Today Idol headlines after the jump ¦
On Tour with American Idol: The Blake Lewis Q&A
It’s been less than a month since Blake Lewis inked a deal with Arista Records. But the American Idol runner-up is already hard at work laying down tracks for his debut album. Lewis has already recorded half a dozen songs while on tour with American Idols Live! And, despite the mounting pressure of a December release date, the spiky-haired singer promises he’s holding up just fine ‘ as evidenced in this chat with us………
‘Idol’ Star Waits for Sex
“American Idol” winner Jordin Sparks has pledged to wait to have sex until she’s married.
The pretty teenager, who became the youngest “Idol” winner in May, reveals she promised her parents she’d keep her virginity until her wedding night when she was just 13.
She explains, “My parents gave me a purity ring and talked to me about waiting until I’m married to have sex. It wasn’t forced; it just made perfect sense.
“It’s going to be awesome to say to my husband that I waited my whole life for him
Daughtry fills Cotillion with fans
The “American Idol” finalist and his band perform Tuesday to a near-sellout crowd.
…Although it wasn’t a sellout, the Cotillion was nearly standing room only with few tables and chairs vacant around the stage. The audience was mainly made up of women of all ages…
Best Betts
…Also out today:
…American Idol season two alum Carmen Rasmusen releases her pop-country flavored debut, Nothin’ Like the Summer…
Aiken and Pickler lead celebrity ‘5th Grader’
Regis Philbin and Billy Bush will also test their intellects
You may be smarter than a fifth grader, but how about Clay Aiken or Kellie Pickler or Regis Philbin?…….
Teen Choice stars learn the meaning of giving (and getting)
…All the swaggers – even Justin Guarini – also signed a Hello Kitty guitar that’s now being auctioned off at www.charityfolks.com. The former “American Idol” contestant – inexplicably sporting a headband, the kind worn to hold your hair back when washing your tweenage face with zit-zapping creams – asked to be let into the Celeb Retreat to get the VIP swag treatment he was accustomed to getting when he was almost an “Idol” winner. His new gig? Interviewing the new generation of teen idols for TV Guide network. Ouch. That’s gotta sting.
Face it, dude. To these kids, you’re way old. Besides, you’ve had your fifteen minutes. Move over. There’s fresh meat on the grill.
NBC Snaps Fox Winning Streak In Ratings
NBC Stops Fox Winning Streak Among Young Viewers In Prime-Time Nielsen Ratings
A ventriloquist and exhibition football helped NBC snap Fox’s 28-week winning streak among youthful viewers.
Nearly 14 million people watched ventriloquist Terry Fator win “America’s Got Talent, ” making it the week’s most-watched show. It was the strongest performance of the summer for the “American Idol” look-alike.
The last time Fox had lost a week among viewers aged 18-to-49 was when the Super Bowl was shown. NBC, ABC and Fox sell the bulk of their advertising on ratings in that age group…..
Searching for an …American Band
Now that this summer crop of musically-inclined reality shows have ended (goodbye …America Got Talent and …So You Think You Can Dance) and there still a four month wait for …American Idol, Fox announced plans for the newest addition to its lineup- …The Next Great American Band. The show, similar in style to its successful cousin, will feature audition rounds and musical theme weeks for the remaining musicians. And just like Taylor Hicks and Jordin Sparks before them, the winners will sign a contract with 19 Recordings. The difference though, according to …Band Executive Producer Ken Warwick, will be watching how a group of people handles the stress together……..
The Trendsetters
….But if anybody claims to have a crystal ball out there, that person is lying, says Mark Burnett, better known as the creator of Survivor. The truth, according to Burnett, is that nobody knows. That’s why his approach has been to stick to ideas that are simple to understand and please the customer he knows best: himself. The good news for Burnett is that those ideas, from reality-TV shows to online challenges like “Gold Rush, ” often please the masses as well.
Next up, according to Burnett? Interactive game shows. These shows would take the American Idol model to the next level, allowing audience members to compete–and win prizes–from the comfort of their own living rooms…
