Idol Headlines for 05/20/09

By On 05/20/2009 · 76 Comments · In Uncategorized

‘American Idol’: On the scene at the finale performance show

Maybe it was the bright, sunshine-y day that basked the Nokia Theater in downtown Los Angeles with a warm, welcoming glow for yesterday’s American Idol Top 2 performance finale extravaganza. Maybe it was the way Top 36-ers Casey Carlson, Kendall Beard, Kristen McNamara and Hollywood week washout Emily Wynne-Hughes all hugged each other outside the Nokia like they were the best of besties. Maybe it was the way the aforementioned foursome attracted a small mob of onlookers content to grab a photo and autograph from anyone involved with American Idol at all. Maybe it was the gaggle of well-dressed youngsters I saw happily packed like cattle just inside the Nokia’s glass facade as they patiently waited to be transformed into Swaybots and herded to the lip of the Nokia’s stage.

Entertainment Weekly

Video: Kris Allen & Adam Lambert on Their ‘Idol’ Showdown

ET was backstage Tuesday night with “American Idol” finalists Kris Allen and Adam Lambert after they took the stage for the last time. Kris and Adam tell ET about their excitement to be in the finals and “Idol” judge Paula Abdul explains why she thinks both finalists will be very successful in the music industry.

“Kris is relevant today on the radio, pop music along the soulful John Mayer type of way,” Paula says. “Then you have Adam who is the rock and glam rock god. A completely different artist. It doesn’t matter who wins and who doesn’t they’re both going to go on and have separate distinct careers.”

ET Online

Simon Cowell’s Ex Attacked After ‘American Idol’

It happened at L.A. Live — a complex that includes the Nokia Theatre where “A.I.” was taped. A 33-year-old woman walked up to Terri, asked if she was Simon’s girlfriend. The suspect allegedly attacked her and attempted to choke her.

Simon CowellThe suspect — Janice Thibodeaux — was booked on felony battery. She’s being held on $52,700 bail.

We’re told Terri refused medical treatment. She was escorted out of the complex by three cops.

Just found out Thibodeaux is twice Terri’s size, weighing in at 200 lbs.

TMZ

More Idol Headlines after the JUMP…

Adam Lambert vs. Kris Allen: Who Will Be America’s New ‘Idol?’

They say it’s all about the singing. But there’s much more than just talent to talk about as Adam Lambert and Kris Allen step up to the stage for tonight’s season eight finale of “American Idol.”

Tuesday night, Lambert showed off his vocal prowess by making good of Tears for Fears’ “Mad World” and Sam Cooke’s “A Change Is Gonna Come,” while Allen belted out “Ain’t No Sunshine” and Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On.”

Both contestants also sang a song penned by newbie “Idol” judge Kara DioGuardi, “No Boundaries.”

ABC News

‘American Idol’ Finale Kicks Off With Sports Metaphors, Broken ‘Boundaries’

“American Idol” in 60 Seconds has fast become an MTV News institution, but it goes by so fast that it’s not always easy to catch every golden nugget. So, here we present to you a slightly altered script of Jim Cantiello’s bite-size recap of the week’s “Idol” high jinks, plus a joke or two that had to be cut for time!

MTV

The view from the ‘Idol’ audience

LOS ANGELES (AP) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’  Here’s what one writer was seeing from his vantage point inside the Nokia Theatre at the “American Idol” final performance (Row H, seat 401 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’  way back in the loge).

The lobby is energized as the audience slowly tromps in through security. Some folks immediately line up to purchase merchandise. The Adam Lambert T-shirts à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’  no metal studs, just black lettering à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’  seem to be selling at a slightly brisker pace than Kris Allen’s garb.

Stars: They’re just like “Idol” fans! Debra Messing and two young boys (one looks to be 5-year-old son Roman) frantically shuffle into the concession line for a snack before heading inside to their seats.

Associated Press

‘American Idol’ recap: A Tale of Two Idols

It was the best of finales, it was the worst of finales.

On one hand, not even the most rabid American Idol addict à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’  even someone who’s, say, starting to think of the SIMS people in the show’s opening credits as a second family à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’  could’ve scripted a better story arc than the one we got for the final Tuesday-night performance episode of season 8. In Adam Lambert and Kris Allen, we were treated to two wickedly different types of singers, bonded by mutual admiration and respect, singing not so much to win our votes, but rather, to win our hearts. (”We just came to give a good show,” was how Kris so succinctly put it.)

Entertainment Weekly

Idol Worship: Post-show Report

For such an anticipated showdown, there wasnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t all that much going on in the media area on Tuesday night. Most radio interviews had been done on Monday in the Nokiaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s downstairs lounge, where all of the Top 13 were paraded down a long hallway of stations set up for remote feeds. Fox affiliates got their own time with the season 8 bunch in an area set up outside the Nokia Theater doors and accessible to just about anyone off the street. Thatà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s where we saw Allison Iraheta graciously pose with a couple of eager girl fans after the show, and also ran into Chicken Little himself, Kevin Covais, who was getting recognized left and right.

Billboard

Idol Worship: The Final Two Face Off

Allen_lambert Between the Lakers game across the street, a 4.0 magnitude earthquake underground (the second in a week), and, of course, American Idolà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s final showdown, downtown LA was literally bouncing last night. And amazingly, it was smooth sailing in and out of the Nokia Theater. For us, anyway. Who knows how long Adam Lambert and Kris Allen had to stick around for more rehearsals, interviews and glad-handing. But before we get to our post-show exploits with the guys (which lasted all of five minutes and was shared by a hundred or so other journalists) and some backstage scoop we were able to gather, we offer our final rundown of the season that brought back fingerless gloves and showed that a sparkling personality isnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t always a must when it comes to advancing in this competition. As for who the American Idol will be? Admittedly, weà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢re torn. Weà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ve always insisted that Kris will be more marketable, radio-friendly and easier to swallow on a mainstream level, but Adam pulled out all the stops last night and cemented his superior showman status. Read on for more of our take

Billboard

‘American Idol’ Finale: Tales From Inside The Nokia Theatre

LOS ANGELES à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’  Arriving at the Nokia Theatre on Tuesday night (May 19), downtown Los Angeles was buzzing with excitement and rivalry. On one side of the street, smartly dressed folks swarmed into the theater for “American Idol.” Across the way, people in Kobe jerseys filed into the Staples Center for the Lakers game. In my hand, I harnessed a ticket for the most popular TV show in the world.

Inevitably, people will ask me what it’s like inside the live “AI” performance show, and my answer is a simple one: church.

MTV

Weà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢re Live-Blogging The à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹American Idolà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ Finale!

Ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s here! It only took us 38 episodes, 17 weeks and one Tatiana del Toro, but the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“American Idolà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  finale is just moments away!

Tonight Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢m live-blogging from the actual honest-to-Gokey à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“American Idolà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  finale – but donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t get too excited. Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢m not in the auditorium with the judges and the random celebrity guests and the Seacrest. Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢m in a à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“press viewing partyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  in the basement of the Nokia Theatre, squeezed in between other (sweaty) media outlets and watching the show on a monitor. This is the glamorous underbelly of showbiz, folks, and taking a look around the room, Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢d say put the emphasis on belly.

MTV

Finalists go note for note on ‘Idol’

LOS ANGELES à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’ Contrary to reports from judge Randy Jackson, Adam Lambert did not sing his face off at the Nokia Theatre last night. But as he squared off against fellow finalist Kris Allen, Lambert did sing his heart out. And his passionate performances could turn the San Diego theater kid into the next à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“American Idolà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  winner.

à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“You can’t beat that,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  New York radio producer Joel Morton muttered from his orchestra seat after Lambert, 27, wrapped up his fevered rendition of Sam Cooke’s à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“A Change Is Gonna Come.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  Morton’s armchair critique was seconded by the judges and by the cheers that turned the 7,000-seat theater into a large Lambert love-fest.

Sign On San Diego

‘American Idol’ 2009 Predictions

One’s been a front-runner from the moment he auditioned.

The other was a dark horse who slowly surged to the head of the pack.

The eighth season of ‘American Idol’ comes to an end this week, and it’s come down to a battle between Adam Lambert and Kris Allen. We asked bloggers to weigh in with their predictions of which singer will triumph in the end.

AOL

‘American Idol’ audience down, but show’s not out

NEW YORK à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’  For most people, the big dispute at American Idol is whether Kris Allen or Adam Lambert should win the singing competition tonight as TV’s No. 1 series ends its eighth season.

Yet those who track Idol’s TV, music, concert and licensed merchandise business face a more important question: Does the 8.4% drop in the average audience this season à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’  to about 25 million, according to Nielsen à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’  suggest that the Idol phenomenon has peaked?

Advertisers spent $903.3 million on Idol last year, according to TNS Media Intelligence. But it “has begun to show signs of wear,” analyst Brian Hughes of ad buyer Magna says in a report.

USA Today

Does Adam Lambert have enough glitter for the ‘American Idol’ gold?

Ryan Seacrest said it came down to “the guy-next-door versus the guyliner.” But just as they’ve been doing all season, Kris Allen and Adam Lambert kept subtly adjusting their stage personalities Tuesday night, making this last elimination round more up-to-date, fashion-wise: the battle of the trench coat versus the T-shirt and vest.

It was a fair match, with each singer connecting to his own muse — Lambert’s glittery air sprite and Allen’s humble woodland spirit — while fulfilling the requirements of an “Idol” season-topper. Each savored earlier breakthrough moments, hit high notes, and (barely) survived the “Idol” commissioned song that is supposed to serve as the winner’s first hit single, yet somehow rarely suits either finalist. (The less said about the unsingable “No Boundaries,” co- written by judge Kara DioGuardi, the better.)

LA Times

Season 8: No Hail Mary needed

It could not have had a less auspicious beginning. Season 8 of à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“American Idolà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  came out of the gates in a hailstorm of controversy, missteps, shake-ups and wildly uneven episodes. After a seventh season in which the reigning juggernaut of entertainment showed its first signs of mortality as the ratings eroded, the buzz among showbiz cognoscenti was that the long-awaited decline of à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Idolà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  had begun.

And in its early days, Season 8 seemed on the way to fulfilling that prophecy. The preseason was dominated by news of format changes, including the addition of uncertain new elements (such as Kara DioGuardi as a fourth judge) to the most potent chemical formula in modern television.

LA Times

‘Idol’ finale has evolved into quite a spectacle

The songs have been sung, the judges have offered their final critiques, and America has voted. Tonight, the winner of ‘American Idol 8′ will be announced, and then both Adam Lambert and Kris Allen will be off on their post-Idol press junket, followed by the summer tour. But first, of course, we must get through two hours of pomp and pageantry, better know as the ‘American Idol’ grand finale!

This year’s ‘Idol’ grand finale promises to be a splashy spectacle with all the elan of Grammy and Oscar nights combined. There will be at least one group performance from the Top 13, individual performances by Adam and Kris, duets between various people, including celebrities, and of course the results. There will also be performances by various big name artists, a look back at Kris and Adam’s ‘Idol’ journey, and other assorted goodies.

Syracuse.com

Kara DioGuardi co-writes ‘American Idol’ winner’s single

Kara DioGuardi — the now and possibly future judge of “American Idol” — has co-written the winner’s first single.

The song, entitled “No Boundaries,” was written with Cathy Dennis and Mitch Allan.

For years, the “American Idol” winner has been saddled with mediocre debuts. In an interview last month, when asked whether she might offer her expertise to break this cycle, DioGuardi said: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ve been asked to. Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ve submitted something.”

When pressed for details, she said: “I did write one that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’ I wonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t say ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s what they all write about. But it is, kind of. Because they asked for that! Ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s not like you can submit anything, they have a criteria.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ 

What is it, like, I’m so happy?

à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s about finding your dream,” DioGuardi said. “And the struggle. Thatà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s what they want.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ 

LA Times

Would A Kris Allen Win Be A Huge ‘American Idol’ Upset?

We’ve argued over who will win “American Idol.” We’ve visited Kris Allen’s hometown and chopped it up with Adam Lambert’s peeps.

We’ve labeled Allen this year’s “dark horse” contestant and argued why Lambert is “change we can believe in.” But now comes the real question of the hour: If Allen wins tomorrow night, will it be the biggest upset in “Idol” history?

MTV

à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹American Idolà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ Finale Diary: Does Alex Wagner-Trugman Get Mobbed By Fans?

Ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s been less than three months since Alex Wagner-Trugman was beamed into 20-plus million homes on à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“American Idol.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  The semifinalist was one of the contenders highlighted during the early à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’  yet still highly rated à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’  preseason à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Idolà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  episodes. The dude got a significant amount of screen time. (No small feat, since he had to compete with Tatiana del Toro.)

While driving around with the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Idolà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  semifinalist, I casually asked Alex if he still gets recognized. His response?

à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Letà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s go to the Third Street Promenade [in Santa Monica, California], and youà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ll see for yourself.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ 

MTV

Visiting with Idol’s fashion guru Miles Siggins

IMG_1329 On Sunday morning, just over 48 hours before the finale, the CBS lot which once housed the Idoldome is eerily quiet. The storied American Idol set has been dismantled and moved downtown to the stage of the Nokia theater, taking along with it almost all of the legions of crew who service the production round the clock during Idol season.

The soundstage where the eyes of millions saw the rise of Adam Lambert and Kris Allen now, sits cold, dark and barren.

LA Times

Kara DioGuardià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s song could decide à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Idolà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢

The judges have always held a great deal of power on à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“American Idol.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  A well-placed barb from Simon Cowell can doom a contestant, while praise can thrust another into the spotlight. But Tuesdayà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Idolà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  saw the newest judge, Kara DioGuardi, put in a position where her words may have decided this seasonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s winner.

Kara DioGuardi co-wrote à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“No Boundaries,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  this yearà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s designated first single for the winner. It was the final song that Adam Lambert and Kris Allen sang on Tuesday, and left the final impression in the audienceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s mind as everyone went off to dial or text their votes. And unfortunately for Kris, it was a song that fit Adam’s voice better than his.

MSNBC

Allison Iraheta on Her Special Relationship With Adam Lambert

Adam Lambert or Kris Allen? Though their fellow Idols were diplomatic when Rolling Stone asked them to break down the chances of either singer winning American Idolà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Season Eight, ousted hopeful Allison Iraheta wasnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t shy when she spoke about her special relationship with Lambert, with whom she performed à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Slow Rideà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  during Rock Week, when Slash joined the show as a mentor. (Can Lambert take the Idol title home for sure? Check out Five Ways Lambert Could Lose American Idol).

Rollingstone

Katie and Suri Cruise Spotted at American Idol Taping

A solemn-faced Katie Holmes, 30, and her 3-year old daughter, Suri Cruise, showed up at Tuesday nightà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s taping of American Idol, witnesses told Usmagazine.com.

Holmes and her child were among a crowd of 7,000 who turned up tonight in Los Angeles to witness the climactic face-off between fan favorites Adam Lambert, 27 and Kris Allen, 23.

US

When Would Adam Lambert Come Out of the Closet (if He Happened to Be Gay)?

Let’s play a game. Let’s pretend that you’re a 27-year-old male finalist on American Idol and that there are photos on the Internet that appear to show you tongue-wrestling with another guy. Entertainment Weekly said you “might be gay,” and TV Guide said you were “openly gay,” though you haven’t spoken a word about your sexuality to your adoring, screeching, OMG-tween public. Then again, to be fair, you do have a man friend in the audience every week, who even smiled, waved and stuck out his tongue at you playfully when you sang “If I Can’t Have You I Don’t Want Nobody, Baby.” And just yesterday, Perez Hilton reported that you introduced a man as your boyfriendà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’ perhaps the same guy?à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’ to a couple of other finalists at a dinner at Outback Steakhouse in Burbank, Calif.

Newsweek

Kelly Clarkson Talks ‘American Idol’ Finalist Adam Lambert

Kelly Clarkson might have won “American Idol” way back in 2002, but that doesn’t mean she’s forgotten where she came from. Clarkson, who released her latest album, All I Ever Wanted, earlier this year, said she looks forward to making her way back to the “Idol” stage each year to show her support for the newest hopefuls.

“I go back basically every year. It’s fun!” she told MTV News; this year, she performed “My Life Would Suck Without You,” sharing the results-show stage with Kanye West. “I usually see the same crew. I see those people all the time.”

MTV

On finale eve, Idols of years past gather and compare notes

Every May as the world convenes in front of TV sets to choose our new pop despot, a certain college of cardinals gathers around the main stage. For the 80-some singers who have stood on the “Idol” stage before, finale time is like a giant family reunion, a time to reconnect with their comrades in arms, with whom one, two or six years ago they fought through a bloody season and toured the nation before being scattered to the four winds to seek their fates in the swirling tides of contemporary music.

On finals eve, the gathering place of this fabled fraternity was in a off-the-map basement on the opposite edge of downtown from the Nokia. On Monday night, the Edison bar was the scene of the most intimate of “Idol” conclaves as about two dozen Idols past gathered for a party thrown by Fox Radio to celebrate the finals.

Into a quiet alley, down a long stairwell, one found a cozy little gathering where Kimberley Locke and Bo Bice, Diana DiGarmo and Hayly Scarnato, Melinda Doolittle and Jason Castro hobnobbed with those few who have walked the lonely path of the American Idol. And talking with them, one gets a sense of the many directions a post-”Idol” career can go.

LA Times

‘American Idol’ winner is going to Disney World

LOS ANGELES à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’  Kris Allen or Adam Lambert won’t just be crowned the next “American Idol” à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’ one of them is going to Disney World.

Whichever singer wins will shout the famous phrase “I’m going to Disney World!” in a commercial airing after the show’s Wednesday finale. He’ll also croon “When You Wish Upon A Star” in the spot.

Disney said a camera crew will capture the celebratory pronouncement on the Nokia Theatre stage moments after “Idol” host Ryan Seacrest announces the champion’s name. The Fox competition is down to Allen, a 23-year-old college student from Conway, Ark., and Lambert, a 27-year-old theater actor from San Diego.

Sign On San Diego

Aussie admits stalking American Idol star

A MELBOURNE woman has pleaded guilty to stalking a female American Idol contestant over the internet.
Tanya Maree Quattrocchi, who was sent to trial last year on charges of stalking singer Diana DeGarmo, was arrested again earlier this year for similar offences.

The 23-year-old of Oak Park in Melbourne’s north pleaded guilty in the Victorian County Court today to four counts of stalking.

Police allege Quattrocchi stalked DeGarmo, the singer’s mother Brenda and the Tennessee star’s housemate, model Donielle Morris.

News.com.au

Jordin Sparks, Steph Jones Friendly at BMI Pop

What do we have hereà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦ Jordin Sparks out à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹jonesinà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ with Steph Jones at the BMI Pop Awards.

Weà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢re hearing the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“just friendsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  speech but you do have to admit they look nice together.

Singersroom

Kristy Lee Cook’s still Oregon’s ‘Idol’ After a year and a half on the fast track, ‘Idol’ finalist Kristy Lee Cook rides and rescues retired racehorses

EAGLE POINT — Kristy Lee Cook is up to her dark-blond hair in horses. She’s in southern Oregon, driving her pickup with a horse trailer attached, heading to meet her veterinarian outside of White City, a small town near Medford.

Cook, 25, is wearing jeans and a brown hooded sweatshirt, practical gear suitable for the day’s duties. She needs to see the vet to talk surgery options for Mud Stomper, a former racehorse who was donated to her Kristy Lee Horse Heaven Foundation, which rehabilitates and finds homes for rescue horses.

It’s a less glamorous setting than where Cook was last year. But she looks content to be home in Oregon after spending the spring of 2008 as a finalist on “American Idol.”

Oregon Live.com

Ruben Studdard reflects on ‘Idol’ life

No one knows better than Ruben Studdard what Adam Lambert and Kris Allen face after the finale.

The season two winner of “American Idol” can bear witness to how dramatically life changes once a singer makes it to the finals of the mega-spectacle that is the show.

Millions of people tuned in to watch Studdard take on Clay Aiken in the finale of the competition. In fact, only the season five closer (won by Taylor Hicks) has drawn more viewers than the 34.2 million who saw Studdard crowned “American Idol.”

Since then, much has been made of Studdard’s success (or lack thereof) compared to other winners and contestants, such as his good friend Aiken.

CNN.com

Nigel Lythgoe Judges the Idol Judges, Finalists

Nigel Lythgoe may not be involved with American Idol anymore, but that doesn’t keep him from sharing his opinions.

The former A.I. executive producerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’ and current E.P. and judge on So You Think You Can Danceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’ doesn’t think too highly of the singing contest’s decision to take on a fourth judge.

“I think Kara DioGuardi has done a great job as the fourth judgeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’ I just don’t like four judges,” he tells E! News. “Problem is, when you’re live, if you do any more than three judges, then the judges start to take over the show, which doesn’t help anyone.”

As for how Idol will conclude, Lythgoe feels the series has a strong pair in both Adam Lambert and Kris Allen, and their audiences could be pretty split.

EOnline

Inside the Simon Cowell Estate

“American Idol” tough guy Simon Cowell is on the market and has moved into a multi-million-dollar bachelor pad! Simon gives “Extra” a special look at his Beverly Hills estates. He says, “I don’t do tours. I invite people over for a drink.”

Cowell’s hallways are lined with photographs of greats like Frank Sinatra and Natalie Wood and his garage is full of luxury cars. The “Idol” judge loves his new home, but Ryan Seacrest is a little bitter! During Ryan’s first visit Simon says he looked like “he’d sucked on a lemon.” Cowell adds, “Then he wouldn’t go home that night. Checked into a hotel.”

Extra

Kara DioGuardi Poses for “Divine” PETA Ad

Kara DioGuardi hopes to be an idol à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’  or better yet, an angel à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’  for dogs.

The American Idol judge is the newest face of PETA’s Angels for Animals campaign. She posed with her Chihuahua Tikki for a “divine” new ad.

Wearing angel wins, and with golden light emanating from her head, DioGuardi urges you to “Walk your dogs every day. Don’t ever crate or chain them.”

Seattlepi

‘American Idol’ judge Randy Jackson eyeing women’s accesory line

After America chooses either Adam Lambert or Kris Allen on Wednesday night’s “American Idol” finale, Randy Jackson is going to have to find a hobby. Luckily for the talent judge, he already has one: women’s accessories.

Jackson took a business meeting last week at the W Los Angeles-Westwood to discuss a new venture. Says a spy, “Randy met with a PR agency to discuss how to market a new line of handbags, but he had to cut the meeting short to film ‘Idol.’”

If Jackson hasn’t come up with a name for his bags just yet, we have a suggestion: Hot Dawg Holders.

NY Daily News

‘Dancing With the Stars’ finale recap: Shawn and Mark Flip Out

Finally! It took eight seasons, but as of last night, when placed next to the latest and tiniest winner, the much-mocked Dancing With the Stars trophy appears…kind of big! Or at the very least, not so pathetic! This is huge. Eighteen inches to be exact. Congratulations to season 8 champions and new overlords of Planet Mirrorballus: Shawn Johnson and Mark Ballas. Are you looking at the picture? Mark has total Gilles-gelled hair, but it’s really him. Derek couldn’t wait to wedge his noggin under Mark’s thighs to repay him the favor from last season’s finale, when Mark hoisted Derek up for his victory with Brooke Burke. According to now-official show rules, you’re not truly the winners unless the confetti hits you first.

Entertainment Weekly

Shawn Johnson vaults to à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Dancingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ title

This season of à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Dancing With The Starsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  has been, in some ways, its most satisfying. All three of the finalists à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’  Gilles Marini, Melissa Rycroft, and Shawn Johnson à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’  were entirely deserving, were very good dancers, and were handled well by their partners (Cheryl Burke, Tony Dovolani, and Mark Ballas, respectively). The season even had a great bonus story in fourth-place Ty Murrayà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s shockingly steep learning curve.

The narrative would end Tuesday night in one of three ways, depending on who won. A Gilles victory would be a win by the steady favorite, a Melissa win would be a triumph for the contestant who stepped in at the last minute with only a couple of daysà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ notice, and to see Shawn pull off the upset after seeming to be in the shadow of the other two would be a genuine shock.

MSNBC

“Dancing with the Stars” Co-Host Harris to Join Cast of Broadway’s Chicago

Two-time Emmy Award nominee and celebrated TV personality Samantha Harris (“The Insider,” “Dancing with the Stars”) will make her Broadway debut this summer in the Tony Award-winning revival of Chicago.

Harris will play a six-week run as Roxie Hart beginning July 7. She will continue in the role of the merry murderess through Aug. 16.

Playbill

‘Dancing With the Stars’ results: And the winner is…

In what was the closest competition in series history, Olympic gold medalist and all-around athlete adorable Shawn Johnson narrowly edged out sexy Frenchman Gilles Marini for the title of Season 8 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“DWTSà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  champion.

The 17-year-old gymnast from West Des Moines, Iowa, grew in leaps and bounds as the competition progressed, and with the nurturing, twirly guidance of partner Johnny Castle Mark Ballas, was remade a ballroom dance superstar. Though she was tied with Gilles coming into Tuesday nightà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s finale, the voters ultimately gave spry Shawn the advantage: Maybe it was because of her perfect-30 freestyle routine the night before. Or as a reward for how far sheà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s come out of her shell. Or maybe it was a vote for America. Whatever the reason, that 18-inch globe of glittery goodness, the coveted Mirrorball trophy à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’  the highest honor in reality TV about ballroom dancing à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’  is hers. (A special shout-out to those of you who joined in our live chat on Tuesday: We totally called it!)

LA Times

 
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  • terps

    Poor Terri and Simons new house is awesome

  • http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/profile.php?id=587900002&ref=name cruzceleste

    The band dropped out and ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s just Kris and a piano again. Well-done, buddy! Youà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢re putting up a fight. Granted, this is the sissiest fight in the history of fights, but boy, what a fight!

    Oh Jim Cantiello…. I love you…. can I vote for you as my Idol….

  • TKat

    I agree with a few of the MTV commenters that only Danny Gokey could have done anything with that song. Now that I’ve heard it, twice unfortuneately, I am convinced that Kara was saying “Oh my God!” when Danny was eliminated because she wrote the song with him in mind.

    Also, looks like the press is split about who won this one. The people who personally like AC-country music say Kris won, most of the others give it to Adam. I think that also reflects how people voted.

    Regarding their wardrobe choices: I really loved Adam’s twillight look for Mad World, and loved his suit. Kris looked dressed up for Kris, but boring as always. The biggest surprise was Skezak going out of his way to complement Kris’ long sleeve grey top. OK Michael, I think the Kris’ love has gone to your head. It looks like a shirt from Old Navy or the Gap. I have no problem with it, but it is not exactly a “look”.

  • BootStar

    And while Adam was happy to get a chance to re-stage “Mad World,” he singled out “A Change is Gonna Come” as a standout for him: “It came as a surprise. I wouldn’t have picked that for myself, but…I looked at the words and they really moved me. I felt like I connected to it.”

    I’m confused, hasn’t Adam performed that number at Upright Cabaret or somewhere?

    I actually thought Fuller’s choice for Adam was kinda Knollish, since it was a song he didn’t have to learn from scratch, but it sounds like Adam did a complete re-working of it.

    I hope nobody told him to pretend he wasn’t that familiar with the song, though, because it’s just too easy to disprove and will make those who think he’s been given a lot of unfair advantages one more thing to complain about.

  • weese

    I don’t really get him pretending he wasn’t familiar with the song. Odd.

  • May

    Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢m confused, hasnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t Adam performed that number at Upright Cabaret or somewhere?

    He did it at the Zodiac Show:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNjrDzu4aUk

  • Jolene

    Hmm. Peculiar. Maybe he never looked at the words before? LOL

  • frogcooke

    I love me a good grassy knoll

  • Little Boy Blue

    DIALIDOL actually has Kris Allen LEADING Adam Lambert in the vote estimate total.

    I take this with a grain of salt though. DIALIDOL has been VERY INCONSISTENT this season.

  • adamisthemanfan

    But his performance of ACIGC was much better last night and he did not say he was unfamiliar with the song as I’m sure Kris had at some point heard What’s goin on before…I loved the Mad World staging as well…he was just nervous but still sounded great and did not miss the final note like in the first performance…
    Simon’s ex LOL wtf?
    I hope the finale will be great 2night, looking forward to it…not looking forward to hearing that coronation song again…unless Adam sings it…if you watch it again it sounds better on the second listening especially if its not too loud…I watched it last night with a surround sound stereo system and the music was too loud I actually almost got a headache….the AI producers need to do away with the sound/audio mixing ppl! They should be sent home.

  • http://www.irish-wolfhounds.com Buderschnookie

    I donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t really get him pretending he wasnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t familiar with the song. Odd.

    He didn’t pretend he wasn’t familiar with it, he said he “wouldnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t have picked that for myself”, presumably meaning for this competition.
    Not that he never sang it in his life.

  • frogcooke

    but you’d think he’d know the words since well he’s sang it before and all…..

    “butà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦I looked at the words and they really moved me.”

  • QueenChiro

    Can Kris and Adam pppllllleeeeeeaaaassseeee just offer to give that song to Danny so he can raise money for his foundation??? That way neither of them have to be saddled with what must be one of the worst songs I’ve ever heard!

  • Sunn

    Check out the ET video you guys. In it paula group hugs and kisses the boys but instead of kissing her Adam kisses Kris. It’s very cute.

  • Jx223

    I hope that Terry is okay.

    According to Top Idol, Paula has stated that Taitiana will be on tonight. I don’t want her and her antics taking up a lot of screentime that could be better used to showcase the final two and rest of the top 13. I won’t like it if she ends up getting a solo and Anoop doesn’t end up getting one or a duet.

    http://topidol.wordpress.com/

  • Jolene

    Yeah, frog. That.

    What he said definitely makes it sound like the song was new to him, which clearly it wasn’t. Just baffling.

  • QueenChiro

    He may have sung it before, but not paid attention to what it said. He stated in some interview that early in the competition Kara told him she didn’t believe him when he sang a song, so from then on he made a point to really study the lyrics and connect with what the message was.

  • Miss Chaos

    Barbara Walters was just on the View her show, and was going all fangirly over Adam, I have never seen her like this before. I hope her fingers were voting last nite> :clap_tb:

  • TylerWV

    I think this is the first year that I don’t care which wins because I like them both. Season 6 and 7 I just didnt get into, but the other seasons I had definite favorites. Im wouldnt be upset if Kris pulls out the win because it would be a “up yours” to the judges. I am totally sick of them throwing everyone under the bus but their picks. The only song I really liked last night was Kris’ first. The coronation song was awful, as usual.

    I turned on the tv at midnight, and there was Paula on HSN hawking her “finale” jewelry wearing the green dress she had on the show Usually the shopping channel is in Florida, but they came to LA for this special so Paula could make it from one show to the other. She was showing the “finale” ring which was a huge flower ring that was so wide it covered almost 2 fingers. I have to say Im wondering if Paula has had a new boob job. On the finale, her “round” boobs were nowhere in sight, nor on the HSN show. Im wondering if she chose a new look lol? Articles Ive read said the kidney shaped implant is the preferred look now. I know, tmi rofl.

  • Sunn
  • http://myspace.com/pm68 Pam

    Deleted

  • BootStar

    Check out the ET video you guys. In it paula group hugs and kisses the boys but instead of kissing her Adam kisses Kris. Ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s very cute.

    Wow! There is some serious chemistry between those boys. I hope Katy doesn’t lose her hubby to Adam. (Mrs. Allen, not Mrs. Cruise, although that’s a serious possibility too based on that look on her face at the finale!)

  • weareallinnocent

    How weird is it that I just received a txt message from AI saying, “Your votes for Adam were received. Watch tonight…”?

    Guess they did have issues with the confirmation txts after all. Hmmm… *shrug*

  • lovecert

    Oh yes, sadist I may be, but I’m really looking forward to a Tatiana/Normund duet and what song should they sing other than, yes, “Saving All My Love For You” for the 6597th time.

  • Sunn

    Can Kris and Adam pppllllleeeeeeaaaassseeee just offer to give that song to Danny so he can raise money for his foundation???

    Lol! YES!!! That song is wight up Gokey Mountain.

  • oceana

    à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“I think Kara DioGuardi has done a great job as the fourth judgeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’ I just donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t like four judges,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  he tells E! News. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Problem is, when youà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢re live, if you do any more than three judges, then the judges start to take over the show, which doesnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t help anyone.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ 

    I agree with Nigel on this. One thing (among many) that made this season suck was that the show became all about the judges. I also think that Kara is way OTT and needs to lighten up before she breaks a blood vessel.

    And while Adam was happy to get a chance to re-stage à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Mad World,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  he singled out à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“A Change is Gonna Comeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  as a standout for him: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“It came as a surprise. I wouldnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t have picked that for myself, butà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦I looked at the words and they really moved me. I felt like I connected to it.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ 

    Which paper did this quote come from? Did he supposedly say this in an interview? Words are often misquoted. This wasn’t what he said on the show last night. He said similar but different words with a different meaning. I see no reason to think that he is lying or misrepresenting himself. He doesn’t strike me as a dishonest person at all. Quite the opposite. I always try to remember that “quotes” in newspapers are usually misquoted and can’t be taken verbatim.

  • colette

    From the Seattle Times:

    http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/confessionsofanidoladdict/2009241639_a_critics_take_it_was_deflatin.html#continue

    And I’m amazed that Simon has women fans determined to strangle poor Terri! Hasn’t she endured enough, just being his girlfriend? In all seriousness, hope she’s OK.

  • oceana

    It won’t let me edit so I’m post-whoring. Now they’ve added Steve Martin and Rod Stewart and a Normund/Tatiana duet? Why are they trying to squeeze this into two hours? I added a half hour but now I’m going to change it to an extra hour just be safe (on my dvr). But I fear that many people will miss the ending. Sucks.

  • weareallinnocent

    re: Adam and ACIGC.

    Like oceana, my read is different. He said it’s not a song he would choose for himself (for his album, he said at one point) but he read the lyric when Simon gave it to him and it touched him. To me, he’s not saying he read it for the first time, only that it touched him when he read it this time. And with all that’s going on right now, with him, with the country, in the press, yada, yada, I can totally see it taking on new meaning and touching him in this moment.

    My take, ymmv.

  • Sunn

    Which paper did this quote come from? Did he supposedly say this in an interview? Words are often misquoted. This wasnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t what he said on the show last night. He said similar but different words with a different meaning. I see no reason to think that he is lying or misrepresenting himself. He doesnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t strike me as a dishonest person at all. Quite the opposite. I always try to remember that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“quotesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  in newspapers are usually misquoted and canà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t be taken verbatim.

    The quote came from the post final press conference. He said it on tape.
    But you’re right he’s not lying. As far as I can tell he last sang that song at the Zodiac club in 2004. 5 years ago. It was a different world. The words have special relevance today because of the LGBT issues that are being dealt wit as we speak. Don’t ask don’t tell, Prop 8 and most of all because of his own situation as possibly the first openly gay idol.
    He didn’t say he didn’t know it, he said that it wasn’t an obvious choice to his mind. But rereading the words brought the significance of the song home.

    That’s my take on it any way.

  • frogcooke
  • http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/profile.php?id=587900002&ref=name cruzceleste

    The exhilarating David-David concert experience

    Being an “American Idol” fan, I can honestly say that there has been no season in the past, or present, as good as the showà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s seventh season. So imagine my excitement and delight upon hearing that both David Cook and David Archuleta would be coming to Manila for a back-to-back concert. I assure you, the feeling was insurmountable.

    ……..

    The whole concert experience was surreal. It was mind-blowing, amazing, yet surreal. And as the concert came to a close, with both Cook and Archie on stage, concluding the show with the remaining bars of Cookà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“A Daily Anthem,” I wished I could suspend that moment in time. But alas, all good things do come to an end.

    The David-David concert was worth it à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’ worth the sweat, the tired legs, and the sore throat I was inevitably going to have. I guess all I can do now is look forward to the amazing careers that both Davids are sure to have and anticipate their return. They promised they would. –

    More on the link…

  • Lux

    Check this interesting article, acording to this google trend data, Adam will win (they analize the google trends for past seasons too).

    http://mashable.com/2009/05/20/american-idol-winner/

  • sma11ie

    Am I the only one who doesn’t think Kara’s song is that bad?! Haha. Okay, the lyrics suck, as expected, but musically and rhythmically, this song is way more pop radio friendly than the adult contemporary ballads of the past. It’s too bad the lyrical clunkiness and the built in vocal acrobatics tripped up the guys last night, who both seemed like they could’ve used more practice, but I can see the studio version sounding good and doing decently on radio. And let’s face it, bad lyrics never stopped other songs from doing well on radio.

  • Adamdebomb

    It is not surprising that Barbara Walters would like Adam-Walters grew up watching many an elaborate stage production as her father owned a number of fancy nightclubs in NYC and Miami. She is still close to many of the performers from those clubs. Adam is probably a bit of nostalgia for her.

  • cheese

    This is random, but Josiah Leming has four songs that are newly available to purchase on his Myspace page, including studio versions of “One Last Song” and “Her” (pre-Idol songs), as well as “Over and Over” and “Punk Ass Rain” (I think they were only available for streaming before). I’m not sure why he’s selling songs through a Snocap store again – I hope this doesn’t mean the album is dead or anything.

    http://www.myspace.com/josiahleming

  • TKat

    And while Adam was happy to get a chance to re-stage à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Mad World,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  he singled out à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“A Change is Gonna Comeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  as a standout for him: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“It came as a surprise. I wouldnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t have picked that for myself, butà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦I looked at the words and they really moved me. I felt like I connected to it.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ 

    Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢m confused, hasnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t Adam performed that number at Upright Cabaret or somewhere?

    I actually thought Fullerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s choice for Adam was kinda Knollish, since it was a song he didnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t have to learn from scratch, but it sounds like Adam did a complete re-working of it.

    I hope nobody told him to pretend he wasnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t that familiar with the song, though, because ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s just too easy to disprove and will make those who think heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s been given a lot of unfair advantages one more thing to complain about.

    Since Adam has been signing a lot of classic hits for about 8 years, it’s hard to find something he hasn’t sung. In the 2004 performance for the opening of the Zodiac Club he sang about 20 seconds of this song — it has a different melody and was completely different. I don’t see any grassy knoll here. As far as I know there is no other Adam performance of this song. And, so what? It is an incredibly challenging song to sing, and completely out of Adam’s comfort zone.

    If they wanted to make the a pro-Adam battle, they would have given Adam a power rock ballad, and given Kris a power ballad with a 16 stap range. Instead, Simon F. gave them both R&B classics, and even gave Kris one of the easiest R&B songs to sing that has been done by a lot of people with acoustic guitar.

    MY GRASSY KNOLL: The only real curve in the whole thing was the unsignable piece of crap that I like to refer to as “Kara’s Song” which I am convinced was written for Danny to sing. Now we know why Kara kept repeating “Oh my God! Oh my God!” when Danny was eliminated.

    And to top it off, it appears they only had that dreck of a song for a couple of days. Good going Kara!

  • Sunn

    Check this interesting article, acording to this google trend data, Adam will win (they analize the google trends for past seasons too).

    Great article; Gave me hope where, for the past few hours, I dared not to hope. Thank you Lux.

  • BootStar

    I see no reason to think that he is lying or misrepresenting himself. He doesnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t strike me as a dishonest person at all. Quite the opposite. I always try to remember that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“quotesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  in newspapers are usually misquoted and canà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t be taken verbatim.

    I wasn’t suggesting Adam was “lying or misrepresenting” himself. I thought he may have been instructed (or felt the need) to play down his familiarity with the song, so as not to raise any eyebrows on the Knoll.

    FWIW, I had the same reaction to both the live post-performance interview (MJ has it posted in its entirety) and the quote from the Adam Vary’s EW blog. It just struck me as odd that Adam (Lambert) would be surprised that the judges would pick a song for him that he’s actually already been seen in public singing. Especially when his fans have been talking about how incredible that 2004 performance was:

    For most “American Idol” fans, Adam Lambert is the wildest, most unusual contestant they’ve ever seen on the show. But to his friends and castmates in Los Angeles’ long-running variety extravaganza “The Zodiac Show,” the Adam you see on the “Idol” stage every week is nothing compared to what they’ve witnessed back home.

    Lee Cherry, “Zodiac” co-creator and director, first met Lambert in Europe in 2003, when the singer was touring with the musical “Hair,” and he directed Lambert in his “Zodiac” stage debut in 2004. “He did [Sam Cooke's] ‘A Change Is Gonna Come’ and as Randy would say, he blew it out the box, dog,” Cherry said. “That was pretty much the first time in L.A. anyone saw him being Adam in all his full fabulousness, and everybody lost their minds.”

    Adam Lambert: From ‘Zodiac Show’ to ‘American Idol’

  • May

    Am I the only one who doesnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t think Karaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s song is that bad?! Haha. Okay, the lyrics suck, as expected, but musically and rhythmically, this song is way more pop radio friendly than the adult contemporary ballads

    You’re not the only one Smallie. Lyrics aside, I thought it was better than most coronation songs and I could easily picture it doing well on radio with the right performer. It was a terrible song for Adam and Kris. It would have been more effective with a good female singer and it pains me to say this, but it would have sounded better with Danny Gokey (it reminded me a bit of the Rascal Flatts song that he performed). However, I’m also very curious to hear the studio versions. With the right amount of auto-tuning, it might sound good!

  • TKat

    More hope for Adam fans.

    ZabaSearch is also predicting an Adam win. And forecasts that Adam wins by greater than a 56% to 44% margin.

    And Nick Matzorkis of Zabaearch has a great track record of picking Idol winners and losers correctly.

    AI8 – picked Matt, Alison and Danny on the weeks they left.
    AI7 – 15 correct predictions, correct all season including picking Cook to win
    AI6 – 12 for 12 correct and picked Jorden to win
    AI5 – correctly pick the top 3 in order, Taylor to win

    And he has a great track record of correctly estimating the vote totals.

  • yeahyeahsure

    This article said that Daughtry will be at the Walmart Shareholders meeting this year and more interestingly, they think Kris Allen would be there too.

    http://nwanews.com/blogs/tunedin/2009/05/20/coming-to-the-wal-mart-shareholders-meeting-maybe/

    Well, weà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢re not sure, but, if the buzz we hear on the street is correct, expect the following people: Brad Paisley and Sugarland on June 2 and Daughtry and Foreigner on June 3. Wal-Mart has not formally announced the artists, nor did they confirm these acts.

    While were at it, letà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s make another guess: Kris Allen, the Conway resident who finds out tonight (May 20) if heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s won the current season of à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“American Idol,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  will likely make an appearance, probably for the closed portion of the meeting. If he did, he would follow in the traditions of Idols before him who have followed their appearances on the show with one at the Shareholdersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ meeting. And considering heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s an Arkie, it practically makes him a lock.

  • TKat

    This is the prediction that I trust the most: Biz360′s. They have worked for weeks on this and have been able to accurately the departure of Matt, ALlison and Danny.

    They use online social media content to make their prediction. They have the race too close to call. That makes more sense to me than the ZabaSearch forecast. If you’re interested here is a link to their press release.

    “The Internet has spoken: The à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“American Idolà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  race is too close to call.”
    http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2009/05/20/tech-struggles-to-predict-american-idol-winner/

  • skylight1219

    Zabasearch is bogus. They change their stats after the results are known! No credibility in this at all.

  • wand3rful

    ahh, once again the show was all about the judges…thank you kara for shifting the focus on your crappy song away from the contestants. grrrrr :guns_tb:

    anyhoo, these guys are awesome, i look forward to their albums (along w. alli’s and matt’s)…

    and allen’s long grey top…old navy? puhleeze….probably james perse or vince ($150-200)……(sadly, i am one of those idiots that pay $80 for a tank top, so i recognize my fave brands in a sec :blush_tb: )

  • tinawina

    I really, really, really think Kris will take it all. But its obviously going to be crazy close.

  • http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/profile.php?id=587900002&ref=name cruzceleste

    Hillarious…. Vulture is back with charts analysis of last night Idol finale

    I love vulture…

    ETA.
    How awesome is the Glee reference… BTW GLEE is awesome XD

    ETAA.
    Davids & the bands in a picture together…. aren ´t they cute… :wub_tb:

    Thats a lot of chairs…. :blink_tb:

    So many people…
    :shock_tb: :shock_tb:

    From Archie ´s band member myspace

  • wand3rful

    LOL at Vulture….loving the pie charts (suri’s negative review :lol_tb:)

  • BootStar

    Here is Adam’s Zodiac Show performance of “A Change Is Gonna Come” if you want to compare.

  • oddobserver

    Cool! MJ was quoted on the ABC news article. It’s on the 2nd page of the article. When did they interview you, MJ? :clap_tb:

    Way to go for your blog! :king_tb: :thumbup_tb:

  • Sunn

    à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“The Internet has spoken: The à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“American Idolà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  race is too close to call.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ 

    The fact that it’s too close to call puts goes in Kris’ favour IMHO, because based on season performance and internet buzz it really shouldn’t be that close. It means that Kris surged yesterday and Adam didn’t, to may complete dismay. :cry_tb:

  • leome

    Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢m not sure why heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s selling songs through a Snocap store again – I hope this doesnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t mean the album is dead or anything.

    Cheese, thanks for bringing that here. I was actually thinking about his album not long ago. I remember reading the album would be out in March. Now it’s almost June and I haven’t heard anything about it. It’s strange he’s selling the songs in that kinda of independent way now.
    Gonna listen to those :)

  • TylerWV

    I’ve noticed in seasons past that whichever idol sings his duet first in the finale is the winner. Example, Carrie sang with Rascal Flatts close to the opening of the show. Bo sang at the very end with Lynyrd Skynrd. Then the winner is announced and sings the coronation song, this way the winner doesnt sing twice in a row. Ive had this theory for several seasons, but since I havent watched my AI finales in some time, i cant remember now if this has been the case each year. Anyone remember the order they sang in their respective finales in other seasons to see if this theory is valid?

  • amy123

    Hey Rickey,

    Carly Smithson did a radio interview in San Diego this morning with Channel 933-AJà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Playhouse> She talked about her album around the 13:00 mark and around the 18:20 mark she says her first single should be released in about a month. Hereà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s the link :

    http://a1135.g.akamai.net/f/1135/18227/1h/…HOUSE_ON_DEMAND

  • leome

    Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ve noticed in seasons past that whichever idol sings his duet first in the finale is the winner.

    Ah ah! That could be a clue. The only clue I got last year was when Cook’s mic was on and Archie’s was off. But that was really just a few minutes before Ryan announced. It’s still funny to notice those things.

    because based on season performance and internet buzz it really shouldnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t be that close.

    I think so too.

  • frogcooke

    Tyler, cookie sang first last year too.

  • May

    How awesome is the Glee referenceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦ BTW GLEE is awesome XD

    I love the Glee reference because that did actually happen with one of my friends! 10 minutes of Glee and it was as though the Idol finale had never happened!

  • wjmtv

    I love the percentage on Vulture’s pie chart that is dedicated to “Kris Allen’s talent and/or charisma.” Waaaaay too true!

    Am I the only one who thinks Katy Holmes has man hands?

  • colette

    SmalliE:

    Am I the only one who doesnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t think Karaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s song is that bad?!

    No honey. There are 23 of you who really love it.

  • noctem seizure

    Here is Adamà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Zodiac Show performance of à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“A Change Is Gonna Comeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  if you want to compare.

    The issue isn’t whether Adam “lied”. The issue is that TPTB had to know that he had performed it before and received accolades for it.

  • skylight1219

    Ugh, we have to endure that horrible coronation song again tonight, regardless of who wins. I agree with whoever said they should give it to Gokey and let Adam and Kris choose another song. That seems like the charitable thing to do since he was 3rd place. It makes me long to hear “Happy Feet” again.

  • dv

    Kelly Clarkson in Barcelona
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oe21iB1UxrA

    Kelly will be performing on “Operacià ³n Triunfo” (Spanish version of American idol) tonight.

  • colette

    I’m SO PISSED that Idol did nothing to help promote Melinda Doolittle’s record! It’s about a zillion times better than many Idol alum discs, and giving her spot on the show this year would have been the least Simon C. could have done for his big fave…..

  • http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/profile.php?id=587900002&ref=name cruzceleste

    I love the Glee reference because that did actually happen with one of my friends! 10 minutes of Glee and it was as though the Idol finale had never happened!

    LOL… I totally forget about Idol after Glee… so much IÂ ´m rewarching the performance part together with Shawn awesome freestyle….

    Kelly will be performing on à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Operacià ³n Triunfoà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  (Spanish version of American idol) tonight.

    Not quite there… In operacià ³n Triunfo, you get to see how the guys live…. like in a big brother…

  • sma11ie

    Lyrics aside, I thought it was better than most coronation songs and I could easily picture it doing well on radio with the right performer. It was a terrible song for Adam and Kris. It would have been more effective with a good female singer and it pains me to say this, but it would have sounded better with Danny Gokey (it reminded me a bit of the Rascal Flatts song that he performed).

    Haha, thanks for backing me up, May. Seems like the song will sell at least 2 downloads after tonight! Woot. But seriously, I totally agree that the song was *really* not suited for Kradam. And that’s so strange, cuz they’ve been harping all season that a guy would win, and you’d think Kara and co. would write a song that would be suited to at least Adam, one of the presumed frontrunners, no? It definitely seems more like a female pop singer type of a song, and can hear someone like Jordin do well on it, but not Allison, or Lil, Megan or Alexis. So who the hell were they tailoring it to? Danny? He might pull it off, but even he’s not that suited to it, I don’t think. But it’s funny you bring up Rascal Flatts– this song’s mountain climbing imagery actually made me think of Miley Cyrus’ The Climb, which is a little bit in that vein, I think…

    Also, Glee was AWESOME. Can’t believe we have to wait til Fall!

  • praepos

    “What he said definitely makes it sound like the song was new to him, which clearly it wasnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t. Just baffling.”

    Not baffling at all–unless you want to pretend he is beyond deception. To me that’s what Adam’s theatricality is all about.

  • leome

    In operacià ³n Triunfo, you get to see how the guys liveà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦. like in a big brotherà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦

    Yeah, it’s more like a school of music. Teachers, duets, and we see what they do during the week. I like Idol more, but there have been some good people coming from OT. Too bad they all end up on Eurovision.

    I don’t think the song sounds worst than other coronation songs, the problem is that the guys sounded horrible and worst than past contestants who had to sing crappy coronation songs that didn’t fit their voices too. Much of the blame is being put on the song, I think Adam and Kris were not able to adjust to that and do something good with it… their fault too. I am curious to listen to the whole song. Clearly, they can’t sing everything.

  • LK09

    This article said that Daughtry will be at the Walmart Shareholders meeting this year and more interestingly, they think Kris Allen would be there too.

    Isn’t Walmart headquarters in Arkansas? That would make sense as to why Kris would be invited.

  • oddobserver

    leome , from what I understand, Kradam got a bum deal this season. Season 5 Taylor requested to sing the song meant for Elliot, ‘cos he didn’t like his given song, which implies that there was at least consideration of the singer for the song. Season 7, I think DC was allowed to re-arrange his song and could choose from a list of songs for performance night(not sure about that tho’, need someone to back me up/correct me if I’m wrong).

    Kris wasn’t even allowed to change the damn key. Even Kara admitted that he should have sung it in a lower key. It’s very evident the guys were just given the song, told they had to sing it, and had to deal with it. I’m guessing Kara didn’t even bother to turn up for rehearsals to see if the boys had problems, since she’s been guilty of that last week too.

  • dv

    Kelly performed “My Life Would Suck Without You” on Operacià ³n Triunfo

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1CZ-xekLnU

  • QueenChiro

    RE: Isnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t Walmart headquarters in Arkansas? That would make sense as to why Kris would be invited.

    Yes, it’s in Bentonville, which is in the NW part of the state. It’s about a 3 hr. drive from Conway.
    btw….the Wal-Mart shareholders meeting is a HUGE deal and people come here from all over the country and they usually get a lot of big name performers for the event.

  • http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/profile.php?id=587900002&ref=name cruzceleste

    Yeah, ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s more like a school of music. Teachers, duets, and we see what they do during the week. I like Idol more, but there have been some good people coming from OT. Too bad they all end up on Eurovision.

    Oh dont be like that…. sure Alex Ubago had have some international hits, his duet with La Oreja de Van Goh is still getting a lot of playing in my iTunes and Ipod, and he also has worked with MiguelBosà © (awesome) and Juanes, and he is releasing a new album…. and David Bisbal is somehow popular,even when I don ´t like his hair…

    I donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t think the song sounds worst than other coronation songs, the problem is that the guys sounded horrible and worst than past contestants who had to sing crappy coronation songs that didnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t fit their voices too. Much of the blame is being put on the song, I think Adam and Kris were not able to adjust to that and do something good with ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦ their fault too. I am curious to listen to the whole song. Clearly, they canà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t sing everything.

    Agree, certanly both last songs In This Moment, this is the Original and the version that Archie sang, at least they could have worked something out… I will like to show how Cook worked with his song but I dont have the original…

    BTW…
    Where are you from Leome??? :bye_tb:

  • LK09

    Agree, certanly both last songs In This Moment, this is the Original and the version that Archie sang, at least they could have worked something outà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦ I will like to show how Cook work with his song but I don have the originalà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦

    Wow, I just listened to the original “In this moment” above. There is a huge difference from it and what David Archuleta sang. That really was a huge disadvantage for the AI8 guys. Not only did they not have a choice of what to sing, but they couldn’t tailor it to their voice, especially bad for Kris, since the key was too high!!!

  • sma11ie

    I will like to show how Cook worked with his song but I dont have the originalà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦

    Can’t locate the original by Emily Shackleton on youtube right now, but the original version of Dream Big was a country song, and the first line was, “When I was a little girl, thought that I would change the world”. DC changed it to a pop-rock tune, and hehe, changed girl to boy (thus losing the rhyme). It’s ridiculous the boys weren’t allowed to change the song this year. Last night started with a bang with Mad World and Ain’t No Sunshine, and ended with a fizzle with No Boundaries…

  • CM

    Another Carly radio interview (there’s a Brooke one there too!)

    http://www.kiss985.com

    Info we haven’t heard: Carly’s fronting a band, the name of which will be released at a later (soon) date.

  • CM

    Oops, link malfunction sorry.

    http://www.kiss985.com