Predicting Grammy winners

(CNN) -- After Adele's (rightly deserved) sweep at the Grammys last year, this year's show is poised to be a bit less predictable.

It'll be a boys' club on CBS Sunday with a six-way tie among Mumford & Sons, Frank Ocean, Fun., Kanye West, Jay-Z and the Black Keys' Dan Auerbach for lead nominee, each receiving six nods apiece.

55th annual Grammy Awards: The Nominees List

In between acceptance speeches, the three-and-a-half hour ceremony will be filled with performances from Justin Timberlake, Rihanna, Bruno Mars and Sting, the Black Keys, Taylor Swift, Frank Ocean, the Lumineers, Fun., Mumford & Sons, Dierks Bentley and Miranda Lambert, and Jack White.

But when it comes down to it, there are only four categories that count as the big fish. Check out some predictions below. Who do you think will win big this weekend?

Best new artist

This category is tough to call because it's crowded with possibilities, from industry favorite Frank Ocean to don't-count-'em-out contenders the Lumineers and Fun. The Alabama Shakes and Hunter Hayes also scored nods here, but the prevailing sentiment is that they're in the "it's just an honor to be nominated" part of the group.

Both the Lumineers and Fun. have a mainstream commercial advantage over Ocean, but the "Channel Orange" artist is beloved by critics and has had a meteoric rise this year. It'll be a tight race, but it looks like it's Ocean's prize to take.

Record of the year

Remember that this honor extends to the production team in addition to the artist. The contenders here had some of the hottest tracks of the past year: Taylor Swift's "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together," the Black Keys' "Lonely Boy," Kelly Clarkson's "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)," Gotye's "Somebody That I Used to Know," Fun.'s "We Are Young" and Frank Ocean's "Thinkin' Bout You."

Ocean and Fun. are again two acts that we'd like to think are frontrunners, but the dominating prediction is that this is really a race between Gotye and the Black Keys. If you go with what's most popular with the listeners of Spotify, Gotye's "Somebody That I Used to Know" will be crowned record of the year on Sunday. Still, we're going with "Lonely Boy."

Song of the year

Here's where the recording academy zeroes in on songwriters, which in this case often overlap with performers. We're looking at "The A Team" from Ed Sheeran, "Adorn" from Miguel, "Call Me Maybe" from Carly Rae Jepsen, "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)" from Kelly Clarkson and "We Are Young" from Fun., with a feature spot from Janelle Mone.

It's an interesting mix because, as both HitFix and MTV critique, it's a less competitive category than some of the others. Miguel's "Adorn" deserves the attention, and there's no denying what a juggernaut of a single "Call Me Maybe" continues to be. But from the lay of the land, this is Fun.'s title to lose.

Album of the year

It's the biggest honor of the night, and each nominee this year would be a solid choice to win the Grammy. In competition are the Black Keys' "El Camino," Fun.'s "Some Nights," Mumford & Sons' "Babel," Frank Ocean's "Channel Orange" and Jack White's "Blunderbuss."

While White's album was a welcomed surprise to this category, the odds aren't in his favor. Among critics, it's coming down to Frank Ocean, the Black Keys and Mumford, with Fun. being somewhat of an outlier.

Via: Predicting Grammy winners

'Modern Family' hits season low

(EW.com) -- What's happening to "Modern Family?"

Earlier this season, the acclaimed ABC series was the highest-rated comedy on TV. But CBS' Thursday king "The Big Bang Theory" has since climbed to top the weekly chart hitting recent season highs, and Modern Family has slipped to No. 2 and relinquished its crown. Last night's episode marks a season low for the show, down 10 percent to 10.1 million viewers and a 3.8 adults 18-49 rating.

What's behind the slippage?

Well, its ABC neighbors sure don't help much (or rather, its "Neighbors"). And "Modern Family" now has to contend with Fox's "American Idol," which has likely had an impact the past few weeks (one analyst noted that Modern Family tends to hit its low point around this time of year). Of course, "Big Bang" airs at 8 p.m. so it doesn't even have a lead-in, also faces "Idol," plus is an older show.

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Perhaps it's that "Modern Family" is rather ambitious and creatively complex with a large cast that seeks to work as a comedy with tinges of deeply heartfelt drama pulling all that off week after week is huge juggling act.

The rest of ABC's lineup had mixed results. "The Middle" was down 8 percent. "The Neighbors" was up 13 percent and "Suburgatory" went up 17 percent (thanks to Modern Family not running a repeat this week).

Kristen Stewart sizes up 'Big Shoe' role

On CBS, "Criminal Minds" tied its series low; "CSI" dropped 8 percent despite airing its well-promoted "CSI: NY" cross-over episode. Fox's "Idol" led the night yet fell 16 percent for the start of Hollywood Rounds. NBC was largely down about 10 percent except "Guys With Kids" which fluxed up a tenth. On The CW, "Arrow" rose a notch and "Supernatural" was flat.

See the original article at EW.com.

Via: 'Modern Family' hits season low

'Star Wars' makeup master dies

(CNN) -- "Star Wars" makeup artist Stuart Freeborn, who helped create Chewbacca, Yoda, Jabba the Hutt and the otherworldly creatures in the trilogy's famous barroom scene, has died, Lucasfilm said Wednesday.

He was 98.

A creature effects artist, Freeborn also worked on other film classics and was responsible for creating the apelike human ancestors in the "Dawn of Man" sequence in "2001: A Space Odyssey."

He also did the makeup for Peter Sellers in "Doctor Strangelove," Lucasfilm said on its starwars.com website.

"Stuart was already a makeup legend when he started on 'Star Wars,'" said George Lucas, creator of the films.

"He brought with him not only decades of experience, but boundless creative energy. His artistry and craftsmanship will live on forever in the characters he created. His 'Star Wars' creatures may be reinterpreted in new forms by new generations, but at their heart, they continue to be what Stuart created for the original films," Lucas said in a statement.

Playful, impish and imaginative, Freeborn played a pivotal role in developing the character Yoda for "The Empire Strikes Back."

Director Irvin Kershner said Freeborn put his own image into Yoda the Jedi Master, giving the character inquisitive and elfin features with "more than a passing resemblance to Freeborn himself," Lucasfilm said.

Freeborn also put his skills to work in "Oliver Twist," "The Bridge on the River Kwai," "The Omen," four "Superman" films, "Top Secret!" and "The Great Muppet Caper."

Among the more memorable sequences in the "Star Wars" film is the Mos Eisley Cantina, which Freeborn and his team populated by creating Greedo, Walrus Man and Snaggletooth.

He also worked on the tauntaun and wampa ice creatures in "The Empire Strikes Back."

"Return of the Jedi" is considered the "monster movie" of the trilogy, and Freeborn and his team in the United Kingdom developed Jabba the Hutt, which was a massive puppet, and the teddy-bear-like Ewoks.

He was often joined in his makeup work by wife Kay, who died last year, and son Graham, who died in 1996.

Via: 'Star Wars' makeup master dies

Rihanna with Brown at court

Los Angeles (CNN) -- Rihanna left no doubt about how she feels about Chris Brown and the probation he's serving for beating her up four years ago.

The pop star sat behind Brown in court Wednesday while a prosecutor asked a judge to order the singer to restart the community labor that is his punishment for the felony assault conviction.

It was Rihanna's second time in a courtroom with Brown. The first was the day in August 2009 when Brown was sentenced to five years' probation and ordered to stay away from her. Then, she was a witness for the prosecution.

"She thinks it's utterly ridiculous what they're doing to him," Brown lawyer Mark Geragos said when a reporter asked why his assault victim was in court.

The Los Angeles County district attorney's office has "tortured" Brown during his probation worse than any client he's ever had, Geragos said.

In a court filing this week, prosecutors accused Brown of not completing the 180 days of community labor ordered when he pleaded guilty to the felony assault charge.

The paperwork Brown submitted to show he had completed community labor is "at best sloppy documentation and at worst fraudulent reporting," District Attorney Jackie Lacey said. Brown wasn't in town on some of the dates reported, the motion said.

Geragos, however, angrily disputed the charges, calling them "absolutely false."

"And I don't mean just false, it is fraudulent," Geragos said after the hearing.

Brown's attorney said the prosecutor's filing was so fraudulent that he would ask the judge to punish the deputy district attorneys involved and call for a contempt of court hearing for filing false documents with the court.

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge James Brandlin set a hearing for April 5 for Brown to return to court, but a full hearing on the allegations will be held later.

The ever divisive Chris Brown

Brandlin ordered Brown to report to his probation officer within the next two days to be interviewed for a report that will be used at the hearing.

Despite the serious allegations outlined in the court filing, the prosecutor is not asking for Brown's probation to be revoked and the singer sent to jail. She is asking the judge to order him to restart his 1,400 hours of community service under the supervision of a Los Angeles probation officer.

Brown got an unusual deal when he pleaded guilty that allowed him to complete his court-ordered community service in Virginia, under the personal supervision of Richmond Police Chief Bryan Norwood. Normally, community service must be supervised by a probation office.

The district attorney alleged that investigators he sent to Virginia discovered that Brown's mother supervised most of it, and they found evidence it was never done.

In response, Geragos said he's received 10 e-mails in the past day from Richmond police officers and firefighters "who observed Chris doing his community service."

"I've got pictures, I've got witnesses," Geragos said. "I've got what they don't have. We have evidence that he did it."

The motion also accused Brown of violating probation by punching singer Frank Ocean at a Hollywood recording studio last month, threatening to "bust" -- or shoot -- the singer. It also notes a Miami incident during which Brown allegedly stole a fan's cell phone and a chair-throwing incident after a "Good Morning America" interview.

Also, Brown's claim to have medical marijuana license, which used to defend against a drug test result, was invalid because the acupuncturist who wrote it was not licensed to prescribe drugs, the motion said.

This Friday marks the fourth anniversary of the night Brown punched Rihanna inside a rented Lamborghini on a Hollywood street, leaving her face bruised and bloody.

Via: Rihanna with Brown at court

'Girl Meets World' exec on pilot

(EW.com) -- After months of speculation surrounding the "Boy Meets World" reboot, "Girl Meets World," it seems like the pieces are finally starting to come together.

Early last week, EW broke the news that 11-year-old Rowan Blanchard was cast to play the series' Girl, Riley Matthews. Since then, producers have also filled the spot of Riley's best friend, Maya (Sabrina Carpenter), and announced the addition of two more roles (including one, Shamus Farkle, who sounds a whole lot like "BMW's" resident geek Minkus).

So, who else can we expect to see on Girl Meets World? And what will Cory and Topanga be like now that they're all grown up? Entertainment Weekly spoke to "Boy Meets World" creator Michael Jacobs, who is exec producing the "Girl Meets World" pilot for Disney, to get the scoop on what fans of the coming-of-age classic should expect.

On why "Girl Meets World" almost didn't happen: When execs at Disney first approached Jacobs with the idea of revisiting Boy Meets World, he promptly nixed the idea. "There's a natural reticence to want to try and attempt something that you've been really lucky enough to do once," explains Jacobs. But after mulling it over, Jacobs decided that he wanted to create a show for the "new generation of kids that live in a much more difficult world." The only catch? Jacobs was dead set against doing a sequel, which he felt would amount to nothing more than a reunion show. "A reunion show that's one and done," says Jacobs, who instead suggested centering the pilot on Cory and Topanga's daughter, Riley. "But to actually take the children of Cory and Topanga and watch on two levels [as they] grow up and as Cory and Topanga keep growing up, I can't resist that. I can't resist that and I'm very hopeful the audience won't resist it either."

On his vision for Girl Meets World: Like its predecessor, Jacobs says he hopes the pilot for "Girl Meets World" captures "the confusions about growing up and what we are supposed to be and what we are supposed to aspire to be." As for Jacobs' own aspirations for the show, he says, "There's a column that I want to play in and that column contains The Wonder Years and Happy Days. That was always the column that I wanted Boy Meets World to be included in and I want Girl Meets World to be in that column as well."

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On Cory and Topanga as parents: They may have two kids, but don't expect Cory and Topanga to have it all figured out. "Topanga has always been much more certain that Cory. Cory has always been confused. That would never stop," says Jacobs, who explains that the long-time sweethearts will have differing points of views on parenting. "Now he's a father. Cory Matthews doesn't know how to be a father." Cory will also be grappling with his decision to become a teacher. "He's following in the footsteps of [Mr. Feeney], the most influential character in his life," says Jacobs. "Should he be? Will he succeed? Can he influence children like Feeney influenced children? What is Topanga's observation of that? How does she help? And what is Topanga's life? And what has she become? You'll remember we left the series and they were in Philly and they were going on an adventure to go to New York. Did they succeed? Did it work? All of that will be answered in the pilot."

On Riley's personality: Will the youngest Matthews be more like her dad or her mom? Jacobs won't say, though he will reveal that "she is going to be much more like one than the other but that second parent will pop up in ridiculously unexpected times and places and add to the confusion of who this character is." As for who she's isn't? Jacobs says that Riley will not aspire to be an actress, singer, or dancer as many fans have speculated. "That was never Boy Meets World and it's the farthest thing that this show will be."

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On whether or not other Boy Meets World cast-members will make an appearance: While Jacobs says many of the supporting characters, including Riley's brother and her rebellious best friend, will be reminiscent of old favorites like Shawn, Eric, and Minkus, he also adds that the door is "wide open" for those originals to make an appearance on the series if the pilot gets picked up. "I think there's more than a chance," says Jacobs, who explains that he's spoken to many of the former cast members and that they've all expressed interest in being apart of the project in some capacity. "I think there's a strong chance," he says.

On reuniting with Savage and Fishel: Though Jacobs has stayed in touch with both Savage and Fishel, he says reuniting with them for Girl Meets World has been "the greatest possible thing that can happen." Jacobs, who refers to the actors as his surrogate children, is hoping fans will feel the same. "[Hanging out with them] is gratifying and rewarding and what I'm hopeful for is that there will be a vast audience who wants to hangout with them again as well."

See the original article at EW.com.

Via: 'Girl Meets World' exec on pilot

Brown accused of falsifying

Los Angeles (CNN) -- Chris Brown's got a big problem with the prosecutor four years after he attacked Rihanna and earned five years of probation.

The singer got an unusual deal when he pleaded guilty to assaulting his pop singer girlfriend. The deal allowed him to complete his court-ordered community service in Virginia under the personal supervision of Richmond Police Chief Bryan Norwood.

The Los Angeles district attorney alleged in a motion filed Tuesday that Brown's mother supervised most of it, and investigators found evidence it was never done.

The paperwork Brown submitted to show he had completed the 180 days of work is "at best sloppy documentation and at worst fraudulent reporting," District Attorney Jackie Lacey said. Brown wasn't in town on some of the dates reported, the motion said.

The ever divisive Chris Brown

The motion also accused Brown of violating probation by punching Frank Ocean at a Hollywood recording studio last month, threatening to "bust" -- or shoot -- the singer. The fight is still being investigated, it said.

It also notes a Miami incident during which Brown allegedly stole a fan's cell phone and a chair-throwing incident after a "Good Morning America" interview.

Also, Brown's claim to have medical marijuana license, which he used to defend against a failed drug test result, was invalid because the acupuncturist who wrote it was not licensed to prescribe drugs, the motion said.

Brown's lawyer Mark Geragos disputed the charges, saying that at least six Virginia officials told the Los Angeles investigators that Brown had performed his community labor.

"Apparently the district attorney's office has completely lost their minds," Geragos said. "They are making scurrilous, libelous and defamatory statements and apparently have lost their ability to read their own reports."

Geragos said he would encourage the Richmond Police Department to take legal action against the Los Angeles County district attorney.

Rihanna on Chris Brown: We know what we have

Despite making serious probation violation allegations and going to the expense of sending investigators to Virginia to conduct interviews, the motion is not asking the judge to revoke Brown's probation and send him to jail. It only seeks to have him restart the 180 days of community labor in California.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Patricia Schnegg is expected to be consider it at a probation progress hearing Wednesday afternoon.

It was four years ago this Friday that Brown punched Rihanna inside a rented Lamborghini on a Hollywood street. A police investigator said a fight began when Rihanna found a text message on Brown's cell phone from "a woman who Brown had a previous sexual relationship with."

Via: Brown accused of falsifying

Big Boi's 'search for truth'

(CNN) -- Antwan "Big Boi" Patton considers himself a "truther."

The 37-year-old rapper, producer and one-half of the legendary hip hop group OutKast said his grandmother once told him his position as a public figure was to bring valuable information to his audience and community.

"There's facts right there in your face," Big Boi said. "They've got a cure for cancer, they've got a cure for AIDS, cure for everything, but they make so much money off the medicine you'll never see it. The people have to understand that."

CNN Soundwaves: Big Boi on Big Boi

Talking about life

According to Big Boi the average person is living an illusion and accepting false information. Hence the name of his latest solo album (he counts it as his third, calling "Speakerboxxx" his actual first album), "Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors," which he has called an overall "search for truth."

Released via Def Jam, "VLADR" is a follow-up to Big Boi's 2010 release, "Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty," and comes from a title his grandmother had for her (planned?) autobiography in which she would air the family's dirty laundry.

Big Boi's latest musical effort is his way of exposing himself and the world around him. "I'm talking about life," he said of the 14-track disc (17 if you nabbed the deluxe version). "Some people don't get that because they're so numb to what the mainstream media is pumping into their head with these reality shows and a certain type of song that's played 1,000 times on the radio every day and I refuse to do that."

So what did he do?

If you were to ask the music critics, Big Boi just released his most complete work to date and the closest fans will get (for now) to an OutKast album in terms of it's boldness in sound and creative risks.

But before Big Boi could ever move forward carving out his legacy, he had to shake an old stigma from his past.

'The player and the poet'

Shortly after the success of their first hit single, "Player's Ball" in 1993, Big Boi and his partner-in-rhyme Andre 3000 were dubbed "the player and the poet," with Patton playing the role of the former. Through marketing and promotion, Big Boi was cast as the bad boy, while Andre was the thoughtful, creative one.

Big Boi maintains that he has never liked the moniker.

"Everybody thought I was just a DBoy. I'm just selling dope and getting laid all day," he said. "I think when they put that title on it people kind of took it and ran with it."

OutKast went on to sell more than 20 million records, earning multiple Grammys, including album of the year in 2004, and the group has since been hailed as creative geniuses and one of the greatest hip-hop groups of all time.

Search for truth

While "VLADR" has a lot of George Clinton-style funk and features indie rockers Phantogram and Little Dragon, it also carries the political punch of Public Enemy, with songs like "Shoes for Running," which some might say borders on conspiracy theory.

One of the track's opening lines is: "I wish they could send me to the moon and back with a cure for cancer and save the lives of my great grandmomma and great granddaddy now that's the answer to the question/ but they make money off the medicine leaving us all stuck in elections with no progressions just recessions."

And so back to that whole "truther" thing, which Big Boi said is just his taking the time to find information and share it with anyone who will listen. He is also quick to strike down the conspiracy theorist label.

"I mean its drone strikes, United States killing kids overseas every day, they're not telling you about that," he said. "Why not? Are our kids' lives more valuable than the ones' overseas? A child is a child. These are facts. There's no conspiracy in this."

Best friends

Another theory Big Boi finds himself dealing with is the status of OutKast and his relationship with Andre 3000. There was the whole Gillette "diss" and the apology Andre 3000 made to Big Boi via T.I.'s "I'm Sorry."

Or could it just be the fact that since, really, 2000's "Stankonia," the duo has more or less not made an album together?

If you listen carefully, Big Boi addresses the matter on "VLADR," but he doesn't hold back if asked about it, either.

"People don't know or they don't catch all of the interviews and then (there's) all the sensational headlines, but you've got to really understand that me and Dre have a relationship that's bigger than music," he said. "We're best friends. Music just came along because it's what we're put here to do and what God brought us together to do. But that's my brother; you know what I'm saying? There's no beef, no nothing."

In fact, not one song made it to the final cut of "VLADR" without a listen from Andre 3000, Big Boi said.

Verbal exercises

Fans and the Internet were abuzz when word got out Big Boi and Dre would be "reuniting" for Frank Ocean's "Pink Matter," and T.I.'s I'm Sorry," both tracks that already featured Andre 3000.

In a text message, Big Boi responded to the idea of these songs being OutKast reunions. "They aren't," he wrote. "I'm just verbally exercising."

To the folks calling for a new OutKast album, Big's answer is, well, honest.

Via: Big Boi's 'search for truth'