Idol Headlines for 7/3/08

‘American Idol’ Davids together again

The dynamic duo from the seventh season of “American Idol” arrives in San Jose next week.

The two talented Davids, along with the show’s other top contestants, will perform Tuesday at HP Pavilion on the “American Idols Live” tour. Before it kicked off, “Idol” winner David Cook and runner-up David Archuleta participated in a telephone news conference, and here are excerpts:

David Cook

Right now, Cook says he’s thinking about the future, especially what kind of album he’d like to make. “I think it’s going to be a mixture of my writing and, hopefully, writing with some other people, ” he says. Cook says his first album will definitely be a rock recording, adding, “I just want to make a record that’s going to make the hair on the back of your neck stand up.”

Mercury News.com

Live Review: American Idols Live in Glendale, AZ

It’s pretty sketchy when the “opening act” of a concert is a giant strawberry/blueberry Pop-Tart dancing to Akon’s “Smack That.” It’s safe to say things can only go up from there.

But, for the most part, the opening night of the “Pop-Tarts Presents American Idols Live [ tickets ]!” tour Tuesday (7/1) at Glendale, AZ’s Jobing.com Arena surpassed expectations. Rousing performances by Top 10 finalists Michael Johns, Arizona’s Brooke White, runner-up David Archuleta and winner David Cook highlighted the three-hour show.

livedaily

Live from AZ The Tour Begins

In the hallway, I ran into Chikezie Eze, holding a surgical mask in his hand. He tells me, somewhat abashed, that he just had …a little tic in his throat and is …just being extra careful.

Onstage, the band and crew runs through the set of the greatest performer in “Idol” history, Carly Smithson, with the choreographer Stacy Walker standing in for the singer. With its 12, 700 seats empty, the hall seems unthinkably vast, the idea of a lone person holding it in rapt attention impossible. As they finish the run through for Carly, an announcer intones …No. Five. Brooke White. A piano rises from below onto the stage at which the lady herself is seated singing …Let It Be, which she performs beautifully for the empty house.

LA Times

Reporter Mentions Wordnerds While Talking to David Cook

A FOX reporter in Phoenix interviewed American Idol, David Cook, before the American Idols Live Tour in Glendale, Arizona on Tuesday night.

Cook gave her a pretty obvious hint about what he was going to sing. And, the reporter mentioned him being a “wordnerd.” It’s a term that has become synonymous with Cook’s fans.

You can watch the interview here.

My Fox KC.com

American Idol Tour, David Cook, Hit YouTube

GLENDALE, ARIZ. — It didn’t take long for shaky video and scratchy audio to hit YouTube of the American Idols Live! Tour. The Idols tour kicked off in Glendale, Arizona Tuesday night. David Cook sang “Billie Jean” among others. The AI tour is coming to Kansas City August 29 and 30 at the Sprint center. Tickets are still available. You can see some of the video of Cook’s performance below.

My Fox KC.com

American Idol Season 5 Winner Taylor Hicks a Hit on Broadway

…Grease has been extremely popular, largely in part to Hicks performances.

Taylor Hicks, the season five winner of the wildly popular reality program, American Idol, is currently playing Teen Angel in the Broadway performance of Grease. Though reviews for the musical have been far from positive, it has been an extremely strong commercial success thus far.

The New York Post is reporting that Hicks appearances have been worth an astounding $150, 000 in extra ticket sales per week. The American Idol star summer gig not only includes singing, but has also featured Hicks playing the harmonica on stage.

The Celebrity Cafe

Joey Barnes: “I’ll always be the same dude”

Joey Barnes doesn’t live his life like most rock stars. The drummer for Daughtry still spends a great deal of his down time in the ‘Boro. He travels sans entourage, his face bare of identity-shielding shades indoors. He drives a Honda, not a tricked-out Hummer. It seems a smash hit album, tour and even a couple Grammy nominations haven’t changed this Greensboro native much.

Go Triad.com

UNICEF Ambassador, Clay Aiken, says organization is making a difference in Somalia despite difficult circumstances

A five-day visit to north-west Somalia (the self-declared republic of ‹Somaliland) has UNICEF Ambassador, Clay Aiken, moved by the work that UNICEF is doing under challenging circumstances. ‹In a country that better known for conflict, insecurity, drought and floods, it truly remarkable that UNICEF is still able to make a difference to the health, education and well-being of Somali children said Aiken.

The ambassador traveled to Hargeisa, Gabiley and Boroma to see first-hand, UNICEF-supported projects to promote child health, safe water, sanitation and hygiene, primary education, child protection and girls empowerment.

reliefweb.int

Photo Coverage: Radio Broadway After Show Party At Heartland

On June 30, 2008 BroadwayWorld.com and Radio Broadway presented “The Radio Hits of 1958” featured a variety of Broadway stars in addition to American Idol’s Constantine Maroulis and alumni from American Bandstand. The event was held at the Town Hall, Times Square’s landmark concert venue.

Principal singers included Max von Essen (Dance Of The Vampires, Jesus Christ Superstar, Les Miserables), Jennifer Hope Wills (The Phantom Of The Opera, Wonderful Town, The Woman In White), Nancy Anderson (Wonderful Town, A Class Act), John Treacy Egan (The Producers, Jekyll & Hyde, The Little Mermaid), and Lawrence Clayton (The Civil War, Jesus Christ Superstar, Dreamgirls). The evening was hosted by Raymond Jaramillo McLeod (Drama Desk Award nominee ‘ Wonderful Town). American Idol’s Constantine Maroulis was a special guest star.

Broadway World.com

Here’s who’s coming to the State Theatre

Dec. 3: Four ”American Idol” finalists sing holiday numbers, including David Hernandez (12th this year), Kimberly Caldwell (Season 2), Diana DeGarmo (Season 3), Constantine Maroulis (Season 4). Musical direction by ”Idol’s” Michael Orland. ($40, $35)

McCall.com

AT&T Launches ‘American Idol’ Framerz

ust in time for tonight’s first performance by the Top 12 contestants, AT&T Inc. announced today the launch of American Idol Framerz, an AT&T exclusive application designed to bring customers a snap closer to the Idol experience. With American Idol Framerz, AT&T customers can frame their favorite pictures within an “American Idol” setting and receive the finished product on their phone in a multimedia message (MMS).

American Idol Framerz by AT&T has a frame for each of the Top 12 contestants, as well as other Idol-branded images, allowing users to place their photo in their favorite Idol setting. And if their friend or family member is a bigger Idol fan than they are, they can just as easily frame and share photographs of others, too.

Market Research

Macy’s ‘Fireworks’ & vocal pyrotechnics, too!

This year’s musical lineup for the “Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular” includes not one but two “American Idol” alums, and executive producer Robin Hall couldn’t think of a more perfect venue for them to show off their talent.

Jordin Sparks and Katherine McPhee “wanted their opportunity [to shine], ” and that’s the basis of this country, Hall said. “And they’ve thrived and they’ve grown and done great things, just like this century has in a lot of ways.”

“They’re living the American dream, ” added “Spectacular” co-host Tiki Barber.

Barber, along with NBC “Today” national correspondent Natalie Morales, will host the country’s 232nd birthday extravaganza tomorrow at 9 p.m. on WNBC/Ch. 4. In addition to Sparks and McPhee, the night’s musical lineup includes country music star Kenny Chesney, Gavin DeGraw and Natasha Bedingfield.

NY Daily News

Celebrating Independence With Concerts, Fireworks

A CAPITOL FOURTH : Actor Jimmy Smits hosts. Performers include Huey Lewis and the News, Taylor Hicks, Jerry Lee Lewis and the National Symphony Orchestra; Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture, ” with cannon fire, 8 p.m. Fireworks, 9:10 p.m. Concert on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol, East Capitol and First streets; fireworks on the Washington Monument grounds, Independence Avenue and 15th Street NW. 202-619-7222.

Washington Post

A TV legacy starting for Utah dancers?

After thousands of wannabes, six audition cities and three eliminations, Utah’s fab four are holding their own on Fox’s “So You Think You Can Dance?” On Thursday’s show, the remaining 14 dancers will be whittled to 12 based on their performances Wednesday, bringing some – or all – of the Utahns a step closer to winning the title of America’s favorite dancer and $250, 000.
Here’s were they currently stand in the competition: Chelsie Hightower, 18, of Pleasant Grove, and partner Mark consistently receive high praise and positive feedback from the judges. Thayne Jasperson, 27, of Salt Lake City, was in the bottom two last week and his partner, Chelsea T., was eliminated. Now he will dance with Comfort. Matt Dorame, of Salt Lake, and Kourtni L. finally earned kudos for their contemporary dance last week, after a series of lukewarm comments. And Gev Manoukian, 21, also from Salt Lake, and his partner Courtney G., have drawn praise and criticism but appear to be liked by the judges.

Salt Lake Tribune

‘So You Think You Can Dance’: Twice is nice

On tonight’s So You Think You Can Dance, our delightful host Cat Deeley is wearing a dress that is simultaneously ugly and cute and Tabitha & Napoleon Dumo join the judges panel with Mary and Nigel. Also, we get treated to two numbers from each couple. Yay!

Zap2it.com

Canadian Idol Recap – Tuesday

Shaking things up once again, tonight results show had the judges pick their four favourite singers from the previous two nights for encore performances.

Farley picks Theo Tams to sing …Collide again. Zack has Amberly Thiessen perform …Everything I Own. …Not only is she an incredibly true artist, but for me when Im trying to think about what an Idol could be, she radiates the kind of lifestyle that people can buy into, says Zack.

Jake picks Oliver Pigott to sing …Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word. And no surprise, after receiving a standing ovation last night, Sass picks Omar Lunan to sing …Aint No Sunshine.

And POP

Talent puts locals in Idol hunt

If you pay attention to Canadian Idol, you may remember executive producer John Brunton’s tongue-lashing of Toronto residents last year.

It was disgraceful, he complained, that Torontonians didn’t show more support for their hometown contestants. This, the day after three Toronto competitors were eliminated from the Idol Top 22 (one of the three who remained, Martha Joy, went on to the Top 10 but was voted off three weeks in).

The Star

Canadian Idol: And then there were 16

Keeping with the more music format of the program, on Wednesday’s show, Canadian Idol gave us a new twist: the judges’ encore. Personally, I think this is a great idea. It’s reminiscent of the Dancing with the Stars judges’ encore of the best dance from the competition. But with DWTS, dancers are sent home based on the lowest scores combining the viewers’ votes and the judges’ votes. On Idol, it’s just the viewers that send people home. Now, if someone gets an encore and then is eliminated, at least they still can leave with a bit of confidence in themselves as a performer. The judges’ encore also gives the singers the extra motivation to do well in their performance in the hopes that they will be chosen for the encore. Let’s hope this continues.

National Post

About mj santilli 34858 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!