newsmakers

September 23, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

newsmakers

Lopez, Tyler join ‘Idol’ as judges

INGLEWOOD, Calif.

Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler will join Randy Jackson as “American Idol” judges next season, after months of turnover and speculation about the future of TV’s top-rated show.

With pomp rivaling that of a U.S. Supreme Court appointment, Fox finally assembled the new pieces of the “Idol” panel that will be returned to its original three-member format for season 10.

Actress-singer-dancer Lopez and Aerosmith frontman Tyler will have the job of trying to match the offbeat chemistry of former judges Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul.

“This is ’American Idol’!” host Ryan Seacrest said after the new judges joined him on stage at the Forum arena, where the final national audition for next season’s singing contest took place Wednesday.

The announcement was made before a crowd of several thousand who had gathered to try out, some cheering loudly for the cameras and all hoping to make it to the next round, when they’ll be judged by the revamped panel. The mini-show was streamed live online by Fox.

Cowell announced last January that he planned to leave to launch a new talent show for Fox in 2011, with newcomers Ellen DeGeneres and Kara DioGuardi exiting this summer. Abdul left in 2009 over a contract dispute.

Jackson will be the only original judge when “American Idol” returns in January.

Shania Twain to pen autobiography

NEW YORK

Shania Twain is ready to talk about her recent divorce — and she’ll do it in her autobiography.

Of course, Twain will discuss much more than her recent split with music producer Robert “Mutt” Lange. The country superstar announced Wednesday that her book will talk about her difficult childhood, including the death of her mother. She’ll also chart her rise to become one of the top-sellers in music.

Twain says recent struggles created a “sudden urgency to document my life before I ran out of time.”

The Grammy winner shot to fame in the 1990s with hits like “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!” She had spent the past few years out of the spotlight.

She’s due to have her own show on Oprah Winfrey’s new OWN network.

Twain’s book — which is untitled for now — will be published by Atria Books in the spring.

‘That girl’ partners with AOL on website

NEW YORK

AOL is partnering with Marlo Thomas for a website of her own.

Thomas says the site, which officially launched Wednesday, is aimed at woman over 35 years old.

The well-known actress and social activist says the goal is for her to talk to the nation’s women — and get them talking back.

She says she wants women to feel “there’s lots of dreaming yet to go.”

She describes the site as video-heavy, including live streaming chat and user-submitted video, and says she wants to share ideas.

Next week, Thomas is releasing a memoir, “Growing Up Laughing.”

Earlier this month, AOL added talk-show host Ellen DeGeneres to its Web properties as it began sharing content with the website of “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.”

Colombian president attends Shakira concert

NEW YORK

The president of Colombia might be in New York for the U.N. General Assembly, but he also found time to attend a concert by Shakira.

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, along with the former president of Chile, Michelle Bachelet, Queen Rania of Jordan and actor Jim Carrey, came out to Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night to watch the hip-swiveling Shakira perform before an energetic crowd.

“It’s really an honor for us,” Shakira said, thanking the president of her homeland for attending.

The bilingual singer kicked off her show with a slow groove to “Pienso en Ti” — wearing a hot pink ensemble that covered most of her body, revealing only her face and some of her blond curls — while she sang and gave hugs to people in the crowd.