Nominations were announced tonight in Los Angeles at the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live for the 56th Annual GRAMMY Awards, rung-in with a Concert from several potential Nominees.

Leading the way was Hip-Hop Impresario and Multimedia Mogul Jay-Z with an impressive nine nominations, while four Artists tie in second spot with seven nominations apiece – Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Pharrell, Justin Timberlake and Kendrick Lamar.  Toronto’s Drake has us well-represented, nabbing a total five nominations.

Missing surprisingly in the category of Best New Artist  is New Zealand Teen Sensation Lorde, whom howmever is recognized in some of the more major categories.  After several comparisons between Sara Bareilles’ Brave and Katy Perry‘s Roar, many eyes will be on the Best Pop Solo Performance category as both are pitted against one another for Pop Music Glory.

See Perry‘s Toronto-recorded performance Roar acoustically at the Nominations Concert:

Nominees are as follows in some of the Evening’s most-watched categories:

Best New Artist
James Blake 
Kendrick Lamar 
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis 
Kacey Musgraves 
Ed Sheeran 

Album Of The Year
The Blessed Unrest — Sara Bareilles
Random Access Memories — Daft Punk
Good Kid, M.A.A.D City — Kendrick Lamar
The Heist — Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Red — Taylor Swift

Song of the Year

Just Give Me A Reason — Pink Featuring Nate Ruess
Locked Out Of Heaven — Bruno Mars
Roar — Katy Perry
Royals — Lorde
Same Love — Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Featuring Mary Lambert

Record Of The Year

Get Lucky — Daft Punk & Pharrell Williams
Radioactive — Imagine Dragons
Royals — Lorde
Locked Out Of Heaven — Bruno Mars
Blurred Lines — Robin Thicke Featuring T.I. & Pharrell Williams

View a complete list of Nominees here.

The 56th Annual GRAMMY Awards air Sunday, January 26, 2014 on CBS at 8:00 PM EST.

(Photo credit: Universal Music)

The beautiful Evangeline Lilly received a Heroine’s welcome home today as the Actress is in-town promoting The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug as Tauriel, the Woodland Elf. Her Character was specifically written into the Film by The Lord of the Rings Trilogy Helmer Peter Jackson. Best known for her work in long-running Series LOST as Kate Austen, she has starred also in Academy Award-winning Best Picture, The Hurt Locker, and more recently Box Office Hit, Real Steel opposite Hugh Jackman.

The Actress did various Television Stop-offs earlier this morning including CITY‘s Breakfast Television were Fans were delighted by her illuminating smile and such was the case where more Fans and Photographers were in awe of her beauty outside Global Television‘s The Morning Show (National Edition) Studios!  Lilly claims her biggest struggle filming the Movie was dealing her “Mommy Brain”, getting back into the flow of work after delivering her Baby Kahekili mid-2011.

Watch her Interview with Kris Reyes and Rosey Edeh below:

Billy and I were lucky enough to get a Snap with the Alberta-born, British Columbia-raised Star who was gracious to take a few moments of her hectic day to greet Fans.  “You want me to take a Pic with your Dog?” she asked me, “Of course!”.

See our Snap:

Warner Bros. Pictures Canada releases The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug on Friday, December 13, 2013.

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong | Video credit: Shaw Media)

Chop or be chopped!  Food Network Canada is ready to unveil what could well be its tastiest new secret in the Canadian edition of American Hit Reality TV Series, CHOPPED.  The Series  sees four Chefs tasked with creating three-course Meals with four – yes FOUR – Mystery Ingredients to be unveiled each episode. A $10k Cash Prize is on-the-line for the hopeful Winner.

Toronto-born Actor/Television Personality Dean McDermott has the distinction of hosting the exciting new branch of the Series, and he is in-town promoting the launch of CHOPPED CANADA, which is certain to gain a following quickly with some highly-recognizable faces set to appear among the rotating Panel of Celebrity Chef Judges.  Susur Lee, Lynn Crawford, Vikram Vij, John Higgins, Anne Yarymowich, Michael Smith, Roger Mooking and hunky, hunky Chuck Hughes are among the names to grace the screens of Canadian Televisions.

With an array of exciting Mystery Ingredients slated to shock us, the personable and charming McDermott explains to me this morning, “It’s not the actual ingredients which are odd – I  can handle intestines and things like that”.  “What makes this Show so interesting though  is the combination of Ingredients these Chefs are given – like for example, Strawberry JELL-O Powder and Marrow”, throwing us a little tease of what to expect. A busy day of promoting deliciousness certainly wouldn’t be possible without fuelling-up with some food first and he was headed to a popular Breakfast Spot on Bloor Street.

See a Promo Video below:

To learn more about CHOPPED CANADA, visit its official Website here.

Also, follow on Twitter here!

We had the pleasure of meeting Mrs. Dean McDermott, Tori Spelling this past June. More on that here.

See our awesome Snap with Billy by the gorgeous Shaw Media Holiday Tree:

CHOPPED CANADA premieres on Food Network Canada on Thursday, January 2, 2014 at 10:00 PM EST.

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

It was a great year for Pop Music in 2013.  DJ Earworm recaps it best and in what is becoming an annual Pop Tradition, the San Francisco-based Mash-up Artist has just unveiled his United State of Pop 2013 Megamix.  And he never disappoints!  Although a bit less energetic and a bit darker than previous year’s, this is definitely among his best.

The Mix includes Billboard Magazine‘s Year-End Top 25 Songs and this year we have:

Avicii feat. Aloe Blacc – Wake Me Up
Bruno Mars – When I Was Your Man
Capital Cities – Safe & Sound
Daft Punk feat. Pharrell Williams – Get Lucky
Eminem feat. Rihanna – The Monster
Florida Georgia Line feat. Nelly – Cruise
Imagine Dragons – Radioactive
Imagine Dragons – Demons
Jay-Z feat. Justin Timberlake – Holy Grail
Justin Timberlake – Mirrors
Justin Timberlake feat. Jay-Z – Suit & Tie
Katy Perry – Roar
Lady Gaga – Applause
Lorde – Royals
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Ray Dalton – Can’t Hold Us
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Wanz – Thrift Shop
Miley Cyrus – Wrecking Ball
Miley Cyrus – We Can’t Stop
OneRepublic – Counting Stars
P!nk feat. Nate Ruess – Just Give Me A Reason
Rihanna – Stay
Robin Thicke feat. Pharrell & T.I. – Blurred Lines
Swedish House Mafia feat. John Martin – Don’t You Worry Child
Taylor Swift – I Knew You Were Trouble
Will.I.Am feat. Britney Spears – Scream And Shout

Check it out in full below:

This actually looks pretty awesome! If the Cast of Sabotage is any indication of how great it could be, then expect this Action Flick to be amazing! David Ayer (End of Watch) directs and co-writes.

Official Synopsis:

The head of an elite DEA Task Force (Arnold Schwarzenegger) leads his Agents in a drug bust that yields millions of dollars. But he then turns on his own Men when he suspects that one of them is behind a vicious string of murders haunting his Unit following the Cartel take-down.

Sabotage also stars Terrence Howard, Olivia Williams, Joe Manganiello, Mireille Enos, Harold Perrineau and Sam Worthington! Where in the World has Sam Worthington been of late? Welcome back!

Watch the Trailer:

VVS Films releases Sabotage on Friday, April 11, 2014.

(Photo/video credit: VVS Films)

Forget about love this Valentine’s Day! House of Cards Season 2 finally has a release date and in the spirit of celebrating its upcoming release, Netflix released this chilling 30-second Teaser Trailer of Robin Wright smoking a cigarette pensively!  The Season will feature 13 episodes.

Official Synopsis:

In the second season, Francis (Kevin Spacey) and Claire (Wright) Underwood continue their ruthless rise to power as threats mount on all fronts. Zoe Barnes (Kate Mara) an up-and-coming Reporter and Francis’s former paramour, is inching closer to the truth about his crimes. President Walker’s (Michel Gill) Billionaire Confidante Raymond Tusk (Gerald McRaney) demands that Francis reciprocate political favours or face retribution. And Claire must confront the increasing glare of the spotlight as it eats away at her and Francis’s once private existence. The Underwood’s must overcome these dangers — past and present — to avoid losing everything, regardless of collateral damage they leave in their wake.

Watch:

Netflix releases House of Cards Season 2 on Friday, February 14, 2014.

(Photo/video credit: Netflix)

26-year-old Multimedia Mogul Hilary Duff is back in Toronto doing good for our City!  Although traditionally she has visited in December  in recent years to spend some quality time with BFF, E! Television Personality Leah Miller, Duff will be at SickKids Hospital later today handing-out toys to Children as part of Duracell‘s Powering Holiday Smiles Initiative.   The Campaign donates funds generated from battery purchases, towards  the Children’s Miracle Network.  Learn more about it here.

The hopelessly-chic Duff arrived at CITY‘s Breakfast Television today to chat with Dina Pugliese, donning festive gold polka dots on her black blouse. “I’m lucky I have  a name will people pay attention to and get to raise awareness for important causes like this for people going through a hard time, spending their holidays in the Hospital”, says Duff. “Anything for a smile!”.

2014 finally will see new Music from Duff, her first Disc in five years. “I’m finally at a good place where I know the direction. I’m writing  a lot and purging everything that’s been inside these five years.”.    The Album is slated for a Spring 2014 release, of which six Indie-Dance oriented Songs already have been recorded.  She also vows to return to Toronto to promote when the time comes!

Despite calling Toronto her second home, the Mother of 20-month-old Luca plans to spend the Holidays at home in Los Angeles with her Canadian Husband, retired Hockey Star Mike Comrie.

Although at least 50 Fans queued outside hoping to meet Duff outside the Studio, queueing in the cold as early as 6:00 AM, only a few were lucky enough to get a Snap with the style-conscious Star, wearing brightly her trademark smile for Fans.

Watch Duff‘s Interview on Breakfast Television here.

Digging-back a couple years, I had the pleasure of meeting a radiant Duff while Holiday Shopping this day two years ago, while she was still pregnant with Luca!

See our Snap:

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

Eric Snowden. Kimye. Prince George of Cambridge. The Cast of Duck Dynasty. Robin Roberts. Miley Cyrus. Jennifer Lawrence.  These are just some who made the cut for Barbara Walters’ Most Fascinating People of the Year of 2013.  But just who gets the distinction of being the most fascinating of all?  We’ll just have to wait.  Rob Ford, you in ??!

Walters confirmed that this will be her final year compiling the all-important List, as she transitions into her retirement from TV Journalism next year.

The Special, now in its 21st year, airs on Wednesday, Dec. 18, at 9:30 PM EST on ABC.

(Photo credit: ABC)

After hosting a The Chippendales Event in Las Vegas to rousing success, 98° Member Jeff Timmons is now in Toronto taking it one step further with his MEN OF THE STRIP Tour!  Touching-down at Uniun Nightclub last night,  the Troupe of Exotic Male Dancers teased and pleased a packed Crowd of Women, demonstrating the choreography of Co-Founder Glenn Douglas Packard.

Las Vegas-Resident Timmons, Packard a sampling of the Dancers on the Tour including Keith and Joel, were out and about promoting the sizzling Affair around the City this morning. Stop-offs included KISS 92.5‘s The Roz & Mocha Show and also a visit to Global Television‘s The Morning Show (National Edition).

Just in Toronto earlier this year for the Megashow known as The Package Tour alongside New Kids on the Block and Boyz II Men, the future currently is uncertain for 98°, one of the biggest Boy Bands of the ’90s, after releasing their latest Disc 2.0, which charted the U.S. Billboard Hot 200 Chart. 

Still looking in top form, Timmons came-out and hugged a Fan he recognized from his Show last night, coming-out to support him again today.  Perfect for the Holidays, we took a Snap by Shaw Media‘s gorgeous Holiday Tree, just put-up this weekend.  Timmons et al. were of course amazingly nice, getting Billy in on the fun!

Click here to learn more about Men of the Strip.  A Reality TV Series based on the Troupe also currently is in development!

See our Snap:

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

International Megastar Katy Perry descended upon Toronto late Saturday night for a day of Press in support of her number one-selling Disc, PRISM.  The Album, released mid-October, has gone on to earn Perry her highest Metacritic Score thus far and also is on-target to becoming her best-selling Disc to-date.

Making an intimate appearance at Little Italy‘s The Mod Club tonight after doing Press out of her Hotel most of the day, Perry chatted with eTalk‘s Tanya Kim before performing an array of new Material and some of her biggest Hits!

Longtime Mr. Will Reader Angela McLean, who sometimes  reports for The Magazine tells me, “The show was amazing. It was my first time seeing her live and she was so good. She sang all the fan faves and more. Can’t wait to see her when she comes back in 2014 for her Tour!”.

Fans who waited outside the Venue tell me Perry was super-generous to roll-down the window of her Escalade, signing Autographs and taking Photos with Fans in the cold.  Special thanks to Angela for the accompanying Photo!

 Perry hinted that her upcoming PRISMATIC Tour will be coming to Canada Summer 2014. Stay tuned for more, Katycats!

(Photo credit: Angela McLean)