photo with Rudy and I and she hosted the show.

I also met Jaime Pulfer above whose sign "blaired" me away. Her sign said "Rudy Blairs me away." Lets face it, Rudy took his audition to a whole new level. We went down into a subbasement theater where the auditions were held. I love that building! Security is so nice and tight and such a modern place to work. There were donuts and coffee and the Rogers employees steadily streamed down into the theater.

I met the very nice Larry Silver above, the morning news anchor for Jack FM which is also owned by Rogers. The Toronto Argonaut cheerleaders Jackie and Bridget strolled onto the stage. Blair was dressed really hot and was looking GOOD! You can hear my voice behind the camera cheering him on. The Alzheimer Society of Peel Region were in the house as they were Rudy's favourite charity that the media Idol contestants were singing for. Brian Volmer from the group Helix was his music teacher who gave him voice lessons. Then he introduced Jully Black who is the new cast member of Canadian Idol. Jully called him "Seven week fool" and advised him to just be himself and cracked that Ashlee Simpson joke.

Allie Page of CTV above who coordinates and is the Publicist for Canadian Idol then came on stage with the CTV cameraman to get things going. Allie has been so good to Keminications letting me in on all the happenings. Before you knew it, we were all singing along........."Whoa-ooo-whoa, I'm listening to the music." Jully who was called on stage couldn't perform this morning but was laughing as we sang above her shoulders and she said she'll be at the Danforth Music Hall on May 30th. Look out for my interview with Rudy

BEGIN VOTING HERE Saturday 12th April at 12 noon-Tuesday 15th at 5pm.
The Official 680 News video of the performance.
Photos of Rudy's performance.

CTV Globemedia turns 50!

Congratulations to CTV on turning 50 years in News. Everyone from all the CTV Globemedia stations all across Canada came to Ottawa on Tuesday to celebrate. Here are some screen shots from the red carpet. Pamella Wallin, Beverly Tomson, Lloyd Robertson and more news people came out. CTV has been great to Keminications. Allie Page gave me all access to cover Canadian and Media Idol and I thank her for that. May God bless everyone at CTV and wish you 50 more! Pass this post on to anyone you know up there.

Reading blogs is like smoking a cancer stick?

Like Devo Brown, on-air personality at Flow 93.5FM said to me about Keminications and my sister blog HipHossip (Music), " Kemi when I enter your blogs, I can't get out!" It's called addiction and it beats pot and coke! Blogs stimulate your brain in a positive way. That's just what a new study says but some researchers wanna say it could overload your lobes....

Reading blogs is often habitual, similar to a cigarette habit, say researchers at the University of California at Irvine. Plus, blog readers typically profess little stress about information overload. Also: Reporters and editors say they are noticing more stories rehashing material circulating on blogs.

Wired.Com is plotting a new style for web Journalists.

Conde Nast's Wired.com plans to unveil a stylebook that will provide a fresh look at issues facing online media, such as anti-spam techniques and ways to increase rankings on Internet search engines. "We're going beyond language, grammar and usage," says Wired.com editor Evan Hansen.

Does Internet radio need indecency rules?

Some 61% of American adults would like the government to regulate the use of obscenities and profanity on Internet radio, according to a "radio index" survey by American Media Services. Fifty-one percent of men surveyed favored regulation, compared to 70 percent of women. That's never gonna happen. It's on the internet! Regulating curse words on internet radio is like my 16-year-old son trying to have his next house party at the White House! (((IMPOSSIBLE!))) LOL!

BBC News to unveil all these hot makeovers

The BBC is unveiling a $1 million-plus news revamp, including a new name for international BBC World: BBC World News. Changes are being made so that the BBC's news coverage can be more easily identified across various platforms. The BBC says it is "simplifying the branding structure."

Even more newsroom jobs to vanish at the New York Times!

The New York Times is informing the newsroom that it will probably resort to layoffs to reduce head count, as the deadline for voluntary buyouts looms. "This is the first time the newsroom as a whole has confronted [this] blunt reality," says a memo from assistant managing editor Bill Schmidt. What happened to the snitching gains from the hooker story?

Venezuelan TV Station in HOT H20 for airing "The Simpsons" after being removed off the air!

I reported this story last week here when Hugo Chavez yanked the show. Government regulators have opened an investigation into a television station in Venezuela for airing the US satirical cartoon 'The Simpsons' during prime child-viewing hours. The Televen station took the show off the air two weeks ago after receiving a warning from the National Telecommunications Commission and replaced it with the beach and bikini classic 'Baywatch' in the 11 a.m. time slot.

Televen faces punishments that include a fine and a three-day broadcasting blackout, the commission, also known as Conatel, said Tuesday in announcing the inquiry. The investigation began three months after Conatel warned Televen about the broadcasts, saying 'The Simpsons' could be a bad influence on the children of Venezuela. I had a chance to talk to some protesting Venezuelans in front of their embassy downtown last week. Video will come soon.

Media News Alert 9:58 a.m. ET Thursday, April 17, 2008: The POPE is celebrating mass

VIDEO: Pope Benedict to Celebrate Mass

Nationals Park is transformed into a mammoth church for Mass to be celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI. Commentary and analysis by Eugene Robinson and Sally Quinn starts at 9:30 a.m. ET. To view live streaming video of this event on the Web, go to http://www.washingtonpost.com/postpoliticstv.

CBS is launching their own Citizen Journalism site.

CBS is opening a citizen journalism Web site, CBSEyeMobile.com, where users can upload video and images of news events from their mobile phones. CNN launched a similar citizen journalism project called iReport in August 2006. It expanded into its own Web site earlier this year.

Facebook to monitor your conversation? Huh!

Facebook plans to launch Facebook Lexicon, a new feature that tracks what users are chatting about in their public posts on each others' "walls" and turns them into some silly graphs and charts. The social-networking site's new offering "is meant to be a fun, interesting way to look for trends." Next thing you know, I will be found out when trying to talk to my secret man. Mmmmm! The pedophiles and hit men and women are the ones that need to watch their backs! That darn Zuckerberg kid and all his high tech inventions!!!!

YouTube will be in competition with Plugged In.

PluggedIn.com is set to let users view for free near-DVD-quality music videos licensed from three big music companies, challenging video sites like YouTube. PluggedIn is considering offering other kinds of entertainment, which could put the newcomer in competition with Hulu. No Hulu for us in Canada yet! Everyone's trying to get YouTube out of the picture! Oh My!!!!!!!!!!!!

Also YouTube has been sued by a French TV network for millions as people continue to violate their copyright and uploading their TV shows. YouTube is looking out for some technology that will prevent that. As I reported in October, that will take a while. Remember when I was in Larry King's Los Angeles studio filming Howard K Stern and his lawyer during that Anna Nicole show? You Tube yanked it and said I violated CNN's copyright by "uploading a show." I had to write stupid letters and go through their whole process. Meanwhile CNN cleared me. I will upload all my files back later.

Not Amused: Amusement park SIX FLAGS to become Media Company?

Six Flags plans to become an entertainment company with its own characters to entice thrill-seekers to its theme parks much like Disney, says CEO Mark Shapiro, a former ESPN exec who took the helm of the company in 2005. Also, coming soon: a Six Flags theme park in Dubai.

MySpace going to South Korea where everyone's online at home.

MySpace is launching a Korean service with exclusive features tailored to local users, such as "minilogs," an online notebook in which users can make daily jottings. South Korea is one of the world's most wired countries, with 70% of homes having high-speed Internet access. Something very rare in that part of the world. In my country Nigeria, 40% have internet at home and it is medium speed and very expensive. I had it for 6 months and quit it. The cafe does me better. A little bit faster and no cut offs on my laptop.

CNN apologizes to China?

CNN is apologizing after a news commentator Jack Cafferty called the Chinese as a "bunch of goons and thugs." The Chinese Foreign Ministry had demanded an apology for the "ignorance and hostility." In a statement, CNN says that it provides "robust opinions" as part of its coverage. You go Jack! With the amount of human rights violations over there and an exiled D-Lama, tell em it's all about the first amendment! LOL! Whatever you do Jon, do NOT touch Cafferty's position. Thanks for apologizing though! (Jon is CNN's President Jon Klein who reads this blog daily)

Rupert Murdoch may have to face re-election!

Oh huh! News Corp.'s board proposes making chief Rupert Murdoch and other board members stand for re-election every year rather than every few years. The company also has eliminated the "poison pill" it had put in place in 2004 when Liberty Media acquired a sizable voting stake. It's getting rough in there for old man Murdoch!

Media Giants may want to combine MySpace and AOL!

If Time Warner and News Corp. lose Yahoo to Microsoft -- as widely expected on Wall Street -- analysts say the two media giants could explore merging their Internet properties, AOL and MySpace. Says Citigroup's Jason Bazinet: "We would not rule out the prospect of AOL/MySpace." What the hell is going on now? I guess the internet is changing everything. I just wanna see these guy's salaries.

Q&A with Peter Gross Sports Announcer for 680 News

Peter Gross is a sports announcer for the 680News morning show. He had a lot to say about radio and 680News. (Courtesy of 680News.Com)


Q: What is the biggest challenge you've faced at 680News?
PETER GROSS: The biggest challenge I faced at 680News was learning the Burli computerized news system. Once I did, I was thrilled to see howquickly I could move and manipulate print and audio information.

Q: What was the most memorable story you've covered in your career at680News?

PETER GROSS: The most memorable story was actually the 10-day assignment to the World Cup in France in 1998. It was amazing to be in France on the Rogers dollar and because I was operating six hours ahead of Toronto time, I would get up, wander through the street markets, eat a baguette, steal all my stories from the French newspapers and by noon (Paris time) I would file to Toronto. The subway system in France was an unforgettable experience. After every game that France won, the fans would sing and rock the cars so much, I was certain the train would go flying off the tracks. And because the French hate the United States, a small bottle of Coca-cola would cost me twice as much as a bottle of wine.

Q: What is the most important personality trait and skill one needs to be a successful broadcast journalist?

PETER GROSS: The most important skill to be a successful broadcaster is writing. It's the vessel that takes you across the ocean. You may have the strength to row the oars, the persistence to stay the voyage and the steely personality to maintain a positive attitude in the face of changes in the weather, but if your boat has a leak, you're not going anywhere.

Q: Give us a quote about your position/experience here at 680News.

PETER GROSS: My experience here at 680News ... In other work environments, I have experienced individuals with massive egos and discouraging agendas. From top to bottom here at 680, the place is run to benefit the employee and to enhance the work. I deeply appreciate how management deals benignly and fairly with staff, making the purpose of delivering the news in a creative, positive and credible manner, job number one.

Q: Anything else to add?

PETER GROSS: My alarm goes off at 2:18 each morning.. I jump out of bed and scream, "I love my job!"

Peter Gross has been involved with the Toronto media since the early 70s. After a stint with Citytv, then CFTR (being part of the day one excitement when 680News first hit the airwaves in 1993), then back to Citytv, he's now back again with 680News, presenting his unique take on morning sports. Peter is busy spreading his hard-earned experiences - he teaches Radio News at Seneca College and he also teaches Sportscasting at the newly-formed College of Sports Media. With the 14 minutes left over in his week, Peter is the editor of Down The Stretch, a twice monthly horse racing newspaper.

Canada's big time polygamist Winston Blackmore on Larry King Live tonight!

Once the most powerful man in Bountiful, Winston Blackmore is rumoured to have 26 wives and some 80 children. He sat down for an exclusive interview with the fifth estate's Hana Gartner three years ago. At the time he portrayed Bountiful as an idyllic, peaceful community.

Since then much has changed. Blackmore sees Warren Jeffs, head of the FLDS in the U.S. and in jail for sexual misconduct, as a false prophet who is giving polygamy a bad name. For his lack of devotion, Blackmore was excommunicated and stripped of his title of the Bishop of Bountiful. Two of his wives who were loyal to Jeffs left him.

Media Attention: The Virginia Tech massacres. One year Later..........

Virginia Tech massacre was a school shooting, comprised of two separate attacks approximately two hours apart on April 16, 2007, which took place on the campus of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) in Blacksburg, Virginia. The perpetrator, Seung-Hui Cho, killed 32 people and wounded many more before committing suicide, making it the deadliest school shooting in U.S. history. Cho, a South Korean who had moved to the United States at age eight, was a senior English major at Virginia Tech. Cho had been diagnosed with and was treated for a severe anxiety disorder in middle school, and he continued receiving therapy and special education support until his junior year of high school. While in college in 2005, Cho had been accused of stalking two female students and was declared mentally ill by a Virginia special justice.

At least one professor had asked him to seek counseling. The incident received international media coverage and drew criticism of U.S. laws and culture from commentators around the world. It sparked intense debate about gun violence, gun laws, gaps in the U.S. system for treating mental health issues, the perpetrator's state of mind, the responsibility of college administrations, privacy laws, journalism ethics, and other issues. Television news organizations that aired portions of the killer's multimedia manifesto were criticized by victims' families, Virginia law enforcement officials, and the American Psychiatric Association.

What's the latest in Paris Hilton's search for a new BFF?

What does it take to become Paris Hilton's new best friend? Judging by the people who turned up at Nikki Beach Midtown nightclub last week to audition for the role, attitude, chutzpah and a belief in one's own fabulousness rate high on the list. Amazing hoe she gave Nicole Ritchie the boot and is now dating her boyfriend's twin brother! Read the latest in the search......

Arrested Development Cast Reunite for “Sit Down, Shut Up” Animated Series.

Are we gonna get to see this in Canada since the show is viewed daily here on CBC. Jason Bateman, Will Arnett and Henry Winkler — will reunite for a new animated series on Fox. The new animated series, based on the live action Aussie series “Sit Down, Shut Up,” will include Arrested Development alums Jason Bateman, Will Arnett and Henry Winkler, as well as SNL alum Cheri Oteri, SNL regular Will Forte, Regina King and Nick Kroll.

Yamaguchi maintains her lead as Latin night challenges the competition.

The ballroom game heated up Monday night as the celebrities faced the Latin music on “Dancing With the Stars.” Kristi Yamagucchi maintains that lead!

Mariah Carey sits down with Oprah Winfrey yesterday.

E=MC2

The Performance



The Interview (Part One)



The interview (Part Two)

Heard on the AIR!

I think I need a sex tape..............music stops........maybe not!.....JJ King, Morning radio personality at Flow 93.5FM when co-host Melanie Martin was delivering an entertainment report on another celebrity with a sex tape.

BREAKING NEWS: Last Chance Canadian Idol opportunity to still audition ONLINE!

If you missed the auditions over the weekend for Canadian Idol, you do have the opportunity to send your audition online to the Judges. It's only the second time in the history of the Idol franchise that competitors have had the opportunity to audition online, marking yet another North American first for Canadian Idol. Wanna try it, Click here and get your camcorder batteries charged!

Bryant Gumbel quits play-by play announcer job!

Following two seasons in which his skills as a play-by-play announcer were increasingly criticized by sports writers, Bryant Gumbel announced Friday that he would not be returning to the NFL Network's telecasts in the fall. "I take comfort in knowing that I tried my best," he said. Asked whether he had asked for Gumbel's resignation, NFL Network chief Steve Bornstein told the New York Times, "What happened is we had a conversation and we agreed to go in different directions. It's really as simple as that."

MASTERS DRAWS BIGGEST CABLE AUDIENCE FOR GOLF.

Trevor Immelman's win at The Masters golf tournament on Friday was watched by more people than have ever tuned in to a golf tournament in cable-TV history, according to Nielsen Fast National results announced on Saturday.

Seattle-based film crew held in Nigeria.

That's my country and Warri is full of militants. They are literarilly pirates and think that the movie guys are only there to get footage and then profit from it......which is kinda TRUE. My say-The American embassy which is already public enemy #1 in Nigeria should step in ASAP. A US Embassy spokesman had no immediate comment today and the documentary is called "Sweet Crude." Told you so! This is NOT good! Just the title of the film can make you a hostage, period!

British Journalist rescued in Basra!

Iraqi troops rescued a British journalist for CBS News in the southern city of Basra on Monday two months after he was kidnapped, the Iraqi military said. The dramatic rescue came on a day that saw 13 people killed and nearly 20 wounded in two bombings in northern Iraq.

Richard Butler was in good condition when he was found with a sack over his head and his hands tied inside a house, Lt. Gen. Mohan al-Fireji said. The discovery came during an Iraqi military sweep in the Jibiliya area, a Shiite militia stronghold in Basra, 340 miles southeast of Baghdad.

Former radio executive builds a cancer killing machine!

For John Kanzius it began with a simple idea, some pots and pans and even a hot dog! Now, the Kanzius machine, which generates radio waves, has developed into a possible breakthrough in cancer research. Clinical trials on humans are still years away, but as Lesley Stahl reports, the results thus far have caught the attention of cancer researchers across the country. We're talking about fighting cancer with radio waves!

Mark Speight, British TV Performer for Kids found dead.

The body of children's TV presenter Mark Speight was found hanging in a building next to a London railway station, police said Monday. British Transport Police said in a statement that Network Rail staff discovered the body hanging on the roof of a building next to Paddington station in northwest London on Sunday morning. The popular presenter was reportedly struggling to come to terms with the death of his fiancee Natasha Collins earlier this year which I reported here when he was arrested for allegedly feeding her with narcotics. He was out on bail for that and unfortunately he could not handle it anymore. R.I.P

CNN wants Americans to cover the Pope's visit.

CNN will engage a multiplatform effort to cover Pope Benedict's first official papal visit to the United States next week. The network is asking viewers to share their firsthand accounts of the pope's public events through video submissions to iReport.com, CNN's new user-generated site. Yeah, I'm catholic and I could use some coverage by the I-reporters. There's Bishop John Corriveau of Nelson B.C who celebrated 30 years at our own church St Phillip Neri 2 weeks ago. I videotaped that entire mass. However, Newsweek will be doing a live online video stream I reported some weeks ago.

Chevy Motor Company donates to Autism through terrific media campaign.

Hey everyone – Chevy is donating to Autism (through the Autism speaks charity) every time their video on upcoming Chevy (automobiles) is viewed. You do not have to give up an email address or anything like that, all you have to do is play the 1-2 minute video all the way through and Chevy donates to fight Autism. This program runs through the month of April (National Autism Month).

http://www.chevrolet.com/autismspeaks/

My oldest SON is a super high functioning autistic and he asked if anyone was willing to give a minute or two to help the cause since every little bit can help. Also if you wouldn’t mind passing to people you know that wouldn’t mind just watching the video, I would personally appreciate it. Thanks to Fox-5 DC's Lamar Tyler for the tip! Watch here how my son says social network has helped him improve his social skills. Read all about my son and other great stories I have done here.

CANADIAN IDOL AUDITIONS: The whole truth and nothing but the truth....

Contestant Nellie Clyke aka Lil Crip 4Life showing her gang color!

Ray Robinson and Nellie Clyke

Yonge-Dundas Square, downtown Toronto

Canadian Idol host, CTV's Ben Mulroney

Kym Ferguson sang a hip-hop song by Lupe Fiasco

Michelle Gifford is disabled and is not letting that stop her!

Young and old, black and white, one woman was disabled and even Crips and Bloods were all in the house to audition. Isn't it nice if gang members can actually start doing something positive! They came from all over Canada to the "Hollywood" known as Toronto! I got to Young Dundas square at 8.30am no breakfast no makeup where Brian Melo performed. He's the reigning Canadian Idol who was formerly a construction worker. Hell you can be anything you wanna these days. I want to host a show on Much More Music (wink! wink!) some day in this Canada! After Melo got off stage, I went to the press area and you could see everyone over there from the "planet papers" (Toronto Star and Sun. LOL!) to the TV shows E-Talk, ET Canada, Hello and Goodbye magazines etc as well as Radio stations. Of course I was the only blogger in the house. Even though I am a freelance Journalist in real life, I was working for Keminications that day and you know we bloggers are "for real." I'll tell you about that phrase later (hint: Natasha Bedingfield)

Besides being just the blogger, I had the best seat in the house where CTV's Allie Page hooked me up with my "media Idol" fave Rudy Blair of all news station 680news. I sat in Rudy's live interviews with Brian Melo and Natasha Bedingfield. I said "live" over the phone! What a blast! Bedingfield's record company didn't want photos without advance media permission because of copyright so no cameras which we all probably had in the bags for other shots. She came in saw my boring hat and said "nice hat! Great idea to have that today" as it was rainy and cold outside. After the interview, she shook me and asked my name which I told her then I also told her I read in wires that Beyonce serenaded one of her songs to Jay during the alleged wedding.

She was thrilled and hinted she heard something but wasn't sure. After I told her I was a blogger, she was thrilled and said to me........"I love bloggers!" OMG! No celebrity says that! What a down to earth lady. Later I read in her Wikipedia profile that she was a Humanitarian.

"Bedingfield is often characterized by her "girl next door" appearance. However, she does enjoy glamming up for photoshoots and music videos in order for people to see a different side to her. Bedingfield has also posed for Arena Magazine, agreeing to the shoot Arena Homme Plus because the magazine allowed her to wear "lovely dresses".

Man! She made my day! Natasha said she was balancing pop and R&B music in her latest projects and was thrilled to perform in an Idol concert for the first time. Asked advice for the contestants, she said they should get their head into that song. Her next challenge is to try her hands onacting and do an American tour. Natasha wanted me to plug her good on the blog and she'll get that here! Nice young lady. Check her out at www.natashabedingfieldusa.com and www.natashabedingfield.com.

Brian Melo's interview was a great person. He couldn't help stop smiling. As you know he is dating another famous Idol contestant during his season, Tara who he told us is performing in Nashville soon was with him that day. He says he will be touring in June and hitting the Portuguese festival. He also told us he still takes vocal lessons. His advice to hopefuls out there is to be yourself, have a good attitude, have fun and let yourself go.

Contestants Daniel Sparks and Alicia Resendes

Daniel Sparks and supportive mom Debra

I met two contestants Daniel Sparks and Alicia Resendes who were so positive about everything They went into the pickle Barrell restaurant and bumped into Brian Melo who said his number was 20 away from Daniel's 7750. Turned out that was Alicia's 7730. Sadly she didn't make it thru BUT she is going places with that R&B voice. Remember Jennifer Hudson and Frenchie of American Idol?

Here are some of Toronto's finest who couldn't tell me where the media area was? There was peace and order thruout the day. Not a problem and nobody cut the lines.

Finally here I am holding some luck. Bian Melo's Idol number last year that ended up Alicia Resendes'.

Canadian Idol Toronto Auditions 2008.

Canadian Idol Toronto Auditions 2008
Video sent by KeminicationsMedia

The Canadian Idol Toronto auditions on Saturday April 12th 2008. This is our own "Hollywood." Contestants from all areas show up with British pop star Natasha Bedingfield and Brian Melo, current Canadian Idol performing.

Oprah Curse: Is Phil and his staff really crazy????

Employees of the "Dr. Phil" television show posted bail for a central Florida teenager jailed for taking part in a videotaped beating of another teen, a spokeswoman for the show's host confirmed Saturday. Staff members of the talk show helped Mercades Nichols -- one of eight teens facing charges in the case -- post bond this weekend, "Dr. Phil" McGraw's spokeswoman Terri Corigliano said in an e-mail. These teens beat this girl up so bad sh lost hearing and sight partially and they are facing life in jail. How can a TV show host bail her out so that she can be on a teen violence show. Does she have parents? This is the last thing you wanna do........Go on TV and talk about it when you are facing life? Oprah may be firing him soon!
Read the article then see the courtroom bailorama below!

40 Years of the Academy Award tie madness!

In 1968, I was 6 years old and was not watching but at the U.S. Academy Awards, the weirdest thing happened as a tie between Katharine Hepburn and Barbara Streisand resulted in the two sharing the Best Actress Oscar.........If that were to happen today, all hell will break loose! If I had to share a "Best Actress" Oscar, I would have to use a hairdryer as a weapon to blow someone away. LOL!

Weird Fact of the Day: The Videotape was fist demonstrated 52 years ago?

So what exactly did they tape all the footage before 1956? Like the world wars and the royal family blitzes and coronations? You be the Judge....but history says that the videotape was first launched at the 1956 NARTB (now NAB) convention in Chicago, Illinois, U.S.

The KeminiQuote of the Day!

"This is how we do it at 333 Bloor Street y'all!"...........Rudy Blair, Music Reporter at 680 News introducing himself as a contestant on Media Idol and showing the viewers the support from fellow Rogers employees sitting behind him in the audience.

Kemi's video extras: Rudy Blair auditions for Media Idol.

Rudy Blair auditions for Media Idol
Video sent by KeminicationsMedia

There is a celebrity guest in my footage. Media Idol was on April 11th 2008 and Keminications is supporting and following Rudy Blair's journey. He is the Music Reporter for 680 News and please vote for him here between Sat 12th -Tue 15th April 2008

A setback in Dan Rather's lawsuit against CBS?

A Manhattan judge is dismissing a portion of the lawsuit Dan Rather filed against CBS and Viacom that names Viacom chief Sumner Redstone, CBS boss Les Moonves and former CBS News head Andrew Heyward. Rather's lawyer insists: "It's not a setback at all."

NBC should be sold says GE investors!

Yawn! How many times have we heard this? General Electric CEO Jeff Immelt is resisting calls to sell off NBC Universal. Investors' cries could grow louder if GE disappoints when it reports first-quarter earnings. Still, in the current financial environment, a sale of GE's media holdings is seen as unlikely.

What's this? A BLACK search engine on the internet!

Barry Diller's IAC and subsidiary Black Web Enterprises are launching the first-ever search engine catering specifically to African American interests, RushmoreDrive.com. In addition to search, the site offers job listings and a news aggregator that also focus on black interests. Come on! Do we really need it? A "white" search engine and there will be an uproar. Kill the project!

Snitched! YouTube Now Tracks Viewer Origins.

YouTube is introducing a feature for its video creators that will help them better understand where viewers are coming from. The feature shows creators whether viewers discovered their videos by search, through an e-mail or Web-site link, or watched it on another site.

Blogging Early Tonight: Canadian Idol starts 8am.

I will begin blogging early tonight as a result of going to bed at 10pm so that I can be bright and early for Canadian Idol. This is my first time covering this since my move to Canada 10 months ago. The date will change in a few minutes........Kemi

A Blast of a DAY!!!

There are only a few times these kind of days come. I just returned from Canada's Media Idol at Rogers' 680 News. Rudy Blair's audition was a blast! All footage is coming by dinnertime. You will start voting between now and Tuesday. Talking about being a "7 Day Fool", I was being introduced and introducing myself to all the radio personalities and there was this black lady standing by me all the while and in my 45 years of life, I have never been able to NOT recognize a celebrity.

We are talking about the Best R&B Artist at the Juno Awards JULLY BLACK!!! If you know me and how personable I am, I just wanted to introduce myself to another stranger and I asked what her name was. She said "Jully Black." I had my hand in my mouth like OMG! What a jerk! We had to rush on stage, hopefully I shall get photos with her tommorow after image clearance at Canadian Idol. Jully is also the NEWEST CASTMEMBER OF CANADIAN IDOL!

Media Idol is TODAY! Canadian Idol tommorow!

Today is Media Idol, Eat your hearts out America! Only Canada is the only one that has this one. Maybe you could get Bill O'Reilly, Soledad O'Brien, Conan O'Brien and even CNN's Miles O'Brien to do the Irish songs next year. This is unique to Canada and sponsored by our CTV. I will be covering it for my blogs along with the TV station.

This morning, I'm attending the Roger's audition celebrating Rudy Blair's audition, 680 News' music reporter. Rudy has taken it to a whole new level. His audition is in a theater below the station and remember, he attended singing lessons with a pop star. Oh YEAH!!! Today's the day and tommorow Saturday is the beginning of the Canadian Idol auditions. I will be covering it all including sitting on interviews with Brian Melo, last year's winner and SONY/BMG Artist Natasha Bedinger! This year has a lot of radio station contestants. I just heard J-Wyze is representing hip-hop station Flow 93.5FM. Good luck to everyone!

Randi Rhodes parts ways with AIR AMERICA!

She appeared on Larry King last night ranting about what she calls a conspiracy to change her contract. Yawn! Randi! Larry had to cut her off due to that marine arrest in Mexico. She'll be back next week on LKL

CBS cancels celebrity talent show after ONE EPISODE!

The secret talents of celebrities will remain hidden. CBS is axing its new reality show "Secret Talents of the Stars" after only one episode. Could it be that BAD? We hear people were changing channels like crazy. Those Nielsen meters were hard at work!

BLOGARAMA: Perez Hilton sues another blogger for slander!

(Yawn!) Gossip kingpin Perez Hilton is filing a lawsuit against online rival Jonathan Lewandowski over published sex claims. Hilton says that the blogger slandered him by claiming he solicited sexual favors in exchange for help in promoting the man's nascent Web site. Damn! All I wanna know is what his team of lawyers on that filing charge??

DISHED: America's Dish network claims that NewsCorp hacked them!

Hackers hired by News Corp. unit NDS Group stole and posted data that allowed free access to Dish Network's satellite television service, the company says, in a corporate spying trial against its rival that could be worth hundreds of millions of dollars. NDS denies the spying charge. Who do you believe. I know I wanna inherit some of Uncle Rupert's $$$ so I'm not talking!

When? Yawn! Sirius-XM Merger coming......says Analyst.

The merger of satellite radio rivals Sirius and XM is likely to see approval from the U.S. Federal Communications Commission within two to four weeks, according to Bear Stearns analyst Robert Peck. "Conditions could include providing limited carriage to other content providers."

MySpace to become online retailer.

MySpace plans to sell more merchandise and add a check-out feature following its deals with record companies to offer music downloads, says CEO Chris DeWolfe. Partnerships with Web retailers will allow MySpace to enter online retail, which is dominated by eBay and Amazon.com.

Why the hell is Yahoo testing some partnership with Google?

Yahoo is turning over some of its advertising space to Google in a two-week experiment that could lead to a broader partnership. Google will place ads alongside about 3% of the U.S. search queries on Yahoo. The tie-up appears designed to frustrate Yahoo's unsolicited suitor, Microsoft.

Sweet Deal: Everyone WANTS Yahoo!

Yahoo is suddenly the target of two warring camps of tech and media titans. Yahoo and Time Warner are close to a deal to merge Yahoo with AOL, while News Corp. is in talks with Microsoft about joining its bid for Yahoo. One observer says: "The whole situation seems very unstable."

Q&A with Jennifer Macdonald Senior Writer at 680 News.

Jennifer Macdonald is the senior writer for the 680News morning show. She had a lot to say about radio and 680News. (Courtesy of 680News.Com)


Q: What is the biggest challenge you've faced at 680News?

JENNIFER MACDONALD: Writing for the 680News morning show!! I've always been in on-air positions at the station, so to go from anchoring to "behind the scenes" was a big adjustment for me to make. Not to mention the 2 a.m. get ups!! Coffee and I are a match made in heaven!

Q: What was the most memorable story you've covered in your career at 680News?

JENNIFER MACDONALD: The most memorable story I've covered would have to be the Holly Jones vigil and march. The 10-year-old girl was killed by a sex offender after she was kidnapped while walking home from school. This was obviously a very tragic and sad story, but I was really touched by the way her community came together to support the family in their time of need. By the end of the vigil, I felt as if I'd known Holly personally.

Q: What is the most important personality trait and skill one needs to be a successful broadcast journalist?

JENNIFER MACDONALD: If you want to be successful in this business you have to REALLY want it. Perseverance, dedication and outgoingness are all essential. You need to be able to work well under pressure and having a tough skin doesn't hurt!

Q: Give us a quote about your position/experience here at 680News.

JENNIFER MACDONALD: When in doubt, leave it out. Jennifer Macdonald is the senior writer for the 680News morning show. She was hired for this position in November 2006 after returning from a one-year stint in Halifax, where she co-anchored the morning show on NEWS 95.7, one of 680's three sister stations in the Maritimes. Jennifer graduated from the Radio Broadcasting program at Humber College in 2002 and was hired at 680News following an internship at the station. Since joining the staff, Jennifer has worked as an audio editor, reporter, anchor and writer.

Cable TV operator fined for showing kissing lesbians!

Singapore's cable television operator has been fined for airing a commercial that showed lesbians kissing. The commercial, which was to promote a song by Mandarin pop singer Olivia Yan, was aired on MTV's Mandarin-language channel, the media regulator said. Gay stuff we hear is banned on Singapore TV!

Katie Couric may leave CBS News, report says.

The Wall Street Journal, citing unnamed CBS News executives and people close to Katie Couric, said Wednesday she could leave her job as anchor of the low-rated CBS Evening News well before her contract expires in 2011.

Mike Myers to Host MTV Movie Awards

"Hosting the MTV Movie Awards is like a party, but without having to do beer runs in your mom's mini van," the alter ego of Shrek and Austin Powers, 45, says in a statement about his upcoming emcee duties – adding, "We do beer runs in Will Smith's four-story motor home." Read more....

Gas Station TV Launches Search for National Broadcast TV Star.

Gas Station TV (http://www.gstv.com/), the industry leader in digital away-from-home television, today launches the search for the face of the GSTV Network. The "Gas Station TV's Wanna Be A BroadcaSTAR(TM)" contest will find and award one U.S. resident with a hosting position on a recurring national broadcast lifestyle segment and a cash prize. Read the entire release here.

CBC/Radio-Canada calls for better, less expensive, more accessible Canadian television.

Read the entire Press release here.

CRTC has deregulation agenda in hearings on cable, satellite.

A broad-range review of broadcast distribution in Canada begins Tuesday in Gatineau, with the hot button issues of Canadian content and American access to Canadian airwaves on the table.

Juno Awards attendees, what did you drink last weekend in Calgary?

Recent reports show that Toronto water contains traces of Ibuprofen. As a part-time Pharmacist, I thought that was a plus that could save me money from buying more Advils for my blogging backache. If you attended the 2008 Juno Music Awards in Calgary this past weekend, the water you may have drank in your hotel room or out and about town may have contained human DNA! If you feel easily disgusted, DO NOT CLICK HERE!

Priest charged in Conan O'Brien stalking pleads guilty

The Roman Catholic priest accused of stalking NBC talk-show host Conan O'Brien has pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct. The Rev. David Ajemian admitted to the offense — sending letters and DVDs to O'Brien's home and business.

Venezuela's President bans "The Simpsons" on TV and replaces it with "Baywatch!"

Apparently, Hugo Chavez who at one time claimed CNN wanted to have him killed says that Bart and Lisa are just too harzadous for kids to watch. I thought that was itchy and Scratchy! LOL! The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) said The Simpsons pushed “messages that go against the whole education of boys, girls and adolescents”. The show will no longer appear in its 11:00am time slot.

Instead, the government has opted for a more "educational" show "Baywatch" with Pamela Anderson's implants popping into the kid's faces! Where are the morals Hugo?

The Ladies at "The View" talked about the pregnant man today!

Update on Blogging and DEATH!

It's Official: The NEW DEVO BROWN website is UP!

WWW.DEVOBROWN.CA

Toronto's hottest hip-hop radio personality just informed me that the site we have all been waiting for is here. DevoBrown.Ca There's a new blog, a podcast, the newsletter and just plain know what's up in the city right now and also the music charts. You have to check it out!

For you U.S visitors, Devo Brown is on air during drive time from 3-7pm weekdays on Canada's only hip-hop station Flow 93.5FM and you need to listen to this sexy professional voice. He has a degree in Sociology from McMaster University and has been on air for years at different FM stations gaining experience as he moves on. Now he's at the top hip-hop and R&B station in T-dot. Wanna contact Devo? You can e-mail him at info@devobrown.ca. He is also available for bookings, on MySpace and Facebook and our 3rd friend on Hiphossip's MySpace website.

Yawn! Can CNN and CBS just merge already?

CBS is said to have held talks with Time Warner about a deal to outsource some of its news-gathering operations to CNN. The talks include reducing CBS's news-gathering capacity while keeping top personalities like anchor Katie Couric. Also: CBS News says it has no plans to outsource to CNN.

Britain's ITV signs Perez Hilton to write column.

Britain's ITV.com is signing Hollywood gossip blogger Perez Hilton to write a weekly column to coincide with the ITV2 program "Gossip Girl." Hilton will become the site's resident "Gossip Girl" correspondent with the column to go live on ITV.com each Thursday after the episode airs. He just keeps on making money!

MySpace expanding content for American Latinos.

News Corp.'s MySpace is expanding its offerings for U.S. Hispanics, adding eight bilingual communities focused on Latino interests. MySpace says it is expanding the Latino site because it has been adding tens of thousands of Hispanic users each month with little promotion.

Donny and Marie Osmond to co-host Mother's Day show to select 'Favorite Mom'

Donny and Marie Osmond will help salute their country's moms as co-hosts of an NBC special scheduled for Mother's Day night, the network and Teleflora, the program's sponsor, have announced. On "America's Favorite Mom," airing May 11, the Osmonds will crown a winner chosen online by viewer polling. The program will mark the holiday's centennial.

Canadian dailies notch up record online ad revenue.

Canadian daily newspapers registered a record 29 percent growth in online advertising revenue in 2007, offsetting a small decline in printing advertising revenue during the period. According to a report released by the Canadian Newspaper Association (CNA) Monday, the newspaper industry notched up a total ad revenue of Canadian $3.576 billion last year. This was about 0.8 percent lower than the figures for 2006, showing that the Canadian newspaper industry was not much affected by global trends of falling circulations and ad revenues.
Outlining a marginal decline in print ad revenues and circulation sales of Canadian dailies, the report said print advertising showed a small decline of 2.4 percent.

Circulation sales were also down slightly, to $808.9 million, a drop of 1.2 percent over 2006, a year in which circulation sales posted a 3.8 percent gain. But this decline was offset by over 29 percent growth in online ad revenue. The report said the Canadian newspaper industry stood out in sharp contrast with its US counterpart, where a contracting economy pushed print ad revenues to the biggest year over year fall in more than half a century. 'This picture contrasts markedly with the performance of the US newspaper industry, where total print advertising revenues in 2007 fell 9.4 percent to $42 billion, according to the Newspaper Association of America (NAA), the biggest year-over-year decline since 1950, when the NAA first began charting the numbers,' the report said.

The NAA reported only 18.8 percent growth in online revenue in 2007, down from 31.4 percent in 2006. The narrative about newspapers in the US has been consistently negative in recent years, and that negativity has unduly influenced perceptions of the health of the newspaper industry in Canada,' the report quoted CNA president Anne Kothawala as saying. 'Advertisers and their agencies, many of whom are global businesses, should ensure that their Canadian buying decisions are not tainted by the US data.

'In an age when consumers are increasingly tuning out advertising content, studies show they continue to find newspapers engaging. Many readers turn to their paper as much for the ad content as the editorial content. 'The real story is how well we are holding our own in an age of global media disruption,' Kothawala added.

Dad says 'Crocodile Hunter' Steve Irwin concealed 'pain and suffering'

Late "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin concealed pain and suffering behind his enthusiastic public persona, his father said in an interview broadcast Monday. R.I.P

Minority markets remain untapped, BET founder says!

Untapped alright! Maybe you can start by introducing BET to the largest black market in the world .......AFRICA. BET is still not on any cable lineup back home including South Africa's cable giant DSTV!

In the late 1970s, Robert L. Johnson realized that there was a lack of television shows — and advertising — aimed at black viewers. At the time, there were plenty of radio stations, as well as magazines such as Ebony and Essence, that targeted black audiences. But Johnson, who was working as a cable industry lobbyist, saw a lucrative business opportunity in the growing number of cable TV channels such as CNN and MTV. So Johnson obtained $500,000 in start-up capital and launched Black Entertainment Television in 1980. Read the rest here.

Media figures to be on Time 100 list.

Time magazine is asking readers to vote online for the personalities who deserve a spot on the 2008 "Time 100" list of influentials. This year's contenders include such media figures as Stephen Colbert, Nick Denton, Nikki Finke, Perez Hilton, Craig Newmark, and Rupert Murdoch.

OMG! NBC, News Corp's Hulu May Be Fatally Flawed.

The founding assumption of Hulu, the NBC-News Corp. online video venture, is that viewers will like finding television shows on one Web site. This assumption may turn out to be fatally flawed: A Google search will lead to "South Park" episodes on a Web site dedicated to the show. I guess that is probably the work of an angry Canadian hacker! We can't get Hulu here.

Next Stop for Matt Lauer on his world Journeys. Below is the press release...

FASTEN YOUR SEATBELTS AND PREPARE FOR TAKEOFF -- MATT LAUER IS DEPARTING ON ANOTHER 'WHERE IN THE WORLD IS MATT LAUER?' TOUR ON MONDAY, APRIL 28

For the Ninth Time "Today" Viewers Can Take a Trip Around the World With No Delays, No Security Lines and No Lost Luggage

NEW YORK Monday, April 7, 2008.........He's logged over 210,721 miles, popped up in 39 different destinations, traveled by airplane, zip line, camel and gondola, and said hello to America in 20 languages. Starting Monday, April 28, Americans can once again ponder one of life's great mysteries... "Where in the World is Matt Lauer?" as it returns to NBC's "Today."

This year's trip marks the ninth weeklong expedition for Lauer, whose past trips have taken him to such exotic locales as the royal kingdom of Bhutan, the cliffs of Moher in Galway, the mysterious Easter Island, the slopes of the Swiss Alps, the beaches of Rio de Janeiro, and The Great Wall of China. Following the tradition of the series, Lauer will show up in a different location every day, without any advance warning. Meredith Vieira, Al Roker and Ann Curry, as well as millions of viewers at home, will have no idea where he'll be each day, until he appears live on the air at 7 a.m.

"Today" viewers are encouraged to dig deeper into the "Where in the World" series on TODAYshow.com, which will feature travel tips from Peter Greenberg, spectacular photos of the locations, and behind-the-scene stories about the making of "Where in the World" from "Today" correspondents and producers. Viewers can participate in the series by sharing photos of their own world travels on the "Where in the World Am I?" gallery, and by playing six new "Where in the World" games. TODAYshow.com also features a complete "Where in the World" archive for those who want to relive Matt's previous eight trips around the globe.

Over the course of the past journeys, "Today's" critically acclaimed series has landed Lauer in virtually every corner of the globe – including Cape Town, Dubai, Galway, Bhutan, Easter Island, Panama, Shanghai, Innsbruck, Dubrovnik, Botswana, Hong Kong, Moscow, the Pyramids in Egypt, Venice, Athens, the Taj Mahal in India, Sydney, Mount Everest, Rome, The U.S.S. Theodore Roosevelt on patrols in the Mediterranean, The Great Wall of China in Beijing, an active volcano in Hawaii, Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, Pisa, Florence, Bilbao, the Blue Lagoon in Iceland, Machu Pichu in Peru, an oil rig off the coast of Scotland, Paris, Bangkok, Mykonos, Rio de Janeiro, Marrakech, Skibo Castle in Scotland, Angkor Wat, Monte Carlo and Cannes.

The "Where In the World is Matt Lauer?" series is sponsored Hyundai. Jim Bell is the executive producer of "Today" (Monday-Friday, 7-11 a.m.). Mary Alice O'Rourke is the special events producer of "Where in the World is Matt Lauer?"

CNN to Air Live Broadcast of Presidential Candidates Forum on Faith Issues.

Here is the press release.....

CNN's Campbell Brown to Co-Moderate with Newsweek's Jon Meacham April 13 'Compassion Forum'

CNN will serve as the exclusive broadcaster of a presidential candidate forum on faith, values and other current issues at Messiah College near Harrisburg, Penn., on Sunday, April 13, at 8 p.m. (ET) CNN Election Center anchor Campbell Brown and Newsweek editor and Newsweek.com election anchor Jon Meacham will moderate what is being billed as The Compassion Forum, which will take place nine days before the Pennsylvania primary.

Organized and sponsored by Faith in Public Life, the 90-minute forum will consist of wide-ranging and probing discussions of policies related to pressing moral issues that are bridging ideological divides now more than ever, including poverty, global AIDS, climate change and human rights. It will feature Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama on the same stage to talk about these topics as each candidate sits down individually with the moderators. The program will also stream live at www.CNN.com.

Leading up to The Compassion Forum, chief national correspondent John King will anchor live special coverage beginning at 10 p.m. (ET) on Saturday, April 12, and then again on Sunday, April 13, immediately following the forum. Special coverage on Sunday will feature analysis from commentators across the faith and ideological spectrum. King will be stationed at CNN's Pennsylvania "mini-bureau," the CNN Election Express bus, which has allowed the network to maintain a full-time presence in these weeks leading up to the April 22 primary. "Ballot Bowl" will also originate live from Pennsylvania and air throughout the weekend, bringing the candidates' significant events directly to viewers in long-form, not soundbites.

Hillary Clinton stops by on Ellen's show.

Facebook to launch chat feature!

Facebook this week will launch Facebook Chat, which the social network describes as "a new way for you to communicate with your friends in real-time." Users will find the new application at the bottom of their browsers. Facebook Chat "will make it easier to connect instantly."

"Idol" Judges do Larry King tonight.

Larry King had American Idol Judges Randy, Simon, Paula and host Ryan on the show tonight to take us into last night's gala "Idol Gives Back." The special will be televised Wednesday on FOX.

Celebrities come out to help in the "Idol Gives Back" campaign.

American Idol personalities Ryan Seacrest, Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson, and Simon Cowell arrive at the taping of Idol Gives Back held at the Kodak Theatre on April 6, 2008 in Hollywood, California. Idol Gives Back will air Wednesday April 9, 2008 (7:30-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. Here is the red carpet arrivals that we have first. Everyone from Snoop Dogg, Miley Cyrus, Sheila E, Gloria Estefan, Terry Seymour (Simon's girlfriend), Fergie and more came out.

Kathy Lee makes her return TV debut today!

USA Today reports that Kathie Lee Gifford returns to morning TV today, co-anchoring the Today show's fourth hour with Hoda Kotb. Producers hope her star power can juice up the final, newest part of the show (10-11 a.m. live ET/tape-delayed PT), which has averaged 2.1 viewers this year. That compares with 5.7 million for the first two hours, and 3.5 million for the third, though some markets drop the later hours.

How does Gifford's new pairing compare with classic teams, including her 15-year partnership with Regis Philbin? Choose your favorite daytime duo above and leave your comments below.

Celebrity Single Moms in the news.

Did you see the show last night on CNN Headline News' Showbiz Tonight? It was all about being "unmarried in Hollywood." Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt were the model culprit couples. Wanna know what celeb single moms are doing in Hollywood these days? Check out my single mama blog at Celebrity Single Moms. There are tons of news stories over there and tell your friends!

The 2008 Canadian JUNO Awards wrap up.

The Juno Awards. Canada's big music night and it's like our Grammys here. Don't hate me because I will be opinionated tonight. Already there is not enough Urban music categories then the stage as compared to where the audience sat look tacky! It was like in a gym for God's sake. There was a black wall like barrier separating the VIP's from the stage and it looked like a piano from the other side. What's this? The host made dumb Asian jokes and was obsessed about Avril lavigne throughout the show.



The single of the year was won by Leslie Feist who sat beside her mom and wrote all her thanks on her arm and was chased off stage by the cut-off music. She eventually won 5 awards. I already see Jay-Z working with her. Remember he said that on the Grammy red carpet? Leslie Feist swept the Junos, Canada's music awards, walking away with five trophies during the weekend.

Feist, who records by her last name, earned Junos for best artist and songwriter Saturday during a nontelevised industry awards show in Calgary. The following night, she grabbed three more trophies for single ("1234") and album and pop album ("The Reminder") during a nationwide telecast on the CTV network. Feist, who garnered four nominations at the most recent Grammys, beat out Celine Dion, Avril Lavigne, Michael Buble and newcomer Pascale Picard for the artist of the year Juno.

Rock band Blue Rodeo earned the group award to add to the top adult alternative album and video trophies it picked up Saturday. The best international album, based on retail record sales in Canada, went to Rihanna for "Girl Gone Bad."





Jully Black won best R&B recording for her hit song "Seven day fool." She performed that song so hard she did not want to even stop. That was the last performance of the night. The dull highlight of the night was all the non televised awards like Best Rap Recording which went to Rapper Belly and the absence of more urban music awards. Enjoy the screen shots cos I couldn't even find any pictures on the wires. It was like nobody even cared in the mainstream media! See the next post to see why I said that!

Quote of the Day!

"We have several successful Canadian stars nominated tonight. You know they are successful cos they don't live here anymore. You think if I lived here, they would let me host the show?"..........Russell Peters, Host of the 2008 Juno awards explaining why Canadian singing sensations have to live in the States to make it big.

Now, isn't that true? Canada needs to support it's own artists.

Renowned Myanmar journalist Ludu Daw Amar dies

Ludu Daw Amar, one of Myanmar's most renowned writers and journalists and an outspoken critic of the military junta, died Monday at the age of 93, her family said.

In Web World of 24/7 Stress, Writers Blog Till They Drop.

The NY Times is reporting that blogging can kill you! Don't I know that after 4 years of Keminications?

Homeowners sue Google for posting their house online!

A couple in a Pittsburgh suburb are suing Google, saying pictures of their home on its Web site violates their privacy and devalues their property. Images of the home of Aaron and Christine Boring appear on Google's "Street View" feature, which allows users to find street-level photos.

Fox-TV sued by U.S Justice department! You won't believe why?

In an unusual move, the U.S. Justice Department is suing Fox Broadcasting and Sinclair to collect $56,000 in fines for the 2003 broadcast of a "raunchy" reality show. Fox's appeal was "returned without consideration," because its claim was 14 pages over the limit. Fox dubs the decision "offensive."

Actor Charlton Heston dies at 84.

Charlton Heston was one of the most famous stars in Hollywood history, creating many memorable roles in a career spanning more than five decades. From Moses to Ben Hur and Planet of the Apes, he was truly a legend. Most recently he was the head of the NRA, America's National Rifle Association, the gun advocate group. Heston had suffered from Alzheimers and was 84 years old. R.I.P

ABC's Mike Wallace Interviews Now Online.

Some 60 editions of "The Mike Wallace Interview," many of them unseen since their original ABC broadcast from 1957 to 1960, are being put online by the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas at Austin. The program was donated to the university by Wallace himself in the 1960s.

Did Facebook's CEO steal a computer code that made him a billionaire?

Facebook must defend against a lawsuit that accuses founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg of stealing computer code, an appeals court says. The decision revives a 2004 suit by ConnectU founders Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss that was dismissed last year on procedural grounds.

Canadian Idol is Coming! Hot New Cast Member Helps Kick Off Canadian Idol Audition Weekend in Toronto.

My media colleague Ali Page of CTV sent this to me yesterday. Forget Simon and Paula! This is the "Idol" show to be at. It's called Canadian Idol!!!

The search for the next Canadian Idol culminates when the nationwide audition tour rolls into Toronto next weekend and debuts the fresh new face of its all-star cast --

What: Canadian Idol has crossed the country and is back in Toronto for the final city stop and a free concert at Yonge-Dundas Square. Catch all the action as the Idol hopefuls try out for a shot at stardom in the heart of downtown Toronto.

Who: Live performances by international superstar Natasha Bedingfield and reigning Canadian Idol champ Brian Melo on Saturday, April 12.

When: Concert: Morning of Saturday, April 12

Auditions: Saturday, April 12 and Sunday, April 13 from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. Where: Yonge-Dundas Square. Toronto, ON

The Toronto Media Idol Challenge 2008 – Friday, April 11th.

Canada is the only one who has Media Idol. The participants will be among the first to meet and interview Canadian Idol’s new cast member while putting themselves in an Idol hopeful’s shoes when we travel to various outlets. The local finalist will win $1,000 for charity, experience Canadian Idol in person in Toronto this summer, and gain local infamy! Radio, TV and even print media personalities are contesting. I noticed most of the contestants this year are from radio! That's Faye Josue of the Calgary Sun papers last year. Get your butts out of the newsroom and come belt out some tunes y'all!

There are a limited number of spots for interested participants. Just like with Canadian Idol, all Media Idol participants from Toronto and the surrounding area are welcome to audition a cappella or while accompanied by musical instruments. Keminications is watching Rudy Blair of 680 News. I will enter next year. Nada! My voice ain't ready after this first Canadian winter I just experienced! O'Canada!

Paparazzi alert: Media abuzz with wedding of TWO music superstars!

We even know the damn address Jay! 195 Hudson Street to be exact I hear.

Isabella Dickerson of Splash News Online took these latest pictures. Looks like the SUV delivering Candelabras and flowers to Jay-Z's penthouse along with party rentals and a white tent erected on the roof is gearing for some kind of party. However, that tent looks too small for the amount of pals both of them have. It looks like a private party of some sort. Remember Britney Spears and Jada Pinkett's wedding to Will Smith? (that one I was at) and I know the privacy details but Will and Jada announced their location, date and time in Baltimore. Like the Ken and Barbie version of them that should look good atop the cake?

Another super private one was the now doomed wedding of Madonna and Sean Penn under that tent. Grown folks remember? (Some of you weren't born yet or were babies) What I mean is weddings that are done with no notice that the guests don't even know where they are going. Let's keep watching. I am also hearing from folks at Universal that it is a celebration of his Live Nation deal. But then they are secretive over there too! Ha! Ha! By the time I see Ludacris and SWV tonight, maybe I can get Chris to call Jay-Z on his cell to say congrats and then a moment of SILENCE to yell it out to the entire club! LOL. Toronto's gonna be the first to know!!!

MyToons Animation Site Signs On with Google Search Appliance.

MyToons, the premier online animation community, today announced that the company has reached an agreement with Google Inc. to implement the fifth generation of the Google Search Appliance™ hardware and software on MyToons.com. The deployment of the Google Search Appliance will add Google's powerful search engine capabilities to MyToons' website.

“Our customers have made it clear that they’re looking to experience the best animation we can deliver,” said Dan Kraus, MyToons CEO & Co-Founder. “Our use of the Google Search Appliance aids this by adding the power of Google’s search to our quickly-growing animation index, and provides a strong foundation for our future search initiatives.” The Google Search Appliance is an integrated corporate search solution that extends Google's award-winning search technology to intranets and websites and improves search results.

40 Years!!!!!!!!!!!!!

R.I.P Rev. Martin Luther King.
It is exactly 40 years ago today that American church minister and human rights leader Martin Luther King was assassinated. At the age of 39, King was shot dead as he stood on the balcony of a Memphis motel. King is still the symbol of non-violent protest in the United States. Reverend Harcourt Klinefelter was Martin Luther King's press spokesman and recorded his final speeches. He has been living in the Netherlands for the past 35 years and teaches training courses in non-violent conflict resolution.
The Los Angeles Times reflects......

Barry Bearak, Pulitzer-Winning NYT Correspondent, Taken Into Custody In Zimbabwe!

Barry Bearak, the Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times correspondent covering the Zimbabwe elections, was arrested in the capital city of Harare. There is a lot of tension going on right now over there. The Mugabe election crisis! The U.S has demanded he be released!

Air America Host Randi Rhodes Suspended For Calling Hillary Clinton A "Big F*cking Whore."

Air America host Randi Rhodes called both Geraldine Ferraro and Hillary Clinton "whores" in a recent appearance, seen below. Rhodes, who hosts a weekday radio show on Air America, said to the cheering crowd, "What a whore Geraldine Ferraro is! She's such a fucking whore!" She then proceeded to say, "Hillary is a big fucking whore, too" to a mixed audience reaction. "You know why she's a big fucking whore? Because her deal is always, 'Read the fine print, asshole!' Watch the video!



This is what happens with the whole "shock jock" phenomena. A statement released to Keminications is posted below.......

"Air America has suspended on-air host Randi Rhodes from the NETWORK for making inappropriate statements about prominent figures, including Senator Hillary Clinton, at a recent public appearance on behalf of Air America in San Francisco which was sponsored by an Air America affiliate station. "Air America encourages strong opinions about public affairs but does not condone such abusive, ad hominem language by our Hosts," said chair Charlie Kireker."

Oprah Curse? Pregnant man is interviewed by Winfrey yesterday!

Thomas Beatie is a pregnant male. Well, Thomas Beatie was once a woman and still has the reproductive parts of a woman to become a pregnant man. Confused? Check out the video clip from Oprah’s April 3 show. Beatie talked about his life as a girl named Tracy, a woman who won a beauty pageant and we also met his wife. I'm all confused with this!!! My mom called from Africa during the show and I told her. She said....."Madness!"

Media Attention: Millionaire Jose Lima hands out 5000 bags of chicken!

Just one week after Jose Lima's incredible dreams came true, he was determined to spread his joy and his wealth. And as promised, Thursday was the day. Lima is also known as Joe the Butcher, a meat shop manager who won $14.5 million in Lotto 6/49 last Thursday.

Since then, he's gone on something of a spending spree - but not the traditional kind that involves big cars and big houses. Instead, he's used his newfound riches to display his big heart, giving a $5,000 bonus to all 50 of his co-workers and handing out over 5,000 ten-pound bags of chicken legs free to any customer who happened by his shop. This guy is incredible! BTW, around here, anything over $10 million is a big jackpot. Ontario's lotto is all tax free too!

Happy 80th birthday Chatelaine!

The occasion also will see the unveiling of a radical redesign which has been in the works, in one way or another, for at least the last two years. The new look will dress the May issue which, at 364 pages, is the biggest single edition in Chatelaine history and, with a one-time-only cover price of $1.99, certainly its cheapest in years. (The cover price returns to $4.50 in June.)

Media Attention: Jerry Seinfeld lucky to be alive after car wreck!

The funnyman survived unscathed a frightening car wreck in the Hamptons last weekend after the brakes suddenly failed on the vintage Fiat he was driving, causing the vehicle to flip over. (View the police report.)

Peabody award goes to ABC.

The recipients of this year's Peabody Awards for broadcasting excellence in news and entertainment, presented by the University of Georgia, cover the range from ABC News correspondent Bob Woodruff, to NBC sitcom "30 Rock," to Comedy Central's "The Colbert Report."

MySpace Music to venture out with i-tunes

News Corp.'s MySpace is expected to unveil as early as today a joint venture with the world's top three music labels, Sony BMG, Universal and Warner. MySpace Music will offer music downloads, streams, videos and mobile phone ring tones, giving Apple's iTunes "a run for its money."