Idol Headlines for 12/09/08

American Idol News

Whether it’s season five, six, or seven, exciting things are happening for some of our AI alums. On the heels of a huge win at the AMA’s, Chris Daughtry will performing at one of the historical 44th Inaugural Balls to be held for President-Elect Obama on January 21, 2009.

Season six finalist Melinda Doolittle will join Michael W. Smith for the 2008 “It’s a Wonderful Christmas” Tour. The tour started Dec. 2 in Dallas, TX, and ends Dec. 19 in Peoria, AZ.

The season seven contestant who became known as the “Rock N’ Roll nurse,” Amanda Overmyer, is set to release her limited edition debut CD, Solidify, at the end of this month, or early January. Fans can purchase the album via her web site or possibly iTunes.

American Idol.com

Big Boi, Ludacris, Others Unite For Urban Ball Inaugural Celebration

Ludacris and Big Boi are teaming up. The Atlanta duo is reportedly putting together a show for President-elect Barack Obama. According to a variety of reports, Ludacris and Big Boi have joined forces to host the Urban Ball, part of the American Music Inaugural Balls, an event set to take place in Washington, D.C. on January 20.

T-Pain, David Banner, Cedric the Entertainer, Bobby Valentino, Lil Jon, The Cheetah Girls, Monica and Fantasia Barrino are confirmed to perform, according to various news outlets. Former NBA players Alonzo Mourning, Kenny “The Jet” Smith and Jalen Rose are also said to be confirmed to attend.

Hip Hop DX

More Idol Headlines after the JUMP…

Idol Alums get in the Christmas Spirit

Season two’s Josh Gracin and season six’s Phil Stacey are teaming up for an event called “Go Country” for 105 FM in L.A.’s Santa Clarita Valley. It’s an Acoustic Holiday Concert, and will feature some of their songs as well as some holiday classics. Go here for more info on the festive event.

Ramiele Malubay has released an R & B holiday song called “We Are One (This Christmas)”. You can hear it on Ramiele’s web site, and purchase it here.

Jason Castro is getting the opportunity of a lifetime by partaking in “An American Christmas” concert with Grammy Award-Winning artist Patti La Belle at the Special Events Center Arena in Garland, Texas. More info can be found on the event center’s web site.

American Idol.com

David Archuleta Bitten by Acting Bug After iCarly Gig

Add David Archuleta to the list of singers who want to act.

The American Idol star, 17, says he got a taste of actingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’ and he liked ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’ when he recently shot a guest spot on Nickelodeon’s iCarly.

“I think it would be fun to do more,” Archuleta told me Saturday at the Holiday of Hope tree-lighting ceremony in Hollywood, which benefited children’s HIV/AIDS organization One Heartland. “It’s interesting. I’d love to do it and get into character and have lines to say.”

He certainly didn’t have to do much to get into character for iCarly.

“It was just a quick appearance as myself, but it was a lot of fun,” Archuleta said. “I know I’m not the greatest actor or anything.” (You can decide for yourself when the episode airs in the spring.)

E Online

Carrie Underwood Confronts the Unexpected

Carrie Underwood has just about wrapped up her 2008 Carnival Ride tour, and she’s come to appreciate the spontaneous nature of the concert stage.

“It’s really cool when something unexpected happens,” she told The Tennessean. “You sing a song that you’ve sung a million times before, and generally I get the same reaction. But sometimes that crowd keeps clapping or they sing a lot louder than they have. People always sing loud on ‘Before He Cheats’, but when people sing really loud on some other smaller song, that is something that is always a very pleasant surprise, and you get something new out of it that night.”

Gac TV.com

Carrie Underwood impresses, shows room to grow at Sommet

Less than four years ago no one had ever heard of Carrie Underwood. And placed in that context, her Sunday night headlining performance at Sommet Center was nothing short of remarkable.

The 2005 American Idol winner pranced about her somewhat modest stage for about an hour and a half at the Nashville stop on her headlining tour, belting out 19 songs between two costume changes, hitting and sustaining notes many singers in country music wouldnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t dare try. But despite that undeniable talent as a vocalist, Underwood still has room to grow as a headlining act.

Tennessean.com

Pop Tarts

As for the murmurs that Carrie Underwood was offered $3 million to pose nude for the men’s mag à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’  it looks like that was all fiction … or fantasy. According to a spokesman for Playboy, they don’t offer anybody that much dosh to bare their body no matter who they are and Underwood’s rep was quick to shoot down the reports as “totally false.”

FOXNews

AMERICAN IDOL’S Taylor Hicks Stars As Teen Angel In ‘GREASE’

Tickets for the brand new production of GREASE, starring American Idol winner Taylor Hicks, go on sale Wednesday, December 17. Taylor Hicks made his debut on Broadway in the role of “Teen Angel” this past summer. GREASE will play the Golden Gate Theatre beginning Tuesday, March 24 through Sunday, April 19. This brand new production of GREASE will feature songs from the smash hit 1978 motion picture performed for the first time ever on stage. GREASE is presented as a part of the 2008-2009 Citibank Best of Broadway series season under the direction of Carole Shorenstein Hays.

Broadway World

Acts Named for CRS New Faces Show

Lady Antebellum, James Otto, Kellie Pickler, Chuck Wicks and the Zac Brown Band have been selected to perform at the New Faces show during the upcoming Country Radio Seminar in Nashville. The annual show, which is aimed at solidifying new artists’ relationship with country radio programmers, features five emerging acts who have already achieved significant airplay. Each act plays a 20-minute set during the show which officially closes CRS, an industry convention aimed at radio programmers, personalities and executives. The 40th annual CRS takes place March 4-6 at the Nashville Convention Center.

CMT.com

Caught in the Act!

BFFs Taylor Swift and Kellie Pickler, whispering and giggling during Carrie Underwood’s sold-out show at Nashville’s Sommet Center. Pickler à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’ who was also joined by Katharine McPhee, at one point playfully leaned over and tugged Swift’s hair. Later she headed to the show’s afterparty and snacked on chips and signed autographs for teen fans as Underwood worked the room.

People

No. 5 at the mike

American Idol alum Ruben Studdard — starring in Ain’t Misbehavin’, which comes to the Academy of Music Jan. 9 — will sing the national anthem at the Eagles-Browns game on Monday night. He’ll wear an Eagles jersey with Donovan McNabb’s name on the back; he’s his favorite Eagles player.

Trading Markets.com

Did Hudson suspect William Balfour slip through cracks in system?

Q William Balfour, the man charged in the Oct. 24 slayings of entertainer Jennifer Hudson’s mother, brother and nephew, wasn’t exactly a model parolee, was he?

A No. He left prison in May 2006, having served almost 7 years for a conviction on carjacking and attempted murder. According to Illinois Department of Corrections officials, one of the conditions of his “mandatory supervised release”à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’ what we informally call paroleà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’ was that he attend anger management classes. He didn’t. Another was that he submit proof that he completed treatment for substance abuse. He didn’t.

Then on June 19, police responding to a report of shots fired on the South Side arrested Balfour when they said they found a small amount of cocaine in his speeding car.

Q Didn’t this run of incorrigible behavior make Balfour a strong candidate for a return trip to the hard rock hotel?

A Yes. But the state didn’t send him back for parole violations until after he became a suspect in the Hudson case.

Chicago Tribune

Paula Abdul Opens Up About “Devastating” Fan Death

Since the Nov. 11 death of an obsessed fan outside her home, Paula Abdul has endured a “very, very tough three weeks.”

“It was devastating and tragic, and there aren’t enough feelings that I can articulate without getting into a whole plethora of things,” Abdul told Good Morning America, speaking out for the first time since the incident.

Paula Goodspeed, a former American Idol hopeful, was found dead, from an apparent drug overdose, in a parked car in front of the Idol judge’s L.A. house. Abdul was “luckily” not home at the time.

TV Guide

Abdul to sell à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹American Idolà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ jewelry on TV

NEW YORK – They might not go home with a recording contract, but Paula Abdul doesnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t let any à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“American Idolà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  contestant leave empty-handed. Each season she designs and distributes jewelry for the aspiring singers as a keepsake of their experience.

Beginning this month, Abdulà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s fans will be able to buy similar items on HSN.

à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“I pretty much wear my jewelry all the time now, but I end up giving it away,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  she says. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ll take it off my wrist or neck and give it to someone who likes it.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ 

Abdul has made jewelry since the first season of à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Idolà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  in 2002.

MSNBC

‘American Idol’s’ Paula Abdul Signs on to Promote American Humane’s Pets and Women’s Shelters (PAWS)(TM) Program

DENVER, Dec 08, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) — The American Humane Association announced today that Paula Abdul, multi-platinum and award-winning recording artist and performer, and judge for the top-rated “American Idol” reality TV show the past eight seasons, has signed on as a pro-bono spokesperson for American Humane’s Pets and Women’s Shelters Program (PAWS)(TM).
“The relationship I have with my dogs is not only very special to me, but also a great source of comfort and peace of mind,” said Abdul. “The PAWS Program is a critical way of providing a transition for abused women and children into a safer and better life. I feel privileged to be involved with this extremely important and necessary program.”

Marketwatch

Simon Cowell to Spend Christmas With Ex-Girlfriend

Simon Cowell is all set for a cozy Christmas – he’ll be spending it with ex-girlfriend Sinitta.

The American Idol judge – who recently split from longtime love Terri Seymour – is heading to Barbados for the festive season with mum of two Sinitta – who he dated for several years in the 90s.

She tells Britain’s New! magazine, “I’m going to Barbados for a few weeks with my babies.

“We’re going with Simon and we’ll be staying in the house that we shot The X Factor in – it’s such a great place.

“I imagine we’ll all be down at the beach building sandcastles – with my Santa Claus outfit on.”

Showbiz Spy.com

Derek Hough Reveals Julianne’s ‘Dancing’ Plans

ET teamed up with KIIS-FM’s Jingle Ball to party with the biggest celebrities in music entertainment — including Derek Hough, who opens up about why his sister Julianne Hough may possibly be leaving “Dancing with the Stars.”

“I don’t think anyone is done dancing à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦ it’s always a part of us,” Derek tells ET’s Kevin Frazier about Julianne leaving the show to pursue country music. “Sometimes you just want to pursue something and try to build something.”

Kevin also caught up with Rihanna, Chris Brown, David Archuleta, Katy Perry, Jesse McCartney, Christina Milian and The Pussycat Dolls. Kevin even had a spontaneous visit from KIIS-FM morning show host himself, Ryan Seacrest.

ET Online

Have you heard anything on the new season of So You Think You Can Dance?

Sources tell me season-three favs Pasha Kovalev and Anya Garnis may be back to choreograph in the new season. Pasha already met up with the crew while they were auditioning in New York, but it all depends on their contracts for Nigel Lythgoe’s new reality series on Fox.

E Online