‘Idol’ Castoff I Got NO CLASS … But That’s About to Change – Former “American Idol” contestant and out-of-work substitute teacher Scott Dangerfield was booted from the show last week with ZERO job prospects — but TMZ has learned, the school where he used to work wants him back!!! Scott tells TMZ, he’s been on the hunt for a new teaching gig ever since he got the chop … but given the time of year, and the struggling job market, it’s an uphill battle. Scott’s been getting several job applications together since leaving the show — but HE CAN STOP NOW … because the principal at Riverside University High School in Milwaukee (where Dangerfield worked before “Idol”) wants to rehire him. – Read more at TMZ
Ruben Studdard Giant Tax Lien … Again – It’s never a good sign when a singer has had more tax liens than platinum albums — but that’s the situation former “American Idol” champ Ruben Studdard has found himself in … TMZ has learned. According to docs filed in Alabama, Studdard and his estranged wife Zuri owe $180,216.73 in federal taxes for the year 2009. Studdard is no stranger to tax problems in Alabama — he had a property lien filed against him back in 2008 to the tune of nearly $200,000. – Read more at TMZ
American Idol’s decline marks end of an era for broadcast TV – Idol’s decline this season marks more than just hiccups in an extraordinary run. For some observers, its sudden vulnerability, caused by a double-digit ratings plunge, signals the end of an era in which broadcast television could produce massive hits (think Cheers, Seinfeld and Friends) on a regular basis. Worn down by competing singing contests and audience fatigue, Idol is becoming one more casualty of the media fragmentation that makes television a smaller medium every year.
“This could be the first time in the history of broadcast television that there isn’t a regularly scheduled show—not counting sports—that averages 20 million viewers,” said Brad Adgate, director of research at Horizon Media. “[Network executives] used to say, ‘Cable can’t do this.’ Now broadcast can’t, either.” – Read more at Crains New York
Neil Patrick Harris, Jennifer Hudson, Cheyenne Jackson Set for Smith Center Opening Gala – Broadway veteran and Emmy Award winner Neil Patrick Harris will host the opening gala for the Smith Center for the Performing Arts in Las Vegas on Saturday, March 10, according to reports. The evening, which is being produced by George Stevens Jr. and Michael Stevens, is being taped for PBS. It will be directed and choreographed by Tony Award winner Rob Ashford. – Read more at Theatremania
