National newsmakers

newsmakers

Jennifer Lopez returning to ‘Idol’

NEW YORK

If there was ever any doubt, it’s gone now. Jennifer Lopez will be back at the judge’s panel for the 11th season of “American Idol.”

The Fox network has made Lopez’s return official, along with her fellow judges, Aerosmith rocker Steven Tyler and record producer Randy Jackson. In addition, Fox said Wednesday that Ryan Seacrest will be back as host.

Singer-actress Lopez debuted as a judge this past season. But in recent weeks, she had publicly been coy about whether she would stay with the hit musical competition.

Any lingering skepticism was dispelled last week by “Idol” executive producer Nigel Lythgoe. He declared, unofficially, that Lopez would be back while interviewed on Seacrest’s radio program.

“American Idol” begins its new season Jan. 22.

McBride taps famous cancer survivors

NEW YORK

Martina McBride’s new single, “I’m Gonna Love You Through It,” is an inspirational song about going through cancer, and for the video, she enlisted the help of a few famous faces to convey the message.

“Good Morning America” anchor Robin Roberts, singer Sheryl Crow, ABC’s Katie Couric and “Today” anchor Hoda Kotb all appear in the clip, which debuts Wednesday on CMT.com.

Roberts, Crow and Kotb are all survivors of breast cancer; Couric’s husband died of colon cancer.

McBride, who has never had cancer, says she wanted to sing the song to give hope and positive messages to those going through the struggle. She says it “takes a lot of strength and a lot of love to get through something like that.”

The song is from her new album, “Eleven,” due out Oct. 11.

Katy Perry ties Jackson record

NEW YORK

When Katy Perry first came on the scene, some dismissed her as a one-hit wonder. Three years later, she’s proven she’s a multi-hit wonder, becoming the first woman to score five No. 1 songs from one album on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Her “Last Friday Night [T.G.I.F.]” set the precedent: It’s the latest No. 1 from her platinum album “Teenage Dream.” Only Michael Jackson had five No. 1s from one album before Perry, from “Bad.”

But Jackson spent a total of seven weeks at the top with his “Bad” songs; Perry has been at the top perch now for a cumulative 18 weeks. Perry’s first major hit was the song “I Kissed a Girl” in 2008.

Associated Press