Allison Iraheta: The ultimate interview, Part Four
Carrie Underwood sang ‘MacArthur Park, ‘ but when Ryan asked her what the song meant, she said she had no idea.
It’s something about a cake being in the rain. I don’t know. You can’t sing about cake.
Then let’s talk about the song you chose when the theme was rock ‘n’ roll. She didn’t record the song originally, but when we think of ‘Cry Baby, ‘ we think of Janis Joplin.
I grew up listening to Janis Joplin and I’ve sung ‘Piece of My Heart.’ ‘Cry Baby’ is also one of my favorites. I do connect with that one, definitely. I don’t regret doing it on the show. I thought that was one of my best performances. It’s one of those songs I’ve always wanted to do.
‘American Idol’ tour makes the Rounds
If you watched season eight of “American Idol, ” you watched Tennessee-born Lil Rounds belt out hit after hit in front of the judges. She auditioned with Stevie Wonder’s “All I Do, ” a standing ovation from judges for her rendition of Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You, ” entered the top 10 with Martha and the Vandellas’ “(Love is Like a) Heat Wave” and was eliminated from the top seven after performing Chaka Khan’s “I’m Every Woman” on April 22.
Red Carpet Confidential: Adam Lambert Remembers High School
Long before American Idol came into Adam Lambert’s life, he was passionate about the choir, drama and photography classes he attended at Mount Carmel High School in San Diego.
‘Not only was it a great chance for me to explore my great artistic, creative passions, but it also provided a wonderful social outlet for me, ‘ he tells me. ‘I think those programs are really important for kids like me. Not everybody’s going to play football after school.’
Kellie Pickler On Her Older Man Crush: Clint Eastwood
Kellie Pickler has a crush on an older man.
The country cutie, currently on tour with BFF Taylor Swift, told country music Web site The Boot that she is all a flutter over Clint Eastwood.
And she revealed her uber-crush when asked whose cell phone number she wishes she had.
‘Clint Eastwood’s! I’m in love with Clint Eastwood, ‘ she told the Web site. ‘I don’t care [that he’s older]. He is the man! I just think he’s awesome. I love all his movies. He’s an incredible director. I’m a huge fan.’
Concert review: Kelly Clarkson’s soaring vocals are worth the drive to Oklahoma
THACKERVILLE, Okla. ‘†Kelly Clarkson, the pride of Burleson and heroine of several million American Idol fans, wowed an intimate crowd of about 2, 500 Sunday night at the WinStar World Casino, just across the Texas-Oklahoma border. It’s an easy hour-and-15-minute drive from downtown Dallas, and it’s a decent concert venue that draws a lot of big-name stars: John Legend, Melissa Etheridge, Alan Jackson and Lyle Lovett are all on the fall lineup. If you factor in the parking hassles at, say, Cowboys Stadium or Nokia Theatre, it takes just about as long to get to Thackerville as it does to get into the Dallas-area venues, and hey, the parking’s free at WinStar.
PLAYBILL.COM’S CUE & A: Diana DeGarmo
Diana DeGarmo ‘†who co-stars in the Off-Broadway musical The Toxic Avenger ‘†fills out Playbill.com’s questionnaire with random facts, backstage trivia and pop culture tidbits.
The Toxic Avenger
There’s a new lusty, flighty and spunky heroine to be found in The Toxic Avenger, now at New World Stages: American Idol finalist Diana DeGarmo has joined the cast as the blind town librarian Sarah, and she is turning in a performance that is often as funny as it is adorable — which is a perfect fit for this giddy guilty pleasure of a musical.
FANTASIA UPDATE:
Though food poisoning from a bad turkey sandwich caused ”American Idol” winner Fantasia Barrino to miss the Saturday performances of ”The Color Purple” at the Arie Crown, the musical star was able to recover in time for the finale of the short Chicago run Sunday night.
Disney’s Night of Joy
P.O.D., Grits, Skillet, MercyMe, newsboys, Chris Tomlin, Jars of Clay are among the contemporary Christian music acts taking the stage at Walt Disney World Night of Joy 2009.
Dove Award-winning NEEDTOBREATHE will raise the curtain on Walt Disney World Night of Joy 2009, playing a 7 p.m. show on Sept. 11 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios as the first of 19 Christian music acts performing during the two-night event (Sept. 11-12). Night of Joy concerts take place after regular park closing and require a separate ticket which provides admission to Disney’s Hollywood Studios from 4 p.m. until 1 a.m. on event days.
Simon Cowell plans to mark 50th birthday with £250k party for celeb mates
Simon Cowell plans to mark his landmark 50th birthday with a £250, 000 party for 400 celebrity mates and artists he has catapulted to stardom.
But singer Steve Brookstein doesn’t need to keep the date free. He’s not invited.
Although 40-year-old Steve was the first ever X Factor winner when the talent show phenomenon began back in 2004, he fell out with Simon.
Dancing’s Maksim: I’m Happy to Be with Debi Mazar ? and Not “Silly” Joanna Krupa
Maksim Chmerkovskiy may have met his perfect match ‘†and we’re not talking about Karina Smirnoff. The Dancing with the Stars pro is paired with the feisty Debi Mazar, and if you’ve seen Mazar’s multiple tweets praising him to no end, it’s clear they get along famously. “I think since we’re both from Brooklyn and have that similarity, we just get along, ” Chmerkovskiy tells TVGuide.com. “We both can dish it out like hell and we can both take it. This whole back-and-forth thing is great and whenever you meet somebody who can make fun of themselves, it’s always refreshing.” Not so refreshing? Joanna Krupa calling him “a little impatient.” See what the unabashedly honest dancer has to say about her comments and find out who he thinks is a dark horse this season.
Jerry Lewis MDA telethon raises nearly $60.5 million
Despite the tough economy, officials with the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon say contributions and pledges from this year’s Labor Day event totaled nearly $60.5 million.
Officials say the funds will allow the Muscular Dystrophy Association to continue funding worldwide research to find treatments and cures for muscular dystrophy and related diseases.
Lewis, the Tucson-based MDA’s national chairman, thanked the American people for their generosity Monday.
He says that even though the total was down from last year’s record $65 million, it was an amazing accomplishment considering the state of the nation’s economy.
ETA:
Jordin Sparks Recalls Meeting Britney Spears At 2008 VMAs
Before last September, Jordin Sparks had never been to the VMAs and had never met current tourmate Britney Spears. So, when she found out she was seated near Spears at the 2008 Video Music Awards, she knew it was her chance to speak up and have some time with the star.
First, she had to get over being nervous to be in the very presence of Britney. “Well, I didn’t say anything, ” Sparks told MTV News. “I [didn’t] know what to say, ’cause it was her big comeback thing. She was nominated for however many [awards], and she looked beautiful, and I was like, ‘Aaah!’ ”
Glee
Talk about one-hit wonders. The promise and energy associated with the debut of “Glee” last spring largely evaporates in previewing two additional hours, where the musical numbers — generally less infectious and buoyant than the first time out — can’t compensate for overly broad characterizations and absurdly soapy situations. A few genuinely human moments emerge, but the series too often undermines the likability quotient of its cast, leaving the audience relatively little to latch onto. Put simply, “Glee” strikes too many sour notes for a series with precious little margin for error.
Glee’s Lea Michele on the Show, the Cast, and Her Lucky Car Accident
If Fox’s new high-school show-choir comedy, Glee (which airs its much-anticipated second episode tomorrow night) has a breakout star, it’s New York City’s own Lea Michele. The plucky, petite Broadway vet ‘†she got her start in Les Misrables at age 8 and more recently originated the role of Wendla in Spring Awakening ‘†plays the show’s Tracy Flick character, Rachel Berry, a socially-ostracized firecracker with a killer voice. Michele won the role after berating the producers ‘†including co-creator Ryan Murphy of Nip/Tuck fame ‘†for laughing during her first audition, and showing up to her second one on time despite having totaled her car outside the studio and being covered in broken glass. Recently, Michele popped back home for a few days, where we caught up with her as she got a haircut, took a stroll along the High Line, and a enjoyed a very unnecessary cup of iced coffee.
