Chiranjeevi firt step in Politics gets Successful In Tirupati

2008-08-26T07:23:00.001-07:00

Chiranjeevi's Luck is in Politics a New Revolution is Ahead

All roads seemed to lead to this temple town on Tuesday with thousands of vehicles as well as special trains and bus services ferrying fans from across the state to hear Telugu superstar Chiranjeevi announce the name and policies of his political party.

Chiranjeevi, who arrived in Tirupati in the morning along with his family members, will address an expected crowd of one million at the Avilala tank bed in the evening.

The actor was given a rousing reception by his fans at the Renigunta airport near here. Accompanied by wife Surekha and son, actor Ramcharan Teja, Chiranjeevi drove straight to the Lord Venkateshwara temple on Tirumala Hills to seek divine blessings before formally launching his political career.

The actor, who announced his entry into politics on Aug 17, will declare the name and agenda of his 'pro-poor' party, which may alter the political equations in the southern state ahead of the March 2009 elections.

The temple town is teeming with huge crowds, including a large number of physically challenged and women fans of the actor. Slogans of 'Jai Chiranjeeva' rent the air as the thousands of fans stepped off at the railway station and bus stops. Hotels, lodges, guest houses and function halls have been booked as well.

The railways have operated 18 special trains while state-owned Road Transport Corporation is running 1,500 buses. Thousands of private vehicles are also ferrying Chiranjeevi's fans from different parts of the state. The majority of the people are coming from coastal Andhra as the actor hails from the region.

The town is decked up with huge cutouts of the actor and banners hailing his entry into politics. Hoardings showing the actor in different moods have been erected on every road.

Chiru, as the actor is popularly known, will alone hog the limelight during the massive show of strength planned in true filmi style. He is also expected to be the lone speaker at the three-hour meeting, scheduled to begin at 4 pm.

The organisers, however, are worried about the likelihood of rain with the monsoon active across the state.

The met department has forecast rain at Tirupati and few other places in Rayalseema.

Massive security arrangements have been made for the meeting, termed as one of the biggest political shows in recent years. Over 3,000 policemen are being deployed at the venue besides an equal number of volunteers of Chiru Rashtra Yuvatha (youth wing).

Adding another filmi touch to the mega event, the organisers have hired two helicopters. A chopper will shower flower petals on the venue, while another will record the event, beaming it across 70 huge LCD screens deployed around the area.

Chiru, who turned 53 last Friday, has bid adieu to his three-decade film career and has decided to dedicate his life to serve the poor and the needy. It is in this context that he decided to launch the party on Aug 26, the birth anniversary of Mother Teresa.

Chiru's party is expected to emerge as a major political force in the state. His fans see him as the next chief minister and feel he would emerge as powerful as matinee idol NT Rama Rao, who changed the course of Andhra politics by coming to power within nine months after launching the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in 1982.

credit to Hindustan times

New american idol judge

2008-08-25T11:25:00.000-07:00

Move over Paula, Randy and Simon and make room for Kara DioGuardi - the newest AMERICAN IDOL judge. The Grammy-nominated songwriter will have a permanent seat at the judges table when the 8th season starts in January“We are turning the heat up on ‘Idol’ this year and are thrilled to welcome Kara to the judges’ table,” said creator and executive producer Simon Fuller. “She is a smart, sassy lady, and one of America’s most successful songwriters. We know she will bring a new level of energy and excitement to the show.”

“We had originally intended for AMERICAN IDOL to have four judges,” said executive producer Cecile Frot-Coutaz. “We’ve seen from our international series that having a fourth judge creates a dynamic that benefits both the contestants and the viewers.”

Mike Darnell, President, Alternative Programming of FOX, added “For the past seven seasons, Paula has had to endure the experience of being the only woman at the judges’ table. She’s been as an island of consideration and gentle criticism between Randy and Simon, offering her invaluable expertise as a performer and No. 1 artist to the thousands who have competed on AMERICAN IDOL. With Kara by her side, Paula finally has some back-up and now there is going to be a lot more ‘girl power’ on the show.”

Ok let’s break this down, shall we?

AMERICAN IDOL has been taking a hit in popularity and in ratings over the past few seasons. The producers have been vocal about making some changes in order to restore the glory of IDOL. Paula is a bit of a loose cannon to say the least so they need to bring on another woman who can be the sweet and gentle mother-like figure that the contestants so desperately need, but they also need someone who isn’t a cracked out distraction to the show. Is Kara coming on board to gently nudged out Paula? The producers will say no but I’m not convinced.

I’m also not convinced that a new judge is really going to bring anything different to the show. If they really want to bring IDOL back then why not get out of the cookie cutter mold they’ve been in since Season 1. The entire show is so predictable that’s it’s becoming a cliche. If I were in charge, here’s where I would start…

The contestants need to be signing more relevant music. That means no more theme nights with the Bee Gees, Dolly Parton, Kenny Rogers, Manilow, Neil Diamond or anyone else whose career peaked before the contestants were even born. What about contemporary artists that can really connect with the contestants?

Simon needs to get a little time to actually talk. Less Randy and Paula and their dribble and more from the man that actually has something to contribute to make the contestants better.

The Ford and Coke commercials are joke and should be done away with. How embarasing for everyone involved?

Seacrest and Simon should either make out or stop talking all together during the show. It’s ego vs. ego on that stage and it’s annoying.

Seacrest should spend some time watching SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE. Take a few tips from Cat Deeley on what a good host can bring to the show. Cat keeps the show moving, keeps up the banter with the judges, and isn’t afraid to be compassionate towards the contestants (without being creepy, Seacrest).

credit to http://www.givememyremote.com/remote

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Chiranjeevi firt step in Politics gets Successful In Tirupati

New american idol judge