The Hangover’s Ken Jeong joins the cast of Fox’s A Christmas Story Live! – The Hangover‘s Ken Jeong and Broadway star David Alan Grier (who made his movie/musical debut in 2015’s, The Wiz Live!) will join Jane Krakowski (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, 30 Rock) and Emmy Award nominee Chris Diamantopoulos (Good Girls Revolt, Silicon Valley, Episodes) for some festive fun. When the special airs this holiday season, Joong will play a Christmas tree salesman and a restaurant owner, while Grier will play the most coveted role of all: Santa Claus. Simon Cowell-managed boyband PRETTYMUCH will perform as the Hohman Indiana carolers. Read more at Entertainment Weekly
Danielle Bradbery on Personal New Album, Shedding ‘Voice’ Image – “I wasn’t a part of the writing on that first record,” she says. “So I know the feeling of singing something that’s not really you. The whole thing was very much Voice-driven. Afterwards, I wanted to sit down, without all the craziness, and ask myself, ‘Who is Danielle?'” “Now that I’ve gotten to be more hands-on with my music, there’s some soul and R&B woven into it,” Bradbery says. “Obviously, a lot of music is changing right now, but I didn’t want to do the whole pop-country thing. It kinda bugs me that I have to say that. I was like, ‘Let’s do R&B country!'” – Read more at Rolling Stone
Fantasia taps into Christmas memories on new album, tour – “I always wanted to do a Christmas album,” she says. “I would always go to the label and ask, ‘Why don’t I have a Christmas album?’ But God didn’t want me to do it then.” After a run on the RCA label, Fantasia (born Fantasia Barrino) is an independent artist on Concord Records. She was the Season 3 winner of “American Idol.” “I can do things I always wanted to do,” she says. “Not to down the label, but it was just time for me to go.” – Read more at St. Louis Dispatch
Kris Allen on AOL Build
Jordin Sparks Gives an Update on Her Pregnancy: ‘I’m Feeling Really Good’ – “I’m feeling really good,” Sparks, who spent the day at the Madison Square Boys & Girls Club’s Joel E. Smilow Clubhouse in the Bronx supporting U.S. Cellular’s The Future of Good campaign, told Us. “I haven’t had any morning sickness. Things have been good, but now I have just been hit with really random headaches every once in a while and I don’t know how to deal with them really because you take Tylenol. So that’s been new. Learning what I can and can’t have has kind of been a struggle. But other than that, it’s been great. I’m excited.” – Read more at US Magazine
‘Voice’ finalist releases first single – Jack Cassidy, the 2016 Westlake High grad who made a strong showing as part of Alicia Keys’ team on the 12th season of NBC’s “The Voice” earlier this year, drops his first single on Friday.Since he was eliminated from “The Voice” in April, Cassidy has been meeting with record labels and writing and recording songs with a variety of contemporary Christian hitmakers, including Hillsong Young and Free producer Michael Fatkin. He debuted some of his originals during a showcase set Oct. 12 at The Canyon in Agoura Hills. Cassidy will be the opening act on Christian singer Jeremy Camp’s midwest Christmas tour, which starts today in Minnesota. – Read more at ToAcorn
Connecting with Kelly Clarkson: How The Grammy Winner Wins By Being Herself – “I’ve never been more proud of a project, especially as a whole,” says the mom, who notes that the album is one that will allow her kids to hear “what Mama can do.” “The reins held me back a bit for a while, and this is the first time I was able to actually push myself vocally. [I] still [share] the intense, intimate kind of messages, but also I’m a grown woman, so it’s a different sound. I’m a mom of four and I’m a wife. I’m a president of a company—[I do] a lot of different things and all of those things kind of exude the messages on this album.” – Read more at Parade
American Idol’s Fradiani chats with Collegian – C: You were a non-country artist on Big Machine Records, a predominantly country music label. There was an amicable parting of ways between the two. What have you been up to since? NF: While I worked closely for multiple years with members of Big Machine, and was very close with CEO Scott Borchetta, it was definitely the right move for both parties to split. Since then I have finished my new EP, where I had full control over the music I felt I should be making. – Read more at LaSalle.edu
Former ‘American Idol’ runner up Crystal Bowersox talks upcoming performance in Athens – Bowersox hopes people feel more positive after hearing her album titled “Alive.” She stated her inspiration for the album came from getting through hard times. “It’s all about ups and downs and weathering the storms …There are songs on there … that are personal, and some songs that are just meant to make people feel good,” Bowersox said. “I think that my purpose in this world is to give people a safe space to cry and when folks come to a show, and you know, hopefully, they leave feeling better than when they got there.” Bowersox has had a busy touring schedule. – Read more at Red and Black
Blake Shelton Slams ‘Gossip’ He Had a Secret Meeting with Paul Ryan: ‘I Don’t Do Politics’ – Earlier this week, photos of the country superstar and his rocker girlfriend Gwen Stefani allegedly “meeting” with the Republican at Shelton’s restaurant Ole Red in Tishomingo spread on Twitter, causing the couple to receive criticism on social media. “Seriously.. Literally walked into a restaurant WITH MY FAMILY (including children, LOTS of children), bumped to a politician that I’ve never even met before, said hello and took picture (like I would try to do with anyone I meet who asks),” he wrote. – Read more at People
Val Chmerkovskiy on His Upcoming Memoir and Brother Maks: ‘I Owe a Lot of My Life to Him’ – With his upcoming memoir, I’ll Never Change My Name, Val Chmerkovskiy proves he’s just as adept with words as he is on the dance floor. Set for release in March 2018, the book will reveal his journey from a poor Ukrainian immigrant to a professional dancer on Dancing with the Stars. “I’ve arrived at a point in my life that called for some reflection. I feel a sense of gratitude and hindsight that I can use to help others,” the 31-one-year old star reveals in an exclusive interview with PEOPLE. (See the new cover below.) “With this memoir I finally have my own platform outside of Dancing with the Stars, outside of being a brother, outside of the person the world has come to know through a television screen, to share my story my way.” – Read more at People
