To kick off 2012, one of the brilliant groups from NBC’s The Sing-Off recently released their debut album after making it to the Top 3 teams of the show’s second season. The jubilant harmonies you heard in season 2 were products of the first time the men and women of the Backbeats had ever made music together – and what glorious music it was. The self-titled debut album features a variety of honest, wholesome, and explosive covers of some of today’s most popular hits. The emotion the group put forth in crafting the album is clearly displayed through the tones and energy emitted in each track. The texture of songs like “Firework” and “Need You Now” demonstrates the group’s devotion to making music they love and making it their own. Staying true but unique to the sounds of Adele, Coldplay, Lady Gaga, Beyonce and more, The Backbeats work to expand the art that is a cappella. With the help Sing-Off judge Sara Bareilles, the Backbeats also tackle “Uncharted,” the latest hit from the a cappella queen, in true a cappella form.

Bringing together all of their unique harmonies, tones, energies, and passion for music, The Backbeats use the camaraderie they developed throughout their season of The Sing-Off to spring forth a collection of unique and one-of-a-kind covers that can only be a promising preview of tunes to come from this colorful bunch.

The Yak recently had the opportunity to pick the brains of members of the Backbeats and we want to share with you the thoughts directly from the artists themselves. The depth behind the answers they provided further demonstrate their passion to make music that not only entertains but also speaks. Also hidden below is a way for YOU to win a FREE copy of this album – one we guarantee you’ll listen to over and over.

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What was the group’s inspiration in choosing which songs made the album cut?
KENTON: To be honest, it was an incredibly hard decision. We ran ideas past each other for weeks before recording, and even while we were recording one song, we were wrestling with the next song to pick! On the show, we were best known as the group who rocked the powerhouse ballad – and we wanted to pay homage to that, but we also wanted to showcase all the different styles and voices that really makes The Backbeats what we are. With Turning Tables and Need You Now, I think we really got to the emotional songs, but Born This Way and Cry Me A River really let us have fun!

Funny story about our title track, Thinking ‘Bout Somethin’ – our “inspiration” came from seeing one of our friend’s posts on our Facebook News Feed! We all watched the music video together and fell in love with the song. And who knew Hanson was still around, making really good music??

Now that you’ve been off of the Sing-Off for about a year, how has life changed for the Backbeats? Other than making music in the studio, what have been the new challenges to adapt to?
KELLEY: Our biggest challenge as a group is coordinating our busy schedules. While on the Sing-Off, we had time set aside for rehearsing and performing, but now that we are back to our “real” lives, it’s hard to come together sometimes. Some of us work 9-5 jobs and some of us travel for work, and often we don’t know what the future holds.

How much did talk for original music come up in recording this album and can we expect original music in the future?
JORDAN: We thought about it and talked it over but I think for this album we wanted to give our fans a similar taste of what they saw from us on the show with some new songs to switch it up a bit. Original music in the future is definitely a possibility and something I think we would love to also share with our fans, so we will see what the future holds.

What are the Backbeats plans for 2012?
RACHEL: We’re going to continue riding the wave in 2012! There is a lot of excitement circling the release of our album, so we’re busing marketing and promoting it with online campaigns and various appearances. We’re elated with the amount of support we’ve received from our family, friends and fans who’ve purchased the album and our listening to our music. We’re also continuing to gig here and there– we’re traveling to New York and Florida in the month of February!! So 2012 is off to a good start! We’re hoping to make some more great music and memories this year!

We know the Backbeats formed for the Sing-Off last year and we also know that many of the members went back to their respective schools after the show was over. How has it been adapting to being in different parts of the country, especially while recording an album and making plans for 2012?
COURTNEY: It was definitely an adventure for me to be in a different state than most of the group after the show was through. I basically just learned how to pack a suitcase really well! When it came to making the album, we were really good about communicating about mixes and things via the internet, and I was able to record all of my percussion up here in Oregon with Peter Hollens, so it worked out really nicely. Overall, I feel like I get the best of both worlds with this deal, because I get to perform with some of my best friends all around the country, but I still call Oregon home.

How was it recording with Sara Bareilles, a seasoned performer and recording artist?
TODD: As mind-blowingly unreal as you’d think it would be. We had the good fortune of getting to share the stage with Sara in the finale of Season 2 for “King of Anything.” Getting to do it all over with “Uncharted” was a dream come true… for a second time. I remember when the idea came up during album discussions, we all thought there wasn’t a chance it would actually happen, but it was worth a shot to ask. Then it happened. And then Sara was chosen as Nicole’s successor for the open judge’s chair. Then we were invited back for the finale… Soon, it was like old times, which is weird to say. At the stage we’re at, you never really get used to people like Sara, Shawn and Ben being a part of your lives.

For a chance to win a FREE copy of The Backbeats debut self-titled album, tweet your favorite BackBeats performance to @yakkityyaks with #YakWithTheBackBeats. One randomly selected fan will be chosen as our winner!

Amusing anecdote: During choreo rehearsals for our “King of Anything” performance on Season 2, Sara was touring and unavailable to rehearse until the day of the show (!). So in her place sat a chair that we all danced and sang around, acting as if it were her. We called this lucky seat “Chair-a Bareilles.” Needless to say, the real Sara was a much more pleasing upgrade from hotel furniture.

How about the group’s inspiration in choosing which voice to showcase on a particular song?
EITAN : As a group, we have always felt that The Backbeats represents a group of eight lead vocalists – never one soloist with seven back-up singers. Because of that, it was important to us that each member in the group was able to contribute his/her unique vocal style and interpretation as a soloist to at least one track on the album. It’s what keeps the album fresh and gives it “repeat listenability.”

To directly answer the question, song selections for the album went hand in hand with the selection of the soloists. We always chose a song with a soloist in mind.

What has been the moment you feel like you’ll cherish the most since finishing The Sing-Off? Just something you never thought you’d experience at this stage in your life?
KENTON: Probably the greatest moment I remember is the moment we all (the contestants) met each other for the first time in the hotel. Before all the glitz and all the production, we were, at the very basis, musicians and friends. There were 90 or some odd number of us, and our first rehearsal of the opening number was quite hectic – but when it locked! The harmonies, the dynamics, the vocal talent; we knew we were in for something amazing.

I never thought I’d be able to say at this age that I can go almost anywhere across the country and call up someone to stay with or hang out. It’s a great feeling, to have family all across America!

RACHEL: I could honestly answer this question in about a hundred different ways because there have been so many moments that I’ve cherished since finishing our run on The Sing-Off. We have had the incredible opportunity to do some amazing amazing gigs that I will never forget– the NBA All-Star game, gigs in Vegas, Christmas Tree lighting television specials, etc. We’ve also created friendships that will last a lifetime, with each other as a group, and with our friends from the show. And probably the cherry on top is that we’ve been able to make an album of our music with a record label and a major distributor… that’s something that doesn’t just come about every day of someone’s life. We’ve been blessed and lucky to have experienced all of these things this year, it’s really just incredible!

The Backbeats Complete Track Listing:
01. THINKING ‘BOUT SOMETHIN’
02. BORN THIS WAY
03. EVERY TEARDROP IS A WATERFALL
04. TURNING TABLES
05. ‘TILL THE WORLD ENDS
06. FIREWORK
07. CRY ME A RIVER
08. NEED YOU NOW
09. WHO YOU ARE
10. IF I WERE A BOY
11. MONSTER
12. UNCHARTED (Feat. Sara Bareilles)

Aside from what we have speculated when The Amazing Race began filming late last year, CBS has now confirmed that Big Brother’s power couple Rachel Reilly and Brendon Villegas have been cast as part of the Amazing Race 20. The rest of the cast, listed below, includes dating divorcees, male twins, and more! Check out the cast vid below and let us know what you think of the new cast! Be sure to check our forums later today for full cast bios and pics!

The Amazing Race 20 airs February 19 at 8/7c on CBS!

Dave Brown Jr., 33, U.S. Army officer and Rachel Brown, 30, project manager; married

William “Bopper” Minton, 41, motorcycle mechanic and Mark Jackson, 45, former state inspector; best friends

Nary Ebeid, 32, federal agent and Jamie Graetz, 33, federal agent; friends

Brendon Villegas, 31, PhD Student and Rachel Reilly, 27, Event Hostess; engaged

Joey “Fitness” Lasalla, 29, trainer/supplement company owner and Danny Horal, 27, nightclub promoter; friends

Misa Tanaka, 27, car buyer and Maiya Tanaka, 25, professional golfer; sisters

Dave Gregg, 44, clown and Cherie Gregg, 44, clown; married

Elliot Weber, 28, musician and Andrew Weber, 28, professional soccer player; twins

Kerri Paul, 30, program coordinator and Stacy Bowers, 30, self employed / “basketball” wife; cousins

Vanessa Macias, 31, freelance writer and Ralph Kelley, 36, bar owner; dating divorcees

Art Velez, 43, border patrol agent and J.J. Carrell, 42, border patrol agent; friends

YakkityYaks is looking for DEVOTED and EXCITED fans of TV, Movies, Music and Entertainment to join our team! As shows like American Idol, The Voice, and more are around the corner, we want to extend an invitation to our readers to join our writing team. Our only requirement is that you love entertainment and love the Yak! If there is a television show or themed column you’d like to helm, please Contact Us or hit us up on Facebook or Twitter to let us know of your interest!

We promise … you’ll love what you do. Just talk to our newest contributor, PJ Williamson (@pj_williamson), who is currently our Once Upon a Time correspondent with more plans for his Yak future! Don’t hesitate to ask us any questions.

Ready … Set … YAK!

At the start of the new year, we got word that Fox had axed the Results show portion of So You Think You Can Dance US. While that angered many fans, including this one here at the Yak, it now appears that this may be a blessing in disguise. While it doesn’t appear official yet by any stretch of the imagination, and while this still might eliminate some of the greatest and more artistic and inspiring group performances on television, it looks like SYTYCD might get an oversized season this summer!

The previous Dance format, after the initial audition and Vegas episodes, included a 2 hours performance show on Wednesday with a one hour Results show on Thursday. Now that the results show has been axed, which we have options for fans to counter it if they so choose, it appears that SYTYCD will air more 2 hour episodes during the summer, carrying the show through to the start of the fall season. Previously, Dance had been known to end sometime in August, about a month before Fall TV, leaving Fox with some “dead weeks.”

At the Television Critics Association press event, President Kevin Reilly added “We wanted to get a few more shows on over the summer. We also wanted to smooth out our summer so we don’t stop early and then have these dead weeks leading up to the season.”

Initially, fans were concerned that the axing of the results shows meant Fox wanted to air more programming over the summer. While that might be true, this may not spell doom for the under-appreciated, highly-talented dance show. “The total number of hours that we committed to Dance, it’s a couple hours less. It wasn’t really like we wanted to reduce the total number of hours. In fact, we wanted to figure out how to spread it out over the summer, which is now what we’re doing,” Reilly said. It appears that the results show might very well be built into the new format, possibly a la The Voice or The Sing-Off?

In other dance news, the developer and producer of Strictly Come Dancing, which came to be known as Dancing With the Stars in the United States, has died. Richard Hopkins, 47, died from a brain tumor. He initially pitched the idea to BBC in the UK before working on the current US hit. Our thoughts and prayers go to the Hopkins family and friends.

Well, YakkityYaks is kicking off 2012 by taking a stand. We recently published an Open Letter to the network executives of Fox regarding the cancellation of the Results Shows for upcoming Season 9 of So You Think You Can Dance. In our efforts to spread the word and garner support from SYTYCD fans around America, we have come up with a few simple ways to have our voices heard. If you support our movement, please pass on the word to your friends and family.

1. Talk about the show with others – at school, at work, online, or wherever. As auditions kick off January 5 in Atlanta, we can work to create a buzz. We understand the upcoming season does not premiere until the end of May 2012, but demonstrating strong investment in the show cannot hurt.

2. Sign the petition below and encourage others to do so as well.

3. Write to the network. Please be respectful and logical in your arguments. Threats will not strengthen your argument, but rather weaken it. Explain to the network how much you enjoy the Results Shows portion of SYTYCD and how it enhances your experience when watching the show on Fox. You can mention that you’ve signed the petition, and that you want to see the Results Shows make a return to the show’s format. Visit Fox.com and contact the network through their online rom or you can write via “snail-mail” to: Mr. Kevin Reilly, President of Entertainment, FOX, P.O. Box 900, Beverly Hills, CA 90213-0900, RE: So You Think You Can Dance

4. Take note of the products that have been advertised in season’s past. You can write the advertisers and tell them that you notice their products during telecasts of SYTYCD and that you appreciate their sponsorship of the performance and results shows.

If anyone has any other ideas, please feel free to post them below. Together our voices can be heard. Thanks in advance to our supporters!

An Open Letter to Executives of the Fox Television Network

Not long after the world celebrated the onset of 2012, So You Think You Can Dance (SYTYCD) Executive Producer and Judge, Nigel Lythgoe, posted a message on his @dizzyfeet Twitter account regarding upcoming Season 9 of SYTYCD. “#FOX have cancelled the results show so I will have to change the format of #SYTYCD. At least we have another season at the end of MAY.”

In a world where social media is prevalent, the news was not taken lightly by fans of the Emmy nominated reality series. Rumors have already started spreading as to possible changes the show will have to undergo without a results show. Worries that the title “America’s Favorite Dancer” would have to be tweaked have begun to spread like wildfire.

In a world where reality or alternative programming to scripted television is prevalent and enjoyed by fans across the country, cancelling the Results Show portion of a program is, putting it bluntly, a terrible and miscalculated mistake. SYTYCD has become a summer staple program in many houses across America. In a world where wholesome family programming is hard to find, SYTYCD offered such an option for families to get together and enjoy true talent showcased on television for 3 hours a week (with a 2 hour performance show and a one hour results telecast). During the latter telecast where America’s votes are revealed, some of the best SYTYCD dances – including some of the Emmy award nominated pieces – were performed as the contestants joined forces in powerful and moving group numbers.

Many Results telecasts of similar programs have been touted by fans and critics to be filled with “filler.” While shows like The Voice and The Sing-Off have televised seasons without Results Shows, SYTYCD Results Shows offer something extra for fans. From group numbers choreographed and performed with such passion and fluid movement to some breathtaking “Dance For Your Life” moments, SYTYCD Results Shows are not filled with overblown recaps and guest performance after guest performance like some other shows. While that format may suffice other reality programs, the format that Lythgoe and SYTYCD producers have adopted for SYTYCD has been all about showcasing the talent. After all, isn’t the talent what it’s all about? Isn’t showcasing the art of choreography and dance without gimmicks what the show is about?

In 2007, SYTYCD was critically recognized when it took home it’s first 2 Emmy Awards for Outstanding Choreography. In 2008, SYTYCD was nominated three times – for three different choreographers – and took home another Emmy for Outstanding Choreography. The streak continued with 23 more nominations by the industry for Outstanding Choreography from 2009 to the present day. Of those 23 nominations, the show took home 10 more Emmys. We can’t forget the nominations of 2011 when host Cat Deeley was nominated for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program – a long overdue recognition. SYTYCD also touted a nomination in this little award category of Outstanding Reality-Competition Program. Not to mention, countless of entertainment sites around the web have named SYTYCD in their “Best Of 2011″ features, including YakkityYaks.

While we understand this move by the Network does not guarantee that Season 9 is indeed the show’s final season, we fans know and understand that such a move unfortunately does not bode well for this under-rated and under-appreciated network gem.

To all SYTYCD fans, if you agree with the thoughts noted above, please do your part in sharing this open letter and let the network executives of Fox know that we do not appreciate this move and we hope that they reconsider – even if it means a 30 minute Results telecast versus the usual hour. We here at the Yak do not support this decision by the powers that be with Fox.

This writer can say that the Fox network will be boycotted during the hour originally intended for the SYTYCD Results telecast for any non-SYTYCD related programming.

Thank you for reading.

Kasey Olmstead and JD Montgomery
YakkityYaks.com

Christmas music is no longer on repeat, holiday programming comes to an end, and people begin to reflect on one year as they prepare for the next. As the holiday season comes to an end and we enter a new chapter in television, we here at the Yak decided it was finally time to preview the new fare that the major networks will be offering us this winter and spring. In addition to our Winter Midseason Television Preview, be sure to check the calendar on the right side of this very page for all winter premiere dates for the month of January! We’ll work on getting February dates up there, as well, but until then, be reminded of when your favorite shows return! We’ve got a lot of fun things planned in the winter with upcoming reality shows, the awards season and more, so stay tuned!

Click here for Fox’s Midseason Schedule

Alcatraz, January 16 @ 8/7c on Fox!

When San Francisco Police Department DET. REBECCA MADSEN is assigned to a grisly homicide case, a fingerprint leads her to a shocking suspect: JACK SYLVANE, a former Alcatraz inmate who died decades ago. Given her family history – both her grandfather and surrogate uncle, RAY ARCHER, were guards at the prison – Madsen’s interest is immediately piqued, and once the enigmatic, knows-everything-but-tells-nothing government agent EMERSON HAUSER tries to impede her investigation, she’s doggedly committed. Madsen turns to Alcatraz expert and comic book enthusiast, DR. DIEGO “DOC” SOTO, to piece together the inexplicable sequence of events. The twosome discovers that Sylvane is not only alive, but he’s loose on the streets of San Francisco, leaving bodies in his wake. And strangely, he hasn’t aged a day since he was in Alcatraz, when the prison was ruled by the iron-fisted WARDEN EDWIN JAMES and the merciless ASSOCIATE WARDEN E.B. TILLER.

Madsen and Soto reluctantly team with Agent Hauser and his technician, LUCY BANERJEE, to stop Sylvane’s vengeful killing spree. By delving into Alcatraz history, government cover-ups and Rebecca’s own heritage, the team will ultimately discover that Sylvane is only a small part of a much larger, more sinister present-day threat. For while he may be the first, it quickly becomes clear that Sylvane won’t be the last prisoner to reappear from Alcatraz.

Through the course of the investigation, Madsen and Soto will learn that Agent Hauser has known about the prison’s secret history and has been awaiting the prisoners’ return. Soto will witness his life’s work – the history of Alcatraz – come alive. Madsen will be forced to keep her supportive San Francisco cop fiancé, JIMMY DICKENS, at arm’s length from the highly classified assignment as she sees everything she thought she knew about her family’s past shattered, all while fighting to keep the country safe from history’s most dangerous criminals.

Next Up: Are You There, Chelsea

Other sites have been making lists based on their preference, telling you who they believe was the best of 2011. We here at the Yak like to do it another way … put you in command. You nominated, you voted, and now it’s time to reveal who YOU chose as the Best of 2011. As 2011 comes to a close in just a few days, we figured it’s time to take you down memory lane as we reminisce about what made these people, TV shows, songs, albums, and celebrities the best (or in some cases the worst) of 2011. There were some EXTREMELY tight races this year, but fans came out in full force to make sure their favorites got to the top. No more yakking, let’s just get right to it. Click on a pic below to see what they won – or just click on the first pic and scroll through to see who and what made YOUR list of favorites in television, music, movies and more in 2011.

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Song of the Year:

Favorite Live Performance of the Year:

Most Viral Video of the Year:

In a somewhat unexpected turn of events, ABC has canned Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. The show will close its doors at the end of the current season, its ninth overall. The show, however, will not be completely gone from ABC’s primetime schedule right away. The network has announced that it will air four upcoming specials, but it will not be a weekly staple in some homes. The two-time Emmy award winning show will make its final bow on January 13th, which happens to be it’s 200th episode. The finale will feature the team rebuilding homes and changing lives for those affected in Joplin, Missouri.

After the show transitioned to Friday nights, ratings haven’t been the same. Struggling against other network offerings, ratings have been sub-par to ABC’s expectations. To date, the team has designed and rebuilt more than 200 homes, in addition to firehouses, schools, daycares and more, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

“It is with a somber heart I close this chapter, but with such excitement I begin the next one,” designer Michael Moloney said in a statement. “I have EM:HE to thank for the platform I have to continue doing good work and great design in 2012 and on.”

As for Ty Pennington, the show’s host, he has a new gig already lined up. He joins Tim Gunn and Harley Pasternak in a new ABC Daytime health and lifestyle series called The Revolution. The show will premiere in January.

It’s nomination season here at the Yak. Between the Yak’s Best of 2011 and the SAG awards being announced yesterday, ’tis the season to acknowledge greatness, right? Earlier this morning, the Golden Globes nominees were announced and some new blood have joined the foray, while some old favorites are up for contention once again. Homeland (notably Claire Danes and Damien Lewis) join Fox’s New Girl and Big Bang‘s Johnny Galecki as part of the fresh blood looking to take home a Golden Globe early next year. What has been a likely predictor for the Oscars, the Globes still make a unique name for themselves year after year.

The Golden Globes will be handed out LIVE at 8/7c on January 15 on NBC. The telecast will be hosted by Ricky Gervais, once again. What do you think? You can check out the Television and Film nominees below!

TELEVISION

DRAMA SERIES
American Horror Story
Boardwalk Empire
Boss
Game of Thrones
Homeland

DRAMA – ACTOR
Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
Kelsey Grammer, Boss
Jeremy Irons, The Borgias
Damian Lewis, Homeland

DRAMA – ACTRESS
Claire Danes, Homeland
Mireille Enos, The Killing
Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife
Madeleine Stowe, Revenge
Callie Thorne, Necessary Roughness

COMEDY SERIES
New Girl
Enlightened
Episodes
Glee
Modern Family

COMEDY – ACTOR
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
David Duchovny, Californication
Johnny Galecki, The Big Bang Theory
Thomas Jane, Hung
Matt LeBlanc, Episodes

COMEDY – ACTRESS
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation
Laura Dern, Enlightened
Zooey Deschanel, New Girl
Laura Linney, The Big C

Vote for your favorites in TELEVISION in the Yak’s Best of 2011

SERIES, TV-MOVIE OR MINISERIES – SUPPORTING ACTOR
Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones
Paul Giamatti, Too Big to Fail
Guy Pearce, Mildred Pierce
Tim Robbins, Cinema Verite
Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family

SERIES, TV-MOVIE OR MINISERIES – SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Jessica Lange, American Horror Story
Kelly Macdonald, Boardwalk Empire
Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey
Sofia Vergara, Modern Family
Evan Rachel Wood, Mildred Pierce

TV-MOVIE OR MINISERIES
The Hour
Downton Abbey
Cinema Verite
Mildred Pierce
Too Big to Fail

TV-MOVIE OR MINISERIES – ACTOR
Hugh Bonneville, Downton Abbey
Idris Elba, Luther
William Hurt, Too Big to Fail
Bill Nigh, Page Eight
Dominic West, The Hour

TV-MOVIE OR MINISERIES – ACTRESS
Romola Garai, The Hour
Diane Lane, Cinema Verite
Elizabeth McGovern, Downton Abbey
Emily Watson, Appropriate Adult
Kate Winslet, Mildred Pierce

Yak fandom unites to vote for the Best of 2011

MOVIES

BEST MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
The Descendants
The Help
Hugo
The Ides of March
Moneyball
War Horse

BEST MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
50/50
The Artist
Bridesmaids
My Week With Marilyn
Midnight in Paris

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
Glenn Close, Albert Nobbs
Viola Davis, The Help
Rooney Mara, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
Tilda Swinton, We Need to Talk About Kevin

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
George Clooney, The Descendants
Leonardo DiCaprio, J. Edgar
Michael Fassbender, Shame
Ryan Gosling, The Ides of March
Brad Pitt, Moneyball

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
Jodie Foster, Carnage
Charlize Theron, Young Adult
Kristen Wiig, Bridesmaids
Michelle Williams, My Week With Marilyn
Kate Winslet, Carnage

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
Jean Dujardin, The Artist
Brendan Gleeson, The Guard
Ryan Gosling, Crazy Stupid Love
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, 50/50
Owen Wilson, Midnight in Paris

Vote for the best in MOVIES in the Yak’s Best of 2011

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn
Arthur Christmas
Cars 2
Puss In Boots
Rango

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
A Separation (Iran)
The Flowers Of War (China)
The Kid With The Bike (Belgium)
In The Land Of Blood and Honey (USA)
The Skin I Live In (Spain)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
Berenice Bejo, The Artist
Jessica Chastain, The Help
Janet McTeer, Albert Nobbs
Octavia Spencer, The Help
Shailene Woodley, The Descendants

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
Kenneth Branagh, My Week With Marilyn
Albert Brooks, Drive
Jonah Hill, Moneyball
Viggo Mortensen, A Dangerous Method
Christopher Plummer, Beginners

BEST DIRECTOR – MOTION PICTURE
Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris
George Clooney, The Ides of March
Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist
Alexander Payne, The Descendants
Martin Scorsese, Hugo

BEST SCREENPLAY – MOTION PICTURE
The Artist
The Descendants
The Ides of March
Midnight in Paris
Moneyball

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE – MOTION PICTURE
Ludovic Bource – The Artist
Abel Korzeniowski – W.E.
Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross – The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Howard Shore – Hugo
John Williams – War Horse

BEST ORIGINAL SONG – MOTION PICTURE
“Hello Hello” – Gnomeo & Juliet – Elton John
“Lay Your Head Down” – Albert Nobbs – Sinead O’Connor
“The Living Proof” – The Help – Mary J. Blige
“The Keeper” – Machine Gun Preacher – Gerard Butler
“Masterpiece” – W.E. – Madonna

2011 was a year full of royal weddings, celebrity breakups, celebrity meltdowns, political distaste, television specials, reality TV takeovers … and the list goes on and on. Some moments of 2011 you will want to relive and some you’ll just want to forget. Some moments you’ll wish never happened and some you’ll wish happened differently. In the second annual “Best Of…” poll at YakkityYaks, we want to take you on a short trip down memory lane looking at the moments that defined 2011 – for better or for worse. Dabbling a little into television, movies, music and just about everything else, we want you to speak up and vote for the moments you think best defined the start of a new decade! Which reality TV star was most deserving of their victory this year? Which television sitcom ranks as the best comedy of 2011? Which celebrity could you have gone the whole year without hearing about? What do you think 2012 will bring in the world of news? All that and more in our polls that we’ve been unveiling all week long! Read on below for the rest of our nominations and get your voting on!

Click here to vote for your favorites in TELEVISION

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2011 was a year full of royal weddings, celebrity breakups, celebrity meltdowns, political distaste, television specials, reality TV takeovers … and the list goes on and on. Some moments of 2011 you will want to relive and some you’ll just want to forget. Some moments you’ll wish never happened and some you’ll wish happened differently. In the second annual “Best Of…” poll at YakkityYaks, we want to take you on a short trip down memory lane looking at the moments that defined 2011 – for better or for worse. Dabbling a little into television, movies, music and just about everything else, we want you to speak up and vote for the moments you think best defined the start of a new decade! Which reality TV star was most deserving of their victory this year? Which television sitcom ranks as the best comedy of 2011? Which celebrity could you have gone the whole year without hearing about? What do you think 2012 will bring in the world of news? All that and more in our polls that we’ll be unveiling all week long! Read on below for the nominations in MOVIES & MUSIC and get your voting on! All other nominees in our pop culture categories will be announced Wednesday, so stay tuned!

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2011 was a year full of royal weddings, celebrity breakups, celebrity meltdowns, political distaste, television specials, reality TV takeovers … and the list goes on and on. Some moments of 2011 you will want to relive and some you’ll just want to forget. Some moments you’ll wish never happened and some you’ll wish happened differently. In the second annual “Best Of…” poll at YakkityYaks, we want to take you on a short trip down memory lane looking at the moments that defined 2011 – for better or for worse. Dabbling a little into television, movies, music and just about everything else, we want you to speak up and vote for the moments you think best defined the start of a new decade! Which reality TV star was most deserving of their victory this year? Which television sitcom ranks as the best comedy of 2011? Which celebrity could you have gone the whole year without hearing about? What do you think 2012 will bring in the world of news? All that and more in our polls that we’ll be unveiling all week long! Read on below for the nominations in TELEVISION and get your voting on! Nominees for Movies and Music (click to vote) will be announced tomorrow, so stay tuned!

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Word has been swirling about possible replacements for Matt Lauer after it was revealed that he may leave The Today Show after his contract expires in December 2012. No surprise there following the departure of Meredith Vieira earlier this year, but who might be next in line to replace Lauer during the morning NBC telecast? Reread the title. That’s right. The American Idol host himself is reportedly in talks with NBC as a possible replacement should Lauer opt out. Reports of the Seacrest-NBC meetings were first reported by The Wall Street Journal.

We should note that these meetings are preliminary in nature and may or may not be followed through, but one wonders if Seacrest has room for one more hosting gig or if he’ll be planning on leaving one gig for another after 2012.

Lauer has been a staple on The Today Show, filling the co-anchor chair since 1997; but with the likes of Katie Couric and Vieira stepping away from the table, is Lauer far behind?

Seacrest currently hosts and produces a number of specials and news programs on E! (an NBCUniversal network), as well as radio countdown show American Top 40 and of course American Idol. Seacrest has been in talks to enhance his affiliation with NBCUniversal and this move might be the enhancement many are looking for. Spokespeople for Seacrest, NBC, Lauer and the Today Show have been keeping quiet so far.

So what do you think? Would you like to see Ryan Seacrest at the head table of NBC’s morning show or do you want to see another replacement for Lauer? Should Lauer even leave? Sound off below!

It hasn’t been the best kept secret, as in previous years, but the halftime entertainment for Superbowl XLVI has been confirmed tonight by NBC. During the Sunday Night Football telecast between the New Orleans Saints and the Detroit Lions, the NFL announced that Michigan native Madonna will be entertaining millions of viewers in Indianapolis on Feb. 5. Madonna will collaborate with a team from Cirque du Soleil for her performance that will hopefully be wardrobe malfunction-free.

Madonna is currently working on her next project, an album set to be released in 2012. Madonna’s halftime show will follow last year’s energy-powered performance by the Black Eyed Peas.

Surprised by this news? Looking forward to seeing the Material Girl on stage?