Sotelo Launching New Entertainment Station ‘Piolin Radio’ with Sirius XM

Posted on August 14, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Eddie “Piolin” Sotelo will now be heard from coast to coast…

The popular Mexican Spanish-language radio host has signed a contract with Sirius XM Radio.

The deal comes just days after Sotelo left Univision Radio abruptly amid charges of sexual harassment, which he adamantly denies.

Sirius XM announced Tuesday in a press release the creation of the new entertainment station Piolin Radio, which will include Sotelo’s live morning program El Show de Piolin.

“Building on the fast wit and humor he is known for, El Show de Piolin will include lively discussion of the day’s events, surprise interviews with celebrity guests, listener call-ins, pranks, music and much more,” said the satellite broadcaster.

“I can’t wait to fly free and for the first time be truly available coast-to-coast,” said Sotelo.

“I am excited that my listeners will be able to tune in to Piolin Radio at home, in the car or anywhere mobile,” he said.

During his tenure at Univision, Sotelo’s program included interviews with personalities likes President Barack Obama, George Lopez, Will Smith, Jennifer Lopez and Pitbull, among many others.

Sotelo’s syndicated Univision show, which managed to become the program with the biggest audience in multiple markets nationwide, made a sudden exit from broadcasting in late July after a 10-year run and with neither the company nor the host providing any reason why the show was canceled.

The Los Angeles Times reported, however, that the decision stemmed from accusations of sexual harassment against the show host by an ex-fellow worker.

Sotelo, recently named to the National Radio Hall of Fame, rejected the accusations.

Diaz Joins the Cast of the New “Annie” Film

Posted on June 27, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

The sun will come out tomorrow for Cameron Diaz…

The 40-year-old half-Cuban American actress has signed on to star in the new big screen adaptation of Annie.

Diaz will play the cantankerous orphanage matron Miss Hannigan, a rep for Columbia Pictures confirmed to Entertainment Weekly, in the actress’ first official musical role onscreen.

The character of Miss Hannigan was memorably portrayed by Carol Burnett in the original 1982 big-screen version of Annie, which was directed by John Huston. For this new version, Easy A helmer Will Gluck will assume the directing duties.

Sandra Bullock had reportedly been in talks for the scene-stealing role, but she recently pulled out.

Diaz joins a star-studded production that’s being produced by Will Smith and Jay-Z.

The cast includes Oscar winner Jamie Foxx, who will play a Daddy Warbucks–like billionaire character, while Quvenzhané Wallis—who at 9 years old became the youngest Best Actress Oscar nominee for her work in Beasts of the Southern Wild—will take on the titular role.

Production is expected to start in the fall with a Christmas 2014 release date in mind.

Lopez Saves Adele & The Grammys from Stage Crasher

Posted on February 12, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Maybe it was her superhero-costume-like dress… But, Jennifer Lopez proved to be a fearless hero at this year’s Grammy Awards…

The 43-year-old Puerto Rican singer/actress saved Adele (and the live show) from an awkward encounter with Grammys crasher Vitalii Seduik, a Ukranian TV personality who planted two kisses on Will Smith on the red carpet of Men in Black III’s Moscow premiere and gifted Madonna hydrangeas as a press event.

Seduik managed to walk the Grammys red carpet on Sunday night, enter the venue and take a seat in the second row. But that’s not all, when Adele’s name was called as the winner in the Best Solo Pop Performance category, Seduik walked onto the stage and started giving an acceptance speech before the British songstress had even reached the mic.

Luckily, la Lopez wasn’t having any of it… She not only glared at him, but shooed him away with a simple flick of the thumb.

Seduik reportedly spent a night in jail after being detained by event security backstage, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Kid Cudi Collaborates with Jaden Smith on “Higher Up” Track

Posted on January 3, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Kid Cudi has joined forces with kid Smith on a new musical collaboration…

The 28-year-old part-Mexican American hip-hop artist/songwriter appears on a new track titled “Higher Up,” which has been released by Jaden Smith.

The new rap single contains rhymes from Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith’s 14-year-old son, which are delivered over the instrumental track from Kid Cudi’s 2009 song. The young Smith presents a chilled-out R&B beat and some lyrics dedicated to his famous parents.

“Higher Up” opens with a gentle piano playing along a relaxed percussion beat. Jaden’s deep voice, which sounds very different from how his vocals sounded in his cameo on Justin Bieber‘s “Never Say Never,” comes as a surprise at the start of the song. Kid Cudi joins the rhymes during the song’s hook, singing the line, “Who’s all ready to go higher up?”

Smith sings, “I’m just a kid who’s not really a kid/ I’m different, dawg, I wear dresses / I’m not upset / You don’t mess with my style cause this stuff’s aggressive/ I’m sorry mom and dad I’m just trying to live, tell them bloggers when they see me to stay out my business.”

“Higher Up” is the first of two projects between Kid Cudi and Smith.

The “Day ‘n’ Nite” hitmaker has previously revealed that the young Smith would be a featured artist on his next album, Indicud, which is slated for release in 2013.

Spalding to Replace Beyoncé in “A Star Is Born” Remake?

Posted on October 10, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

She beat out Justin Bieber for the Best New Artist award at the 53rd Grammy Awards… And, now Esperanza Spalding could be replacing Beyoncé on a highly anticipated big screen project.

Following Beyoncé’s recent exit as the lead in the Clint Eastwood-helmed remake of A Star Is Born, the Hollywood legendary actor/director is reportedly looking at the 27-year-old part-Mexican jazz singer to fill in the female lead role.

Beyoncé quit the project due to scheduling issues, which has opened the door to Spalding to sign on for her first-ever big screen role.

However, sources say that until a male lead is signed, no discussions or offers will be made with the female lead.

In the remake to the 1976 musical film, Beyoncé was set to tackle the character which was originally played by Barbra Streisand. When the “Crazy In Love” singer was pregnant with her first child, Warner Bros. Pictures postponed the production, which was expected to begin this past February.

The delay was seen as an opportunity to give the studio more time to find the lead actor. Leonardo DiCaprio, Christian Bale, Tom Cruise, Johnny Depp, Will Smith and most recently Bradley Cooper have been mentioned as the contenders, but no deal has been firmed up of now.

The A Star Is Born remake promises an updated version of a romantic relationship between an alcoholic star on his way out and a young female artist on the rise.

Earlier this year, Spalding, who performed a moving rendition of Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World,” released her follow up album entitled, Radio Music Society.

AMC Networks Acquires Braga’s “On the Road”

Posted on May 9, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

It looks like Alice Braga’s latest film will be released in theaters this fall…

The 29-year-old Brazilian actress’ On the Road has been acquired by AMC Networks a week before it premieres in competition at the Cannes Film Festival.

Buying all U.S. rights to Walter Salles’ adaptation of Jack Kerouac’s classic novel of the same name, AMC Networks announced that its distribution labels IFC Films and Sundance Selects will release the film later this fall in theaters.

Along with Braga—who rose to fame following her starring role opposite Will Smith in I Am Legend—the film stars Twilight’s Kristen Stewart, TRON: Legacy’s Garrett Hedlund, Kirsten Dunst, Amy Adams, Elisabeth Moss and Viggo Mortensen.

Jose Rivera wrote the screenplay for the film, which brings to life the classic novel based on the spontaneous cross-country adventures of Kerouac and his friends during the middle of the 20th century.

On the Road is considered a defining work of the postwar Beat Generation that was inspired by jazz, poetry and drug experiences. While many of the names and details of Kerouac’s experiences are changed for the novel, hundreds of references in On the Road have real-world counterparts.

Pitbull Writes & Performs “Men in Black III” Track

Posted on March 25, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

He’s the sharpest dressed rapper in the business… And, now Pitbull is sharing his voice with the Men in Black franchise.

The 31-year-old Cuban American rap superstar has written a new song for the upcoming installment of Men in Black entitled “Back in Time.” The song, co-written with Marc Kinchen, Adrian Trejo and Urales Vargas, includes a sample of Mickey & Sylvia‘s 1950s hit “Love Is Strange.”

“It’s an incredible honor to be a part of such an amazing franchise as Men in Black and I have so much respect for Will Smith, especially with our similar musical backgrounds,” says Pitbull. “Wanting to keep the music fun yet modern, we used the slogan of the movie and flipped it back into the song that ‘in order to understand the future, you have to go back in time’.”

Men in Black 3 director Barry Sonnenfeld, meanwhile, gushes, “My 19-year-old daughter turned me on to Pitbull. I’m thrilled that he wrote such a great song for our movie that totally gets it.”

The song will be available as a digital single and released to radio across the United States on Monday, March 26, while the movie itself will be released in 3D in theaters nationwide on May 25.

Garcia to Star in VH!’s “Hollywood Exes” Reality Series

Posted on March 21, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

Prince’s ex-wife Mayte Garcia is about to get real…

The 38-year-old Puerto Rican-Egyptian dancer and singer, who was married to Prince from 1996-2000, will star on VH1’s tentatively titled Hollywood Exes, alongside Nicole Murphy (formerly Mrs. Eddie Murphy), Jessica Canseco (formerly Mrs. Jose Canseco), Sheree Fletcher (formerly Mrs. Will Smith) and Andrea Kelly (formerly Mrs. R Kelly).

“These extraordinarily strong women adjusted to and endured a lot while their ex-spouses won fame and fortune defining pop culture for that moment,” said Jeff Olde, VH1’s EVP original programming and production.

He continued, “Now these women must re-invent themselves again, stepping out of the long shadows cast by their famous husbands and supporting each other as they define the next stage of their lives – this time on their own terms.”

Hollywood Exes sets out to peel back the curtain on Cinderella tales gone wrong. These five women in particular have been friends for several years and are looking to make a name for themselves outside of their famous exes.

Garcia choreographed Britney Spears’ belly dancing routines for her “I’m a Slave 4 U” music video and performance at the MTV Video Music Awards. She’s also guest starred on several TV series, including Psych, The Closer, Las Vegas, Nip/Tuck and Army Wives.

The unscripted hour-long series, which been granted a 10 episode order by the pop culture-themed network, is set to bow on VH1 this summer.

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