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By Michael Lopez

It's never too early to learn about the American legal system and this week on Sesame Street, young viewers got a taste of it thanks to Sonia Sotomayor. The Latina Supreme Court judge made a very memorable appearance on the show and even ruled on case involving Goldilocks and Baby Bear.

In a very cute segment, Sotomayor stumbles upon Baby Bear, a colorful Muppet who seemed to be in a bit of legal trouble. Baby broke the chair of Goldilocks and, as Sonia emphasized, it was now his responsibility to have it replaced.

But Sotomayor didn't just offer her advice, she actually threw on her trademark black robe and presided over the case!

"I always wear these robes when I hear a case,” she jokingly told the audience.

We actually think Sonia did a great job on the Street. Not only did she teach little ones about fairness and consideration, she showed off her very sharp sense of humor.

Did you catch Sonia's appearance on the Street? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Education, Muppets, Sesame Street, Sonia Sotomayor, Supreme Court, Television

By Astrid Rivera

Think you know Pauly D from the Jersey Shore? Despite what you may have seen of the Rhode Island native on the MTV show, Paul Delvecchio is way more than just GTL and haircuts.

I bet you didn't even know that he recently toured with Britney Spears or that he just signed a deal with 50 Cent's G-Note Records. Now thanks to the upcoming Jersey Shore spin-off "The Pauly D Project" you definitely will. Honestly, it's about time we get a Jersey Shore spin-off and they couldn't have picked a better house mate to focus on than Pauly.

The reality show plans to follow the DJ through his adventures in the chaotic music industry and his rise to fist-pumping stardom. Unfortunately Snooki and the rest of the gang will not be along for the ride but the show promises to introduce an original cast of crazy characters that help Pauly along the way. Among these is Pauly's road manager, Michael "Biggie" Morgan and his personal bodyguard, Gerard "Big Jerry" Gialanella. MTV pokes at the fact that Pauly's new boss, Mr. 50 Cent himself, might make a couple of appearances.

The DJ revealed his thoughts on the new show,

"It'll probably be along the lines of, I used to be this DJ in Rhode Island DJing two sets a week, hustling, promoting. And all of a sudden, I'm on this show, and now they're sending private jets for me to DJ for these huge crowds, yet i'm still the same guy that was DJing for 200 people, just loving life."

Pauly D is just one of eight cast members who created a phenomenon that for the past five seasons has produced everything from Halloween costumes to novels (remember "A Shore Thing" by Nicole Polizzi aka Snooki?). There is no telling what Pauly D will have in store for fans when "The Pauly D Project" premieres, tune in at 10:30pm Thursday March 29th on MTV!

Will you watch "The Pauly D Project"? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags 50 Cent, Astrid Rivera, Britney Spears, Jersey Shore, Pauly D, Snooki, The Pauly D Project

By Ikam Acosta

Latin pop group Reik will be performing at the Clive Davis Theatre at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles on Feb 21st. They will be joining the likes of others who performed in the Grammy Museum, including John Legend, Colbie Caillat, and Ringo Starr.

Reik will be interviewed after their acoustic set, as part of the event to benefit the museum, and asked about their influences by Leila Cobo. Cobo is Billboard Executive Director of Content and Programming for Latin Music and Entertainment and has a new book out, The Second Time We Met.

Reik has been nominated for Pop Album of the Year and Pop song of the Year for their smashing album Peligro. They also serve as ambassadors for VH1's Save the Music Campaign and Ronald Mc Donald's Children's Charity. The Grammy winning band will be performing in Miami as part of their visit to the United States during the month of February, at Univision's Premios Lo Nuestro.

Will you be tuning in to catch a glimpse of Reik's appearances in the United States?

Tags Blogger: Ikam Acosta, Colbie Caillat, Grammy Museum, John Legend, Leila Cobo, Música, Premios Lo Nuestro, Reik, Ringo Starr, Television

By Michael Lopez

You'd think a series with nine million weekly viewers would be worth keeping on the air. Not so in the case of House. After eight years, it looks like the Fox medical drama will be shutting down for good.

In what is being deemed a "mutual decision" between show producers and star Hugh Laurie, the network has decided to tear down the House at the end of this season. Both sides say they're sad to goodbye, but feel now is the right time to hang it up.

"The producers have always imagined House as an enigmatic creature," Laurie and the execs said in a joint statement. "He should never be the last one to leave the party. How much better to disappear before the music stops, while there is still some promise and mystique in the air."

We have to admit, we're a little bummed to see this one go (especially after the recent addition of Tr3s fave Odette Annable). But there is still time left to wrap up loose ends and we're sure House's writers will give the good Dr. one helluva sendoff.

Were you a fan of House? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Cancellations, house, Hugh Laurie, Odette Annable, Television

By Michael Lopez

Don't worry, it wasn't any drunken antics that led to Paz de la Huerta leaving Boardwalk Empire, but she is saying goodbye nonetheless. Apparently, the hit HBO show is taking a new direction next year and changing up quite a few cast members.

Paz' Lucy Danziger character made an abrupt exit in the season finale, leaving her newborn with its federal agent baby daddy. Series regulars Dabney Coleman, Aleska Palladino, and Michael Pitt were also written off in the last episode, albeit in a much more violent way.

But don't worry, there will still be plenty of Latino presence on the show next season. Tr3s fave Bobby Cannavale has reportedly joined the cast as a ruthless rival of star Steve Buscemi.

And as for de la Huerta, she's still got plenty of projects lined up in the next few months. According to IMDb, you can catch her alongside Wilmer Valderrama in 2012's The Girl Is In Trouble and in 2013's Inferno: Linda Lovelace biopic.

Are you a fan of Boardwalk Empire? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Boardwalk Empire, Bobby Cannavale, HBO, Paz de la Huerta, Television

By Michael Lopez

Could JWoww and Snooki be more than "just friends?" Though both Jersey Shore stars have denied hooking up, Snooks seems to be very open to the idea, at least according to her latest interview with The Huffington Post.

"I would consider myself bi. I've done stuff with girls before," she said. "But I would never be with a girl because I like... penis. But I've experimented."

It doesn't get more blunt than that. And we're sure that's a relief for Snooki’s current boyfriend Jionni LaValle. She went on to say that she's fully committed to her man and interestingly, didn't address any of those pregnancy rumors.

But Snooks did stir the pot a bit when it came to one of her Jersey co-stars. Keeping with the bisexual topic, the Chilean-born Guidette hinted that Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino may swing both ways.

"[Mike] brings it up," she added. "He'll say, 'People think I'm gay and I don't know what they're talking about… I can't confirm or deny with Mike, but if he was, it would all make sense."

Do you think any of the Jersey Shore stars are hiding in the closet? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Chisme, Jersey Shore, Jionni LaValle, Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino, popnews, Reality shows, Snooki, The Situation

By Michael Lopez

Yes, we love Naya Rivera, but if you ask us, Glee still deserves to have much more of a Latino presence. And that's exactly what they got last night, with a singing and dancing Spanish teacher played by Ricky Martin!

Martin's role as Mr. Martinez definitely got things jumping, especially after his rousing rendition of "Sexy And I Know It." But more importantly, Glee gave Ricky the chance to flex his acting chops. Mr. Livin' La Vida Loca offered up a bit of comedy, some tender moments with Mr. Schu, and even an interesting backstory about his character's life in Ohio.

And don't just take our word for it. Several critics thought Martin knocked it out of the park too.

"As expected, Martin brought his charm, energy and swiveling hips to the proceedings," the Washington Post wrote.

Best of all, there's a very good chance that Mr. Martinez will return. Now hired as a full-time Spanish teacher at McKinley High, let's hope we can see him in a lot more dance numbers to come!

What did you think of Ricky's Glee debut? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, glee, Hot Stuff, Música, Ricky Martin, Television

By Michael Lopez

Puerto Rican-American actor John Ortiz has been making movies for nearly 20 years. And though his face may seem very familiar, he didn't quite break into the big time until recently, with his star making turn on the horse racing series, Luck.

Cast as trainer Turo Escalante, John's been getting quite a bit of praise for his introspective performance. As he told Latina, Turo is a character who's worked hard to get where he's at and has several complicated layers.

"I play a horse trainer who has become the best in the business," he explained. "He is the classic immigrant story…You see a successful Turo at the surface, but as with so many things, something that appears one way on top is different underneath."

If there's one person who can get audiences to see the real Turo, it's Dustin Hoffman. The legendary actor shares several scenes with Ortiz and should be able to bring out a lot of depth as the season progresses.

You can find out yourself by catching new episodes of Luck every Sunday on HBO.

Have you been watching Luck? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Dustin Hoffman, HBO, Horse Racing, John Ortiz, Luck, Television

By Michael Lopez

Throughout 11 wild seasons, Randy Jackson has remained an American Idol constant. And beyond that, he's a music legend, having played on albums by Journey, George Michael, and Mariah Carey. So clearly he knows his stuff and he's got some very interesting things to say about this latest version of Idol.

"I think we're in a great groove now," Jackson told us during an exclusive conference call. "Everyone makes such a fuss about the judges, but it really is the talent. If you don't have the talent…people might want to watch about five minutes then be like 'Okay.' So, I think it's really about that talent and what we get back from these kids."

Randy may have a point, but clearly the fans are entranced by the antics of his cohorts Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler. Though they got a little bit of flack last year for being a bit wet behind the ears, Jackson assured us that there are big changes in store.

"[Jennfer, Steven, and I] talk about everything," he explained. "But this season you may see them be a bit more stern. They may surprise you. This Hollywood week was the toughest we've ever had on the kids."

And according to Randy, tough love is a necessity if you want to succeed in the music business. He went on to offer his philosophies on why criticism is important when prepping singers for a life behind the mic.

"This is a process that gets you ready for the future," he said. "You think Idol’s hard? Wait until you become an artist and you're trying to put a record out. After our show, you jump into the ring and duke it out with Madonna, with Rihanna, with Katie Perry. After this, you're setting yourself up for the competition of life and the competition never ends."

Speaking of competition, Jackson also made sure to speak out about Idol’s big rival in the ratings race, NBC's The Voice. Even though TV's other vocal talent show scored huge post-Super Bowl ratings, Randy isn't worried one bit.

"Listen, Idol is in its eleventh season," he proudly stated. "The Voice [had] huge numbers. I think any show after the Super Bowl will have huge numbers. They've got an original show and I think there's room for everyone out there."

Let's hope Adam Levine, Christina Aguilera, and Cee-Lo Green feel the same way.

What's your favorite reality singing show? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags American Idol, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Exclusive Entrevistas, Jennifer Lopez, Música, Randy Jackson, Reality shows, Steven Tyler, Television, The Voice, Tr3s Exclusives

By Michael Lopez

As we mentioned in our interview with him last month, 2012 is proving to be a HUGE year for John Leguizamo. Not only does he have a flurry of movies coming out, news just broke that he's scored a TV development deal with ABC.

The versatile Colombian-American star will be delving into comedy for his latest small screen adventure. Deadline.com is reporting that his new series will be a single-camera sitcom based on his family life in New York City.

And don't worry Leguizamo fans, John won't just be behind-the-scenes for this project. The Ghetto Klown will be starring in the series as well, which is being produced by entertainment vets David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman.

That's all very exciting news to us. And who knows? If all goes well, the alphabet network may even schedule it on the same night as Modern Family!

Are you looking forward to John's new show? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags ABC, Blogger: Michael Lopez, John Leguizamo, Sitcoms, Television