Steven Tyler Leaving 'American Idol'

By RAPHAEL CHESTANG
Steven Tyler has announced that he will not be returning to American Idol for its 12th season.

Tyler filled his post on Idol for two seasons following the departure of Kara Dioguardi and Paula Abdul.

"After some long, hard, thoughts, I've decided it's time for me to let go of my mistress 'American Idol' before she boils my rabbit," said Tyler in a statement released by FOX. "I strayed from my first love, Aerosmith, and I'm back -- but instead of begging on my hands and knees, I've got two fists in the air and I'm kicking the door open with my band. The next few years are going to be dedicated to kicking some serious ass - the ultimate in auditory takeover…On Nov. 6, we are unleashing our new album, Music from Another Dimension on the Earth, Moon, Mars, and way beyond the stars… Idol was over-the-top fun, and I loved every minute of it…Now it's time to bring Rock Back."

Tyler filled his post on Idol for two seasons following the departure of Kara Dioguardi and Paula Abdul.

"Steven Tyler is a real Idol, a rock legend. If you had told me 10 years ago he would be a judge on American Idol, I would have thought it impossible," stated Idol creator and executive producer Simon Fuller. "The fact that this became a reality and we had the pleasure of him gracing our stage for two seasons makes me very proud. I completely understand his desire to get back to his life as the singer in America's greatest-ever rock band. American Idol will miss him!"

This news comes after Jennifer Lopez's quote to Today this morning, saying that she thinks it's "time for [her] to go" as well. J.Lo's future with the singing competition is still uncertain.

“American Idol”: Randy Jackson Out, Adam Lambert In? Dawg, No!

It’s negotiating time for “American Idol” judges. Who will stay and who will go? This morning Jennifer Lopez said on the “Today” that she might move on, who knows? Yesterday there was talk that Randy Jackson — the only original judge from Day 1– could get pushed out in favor of Adam Lambert. There’s no word yet from Steven Tyler.

But Aerosmith is launching a new album in early November, just as “Idol” is in the middle of its ramp up to a January launch. There are two sides to that–if Tyler remains on “Idol,” the album gets a huge promotional push. On the other hand, in order to really promote the album, Aerosmith has to tour on a heavy schedule that would coincide with the “Idol” season.

As for Lopez and Jackson: No judge has done better from “Idol” than Lopez. Her recording career was dead before she came on the show. In her two seasons, she’s revived it, with big singles that she debuted on the show. Plus she made millions of dollars in other deals. For a girl who can’t really sing, she’s done alright. And Randy? There’s no “American Idol” without him, frankly. If Tyler and Lopez leave, they and Fox and Simon Fuller all have the excuse that their prior careers interfered with the show’s schedule.

But Randy? Dawg! He’s the glue. Yesterday “Idol”  — in a misbegotten contract negotiation–planted items that they might switch out Randy for Lambert, a minor talent and former contestant. Hello! Jackson actually comes from the business as well as the artistic side of the music industry. Plus, the fans and the audience love him and rely on him  for stability.

Jackson is coming to New York next week to launch a new line wristwatches for Home Shopping Network–they look pretty cool. There should be a better idea by then what’s going on. But replacing Randy just to see if someone else can get higher ratings? Fuller and Nigel Lythgoe need only look at the “Today” show situation to see that replacing one beloved long standing “anchor” with a newer younger model doesn’t mean much.

Jon Voight defends Brad Pitt’s mom after she gets death threats for penning anti-Obama letter to the editor

By Hollie McKay/LOS ANGELES –

You can always count on family. Last week, Brad Pitt’s mother Jane Pitt hit headlines after penning a response letter-to-the-editor of her local newspaper, Missouri’s Springfield News Leader, in which she advocated support for Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney, referring to him as a “a family man with high morals, business experience, who is against abortion, and shares Christian conviction concerning homosexuality.”

“Any Christian who does not vote or writes in a name is casting a vote for Romney's opponent, Barack Hussein Obama – a man who sat in Jeremiah Wright's church for years, did not hold a public ceremony to mark the National Day of Prayer, and is a liberal who supports the killing of unborn babies and same-sex marriage,” she continued. “I hope all Christians give their vote prayerful consideration because voting is a sacred privilege and a serious responsibility.”

    "Good for her"

- John Voight

However, it seems the backlash surrounding Jane’s opinion has become so vehement that she has reportedly been “scared into silence.”

According to WND, Mrs. Pitt has not only been the victim of vulgar and hate-filled attacks, but she has also received death threats which have left her very frightened.

The tweets reportedly included: "BRAD PITT'S MOM WROTE AN ANTI-GAY PRO-ROMNEY EDITORIAL. KILL THE B***H" and, simply, "Brad Pitt's mom, die."

Some media outlets too had their way with her words as well, complete with headlines and references stating that she is “homophobic” and “hates Obama and gay people.”

But Mrs. Pitt has at least one high-profile supporter on her daughter-in-law's side of the family: Jolie's dad Jon Voight!

“Good for her,” Voight told FOX411’s Pop Tarts column, adding that he agrees with the points-of-view expressed by Jane.

A rep for Brad Pitt, an avid supporter of President Obama, did not respond for further comment. Jane Pitt declined further comment when we attempted to reach her.

Brad’s brother Doug also defended his mother earlier this week during an appearance on the "Today Show."

“I think moms and dads and kids agree to disagree all over the world. So why would our family be any different? There can be healthy discussion when people disagree with you,” he said. “The bad thing is when it turns to venom and negativity, and we don’t have that in our family. It’s open discussion. We can learn from each other and, if anything, it solidifies your point. Or maybe you learn something.”

Oh, to be a fly on the wall when Brangelina and the family sit down for Sunday dinner in that big French castle they bought…

Danielle Jones-Wesley contributed to this report.

BRAD PITT'S MOM IN FEAR AFTER SLAMMING OBAMA

Jane Pitt, mother of actor Brad Pitt, has been scared into silence by the hate-filled, vulgar and even violent reaction to her public assertion that Barack Obama is “a liberal who supports the killing of unborn babies and same-sex marriage.”
Pitt has even been the subject of death threats following her letter to the editor of Missouri’s Springfield News-Leader in which she asserted failure to vote for Republican presumptive presidential candidate Mitt Romney constituted a vote for Obama.
WND spoke briefly with Pitt and asked about the media assault against her for her comments as a private citizen supporting Romney. With inflections in her voice that conveyed fear and despair, she quietly and politely said she was not interested in talking to anyone in the media about the incident.
When she was told WND supported her right to speak her mind and is appalled by the threats against her life, Pitt expressed gratitude to WND for being one of the few news agencies doing so. Even her thank you, however, was said in a subdued manner laden with heaviness of heart.
Pitt had every reason to be frightened. Following her letter to the editor in her local newspaper, the mainstream media have painted her comments in a vilifying light.
The Hollywood Reporter published a story headlined, “Brad Pitt’s mother pens anti-gay, anti-Obama letter to local newspaper.” The New York Daily News went further, penning an article originally titled, “Brad Pitt’s mom unleashes anti-gay, anti-Obama fury in letter.”
She Knows Entertainment reported that Pitt actually “hates Obama, ‘gay’ people.”
These slants on the story, however, are mild compared to comments posted on Twitter.
Editors of the Twitter-scouring news site Twitchy exclaimed sarcastically, “Time for the left’s self-proclaimed arbiters of tolerance to teach her a lesson with their hateful, misogynist slurs and death wishes.”
Twitchy then spotlighted some of the tweets it found.

Jane Pitt
“Brad Pitt’s mom, die,” wrote Twitter-poster Sandy Kownacka.
A tweet from “I Bleed Gaga” echoed similar sentiments, saying, “Brad Pitt’s mom wrote an anti-gay pro-Romney editorial. Kill the b—-.”
Other comments included, “F— you, brad pitt’s mom, the gay community made your kid a star, you whacko,” and, “Brad Pitt’s mom is a dumb c—.”
Many of the comments told her to commit vulgar sexual acts with the commenter.
These statements stand contrary to Pitt’s own statements about his mother. In January, Pitt told the Hollywood Reporter that his mother was a very loving person.
“She’s very, very loving – very open, genuine, and it’s hilarious because she always gets painted in the tabloids as a she-devil,” the actor said. “There’s not an ounce of malice in her. She wants everyone to be happy.”
Jane Pitt originally penned her letter to the editor responding to another reader, Richard Stoecker, who stated that Christians should not vote for Romney based on his Mormonism.
In her rebuttal letter, she acknowledged that there were doctrinal differences between Mormonism and Christianity, but she took issue with the rest of Stoecker’s reasoning.
Pitt wrote, “I think any Christian should spend much time in prayer before refusing to vote for a family man with high morals, business experience, who is against abortion and shares Christian conviction concerning homosexuality just because he is a Mormon.”
Pitt went on to say, “Any Christian who does not vote or writes in a name is casting a vote for Romney’s opponent, Barack Hussein Obama – a man who sat in Jeremiah Wright’s church for years, did not hold a public ceremony to mark the National Day of Prayer and is a liberal who supports the killing of unborn babies and same-sex marriage.”
Her statements on Obama’s record, however, are not opinions, but established facts. Obama himself has come out and said he supports the rights of homosexuals to marry. He has repeatedly backed legalized abortion. While he was a state senator in Illinois, Obama opposed a bill that would have required medical care to be given to infants who survived an abortion.
Unlike his mother, Hollywood actor Brad Pitt has taken a strong stand for same-sex marriage and supports Obama.
Brad Pitt has a long history of support for homosexual causes. He once famously declared he would refuse to marry Angelina Jolie until same-sex marriages were made legal in America in every state.
Following New York’s legalization of same-sex marriage, Pitt said, “It is each American’s constitutional right to marry the person they love, no matter what state they inhabit. No state should decide who can marry and who cannot.”
In 2008, he donated $100,000 to help fight passage of Proposition 8, a constitutional amendment in California that recognized marriage as being between one man and one woman. In March, he portrayed homosexual Judge Vaughn Walker in “8,” a play that re-enacted the trial where Walker overturned the amendment.

Oscar Winner Ernest Borgnine Dead at 95

By ETONLINE STAFF
July 08, 2012
Actor Ernest Borgnine, best known for the 1955 film Marty has died at the age of 95.


The actor passed away today at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, a spokesman told The Associated Press. The spokesman went on to reveal that Borgnine's family was at his side.


Borgnine was the oldest living winner of the best actor Oscar, a prize awarded to him for his role as the romantic butcher in Marty. The part was particularly notable as it marked a divergence from the villainous characters that Borgnine had become known for.


In the 1953 film From Here to Eternity, Borgnine played Sgt. "Fatso" Judson, who clobbers Frank Sinatra's character, Pvt. Maggio.


After winning an Academy Award, Borgnine starred in the comedy series McHale's Navy as the titular character, Lt. Commander Quinton McHale. The series ran from 1962-66 in which time a feature film was released based off the show, also starring Borgnine.


In 1997, a cross-country trip Borgnine embarked upon was chronicled in the documentary Ernest Borgnine on the Bus.


After more than a half century of TV and film work, the actor took home the life achievement award at the 17th annual SAG Awards in 2011.


Borgnine, who was married five times, is survived by his four children.

D23 Presents TREASURES OF THE WALT DISNEY ARCHIVES at the Reagan Library

July 6, 2012 – April 2013

D23: The Official Disney Fan Club and the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Library are proud to announce D23 PRESENTS TREASURES OF THE WALT DISNEY ARCHIVES, coming to the Reagan Library in July of 2012.

Mrs. Ronald Reagan and Mr. Bob Iger, with the assistance of the fantastic Mickey and Minnie Mouse, officially open the D23 Presents Treasures of the Walt Disney Archives exhibit at the Reagan Library! This exhibit opens to the public today July 6 at 10am!

At 12,000 square feet, this is the largest exhibition ever curated by the Walt Disney Archives and the largest temporary exhibit ever housed at the Reagan Library.  From Oswald the Lucky Rabbit and Mickey Mouse to Captain Jack Sparrow and Captain America, the exhibition features more than 500 artifacts from nearly nine decades of Disney history – over 50% of which have never been seen by the public – including models, props, costumes, set pieces and artwork from throughout Disney history.

Click here to purchase your tickets in advance.
Among the extraordinary Disney collectibles to be featured are:
  • The original script, written by Walt Disney, for Mickey Mouse’s first cartoon, Steamboat Willie;
  • A faithful recreation of Walt’s formal office from the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, Calif., including original furnishings and many of his personal items;
  • Hand-drawn artwork and hand-sculpted models used in the production of some of the most beloved Disney animated film classics ever created, including Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio, Fantasia, Bambi, and Sleeping Beauty;
  • Props from classic Disney live-action productions, including Mary Poppins, 20,0000 Leagues Under the Sea, The Absent-Minded Professor, The Shaggy Dog, Babes in Toyland, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, and more;
  • Breathtaking props, costumes, and set pieces from recent Disney classics, including the Pirates of the Caribbean films, Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, TRON: Legacy, National Treasure, and Captain America;
  • Intricately sculptured busts of all 44 U.S. presidents created for Audio-Animatronics® figures seen in the Hall of Presidents attraction at the Magic Kingdom at the Walt Disney World Resort;
  • A salute to Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, showcasing theme park artwork, Audio-Animatronics® characters, memorabilia, and authentic attraction vehicles 
The exhibition also pays tribute to the long personal friendship and professional collaboration between Walt Disney and Ronald Reagan, which began many years before President Reagan’s political career.  On July 17, 1955, Ronald Reagan was one of the co-hosts of ABC-TV’s live coverage of the opening of Disneyland, and as Governor of California, he frequently visited Disney’s first theme park. After leaving the Oval Office, one of his first public events was a return to Disneyland, where he officiated at the park’s January 1990 35th-anniversary celebration, proclaiming it “one of America’s national treasures.”
Guests may also visit www.disney.com/D23.

The Ronald Reagan Library & Museum is located in Simi Valley, Calif., about 60 minutes north of downtown Los Angeles and approximately two hours north of the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim.
A special thank you to UPS, movers of the magic.

About D23
D23: The Official Disney Fan Club celebrates the remarkable past, present, and future of Disney, taking its name from 1923, the year Walt Disney founded his world-famous company. D23 unlocks the magic of Disney with a host of exclusive benefits, including a quarterly publication, Disney twenty-three, a rich website at www.disney.com/D23, a weekly e-mail newsletter; an array of discounts and special offers; free gifts throughout the year; as well as exclusive events created especially for its members.

Disney fans can join the world’s only Official Disney Fan Club by visiting www.Disney.com/D23, or at select shops at the Disneyland® Resort, the Walt Disney World® Resort and www.DisneyStore.com/D23. To keep up with all the latest D23 news and events, follow “DisneyD23” on Twitter, YouTube and Facebook.

About The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Library
The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to the preservation and promotion of Ronald Reagan’s legacy of individual liberty, economic opportunity, global democracy, and national pride. It sustains the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum, the Center for Public Affairs, the Presidential Learning Center and The Air Force One Pavilion.
 www.reaganfoundation.org
Located in Simi Valley, California the Library houses over 55 million pages of Gubernatorial, Presidential and personal papers and more than 60,000 gifts and artifacts chronicling the lives of Ronald and Nancy Reagan. It now also serves as the final resting place of America’s 40th President.
 www.reaganlibrary.com
Mrs. Ronald Reagan and Mr. Bob Iger, with the assistance of the fantastic Mickey and Minnie Mouse, officially open the D23 Presents Treasures of the Walt Disney Archives exhibit at the Reagan Library! This exhibit opens to the public today July 6 at 10am! Don’t forget to purchase your tickets in advance.

For more information visit: 

"STARS & STRIPES" by Nathan Osmond. Happy Birthday America!

Nathan Osmond  has given our nation a great birthday gift today. Pretty World Records is proud to present the world premiere of "STARS & STRIPES" by Nathan Osmond. Stars & Stripes. (C) 2012 Ntune Production, LLC Executive Producer: Rick Priddis & Priddis Music Company. Director: Brandon Beckham. Special thanks to Annin Flagmakers.

 "This video is dedicated to ALL the brave men & women of the United States Armed Forces
and their families." - Nathan Osmond
 Sgt. Jason Hale, just one of the countless warriors who have defended our great nation!