Idol Headlines for 12/26/13

Kellie Pickler serenades the troops in Afghanistan – And there’s Kellie Pickler, one of America’s most popular country music singers. She is a former “American Idol” finalist, a “Dancing With the Stars” winner and a 27-year-old who makes troops stutter and blush, even if they swear they’ve never seen the shows that made her famous. This is the 13th Christmas that U.S. troops have spent in Afghanistan, and for those in Kandahar this year, it is likely to be their last. An era of relentless wartime deployments will end after the U.S. troop withdrawal — now reaching a fever pitch — concludes late next year. – Read more at The Washington Post

Derek Hough joins ‘Dancing with the Stars’ cruise – The Nieuw Amsterdam will dance across the Caribbean next month when it welcomes Derek Hough, an Emmy Award-winning choreographer and star instructor from Dancing with the Stars. The seven-day cruise will also feature singer Joey Fatone, television personality Carson Kressley and professional dancers Sharna Burgess and Emma Slater. Dancers Tristan MacManus and Kym Johnson and singer-actress Sabrina Bryan will join both the Jan. 12 sailing and the ship’s previous trip on Jan 5. – Read more at USA Today

Lynn’s Alex Newell relishes ‘Unique’ role on ‘Glee’ – Alex Newell knows it’s supposed to be more difficult than this. The road to stardom is supposed to be paved with disappointments and heartaches before you hit the big time. “Yeah, I get reminded of it every day,” said Newell, who grew up in Lynn. It’s not his fault, though, if he’s rocketing to the top. Newell, 21, was one of the runners-up on the “Glee Project” in 2011, a reality TV show that won him two episodes on the hit show “Glee.” He was so good, though, that he now has a recurring role on the show as Wade “Unique” Adams, a male-to-female transgender teen who embraces her female identity through music. – Read more at The Boston Globe

About mj santilli 34893 Articles
Founder and editor of mjsbigblog.com, home of the awesomest fan community on the net. I love cheesy singing shows of all kinds, whether reality or scripted. I adore American Idol, but also love The Voice, Glee, X Factor and more!