Video – Meet Paige Elliot Phoenix – Australia's Transgendered 2011 X-Factor Contestant

It seems that 2011 is the year for reality shows to welcome female to male transgendered contestants.

Last week it was announced that sex reassigned Chaz Bono would be competing on Dancing with the Stars, and now Australia is following suit.

Meet Paige Elliot Phoenix.

Paige is a 35-year-old female to male transgendered human that auditioned for the Australian version of the “X Factor”.

The video kind of blew us away because we didn’t even see it coming until he told the judges about his “situation”.

Paige says,

“My decision to live as a man has been the best decision ever for me. Living as a female was really hard and painful. The transition I have been through has completely enabled me to become the person I am today. I had a voice before but I never felt fully authentic - it wasn’t me. I never could have auditioned for X Factor as a woman.”

The setup includes him having a video chat with his girlfriend, and the voice, muscles, looks and tattoos made us think he was a man from the beginning of the piece.

Watch Paige Elliot Phoenix on Australia X Factor


The judges seemed fine with his voice, tone, looks, and professionalism and voted him through to the next round.

Australia in general seems to be taking the entire thing in stride and seems to think it’s no big deal.

So what’s the problem with the United States?

Chaz Bono

When Chaz Bono announced last week she was participating in DWTS the haters came out of the woodwork saying that families would be harmed, advertisers should be boycotted, and all life as we know it would probably end if Chaz was allowed to compete as a man.

She ultimately had to go on national TV to defend herself to the world.

Related: Chaz Bono to appear on DWTS – Video
Related: Chaz Bono speaks out about DWTS - Video

It seems as progressive as we think we are in the United States there are certain issues we just can’t seem to conquer.

It’s sad really.

Asia, on the other hand, not only accepts the matter but embraces it and has built an entire culture around sex reassignment.

Last year Bell Nuntita tried out for their version of “Thailand’s Got Talent” and was embraced by the nation.

Related: Thailand’s Got Talent - Transgender Contestant Shocks Judges – Video Goes Viral

It seems that the issue is KNOWING a person is transgendered more than the fact the he or she is.

If Paige Phoenix would not have told anybody and competed, and maybe won, as a man – nobody would have said a thing.

Page Elliot Phoenix

If we didn’t KNOW that Chaz Bono used to be a female we wouldn’t care about her on “Dancing with the Stars.”

But because we KNOW his history it becomes a problem.

Maybe 2011 will be the year that the World learns that people are people and love is love.

Hate is not wanted or deserved, and until you walk a mile in somebody else’s shoes you have no right to judge anybody - or open your mouth.

He who is without sin may cast the first stone in our comment section below.

That’s what I thought.

Follow @InfoStar on Twitter – We get it.

Scotty McCreery – “I Fell in Love” – Relationship has Been Building All Year.

American Idol always delivers a few surprises.

But this year the big story seems to be the relationship between winner Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina.

Maybe we should have seen it coming, but producers didn’t want it out for public consumption until the competition was over.

One insider says,

“We didn’t want it to effect the voting. It was something that happened over time and we knew it would get out eventually. Now that the show is over it will just add to their popularity and success.”

Indeed, Scotty and Lauren have become close, and Scotty even told E! Online that he had fallen in love.

After hearing his name Wednesday night the two quickly embraced each other with hugs and kisses and the rumor mill went into Hollywood overdrive.

But are they dating? Are they a couple? Is there really a relationship there? Insiders say yes.

In fact, after announcing the winner, host Ryan Seacrest ask "Scotty the Body" how he felt and he replied,

"It's been a year since me and Lauren Alaina have tried out now. Me and her have been together since day one and we're gonna stay together."

This was the first time most fans had heard such words from the 17-year-old country singer, but suddenly it seemed everybody wanted to know how serious things were.

For her part, Lauren told Entertainment Tonight when asked if they were boyfriend and girlfriend,

"He might be my boyfriend, ask him."

When asked by reporters about the on-air kiss and possible relationship after the show she said,

"I kissed him on the lips, yeah. He might be my boyfriend, he might not be my boyfriend."

Scotty on the other hand is being a bit more subtle with his remarks and comments. After the show he told reporters,

"I'm sure those rumors are spreading, but we're just really good friends. We've been friends since day one in Hollywood. We've been in class together in school. We've gotten really close, but I don't know about the more than friends stuff. I'm still single, but me and Lauren are really really really close friends."

That’s how it starts kids. Think back to when you were in High School and imagine how you would feel with 50 news cameras stuffed in your face and only 10 seconds to think of your answer.

From here, McCreery is already slated to be back in the studio to record his first single “I love you this big”, and Lauren is recording her first song “Like my mother did”.

Related: Watch Lauren Alaina sing “Like my mother did”

The couple will also appear together starting next month in the “American Idol Summer Tour” and have said they plan to record at least one duet together on each other’s first album.

We think this is a perfectly tender moment for the two and wish them nothing but the best. In terms of conspiracy and intrigue there were far more sinister moments that fans never got to see or hear about this season.

Related: Jacob Lusk arrested in L.A. – Mug Shot
Related: Was James Durbin really arrested?
Related: Chris Medina snubbed during Idol Finale



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Ashton Kutcher and Charlie Sheen Tweet Each Other After “Men” Announcement. Is There Love Here?

Charlie Sheen and Ashton Kutcher have bonded.

Well, maybe not in person – but on Twitter.

The two actors exchanged tweets yesterday after news broke that Kutcher was named as Sheen’s replacement on “Two and a Half Men”.

But things started out a bit rough when Sheen initially told TMZ,

"Kutcher is a sweetheart and a brilliant comedic performer ... Oh wait, so am I. Enjoy the show America. Enjoy seeing a 2.0 in the demo every Monday, WB. Enjoy planet Chuck, Ashton. There is no air, laughter, loyalty, or love there".

If this was any indication of how Sheen planned to react publically, things could have gotten messy fast. But by Friday evening, things seemed to be turning into a love fest when Sheen tweeted,

“#Winning Congrats to the cast and crew…CBS & WB..! My best to @aplusk - The show must go on… You got the right guy! c.”

Kutcher was quick to follow with his own show of love and support with,

"#2.5 @charliesheen - Thanks man. Always been a fan, always will be! BTW you were 'born big'"

Just think - if Twitter can be used to bring these two soles together imagine what it could do for world peace. Ah Twitter, you offer us so many possibilities.

Related: Ashton Kutcher and CBS Official News Release
Related: John Cryer comments on Ashton Kutcher's new role

Maybe that drug hardened heart of Charlie Sheen has sprouted a more sensible and practical leaf?

Time will tell.

Follow InfoStar on Twitter – It might bring world peace!

Cameron Diaz Still Loves Matt Dillon

Cameron Diaz has certainly been around the block a few times with some of Hollywood's biggest names, but the actress recently told OK Magazine that she is still in love with Matt Dillon.

Diaz told the magazine that even though the couple broke up more than ten years ago, she never really recovered from their breakup - and that Dillon was her first true love.

Cameron, 36, is currently involved with model Paul Sculfor, but friends say that her attraction to Dillon could be causing problems with her current relationship.

One friend told the tabloid, "I'm sure she still thinks about him all the time, Cameron looks bored to tears with Paul. He must not do much for her. I honestly don't think they'll stay together much longer."

Matt Dillon, 44, has also said publicly he still loves Diaz. Two years ago he told Parade Magazine that he "fell in love" with Cameron after he met her in 1995. The pair started dating that year, but ended their relationship three years later.

Diaz is currently filming the animated family adventure "Shrek Goes Fourth", the further adventures of the giant green ogre, Shrek (Mike Myers), living in the land of Far, Far Away. The film is not due until 2010, and also stars Eddie Murphy as The Donkey and Antonio Banderas as Puss In Boots. Diaz of course, plays the role of Princess Fiona.

Matt Dillon is currently filming the action crime drama "Bone Deep", starring Hayden Christensen and Dillon, about a group of bank robbers who find their $20 million plan interrupted by a hard-nosed detective.

Strange things happen in Hollywood!
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