Big Brother Alums Brendon and Rachel get Engaged!

Ahhh… they say Valentines Day is for lovers, and now, everything is right with the world.

That’s right, Brendon Villegas and Rachel Reilly (BB12) announced on Valentines Day via Real Player Superpass that they are engaged to be married. Rachel’s twitter lit up, “I’m engaged 2 my best friend!!!!!!!!!” and “Yay 4shellic nail products! Making manicures last!! Gotta have pretty hands 4my pretty ring!” and “Oh gym no sugar diets why do you hate me! but you make my butt look cute and after all I gotta start wedding dress shopping next week!” Thank you to Yak Forum member kmteach for the heads up on this precious moment!

We even got a picture of her engaged hand via Twitpic (included below).

No word yet on where they will set up house, but we would imagine Las Vegas is in the running. She “is Vegas” after all.

Cheers to you two! We hope it lasts a lifetime!

Comments? Let us know below!

Big Brother 9 Adam gets 4 Years in Prison

The winner of Big Brother Season 9, Adam Jasinski, has been sentenced in Massachusetts to four years in prison on drug and tax charges.

Adam was sentenced Friday in a Boston federal court for attempting to sell 2,000 oxycodone pills in October 2009 to a witness cooperating with the government.

He pleaded guilty in October to possession with attempt to distribute oxycodone and failure to file a tax return for 2008, the year he won the television show’s $500,000 prize.

Before changing his plea to guilty, Jasinski told a judge he was being treated for bipolar disorder and drug addiction.

I have to say, this isn’t that unexpected. Of the few fans he had around the message board, I don’t think even they questioned his lack of character.

Let us know what you think below!

American Idol Rewind: Ruben, America’s Velvet Teddy Bear

Tonight, American Idol airs Part 2 of it’s 2 night premiere (check out our first Yak Idol recap here), and we continue to showcase the previous Idol winners in the Yak’s American Idol Rewind feature. If you missed our showcase on Kelly Clarkson yesterday, click HERE to check it out. Today, we’ll tackle the man from the “205,” better known as Birmingham, Alabama. America’s “Velvet Teddy Bear,” a nickname he picked up during the show’s sophomore season, beating out hopeful Clay Aiken, according to Seacrest, by a mere 1,335 votes of the 24,000,000 cast – one of the closest, if not the closest in Idol history. So, let’s dive on in and see what this Teddy Bear has done post-Idol and what he’s up to next!

After shocking America and the judges with his initial audition in Nashville, TN, singing “Ribbon In The Sky,” Ruben was ready to prove that he is a force to be reckoned with. Throughout the competition, he continued to wow viewers and critics alike with his gospel voice and soothing tone. The teddy bear was here to stay and he wasn’t willing to compromise who he was. Many claim that Ruben’s defining moment of the competition was his cover of “Superstar,” originally a hit for The Carpenters and Luther Vandross. “Superstar” helped Ruben nab his first Grammy nomination for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance, in which he was up against his very own idol, Luther Vandross. Ruben’s first single, “Flying Without Wings,” helped fuel pre-sales of his debut album Soulful, topping the 1 million mark before hitting the shelves. He went on to sell over 400,000 records during the first week, attaining him the honor of second highest first week sales of any Idol winner.

Studdard’s second album, I Need An Angel, was a gospel hit. Selling over 500,000 records, the album made #1 on the Billboard Year-End Gospel Chart. Having sold more than 2.4 million albums worldwide, Ruben has had his fair share of success from the show, following the pace set by Kelly Clarkson just a few months earlier. However, Ruben was not without his fair share of hardships either. In 2005, Studdard filed a lawsuit against his godfather and business advisor. The suit alleged that he ran up to $156,000 on Ruben’s credit cards and stole more than $90,000 from his checking account. A year later, Studdard was awarded $500,000 for personal losses and another $1.5 million for punitive damage. During this time, Ruben also began a vegetarian diet out of health concern, causing him to lose over 70 pounds.

Ruben’s third album, The Return, was not so much of a return as it was a flop. Venturing back into the R&B world, Ruben’s record sales declined rapidly, causing him to be dropped from J Records for “falling short of expectations.” Still under contract with 19 Recordings, Ruben was invited back to perform on the Idol stage once again during the season 7 finale, for his rendition of “Celebrate Me Home,” used as the contestants farewell song that year. Studdard also took the time to go on tour in a comedy-drama, Heaven I Need a Hug, as well as for Ain’t Misbehavin,’ which set him along side fellow Season 2 alums Trenyce and Frenchie Davis (disqualified contestant).

More recently, Studdard released his 4th studio album, Love Is, which features a mix of covers and original songs, including “Together.” The album debuted to more critical acclaim than previous albums, but mainly stuck on the R&B/Gospel charts. Ruben also released a 5th album in early 2010, Playlist: The Very Best of Ruben Studdard before returning to the Idol stage for another performance during season 9. Last summer, Studdard took to touring with fellow Idol alum Clay Aiken for a month. The unique aspect of the tour was that it did not focus on their individual recordings, but rather to pay homage to hits from the 60’s to the 90’s with comic variety show acts in between.

Studdard is also not a stranger to the small screen, making appearances on Eve, 8 Simple Rules, and One on One, among others. On a more personal and intimate level, Studdard took his fame and fortune a step further, creating an advocacy group close to his heart, The Ruben Studdard Foundation for the Advancement of Children in the Music Arts. The organization focuses on their aim to “promote the essential role of the arts in education through learning initiatives for the development of students in the Greater Birmingham Area.” Studdard is also an official spokesperson for “Be Sickle Smart,” a health-education program aimed at increasing awareness of iron overload among people living with sickle cell disease. We can’t neglect to mention that Studdard also found the love of his life post-Idol. While signing CDs at a Walmart in Atlanta, the velvet teddy bear gave himself to someone special, Surata Zuri McCants. The two married in a small, private ceremony in Mountain Brook, Alabama in June 2008.

Despite taking a different road post his American Idol victory compared to his predecessor Kelly Clarkson, Ruben Studdard has chosen to make his mark on the industry with a different stamp. Taking on the world of R&B and gospel, Ruben has worked to prove that his Idol win was not in vain. While he may not shine in the mainstream media like Clarkson and some of her Idol successors, Studdard has made his mark on the industry while not straying from his roots, the “205” Velvet Teddy Bear America came to know and love. What are your thoughts on the velvet teddy bear? Did you vote for Ruben to win Idol? Also, don’t forget to check us out again on Wednesday, January 26th for our next installment of Idol Rewind, featuring Season 3’s Fantasia Barrino.

American Idol Rewind: Kelly, America’s Original Idol

As American Idol celebrates it’s 10th anniversary (season premiere TONIGHT 8EST/7CST on Fox with live-blogging threads for each show here at YakkityYaks!), the Yak thought we’d take a trip down memory lane and look back and the previous nine contestants America voted as their Idol. Of course, we’ll begin with our look at America’s original Idol beauty, Kelly Clarkson. Don’t forget to check out the Yak’s Top 10 Idol Auditions as we gear for yet another wacky (and surprising) audition season.

One question before we begin…Brian Dunkelman who? Good decision by the Idol gods to not invite him back, no? OK, back to Kelly. Compared to the other 9 Idol winners, Kelly Clarkson is usually held on a higher pedestal alongside another Idol alum, Carrie Underwood. Many fans argue that Clarkson is still Idol’s best and most loved winner. To each his/her own. That’s not what we’re here to debate. There is no doubt that Kelly Clarkson paved the way for future Idol seasons giving us contestants that will eventually take the music industry by storm. Kelly graced the Idol stage in 2002 and defeated lady favorite Justin Guarini for the top spot. Afterwards, she went on the represent the United States on the international stage, at World Idol in 2003. To date, Clarkson has released four studio albums: double-platinum debut album Thankful (2003), multi-platinum Breakaway (2004), My December (2007), and All I Ever Wanted (2009). Clarkson is working on her 5th album, titled May, likely scheduled for a May 2011 release (or a rumored March release). Selling over 10.5 million copies in the United States, Clarkson proved she would be a force to be reckoned with and that Idol could be a viable springboard for hopefuls in years to come. Based on downloads alone, Kelly Clarkson is the only American Idol to have reached number one in the UK with her single “My Life Would Suck Without You.” She has sold 36 million singles and 23 million albums worldwide.

Earning 58% of the vote (to Guarini’s 42%), Clarkson won the hearts of America with her Texas charm. Her first released single, “A Moment Like This,” rose from 52 to 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100. The single, subsequently tacked on to her debut album, helped propel Thankful to sell more than 236,000 copies in its first week alone. Some of her biggest performances on Idol have been tapped over and over again on YouTube and around the internet. Wowing America and the judge’s with her rendition of “RESPECT” and “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” by Aretha Franklin, Clarkson showed she was here to stay, even with no audience to feed off of. “A Natural Woman” propelled Kelly to runner-up at the World Idol competition a year after her Idol victory, placing second behind Norway’s best, Kurt Nilsen.

But Kelly’s success wasn’t without it’s drama. Shortly after winning the competition, Kelly was accused of working with a record company, against Idol’s rules. She was eventually cleared of any allegations, as she she only had a contract in order to conduct demonstration work. Her debut album, Thankful, premiered at number one on Billboard’s 200 and reached double-platinum by the end of 2003. Critics were quick to say this would be Kelly’s only success, living off of her recent Idol victory, and that her album was missing the personality she showed on screen. Clarkson earned her first Grammy nomination in 2004 for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance with the album’s second, and arguably biggest, single, “Miss Independent.” But Kelly wasn’t going to stop there.

Moving a bit away from the Idol springboard, Kelly wanted to take a little more creative control with her second album, Breakaway, as the title alludes to. She took on a more rock-oriented image, which was actually very well received by her fans. Initially the sales were low, but fans came out in droves when singles from the album were released. The album eventually became the fourth album in Billboard history to stay on the Billboard 200 top 20 for a consecutive year. The first single, “Breakaway,” used for The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, achieved considerable success. However, it was “Since U Been Gone” that propelled Kelly’s second album to fame. Leading to Kelly’s first Grammy Award (Best Female Pop Vocal Performance), the single also helped the album pick up a win for Best Pop Vocal Album. Breakaway propelled Clarkson to participate in a number of festivities including NBA games, the Torino Olympics, NCAA Final Four and the MTV Video Music Awards, where she picked up Best Female Video for “Because of You.”

Clarkson then went on to part ways with her management after low airplay for singles from her third album, My December. The same month, word went around that her first nationwide arena tour was cancelled due to underwhelming ticket sales and that she will rather be performing at smaller, more intimate venues. My December still sold enough and reached platinum in December 2007. In early 2007 when Clarkson appeared at the charity event Idol Gives Back, she refused to follow her label’s demands in performing her own single, “Never Again.” “My label wanted me to sing ‘Never Again,’ and I was like, to promote yourself on a charity event is beyond crass. People are starving and dying and I’m up there singing some bitter pop song? And believe me, everyone wanted me to sing it. Because they are jaded and they have no soul. Imagine sitting in a room full of people totally against you. Can’t they hear themselves speaking? Capitalize on AIDS? Are you kidding? Insulting an entire nation of people? I just refused.” Clarkson is still widely respected in the Idol circles, with Cowell commenting everyone around her still seems amateur when she returns to the Idol stage.

Clarkson’s 4th album, All I Ever Wanted, earned her another Grammy nomination for Best Pop Vocal Album in 2009. Her first single, “My Life Would Suck Without You,” also featured on Glee, climbed from #97 to #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 in just one week, breaking the record for largest leap to the top previously held by Britney’s “Womanizer.” And that brings us to today…Clarkson’s latest single from her 5th studio album is expected to drop sometime in January, perfectly coinciding with the premiere of Idol during it’s 10th anniversary. In addition to her pop days, Kelly has done collaborations with Rascal Flatts, Reba McEntire and most recently, Jason Aldean, diving into the country music realm. And she’s been more than welcome, receiving top nod nominations with the Country Music Association.

One little point in Clarkson’s career I’m almost certain she’s trying to forget was her film debut in From Justin to Kelly. As part of her contractual obligations after winning American Idol, Clarkson starred in this musical film with Guarini. It was poorly received by critics, fans, and even Kelly herself. “I knew when I read the script it was going to be real, real bad, but when I won, I signed that piece of paper and I could not get out of it.”

Even in the midst of all of this, Kelly Clarkson is still one of the show’s most memorable superstars. Dabbling on the small screen, the big screen, the radio, internet and even from genre to genre, Kelly is still arguably one of the mega-hit’s biggest and best mega stars. Rivaling the likes of other Idol winners and should-have-been winners (cough*Daughtry*cough), Kelly hasn’t given any indication she’s ready to leave the music business. In fact, breaking away from the main stream seems to be her mainstay and a successful one at that. We’re not expecting anything different with her upcoming album and her future ventures.

Kelly Clarkson, your original American Idol, crowned just 8 years ago. Relive Kelly’s winning performance of “A Moment Like This” below to relive her biggest Idol moment. And don’t forget to let us know your thoughts on Kelly Clarkson by commenting below or joining our FORUMS for free to discuss her success (or lack thereof if you’re not a fan)! Also, be sure to check out our feature on Season 2 winner, Ruben Studdard, tomorrow!

American Idol: Top 10 Best Auditions

American Idol hits it’s 10th season on the airwaves tomorrow night with it’s much anticipated winter premiere (8EST/7CST on Fox). Lots has changed with the show following Simon Cowell’s departure. Ellen Degeneres left the judge’s table, soon followed by Kara DioGuardi. Randy Jackson is the only original judge left and welcomed Jennifer Lopez and Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler to the panel. A few more changes will be made to the show’s format this season, which you can read all about HERE! As we prepare to begin a new season with the audition stage, we thought it’d be fun to take a look back at some of the best Idol auditions of the past. We’ve narrowed it down to our Top 10, but we know you’ll have a different list. So check ours out and be sure to comment below and share your very own Top 10 list here in our forums! Didn’t like ours? Well let us know below! Here we go…

#10. Clay Aiken, “Always and Forever”

Love him or hate him, Clay was the original Idol surprise, if you will. Walking in, not looking like a pop star, only to surprise the judges and America with his powerful and soothing voice, Clay gave them reason to believe he had what it takes to follow Clarkson and become the next American Idol. And he got pretty close…Until he released “Invisible” and I think people’s opinion on Clay started to change.

News on the Reality Front!

Not much going on in Reality lately, but a good amount of shows are coming up! Here is the latest on your favorites:

Big Brother: Matt McDonald (BB Season 9) pleaded guilty for conspiracy to distribute oxycodone, admitting his involvement in a drug ring that also included his season’s winner, Adam Jasinski. Both are now facing a maximum prison time of 20 years. Adam has been under treatment for substance abuse has been under house arrest since 2009, and is due to be sentenced today in Massachusetts. Matt will have to wait for his sentencing until April. I guess they won’t be included when Big Brother does the next All Star round? Must be Karma for treating BB9 Jesus loving Natalie the wrong way.

Mary Murphy Return Official! Mary Murphy will be returning as a regular judge on So You Think You Can Dance on this upcoming 8th season set to air this Summer. “I am thrilled and already dancing in my seat to be back as a permanent judge this season, which I’m sure will be the best ever.” Murphy stated. Get ready to ride the hot tamale train!!

Pick your Survivor Finalist! As we had reported earlier, Survivor is allowing us fans to choose one of the finalists for the competition! To vote, go HERE to watch the videos, then pick your favorite. Maybe you will be the deciding vote!

American Idol: No one wants the ‘villain’ role.  The new judging panel will not be embracing their inner Simon apparently. No one wants to play the villain, rather, critique young idol wanna-be’s on how they can improve. “There’s nothing like having that kind of discussion with another artist to help you grow,” Lopez said. They want to help rather than hurt. Well, that’s great for the ones that aren’t half bad… but are they all playing the Paula card when it comes to those that really should not be singing?

Sarah Palin’s Alaska canned. We here are unsure whether it was by choice, or a network decision, but the rumor mill has it that ratings after the premier were horrible, and the network made the decision to not renew the show. No word from the Palin camp about it.

Mike Tyson gets his own show, about pigeons? You heard me right. The heavyweight boxing champion, convicted rapist and occasional actor is apparently a pigeon farmer? Not just common or garden pigeons mind you, but racing pigeons, or as Tyson puts it “the creme de la creme of the pigeon world. These are thoroughbred pigeons. Pigeons were mens’ first feathered friends”. “Taking on Tyson”, which comes to the Animal Planet cable TV channel in March, is a six-part documentary in which the former world heavyweight champion returns to his Brooklyn neighborhood to race pigeons. Sesame Street Bert would be so proud. Let’s just hope Tyson isn’t an Ozzie fan.

Well, there you have it folks! The biggest news in Reality TV this week. So, what do you think? Are you going to go pick your fave for Survivor? Are you happy to see Mary Return? Are you sad to see Palin snubbed? Will you watch a show all about pigeons? Let us know below or in the FORUM!

Car Warriors: Hollywood Car Icon George Barris Leads Judging Table

Car Warriors, a new one hour weekly series set to premier on the Speed Channel on February 23rd has tapped famed Hollywood car designer George Barris as the top judge.

Barris has designed some of the most recognizable custom cars ever built, including the 1960’s Batmobile, The Munsters, The Beverly Hillbillies, My Mother the Car and The Good Guys. His creations generated millions of images and toy models of America’s best loved cars.

Joining Barris at the judging table will be auto-experts Jimmy Shine, lead builder at the world famous So Cal Speed Shop, and ‘Mad Mike’ Martin, wiring expert from Galpin Auto Sports and the popular TV Series “Pimp My Ride.”

The show will feature a hand picked, 8 person All Star Automotive team taking on teams from shops around the country in a pressure-packed 72 hour restoration project. Teams will have to disassemble and re-assemble a wide variety of vehicles within the 72 hour period before presenting before the judges. The teams will take turns getting a nap in here and there while restoring their vehicles, trying hard to stay awake 3 days straight. Can you smell the coffee brewing?

With the time limit and pressure, there will most certainly be drama, with parts not fitting, engine fires, idea conflicts and loads more! It’s bound to be an explosive pressure cooker, so be sure to set your TIVO/DVRs! Season premier Wednesday, Feb. 23, 9pm Eastern.

Nobody Puts Baby In The Corner – She Wins DWTS

In 1987 a movie was released which, for at least this article writer, defined a generation. It was the movie of my adolescence and was the only thing that replaced a heavy childhood crush on Michael J. Fox with a crush on “Johnny Castle” (or Patrick Swazye, lol). This movie was “Dirty Dancing”. And it immortalized the line “Nobody puts Baby in the corner” which, despite it’s overuse as of late, especially by me, completely fits with the star crowned the champion of Dancing With The Stars Season 11. Last night, Jennifer Grey and Derek Hough were crowned those champions ending a run that seemed to be called by many before the season even started. However, they weren’t without competition; there was a great field of talent this season and as seen by Bristol Palin’s improbable run to the finals, a great contingent of dedicated voters.

Jennifer Grey danced through some horrific injuries, stemming from a decades old car accident that she and at the time boyfriend Matthew Broderick were involved in. She wasn’t perfect all the time, her and Derek had their down weeks. But through it all, they made it to the end and won. I’m sure Johnny Castle/Patrick Swayze would be very proud, Baby stayed out of the corner! Tell us what you think in our forum here what you think of the results, and of the season!

‘SYTYCD:’ Mia Michaels OUT, Mary Murphy IN

We have another change at the judge’s table next summer for So You Think You Can Dance. After joining the judge’s panel for one season, Mia Michaels is out and will not be retuning to the show. In a statement she released, she said that she wants to focus on her own world. (Editor’s note: Wasn’t she always concerned with Mia’s world??). Mia does make a point to state that the decision was her decision and not Lythgoe or any show runner. “Last year when I was sitting on the panel, I knew it wasn’t the right fit because I felt too glossy sitting on the panel. People were so focused on what I wore and my hair. I wanted to get dirty and back to the work. I am an artist and I’m a visionary. I need to paint my world now and not be constantly linked to So You Think You Can Dance. It’s been a great platform,” Michaels says. “It was a wonderful platform. I’m staring at [my] two Emmys right now. It was an amazing, amazing thing for me but I feel like I have to fly. I have to now focus on Mia’s world.” Well, and focus on Mia’s world she will do. She has an upcoming Bravo reality show, will be writing her own memoir, and is developing her own Broadway show.

Who will be replacing her? According to Mia, she’s heard that Mary Murphy will be back to the table placing claim to her chair and bringing us back her hot tamale train. SYTYCD will return next summer for the latest installment. So Yakkster’s what do you think about the news? Excited? Bummed? Let us know below and join our FORUMS to discuss!

Big Brother 12 Crowns a Winner!

The Jury of 7 crowned Hayden Moss the winner of Big Brother 12, who walked away with a nice chunk of change of $500,000! The jury votes were as follows:

Lane – Rachel, Brendon, Britney
Hayden – Kathy, Matt, Ragan, Enzo

It came down to the last key to be turned, which was Enzo’s, revealing the tie breaker handing the win to Hayden. (Course those with a keen eye saw Lane’s key sticking out of Enzo’s bag on camera after he put Hayden’s key in the box.)

Now, just because Big Brother is over, the Yak still has all your entertainment needs covered! Be sure to check us out! We will be covering all your favorite shows, Reality and otherwise, plus we have the arcade!  Can you be “King of the arcade?”  Some members may disagree!