Nigel Lythgoe tweets, “Wow we have a real problem with our “Wall” and this has got to be the longest dress run in the history of #AmericanIdol.”
‘American Idol’ is like ‘The Hunger Games,’ says Heejun Han – “We really wanted to go watch ‘Hunger Games,’ but we just realized ‘American Idol’ is the same thing as ‘Hunger Games’ anyway,” he reveals. Wait — is Heejun saying that Season 11’s big twist is that the ol’ heave-ho from America means the singers get brutally murdered? Not literally — just emotionally, Han says. (Phew.) – Read more at Zap2it
American Idol’s Heejun Han Is Planning Something “Crazy!” Plus, Who Doesn’t Know Who Billy Joel Is? – First, we had to ask all the contestants, since they are so young, if they even knew who Billy Joel was when producers announced his songs were this week’s theme. Billy Joel fans, you may want to avert your eyes. “Not at all,” Jessica Sanchez says when we ask if she’s familiar with the “Piano Man” singer. “When they said his name, I was like, ‘Who’s this guy?'” “I knew of his music, so I just didn’t know who he was,” DeAndre Brackensick tells us. – Read more at Eonline
‘American Idol’: San Jose’s DeAndre Brackensick looks to stay in his comfort zone – “It’s confusing at times,” Brackensick says of the conflicting advice he sometimes gets on the show. “… But at the end of the day, you’ve got to go with what you feel is best for you — what’s in your heart.” Brackensick admits that he was pretty anxious singing “that frickin’ song” last week and won’t make the same mistake again. “I was so nervous and sweaty that I thought the microphone was going to slip out of my hands,” he recalls. That said, Brackensick, 17, insists he’s having a blast on “Idol” and learning a thing or two about himself in the process. Read more at MercuryNews
‘American Idol’: Joshua Ledet will perform nude for Billy Joel week (KIDDING) – “It feels so good to get that feedback from the people, but it’s also a tough challenge just knowing you have to live up to that bar and to keep improving each week,” he explains. “It’s like, how do you beat that? Because I feel like I gave my all in that performance and just knowing that I have to do something better each week, it’s very tough.” Don’t feel sorry for the singer, though. He’s got something up his sleeve to rival that slick jacket removal: nudity. – Read more at Zap2it
‘American Idol’: Elise Testone on being in the bottom 3 … again – “The bad feedback from the week before,” really hurt her despite her great reviews from that week’s performance, she tells Zap2it. “That was one of the first impressions, and that’s hard to take away.” Besides — she had a feeling she would be on the bottom again. “Once they called us all up there, I was like ‘Oh, I’m probably going to be sitting in that stool,'” she says. “I think my personality type needs to grow on you. I think at first, people don’t really know how to take me. And then as they get to know me, it seems they’ll fall in love with my personality more. Hopefully. But I think it was too soon. I think I have a good chance this week.” – Read more at Zap2it
How ‘American Idol’ can make things more fair for the girls – This has not been a great stretch for the women of “American Idol.” Men have won the crown four years in a row. While the first two singers to leave this season were male, one was kicked off for his past behavior and the other was a judges’ choice who may or may not have actually received the fewest number of votes. Last week, the first where everyone competed against each other and not just their own gender, the bottom three vote-getters were women. – Read more at The Clicker
“American Idol” Reject Shannon Magrane Says Joshua Ledet’s the One to Watch; Reveals Tyler Remark Was Edited for Effect – “All the contestants are really surprising,” Shannon tells ABC News Radio, “but I think, every single week, who surprises me the most every single time is Joshua…he comes out on stage with a big bang, and a big punch in the face, like ‘Whoa! You still have more?'” She adds, “He’s so good, I can’t wait to look for more out of him.” Wednesday night, the contestants will sing the music of Billy Joel , so we’ll see what Joshua picks. – Read more at ABC News Radio
Idology: Shannon Magrane on ‘Pageant’ Dresses, Hip-Hop Music and J.Lo’s Tough Critiques – Season 11?s eleventh-place finisher dropped by Idology HQ to discuss her love of classic soul music, her choice of an obscure Kathy Troccoli ballad for the semifinal rounds, and the horror she felt when she forgot the lyrics to Blu Cantrell’s “Hit ‘Em Up Style (Oops!)” during her group performance during Hollywood Week. Plus, Shannon talks about her Flo Rida connection, her decision to scale Mt. Mariah, and Jennifer Lopez’s use of “Sweet Baby.” Press play below for the full Q&A, and for all my Idol news, interviews, and recaps, follow me on Twitter @MichaelSlezakTV! – See the Video at TV Line
VIDEO: What Does Idol’s Shannon Magrane Really Think About Steven Tyler’s Flirting? – Watch the video below for Magrane’s explanation of “hairography” and more from our Idol lightning round. – Watch the Video at TV Guide
Carrie Underwood Twitter Posts Will Never Be ‘Real Personal’ – “Where I keep the real personal stuff is on the fan club site, the blogs and things like that,” she explains (quote via the Country Vibe). “I don’t tweet like 23 times a day like some people do. I’ve had to think about who I’m going to follow because that person tweets too much and I don’t want to follow ’em. It’s important to me to use it more as a tool.” – Read more at The Boot
Katharine McPhee: Smashing Smile – Katharine McPhee smiles and waves while on the set of her new hit show Smash on Monday (March 19) in New York City. On the next day, the 27-year-old actress also stopped by as co-host on ABC’s The View where she spoke about her new show and her struggles with body image. See the Photos at Just Jared
Constantine Maroulis Signs On for MCC’s Miscast 2012 Benefit Gala – Tony Award nominee Constantine Maroulis will appear at MCC’s Miscast 2012 gala. MCC’s annual gala features actors performing songs from roles in which they would never be cast. The actor joins previously announced stars Norm Lewis, Jan Maxwell, Nicole Parker, The Book of Mormon stars Josh Gad and Rory O’Malley, Jonathan Groff, Nikki M. James and Smash’s Megan Hilty. The evening will take place on March 26 at the Hammerstein Ballroom and is hosted by comedian Lewis Black. – Read more at Broadway.com
Simon Cowell On One Direction And Future Hosts On The “X Factor” – The mastermind behind U.K. sensation One Direction, Simon Cowell talked with Hot 95.7/Houston about the band’s inception. Of all the bands he has mentored and discovered over the years, he said he is most excited to be behind their career. “These are five boys who entered X Factor U.K. two years ago in 2010 but they had entered the show as solo artists,” he said. “I decided at the last minute to put them into a group and I’ve got a feeling that they’re going to debut at No. 1 tomorrow.” Read more at 104.1
Simon Cowell Says One Direction Creating ‘Pop Boom’ – “We’ve been missing this kind of pop boom for a while and I think this is going to be the beginning of a wave,” Simon told Access Hollywood Live’s Billy Bush and Kit Hoover on Wednesday. “I think this is gonna be a very exciting year for pop music, off the back of what’s happening now, and I think it’s great to see kids get excited about a group again.” – Read more at Access Hollywood
Fergie: Next X Factor Judge? – Fergie hopes to be heading to the small screen later this year. Life & Style has exclusively learned that the 36-year-old Black Eyed Peas singer has set her sights on becoming a judge on Simon Cowell’s talent competition, The X Factor. “There have been some conversations,” an insider reveals in the latest issue of Life & Style, on newsstands now. “It’s in the early stages, but Fergie’s the one who approached the producers about joining the panel.” – Read more at Life and Style
‘X Factor’ Star Chris Rene On His New Album, Sobriety and Why Britney Spears Should be a Judge – The X Factor finalist Chris Rene certainly has no shortage of material to mine for his debut album. As a recovering addict-turned-role model, the 29-year-old Santa Cruz native rallied a nation of support when he went for the TV crown and came so close, finishing the competition in third place. Now well on his way to becoming a bona fide major label artist (he was signed to Epic Records weeks later) and star, he’s working on music with some of the biggest names in the industry, from Claude Kelly to J.R. Rotem to Boy Wonder and beyond. – Read more at Hollywood Reporter
