newsmakers

newsmakers

Leno’s last ‘Tonight’ draws 14.6M viewers

LOS ANGELES

NBC says Jay Leno’s farewell “Tonight Show” drew the late-night program’s biggest audience in more than 15 years.

A total of 14.6 million viewers tuned in Thursday to see Leno wrap up his 22 years as host of “Tonight,” according to Nielsen company figures released by NBC.

The audience was the biggest since May 14, 1998, when Jerry Seinfeld appeared on “Tonight” to mark the end of his sitcom.

That show drew nearly 15 million viewers.

Leno’s first goodbye to “Tonight,” in 2009, had 11.9 million viewers.

“Tonight” had been averaging fewer than 4 million nightly viewers in the past year.

Fox’s ‘The X Factor’ ending after 3 seasons

LOS ANGELES

“The X Factor” is ending after three seasons.

Fox and the show’s production companies announced Friday that the U.S. edition of the singing competition won’t be coming back this fall.

“X Factor” head judge and creator-executive producer Simon Cowell will instead return to the U.K. version of the show later this year.

“I’ve had a fantastic time over the last 12 years, both on ‘The X Factor’ and ‘American Idol,’” Cowell said in a statement. “And apart from being lucky enough to find some amazing talent on the shows, I have always had an incredible welcome from the American public — most of the time!”

The acerbic judge initially predicted that “X Factor” would be a major hit before its 2011 debut, but the show never garnered stellar ratings, which continued to dip in last year’s third season.

The show’s hosts and judging panel were revamped each season with Paul Abdul, Antonio “L.A.” Reid, Britney Spears, Demi Lovato and Kelly Rowland among those joining Cowell on the panel.

NYC mayor welcomes Pussy Riot to city hall

NEW YORK

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio welcomed the Russian protest punk band Pussy Riot to city hall.

Maria Alekhina and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova are on a tour of New York and visited city hall late Friday afternoon.

De Blasio, his wife, Chirlane McCray, and the musicians visited for about 30 minutes.

A spokeswoman said the mayor commended them for “their bravery and courage.”

The two were released in December after nearly two years in jail. They were convicted of hooliganism after they staged a protest in a Russian church.

The women also have appeared on the talk show “The Colbert Report” and at an Amnesty International concert in Brooklyn. While on tour, they have been critical of Russian President Vladimir Putin and political conditions in their homeland.

Associated Press