David Cook on Life After American Idol
He has throngs of devoted fans and will soon be releasing an album, but David Cook says his life now isn’t too different than it was before winning American Idol.
“I think in one sense everything’s changed but in another sense nothing has, ” says the reigning Idol champ. “There’s all these different things around me that I didn’t have a year ago. I was able to furnish a home and get a nice car and be able to treat my family to some of the things that I otherwise wouldn’t have been able to do.”
But, says the singer, 25, “I’m still a goober from the Midwest. Now I’ve just got a few more resources. I don’t feel like the show changed me at all.”
David Cook Reacts to Jennifer Hudson’s Tragedy
ET was exclusively with David Cook on Wednesday for the taping of his AOL Music Sessions in NYC. The reigning “American Idol” champ talked about his new record, performing on “SNL” this weekend, and reacted to former “Idol” contender Jennifer Hudson’s family tragedy.
“My heart goes out to her, ” David says of Jennifer. “I just earnestly hope that she could find some sort of resolution to it somewhere down the line.”
David’s AOL Sessions premiere on AOL Music Nov. 28.
More Idol Headlines after the JUMP…
‘Dancing With the Stars’ Maksim Chmerkovskiy defends himself
Pro dancer Maksim Chmerkovskiy wants to set the record straight that the reported comments he made about Cheryl Burke and Lacey Schwimmer’s weight in TV Guide were “taken completely out of context.”
It’s true that looking back at the story, his one line was only tacked on to all of the more pointed comments made by fellow pro Louis van Amstel.
According to People, Chmerkovskiy denies actually criticizing the women specifically, rather that he made a general comment about “how excess weight on the body takes its toll on the joints, the lower back.”
Dancing With The Stars Dude Makes A Nonapology
Amstel told TV Guide that viewers would be discouraged from watching the show if Cheryl Burke and Lacey Schwimmer didn’t shed a few pounds. And Chmerkovskiy said, “When I first saw these women this season, I said, ‘Guys, you know the camera adds 10 pounds. You have to do something about this.'”
Maks is now saying those comments were “taken completely out of context, ” though I don’t know how that’s possible. Its one thing if he was quoted as just saying “You have to do something about this.” He could have been saying that they needed to work on their quickstep! But that whole quote, in any kind of context, is pretty damning.
Jennifer Hudson “Still in Shock” at Chicago Hotel
Jennifer Hudson has been holed up in a downtown Chicago hotel with loved ones and friends as she prepares to bury three family members.
“She is still in shock, ” a source tells E! News. “She hasn’t gone out much at all and has a lot of security around her.”
Hudson hasn’t been seen in public since identifying her nephew’s body at the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office on Monday.
Sources close to the Oscar winner tell E! News that her family and fiancà © David Otunga have been her rock throughout the week. In fact, Otunga has been with her around the clock.
“David’s been by her side through this whole tragedy, ” a family source says. “He has totally been there for her.”
New in Jennifer Hudson case: Hudson family plans memorials
In keeping with her desire to avoid the spotlight as police investigate the deaths of three family members, Jennifer Hudson will hold a private memorial service next week for her slain mother, brother and nephew.
The invitation-only funeral will be held Monday on the South Side. The arrangements are being handled by Hudson Funeral Home, whose owners are related to the actress.
The family on Friday is expected to announce plans for a public memorial, according to the funeral home. The second service would allow fans to mourn the deaths of the Oscar-winner’s mother, Darnell Donerson, brother, Jason Hudson, and nephew Julian King.
“American Idol” Bigwigs Continue To Screw With Josiah Leming
Those of you who haven’t bleached the last season of American Idol from your brains yet may remember Josiah Leming, the weepy Conor Oberst-y contestant who lived in his car in the weeks leading up to his audition and who got cut from the top 24 in favor of that former boybander who wore a wig in an effort to be “rock.” Well, things worked out OK for Leming in the end: He got snapped up by Reprise, and his debut album for the label is scheduled to be out sometime early next year… at least, if the Idol producers don’t drag him through a contractual loophole that forces him to be turned down by 19 Entertainment before he can do anything else. Because apparently humiliating him once wasn’t enough! Oh, and did I mention that his mom is dying of cancer?
El Camino `Idol’
He used to search bags and passengers coming through Los Angeles International Airport.
But then he gained fame singing on television’s “American Idol” and spent his summer touring the country, putting on shows at 53 different arenas before hundreds of thousands of people.
Back in the South Bay, Chikezie is again performing with his classmates with the El Camino College Chorale, this time as their headliner and box-office draw.
His name and face adorns a banner on a bridge across Redondo Beach Boulevard that advertises this weekend’s chorale concert at the Torrance-area campus.
Carrie Underwood still has something to learn
GRAND PRAIRIE ‘ A strange thing happened Thursday night at Carrie Underwood completely packed Nokia Theatre performance: I had a slow dawning of realization why the blond awards-magnet has become so popular.
Her outsize, sternum-straining voice plays a large role (and make no mistake, it could buckle bridges), but Underwood fans are also drawn to her wholesome charisma, an appealing, girl-next-door quality that is both a strength and her biggest weakness.
But having watched her perform live does little to alter my fundamental opinion. Underwood has lucked into one of the biggest careers not only in country music but in popular music, period. Yet, maddeningly, she has little apparent substance.
Former Idol, country diva to perform at BJC
American Idol sensation Kelly Clarkson will make her State College debut tonight, and country singing prodigy Reba McEntire will join her at the Bryce Jordan Center after an eight-year hiatus.
McEntire made her last stop at the BJC in February of 2000 and made three previous stops in ’96, ’97 and ’98. Clarkson however, will be stepping on the stage for the first time for this stop of the 20, 000-mile “2 Worlds 2 Voices Tour 2008.”
‹2 Worlds, 2 Voices
Country music diva Reba McEntire and …American Idol pop sensation Kelly Clarkson share more than a Southern background; both have voices that can blow the roof off a stadium, and that may just be without the mike. Those two voices will fill the Bryce Jordan Center for one, two-hour, uninterrupted show Oct. 31.
The concert grew out of a …CMT Crossroads performance that paired the unlikely duo. During the Ryman Auditorium show, McEntire husband and manager, Narvel Blackstock, began to suspect the pair had a lot more in common than they had originally thought. The two admired each other and blended beautifully.
Fil-Am Ramiele Malubay is in RP
AMERICAN Idol (AI) season 7 contestant Ramiele Malubay is currently in the Philippines.
Ramiele arrived in Manila last Wednesday in line with her upcoming back-to-back concert with singer-songwriter Ogie Alcasid dubbed “Ogie Sings with the Idols” slated on December 20 to 21 at then Aliw Theater in Pasay City.
She will be performing for the first time with Ogie together with her best friend Danny Noriega, who is also a finalist of AI season 7.
Cowell drinks away defeat
DESPITE winning a Special Recognition Award, Simon Cowell looked like he was drowning his sorrows after the National Television Awards last night.
The music mogul appeared to be bitter his X Factor show was defeated by BBC One Strictly Come Dancing for the Most Popular Talent Show Award.
As the announcement that Strictly had won was made, he was seen mouthing “I cant believe it” ‘ and sarcastically congratulated the rival show as he collected his own award.
X Factor’s Simon Cowell embarrassed by TV Awards win
You don’t often see the unflappable Simon Cowell going bright red, but that’s what happened when TV Land met him.
Having picked up the Outstanding Contribution at the National TV Awards in the Albert Hall, he said: “I feel embarrassed. I never meant to go into TV so this feels strange.”
He then told us about Louis Walsh being moved to tears in last week’s X Factor show.
Poking fun, he said: “I have seen him cry over his artists before but not over somebody else’s.
Simon S-cowell can’t hide his fury at losing out to Strictly Come Dancing
The BBC ballroom dancing show was presented with Most Popular Talent Show at the National Television Awards.
After the announcement the camera panned across the audience and caught Cowell’s scowl as he sat next to fellow X Factor judge Cheryl Cole.
He then mouthed: ‘I don’t believe it.’ But he forced his grimace into a tight smile after being reminded by Miss Cole that all eyes were on him.
Ben Mulroney becomes a married man
Ben Mulroney, the eldest son of former prime minister Brian Mulroney, was married during a private ceremony in Montreal Thursday night.
Mulroney, 32, was wed to Jessica Brownstein, 29, in an evening ceremony at St. Patrick’s Basilica.
“Fantastic, ” Mulroney said as he ushered his bride to a waiting limousine. Brownstein was draped in a white fur cape when she arrived for the ceremony, but was not wearing it after the service.
“We’ve got to get her in the car, ” Mulroney said as he led his new wife through a crowd of journalists.
The former prime minister, who attended the service with his wife Mila, said about 75 people attended the wedding. A rabbi blessed the ceremony, while a priest conducted the service, he said.
Ben Mulroney weds Jessica Brownstein
In a ceremony that featured personalized vows, three opera singers and the blessing of two faiths, TV personality Ben Mulroney wed Jessica Brownstein, his longtime girlfriend, Thursday night.
About 75 people, including the groom’s father, former prime minister Brian Mulroney, and billionaire industrialist Paul Desmarais Sr. attended the ceremony, at Our Lady Chapel in St. Patrick’s Basilica on Renà © Là ©vesque Blvd. downtown.
Following the ceremony, a dinner of filet mignon and fish for the guests – who were joined by Premier Jean Charest and media magnate Pierre-Karl PÃ ©ladeau – was held at the posh Mount Royal Club on Sherbrooke St. W.
