HOLLYWOOD — It must have been a big shock to Eva Longoria when the reality dating show she produced, “Ready for Love,” was canceled after only three episodes. Did viewers tune out because it was too complicated to follow? Of course, it didn’t help when rumors started that Eva was dating Ernesto Arguello, one of the bachelors on the show. True or not, female viewers were bound to feel that any girl seeking a husband couldn’t compete with Eva in the love game.
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Is “American Idol” primed for cancellation? It’s all been downhill since Simon Cowell left the show. While Keith Urban was a great choice for a judge, bringing in Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj was a huge mistake. Their real/unreal feud shifted the emphasis from the singers to the judges, and the show became more about them than the singers. “The Voice,” the show that has knocked “Idol” out of the box, changed two judges this year, but it’s still about the singing and the judges are genuine mentors for their team members. It’s time to give “Idol” a rest!
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And speaking of music, country singing legend Glen Campbell has ended his farewell tour. His Alzheimer’s disease has progressed too far to allow him to appear live. His new album, “See You There,” will be released July 30. It features a reimagining of some of his greatest hits, including “Wichita Lineman,” “By the Time I Get to Phoenix” and “Rhinestone Cowboy.”
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How times are changing! Spike TV for men was the answer to Lifetime for Women. Well, now it seems it’s trying to attract female viewers with cooking shows, comedian Adam Corolla and programs like “Ink Master,” “Bar Rescue” and “Tattoo Nightmares.” It’s going to take a lot more than that to get my friends to watch Spike TV!
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Many consider Sophia Loren the last living movie superstar. She won an Oscar in 1960 for “Two Women,” despite the fact that it was in her native Italian with English subtitles. She last appeared in the film “Nine” in 2009, and she played her own mother, Romilda Villani, in the Italian mini-series “My House is Full of Mirrors,” which told her life story. In 2011, she was the voice of Mama Topolino in “Cars 2.”
Sophia just returned from touring Asia, with stops in Singapore, Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong, where she lent her star power to the re-launching of the Damiani Italian jewelry brand. At 79 years of age, what, you might ask, could persuade Sophia make that long trip? Could it have been the Damiani Sophia Loren necklace worth $714,580? Which, once again proves, husbands come and go, but diamonds are forever!
© 2013 King Features Synd., Inc.