(LAS VEGAS) -- Star-studded collaborations are on tap for Sunday night's Billboard Music Awards, airing live on ABC from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Fans will see solo artists like Taylor Swift and Bruno Mars perform, of course, but they'll also enjoy some musical collaborations during the telecast, which starts at 8 p.m. ET. 

Justin Bieber is actually doing double duty Sunday night: he'll sing his song "Take You" solo, and then team up with Will.i.am for their collaboration, "#thatpower." Pitbull is also doing double duty: he'll perform "Live It Up" with Jennifer Lopez, as well as "Feel This Moment" with Christina Aguilera and an unannounced "special guest." We're betting that special guest will be A-ha, the Norwegian '80s pop group whose song "Take On Me" is sampled in "Feel This Moment."

Other collaborations include David Guetta, Ne-Yo & Akon, who'll perform the song "Play Hard," and Nicki Minaj and Lil Wayne, who'll perform "High School."

Solo performers on the show include Swift and Bruno Mars -- debuting his new single "Treasure" --  as well as Ed Sheeran, Selena Gomez, Chris Brown, Miguel, The Band Perry, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Icona Pop and even music legend Prince, who will receive the Billboard Icon Award during the telecast.

Other stars who'll appear on the show include Madonna, who'll receive a special award for her top-grossing MDNA tour; and presenters Celine Dion, Shania Twain, Ke$ha, Carly Rae Jepsen, Miley Cyrus, PSY, Kid Rock, Cee Lo Green and Alanis Morissette.

As for the actual awards, Taylor, fun. and Maroon 5 are the leading nominees. Because there are so many different Billboard charts, it's impossible to list who's nominated in every single category, but Taylor, fun. and Maroon 5 are finalists in 11 different ones. Taylor and Maroon 5 also are both competing for the night's big honor: Top Artist of the Year. The other nominees in that category are Rihanna, Justin Bieber and One Direction.

Speaking of Rihanna, she's nominated in 10 different categories, while Carly Rae Jepsen's represented in nine, thanks to the success of "Call Me Maybe." One Direction is represented in eight categories.

Here are the nominees in a few of the biggest Billboard Music Awards categories:

Top 100 Song
"Some Nights"
"Somebody That I Used to Know"
"Call Me Maybe"
"Payphone"
"One More Night"


Top Billboard 200 Album
21
Babel
Red
Up All Night
Take Me Home


Top Duo/Group
Coldplay
Maroon 5
fun.
One Direction
Mumford & Sons


Top New Artist
Gotye
Carly Rae Jepsen
The Lumineers
One Direction
PSY


Top Pop Artist
Maroon 5
Bruno Mars
Adele
Justin Bieber
One Direction

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

James Devaney/WireImage(NEW YORK) -- If the reports are correct, Beyonce's having another baby.  Multiple sources have confirmed to E! that the singer is pregnant. 

ABC News has reached out to reps for both Bey and her husband, Jay-Z, for comment; so far, there's been no response.

Rumors that they are expecting their second child began swirling earlier this month when Beyonce showed up to the Met Gala in New York City wearing a belly-concealing Givenchy gown.  The buzz intensified when the singer postponed a Belgium concert earlier this week, with her publicist citing "dehydration and exhaustion."

If the news of Beyonce's pregnancy is true, then the timing might come as a bit of a surprise, what with her Mrs. Carter Show world tour under way.  Then again, Beyonce revealed in an exclusive interview with ABC a couple of weeks ago that she "would like more children," explaining that she thinks her daughter, Blue Ivy, "needs some company."

Well, now it looks like a new sibling may be coming to Blue, who was born January of last year.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

Ray Mickshaw/FOX(LOS ANGELES) -- Is Nicki Minaj leaving American Idol?  She won't say. 

Nicki came backstage briefly after the show’s season finale Thursday and took three questions.  One she chose not to answer was, "Are you coming back?"

Nicki was first asked why she didn't perform Thursday night since all the other judges did. She explained that she was committed to performing her song "High School" at this Sunday night's Billboard Music Awards, so she wasn't allowed to perform on Idol.  She also revealed that this season, she was supposed to premiere the song's video during American Idol, but Fox rejected it as being too risque.

Nicki then said that she felt that newly-crowned champ Candice Glover was "absolutely" the right person to win. When a publicist said the rapper would take one more question, several were shouted, and Nicki chose to take one about whether or not she was working on new music -- she begins work on her official third album in July. 

But as reporters shouted, "Are you coming back?" she blinked, smiled, and walked offstage.

Meanwhile, Candice's debut album, titled Music Speaks, will be in stores July 16 and is available for pre-order now. The newly-minted champ will perform on Live with Kelly & Michael on Monday, and will also appear on PBS’s 24th Annual National Memorial Day Concert, and on the annual special A Capitol Fourth.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

Mary Ellen Matthews/NBC(NEW YORK) -- After eight years on Saturday Night Live, Bill Hader announced that this season, which ends Saturday, will be his last – and all he wants to do afterwards is “sleep.”

“[I'll be] spending time with my family. A new set of concerns,” he tells GQ magazine in its June Comedy Issue. “Heading back to LA. I met my wife in California and lived out there before this. We have good friends out there.”

During his time on the show, Hader, 34, became famous for his impressions of James Carville, Al Pacino and Julian Assange, though he says he never set out to make that his forte.

“I don’t know if I’ll keep doing impressions,” he says in the magazine, on stands May 21. “People told me I had a facility for it and I was like, ‘Okay, I’m the impression guy.’ So you imagine the cast at SNL is an A-Team and you’ve got the explosives guy, and I’m the impression guy.”

He also doesn’t intend to reprise Stefon, the infamous club kid with insider knowledge of the most ridiculous hotspots in New York City.

“Sometimes people say to me, ‘I want a Stefon movie!’ and I’m like, you think you want a Stefon movie but then you’ll see the poster for it and think, ‘Wait, I don’t want this!’ he says. “There’s no emotional through line.”

And while he’s fine with saying goodbye to his characters, Hader does have great affection for his SNL co-stars, particularly Seth Meyers, who was just tapped as the new host of Late Night.

“When I heard the news I started clapping–you know, just by myself, clapping. It’s amazing. He is the perfect fit,” he says. “I’ve watched as SNL hosts come into our office and we pitch them ideas and Seth is always at ease with them.  He’s naturally and genuinely curious about people. And he really is such a funny writer. I’ve learned more from him about sketch comedy than probably anybody.”

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

CHRISTOF STACHE/AFP/Getty Images(MUNICH, Germany) -- When you bring the monkey, you must pay the price.

The German animal shelter that has been keeping Justin Bieber's capuchin monkey is asking the singer to pay for his pet's two-month stay there.  Mally the monkey has reportedly racked up a bill of several thousand euros for food, housing and veterinary care at the Munich animal shelter where Mally has been staying since customs officials seized the animal March 28. 

Bieber had brought Mally with him on tour, but reportedly didn't have the proper paperwork to take the monkey with him on the road in Germany.

Bieber also reportedly has until Friday night to claim Mally, though what will happen to the animal if he doesn't isn't quite clear. 

E! News reported late last month that the animal shelter housing Mally claimed Bieber's management had surrendered the monkey to the shelter.  However, there's still paperwork to be done, and customs officials claim so far, they haven't received the necessary documents to release Mally, wherever she may end up.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

Kevin Mazur/WireImage(NEW YORK) -- Zoe Saldana is currently on the silver screen, helping to defend the USS Enterprise in the J.J. Abrams-directed Star Trek Into Darkness, out now. The 34-year-old actress is having so much fun, she tells ABC News Radio that she never wants quit the movie business.

"I don't ever want to retire," Saldana said Thursday night at a Star Trek Into Darkness screening at Paramount Studios in New York City. "What am I going to do, gardening?"

"I'm always going to be evolving in my career. Right now, I've finally found something that makes me happy. I've been doing this for over 10 years and it makes me happy," she continued. "And the moment this business doesn't make happy I am going to do something else."

Saldana stars alongside Chris Pine, who plays Captain Kirk, and Zachary Quinto, as Spock in the Star Trek re-boot. Sherlock actor Benedict Cumberbatch portrays the mysterious villain, John Harrison.

Star Trek Into Darkness, which is screening in 3D, is rated PG-13. It's the only movie opening in wide release this week.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

ABC/CRAIG SJODIN(NEW YORK) -- On the season finale of Scandal, President Fitzgerald joined his inner circle of advisers -- Hollis Doyle, Cyrus Beene, Olivia Pope and his wife Mellie -- to figure out what to do about the mole, Billy Chambers.

Billy has evidence that proves Fitz stole the White House in the general election, but Olivia crafted a plan to get it back.

After the meeting was adjourned, Fitz couldn't keep his hands off of Olivia. And he still wanted Liv to move into the White House after he divorced Mellie. Fitz convinced Olivia to craft a plan to make the American public fall in love with her. "Use your superpower," Fitz told Olivia.

Later, the unnamed CIA head asked Jake Ballard to bring Olivia in, presumably to kill her. Jake didn't want to do it, so another CIA member broke into Olivia's apartment. Jake was there waiting in the wings to protect her, and killed the CIA agent before the agent could presumably kill Olivia.

Meanwhile, Cyrus left the hospital early to come check on Olivia, who by then was at her office. "Someone tried to kill me tonight," she told Cyrus. And after she revealed that she still wanted to be with Fitz, even after her near death experience, Cyrus told her something that was sure to change her mind: the president killed her friend, Verna Thornton, the dying Supreme Court Justice. "That is who you're in love with," he added.

Later, Cyrus did his best to turn the president away from Olivia as well. He finally showed him the sex tape Jake made when he slept with Olivia.

And after trying to find the Cytron card, the one piece of evidence that revealed the president stole the White House, Olivia's team finally realized that David Rosen was the one who stole it. Still, he didn't give it to anyone. Instead, he used it to restore his reputation, and get a new job as the U.S. Attorney for D.C.

Thankfully, David recorded Billy revealing that he killed many people in order to seek revenge on Olivia, evidence she'll surely use later.

Olivia ultimately decided to go back to her team -- her gladiators -- and Fitz went back with his tail between his legs to his wife Mellie.

When Olivia went on her morning run, she was met by dozens of reporters asking, "Is it true that you're having an affair with President Grant?" And when two CIA men swept her out of the frenzy, we finally discovered who the mysterious CIA head was when Olivia exclaimed, "Dad?"

The third season of Scandal is expected to return to ABC in the fall.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

Chris Haston/NBC(NEW YORK) -- The NBC comedy The Office ended its nine-season run Thursday night with a 75-minute episode that was heavy on surprises, including the return of Steve Carell.

The finale was set one year after the premiere of the TV documentary in which the employees of the Scranton, Pa., branch of the Dunder Mifflin paper company starred.  We learned that many of the workers had moved on, some by choice -- Stanley retired, Andy had become a viral sensation thanks to his miserable reality show audition -- while others -- Kevin and Toby -- were fired.

The entire crew came together for the wedding of Dwight and Angela.  Their old boss, Carell's Michael Scott, showed up at the last second to be Dwight's best man. 

Dwight remarked, "I can't believe you came."  Michael responded as only he can, with his signature catchphrase: "That's what she said."

Carell didn't have much screen time in the episode.  In one of his rare lines of the night, he told the documentary film crew, "It feels like all my kids grew up and married each other.  It's every parent's dream."

In the other major development of the episode, Jim and Pam decided to sell their home and move to Austin, Texas, so he could recommit himself to the growing sports marketing company he helped launch in Philadelphia.  His involvement with that company had strained the couple's marriage for most of the season.

As for some of the other major characters:

• Original cast members Mindy Kaling and B.J. Novak reprised their roles of Kelly and Ryan, respectively.  Kelly ditched her man at the wedding to run away with her on-again, off-again boyfriend Ryan, who's now a single dad.  Actually, he was a single dad, until he decided to abandon the kid at the ceremony.  The baby ended up in the hands of Nellie, who had been looking to adopt.
• At a documentary reunion panel, the adopted Erin was united with her biological mother and father, played by guest stars Joan Cusack and Ed Begley, Jr.
• After his firing, Kevin became a bar owner, but he is still his goofy self.
• Oscar is a candidate for state Senate -- a nod to the fact that he once had an affair with Angela's ex-husband, a state senator.

In the final moments of the episode, Creed -- played by Creed Bratton, former member of the 1960s rock band The Grass Roots -- performed music in the office as various employees reflected on their Dunder Mifflin experience with the cameras.

Jenna Fischer, as Pam, closed the show by saying, "All in all, I think that an ordinary paper company like Dunder Mifflin was a great subject for a documentary.  There's a lot of beauty in ordinary things.  Isn't that kind of the point?"

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

Fred Armisen (L), Jason Sudeikis (C), Maya Rudolph (R). (Dana Edelson/NBC)(NEW YORK) -- Bill Hader's final appearance as a cast member of Saturday Night Live will come this weekend.  But the season finale of the NBC late-night sketch program may also mark the swan song of two other longtime stars.

The New York Post reports that Fred Armisen is set to depart SNL, and that Jason Sudeikis will "probably" exit the show, too.

Armisen is wrapping up his 11th season on SNL.  He's also the star of the IFC comedy Portlandia.

Sudeikis, who's completing his eighth season on SNL, has an active movie career.

The season finale of SNL will be hosted by Ben Affleck, with musical guest Kanye West.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

Hemera/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) -- The CW announced its fall schedule on Thursday, and as you'd expect, it's filled with teen-friendly dramas.

There are three new series that will debut on the network in the fall: The Originals, a spin-off of The Vampire Diaries; The Tomorrow People, centering around an advanced race of people who have paranormal abilities; and Reign, a dramatized version of a 15-year-old Mary, Queen of Scots, in the 16th century.

Hart of Dixie and Beauty and the Beast both move to Monday nights, Supernatural is relocated to Tuesday nights, and the Sex & the City spin-off The Carrie Diaries heads to Friday nights.

For midseason, the CW will bring back Nikita for a fourth and final season, and unveil three new series: Star-Crossed, a love story amid an alien-versus-human struggle; The 100, revolving around survivors of a nuclear Armageddon on Earth; and Famous in 12, a reality show from TMZ founder Harvey Levin in which a family moves to Los Angeles and attempts to become famous in a 12-week time period.

The CW's fall schedule will launch sometime in October.  Here's a look at the schedule (all times Eastern):

Monday
Hart of Dixie -- 8-9 p.m.
Beauty and the Beast -- 9-10 p.m.

Tuesday
The Originals -- 8-9 p.m.
Supernatural -- 9-10 p.m.

Wednesday
Arrow -- 8-9 p.m.
The Tomorrow People -- 9-10 p.m.

Thursday
The Vampire Diaries -- 8-9 p.m.
Reign -- 9-10 p.m.

Friday
The Carrie Diaries -- 8-9 p.m.
America's Next Top Model -- 9-10 p.m.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images(LOS ANGELES) -- Michael Lohan, the father of troubled actress Lindsay Lohan, says he wants to break his daughter out of the 90-day rehab stint she's currently serving at the Betty Ford Center in California.

Mr. Lohan wants Lindsay out of the rehab facility -- of which she's already an alumna -- in favor of the Florida-based Lukens Institute, he told RadarOnline.

"I want to meet with Lindsay’s attorney Shawn and the City Attorney to talk about her transferring," Michael said of his daughter.

"It is ridiculous for Lindsay to spend 90 days at Betty Ford," he said.  "They are a 30-day program place.  There is no reason for her to repeat the same program for three months.  She's been to Betty Ford and it isn't going to help her this time.  She needs real help and the only place she can get this is at Lukens."

There's no official word about Lindsay going anywhere.  In fact, if she leaves the court-mandated program, she reportedly gets fitted for an orange jumpsuit.

Michael himself is no stranger to addiction issues: he has been to rehab several times in his life -- most recently in 2012 -- for addictions ranging from alcohol to steroid use.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

Mark Seliger/NBC(LOS ANGELES) -- Though Christina Aguilera and Cee Lo Green are expected to return to the NBC singing competition in the fall, The Voice isn't cutting ties with their replacements, Shakira and Usher.

Shakira has confirmed that she is leaving The Voice after the current season.  There have also been reports that Usher will do the same, with Aguilera and Green reclaiming the chairs they occupied for the show's first three seasons.

However, Entertainment Weekly states that while Aguilera and Green will indeed return to The Voice in the fall, NBC is finalizing deals with Shakira and Usher to rejoin Adam Levine and Blake Shelton for the spring 2014 season.  That would obviously mean that Aguilera and Green would go on hiatus again.

Levine, Shelton and host Carson Daly will all be back for the next two seasons.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

Valerie Macon/Getty Images(LOS ANGELES) -- While many celebrities flaunt their slimmed down bodies right after the birth of children, Hilary Duff admits she had a different experience.

"It took me a full year!" she reveals in Life & Style.  "I’m finally at a comfortable place with my body."

The 25-year-old first time mom tells the magazine she had a difficult time shedding the 50 pounds she gained while pregnant with her son, Luca, now 1.

"I never had to lose so much before, and it took a while to get mentally motivated," she says.  "I was enjoying being home with my baby, and I wasn’t super strict with my diet."

With the help of her trainer, Gabe Johns, who suggested boxing, Duff eventually shed the pounds.

"It makes me feel super fierce," she admits with a laugh.  "Gabe and I box outside my home, so my neighbors watched the whole shrinking process!  They cheered me on!”

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

Ray Mickshaw/FOX(LOS ANGELES) -- Candice Glover, a 23-year-old singer from St. Helena Island, South Carolina, was crowned the Season 12 American Idol champion Thursday night.

Candice defeated runner-up Kree Harrison to become the first female American Idol winner since 2007. Candice had been trying out for Idol for the past three years, so this win was especially sweet for her. She capped off the night singing her brand-new single, "I Am Beautiful."

Kree and Candice performed one final duet of Burt Bacharach and Hal David's "One Less Bell to Answer" and "A House Is Not a Home" before Candice was crowned the winner.

This season's top 10 finalists opened the show singing TheWanted's "Glad You Came." The "Queen of Soul" Aretha Franklin appeared via satellite from New York City to sing with the top five girls, who were in Los Angeles. It was all a bit surreal, but Aretha sounded great nonetheless. The medley began with "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" and continued with "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)," "Respect" and "Think."

The top five guys took the stage to sing a medley of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons hits, including "Let's Hang On (To What We've Got)" and "Walk Like a Man," before Frankie joined them to sing "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You" and "Grease."

Heavily bejeweled judge Mariah Carey performed a medley of her hits "Vision of Love," "Make It Happen," "My All," "Hero" and "We Belong Together" before finishing up with her latest hit "#Beautiful," a duet with Miguel. Though Miguel didn't show up for the duet, Mariah's fellow judge and longtime collaborator, Randy Jackson, did play bass for the performance. Mariah's performance was actually taped on Wednesday night, and speculation that she was lip synching was widespread on Twitter during the show. Mariah's rep told The Hollywood Reporter she was definitely singing live though.  

Country trio The Band Perry gave a dramatic performance of their latest single, "DONE.," with a little help from finalist Janelle Arthur. Former Idol finalist Jennifer Hudson returned to sing a powerhouse cover of Natalie Cole's "Inseparable" with Candice.

Judge Keith Urban performed his brand-new country single, "Little Bit of Everything," for the first time on television. Keith returned to perform "Where the Blacktop Ends" with Kree and Randy, featuring Blink-182's Travis Barker on drums.

Since Randy is leaving the show, Idol kicked off a tribute to the "Dawg" with a roomful of dogs sitting at a conference table barking about it. Their subtitles revealed they were upset about Randy's departure. A montage of Randy's finest moments followed.

Psy was on hand for a highly-produced and choreographed performance of his single, "Gentleman." Former Idol judge Jennifer Lopez teamed up with Pitbull to perform their latest collaboration, "Live It Up," just before the results were announced.

Amber Holcomb returned to sing the British sensation Emeli Sandé’s hit "Next to Me" with Emeli herself. Angie Miller teamed up with former Idol contestant Adam Lambert for a duet on David Guetta and Sia's "Titanium."

Then Jessie J, Angie's personal Idol, appeared behind the judges' table to join Angie onstage for a duet of Jessie's hit "Domino."  After the performance, Jessie told Angie she'd fly her to the U.K. so they could perform Angie's original song, "You Set Me Free," together onstage.  Angie was supposed to have performed that song on the finale, but according to Jessie, Angie had to forgo doing so in order to sing with her.  By the way, Jessie appeared bald because she recently shaved her head for charity, and her hair hasn't grown in yet.

The two-hour finale included a comic interlude where all the male finalists revealed that they were voted off in quick succession because the female finalists sabotaged them, in order to ensure a female winner.  It was a sly reference to the fact that many viewers this year believed the producers deliberately stacked the deck with weak male contestants to achieve the same results.  At the end of the piece, it was revealed that the mastermind behind the so-called "sabotage" was none other than Jordin Sparks, the last female winner of American Idol.

Backstage, after the show, Candice said she was “still trying to process” the idea that she had won. Candice said she didn’t hear Ryan Seacrest announce her name, but she does remember confetti getting into her mouth while she was singing.  She said winning “feels amazing.”

When asked backstage why she kept trying out for Idol, Candice replied that she “just couldn't stay away, because I knew that if I kept trying it would happen.”

Kree spoke backstage about being excited about going out on tour, calling it “a little insane.”  As for her recording plans, Kree said she just wants to make a good record.  As for the genre, Kree declared, “It's definitely going to be country, for sure. I want to be on country radio, and, yeah. I can't believe I get to go make that now.”

If you're already missing this season's finalists, then catch them on the road this summer. The IDOL Live! 2013 Tour launches June 29 in St. Louis.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images(LOS ANGELES) -- There have been a lot of shake-ups at American Idol lately, but Keith Urban doesn’t want any part of it.

“I would [love to return],” the judge told People magazine on Wednesday. “I mean, I literally enjoy coming to work every day and that’s a rarity.”

These days, question is, who will his colleagues be? Last week, Randy Jackson announced that this season will be his last and Nicki Minaj’s time on the show may be winding down as well. But, as season 12 comes to a close, Urban, 45, had nothing but nice things to say about his time on the panel.

“I joined an ensemble like this in the same way I joined a band,” he said. “I like being in a team and I felt that immediately, with [host Ryan Seacrest] and Randy, particularly.”

Thursday night's show was the last time this particular panel will be together, as they crowned Candice Glover the winner.

“It’s funny, I think everybody is judging,” said Urban, who performed “A Little Bit of Everything” on Thursday night’s finale. “Everyone at home is judging us, judging them, judging everybody.”

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

Byron Cohen/NBC(NEW YORK) -- The Office will close up shop Thursday night.  For nine seasons, viewers have watched the goings-on at the fictional Dunder Mifflin paper company in Scranton, Pa., as its employees were followed by a documentary crew.

The 75-minute finale of the NBC comedy will take place months after the airing of the documentary on TV, with the workers attending the wedding of Rainn Wilson's Dwight and Angela Kinsey's Angela.

The finale will feature the return of original cast members Mindy "Kelly" Kaling and BJ "Ryan" Novak, in addition to guest stars Joan Cusack, Ed Begley Jr., Rachael Harris, Dakota Johnson and more.  A recent report also stated that Steve Carell will make a cameo, reprising his role of former Dunder Mifflin boss Michael Scott.

Kinsey is promising that the finale will be "epic" and satisfying for longtime fans.

She says, "The finale...was an ambitious episode.  It was huge and multiple locations and guest stars, so I think the fans are going to be really happy.  I was."

Kinsey says filming the final scene was emotional for her, her co-stars, and executive producer Greg Daniels.

She recalls, "The whole crew had gathered around on stage, and then Greg Daniels said that's a series wrap on the cast of The Office.  And we were all there together and we just all disintegrated.  We just all started crying, we were hugging each other, hugging the crew, hugging Greg."

Kinsey didn't realize the show would have this much success when the pilot was shot in 2004, since it was an adaptation of the hit British comedy created by and starring Ricky Gervais.

She says, "It was so quiet and slow-paced and so different from what I'd been watching on television, which was exciting, and I was a fan of the BBC version, I just didn't know if it would make it in America.  I didn't know if the American audience had the patience.  But they did.  And I'm so thankful."

Singer Josh Groban, who played the brother of Ed Helms' Andy in two episodes, believes The Office evolved into an "amazing" show because, "It wasn't afraid to tap into, I think, the insecurities that we all kind of have as human beings no matter what level on the totem pole we are in the business world....And it's brilliantly written."

The final episode of The Office will begin at 9 p.m. Eastern time, following a one-hour retrospective.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

Zade Rosenthal/Paramount Pictures(NEW YORK) -- J.J. Abrams' follow-up to his 2009 Star Trek prequel opens nationwide on Thursday.

In Star Trek Into Darkness, the crew of the Enterprise is confronted with a new villain: someone from within their own organization.  Captain Kirk, again played by Chris Pine, leads the effort to capture the bad guy.

The cast again features Zachary Quinto, as Spock; Zoe Saldana, as Uhura; Karl Urban, as Bones; Simon Pegg, as Scotty; Anton Yelchin, as Chekov; and John Cho, as Sulu.

Sherlock actor Benedict Cumberbatch portrays the mysterious villain.

Star Trek Into Darkness, which is screening in 3D, is rated PG-13.  It's the only movie opening in wide release this week.  [Click here to read a review]

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

ABC/CRAIG SJODIN(NEW YORK) -- The second-season finale of the ABC drama Scandal airs Thursday at 10 p.m. Eastern time.  The series centers around the affair between U.S. President Fitzgerald "Fitz" Grant and Olivia Pope, the crisis manager played by Kerry Washington.

On last week's episode, former vice president chief of staff Billy Chambers was revealed to be the mysterious White House mole, and the season is expected to end with a big cliffhanger.

Scott Foley, who plays Jake, tells ABC News Radio, "The way that the season ends, the story ends for Olivia and her relationships, not just with Fitz, but with Jake and with other members of the ensemble, it's pretty spectacular."

Foley says his status on the show for next season is up in the air.

He comments, "That's a great question.  And one that my wife would like to know as well.  Because there's a couple of things she'd like to buy."

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

CBS Worldwide Inc.(NEW YORK) -- A topless painting of actress Bea Arthur sold for nearly $2 million Wednesday night at a Christie’s auction in New York City.

The New York Post reports artist John Currin’s “Bea Arthur Naked” was purchased over the phone by an anonymous bidder for $1.9 million.

The Golden Girls actress never sat for the painting by Currin, who is known for creating campy works of art featuring women in provocative positions.  When it came out in 1991, the painting was blasted by art critics for being sexist and misogynistic.  According to the newspaper, Currin’s work is now widely acclaimed and many of his paintings hang in museums.

“Bea Arthur Naked” depicts the veteran TV actress with a blank expression and bare sagging breasts. Christie’s spokesman Koji Inoue described the oil on canvas painting as “visually lasting.”

Arthur died in 2009 at the age of 86.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

Rovio(NEW YORK) -- Angry Birds is flying to a big screen near you in three years.

Sony Pictures Entertainment announced Wednesday that it has acquired the worldwide distribution rights to a 3D animated film based on the popular mobile game.

The movie will be released July 1, 2016.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

iStockphoto/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) -- In what could be an industry-changing move, TBS and TNT announced Wednesday the networks will soon be streaming on-air content live across multiple platforms, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“Starting this summer, subscribers will be able to watch TBS and TNT live -- anytime, anywhere, on multiple devices,” Steve Koonin, president of Turner Entertainment Networks said. “Tablets and smartphones become television sets, bringing new opportunities for us and for advertisers.”

The announcement was made at TBS and TNT's annual Upfront presentations in New York earlier this week.

The live streams will be available via www.tntdrama.com and www.tbs.com and newly created iPhone and iPad apps. Additional platforms will be added by the end of 2013, according to the cable networks.

TNT and TBS also announced Wednesday new shows for the 2013-2014 season.

TNT's slate includes a Steven Spielberg-produced drama, Portal House, about a group of scientists who discover a portal into the time-space continuum; a Spielberg-produced remake of the classic TV detective series Peter Gunn; a Sylvester Stallone-produced drama, The Last Cop, revolving around an officer who emerges from a coma after nearly 20 years; a small screen adaptation of the Nicholas Sparks book A Bend in the Road; and a reality show based on the classic board game Monopoly.

TBS' new series include a Steve Carell-produced comedy, tentatively titled Tribeca, about a fictional crime-investigating unit of the LAPD; the comedy Dad, Stop Embarrassing Me, based on Jamie Foxx's relationship with his 18-year-old daughter; and a reality show hosted by Juno screenwriter Diablo Cody focusing on Hollywood culture.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

Andreas Rentz/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- Back in March, Us Weekly reported that Hayden Panettiere is engaged to her on-again boyfriend, Wladimir Klitschko.  The Nashville actress did nothing to dispel the speculation when she helped ABC promote its 2013-2014 schedule in New York City on Tuesday.

Panettiere, 23, was photographed wearing a fancy ring on her right hand at an ABC event.  It's now being speculated that it was an engagement ring.

Panettiere and Klitschko dated in 2010 and 2011 before breaking up.  They reconciled in January.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- The latest wrinkle in Ashton Kutcher’s divorce with Demi Moore involves a $10 million battle over a venture capital fund he set up with Madonna’s manager Gary Oseary and billionaire Ron Burkle, the New York Post has revealed.

The couple split in November 2011, but they have still not reached a divorce settlement.

Earlier this month, the Two and a Half Men star and his partners announced that a fund they set up in 2010, A-Grade Investments, was valued at $100 million.  The fund was established to invest in start-ups.

A source tells the newspaper the fund was sent up when Kutcher and Moore were still together, but he recently told her divorce lawyers the fund had not generated any substantial money and the actor claimed he had only invested about $1 million into it.

The source says "Ashton owns 20 percent of the fund, under California law, Demi should be entitled to half of his share -- $10 million," based on that $100 million valuation.

According to the Post, Kutcher earned $24 million between May 2011 and May 2012 for his work on Two and a Half Men.  Moore’s last big film was Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle, for which she was reportedly paid $2 million.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

Hemera/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) -- CBS' unofficial motto for the 2013-2014 season: If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

The top-rated broadcast network has scheduled only five new series for the fall -- a smaller total than what the other networks have planned for their respective lineups.

Robin Williams and Sarah Michelle Gellar lead the most buzzed-about new CBS program, the comedy The Crazy Ones.  They'll play a father-daughter duo who works at an advertising agency.

The other new series coming to CBS this fall are:

• Mom, a comedy starring Anna Faris as a newly-sober single mom.

• We Are Men, a comedy about four single guys who live in the same apartment complex and have "many missteps in love."

• The Millers, a comedy featuring Will Arnett as a recently-divorced news reporter whose parents also split up.

• Hostages, a Jerry Bruckheimer drama that follows a surgeon, played by Toni Collette, whose family is taken hostage by a rogue FBI agent.  The agent demands that the surgeon assassinate the president while operating on the commander-in-chief.

CBS has also announced three series for midseason: the Josh Holloway-Marg Helgenberger super-agent thriller Intelligence, the legal drama Reckless, and the romantic comedy Friends With Better Lives.

The network has shuffled a few of its existing shows, moving Person of Interest to Tuesdays and Hawaii Five-O to Fridays, while leaving the Melissa McCarthy sitcom Mike & Molly off its schedule entirely for the time being.  

Here is CBS' fall schedule.  All times Eastern:

Monday
How I Met Your Mother -- 8:00-8:30 p.m.             
We Are Men -- 8:30-9:00 p.m.
2 Broke Girls -- 9:00-9:30 p.m.
Mom -- 9:30-10:00 p.m.
Hostages -- 10:00-11:00 p.m.       

Tuesday
NCIS -- 8:00-9:00 p.m.
NCIS: Los Angeles -- 9:00-10:00 p.m.
Person Of Interest -- 10:00-11:00 p.m.

Wednesday
Survivor -- 8:00-9:00 p.m.
Criminal Minds -- 9:00-10:00 p.m.
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation -- 10:00-11:00 p.m.

Thursday
The Big Bang Theory -- 8:00-8:30 p.m.
The Millers -- 8:30-9:00 p.m.
The Crazy Ones -- 9:00-9:30 p.m.
Two And A Half Men -- 9:30-10:00 p.m.
Elementary -- 10:00-11:00 p.m.

Friday
Undercover Boss -- 8:00-9:00 p.m.
Hawaii Five-0 -- 9:00-10:00 p.m.
Blue Bloods -- 10:00-11:00 p.m.

Saturday
Comedytime Saturday -- 8:00-8:30 p.m.
Comedytime Saturday -- 8:30-9:00 p.m.
Crimetime Saturday -- 9:00-10:00 p.m.
48 Hours -- 10:00-11:00 p.m.

Sunday
60 Minutes -- 7:00-8:00 p.m.
The Amazing Race -- 8:00-9:00 p.m.
The Good Wife -- 9:00-10:00 p.m.
The Mentalist -- 10:00-11:00 p.m.    

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

Zade Rosenthal/Paramount Pictures(NEW YORK) -- J.J. Abrams is a genius, and it’s not because Star Trek Into Darkness is a great movie.  It is not.

Director Abrams and his team are clearly passionate about the original Star Trek and the early Star Trek movies.  His 2009 big-screen reboot was simply fantastic, and while he's said that film was directed at Star Trek fans, Star Trek Into Darkness, he says, was made with the general movie-going public in mind.  Which sounds like code for, “We dumbed it down.”

Somewhere in the back of Abrams's mind, he must feel like James T. Kirk when he beat the Kobayashi Maru.  For those who don’t know, in Star Trek mythology the Kobayashi Maru is an unbeatable test given to Starfleet cadets to judge how they handle themselves in a no-win situation.  Kirk is the only cadet who's ever beaten it, and that’s because he cheated.  With their intention of making a Star Trek movie more appealing to the mainstream, Abrams and his team of writers were creating their own no-win situation with die-hard Star Trek fans and, you would think, discerning moviegoers. The question is, did he get away with it?  Well, yes -- but only because he cheated.

From the opening scene of Star Trek Into Darkness, Abrams treats us to an absolutely stunning, IMAX 3D experience.  Visually, it's one of the best uses of this technology thus far.  On a distant planet, Captain Kirk (Chris Pine) and Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy (Karl Urban) are running through a lush, vivid red field that's so pleasing to look at, you may experience multiple eyegasms.  Chasing them are the planet's primitive denizens, who have no idea that they're not alone in the universe.  Turns out, Kirk and friends are trying to save the planet by dropping Spock (Zachary Quinto) into a volcano, where he'll deposit a device that will kill the volcano and save the planet.  Only something goes wrong and puts Spock in danger.  In order to save him, Kirk will have to reveal the Enterprise to the natives, in violation of Starfleet's Prime Directive, which is to never interfere with a developing culture.  

Guess who’s willing to die rather than break the Prime Directive?  Spock!  Guess who’s going to break rules to save his friend?  James T. Kirk!  Back on Earth, Kirk's violation gets him stripped of his command of the Enterprise, and the captain's chair is returned to Kirk's mentor, Captain Pike.

In the meantime, this dude John Harrison -- played by Jeremy Irons' younger and better-looking clone, Benedict Cumberbatch -- has convinced a Starfleet member to suicide-bomb an important Starfleet building. That act of terrorism forces the highest-ranking members of Starfleet to gather in a completely unsecure room high above Starfleet headquarters, a room that's curiously susceptible to outside attack.  Which Harrison provides, ultimately resulting in Kirk getting the Enterprise back, with the mission of going after Harrison.

Cumberbatch’s character has been the subject of much debate.  Is he Khan, the genetic superman from the original series?  Sorry to disappoint you, fans: he’s actually Guinan, the bartender played by Whoopi Goldberg in Star Trek: The Next Generation. Ok, fine, he’s Khan.  It’s out there.  It’s on IMDB.  I’m not telling you anything most people who care don't already know.

Most Star Trek fans will be thrilled when Harrison reveals his real name, and they'll be thrilled to hear and see the many other references to the original Star Trek series.  It’s familiar territory, and that’s one of the reasons we so readily consume properties that have already been done, and done successfully.  And this is the cheating I mentioned earlier.  By serving Star Trek fans familiar series touchstones set against an extraordinary visual palate that was unimaginable even 10 years ago, Abrams will win over less discerning fans.  It’s an extraordinary illusion, executed with cunning direction and mostly excellent acting.

It is easy to see why Cumberbatch has developed a dedicated following from his work as the title character on the British series Sherlock.  He's a walking spectacle.  If I was an actor with an ego, I would not want to share screen time with this man.  Unless you're there to be comic relief, Cumberbatch is going to make you look like a dinner theater actor.

Which brings me to Chris Pine, who really is an excellent actor.  However, while his angsty, rebellious attitude was perfect for Kirk in the 2009 reboot, it doesn’t work here.  When he gets angry, he sounds like a bratty child, similar to Luke Skywalker in Star Wars before he took his hero’s journey.  In this movie, Pine has a moment when Kirk makes a decision that harkens back to Star Trek: The Wrath of Kahn.  It seems so forced and nonsensical, watching House Speaker John Boehner hold hands with Senator Al Franken and sing campfire songs would seem less forced and more, well, logical.

As J.J. Abrams said, Star Trek Into Darkness was designed to appeal to a mass audience.  From my perspective, that was a huge mistake.  Whether you’re a serious Star Trek fan or merely a discerning movie fan, you’re likely going to find yourself annoyed by this sell-out philosophy and how it affects the film.  At the same time, Spock, Bones and Scotty (Simon Pegg) will make you laugh, and the visuals will impress.  In the case of James T. Kirk and J.J. Abrams, cheaters do indeed win.  At least, they do at the box office.

Two-and-a-half out of five stars.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

FOX(LOS ANGELES) -- American Idol finalists Kree Harrison and Candice Glover went three rounds Wednesday night trying to earn enough votes to take this season's Idol crown. The winner will be revealed on American Idol's two-hour season finale Thursday night.

In the first round, American Idol creator Simon Fuller chose the song, and in round two, the finalists sang the song that would be their respective debut single should they win the competition. The third round featured Kree and Candice singing their favorite song from this season's competition.  

The show took place at the Nokia Theater L.A. Live for a crowd of 7,000 fans. Keith Urban, Nicki Minaj, Randy Jackson and Mariah Carey were on hand offering up their comments on the night's performances one last time. At this point, it looks like all four judges won't be back next season as Idol producers try to reverse a serious ratings decline this season.

Here's what happened:

Kree started the night off singing a countrified version of Sarah McLachlan's "Angel." She looked gorgeous in a pale-colored gown, but Kree didn't pump up the entertainment factor with this performance.

Simon picked Adele's "Chasing Pavements" for Candice, and her gospel-influenced licks really brought the drama. The powerhouse performance earned her a standing ovation from the judges.

The judges commented at the end of each round. Mariah started off saying how proud she has been to be a part of this season. Randy thought these songs were a little sleepy, and host Ryan Seacrest gave Randy a hard time about criticizing their boss Simon Fuller's song choices now that Randy's leaving the show.  Randy gave the edge in round one to Candice for taking some vocal chances, and Mariah praised Kree for turning in a delicate performance.

Kree sang her potential winner's single, a country power ballad called "All Cried Out." This performance was a complete 180 from Kree's sleepy round one performance, and she managed to really connect with each note. There were a few slight pitch problems, and all the judges gave her a standing ovation except for Nicki.

Candice's potential first single is a R&B ballad called "I Am Beautiful," and she really sold the lyrics about a woman overcoming a bad relationship through her faith. All four judges gave Candice her second standing ovation of the night.

Nicki felt she heard a new, deeper part of Kree's performance in this round. Keith said Kree and Candice are both soul singers, and Nicki added she loved the meaning of Candice's song. Keith said Kree won round two, but Nicki gave it to Candice.

Kree went back to a song she sang in the Vegas round this season, Patty Griffin's "Up to the Mountain," for her third round pick. She earned applause when the song really kicked into gear, and all four judges gave Kree a standing ovation for the performance. Keith said it was "absolutely beautiful," and Nicki said the gospel choir backing her up gave it an extra energy. Randy said it was Kree's best performance of the night, and Mariah told Kree she made smart choices with her song choices tonight.

Candice closed out the night with a sultry, powerhouse performance of "I (Who Have Nothing)." It was the performance of the night, and Candice switched things up singing the first part of the song a cappella. She earned her third standing ovation from the judges, and Randy even bowed down to praise her. Keith said the performance was "just crazy." Nicki called Candice a superstar who commands the stage. Randy said Candice shot the night to a whole new level, and Mariah told Candice she would be listening to her for years to come.

In addition to the performances from Kree and Candice, Carly Rae Jepsen took the stage after round one to sing "Take a Picture," the song born out of the Coca-Cola Perfect Harmony program this season at AmericanIdol.com. The lyrics were actually crowdsourced with visitors to the site contributing to the songwriting process.

Tune in for two hours of star-studded performances and the crowning of this season's winner on the American Idol finale Thursday night at 8 ET on Fox.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage(NEW YORK) -- In 2011, Jewel and her husband, Ty Murray, welcomed their son, Kase, into the world, but in a recent interview with ABC News, the singer-songwriter reveals that she’s not necessarily planning on giving the little boy a sibling.

“I’m really torn about it. I think I have one nailed, and two feels like something’s gonna fall through the cracks!” says the self-proclaimed “perfectionist.”  Also, she says,  ”I think my eggs are in wheelchairs at this point. We’ll have to see.”

At the moment, her focus is on instilling a sense of empathy in her son, especially now that she’s an ambassador for ReThink, a national public awareness campaign dedicated to destigmatizing public housing and homelessness. When she was a teenager, Jewel, now 38, was homeless and recalls women making cruel remarks while she washed her hair in the sink of a local Denny’s but also how kind people were to her too.

“Hard times make you bitter or make you more compassionate. You either become an activist or someone who’s very disenfranchised,” she says. “If someone is willing to help you understand your own worth when you’re vulnerable, that’s a very touching thing. It makes you want to help other people.”

Now financially stable, Jewel, who stars as June Carter Cash in the Lifetime movie Ring of Fire on May 27, says she and her husband are trying to make sure they don’t spoil their son, but it’s hard.

“He’s everything,” she says. “He has a really funny sense of humor, and he’s a boy’s boy for sure. He loves tractors! We live on a big ranch, so any time he gets to be on the tractor, he’s pretty excited.”

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

David Livingston/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- Angie Everhart is thanking fans from her hospital bed after receiving a flurry of well-wishes following her revelation that she has been diagnosed with thyroid cancer.

“I’m in the hospital with my gown and my phone reading all the well wishes.. You all all [sic] awesome! Thanks again my Tweet friends!! Xoxo Angie,” the former supermodel and actress wrote on Twitter.

The actress also posted a photo from her hospital bed with her mother posing next to her, along with the caption, “My best friend, the greatest woman I know -- my mother my support.”

Everhart, 43, is in the hospital undergoing surgery for thyroid cancer.

“Word has been trickling out about supermodel/actress Angie Everhart’s health,” her rep said in a statement Monday. “She wants to set the record straight by letting everyone know that it is true that she has been diagnosed with thyroid cancer.”

Her rep added that “the prognosis is very good” and Everhart “expects to be back to work and to mommy duties in a few weeks.”

The former Sports Illustrated model is a single parent to 3-year-old son Kayden Bobby Everhart. She was previously married to Ashley Hamilton in the 1990s and was briefly engaged to Sylvester Stallone in 1995 and Joe Pesci before their split in 2008. Everhart appeared in Last Action Hero and Another 9 1/2 Weeks.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

Brad Barket/PictureGroup(LOS ANGELES) -- Nicki Minaj could be the next judge to exit American Idol, following Randy Jackson‘s announcement that he’s leaving the show after 12 seasons.

Us Weekly quotes an inside source saying, “It’s safe to say she isn’t coming back to Idol. She’s okay with it. She had a great time but was only going to do one season anyway.”

Fox declined to comment on the report. A rep for Minaj did not immediately respond to an ABC News request for comment.

The 30-year-old rapper has been in an ongoing feud with fellow first-time judge Mariah Carey since the season started.

“I think the producers thought that the feud would bring in ratings at first, but then it got away from them,” M.J. Santilli, who writes about Idol on MJs Big Blog, told ABC News.

In recent days, rumors have circulated that the show will be restructured next season with an entirely new panel of judges and a new producer.

Neither Carey nor Urban have commented on their future with the struggling Fox icon. Only Jackson has officially announced his departure.

Last week in a statement to various media outlets, he said, “I have decided it is time to leave after this season. I am looking forward to focusing on my company Dream Merchant 21 and other business ventures.”

“I am very proud of how we forever changed television and the music industry,” he said.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio