Mistletoe is the common name for obligate hemi-parasitic plants in several families in the order Santalales. These plants grow attached to and penetrating within the branches of a tree or shrub by a structure called the haustorium, through which they absorb nutrients from the host plant.
The name was originally applied to Viscum album (European Mistletoe, Santalaceae), the only species native in Great Britain and much of Europe. European mistletoe, Viscum album is readily recognized by its smooth-edged oval evergreen leaves borne in pairs along the woody stem, and waxy white berries in dense clusters of 2 to 6. In America the genus Viscum does not grow wild but the Eastern Mistletoe (in the genus Phoradendron) is similar, but has shorter, broader leaves and longer clusters of 10 or more berries.
Viscum album is a poisonous plant that causes acute gastrointestinal problems including stomach pain, and diarrhea along with low pulse. However, both European Mistletoe and the North American species, Phoradendron serotinum, are commercially harvested for Christmas decorations.
Justin Drew Bieber ( /ˈbiːbər/ BEE-bər, born March 1, 1994) is a Canadian Pop/R&B singer-songwriter, musician, and actor. Bieber was discovered in 2008 by Scooter Braun, who came across Bieber's videos on YouTube and later became his manager. Braun arranged for him to meet with Usher in Atlanta, Georgia, and Bieber was soon signed to Raymond Braun Media Group (RBMG), a joint venture between Braun and Usher, and then to a recording contract with Island Records offered by L.A. Reid. Bieber's debut single, "One Time", was released in 2009 and peaked in the top twenty in Canada and charted in the top thirty in several international markets. His debut album, the seven-track EP My World, followed in November 2009, and was soon certified platinum in the United States. He became the first artist to have seven songs from a debut album chart on the Billboard Hot 100.
Karen Lucille "Lucy" Hale (born June 14, 1989) is an American actress and singer. She won the reality show American Juniors. She is known for her roles as Becca Sommers in Bionic Woman, Rose Baker in Privileged, Sherrie in the horror film Scream 4, and Aria Montgomery on the hit ABC Family series Pretty Little Liars which first premiered in June 2010.
Hale is a native of Memphis, Tennessee. She first appeared on television in the reality show American Juniors in 2003. She was part of the vocal quintet formed with the top 5 finishers.
After American Juniors, Hale appeared as guest roles on shows such as Drake & Josh, Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide, The O.C., and How I Met Your Mother. She appeared in two episodes of the Disney Channel show Wizards of Waverly Place, which led to her dating co-star David Henrie for a short time.
Hale appeared in "NBC's" short-lived re-imagining of the Bionic Woman as Becca Sommers, younger sister to title character Jaime Sommers (played by Michelle Ryan). She made her big screen debut in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 portraying Effie, the younger sister of Lena Kaligaris (played by Alexis Bledel).
Sir Cliff Richard, OBE (born Harry Rodger Webb; 14 October 1940) is a British pop singer, musician, performer, actor, and philanthropist. With his backing group The Shadows, Richard, originally positioned as a rebellious rock and roll singer in the style of Little Richard and Elvis Presley, dominated the British popular music scene in the pre-Beatles period of the late 1950s and early 1960s. His 1958 hit single "Move It" is often described as Britain's first authentic rock and roll song, and John Lennon once claimed that "before Cliff and the Shadows, there had been nothing worth listening to in British music." A conversion to Christianity and subsequent softening of his music later led to a more middle of the road pop image, sometimes venturing into gospel music.
Over a 53-year career, Richard has become a fixture of the British entertainment world, amassing many gold and platinum discs and awards, including three Brit awards and two Ivor Novello awards. He has had more than 130 singles, albums and EPs make the UK Top 20, more than any other artist and holds the record (with Elvis Presley) as the only act to make the UK singles charts in all of its first six decades (1950s–2000s). He has achieved 14 UK No. 1 singles (or 18, depending on the counting methodology) and is the only singer to have had a No. 1 single in the UK in six consecutive decades: the 1950s through to the 2000s (discounting digital downloads and counting only CDs, he had a UK No. 1 single in the 2000s). Richard is the biggest selling singles artist of all time in the UK, with total sales of over 21 million and has reportedly sold an estimated 250 million records worldwide.
AJ Rafael (born March 12, 1989) is a Filipino American musician and Internet celebrity. He is best known for his original songs such as I Just Want You and We Could Happen. Some of his influences include Sara Bareilles, Jason Mraz, MYMP, The Beatles, John Legend, and Bob Marley..
AJ started posting on YouTube in 2006, and has since gotten over 300,000 subscribers and over 73,000,000 hits. In 2011, he was nominated to be a part of Billboard's Battle of the Bands alongside Gentlemen Hall, Otenki, Hotels, Lightning Love (band), and Side by Side.
Music Speaks was started in 2006 when looking for a charity to donate to for his concert. Since his nephew, Nathan, has autism, he decided to donate to Autism Speaks. This concert utilizes the gifts of music and dance to inspire those fortunate enough to be born without autism to speak out for those who were, by being aware of their condition and taking action towards improving their living conditions and perhaps even uncovering the mystery behind its cause. Some of the previous performers for these concerts include:
A comedy riot--laughs galore!