As the 2012 American Music Awards excitement kicks up, we take a look at who's nominated for big honors in four of the top categories. Our picks for winners? One princess, a pop prince, a trio and a judge!

The 2012 AMAs Artist of the Year

Justin Bieber
Drake
Maroon 5
Katy Perry
Rihanna

The coveted AMA Artist of the Year is a tight race in 2012, as it should be! While Justin Bieber, Drake, Maroon 5 and Katy Perry have made the most of the past 12 months, there's something about that Rihanna chick we can't stop talking about.

From her recent sultry performance at the Victoria's Secret Fashion show, to "We Found Love" taking home Video Of The Year at the MTV Video Music Awards 2012, our instinct says Rihanna will be crowned music's princess yet again!

The 2012 AMAs Favorite Male Artist — Pop/Rock

Justin Bieber
Flo Rida
Pitbull
Usher

Justin Bieber gets our pick for the 2012 Favorite Male Artist in the pop/rock category. Not only was the boy-wonder'sBelievethe top-selling debut , let's not forget the AMA winners are picked by the public's vote.

A broken-hearted Bieber in need of some cheering up from the fans? We can see the votes pouring in now!

The 2012 AMAs Favorite Female Artist — Pop/Rock

Kelly Clarkson
Nicki Minaj
Katy Perry
Rihanna

Nicki, Nicki, you're so fine — and in the headlines all of the time. From inspiring Halloween costumes, to an epic-sized feud with Mariah Carey to her own miniseries on E!, Ms. Minaj seems to be everywhere we turn as of late.

Did we mention Nicki Minaj and competitor Rihanna lead the American Music Award 2012 nominations with four nods each? Between the sheer amount of press the American Idol judge has received as of late and the number of nominations in her name, we're sure the "Roman Holiday" singer won't go home empty-handed.

The 2012 AMAs New Artist of the Year

J. Cole
fun.
Gotye
Carly Rae Jepsen
One Direction

Are we having fun. yet? You'd better believe it! The New Yorkers known as fun. get our pick for the 2012 AMAs New Artist of the Year award for one simple reason: an infectious little ditty dubbed "Some Nights."

Love it or loathe it, odds are you haven't been able to get away from the song that shares its name with the band's second album, which dropped in February... and don't forget the trio seen above are also responsible for the omnipresent hit "We Are Young."

Remember, the 2012 AMAs will be broadcasting live on ABC on Nov. 18, and SheKnows Goes to the Shows will be there, live on the red carpet!

Who do you predict will take home top honors at the 2012 American Music Awards?

Images via WENN

From a listen to Christina Aguilera's Lotus to gowns and getups galore, the 2012 AMAs promise to be a feast for both the eyes and ears. A list of 17 performers has been announced for the event on Nov. 18, with even more big names being revealed as slated to present!

2012 American Music Awards performers list:

Taylor Swift — Up for the Favorite Female Artist award in the Country category, Taylor Swift is also set to take the stage and perform a piece from her Red album.

Justin Bieber — Nominated for three awards, the boy wonder is our pick for Favorite Male Artist in the Pop/Rock category!

Ke$ha — "Tik Tok" it's Ke$ha time! Although she's currently promoting her new album Warrior, the 25-year-old did not pick up any nominations for the 2012 American Music Awards.

Carly Rae Jepsen — The woman who created the hit of the summer, "Call Me, Maybe," is nominated for New Artist of the Year.

PSY — If you don't know the name you've most certainly heard of "Gangnam Style" by now. The man behind the YouTube video sensation will be among the 2012 AMA performers.

The Wanted — The international boy band, made up of Max George, Siva Kaneswaran, Jay McGuiness, Nathan Sykes and Tom Parker, is best known stateside for the 2012 hits "Glad You Came" and "Chasing the Sun."

Lordy, Lordy, look who's 40: Juiciest AMA moments >>

Christina Aguilera — The music-industry veteran and The Voice reality star will perform at the American Music Awards to promote Lotus.

Carrie Underwood — Fresh off of hosting the CMAs, Carrie Underwood is taking a turn at performing at the AMAs. She's up against Taylor Swift for the Favorite Female Artist in the Country category, and is also nominated for Favorite Album in the same category for Blown Away.

Nicki Minaj — Our pick for Favorite Female Artist in the Pop/Rock category, Nicki Minaj is nominated in a quartet of categories this year. Although Rihanna has the same number of nominations, only Ms. Minaj has also agreed to perform!

Kelly Clarkson — The American Idol winner is nominated for two AMAs, including Favorite Female Artist in the Pop/Rock category.

No Doubt — Gwen Stefani and her No Doubt bandmates are set to take the stage to promote their sixth album, Push and Shove.

Top 5 worst dressed at the 2011American Music Awards>>

Linkin Park — Nominated for Favorite Artist in the Alternative Rock category, Linkin Park will be performing to promote their fifth album, Living Things.

Pink — Be on the lookout for a performance from Pink, who is said to be promoting her single "Try," off 2012's The Truth About Love album.

Pitbull — Back from Alaska, Pitbull is set to perform as well as contend for two awards at the 2012 AMAs.

Swizz Beatz featuring Chris Brown and Ludacris— This trio of big names from the hip hop and R&B world are set to take the AMA stage, after recently having collaborated on the song "Everyday Birthday."

Usher — Usher and protege Justin Bieber are going head-to-head at the American Music Awards. Both are slated to perform, as well as compete for the Favorite Male Artist in the Pop/Rock category!

Bonus— Stevie Wonder will deliver a tribute to the late Dick Clark, founder of the American Music Awards, in coordination with Ryan Seacrest.

The list of 2012 AMA presenters isn't quite as extensive, but we do know fans will likely see Pretty Little Liars stars Ashley Benson and Lucy Hale, The Backstreet Boys, Gavin DeGraw, Paula Abdul, Elisha Cuthbert, Will.i.am, Ginnifer Goodwin and Stacy Keibler all take turns at the microphone!

Remember, the 2012 AMAs will be broadcasting live on ABC on Nov. 18, and SheKnows Goes to the Shows will be there, live on the red carpet!

Images via WENN

Christina Aguilera

Xtina is a pop favorite because she actually has the pipes to step out of a studio and still sound incredible. Her talent in undeniable. But her live performances? They can take awesome in either direction. So if her “people” are reading this — we beg you. Please get someone new to do Christina’s hair extensions, please no catsuits and for the love of all that is good and holy, please make sure Christina knows the words to the song before she hits the stage. We want everyone talking about Christina’s performance the next morning for all the right reasons!

Justin Bieber and P!nk

These powerhouse performers are two more reasons the 2012 AMAs are going to give us much to talk about on Monday morning. Will Justin start crying on stage over his most recent break-up with Selena? Will he hurl during the middle of a song? Oh, we can hardly wait! P!nk “blew us one last kiss” during her live performance at the 2012 VMAs, which for all its flair, fell a bit flat. Maybe that particular performance was just Missunderstood. Our faith in P!nk has recently been restored with her kick-a** video Try. The b**** is back and we eagerly anticipate whatever in-your-face tricks P!nk has got up her sleeve.

Drama!

It wouldn’t be a night at a music awards show without some drama. Will Chris Brown slug someone backstage ? Will someone take a cheap shot at Taylor Swift’s love life — reducing her to tears? Will Ms. Swift, who was nominated for three CMAs, but went home empty-handed win favorite female artist? Will a presenter misappropriate time behind the mic to share their postelection views? Will Katy Perry and Rihanna rekindle their front-row VMAs lovefest or will they be seated separately now that there is a rumored rift in their friendship over the alleged reunion of RiRi and Chris Brown? Will Nicki Minaj and Mariah Carey get into a cat fight on the red carpet? There is no doubt the Awards Show Drama Gods will cook up something memorable for us!

Pregame it

The red carpet will be on fie-yah with hot music celebs. The red carpet is unrehearsed, which can make it the most entertaining part of the festivities. Host a party and you and your friends can count how many times celebrities say, “I’m so excited to be here,” or “I’m just happy to be nominated,” or how many times red carpet hosts and reporters say, “Who are you wearing?” The candid carpet questions make celebs think on their feet — where some celebrities shine, and some fail — miserably. You and your friends can also pretend to be Joan Rivers and analyze red carpet fashions and see if the headlines agree with your snark-fest the next morning.

Tune into the 2012 American Music Awards on ABC on Sunday, Nov. 18, at 8/7c, for a musical celebration we’ll probably be talking about for the next 40 years. SheKnows Goes to the Shows will be there, live on the red carpet!

Images courtesy WENN.com

Best: Jennifer Lopez

Jennifer Lopez and her curvy body could make a paper bag look good, but even she isn't prone to a few fashion missteps. Luckily, the 2011 AMAs wasn't one of those times: The mom of Max and Emme looked ahhhh-mazing in her asymetrical gown by Zuhair Murad.

Worst: LMFAO

The two dudes in LMFAO are pretty much going to be the worst-dressed people at any event they go to — and the 2011 American Music Awards were no exception. Pro tip: Never dress like this, unless it's Halloween.

Best: Taylor Swift

We're used to seeing Taylor Swift with straight hair now, but it was all so new to us when she opted for a stick-straight blonde look for the 2010 AMAs. The hair — along with her embellished Collette Dinnigan dress — introduced us to Taylor Swift the grown-up.

Worst: Nicki Minaj

Nicki Minaj was all smiles at the 2010 AMAs with her monstrosity of a dress. It looked like a craft store exploded on her — and apparently that's the look she was going for.

"It's just a weird thing. It looks like it could be a piece on the middle of your table and you picked it up, put some clothing on it, and now you can wear it," she told MTV News at the time. "It's all about feeling like, 'Grrr.' This dress it the epitome of Pink Friday. This is the dress version of my album."

So, she's saying her album was crap?

Best: Carrie Underwood

Does Carrie Underwood ever look bad in anything? We're going to go ahead and say no. Case in point? Her one-shouldered metallic Theia dress from the 2009 AMAs. We can totally see why Mike Fisher loves her.

Worst: Shakira

We usually love Shakira's sense of style, but her yellow Versace minidress from the 2009 AMAs is cut way too short for even her tiny frame. Also, WTF is up with those shoes? Do not want.

The 2012 AMAs will be broadcasting live on Nov. 18 on ABC, and SheKnows Goes to the Shows will be there, live on the red carpet!

Images courtesy WENN.com

Who do you think will be the best-dressed and worst-dressed at the 2012 American Music Awards?

The 2012 American Music Awards are set to broadcast live on ABC on Nov. 18 with performances from everyone from Justin Bieber to Kelly Clarkson and The Wanted. However, one thing is notably missing from the lineup: A host!

You read that right: The AMAs haven't announced a specific host for the show, so either it'll be a surprise or the show will just transition from one presenter to the next. It's not the first time an awards show has tried this: The 2007 MTV VMAs in Las Vegas opted for no host and it ended up feeling really weird and chaotic.

Will the AMAs make it work? We hope so, but that's not stopping us from coming up with a few ideas for co-hosts. We figure the show's already going to be awkward, so why not make it even more so with these weird pairs?

Nicki Minaj and Mariah Carey

Have you heard? Nicki Minaj and Mariah Carey don't exactly get along. The new American Idol judges were at each other's throats earlier this fall when Minaj had a meltdown over Carey's continued disses.

Sure, there are questions whether or not the feud is real or for ratings, but we'd love to see just how unpredictable the two are while competing for camera time. We'll just call it prep for the new season of Idol coming in January.

Kristen Stewart and Rupert Sanders

By all accounts, Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson have put her affair with her Snow White and the Huntsman director Rupert Sanders behind them. Conveniently, right in time for the release of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn — Part 2.

We're not quite ready to put all of the drama behind us, though. We'd love to see KStew and Sanders reunite as hosts — or, better yet: Stewart and Sanders' wife, Liberty Ross. Now, Stewart and Sanders have nothing to do with music, but wouldn't it be fun to watch all the awkwardness for three hours?

On second thought, scratch that: It's just way too much hair-touching and blank facial expressions for us to handle.

Jay-Z and Robert De Niro

Jay-Z continues to be one of the biggest things in music — he even counts President Barack Obama as a fan. However, De Niro is not among those admirers anymore.

According to the New York Post, De Niro now thinks Hov is rude because he ignored a bunch of his phone calls earlier this year.

"Bob was sitting at a table, and when Jay-Z went over to say hello, De Niro told Jay that he never called him back," the spy said. "Bob wasn’t in the mood to make polite conversation. He told Jay that if somebody calls you six times, you call them back. It doesn’t matter who you are, that is just rude."

Again, we'd love to see these two because we just love awkward encounters that don't involve us.

Chris Brown and Rihanna

Chris Brown and Rihanna are back together again, whether we like it or not. The pair continues to flip off fans by saying their relationship is "Nobody's Business," but we think they'd be better served to embrace the interest in their reunion with a public job as AMA co-hosts. After all, Breezy needs all the good publicity he can get since he can't seem to figure out how to do it on his own.

The 2012 AMAs will be broadcasting live on Nov. 18 on ABC, and SheKnows Goes to the Shows will be there, live on the red carpet!

Images courtesy WENN.com

Who would you pick as hosts for the American Music Awards?

The American Music Awards are the perfect antidote for music lovers who are sick of scratching their heads while watching awards shows. Don’t think Blake Shelton should have beat Taylor Swift out for Entertainer of the Year at this year’s CMAs? Wish One Direction hadn’t won Best New Artist at the MTV Video Music Awards? The AMAs put the power in the hands of the listeners — winners are determined entirely by online voting.

It’s no surprise, then, that big talents who happen to be smoking hot hold quite a few nominations. More specifically, top contenders Drake, Justin Bieber, Maroon 5, One Direction and Usher all have three nominations. This year’s pleasant surprise? The boys are playing second fiddle to hot female acts Nicki Minaj and Rihanna, who edged out the guys by one nomination each.

There’s no doubt both ladies put on a good show. But what they’re known for perhaps even more is making headlines. Minaj’s diva-shouting-death-threats-at-Mariah-Carey shenanigans on the American Idol set have kept her in the spotlight as of late. As for RiRi, well, do we even have to say it? Her on again/off again love affair with bad boy Chris Brown keeps gossip mags in circulation. Rihanna and Minaj share another commotion-causing penchant: outrageous fashion choices. See-through threads, neon-hued hair, sky-high heels and sexed-up silhouettes are regulars in the wardrobe repertoires of these two singing divas.

Here’s how we predict they’ll stack up at the show across the board:

MUSIC

Out of the awards, Rihanna is up for Artist of the Year, Favorite Pop/Rock, Favorite Soul/R&B Album — and we think she’ll nab Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist. Meanwhile, Minaj has a fighting chance at two of her nominations: Favorite Rap/Hip Hop Artist and Favorite Rap/Hip Hop Album.

SheKnows gives the edge to… Nicki Minaj!

DRAMA

Oooh, this one’s a toughie. But with Rihanna’s controversial boy-toy Chris Brown also up for awards, we predict at least one juicy moment between the two that will send the media into a headline frenzy. Not to mention RiRi and Chris's alleged romantic third wheel, Drake, will be in attendance as well.

SheKnows gives the edge to… Rihanna!

FASHION

Sure, Rihanna routinely rocks some out-there outfits. Minaj, however, is one step away from pulling a Lady Gaga meat-suit stunt. We foresee a wig you shouldn’t stare directly at , along with some sort of shiny pantsuit contraption that makes you wonder why any woman would want to make her a** look ten times bigger than it actually is.

SheKnows gives the edge to… Nicki Minaj!

To see if we accurately pegged our Queen B predictions, tune into the 40th Anniversary American Music Awards Sunday, Nov. 18 at 8/7c on ABC. And remember, SheKnows Goes to the Shows will be live on the red carpet at the same time!

More on Nicki Minaj and Rihanna

Rihanna drops "Diamonds" video, still loves Chris Brown?
Nicki Minaj: Barbara Walters spread Mariah Carey lies
Rihanna and Chris Brown duet: Other celebs who should do it

Left image courtesy of Daniel Deme/WENN.com. Right image courtesy of Rob Rich/WENN.com

Unless you live under a rock, you know Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez totally broke up like five times this past week.

The end of their rocky relationship ended up with Gomez's disappearance from the 2012 American Music Awards.

When it came time for Justin Bieber to perform at the AMAs, he left little to the imagination and seemed to sing directly to Selena Gomez with an acoustic version of his "As Long You Love Me" hit single.

American Music Awards best dressed >> 

The performance included Bieber rapping Big Sean's part and getting what seemed to be super-emotional with a cracky voice. While the performance picked up after he finished singing "As Long As You Love Me," the sad-looking Bieber makes us wonder if the song was meant to be an apologetic act toward Gomez.

American Music Awards worst dressed>>

Overall, Justin Bieber's AMA performance was great — except for an awkward grinding moment with Nicki Minaj.

Watch Justin Bieber's 2012 American Music Awards performance below and tell us what you think.

Justin Bieber may be going through a very public breakup, but no one should feel bad for him. The singer took home multiple American Music Awards on Sunday night, including Artist of the Year, showing his career is still as hot as ever.

It has been more than a week since the breakup between Bieber and girlfriend Selena Gomez and after a fight at dinner Thursday night between the two, it looks like the singer is the one who is heartbroken. The fight may have been about Gomez’s decision to cancel her appearance at the American Music Awards, leaving Bieber to attend alone .

American Music Awards best dressed>>

Bieber was scheduled to perform at the AMAs and started that performance with an acoustic performance of “As Long As You Love Me,” a performance that seemed timely, considering the circumstances. But then he broke into a performance of “Beauty and a Beat” , showing what he does best.

And another part of what he does best is win awards. Bieber was nominated for three awards, including Favorite Male Pop/Rock Artist, Favorite Pop/Rock Album, and Artist of the Year, and ended up winning all three awards.

American Music Awards worst dressed>>

As for Selena Gomez, it looks like Bieber may have a chance with her. Not only did she obviously agree to dinner with him last week, but he was spotted leaving her house the next morning . But if things don’t work out between the couple, you can guarantee there are millions of Beliebers out there who would be happy to take her place.

And for any critics who say Bieber’s 15 minutes is almost over, they should look at the awards the singer is still winning. He also has already sold millions of albums and sold out his current tour in a matter of minutes. Anyone who doubts his influence obviously doesn’t understand the power of the teenage girl.

Photo courtesy Adriana M. Barraza/WENN.com

If you could use two words to describe the winners at the 2012 American Music Awards, they would be: “no surprises.” There really were no big shockers at this year’s show.

Justin Bieber is one of the biggest artists in the country right now, so no one blinked when he was nominated for three awards: Favorite Rock/Pop Album, Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist, and Artist of the Year. And, no surprise, he won all three. Bieber seemed speechless when he got up to accept the third award, and thanked his mother and “everyone.”

“It’s hard growing up, with everything going on and everyone watching you,” he said during his acceptance speech, alluding to his current personal life. “But as long as you still believe in me, I will always make you proud. I love you.”

Bieber was up against Maroon 5, Drake, Katy Perry and Rihanna for the biggest award of the night.

Taylor Swift has the No. 1 album in the country right now, but was only up for one award. This is because her album wasn’t released in the year necessary for the awards, but she is eligible for Favorite Female Country Artist, which was her one nomination. She won that one over Carrie Underwood and Miranda Lambert.

However, Carrie Underwood took home Favorite Country Album for Blown Away. During her acceptance, the American Music Awards announcer said the win means she has won the award for every album she has put out.

The other winners who were either expected to win, or at least surprised no one, were Katy Perry for Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist; Maroon 5 for Favorite Pop/Rock Band, Duo or Group; Luke Bryan for Favorite Country Music Male Artist; Lady Antebellum for Favorite Country Music Band, Duo or Group; Nicki Minaj for Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Artist and Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Album, Usher and Beyonce as the favorite Soul/R&B Artists and Rihanna for Favorite Soul/R&B Album.

Carly Rae Jepsen was up against stiff competition for New Artist of the Year. J. Cole, fun., Gotye and One Direction were all up against the “Call Me Maybe” singer for the award. Because of the competition, that one could perhaps be called the biggest surprise of the night .

Photo courtesy Adriana M. Barraza/WENN.com

The 40th American Music Awards are over and the show proved to be fairly entertaining with no major wardrobe malfunctions or shocking moments to gasp over — sadly, for those of us covering the event. However, there were several, well, awkward moments and a few shining ones that left us all nostalgic and giddy.

Dear Taylor Swift: Please get over your long-lost princess act >>

Take a casual read on to find out some of the best highlights of the 2012 American Music Awards. We've included a video to give you the full visual on what you missed at the AMAs.

Kelly Clarkson is old now?

Kelly Clarkson put on a very creative performance that showcased her greatest hits. . The performance started off with her singing to American Idol-like judges and then moved into a rock 'n' roll pillow fight. Clarkson sounded and looked great, and the audience standing and singing — including a camera pan on Glee's Heather Morris — made me reminisce about all the breakups and life drama Kelly Clarkson pulled me through before Adele.

No Doubt tries to stay relevant

No Doubt returned from a very long break to perform at the 2012 American Music Awards. To much dismay, however, the performance was seriously disappointing. I could barely understand Gwen Stefani and her stage presence just felt awkward. Even the weird smiles between the band members read something like, "What are we doing here, guys?" 1990s fail.

The weird Samsung product plug

Envelopes are so old you guys, like archaic. The new way to announce winners of awards is to awkwardly show their names on a smartphone in order to drum up visibility for a product. Geez, I wonder how much it cost Samsung to persuade American Music Awards' producers to go for the idea. I'm not saying envelopes can't be replaced, but presenters just seemed unsure of how to handle to delivery of the winner announcement.

Justin Bieber and Nicki Minaj grinding on stage

So Nicki Minaj and Justin Bieber performed together at the American Music Awards for the last half of his performance. If you watch the above video, keep an eye out around 5:53. It was a bit odd, since she only sang one line and attempted to gyrate on Bieber during her part. Awkward much? Afterward, she was gone. Weird.

Did a heartbroken Justin Bieber serenade Selena Gomez during the AMAs?>>

Justin Bieber's heartfelt acceptance speech

Justin Bieber took home Artist of the Year at the 2012 American Music Awards. Bieber brought his mom on stage and genuinely thanked her as he graciously accepted his award going three for three at the AMAs.

Tell us: What were your favorite moments of the 2012 American Music Awards?

Photo courtesy of Adriana M. Barazza / WENN.com

It seemed like only yesterday that a fresh-faced Justin Bieber mesmerized the world with his famous hair flip while crooning “Baby,” — however flash-forward to today, where the 18-year-old Biebs has seven tattoos, drives a flashy $100,000 Fisker Karma sports car and is often seen with his pants hanging more off than on.

He did, however, bring his mom as his date as he accepted American Music Awards Artist of the Year.

A new study by Ebates.com of 1,121 youth between the ages of 8-12 have said that it is actually no longer Bieber that has the most influence over them, but 22-year-old Taylor Swift.

Check out the entire list of those celebrities who they said have the most influence on them:

• Taylor Swift
• Justin Bieber
• One Direction
• Selena Gomez
• Nicki Minaj
• Justin Timberlake
• Robert Pattinson
• Jennifer Lawrence

It does seem like Bieber is trying to shed his young, innocent image and embrace his new grown-up role, so are parents happy that more kids are influenced by the sweet and innocent country crooner Taylor Swift?

The Taylor Swift influence

Family psychotherapist Dr. Frances Walfish, who is the author of The Self-Aware Parent: Resolving Conflict and Building a Better Bond with Your Child, says she is happy to hear that Swift is the most influential celebrity among young girls. “Taylor is extremely down-to-earth. She is a very real person with good values, ethics, and morals,” she tells SheKnows. “She represents happy, healthy, and full of energy. No ego, no arrogance.

Anna Berry agrees, telling us her daughter received a personal package from Swift after a family friend told her about her daughter’s experience with being bullied at school for two years.

“Taylor was so kind to put together a package of items for Ashley, along with the personal message to 'Keep your head up, your heart open and you will be blessed.' It meant so much to her and the ironic thing was that Ashley was just about to begin performing Taylor's song ”Mean” at local competitions as her anti-bullying anthem,” Berry said. “That action alone helped put a smile on my daughter's face and give her the confidence to stand up for herself and we will always love Taylor for it.”

Hey, Justin Bieber isn’t so bad!

Terry Akins said she thinks that Bieber has been a good role model for youth, citing the fact that he has had a steady girlfriend for over a year — and says he has handled their rumored break-up well.

“Justin Bieber respects himself and his girlfriend and publicly put her as his only girlfriend,” Akins said. “He teaches us that having a solid relationship with one woman that you respect is a good quality and that even in having a public heartbreak, he shows us that there is nothing wrong with showing that human and vulnerable side. He is a good role model for young men.”

She also gives props to Gomez, who ranked 4th on the list. “Selena Gomez shows young women that they can be a professional, with a career and a person that is true to herself. Even though she may be involved with a public figure, she shows others the importance of self-respect and stands up for herself when that very well-known public figure does not do the right thing by her standards. She is an excellent role model for young women.”

One person she is glad didn’t make the list? “Rihanna is a very poor role model. Chris Brown abuses her and treats her like a punching bag and then she goes back to him,” Akins said.

Or maybe celebs aren’t great role models?

 “The problem with young role models is that they start out as good, but then tend to do something bad or, at least, stupid,” said Dr. Carole Lieberman, a Beverly Hills psychiatrist, and bestselling author of Bad Girls: Why Men Love Them & How Good Girls Can Learn Their Secrets.

“Justin Bieber has now lost his girlfriend, Selena Gomez, because he couldn't resist cheating with a Victoria's Secret model, and just got stopped again by police for his driving. Taylor Swift has cultivated a virginal good girl image, but reports have it that she is lying about having broken up with Conor Kennedy to get his family off their backs. Nicky Minaj has instigated an ugly, knock-down-drag-out, jealous rivalry with Mariah Carey. Jennifer Lawrence hasn't done anything really bad yet , but she's about to become a lot more famous... so she may soon be tempted,” Lieberman tells us.

So, what’s a parent to do?

“It's really risky for parents to endorse any role models too strongly because they are likely to mess up. Of course, this gives parents the perfect opportunity to teach kids about how not to make the same mistakes.”

More parenting tips

Should star athletes be role models?
Parents react to ESPN Magazine's "Body Issue"
Eating disorder awareness for parents of teens

Justin Bieber

I’m usually the first one to take a cheap shot at the Biebs, much to the annoyance of his fans . But you know, after watching him on the AMAs, I get it. He sang his first song with nothing more than an acoustic guitar to accompany him, he sang live, and he sounded great. Then he rocked his trademark dancing/singing routine with all the smoke and mirrors we’ve come to expect from JB. Jenny McCarthy snacked on the Bieb’s neck when he accepted an award for Favorite Rock/Pop album and he brought his mother on stage when he accepted the award for artist of the year. Kind of made me want to squeeze his cheeks and make him an after-school snack. I don't exactly have Bieb-fever, but I am warming to the idea...

Nicki Minaj

I must be the only person who is wondering, “How is this woman qualified to judge talent on American Idol?” Minaj does what she does well, but I’m not sure I follow the popularity that is tied to this artist. Her AMA appearances didn’t do much to help me turn the corner. Her “live” performance looked an awful lot like a lip-synced performance where on several occasions she tried, and failed, to hide behind her pink wig . The snow-covered set was cool, but when Nicki turned around, she revealed a layer beneath her booty-shorts… was it a butt pad? Spanx? Was it done on purpose? When accepting her Favorite Rap/Hip-hop Artist award, Minaj fidgeted with her hair so much that all I could think of was Mike Myers on SNL’s Coffee Talk and then she thanked her hairdresser! A musician thanking her hairdresser? Poor Dick Clark must have been rolling in his grave.

Christina Aguilera

We’re going to go right ahead and take credit for Christina’s successful live performance We begged that her hair extensions reflect her superstar status, that she not forget the lyrics, and that she not wear a catsuit. Xtina’s hair looked amazing and her outfits were not pleather sausage casings. The design she wore in her opening performance draped in all the right places. The second costume may have made us focus on Xtina’s hips a bit much, but she’s embracing being a bit heavy, so we high-five her for that. Vocally, she brought the goods and we are once again proud to be Xtina fans.

Commercials

When did blatant commercialism become a part of the AMAs? I guess I missed that. An award sponsored by Old Navy? Award winners appearing on Samsung Galaxy phones? Cadillacs appearing behind Carrie Underwood during her performance? There is something about this that cheapens the feel of an awards show. I know the producers have to pay the lighting bill, but it’s reminiscent of the sponsored shirts little kids wear when they play soccer or T-ball. Where does it stop? Will Nicki Minaj step out on stage next year in a Pepsi can? Will Rihanna use a microphone shaped like one of her perfume bottles? There has to be a better way.

Image courtesy Adriana Barraza/WENN.com

The funny and blunt Julie Bowen is up against the always-in-character Nicki Minaj for what Joan Rivers would call B**** Stole My Look on E!'s Fashion Police. Technically, Nicki stole it from Julie, but who wore it better?

It's no doubt that yellow is making its own statement within the already bold statement of brights and neons in the world of fashion. We love that Julie Bowen took a chance by wearing such a color on the Emmy red carpet. On the contrary, we love that Nicki Minaj toned down her risky fashion choices for a gown that still screams "look at me!" without going 10 steps too far down the crazy hill.

Nicki Minaj might act like a strong, confident woman on stage, but in real life, she's terrified of how she'll come across to mainstream audiences as a judge on Season 11 of American Idol.

"I'm scared," she told Ryan Seacrest Monday on his KISS-FM morning show. The reason? She's the self-proclaimed "mean judge."

Who wore it better: Nicki Minaj or Julie Bowen? >>

"Everyone else is so nice," she said, referring to co-judges Mariah Carey, Keith Urban and Randy Jackson. "I was just thinking back about some things and I was like, 'I wonder if that was not so nice.'"

The 30-year-old doesn't mince words. "It's hard for me to not say how I really feel," she added to Seacrest.

But, there's a reason for it.

Did Nicki Minaj threaten Mariah Carey with a gun? >>

"As an artist I've always grown more from the tougher criticism," Minaj added. "And so I would like to be that person and to try to help people get that thick skin and to really give it their all, because it is a competition."

Nicki Minaj: Barbara Walters spread Mariah Carey lies >>

As for the oft-discussed feud between her and fellow diva Carey? MInaj didn't say much, other than she'd "be there waiting" if the mom of Dem Babies wants to duet. She might just be pretending to be nice — on her new album, The Re-Up, the song "Hell Yeah" has some lyrics that E! News says refer to the caught-on-tape spat between the two.

Stevie Nicks backtracks on Nicky Minaj death threats >>

Among the lyrics in question?

And there's a more literal shout-out to Idol bosses Nigel Lythgoe and Mike Darnell.

Let's hope the feud continues — it's the only way we're going to tune into American Idol when it hits the air in January.

Image courtesy of Adriana M. Barraza/WENN.com

Mariah Carey

Enter the eighth wonder of the world. Santa just doesn’t get it. He thinks Mariah is cute, but not stop-what-you’re-doing-to-stare gorgeous. She can reach a few high notes, but her music makes Santa want to eat Cheez Whiz until he collapses from a heart attack. Santa is still trying to figure out how she became an American Idoljudge, which implies people care what she thinks. Mariah is notorious for her diva antics, and hasn’t been playing nice with co-worker Nicki Minaj, so on Christmas Eve, Santa is sticking a big humble pie under the tree. Hopefully, in 2013 we will see a kinder, gentler Mariah.

Matthew McConaughey

Santa doesn’t think what Matthew has done to his new wife, Camila Alves, is very nice. She married Dallas from Magic Mike. After Matthew’s dramatic weight loss, she’s left with the emaciated old guy at the end of the block who checks the mail at 2 p.m. every day in his underwear. Santa thinks it was cruel to knock Camila up and execute a mean example of bait and switch. The only thing Santa is bringing Matthew is a lump of coal and a yearlong subscription to Omaha Steaks.

Image courtesy TNYF/WENN.com

Matthew McConaughey is scary skinny, still dieting >>

Amanda Bynes

Ms. Bynes spent her summer swiping swimsuits, getting kicked out of Spin class for behaving like a fah-reak, and running into things with her car. Santa was watching. For Christmas this year, Santa is wrapping up a mother and placing her under Amanda’s tree, since Amanda's is clearly MIA. Her mother will have long heart-to-heart chats with her about how a young lady should behave, they will have girls' days together that don’t involve getting inebriated or stealing things, and for the time being her new mother will take her keys away.

Amanda Bynes driving toward more trouble>>

Teresa Giudice

Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who’s the meanest housewife of all? Maybe if Teresa had played her cards right, everyone’s favorite jolly-old-elf would have brought her a stack of cash to get her out of bankruptcy. Santa may have gotten Teresa a divorce lawyer so she can dump her foul-mouthed, cheating, stump of a husband. Saint Nick might have placed a nanny under the tree to assist Teresa with her ill-mannered children. But Teresa spewed venom at her “friends” and family one too many times, so Santa is gift-wrapping a soul and placing it under Teresa’s gaudy tree. Hopefully, the soul will help Teresa distinguish right from wrong, make it more difficult for her to fabricate gross mistruths and if it works right, her soul should help her feel compassion and empathy for those around her. We’ll have to tune in to the 2013 episode of Real Housewives of New Jersey to see if Teresa is putting her new shiny soul to good use.

Real Housewives of New Jersey: Why tourism is down in NJ>>

Honey Boo Boo

As you can imagine, Honey Boo Boo’s list is a long one. But Santa loves his Boo, and since Rosie O’Donnell stole his idea of buying them a house, Santa is placing shotgun-shell Christmas lights, a rubber singing fish in a Santa hat, and a year’s supply of chicken nuggets under the Thompson tree.

The American Public

As you can imagine, Santa needs a special room dedicated only to the lists of the American public. Sadly, not enough people ask for jobs, an end to hunger, or a cure for disease. All they want is an end to the presidential race and political ads, they want Keeping up with the Kardashians canceled , and they want Santa to take Lindsay Lohan back home with him to the North Pole so they never ever have to hear her name or see another headline about her again. And to all a good night.

Images courtesy WENN.com

After a week of professional turmoil, Nicki Minaj's luck as changed. The rapper-turned-American Idol-judge has been nominated for four American Music Awards. She leads the charge, with her only competition being Rihanna, who also scored four nods.

Nicki Minaj threatens Mariah Carey, on camera>>

Next in line are Justin Bieber, Usher, Maroon 5, Drake and One Direction, who were all nominated in three categories.

The list of nominees was announced Tuesday by Christina Aguilera, who's scheduled to perform at the awards show.

Here's the full list of nominees:

Artist of the Year


• Justin Bieber
• 
Drake
• 
Maroon 5
• 
Katy Perry
• 
Rihanna

New Artist of the Year

• 
J. Cole

• fun.
• 
Gotye
• 
Carly Rae Jepsen
• 
One Direction

Favorite Male Artist — Pop/Rock

• 
Justin Bieber

• Flo Rida
• 
Pitbull

• Usher

Favorite Female Artist — Pop/Rock


• Kelly Clarkson
• Nicki Minaj

• Katy Perry

• Rihanna

Favorite Band, Duo or Group — Pop/Rock

• 
fun.
• Maroon 5
• 
One Direction
• 
The Wanted

Favorite Album — Pop/Rock

• 
Justin Bieber — Believe
• 
Maroon 5 — Overexposed
• 
Nicki Minaj — Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded

• One Direction — Up All Night

Favorite Male Artist — Country

• Jason Aldean
• Luke Bryan
• Eric Church

Favorite Female Artist — Country

• 
Miranda Lambert

• Taylor Swift

• Carrie Underwood

Favorite Band, Duo or Group — Country


• Zac Brown Band

• Lady Antebellum
• 
Rascal Flatts

Favorite Album — Country


• Luke Bryan — Tailgates & Tanlines

• Lionel Richie — Tuskegee
• Carrie Underwood — Blown Away

Favorite Artist — Rap/Hip-hop

• 
Drake
• 
Nicki Minaj
• 
Tyga

Favorite Album — Rap/Hip-hop

• 
J. Cole — Cole World: The Sideline Story
• 
Drake — Take Care

• Nicki Minaj — Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded

Favorite Male Artist — Soul/R&B


• Chris Brown

• Trey Songz
• 
Usher

Favorite Female Artist — Soul/R&B


• Beyonce
• 
Mary J. Blige

• Rihanna

Favorite Album — Soul/R&B


• Chris Brown — Fortune
• 
Rihanna — Talk That Talk

• Usher — Looking 4 Myself

Favorite Artist — Alternative Rock

• 
The Black Keys
• 
Gotye
• 
Linkin Park

Favorite Artist — Adult Contemporary


• Adele

• Kelly Clarkson

• Train

Favorite Artist — Latin


• Don Omar

• Pitbull
• 
Shakira

Favorite Artist — Contemporary Inspirational


• Jeremy Camp
• 
Newsboys

• TobyMac

Favorite Artist — Electronic Dance Music 


• David Guetta

• Calvin Harris

• Skrillex

Fans can cast their votes for the 40th American Music Awards at AMA.abc.com. The winners will be announced Sunday, Nov. 18, at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles.

Photo credit: Ivan Nikolov/WENN

In recent seasons, the American Idol judges' table has been a rotation of faces. It saw the end of Simon Cowell & Paula Abdul. It also saw the beginning and the end for Steven Tyler. Our dawg, Randy Jackson, has stuck it out, though. Three new judges will join the table this season: Keith Urban, Nicki Minaj and Mariah Carey. In an effort to get viewers as stoked about the upcoming season as the network is, Fox is all about the promos. Mariah dominates the newest one.

In previous seasons, Paula Abdul was the emotionally charged cheerleader at the table. Fox's latest sneak peek suggests that role will be taken over by Mariah Carey. The onetime pop princess is giddy about the concept of the show and speaks of her former life as a struggling musician. We also see multiple clips of her emotionally moved during auditions, including one clip where she's actually crying. Unlike Simon Cowell's cutting remarks or Randy's laidback attitude, Mariah isn't afraid to show whatever feelings the music may evoke.

While the preview doesn't show anything too crazy, the singer hasn't had the most stable of pasts.

Every little girl from the '90s loved Mariah Carey. We knew all the words to "Fantasy" and sped around on our rollerblades trying to hit those dolphin-pitched notes. Long before Kelly, Carrie or J-Hud, Mariah was our American idol.

Then, somewhere between 1999's Rainbow and 2001's Glitter, MC got a little weird. In mid-2001, following a few strange voice messages left for fans on her website, our beloved Mariah was admitted into the hospital where she spent two weeks recovering from a "physical and mental breakdown." Her mental turmoil prompted the delayed release of Glitter. When the album was finally made available it just. Wasn't. Right.

Mariah had a brief comeback with the ghetto-fabulous Emancipation of Mimi in 2005. But then it was back to her strange black hole of not enough clothing and random belly paintings on her pregnant stomach. With her hubby, Nick Cannon, once against healthy and her twins , it seems Mariah is in a good place now. At least personally.

The new season of American Idol premieres on Jan. 16, 2013. We'll find out soon after if the AI gig was the right choice for Mariah's career.

Images courtesy of WENN.com

Lindsay Lohan’s career officially flatlines

This may come as news to some of you — not that Lohan’s career was dead, but that she still had one. Inconceivable though it may be, Lifetime TV actually gave Lindsay a job portraying Elizabeth Taylor on Liz & Dick, which aired last night. If the critics’ reviews and celebrity tweets are any indication, the movie was a real suck-fest. And so like the turkey from your holiday table, the last glimmer of hope for Lindsay’s comeback dies a slow and painful death. On a positive note, new pal Charlie Sheen ponied up 100K toward LiLo’s tax bill. Awww. Ain’t that sweet? We’re sure, given Charlie’s reputation for being a gentleman, that he has no ulterior motive.

Chris Brown’s still a d***

If the Mayans are correct and the world ends Dec. 21, Chris Brown will live through it and still be making headlines for being a complete douche bag the morning of the 22nd. Not to be outdone by his tasteless, self-indulgent terrorist Halloween costume, Brown couldn’t let the Thanksgiving weekend pass without being offensive. He launched a Twitter attack against comedy writer Jenny Johnson, who has made Chris Brown the butt of many of her social media jokes. Like a 12-year-old boy, Brown retaliated with toilet and oral sex “humor.” The best part of the exchange was when Jenny had to correct Brown’s spelling of the word “ho,” which he spelled “hoe.” Priceless. Brown made headlines again when Rihanna posted pictures of him in bed, lying atop Bart Simpson sheets — proving our arrested development theory.

Rolling Stones turn 50

The Rolling Stones are doing a five-show 50th anniversary tour. The Stones are still old and people are still paying astronomical prices for concert tickets. The fact that the Rolling Stones have been around since our dads were kids isn’t news, but a band that stays relevant for 50 years when so many “artists” today are lucky to remain relevant for a couple of years, is…

Nicki Minaj

As if to prove our point about artists who lose relevance in record time, here comes Nicki Minaj. When sales for her Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded — the Re-up flopped, Minaj blamed retailers such as Target, Wal-mart, and Best Buy for carrying limited copies. Yeah. It had nothing to do with the fact that the second release was in April 2012 , and that recycling music less than a year later is l-a-m-e. Here’s a clue for the marketing impaired — if you release Pink Friday right before Black Friday and it’s a total bust, it might be time to get back in the studio and record some new music.

Images courtesy WENN.com, Nicki Minaj photo courtesy Andres Otero/WENN.com

Former American Idol judge Steven Tyler apparently isn't too fond of the new judges on the show — and he's not afraid of showing it. The Aerosmith front man told MTV News that Nicki Minaj and Mariah Carey need to get over their egos to help the young contestants on the show.

"These kids, they just got out of a car from the Midwest somewhere and they're in New York City, they're scared to death; you're not going to get the best [out of them]," he told MTV. "If it was Bob Dylan, Nicki Minaj would have had him sent to the cornfield! Whereas, if it was Bob Dylan with us, we would have brought the best of him out, as we did with Phillip Phillips. Just saying."

Nicki Minaj is all about the "tough love" on Idol>>

Well, his "just saying" just started a new feud — between him and Minaj, of course.

"Steven Tyler said I would have sent Bob Dylan to a cornfield??? Steven, you haven't seen me judge one single solitary contestant yet!" she tweeted on Monday afternoon.

"I understand you really wanted to keep your job but take that up with the producers," she added, alluding to Tyler's being fired from the show. "I haven't done anything to you. That's a racist comment."

She wasn't done there.

Who wore it better: Nicki Minaj or Julie Bowen? >>

"You assume that I wouldn't have liked Bob Dylan??? why? black? rapper? what? go f**k yourself and worry about yourself babe," she said.

Testy, testy.

"LOL lets make him a shirt that says "No Coloreds Allowed" then escort him down 2 Barbara Walters so he can tell how he was threatened w/guns," she continued, referring to Carey's interview with the veteran newswoman about their feud.

Nicki Minaj shows her true colors >>

"When Steven 1st went on Idol he was ridiculed by his peers & fans alike. Called a sell out. So what does he do? Ridicule the next judge."

Do you think Nicki Minaj is right about Steven Tyler, or should she just chill out?

Image courtesy Dan Jackman/WENN.com

So maybe the editors at Us Weekly don't like cotton-candy wigs? Nicki Minaj, seen here shilling her fragrance Pink Friday, landed at the top of the gossip magazine's list of worst-dressed celebrities in 2012.

Minaj grabbed the top spot for fashion crimes such as furry leg warmers, rainbow-colored wigs, and a penchant for skirts so short they might as well be belts.

Who wore it better: Nicki Minaj or Julie Bowen?>>

Fashionista Kelly Osbourne nabbed the second spot on the list and was portrayed in a series of sherbet-colored outfits, accessorized with odd hairstyling choices and hideous sunglasses.

Here's Osbourne at New York Fashion Week, a time when many outrageous outfits strut the runway, and the viewing crowd tries its hardest to keep pace. Surely, that is why Osbourne chose to cloak herself in colors more typically found in aquarium rocks or fishing lures.

Much of the rest of the list is made up of "are they celebrities?" like Kat Graham and Aubrey O'Day , as well as non-surprises: Everybody knows Helena Bonham Carter dresses as if she's working at a 19th century cathouse frequented by customers with a penchant for equestriennes.

But at least one inclusion is a a shocker: Chloe Sevigny, long known as a style icon, holds down the ninth spot on the list.

Sevigny, a fashion risk taker, went off the taste cliff with outfits like this bra-exposing number she wore to an NYC Fashion event. Looks like she combined a fishnet top from the '80s with one of those wrap-around towels bath stores sell to male customers, and then topped it off with the Meg Ryan insouciant cap of hair: I just ran my fingers through it with some mousse and I was done! Imagine!

Chloe Sevigny developing Lizzy Borden series>>

Avert your eyes from the bra, readers. Avert. It will all be over soon.

Nicki Minaj image courtesy PNP/WENN.com; Kelly Osborne image courtesy B.Dowling/WENN.com, Chloe Sevigny image courtesy Andres Otero/ WENN.com