The Voice- Last of the Blind Auditions

So here we are at the end of the Blind Auditions. And what a few weeks it has been for The Voice. Ratings have improved each week and on Saturday night they had their biggest ratings to date, something which I'm sure will not go unnoticed by Simon Cowell and the rest of the Britain's Got Talent team.

The judges had to finish assembling their teams with Jessie J, Tom and Danny looking for 2 more singers each and will.i.am searching for 3.

There are a few issues I've had with The Voice, but to be honest it's just nitpicking. Things like, they've obviously filmed all the auditions on one day; so will.i.am decided to wear THAT jacket?? They do not want this show to turn into a fashion parade like the X Factor has among the judges, that's for sure.

Also why does Danny copy will.i.am? It really seemed like Danny was pressing the buzzer after Will out of spite sometimes. And does Jessie J know all the words for every song? Very impressive. But as I said; nitpicking. It doesn’t really affect my enjoyment of the show.

Saturday had a few stand out singers, but not always because I liked them. I don't understand why Indie and Pixie got buzzed. They said they wanted to be like the Spice Girls but honestly, I didn't hear anything amazing about them. They were slightly grating for me; I hope Jessie J doesn't select them to go to the live shows. I'm also slightly confused about why some people have been allowed to audition as duets.

One other flaw was when Harriet Whitehead sang. Danny really liked her but said he already had some acts that were similar. But what if he liked her better? Suppose that's all part of the competition. I think the judges really missed a trick with Harriet; they've chosen some acts that weren't worth it and I think her voice was distinctive enough to get her through the Battle Rounds.

With the other judges completing their teams that left will.i.am being the only judge with a free place. It was was up to Daniel Walker to convince him to buzz. I thought he was amazing, and again maybe if he had gone on earlier he might have gone through. will.i.am had a big decision to make, and it was a big decision not to buzz. It was a bit sad when he apologised to his partner and said he will have to get a job to pay the bills. I guess that's show business.

The most memorable moment came with Jaz Ellington. This guy left Jessie J and will.i.am in tears after singing Ordinary People. He really did have a beautiful voice and I'm pretty sure we will be hearing more from him. He convinced Will that he was right in not putting through Daniel. "Follow your gut" as Will put it.

So with a double bill next weekend (Saturday and Sunday night) we start the Battle Rounds. We've got the Battle Advisers (think mentors on the X Factor at Judges' Houses), we've got the teams and we've got the sing-offs in a boxing ring. This is going to be fun.

I'm not sure which act I like best yet; all will depend on how they perform in the Battle Rounds and the live finals. But without doubt, will.i.am is my favourite judge. He says some amazing things. The best?

"I don't have tactics, I have tic-tacs cos I stay fresh, holla." He will defiantly be fun to watch come the live shows, holla.

Videos I Will NEVER Tire Of- #1 Slap Chop

Until I can think of a better title for it here is the first in the series of "Videos I Will NEVER Tire Of." Or things I like on YouTube.

I'm starting with this classic from 3 years ago the Slap Chop remix by DJ Steve Porter. In case you didn't know, Slap Chop is a kitchen utensil which some how makes life easier. Apart from the fact you have the slice the food to fit under the Slap Chop, and I'm not really sure how much easier you really need it. It looks horrible when he just chops the food into mush. Why would I eat my breakfast like that? It also looks like a medieval torture device when he opens it, it would chop you enemies face off.

We all know when you see something like this you say "Hey! That's a great idea! Why don't I own one?" Then you buy it, put it in the cupboard next to the toastie maker (takes too long to clean), the steamer (I'll just use the microwave) and the slow cooker (I don't like leaving it on when I'm not in the house). Yeah, money well spent.

WHY IT'S AWESOME: Apart from the sick beatz I think that it really makes you want to buy what is probably the most pointless kitchen invention ever. Well I do.

BEST PART? I like when he throws the Slap Chop's competitor behind him into the sink. I like to think that took him hours to get it right.

COULD IT GET EVER SO SLIGHTLY ANNOYING? Hell no.

Peter Andre And The Last Chapter

I understand some people like Peter Andre. He seems like a nice guy, he's defiantly portrayed that way. What I can't understand is why some people want to know what has been going on in his life since the last series of ITV2's Peter Andre: My Life.


AS IF THERE HAS BEEN NO STORIES REPORTED ABOUT HIM.

It's January and here he chats about why his marriage broke apart, without saying why his marriage broke apart

Now he "talks" (via a friend) about a dancer he may (OR MAY NOT) be dating.

Oh look it's February and that dancer has fallen in love with him.

Apparently it's his ex-wife who has an obsession with him, unlike he WHO HARDLY EVER MENTIONS IT.

One of the most misleading headlines I've ever read. And why the hell is he drenched in water?? What the hell does that mean? And you say he's only speaking to OK! but I think not...

Come April, his (contractually obliged) relationship has come to an end. Nothing to do with the fact no one really gave a hoot.

But the question on all our lips is... DOES HE LOVE HIS KIDS??? 

Maybe I WILL watch the new TV show to find out!!

The Voice- The Blind Auditions Continue

So at the half way point in the Blind Auditions let's take stock of the judges teams shall we? Tom Jones has 6 singers; a mixture of old and odd there are a couple to keep an eye on. Jessie J has 5; apparently she is looking for a standout girl. Danny has 4; he reckons he has a good foundation and most like to play the guitar. Will.i.am is falling behind with 3 so he's going to have to do some convincing to get some more members.

We start off this week with Joelle Moses; for me one of the best voices I have heard. She looks the part and all 4 judges wanted her. She plumps for will.i.am and think she has a great chance of getting to the live finals.

They have invited some really interesting contestants; Allyson Brown won a MOBO in 1998 for Best Unsigned Artist. I was very surprised no one buzzed her. She had a beautiful voice but then maybe because I knew that about her that would have been part of the reason I would have buzzed. And that's not what The Voice is about.

I am surprised some contestants get buzzed while other (better) singers don't. I know they must be looking for something in particular, something they can work with but a contestant called Leanne got buzzed and she was one of the first I can think of that they have critiqued. Okay, not a bad thing but there have been better singers to leave, that’s for sure.

We had another 'I kinda, used to be famous'. His name was Cassius Henry and he has toured with R Kelly, worked with Kanye West and even appeared on Top Of The Tops (charting at number 33). He was right up Jessie J's ally and I think they will work really well together.

There was still a bit of X Factor sob stories when young hipster Kate Read said she was singing to her Mum because she loves her whatever size she is. Well, she is your Mum. Her voice was defiantly different, she reminded me of Diane Vickers; the way she sang 'colours' was very weird. Not my cup of tea but at least she stood out.

Ruth-Ann St.Luce caused a bit of a stir. Jessie J chose her and will.i.am basically laughed in her face. We didn't get to see the whole performance but you could tell she wasn't at her best. Tom Jones and Danny were even joking that she wasn't even singing in the right key. But Jessie J saw something in her, I just don't think the other judges did.

There were a couple of other notable contestants; we had Nathan James a man who looked like Thor and wanted to be a rock god. Unfortunately rock music never fairs well on reality TV, just ask Jamie Afro, so he went home with no buzzes. Bo Bruce was a girl who thought she was always judged on her name (her real name did seem quite posh). I thought she sounded like Dido but I really liked it; another one who could go far.

One of the last contestants was a guy named Tyler James. He was Amy Winehouse's best friend. Good voice but I'm not too sure on him. We'll see when we get to the Battle Rounds. He was also present when Tom Jones gave his 'Name Drop of the Week'- he knew Otis Reading.

So, third week down and the teams are shaping up nicely. Tom, Danny and Jessie all have 8 members and Will has 7. The competition is hotting up and next week we will see their final teams.

It's getting exciting, bring on the battles!

Who doesn't like jazz flute? Ron Burgundy is back.

Nothing surprising in the news that Hollywood have got a fair few sequels in the pipeline but there are some which I'm VERY excited about. One of favourite comedies of all time is getting a sequel; Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy. With original stars no less! (Hopefully all of them.)

We've defiantly got our sweet Brick Tamland (Steve Carell) and Brian Fantana (Paul Rudd) on board and the story will feature a custody battle. Can. Not. Wait.

In case you missed it, here's Ron himself announcing the sequel to the world, well the Americas, to our friends in Spain, Turkey and the UK including England.

NEWS TEAM!! ASSEMBLE!!!

The Voice Blind Auditions... Part 1

So the BBC's answer to the X Factor arrived last week in the form of The Voice. I've talked about it slightly before it started last week but having had a chance to watch the first couple of episodes I have to say, I think it's not too bad. An American import where contestants are judged only on their singing ability by competing in Blind Auditions. There are four judges with their backs to the contestant and if they like what they hear they buzz them in and their chair turns round.

On first impressions it does seem like any other TV talent show, and really it is. But it has enough originality to make it worth while. The produces of the show invited acts to come audition instead of having open auditions so you know from the start they can actually sing. The good thing about that is there are no joke acts, the bad thing; there are no joke acts. Everyone is very SERIOUS. And how do we know it’s a serious music completion? They are playing acoustic guitars; that’s a dead give away. By the end of the Blind Auditions each judge should have ten members on their team, Avengers-style.

So in the first couple of episodes we had the obligatory ex boy band member; Sean from 5ive. Nobody wanted him. It does seem a bit harsh when that happens. Especially after Jessie J admitted that 5ive was the first concert she went to. Ouch.

We also had a singer from the West End, Kerry Ellis. You name it, she’s been in it. So when she was trying to make that last note stretch I didn’t feel too bad for her when no one buzzed as she already has an amazing job.

It was also interesting to see how the judges interacted with each other. They were quite feisty when it came down to getting contestants to choose them. I thought everybody would want to go with will.i.am just because he can sell records, love him or loathe him, but he seemed to struggle to recruit certain contestants. Danny from The Script seems to be doing alright, he's going down a treat with the guitar playing guys at least. The young girls love Jessie J and the slightly older contestants want Tom. I'd go will.i.am but I seem to be in the minority.

The name dropping is fantastic ; Tom Jones’ story about when he went to Hawaii to play guitar with Elvis was amazing. He has some tales to weave, that’s for sure.

There’s obviously going to be a few more weeks of the Blind Auditions which is a good idea. If the X Factor and Britain’s Got Talent has taught us anything it’s viewers like to see a journey on talent shows.

While the contestants are singing it’s actually quite nerve racking waiting to see if they buzz or not. There are still a couple of sob stories, not quite as bad as X Factor but they’re there.

I think they should have given the judges a mic instead of this subtitled mouthing that is going on. It’s good to hear what they’re thinking. Also the pretending to move their hands is getting old; push the button or don’t.

Reggie Yates and Holly Willoughby have the Ant & Dec/ Dermot role of waiting backstage and talking to the families. They haven’t really had much to do yet, we’ll see when the live shows start how good they are.

For me, the biggest test will be when the second round comes. I don’t know how The Voice works but surely after the first round it’s based on the complete package just like X Factor?

Some of the reviews haven't been too kind to the show; saying it is tooth-less and they are all too NICE to the contestants. But that's what you get when you invite established, or at least half decent singers. I think it'll come into it's own when we have the teams and the judges start to mentor them.

The Voice isn’t a rival to Britain’s Got Talent, they are two different shows. I’m definitely hooked on The Voice; I’ll watch BGT on ITV Player later.

Samantha Brick... How to Get The World Talking

So I think everyone has an opinion on Samantha Brick. On Tuesday she wrote this article on the Daily Mail website on why it's so hard to be a beautiful women in society today. There's been over 5000 comments on the story on the website alone and then there’s the awful lot of Twitter messages she has had too.

I have to be honest, when I first read it I was "Who does this women think she is??" Beauty is in the eye of the behold and all that but these eyes saw someone who was pretty plain, not ugly, but not someone you would not stop in the street.

People shouldn't be angry with her because she's said "I am beautiful." I agree women should be proud of their looks (whatever people think) but maybe be a bit less arrogant. The stuff about men paying for her train ticket, her taxi fare and a pilot sending over bubbly on a flight... Well. I'm not calling her a liar but... I don't know how to finish that sentence.

Some of the photos are fantastic. They truly are the naffest ones they could find! The photos are the reason I think this is all rubbish. It's just an excuse to get people to look at the Daily Mail. Or maybe the Daily Mail just hate women. I remember an article a couple of months ago about the sperm stealing women (she was obviously mental). What really winds me up is that these women think they are talking for ALL WOMEN. Let me tell you now guys and girls… THEY ARE NOT.

The other thing that I am annoyed at though is the sweeping generalisation that ALL women hate each other especially the pretty ones. That’s total rubbish. If at 40+ it seemed all women hated me, I might stop blaming others and have a good look at myself.

It's a difficult one. It does seem that this was written for the sole purpose of getting people talking (Daily Mail- the troll?). I can't believe she is that delusional in real life. It's nice she thinks she is pretty but shut up about it now. She also didn’t come across all that well on This Morning, most of that being the women who sat next top her was much MUCH prettier, and she was saying women don’t hate her.

Samantha must have been treated as some kind of princess most of her life, but people just don’t like hearing how FANTASTIC you are. They automatically will not like you.

I think the Daily Mail were just setting her up for a fall.