Bark + Bite

NBC's The Voice delivers suspense, talent and entertainment

American Idol has pretty much had an open playing field with regard to the singing competition show genre, but that's about to change with NBC's foray into the space with The Voice. Part gameshow and part Making the Band, NBC's show brings a fresh perspective on a familiar concept.

The premise of The Voice is that "real" music talent is heard, not seen. And so the judges go through a blind audition process, in which they sit in gigantic rotating chairs with their backs faced to the contestants until they hit the big red buzzer indicating they like the contestant's voice enough to turn around and bid for them to join their respective team of singers.

If it sounds a little hokey, it is, but it's also pretty fun too. In fact, the rejections on The Voice are just as eviscerating as Simon Cowell's pointed verbal daggers. The visual of all four judges turning their backs on a singing hopeful is the coldest shoulder to hit reality TV since Donald Trump's "You're fired!" The disappointment is written all over the contestant's face as he or she realizes the song is coming to an end and no one's chair has rotated an inch. Ouch.

Christina Aguilera confirms new album, talks The Voice on Leno

These days, when people mention Christina Aguilera, they speak of her with an overwhelming mixture of sympathy and pity. As if she were a puppy who's been debarked.

"Oh, she had a really rough year," people say solemnly. And Christina agrees, chirping about how difficult her divorce has been. But most people in the public didn't even really register her marriage to non-famous person Jordan Bratman. Her being married or single didn't really have much of an impact on the Christina Aguilera brand. Unlike Kevin Federline, who caused irreparable damage to the Britney Spears brand, Christina Aguilera made the transition from pop tart to loving wife quite seamlessly. In other words, her ex-husband is and always was a non-factor.

So when people extend their condolences for Christina's hard knocks, most of them are doing so because of that big fat flop that Christina fell into with her last album Bionic. Fairly or unfairly, Bionic was seen as an opportunity for Christina to clap back at Lady Gaga, who she somewhat slighted flippantly in a few interviews before.

Unfortunately, much to the delight of her detractors, Christina Aguilera tried to out freak her rival with her own derivative brand of futuristic sex magick on her lead single "Not Myself Tonight." But she ended up going nowhere.

After Bionic imploded, Christina's marriage fell apart, she got drunk in public, released a cheesy movie that garnered Razzie nominations and flubbed the words to the national anthem at the Super Bowl. Who has the Christina Aguilera voo doo doll and can they give it a rest with the needle pricking already?

Given that Jennifer Lopez has renewed her music career with a judging gig on American Idol, Christina is following suit with NBC's take on the reality TV singing competition show with The Voice. As part of the promo campaign for the show, Christina sat down with Jay Leno and talked about her son and the new show, while also confirming she was back in the studio, hard at work on her next album.

Watch the interview from the Tonight Show with Jay below

The Voice promo shows off its cast of characters

Ok, so let's get one thing straight: Promos can't tell you much about a show. A one-minute segment before an episode has even been filmed and edited is more about advertising that a) the show exists, b) there people in you recognize and may like and c) there is a reason for you to watch it. The 60 second promo for NBC's new singing competition "The Voice" accomplishes all of those things and while simultaneously giving the viewer hints as to what the might be: good, or very, very bad.

Christina Aguilera confirmed for NBC's The Voice

Photo: Wireimage

It's official: Christina Aguilera is the necessary one female judge on NBC's new Idol competitor, The Voice.

“I am so excited to be part of such a wonderful project that celebrates music and the talent behind it,” Aguilera said in a statement. “To be given the opportunity to help shape new artists’ careers and mentor them to see their dreams come to fruition is a task I welcome with open arms. I am so happy to be working with fellow Grammy Award winners Adam and Cee Lo as I feel there is so much we can all bring to The Voice.”

Ms. Aguilera joins Maroon 5's lead singer Adam Levine and hip hop/soul artist Cee Lo Green on the singing competition that has the three music business veterans serving as coaches and judges. The show also includes several little twists along the way, such as blind picking of the competitors they will take under their wings and far less seclusion of the artists-in-the-making than on similar shows.

Kim Kardashian phones in dull performance in "Jam," her pop star debut

Paris Hilton did it, so why can't Kim Kardashian, right? These days, everyone and anyone can take a crack at pop stardom. No doubt Kim Zolciak of Real Housewives of Atlanta has inspired many more marginally talented primadonnas, debutantes and jumpoffs with the success of her stunt single "Tardy for the Party."

And that's all fine and dandy. Unlike rock music or rap, credibility as an artist matters less in pop music and as long as you can sell us something fun, catchy and infectious, then the thin vocals and limited artistic abilities will be overlooked. (See the Jennifer Lopez chapter in the book of pop music history)

But Kim Kardashian couldn't even be bothered to get the blood flowing for her pop debut "Jam." Her vocals are flat and uninspired, much like her performance in that overhyped sex tape with Ray J. Her energy level isn't discernible as she never really varies her tone to emote anything resembling human emotion. Kim coos "Turn it up, turn it up, DJ" but she sounds about as thrilled doing so as she would ordering Chinese takeout.

The only point at which the song gets tolerable is when The-Dream — who hopefully was paid handsomely for his services as the mad doctor to this Frankenstein creation of pop music — drowns her out with background singers, autotune and layered vocals. Let's hope Kim Kardashian's foray into pop music is as successful Paris Hilton's and that it's all over with before Kim does long lasting damage to the public's hearing.

Listen to Kim Kardashian's attempt at singing for yourself below

Cee Lo Green, Adam Levine to judge yet another singing competition

Photo: Wireimage

America loves competitions. Whether it's modeling, cooking or losing weight to becoming less of a "tool", television in this country has continued to feed this addiction by providing an endless array of choices for viewers. When there is "nothing else on TV" there is always a reality competition. And as if there weren't enough singing and dancing shows on the small-screen as it is, NBC is bringing the The Voice to the U.S. - with the hopes of signing on Adam Levine, lead singer of Maroon 5, and hip hop/funk/soul veteran Cee Lo Green, according to an exclusive report from EW.

Grammy scene-stealer Cee-Lo Green and Maroon 5 singer Adam Levine are in serious discussions to join Mark Burnett’s singing competition The Voice for NBC, EW has learned exclusively. Producers also considered Lenny Kravitz, Roger Daltrey, Mary J. Blige, John Legend and Enrique Iglesias about occupying a judging seat on the show

Deals are not signed and things could still change. But NBC hopes to close deals with the male singers within the next few days, and then sign another judge sometime next week.

The show, which is already popular in other areas of the world, is the same basic singing competition as all of the others on the air right, with a few changes made to hook new fans. They include having the judges' backs to contestants so that it is vocal quality and not looks that make the decision, opening auditions to singers via webcam, and allowing contestants to be free during the competition to perform or do other fan base-building activities.

Snooki and Drake have an awkwardly flirtatious conversation in front of his mom

Drake is an admitted mama's boy, but he proved that he's really comfortable around his mother when he and Snooki flirted bluntly in front of the mother of Drizzy, who coincidentally is about the same height as lil' Snooki.

After oohing and ahhing over each other on the Grammy red carpet at Sway's prompting, Drake introduced the Jersey Shore star to his mother, Sandi Graham. But Drake and Snooki didn't turn down the raunch factor just cause his mama was around. Drake slyly quipped, "Does that turn you on?" to the 4'9" reality star.

Snooki didn't miss a beat and played right along while Drake's mother tried her best to fade into the background. The question that really blew the whole thing out of the water? Snooki curiously asking Drake, "Did you smoosh (have sex with) Rihanna?" Oh that Snooki. She has such a way with words.

That invasive question is the one that finally got Drake a little bashful and self-conscious, for some reason. Guess that means it might be true?

Watch Snooki and Drake's hilariously awkward red carpet moment below

Kanye does more than keep up with Kim Kardashian, prepping another new album

At this point, it's not clear if Kanye West's little love affair with Kim Kardashian is the result of Ye's unpredictable impulses or a well-crafted publicity stunt, but whatever its origins, the pairing is happening for real, for real, y'all.

Kim Kardashian has cut a song, produced by The-Dream, that she'll be releasing called "Turn It Up" and Kanye is slated to appear in the video with her. Kim even credits Ye with encouraging her to record music in the first place. (Why, Ye, why?!) But the promo love isn't one-sided, Kanye turned up on Kim Kardashian's latest reality TV spinoff, Kim and Kourtney Take New York.

In his appearance, Kanye "stops by" as Kim and her sister strategize about the opening of their latest Dash clothing store. Somehow, this planning includes playing patty cake with Mr. West.

Watch Kanye mingle with Kim and her sister in a clip below