Simon Cowell says Britney Spears and Demi Lovato are tough cookies on The X Factor. With the new judges at his side at a press conference on Monday, the reliably acerbic Cowell said Spears is "quite mean" and Lovato is "a brat". But, Cowell added, he's long wanted to work with Spears and said "there's really something likeable" about Lovato. The pop stars are joining for The X Factor's second season, replacing Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger, who left after the debut year fell short of the ratings Cowell had predicted. * AP
Gangster Squad to remake scene
After last week's shootings in Colorado, Warner Bros has ordered that a scene in its forthcoming crime drama Gangster Squad, where gunmen open fire on the audience in a cinema, be filmed again. The scene featured prominently in the film's trailer, released early this year. Gangster Squad stars Ryan Gosling, Sean Penn, Emma Stone and Josh Brolin and its release has been postponed from September until January.
Modern Family cast sues over contract
Several stars of the hit comedy series Modern Family are suing to void their contracts, which could help them renegotiate better pay. The lawsuit filed on Tuesday argues that the contracts with 20th Century Fox Television violate a California law prohibiting personal service contracts from extending for more than seven years. The suit was filed by the stars Sofia Vergara, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Eric Stonestreet, Julie Bowen and Ty Burrell. The actors did not show up on Tuesday for the first script readings of the fourth season. * AP
Jeffersons actor dies at 74
Sherman Hemsley, who rose to fame in the 1970s in the hit sitcom The Jeffersons, died on Tuesday at the age of 74. The Jeffersons was one of the longest-running US TV shows with a predominantly black cast and explored serious themes such as race and class. "It was groundbreaking," Hemsley said in a 2003 interview. He continued to perform in cameos until last year, when he reprised his Jefferson character on the show Tyler Perry's House of Payne. * AFP
OSN to air Emmy awards
OSN First and OSN First HD will exclusively screen the 64th Emmy awards on September 23 at 3pm, with a repeat at 8pm. The coverage will include pre-show red carpet coverage hosted by Ryan Seacrest and Giuliana Rancic. Shows that dominated the nominations - American Horror Story, Homeland, Boardwalk Empire, Game of Thrones, Modern Family and Downton Abbey - all air on OSN.
Dracula to arrive on television
NBC is sinking its teeth into a new drama series. The US network announced a 10-episode version of the Bram Stoker novel, starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers in the title role. Dracula will be produced by the same people behind the acclaimed Downton Abbey. Production will begin later this year. * AP
