Drake’s “HYFR” video might have taken some by surprise when it dropped yesterday afternoon — not only does it feature the Take Care rapper having some adult fun at his “re-Bar Mitzvhah,” but the clip opens with a shot of young Drizzy at his own legit bar mitzvah as a child — less boozy, but just as ready to party. And we’re willing to bet that a good number of Drake’s fans had no idea that he was Jewish. (Right?) It was, of course, perfect timing for the commencement of Passover, reminding us that this “Champion” isn’t the only musician we know to ever don a yarmulke. So, in honor of the holiday, we’ve compiled a list of some of our other faves who are either practicing Jews or at least have some Jewish heritage — including a few that may come as a surprise. See the list below.

1. ADAM LEVINE
The Voice coach may have chosen not to show off his “Moves Like Jagger” at his own bar mitzvah (which is good, since being shirtless at one is probably frowned upon), but both his father and maternal grandfather are Jewish. He claims to follow a more general spirituality than strict Judaism, but finds the heritage important.

2. ADAM LAMBERT
Before he was the runner-up American Idol, the Tresspass-er sang in Hebrew to honor fallen Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and played the Hebrew slave Joshua in the Ten Commandments musical.

3. PINK
Pink isn’t a practicing Jew, but she is half-Jewish by blood on her mother’s side, and there are rumors that one of her many, many tattoos is inspired by her mother’s heritage. (Anybody know how say “Fuckin’ Perfect” in Hebrew?)

4. LEA MICHELE AND DIANNA AGRON
You may have guessed that Lea Michele comes from Jewish lineage (on her father’s side), seeing as her character Rachel Berry is Jewish, too. But did you know she wasn’t the only Glee girl for whom this is true? Both Dianna Agron’s parents are practicing Jews (her mother converted). She went to a Hebrew school and had a bat mitzvah.

5. PAULA ABDUL
Yep, the former X Factor judge is a “Straight Up” Jew. Both her parents are Jewish and she is still very observant of her faith, revealing that she often seeks solace from her rabbi when things (like being fired as a judge on a major TV show) threaten to cause her to despair.

6. BILLY JOEL
Billy Joel considers himself a “cultural Jew,” considering that his Jewish parents are both non-observing. “My circumcision was as Jewish as they got,” he said in an interview, which gives us way more information than we ever needed to know about the “Piano Man.”

7. GENE SIMMONS
It’s hard to imagine that the tongue-happy KISS star had any sort of childhood at all, but it’s true — he was born under the name “Chaim Weitz” in Israel and attended Jewish schools in New York. Last year, he visited his birth nation for the first time since leaving, saying: “There ain’t no place like Israel on Earth.”

8. BEASTIE BOYS
All three of the Brooklyn-born Boys (Michael Diamond, Adam Yauch, and Adam Horovitz) are Jews. Which begs the question — did they have to fight for their right to have a bar mitzvah?

9. LENNY KRAVITZ
“Leonard Albert Kravitz” doesn’t practice Judaism — he identifies as Christian. But his father was Jewish. Some would say that counts — right?

10. DAVID GUETTA
Like many on this list, the French DJ is half-Jewish — his father is a Moroccan Jew.

11. ANDY SAMBERG
Okay, you probably already knew that the Lonely Island frontman was Jewish. Or else how could he skew his heritage on SNL so adeptly?

12. REGINA SPEKTOR
The Russian-born songstress has maintained close ties to the community through a variety of performances for Jewish causes, including the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society this year.

13. THE RAMONES
Sheena is a punk rocker; the Ramones are Jewish. Any questions?

14. MARK RONSON
The Version artist (whose family name was shortened from the original “Aaronson”) was brought up in conservative Judaism.

And finally…

15. MATISYAHU
Surprise! Matisyahu is Jewish! Who knew?

Who is your favorite Jewish musician? Let us know on Facebook, Twitter or in the comments.

After the double firings of Paula Abdul and Nicole Sherzinger, Simon Cowell is ready to revamp his U.S. entourage for The X Factor, and he’s looking for some A-list artists to fill the surprisingly vacant judges’ panel. Janet Jackson is reportedly in preliminary talks with the music mogul for a spot on the show, though she’s keeping coy on the subject for now. “No. I am not a judge on the X Factor,” the singer told Anderson Cooper on his daytime talk show Anderson. “That’s all I really should say.” Simon announced that before her tragic death, he and Whitney Houston were close to a deal for her to become a judge. He also revealed that Katy Perry and Pink were high on his wish list. [via The Hollywood Reporter]

We are truly shocked and saddened by the untimely death of Whitney Houston, and it looks like we aren’t alone. Many of the pop legend’s collaborators, peers and fans took to Twitter to express their grief upon hearing of the passing of this extraordinary talent. Read their reactions below.

Mariah Carey: “Heartbroken and in tears over the shocking death of my friend, the incomparable Ms. Whitney Houston. My heartfelt condolences to Whitney’s family and to all her millions of fans throughout the world. She will never be forgotten as one of the greatest voices to ever grace the earth.”

Dolly Parton: “Mine is only one of the millions of hearts broken over the death of Whitney Houston. I will always be grateful and in awe of the wonderful performance she did on my song. I can truly say from the bottom of my heart, ‘Whitney, I will always love you.’ You will be missed.”

Demi Lovato: “This can’t be true… One of my idols gone?? No. This is so unbelievably sad. #RIPWhitneyHouston.”

Christina Aguilera: “We have lost another legend. Love and prayers to Whitney’s family. She will be missed.”

Duran Duran: “Very sad to hear about Whitney Houston. Rest in peace.”

Naya Rivera: “Oh my gosh. I’m speechless. R.I.P. Whitney Houston.”

Rihanna: “No words! Just tears #DearWhitney”

Katy Perry: “So devastating. We will always love you Whitney, R.I.P… Whitney was everything… rephrase: IS everything!”

Ludacris: “R.I.P WHITNEY HOUSTON. ONE OF THE PUREST SOULS I’VE EVER MET IN MY LIFE.”

Rico Love: “R.I.P Whitney Houston. 1 of the greatest voices EVER! I hope ppl can show respect for her legacy & only say positive things.”

Charice: “One of my heroes, Whitney Houston. I will always love you.. RIP.”

Russell Simmons: “deeply saddened by the death of Whitney Houston…may she rest in peace.”

Ryan Seacrest: “At Grammys rehearsal hearing Whitney Houston has passed away at 48. Everyone here is absolutely stunned.”

B.o.B: “I remember ALL my mom played were her albums. She was a presence I grew up with, I cant believe it…. Rest In Peace and Have Eternal Life.”

Sean Kingston: “One Of The Greatest Voices.. Huge Inspiration!!!… SMH Sad News Man Messed up the Whole Day!”

Boy George: “Whitney is dead, OMG, I’m so heartbroken. You were amazing and I hope you have found peace!”

Wynter Gordon: “Whitney was one of the greatest talents talents ever lived. Her music lives on.”

Missy Elliott: “This is such a sad moment! I’m speechless I have no words of what I’m feeling right now. Rest in Peace Whitney Houstan I love u.”

Akon: “We’ve lost another Legend. RIP WHITNEY HOUSTON. I’m Honored to have had the chance to work with such an amazing human being.”

Jay Sean: Just heard the tragic news of Whitney Houston’s passing. This is such a huge loss to music. She was the true definition of a vocalist. So sad.”

Paula Abdul: “I am devastated. I am absolutely devastated at the news about Whitney Houston. Such a tragic, tragic loss.”

Rye Rye: “Really don’t wanna believe it but it’s true..only thing we can do is accept it! She lives forever..her and that beautiful voice LOVE.”

Interviewed on the red carpet at Clive Davis’ pre-Grammy party turned Whitney Houston tribute, Epic Records CEO and judge on The X Factor L.A. Reid said he was “really hurting” and that “it will take a long time to heal from this.” Referring to Whitney’s mentor, Reid said “Clive Davis is the only man who has the right to decide how to honor Whitney Houston.”

Share your own thoughts and memories of Whitney Houston in the comments below.

— Additional reporting by Maud Deitch

Madonna made sure she is all anyone is talking about this week, whether it was expressing her worth as a live performer, answering journalists’ stupid questions, or revealing her new video “Give Me All Your Luvin’“. But there was still plenty else going on — who did not get any luvin’ this week was Steve Jones, Nicole Scherzinger and Paula Abdul, who were unceremoniously 86′d from The X Factor, or Taylor Swift, whose exit from the Les Miserables cast did not leave many people weeping in despair. See what all the buzz was about in this week’s reader comments.

:: Sean commented on the preview of Madonna’s new music video saying: “I love it. Fun as hell. People complain when Madonna is too serious and they complain when she’s fun like this. I love both sides to her, incredible artist and this song sounds nothing like all the generic David Guetta wannabe dance songs on the radio. I hope it does well b/c Madonna is def missed on the radio and will always be the Queen.”

:: Stating he “totally agrees with all that Sean said above”, Dustin Farmer adds: “Glad that Madonna is back and I am loving this song! I’m always curious to see what Madge is going to come up with. This video is pure fun and anyone hating on it is obviously a negative nancy.”

:: This song had the opposite effect on Sahil who thinks: “It is stupid.”

:: Kerry couldn’t believe the news that Paula was fired from The X Factor: “This is just a rumor though right? It hasn’t been confirmed?” (Sorry, Kerry. It’s true.)

:: John didn’t jump to blaming Simon for the firings: “I bet Simon had nothing to do with this. Since the show has already been renewed for 2012, Fox probably stepped in and did what they felt they had to, especially since the show didn’t generate the ratings that Cowell wanted it to.”

:: Isaac Mitchell is partial to the slew of pink slips: “Bad Mistake to let Paula go, Nicole was a good decision and Steve the host, but not Paula! Xfactor will pay for this in the future!”

:: Speaking of The X Factor, MusicManDave loved Melanie Amaro’s new song “Respect”: “Hot Hot Hot. Melanie has the chops man!”

:: Salatiell Junior is supportive of Melanie, too, though he didn’t love her single: “This song is not that bad, but too repetitive for me. I think she’ll grow and better songs will come!”

:: Jessica on the other hand, has a different opinion by asking: “What THE HECK?”

:: With Taylor Swift not cast in the Les Miserables movie, Aarron can save his money to see TSwift in concert: “Well at least I dont have to see this movie anymore, more money for me! Would have seen this just for Taylor now its just another musical movie.”

:: Lily Tabolt was rather overjoyed that the pop star was no longer attached to the musical: “THANK GOD IN HEAVEN!!!!!! Taylor Swift would have been terrible in this role! Almost as bad as Joe Jonas in the above video!”

:: Nick also agreed, and suggested who he would like to see in the movie: “THANK GOD! I would never see a film version of ‘Les Mis’ with Taylor Swift’s rat-like mug stinking up the screen… Although I would have loved to see Lea Michele on the project, ANYONE is better than TaySwift.”

Sorry — what was that? We could barely hear you over the locomotive that is the Madonna Train roaring through Planet Pop at 140 mph. The Queen truly soared and thrilled over the past seven days, but the week wasn’t without heartbreak, as a bona fide R&B pioneer from the television world met a tragic end. Thankfully we had the Michael Jackson episode of Glee, the rise of UK gents The Wanted and the rad return of Garbage to ease the pain. See how all these music players ranked on our weekly Pop & Fizz hype index by heading below!

To see exactly how these artists entered the hype index, check below.

• Preview Madonna, Nicki Minaj & M.I.A. In “Give Me All Your Luvin’” Video
• In Honor Of Don Cornelius: The 10 Best Soul Train Line Dances
• Paula Abdul To Leave The X Factor In Shakeup
• Adele Confirmed As 2012 Grammys Performer
• Michael Jackson’s Glee Tribute Episode: What A “Scream”
• Garbage To Release New Album Not Your Kind Of People In May
• Will Lana Del Rey’s Born To Die Bump Adele’s 21 From #1 Next Week?
• Taylor Swift Not Cast In Les Miserables After All
• The Wanted Make Their US Debut On Ellen With “Glad You Came”
• Is Miley Cyrus Wearing An Engagement Ring?

How does this week’s chart rank for you? Let us know on Facebook, Twitter or in the comments.

It turns out The X Factor may be carrying out an off-screen elimination more brutal than anything seen on its debut season. In addition to the departure of Nicole Scherzinger and Steve Jones, there’s word that pop superstar and longtime Simon Cowell colleague Paula Abdul has also been ousted from Fox TV’s would-be American Idol rival. A source tells Hollywood news blog Deadline that Abdul, Scherzinger and Jones were all asked to exit. We had no idea this is what Cowell meant when he promised Season 2 would be “a bloodbath”, but he wasn’t kidding.

Abdul told reporters after the conclusion of Season 1 (which featured the comeback win of Melania Amaro) that she expected to be back “unless something weird and bizarre happens.”

That’s one more indication that her departure from the show wasn’t her decision. We’re not expecting to see Simon and Paula this chummy again anytime soon.

Let us know what you think of the shakeup on Facebook, Twitter or in the comments.

Earlier today, The X Factor judges Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, L.A. Reid, Nicole Scherzinger and eye candy host Steve Jones stopped by Ellen DeGeneres to sit and chat about the singing competition with the daytime talk show host, herself having served as a judge on American Idol briefly following Adbul’s departure. (Ah, memories.) Everyone was all smiles, particularly newcomer Jones, who beamed as he spoke about his love for LA (both the city and the man), and provided an interesting way to describe the show’s panel of judges. Watch the crowded group interview below.

Nerd alert: when asked about the judges, Jones used a Star Wars motif to explain how Simon, Paula, L.A., and Nicole coexist in The X Factor galaxy. (We’re assuming Fox Broadcasting is the Death Star in this situation.)

X

Getting excited for tomorrow night’s long-awaited premiere of The X Factor? You’re not the only one! Certainly in many ways, this feels like the second coming of American Idol, and so judge extraordinaire Paula Abdul has been making the rounds chatting up her big reunion (and precarious friendship) with Simon Cowell and how the X Factor is not exactly like the mega-hit show that first brought them together. (We’ll just see about that.) The star-studded premiere already went down — now catch Paula on Today and Live With Regis & Kelly below.

Will you tune in for The X Factor tomorrow?

Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, red hot mall performer Nicole Scherzinger, L.A. Reid and (devilishly handsome) host Steve Jones walked the red carpet in Hollywood for the world premiere of America’s The X Factor last night. While Fox’s latest musical franchise won’t air until September 21, fans had the chance to watch the series’ debut episode on ArcLight Theater’s giant Cinerama Dome screen (which is typically reserved for 3D action movies, rather than Simon and Paula’s antics). Are you prepared for the first season of American Idol, But With Boy Bands?

Fox’s off-season American Idol — aka The X Factor — has released a new promo for it’s September 21 premiere, titled “Prepare”. How does one prepare for the premiere of a new singing competition show other than remember to set their DVRs? Are there bomb shelters to hide inside, survival classes to take? Nevertheless, we see a suited-up Simon and LA Reid, along with a shimmery-as-can-be Nicole and Paula, flash their astounded and/or exasperated faces as no short number of belligerent and/or terrible contestants take the stage. Promo below.

We know a lot of you out there want a female to finally win one of these competition shows, but personally, we’re putting our money on whatever this thing is:

Nicole Scherzinger certainly isn’t going for that all natural look in the newly released promo pics for the X Factor. The “Wet” singer looks like a glamazon! Not to be outdone, former American Idol judge Paula Abdul looks unbelievably good. The 49-year-old continues to age in reverse. Rounding out these shots are co-stars L.A. Reid and Simon Cowell, as well as (absolutely adorable) host Steve Jones. If the allure of watching music hopefuls sing their hearts out for a chance at a five million dollar recording deal (and five million in cold hard cash) isn’t enough to attract you, perhaps Fox is hoping these reminders of their attractive cast will get you to tune in. Is it working?

Paula Abdul gushing. Simon Cowell tossing off zingers like, “You are talented, but you are deluded.” Dreams being crushed. Dreams coming true. Bad singing. Good singing. Godawful atrocious singing. And at least one guy who wears a crazy costume just to get some face time on network TV. Anyone else experiencing deja vu here? We sure are after watching the enticing (and, surprisingly, quite funny) “World Premiere Preview” of Fox’s new feature film-length singing competition The X Factor. So what can we expect now that the show has finally gotten its lineup of judges in order? Find out below!

While much of the show is reminiscent of the old American Idol (this preview is clearly hoping to draw an audience that misses Simon’s snarkiness and Paula’s hot messiness), there may be a few surprises in store. The slow-mo shots of the judges walking toward camera and Simon driving sports cars are more reminiscent of Fast & Furious than a reality singing competition — is Simon auditioning to be the next 007? And we certainly weren’t expecting to hear Guns ‘N’ Roses “Live And Let Die” in this trailer!  We also love the tongue-in-cheek humor beginning with Simon’s worst nightmare — it seems even his dreamscape isn’t safe from product placement.

The Chevrolet-and Pepsi-sponsored (gee, we hadn’t noticed!) program starts September 21.

Not only is American Idol over for the year (congrats, Scotty McCreery), we’ve also hit upon an AI milestone: the end of the first ten seasons of the reality singing competition. It’s been quite a long haul since Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul first sat down together in front of TV cameras. And over the course of the show’s history, more than half-a-dozen faces have come and gone at the judges’ table.

Much like when we singled out the “Sanjaya” of each season of Idol and ranked them accordingly, we wanted to honor these noble entertainers who’ve attempted to steer America’s singing youth down the right path by ranking them on our special scale of “Karas” (named, of course, after divisive former judge Kara DioGuardi). We’ll let you decide whether a high score of Karas is a, uh, good or bad thing. (Note: it shouldn’t be too hard to figure out.)

Judge: Randy Jackson
Time Spent Administering Idol Justice: Ten seasons and counting (1-10)

With ten seasons of America’s favorite TV pastime under his belt, Randy is top dawg. And we’re not just talking about the fact that he’s the only judge to have lasted the entire duration of Idol — we also ranked him with the least amount of Karas! Whether he’s engaging in total Randy speak (“Yo, you know what was wrong with that performance? NOTHING!”) or telling it straight to the contestants (“For me it was a little pitchy”), Jackson has proven to be the durable rock of the ever-rotating lineup of judges on AI.

How Many Karas:

*******

Judge: Simon Cowell
Time Spent Administering Idol Justice: Nine seasons (1-9)

Oh, we love you, Simon, but let’s face it — you made America fall in love with your lethal mix of arrogant swagger, brazen honesty and the droll, bitchy quips dripping off your wicked tongue. And then you went and left us after Season 9. (To be honest, Simon appeared to have mentally checked out sometime around Season 7.) Yeah, we dig Steven Tyler and J.Lo, but really they’re just rebounds until we get another Cowell fix this fall via the US version of The X Factor. Just don’t break our hearts twice.

How Many Karas:

*******

Judge: Paula Abdul
Time Spent Administering Idol Justice: Eight seasons (1-8)

As far as the female judges on Idol go, Paula is forever our girl. And we really don’t need to go into why, do we? This clip alone says it all:

Of course, as entertaining as she is, we’re slapping the “Straight Up” songstress with two Karas for also ditching Idol, like Simon. Guess we’ll have to wait a few more months to see if those two can re-create the magic — not to mention their unique brand of icky/fascinating sexual tension — on The X Factor.

How Many Karas:

*******

Judge: Kara DioGuardi
Time Spent Administering Idol Justice: Two seasons (8-9)

Poor Kara had the thankless job being the first new AI judge to come along while the original three were still on the show. And not only did the songwriter spar with contestants like Bikini Girl, she also got into a bit of a dust-up with guest judge Katy Perry, with whom she had previously co-written Kelly Clarkson’s hit “I Do Not Hook Up,” during the Season 9 auditions. Whether she was difficult to get along with or America just didn’t like the song she wrote (“No Boundaries”) for Kris Allen and Adam Lambert, something about Ms. DioGuardi just never clicked. But, hey — at least she had a rockin’ bikini bod, right?

How Many Karas:

*******

Judge: Elle DeGeneres
Time Spent Administering Idol Justice: One season (9)

Hon, we love you. But stick with gettin’ jiggy in the aisles for housewives.

How Many Karas:

*******

Judge: Jennifer Lopez
Time Spent Administering Idol Justice: One season and counting (10)

On paper, J.Lo and Steven Tyler joining American Idol for its tenth season to replace three departing judges seemed like a last-ditch resort for a series that appeared to be ailing from as many woes as the record industry itself. What we actually witnessed on our TV screens over the past four months proved to be quite the opposite. Lopez and her fellow AI rookie not only had us saying “Simon who?” by the end of January, they also filled the aging dog-and-pony act with something we never knew we’d been missing all these years: kindness. True, the “On The Floor” singer comes with a lot of previously-accumulated tabloid baggage. But let’s get down to brass tacks —  who didn’t enjoy the weekly fashion parade she rocked at the judges’ table?

How Many Karas:

*******

Judge: Steven Tyler
Time Spent Administering Idol Justice: One season and counting (10)

We’ve got nothing but love for Steven and his bad-boy rocker ways. He’s like the naughty kid who’s constantly swearing in class, hitting on the teacher and telling all the underclassmen (and underclasswomen) where babies come from…while wearing a three-foot-long fuchsia scarf! We’ve come to consider the Aerosmith frontman as the anti-Simon of this season; his mood is always up and his sense of humor is at times both off-color and infectious. Hell, we even love “(It) Feels So Good,” the new solo single he premiered on the show a couple weeks back. Our one gripe: get just a bit tougher with the contestants, Steven. They’re not always great.

How Many Karas:

*******

Who’s your favorite judge to emerge out of the first ten seasons of American Idol? Let us know below!

It appears we are about to enter the Golden Age of Paula Abdul — the music icon’s second comeback, if you will. The newly named American X Factor judge stepped out last night in Beverly Hills looking (and we are not exaggerating) the BEST we’ve ever seen her. Though we’d seen former Idol judge a month prior at Logo’s NewNowNext awards, the singer/choreographer was even more radiant at last night’s Lupus LA benefit — and, no, there’s no Photoshopping going on here. Is Paula simply taking two steps back in the aging process? Leave us your thoughts below.

Sorry, American Idol and The Voice, but The X Factor is now an inevitability for American audiences. Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, Cheryl Cole, L.A. Reid, Nicole Scherzinger and Steve Jones — they’re all lined up for the fall premiere of the US version of the popular British singing competition that launched the careers of Leona Lewis, Alexandra Burke, Shayne Ward and, most recently, Matt Cardle abroad. So what did the Internet have to say about the stars involved on tap the upcoming Fox program? Read on!

:: E! Online reported on the dynamic in the judges’ lineup: “Just like old times, then. Well, almost. Because if it were truly old times, then Cowell would be the most feared and acid-tongued judge on the panel. And judging by yesterday’s auditions, that doesn’t seem to be the case. Instead, that honor seems to go to L.A. Reid…”

:: The Wrap quipped on Paula’s 11th-hour addition to The X Factor: “Abdul might not so much have been holding out for more cash, as much as she might have been considering whether she wanted to spend time with the famously cantankerous Cowell again.”

:: The Daily Mail noted a fashion clash between Abdul and Cheryl Cole: “When the two met up for a photo op, fashion observers seemed to feel Abdul had a bit of an edge, even though her purple silk Yves Saint Laurent dress caught a wind gust when she stepped out of her car (leading to an embarrassing moment). Cole was clad in an orange ruffled blouse, turquoise belt and purple pants that, although on trend in terms of this spring’s bright colors, were way too long and completely covered her feet.”

:: The Stir stirred the ish up with this comment: “Basically, Simon Cowell has created a brand new version of American Idol, and he’s cherry-picking the elements that worked best from his rival Simon Fuller’s show. Which, of course, includes the is-she-high-or-isn’t-she Ms. Abdul.”

:: Celebitchy got a few straight-up digs in, as well: “Well Paula will certainly make things more interesting, if not harder to understand. Cowell needed a big name to join him on the panel and while Reid and Cole are both famous they don’t have Paula’s name recognition. I like her and find her very sweet, but she’s definitely loopy as hell.”

:: Entertainment Weekly‘s PopWatch had a prediction for Girls Aloud singer Cheryl Cole: “Cole will provide X Factor what Jennifer Lopez gives American Idol – a smart, sympathetic mentor who gets as much attention for her glamour as for her criticism.”

:: UK-based blog That Grape Juice noticed a bit of an imbalance: “Though this is undeniably a coup for Scherzinger (as her Stateside career was in much need of the gig), something about the whole set-up is jarring to say the least. She’s infinitely more talented and qualified than Cole, yet will stand there reading cue-cards, while her lessor sits judging talent. Like, really.”

:: And then there’s co-host Steve Jones. Who? Exactly. BBC News gave a crash course: “With his movie star good looks, Jones briefly flirted with an acting career, enjoying a small part in the British film Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging and a minor role as himself in two episodes of the Channel 4 television series Plus One.”

Let us know your own thoughts on the US X Factor lineup below!

Simon Cowell, who recently said he “always wanted” Paula Abdul for a judge on the upcoming American version of The X Factor, finally got his wish. Entertainment Weekly reported over the weekend that Paula will round out the singing competition series’ four judges, which include Cowell, Cheryl Cole and Antonio “L.A.” Reid. And now signed up to share host duties: “Right There” songstress Nicole Scherzinger and UK TV presenter Steve Jones.

“This show would never have been the same without Paula and I can’t believe I am saying this — I have missed her a lot, and I am thrilled she’s on the show,” Simon Cowell noted in a statement.

Abdul, Simon’s former American Idol partner in judging crime, added that she’s “excited beyond words to be a part of The X Factor.” She also said, “I couldn’t be happier to bring my love for cultivating talent and performance to such a wildly anticipated show. I’m also delighted and grateful to be sitting next to Simon again…but you might want to check back with me in a week or two!”

FYI, it apparently didn’t even take that long. “Simon & I got over the honeymoon period very quickly! Back to our good old relationship! :)” Paula tweeted last night.

Meanwhile, most Americans might be curious about 34-year-old Welshman and model-turned-presenter Steve Jones. BBC News posted a profile of him upon word of his getting the X Factor gig that, among other things, paints him as quite a ladies’ man. (On his dance card, apparently: Pamela Anderson and Halle Berry).

But, ahem — getting back to the real business at hand: “The ability to work day in and day out with Simon Cowell is a dream come true,” Jones said in a statement. “I have been approached about working in the States before, but never felt right about those opportunities, but when The X Factor came up, I leapt at the opportunity.”

So there you have it — the X Factor roster of hosts and judges is finally complete. Will you be tuning in this fall, given Simon and Paul will be reunited for your viewing pleasure? Let us know below!

America, say hello to the not un-attractive Cheryl Cole — she’ll be charming you (Fox hopes) on The X Factor this fall, it’s now been confirmed, as she takes a seat alongside Simon Cowell, L.A. Reid and, uh, somebody else (Paula Abdul? Nicole Scherzinger?) at the judges’ table. So who exactly is Cheryl Cole, you might be asking yourself while scratching your noggin. Why, head below, inquisitive pop fan, and we’ll clue you in.

* Cheryl, 27, is from Newcastle Upon Tyne, England.

* Cole is (or was — it’s up in the air, at this point) one of the five members of Girls Aloud, a girl group formed on 2002 UK program Popstars The Rivals. See? She’s already a reality TV singing competition vet, America!

* Girls Aloud racked up four chart-topping hits and a slew of other Top 10 singles between 2002 and 2009 in their home country. And only a quarter of them were dodgy, watered-down covers of tried-and-true pop classics, like “I’ll Stand By You,” “I Think We’re Alone Now” and “Jump.”

* Girls Aloud’s best single was “Call The Shots.” No, no — this is a fact. Don’t argue.

* Cheryl replaced UK X Factor judge Sharon Osbourne in 2008 and went on two mentor two consecutive winners on the show: Alexandra Burke and Joe McElderry.

* After one album, Joe McElderry was dropped by Simon Cowell’s record label earlier this year.

* Cole’s best solo single (again, a fact) is “Fight For This Love.” It’s so rad, in fact, that the smitten members of Vampire Weekend covered it last year.

* Cole was married to pro soccer player (or “footballer” as the Brits say) Ashley Cole for four years. Since their divorce, she’s been linked to fleet-footed American fellow Derek Hough of Dancing With The Stars fame (Hough appeared in Cheryl’s 2010 “Parachute” video).

So there you have it. And there’s only one more seat to fill on The X Factor. Who do you think it’s going to be?

American Idol purists — or at least fans of the original lineup of judges on the Fox series — may be intrigued to know that Simon Cowell is being very vocal about pursuing Paula Abdul as a judge on this fall’s American version of The X Factor. Gasp! Paula and Simon, back together to kiss, bicker, cuddle and throttle each other again on our TV screens during prime time once more? Read on!

Nikki Finke posted an interview with Simon on Deadline Hollywood yesterday, and while the piece ran through the gamut of artists whose names have been thrown around as possible judges (Mariah Carey, Cee Lo Green, Diddy, Jennifer Lopez, etc.), it mainly focuses on Paula and Girls Aloud chirper Cheryl Cole, who is a three-season X Factor vet via the original UK series.

Simon says about Paula:

“I’ve always wanted Paula. Always been very vocal about that. I missed her the second she left the show. Always loved working with her even though she can be a pain. And I’ve been consistent about this. I don’t know what it is about her, but I’ve always clicked with her. You just have to get that chemistry, and she’s right. I’ve never found anyone better than her. I think there’s a good chance it will be her. We’ve agreed that we would meet as many people as possible, and now we’re reaching the deadline we’ve got to make the decision soon. But I think she’s got a really good shot.”

Simon says about Cheryl:

“I never think about it as an American or British audience. I genuinely don’t. I think that’s what’s happened on a lot of these shows now is it’s almost like you’ve got to hire well known celebrities to be a judge. And with Cheryl, when I hired her initially, I’d only met her literally once when I offered her the job on [British] X Factor. I thought she was bright, cute, knew what she was talking about, ambitious. And you meet someone special a few times in your life.. And this girl is special. She’s just got a great ability to communicate. Shes a great judge. She’s smart. It’s just a hunch. If people take to her like the British public did, I think she’s going to do really well in America. And Fox was desperate to hire her.”

The writeup points out that negotiations with Abdul haven’t even begun, and the paperwork isn’t quite finalized yet for Cole (despite earlier reports that it was a done deal) . But if all goes according to Simon’s plan, this would give viewers a Cowell, Paula, Cheryl and L.A. Reid panel — a little something old for those Idol purists mentioned before and something new with regards to judges the American public at large might not recognize yet.

We’ll be watching The X Factor either way, but the addition of Paula does spice things up, and add a bit of built-in excitement given her longstanding chemistry with Simon.

Let us know what you think. Is this a X Factor panel you’d be happy with?

Some of our most beloved pop stars rocked the red carpet in Hollywood last night for Logo’s 2011 NewNowNext Awards. From fashion-forward Swede singers Robyn and Oh Land, to “Wonderland” singer Natalia Kills and SXSW performer Kerli, it was one outrageous outfit after another. Post-show the ever glamorous Adam Lambert chatted with Paula Abdul, making for an adorable mini-Idol reunion pic. Even NKOTBSB members AJ Mclean, Joe McIntyre and Jonathan Knight were seeing partying it up. Check out the highlights from Thursday night, and to see who walked away with this year’s Brink of Fame: Music Artist award tune in on April 11.

Oh, American Idol–you wicked, wicked beast. We’re literally still reeling and crying into our Corn Flakes over the scandalous, far-too-soon exit of our Season 10 Idol Power List fave Pia Toscano from the show. But she’s hardly the only upset viewers have had to endure since the series hit the air way back in 2002. Of course, the good news for Pia is that, as we’ve learned over the years, you don’t necessarily have to make it to the AI finish line to achieve great success. Head below to vote for who you think has made the most shocking exit from American Idol in the past 10 seasons.

First, here are just a few reminders of those who surprised us by either not winning, or leaving the show earlier than we expected:

Season 1 — Tamyra Gray voted off in Top 4.

Season 3 — Jennifer Hudson voted off in Top 7.

Season 5 – Chris Daughtry voted off in Top 4.

Season 8 — Kris Allen wins over Adam Lambert.

Season 10 — Pia Toscano voted off in Top 9.