POP-Corn: Disney Channel Celebs & More!

Tasty tidbits on your celebrity faves!
From Gerri Miller, for the Ink Splot 26 Celeb Beat

Hello and welcome to POP-Corn, your source for cool news from the world of entertainment. You may remember the POP-Corn column from Scholastic News Online. Well, this summer it's on The Splot! We'll be bringing you a new jam-packed edition every other week, so be sure to tune in every other Friday all through the summer! (And on the other Fridays, STACKS Staffers will be posting their own Book Flap columns clueing you in to all the latest happenings with your favorite books, series, authors, and page-to-screen adaptations. It's all part of our first Summer on The Splot!)

DISNEY CELEBS HELP TEENS

Singing songs from her new Guilty Pleasure CD, Ashley Tisdale joined cast members from Disney Channel's Wizards of Waverly Place and Sonny With a Chance at a benefit for Los Angeles Team Mentoring, the largest mentoring program in Los Angeles middle schools. "It's a program for kids who can't necessarily achieve because they're from disadvantaged homes," explained Wizards' David Henrie. "It instills good qualities in kids and a good work ethic to achieve their dreams."

"To inspire kids to become better people is such an important thing," added his castmate Jennifer Stone. "I think everybody needs a role model at this time when they're morphing into the person they're going to be for the rest of their lives."  Selena Gomez, Jake T. Austin, Sterling Knight, Tiffany Thornton and Allisyn Arm were on hand too. "I think it's very important for kids to have a role model in life," said Allisyn, "somebody who will help them make the right decisions and help them pursue their dreams." 

For Tiffany, that person was her grandfather, who always told her to "run the race to win, don't ever quit." And for Ashley, it was a teacher. "She wasn't always supportive because I was in and out of school, but she definitely challenged me and in a way she guided me throughout school. When I graduated I remember I was walking down and she screamed out my name. She was so proud of me. It was a really touching moment."

WHAT TO WATCH & HEAR

Who'll take home the surfboards this year? Find out when the Jonas Brothers host the Teen Choice Awards, August 10^th at 8 p.m. on Fox. Nominees Miley Cyrus and The Black Eyed Peas perform on the star-studded show.

In related — literally! — Jonas and Cyrus news, Miley's brother Noah and the youngest Jonas, Frankie, both lend their voices to the new animated movie Ponyo, which hits theaters August 14^th. The G-rated movie is about a goldfish princess who longs to become human, and the little boy who befriends her.

High School Musical's Vanessa Hudgens and Aly Michalka of Aly & A.J. star in the new movie Bandslam, about a high school battle of the bands competition. The PG-13 musical flick opens August 14^th. Meanwhile, HSM-er Zac Efron's movie 17 Again comes out on DVD August 11^th.

Victoria Justice (Zoey 101) guest stars in a special one-hour iCarly movie event called iFight Shelby Marx, premiering August 8^th at 8 p.m. on Nickelodeon. Victoria plays a mixed martial arts champ named Shelby who Carly (Miranda Cosgrove) jokingly challenges to a match — and Shelby takes her up on it!

Meet the cast of Glee this summer at a mall near you! Stars of the Fox musical series are traveling around the country this summer to meet fans at Hot Topic stores and give a sneak peek at the new season of Glee, which premieres September 9^th on Fox.The mall tour kicks off August 17^th in Boston. Go to Fox.com/Glee  for the dates and places.

The season two premiere of The Suite Life On Deck marks the debut of new regular Larramie 'Doc' Shaw as Marcus Little, a former member of a singing group who was kicked out when his voice changed. He's trying to make a fresh start as a solo singer on the S.S. Tipton. Not new to the series — he was on House of Payne — Doc has had smooth sailing from the start as the new guy on Suite Life. “When I got there everybody was really open and was treating me like I was family. So I wasn't nervous at all.” But he's had to have singing and dancing lessons for the role. “I'm liking it,” he says. American Idol winner Jordin Sparks will perform on the show later this season.

The game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? is back in prime time this month for 11 nights, and each show will feature one celebrity guest trying to answer a single question to win $50,000 for their favorite charity. Gymnast Shawn Johnson will be on the August 13^th episode.

"Send it On," the inspiring anthem for Disney's "Friends for Change: Project Green," performed by Miley Cyrus, Jonas Brothers, Selena Gomez and Demi Lovato, will debut today on Radio Disney. The "Send it On" music video premieres August 14^th on Disney Channel, and August 15^th on Disney.com and the ABC Television Network.

That's it for this edition of POP-Corn! Don't forget to check back August 21st for more celebrity scoop!

— Gerri Miller, for the Ink Splot 26 Celeb Beat

Ashley Tisdale photo © Jim Ober/Disney Channel; Jonas Brothers photo © Todd Plitt/FOX

Comments

[Comment #1]

i kinda dont like disney that much......

[Comment #2]

I think in the commercial for bandslam said it was only PG

[Comment #3]

OMG I cant belive people still like the Jo Bros I only like their new show JONAS it is my fave show plus it is totally HILARIOUS!!!Expecially Kevin!!And plus he is ALREADY engadged at 22 yrs.Old?!!

[Comment #4]

wow i didnt know kevin was engaged! who is he engaged to?? Noah Cyrus is actually Miley's sister, not brother.

[Comment #5]

I looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooove disny chanile stars

[Comment #6]

I think Kevin broke up with his Fiance. Their show stinks seriously. But they are pretty good singers.

[Comment #7]

I can't wait for ponyo. It looks so cool,even cooler because Noah, and Frankie are voices in it.

Nick Jonas is my favorite.

[Comment #8]

I still like the Jo Bros Amy.

[Comment #9]

I can't wate ponyo.

Nick is still my favorite.

[Comment #10]

i am so crazy bout jo bros

[Comment #11]

disny s so cool