Simon Cowell’s Haiti Single Out Feb. 7
The cover of REM’s “Everybody Hurts, ” organized by Simon Cowell to raise money for the victims of the Haiti earthquake, will be released Feb. 7.
The BBC reports that the song features Robbie Williams, Mariah Carey, Rod Stewart, Kylie Minogue, Miley Cyrus, Michael Buble, Jon Bon Jovi, Take That, Mika, James Blunt, James Morrison, Susan Boyle, Westlife, Cheryl Cole and boy band JLS. “X Factor” winners Leona Lewis, Alexandra Burke and Joe McElderry also guest on the track, recorded this week and organized by Syco label boss Cowell.
It is set for digital release Feb. 7 and CD release the day after. Proceeds will go to the Sun newspaper’s Helping Haiti fund and the Disasters Emergency Committee.
Kara DioGuardi and Elliott Yamin head to Angola for ‘Idol Gives Back’
Elliott Yamin is headed back to Angola for this year’s “Idol Gives Back, ” and Kara DioGuardi is tagging along. “We’re going back and Kara is rolling with me, ” Elliott tells Idol Tracker. “The last time I was there with Fantasia, we visited a school that had this flight of stairs that led to nowhere. They told me there wasn’t enough money to finish building the school, so I got Exxon-Mobil to underwrite $100, 000 so that the kids would have an adequate place to learn.”
Elliott added that his role will be to take Kara around and “show her the ropes.” The two will also present a check to Sister Dominguez and continue the “Idol Gives Back” initiative with Malaria No More, an organization that provides mosquito nets to help thwart the spread of malaria.
‘Idolatry’: Sexy ladies wail, sappy stories fail, and Joe Jonas trumps Neil Patrick Harris (what?!) this week on ‘American Idol’
Week three of American Idol’s ninth season fell into a thoroughly predictable groove: Contestants whose auditions were gussied up with 10 lbs. of backstory sailed through to Hollywood; the guest judges who everyone expected to be whip-smart and amusing (hi, Neil Patrick Harris!) lived up to their billing; and Simon Cowell got hot and bothered whenever a sexy chica appeared on the scene. To counterbalance this unwavering absence of capriciousness on the nation’s favorite talent program, we here at Idolatry decided it was time to get krazy with a k.
More Idol Headlines after the JUMP…
Hope For Haiti Now Album Raises More Than $3 Million In Relief Funds
When tragedy strikes, it can bring out the best in people. Now, it seems that music fans are finding a channel for their own good will toward Haiti, as iTunes and some of the world’s top artists are setting records with the Hope for Haiti Now album.
iTunes confirmed Thursday (January 28) that tracks from last week’s landmark benefit show have combined to generate more than $3 million in relief funds. On Wednesday, the Hope for Haiti Now album became the first-ever digital-only album to debut at #1 on the SoundScan charts. Through Sunday of this past weekend, the album was purchased and downloaded more than 170, 000 times — nearly all of the sales coming from the iTunes store.
‘Idol’ Dominatrix — No Stranger to Chaps
The whip-toting, leather-clad “American Idol” contestant on Wednesday’s show is used to sexing it up in front of large crowds — she was once a chaps-wearing booty shaker for an Arena Football team.
TMZ has found photos of Erica Rhodes
from her stint as a dancer for the Dallas Desperados — which were taken back in ’06 and ’07 when the AFL still existed.
‘Pants on the Ground’ Guy — Grammy Bound
“General” Larry Platt’s gripe with saggy bottoms has gotten the “American Idol” star all the way to the Grammys — dude’s gonna be performing on the red carpet.
TMZ spoke with Platt’s manager — a charming woman named Pinky — who told us the “Pants on the Ground” king will bust out his intoxicating anthem right before the awards show.
Unfortunately, the “General” is gonna have to find somewhere else to see the awards — Pinky tells us there are no plans to actually go inside.
Ellen’s no pushover, says Kris
THINGS have changed dramatically on American Idol since Kris Allen took the No. 1 spot on the reality singing contest last year.
Following his win, judge Paula Abdul quit the show, and has been replaced by comedienne Ellen DeGeneres. Judge Simon Cowell will leave after this season wraps as well.
But ask Allen – who spoke to my paper from Los Angeles on Wednesday morning – what he thinks of the developments, and he tells you that he doesn’t think the show will suffer for losing Cowell.
Happy Birthday, Adam Lambert: Wake-Up Video
They say second place is the first loser (“they” being thick-necked high school lacrosse players), but coming up short has worked out pretty well for Adam Lambert, who celebrates his birthday today. The 28-year-old singer from San Diego, California stormed the eighth season of “American Idol” and wowed fans with his combination of Broadway belting and glam rock sensibilities.
Since falling just shy of an “Idol” victory to the deserving Kris Allen, Lambert has kept his profile high. He released his debut album For Your Entertainment, came out on the cover of Rolling Stone, dropped at least one amazing video (for the “2012” soundtrack song “Time for Miracles”) and delivered a performance at the American Music Awards that got censors (and the ABC network) all hot and bothered.
Carrie Underwood: The New Never Wears Off Her First Grammy
“When I heard my name called, all I can remember is being numb from excitement and adrenaline, ” she blogged on Grammy.com in recalling that New Artist victory. “Since then there have been many awards, and I hope that there will be a few more nominations in the future, but you only get one year to be nominated for this amazing award. If I never win another one, I will always have the Best New Artist Grammy Award in my cabinet to gaze upon. To future winners of this award…cherish every moment of it!”
Onetime ‘Idol’ Prospect Finds His Inner Rebel
Earlier this month he released “The Love Uncompromised EP” (Atlantic), a prelude to a full album this spring, and it’s among the most sure-footed records, debut or otherwise, by an “Idol” contestant from any season. Partly that’s because Mr. Castro has had time to marinate, and to woodshed. His season’s winner, David Cook, and runner-up, David Archuleta, both released debut albums about six months after the season finale. But no one rushed Mr. Castro to pin down his style, and he certainly didn’t rush himself.
He’s got it down cold now, though: 1960s pop with bright guitars, slashed through with a contrarian streak. It’s as if he were still stuck in one of the genre-themed weeks on “Idol, ” but the most apt one. Jack Johnson and Jason Mraz should be nervous (to say nothing of Wednesday night’s actual headliner, Matt Hires, who received a fraction of the adulation bestowed on Mr. Castro).
Mary J. Blige Says ‘American Idol’ Judge Simon Cowell Is ‘Really Nice’
Mary J. Blige recently joined Kara DioGuardi, Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson at the judging table during the “American Idol” audition stop in Atlanta. After her guest stint on the show, Blige revealed the biggest secret from behind the judges’ table: Simon is actually nice.
“I guess the fact Simon is a really nice person [surprised me most], ” she told MTV News on the red carpet at the Essence Black Women in Music event in Hollywood. “I mean, my experience on ‘American Idol’ … it was finding out for myself, which I never judge Simon — I just always wait till I see people for myself; he was a really nice guy.”
Why Neil Patrick Harris Should Replace Simon Cowell On ‘American Idol’
As one of the 19 humans on the planet who actually watch “How I Met Your Mother, ” I was already well aware of Neil Patrick Harris’ rather prodigious talents. He is a song-and-dance man. He is fantastic at playing “the cad.” He looks great in a suit. But what I — and my 18 fellow “HIMYM” viewers probably weren’t aware of — is how effortlessly, utterly great he’d be as an “American Idol” judge.
On Wednesday (January 27) night’s “Idol” auditions show, Harris was smart, funny, and — most of all — cutting. He was unafraid to shatter dreams or snicker at particularly awful wannabes. He didn’t stand down to the wrath of Simon Cowell (in fact, he seemed to go out of his way to instigate the cranky Brit). He offered advice — even faint praise — when the situation warranted it, he mastered the art of making the “wowed” face when a particularly great voice caught his fancy (it’s a delicate thing, mostly in the eyebrows) and he even picked up on one hopeful’s Tourette’s syndrome (looks like all those years of playing a teenage doctor really paid off).
‘American Idol’ Guest Judges: We Grade Katy Perry, Joe Jonas And More
With Paula Abdul moving on to bigger and better things (TBD), “American Idol” had a gaping hole to fill during their season-nine audition process. As a solution, producers put their Rolodexes to good use and called up some celeb pals to sit in during the tryouts.
Everyone from Broadway vet Kristin Chenoweth to heartthrob Joe Jonas answered the call. But how did the various Rent-A-Judges stack up against one another? Which ones floundered and which ones made the grade?
‘Grease’ revival is slick, surreal fun
Fast-forward to 2010, and the original 1972 Broadway production is almost 40 years old, so the sense of nostalgia prompted by the play unfolds in multiple layers.
Add “American Idol” Taylor Hicks to the picture and the whole thing — at least for a moment — becomes downright surreal.
That means theatergoers get to hear the slippery title song, “Hopelessly Devoted To You” and “You’re the One That I Want” live. The latter is a tour-de-force that really engages the entire cast, with especially fine moves and singing from fellow “Idol” contestant Ace Young as Danny Zuko and Lauren Ashley Zakrin as (in the case of this song) the newly vampy Sandy Dumbrowski.
Randy Jackson talks ‘Idol, ‘ ‘Dance Crew, ‘ and missing Paula and Simon
Speaking of change, how long do you see yourself at Idol?
You never know. You never really know how long — I don’t know. That’s a very good question.
And one I’m sure you’ve been asked a lot. I’m sort of surprised you don’t have an answer.
No, look, contractually I’m there for a while [his contract ends in 2011]. I think Idol’s the best show of its kind so far, and it can go on for quite some time. It’s kind of weird that Simon’s leaving — it’s weird to be the last original judge. I miss Paula dearly, she’s my dear friend and she’s mad talented and mad cool. And without a doubt we’ll miss Mr. Cowell — he’s my boy for life. … The shifting of the family, breaking up the family, it’s interesting.
A male Mercedes? Third open ‘Glee’ role looking to bring more soul to McKinley High
Could Mercedes be getting a love interest? Or a nemesis?
It’s being reported that the third role the show is casting for next season is of an R&B-singing teen, or as “Glee” creator Ryan Murphy said, “a male Mercedes.”
Now we here at Show Tracker hope this means that our favorite big-voiced diva is getting a love interest, even if Murphy was coy about what the newbie on the block would be doing. Maybe there is a sing-off? Maybe they fall in love? Or hate? Also, will this bump Dijon Talton, who plays Matt Rutherford (you know the other African American kid who fills out the background).
EXCLUSIVE: Samantha Harris Leaving Dancing with the Stars
The Dancing With the Stars co-host will not return to ABC’s celebrity dance competition when it returns for its tenth season on March 22. Harris, who has co-hosted with Tom Bergeron for the past eight seasons, told PEOPLE Thursday that the decision to leave the show wasn’t easy.
“[DWTS] could not have been more of a dream job, ” she says. “I loved every single second of it and I’ve made lifelong friends at the show.”
But Harris, who majored in journalism at Northwestern University, says that she is focusing on other projects like her correspondent duties at The Insider, which she says have expanded in the past year.
‘Dance’ over for Harris
‘Dancings With the Stars” co-host Saman tha Harris is leaving the show after eight seasons.
ABC isn’t saying yet who’ll replace Harris opposite Tom Bergeron when the show kicks off its tenth season March 22.
But it won’t be former “American Idol” judge Paula Abdul, who’s being wooed by the show to be a contestant.
“Paula has no interest in judging or co-hosting a dancing show, ” a source told The Post. “She’s been there, done that. They’re asking her to be a contestant — and they’ve been after her [as a contestant] for three or four seasons.”
Edited to Add:
Idol chit chat with Adam Lambert
n Toronto to promote his new album, everyone’s favourite runner-up from American Idol takes time to share his style secrets with Ben Kaplan while the pair pick out their polish.
“I think people take sex too seriously, ” Adam Lambert says as we lean back in our chairs at the hair salon while two gorgeous women futz with our nails. “It’s really not that big a deal.”
Lambert has become a big deal since he was introduced on last year’s American Idol. With his guyliner and Adam Ant hair, Lambert, the runner-up on one of the most popular TV shows of all time, became as well known for his theatrics as for his voice.
CallSource® joins Starkey Hearing Foundation to Tackle Children’s Hearing Loss in Super Bowl Mission
CallSource®, the leader in call tracking, performance analysis, sales and management training, announced that its non-profit organization, PrideAmerica is teaming up with the Starkey Hearing Foundation to tackle children’s hearing loss in a Super Bowl Hearing Mission on Wednesday, February 3rd, from noon – 4 pm at the Eden Roc Renaissance Hotel in Miami Beach.
Starkey CEO William F. Austin and CallSource CEO Jerry Feldman will lead foundation staff, local volunteers, celebrities and sponsors in bringing the gift of hearing to more than 100 Miami-Dade and Broward County Public School children in need. The children will be fitted – at no cost – with digital hearing instruments manufactured by Starkey.
Celebrity guests will be on hand to encourage the children as they are fitted with the hearing instruments and begin hearing clearly, some for the very first time. The mission will be followed by a special performance by American Idol national recording artists, Jordin Sparks and David Archuleta. Other celebrities scheduled to attend the event include Sam Moore, Lou Ferrigno, Larry Fitzgerald, EJ Henderson, Bernard Berrian, Chuck Foreman, Leslie Nielsen, and many others.
