The daily gossip: Beyonce threw out 50 songs intended for her new album, and more
5 top pieces of celebrity gossip — from the Taylor Swift contest ruined by a "creepy old guy" to Netflix's Harry Potter-sized goal for House of Cards
1. Beyonce threw out 50 songs intended for her new album
If you've been holding out hope that we might get a new Beyonce album sometime this century, it's probably time to let it go: According to The Hollywood Reporter, Knowles recently threw out more than 50 songs she was considering for inclusion on her long-delayed fifth album in favor of starting over from scratch. According to the report, Knowles is "still trying to figure out" a direction for her album. But don't be too worried, Beyonce fans: If she likes us, we're sure she'll put some songs on it. [The Hollywood Reporter]
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2. Jersey Shore residents don't want Snooki to move back
Now that her Jersey Shore days are behind her, cast member Snooki is set to launch another reality series — because come on, what other marketable skills does she have? But early plans to film her upcoming series on the Jersey Shore's Pelican Island have run into a snag: The residents of Pelican Island, who have hired a lawyer in an attempt to bar Snooki from filming the series in the area. "Grow up, get over yourself, and move on," complained Snooki in a response on Instagram, while simultaneously failing to do all three of those things. [Radar Online]
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3. Taylor Swift meet-and-greet contest is canceled after a "creepy old guy" ruins it
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When radio station KISS 108 launched an online contest offering the chance to meet Taylor Swift, it failed to account for the fact that the internet thrives on hijacking and destroying such contests. Case in point: The entry of a 39-year-old man named Charles, who reportedly planned to "make a complete ass of himself by blatantly just sniffing her hair" if he won the top prize. Charles, with the help of 4Chan and Reddit, was winning the contest by a considerable margin, before the radio station called it off after deciding the contest was "compromised." [NME]
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4. Netflix wants House of Cards to be the next Harry Potter
It's obvious that Netflix was aiming high with its first original series, the political drama House of Cards — and with nine Emmy nominations, it's safe to say the video-streaming site succeeded. But that's not enough for chief executive Reed Hastings, who wants the show to be as big as the Harry Potter franchise. "Hopefully, by the time we get to season three, four five, if we're fortunate enough to get there, then we turn it into a Harry Potter-esque global massive phenomena," said Hastings, inadvertently revealing that Machiavellian series protagonist Frank Underwood will eventually turn out to be Voldemort in yet another disguise. [CNET]
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5. Bravo announces beauty pageant reality series Game of Crowns
Today in bandwagon-hopping: Bravo has announced a new reality show centered on a group of beauty pageant-obsessed wives, with the completely original title Game of Crowns. The network promises that the new series will feature women doing whatever it takes to win pageants, "even if it means going up against their own daughters" — and then, we presume, beheading them on the steps of the Great Sept of Baelor. If Game of Crowns turns out to be a success for Bravo, keep your eyes peeled for even more terrible-sounding reality programs based on show people actually like (we suggest Birdwatch Empire). [The Wrap]
Scott Meslow is the entertainment editor for TheWeek.com. He has written about film and television at publications including The Atlantic, POLITICO Magazine, and Vulture.
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