Update Part Deux: According to Ken Barnes of USAToday, Katharine will hold a press conference tomorrow in NYC:
Tomorrow, Katharine will be in New York for a press conference built around what a press release calls a “Big Sexy announcement.” I doubt that means she’s telling the world she’s marrying her boyfriend or anything; Big Sexy makes hairspray, mousse, shampoo, etc., so I’d say it’s a safe assumption we’re talking sponsorship deal.
I’m also hearing that she’ll appear on Access Hollywood and Extra! tomorrow night to address the gossip and rumors swirling around her absence. As Ken Barnes says, “Stay Tuned”…
thanks soma and the other awesome commenters who have contributed to this report.
Update: According to Access Hollywood Katharine will not only guest-host The View on Thursday, but will also perform her single “Over the Rainbow”. Also, I’m hearing that The View is now promo-ing Katharine’s upcoming appearance.
Katharine McPhee Watch
According to Peisha McPhee, Katharine’s mom, Katharine will be guest-hosting The View on Thursday and joining her fellow idols on tour Thursday night in Pittsburgh, PA. You can read about it at Katharinefans.com. Peisha says, “She will be taping the new Dr. Keith Ablow show in NYC on Wed. and the View on Thursday and joining the tour that night.”
As of this posting, Katharine is still not listed as Thursday’s guest-host on The View’s website.
Katharine McPhee discussed on Scarborough Country
On last night’s MSNBC’s Scarborough Country, fill-in host Rita Cosby featured a panel discussing Katharine’s absence from the tour. You can watch a clip here.
The segment, called “Where is Katharine McPhee?” opens with Cosby asking, “Well send out the search party everybody, because American Idol runner-up Katharine McPhee has gone missing…well sort of. McPhee has missed all 16 American Idol tour dates so far since the tour started on July 5 and there are lots of theories floating around about why she has been a no-show. Is she turning her back on Idol?”
Cosby introduces Bex Schwartz, Pop Culture commentator on VH1, Jill Dobson, from Star Magazine and Season 4 Idol contestant Jessica Sierra.
Doubts are raised by Schwartz and Sierra about what’s really going on with Katharine. Dobson, on the other hand claims that Star Magazine “investigated” the story and she firmly believes that Katharine is really suffering from a severe bout of bronchitis/laryngitis. Everybody agrees that it might have been a good idea for Katharine to show up on some tour stops to greet her fans, even if she couldn’t sing.
The questions around Katharine’s absence, at this point, have definitely entered the mainstream media as a story. It’s a good thing she’s finally joining the tour this week. However, joining the tour just in time to meet the President on Friday will seem like convenient timing to the AI skeptics. I don’t think the rumor mill will stop churning just yet.
Luckily, the American public tends to have a short attention span. If Katharine can wow the audiences once she finally joins the tour, she should be able to put the negative press behind her.