Idol Headlines For 2/22/08

Last hired, first fired on ‹American Idol

The last two singers selected to be among the 24 semifinalists were among the first to be eliminated, as …American Idol began the unpleasant business of whittling down the larger group on Thursday results show.

On last week selection show, Joanne Borgella became the final woman picked to sing this week, and Colton Berry the 12th man. But ultimately, all that bought them was an extra week, as the viewing audience heard them sing, looked at the telephone, and then went to bed instead of calling in their votes.

MSNBC

”American Idol”: Four-Flusher

The first cut is the deepest, as the old Cat Stevens song goes.

Then again, if Cat Stevens had been writing about the first elimination episode of American Idol’s seventh season, he’d have been completely and utterly wrong, seeing how the initial four eliminations didn’t even leave a surface wound tonight. Sure, Amy Davis, Joanne Borgella, Garrett Haley, and Colton Berry all seem like sweet, likable ‘  or, well, at least blandly inoffensive ‘  folks. But anyone who’s planning to tune in to Fox two or three nights a week for the next 13 weeks couldn’t have been crying like Ramiele Malubay or Asia’h Epperson at any point during tonight’s program.

Entertainment Weekly

More Idol Headlines After the Jump

American Idol: Top 20 Revealed

Take a last look at that picture because a year from now you won’t even remember four of their names. But which four? Tonight was the first viewer-voted elimination and we had to say goodbye to the bottom two boys and the bottom two girls. It’s also the first really live show as the previous two were pre-recorded for time considerations.

TV Squad

Recap: First four ‘American Idol’ eliminations

Just one more hour until the first batch of American Idol eliminations are announced and just 60 minutes til a week of flu-addled Idol recapping is complete. Better health next week, but til then, join me for a minute-by-minute tour of Thursday (Feb. 21) night’s show.

zap2it

Girls night out on ‘Idol’

Here we go with the most excruciating hour of the week. That’s right, an hour, to tell four people they’re going home. Of course, who could blame the network? They could slap the “American Idol” logo on a test pattern and still win the timeslot against almost any competition.

So how do they fill the hour?

Variety

For Web master, it’s a new season picking best of ‘Idol’ worst

Thursday’s “American Idol” results show was a big event for Dave Della Terza.

He’s not competing on the hit Fox talent show, but his influence was never tested more.

As Web master of the popular and irreverent anti-“American Idol” site votefortheworst.com, Della Terza has played kingmaker and dream-crusher during the past five seasons. Most famously, the 25-year-old part-time teacher at College of DuPage launched a campaign that garnered the universally panned Sanjaya Malakar a seventh-place finish last year and made the young performer a household name.

Daily Herald

OSU’s Idol Kyle Ensley to appear Friday on ‘Ellen’ TV show

Ensley, a 22-year-old Oklahoma State University student from Valliant, narrowly missed making the “American Idol” top 24. But he was a fan favorite from the start, when he told producers and judges at his audition that he hopes to someday become governor of Oklahoma.

Judge Simon Cowell strongly disagreed with the decision to cut Ensley from the top 24, and apparently, so did Ellen DeGeneres.

Ensley will appear as a guest on her show at 3 p.m. Friday on KJRH, channel 2 (cable channel 9), along with scheduled guests Ellen Page, the Oscar-nominated star of “Juno” and car racing star Danica Patrick.

Tulsa World

Ramiele, the Pinoy Idol

If you havent heard about Ramiele Malubay yet, you will very, very soon. And she not going to be sprung on you as a surprise witness in any Senate investigation, thank God.

Ramiele is a 20-year-old Filipino-American singing sensation from Miramar, Florida who has been chosen to the final 24 of the top-rated US television singing competition …American Idol. And if you dont follow …AI, now on its seventh season and the highest-rating show in the US after the Super Bowl and the Academy Awards, then perhaps it time you hit YouTube and watch Ramiele. (No YouTube? Cant help you.)

Manila Standard Today

Filipino community cheers ‘Idol’ hopeful from Miramar

She’s got the look. She’s got the voice. And for Filipino Americans across South Florida, she’s got the vote.

Ramiele Malubay, 20, of Miramar, is the latest American Idol darling. The young Asian-American caught the judges’ attention Wednesday night during the women’s semifinals, earning high praise from even the finicky Simon Cowell, who said she “out-sung every single person.”

Sun-Sentinal

DeRosa dials up support for ‘Idol’ singer

Mark DeRosa is a big “American Idol” fan these days because Michael Johns, a singer he heard several years ago in a small Atlanta area bar is one of the contestants. And DeRosa is hoping Cubs fans will vote for the Australian.

“I met him about seven years ago in Atlanta, ” DeRosa said. “He was singing in a bar in Buckhead, Ga., and me and my wife went to hang out with a couple friends. He started singing, and I turned to my wife and I said, ‘He’s one of the best singers I’ve ever heard.'”

MLB

‘American Idol’ Redux: You’ve Heard It All Before

“American Idol” has returned to the airwaves, and after six seasons of cabaret-caliber singing and the occasional breakout superstar (think Carrie Underwood), the new season is all about originality. At least that’s what the judges say. The caustic Simon Cowell wants someone “fresh” and “current.” But the new Top 12 Guys look pretty familiar.

ABC News

Stage Review Monty Python’s Spamalot

One of the Monty Python team’s favored ways to end a sketch was to have Graham Chapman don military garb and declare that matters had become too ”silly.” Alas, Chapman might have approved of Clay Aiken’s stint in Spamalot, the hilarious, Tony-winning musical version of the 1975 movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

The American Idol runner-up ‘  appearing until May 4 as the cowardly Sir Robin ‘  is too tentative, withdrawn, and, well, un-silly for a gloriously berserk retelling of Arthurian legend that features vicious hand puppets, absurdly rude Frenchmen, and fourth-wall-demolishing riffs about the Great White Way. To be fair, Aiken handles Robin’s big ”You Won’t Succeed on Broadway” number well enough that it doesn’t become a self-fulfilling prophecy. He also has a good deal of fun in two smaller comic parts, the idiotic Guard 1 and Brother Maynard, keeper of the ”Holy Hand Grenade.”

Entertainment Weekly

Nashville Rolls Out Seven Citywide Music Events – Music City To Showcase All Events In April

Here is just a sample of details regarding this year star-studded, chart-topping, month-long extravaganza:

Awesome April Kick Off and 103 WKDF Birthday Bash’ For the fourth year, Nashville premier country music station will officially launch Awesome April with a spectacular concert March 30 at the Sommet Center. With performers Lee Brice, Bucky Covington, Stephen Cochran, Trailer Choir, Marshal Reign, Randy Owen of Alabama and the launch of Restless Heart 25th Anniversary tour already confirmed, the Awesome April Kick Off and 103 WKDF Birthday Bash will get the month off to a good start. The concert starts at 7p.m. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster beginning February 23.

Travel Video

Idol Finalist Phil Stacey Comes Home

Phil Stacey was back in town today and showing songs from a new album.
Here’s a sample from his Lee University Concert this morning.

Stacey made it to the top 6 of American Idol last year on the contest. He says singing on Idol has prepared him for his career.

He says his faith in God has kept him going and ever since he has been very busy with musical performances.

Newschannel 9

Sevendust New Studio Album Chapter VII: Hope & Sorrow, With Special Guest Appearances By Chris Daughtry And Members Of Alter Bridge

On April 1, 7Bros. Records in conjunction with Warner Music Group Independent Label Group are set to release Sevendust seventh studio release titled, Chapter VII: Hope & Sorrow. Produced by Sean Groove, Morgan Rose & John Connolly in Atlanta, GA at Tree Sounds Studios. Hope & Sorrow will be their second release on the band wholly owned record label.

For the first time since Animosity (2001), the band has collaborated with outside artists. Chris Daughtry, a longtime fan of Sevendust’s, will appear on the album as well as members of Alter Bridge. Chris Daughtry appears on the track “The Past” while Mark Tremonti of Alter Bridge guests on “Hope” and Miles Kennedy of Alter Bridge on “Sorrow.” Sevendust felt bringing in some outside friends added a healthy dynamic for the project. Additionally, the band has signed on new management and feels like is a fresh new beginning for 2008.

The Gauntlet

Reba McEntire Lauds Kelly Clarkson

Reba McEntire and Kelly Clarkson recently completed their unique 2 Worlds 2 Voices Tour, and the results were excellent for everyone concerned. The concert took a unique approach: Instead of having Kelly open for Reba, the two stayed on stage together and served up duet versions of their songs. They reportedly sold out every date along the way, playing to more than 125, 000 people during their 15 concerts.

Reba became a fan of Kelly way back during the first season of American Idol, and they ended up singing together on an Idol TV special and on the album Reba Duets. But her vocal work is not the only thing about Kelly that impresses Reba.

GAC

Taylor Hicks returns home, ready to receive award from Alabama Music Hall of Fame

Give Taylor Hicks a plate of Birmingham barbecue and he’s a happy man. Give Hicks, 31, an award from the Alabama Music Hall of Fame, and he’s happy about that, too.
ABC/Courtesy of Everett CollectionTaylor Hicks
The Hoover-born singer, foodie and 2006 “American Idol” winner will receive the America’s Music Award on Friday in Montgomery, at the hall of fame’s annual induction and awards ceremony. Hicks will share that accolade with Angela Hacker of LaGrange, the 2007 winner of the “Nashville Star” TV show.

AL.com

Standing-room-only Ramstein crowd sings along with ‹American Idol graduate Yamin

RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany ‘  Jessica Bertschy skipped watching …American Idol on TV Wednesday to see an American Idol perform live.

The Air Force spouse has seen every season of the popular show and doesnt plan to stop watching ‘  even if Elliott Yamin, the third-place finisher in Season 5, was in town.

…Im missing (…American Idol on TV) tonight, but Im going to watch the replay on Saturday, said Bertschy, who was the first person in line at 5:15 p.m. for the 8 p.m. concert.

Stripes.com

Mandisas star still rising

Winter Jam, the annual Christian music mega-tour, stops in at the Colonial Center on Friday, Feb. 22. MercyMe, Skillet, BarlowGirl and NewSong are co-headlining.

And so is Mandisa, the former …American Idol contestant who might get the loudest cheers. Mandisa was a finalist on …Idol season five, the year Taylor Hicks won. But unlike Hicks, who was dropped by his record company, and runner-up Katharine McPhee, Mandisa continues to soar.

The State

Winter Jam 2008 Attracts More Fans Than Ever Before

The Winter Jam Tour Spectacular is Christian music’s largest annual musical tour and in 2008 they are bringing in more fans than ever before, with attendance trending 20 percent ahead of last year. In just six weeks, over 194, 000 fans have come out to see the tour, while they have also seen a 32 percent increase of people making decisions for Christ. This year is the biggest show yet, bringing in Platinum selling artists such as MercyMe, Skillet, BarlowGirl, NewSong, American Idol’s Mandisa and Connersvine featuring Indianapolis Colt, Hunter Smith.

CMSpin

Oversized show strains civic center, upsets fans

A sold-out room, a huge stage show and multiple ticket-sale Web sites combined to create a logistical nightmare on Feb. 16 at the Roanoke Civic Center.

About 150 people who bought floor-seat tickets for the Keith Urban/Carrie Underwood concert wound up elsewhere in the building. Some had to stand through the show and were not happy about it. But a civic center spokeswoman said that facility employees did the best they could with a bad situation that required lots of last-minute work with the city fire marshal.

“We tried so hard to appease people, and we took a beating, ” said Robyn Schon, the venue’s assistant director of facilities. “When they say you’ve got to roll with the punches, I literally know what they mean.”

Roanoke.com

Carrie Underwood, Sugarland join State Fair summer lineup

The 2008 edition of the Indiana State Fair has added two concerts to a star-studded summer for country music in Indianapolis.

Carrie Underwood will perform Aug. 8 at the Grandstand, and Sugarland will perform Aug. 12.
Former “American Idol” champion Underwood won a Grammy Award earlier this month in the category of best female country vocal performance. Sugarland has sold more than 4 million copies of its albums “Twice the Speed of Life” and “Enjoy the Ride.”
Tickets for Underwood’s show are priced at $75.50, $57.50 and $40.50.

Indystar.com

‘American Idol’: Chris Sligh Rates the Top 12 Women

Standing in the Coke Room, waiting to line up on the stairs…It may be the most nerve-racking experience one goes through on American Idol. The stage manager, Debbie, comes out to get you in line, you hear the cheesy music start, and Ryan begins the monologue you have heard two or three times already and are reading off the teleprompter with him, silently pinching yourself to make sure that this is, indeed, real.

And, boom, the show starts. Your throat is dry, your stomach is turning, and, if you’re the first one to sing, your world stops as they play the video behind you that you saw for the first time two hours before in dress rehearsal. Hopefully the video doesn’t choke you up, because when it ends, you start singing. Once you are on that stage and the music starts, you’re probably okay. It’s the waiting that kills you.

Entertainment Weekly

American Idol Lip-Syncing: The New iTunes Business Model

It appears that at least one American Idol 7 contestant, Michael Johns, lip synced his performance on the Top 12 boys performance Tuesday night.

But why? The answer could be very simple: iTunes downloads. But first, the video of Michael Johns lip-sync:

youtube.com: Michael Johns – ‹Light My Fire
Start watching at 1:40. Around 1:50, Johns mouth is turned away from the mic, yet the vocals remain at a steady level.

Phillyburbs

American Idol Washing Up Liquid

The Powers That Be sure back loaded this episode. There were few remarkable performers among the first eight singers. It was not until we got to number nine that the ladies made themselves forces with which to be reckoned.

Here were the performances:

Phillyburbs

American Idol: Handicapping the girls

Tuesday night, the boys debuted on the world stage with a night of performances that were largely unexceptional, with two huge exceptions and two medium-size ones. Wednesday night, we met the girls with the question hanging over the stage: Did any of the ladies have the magic to go head-to-head with Archuleta and Johns? Your tip sheet on the women of Season 7 follows.

LATimes

Idol banter: A tough night for the ladies

Well, that was painful. Girls’ night on “Idol” suffered from a traveling flu, and a bigger case of almost everybody trying too hard. This year’s women performers have great buzz — in some karaoke universe, anyway, where personality is defined by number of notes “blown” (to use Randy’s tasteless honorific) and qualities such as rhythmic sense or emotional nuance have no weight. But in the real world — even the plasticine corner where “Idol” takes place — nervous imitation, however cheerily executed, doesn’t get you far. That’s what I saw from the ladies tonight.

LA Times

‘American Idol’ Recap: Alaina, Asia’h, Amanda, Ramiele Show The Boys How It’s Done

“This evening it’s all about girl power.”

No, Posh Spice wasn’t a guest judge. Ryan Seacrest was merely suggesting that the top 12 girls were about to show the boys how properly to entertain home viewers. (Luke Menard thought to himself, “Wait. Trembling like a wet cat and singing like a eunuch isn’t good TV?”)

Seacrest immediately went on to say that even “Idol” contestants get the flu, so the chances of squawky notes and vomiting shot up to 85 percent. (Normally, Paula’s presence puts the number at around 33.) So, basically Seacrest said the women would knock our socks off, except the ones that wouldn’t be able to sing. “Idol” was schizo Wednesday night.

MTV

‘American Idol’: Where the Girls Are

Wednesday evening is all about girl power, “American Idol” host Ryan Seacrest says. The 12 girls quickly divide into two camps: the good performers and the non-good performers, who, it seems, are victims of mean old nerves and mean old colds, possibly the worst flu in the history of the country. Really, it’s tragic.

Like Kristy Lee Cook, who’s getting her just deserts for having hocked “my really good barrel horse” to raise money for her audition trip to Philly — because apparently she blew through all the money she got for that recording contract she once had.

Washington Post

American Idol Continues its Long Trip Through the Sixties

Last night’s American Idol concluded this year’s installment of ’60s week, this time with the top 12 women taking on the favorite songs of oldies stations and baby boomers around the country. After the jump, Google Trends brings you last night’s top five Idol-performed songs and top, um, halves of a performer (as of 7:30 a.m. ET).

Idolator

‘Idol’ Rolls On

A two-hour …American Idol, growing 13% from last week, gave Fox a Wednesday win with an 11.1 in the 18- to 49-year-old demo, according to preliminary Nielsen stats.

…Idol beat up on the competition, giving Fox the nightly win with an 11.1, 44% better than the rest of the nets averages combined.

SWEEPS TRACKER:
The nets are more than two-thirds of the way through the February sweeps. According to the most recent Nielsen numbers (through Feb. 18, or day 19 of sweeps), Fox is heads and tails above the rest of the pack with a 7.2 average in the 18-49 demo.

Why? Well, a little event called the Super Bowl might have something to do with it. NBC and ABC are tied for second with a 2.5. CBS, which had the Super Bowl last year, has a 2.3. The CW is fifth with a 0.9.

TV Week

About mj santilli 34829 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!