Fox Reality Channel Extends the Holiday Season with …12 Days of Idol
LOS ANGELES – (Business Wire) Fox Reality Channel is the exclusive destination to relive the magic of …American Idol Season 7. From the wacky auditions through the dramatic finale, the …12 Days of Idol will air back-to-back episodes of Season 7 starting January 1 through January 13, 2009. The …12 Days of Idol gives viewers the opportunity to build their excitement for the Idol franchise, leading up to the January 13th premiere of …American Idol Season 8 on FOX Broadcasting January 13th.
Fox Reality Channel signature original series …American Idol Extra will premiere on Thursday, March 26th, 2009. …American Idol Extra brings viewers the EXCLUSIVE first sit-down interview with the …final 10 straight from the Idol stage, moments after they are eliminated. …American Idol Extra is the only show with behind-the-scenes access, bringing fans coverage they cant find anywhere else.
Nielsen’s year-end DVR ratings: ‘American Idol, ‘ ‘Heroes, ‘ ‘Lost’ on top
Fox’s American Idol is used to topping ratings charts, and Nielsen’s year-end list of the Top 10 DVR’d shows of 2008 is no exception. Idol is first among prime-time programs that saw the biggest total gain in audience from households that watched live to households that watched within seven days. The Tuesday performance show Idol averaged a gain of 2.2 million households; the Wednesday results show, 1.9 million.
Rounding out the Top 10 shows were: NBC’s Heroes and ABC’s Lost (an increase of 1.8 million); Fox’s Fringe (1.6 million); Fox’s House (1.5 million); CBS’ The Mentalist, CBS’ Survivor: Gabon, and ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy (1.4 million); and Fox’s Bones (1.3 million).
More Idol Headlines after the JUMP…
12/18: David Archuleta at Star 94 Jingle Jam with video and photos
I didnt get a chance to talk to David Archuleta but I got some video and took a few photos from his six-song, 25-minute performance at Gwinnett Arena for Star 94 Jingle Jam.
This was the first time in recent memory that Jingle Jam was not sold out. Last year, more than 10, 000 people came to see the Jonas Brothers, Avril Lavigne (and Elliott Yamin). This time, I guess there were at most 6, 000 people there. In fact, they moved the stage forward to help make it look fuller. The problem: no obvious headliner. Colbie Caillat and Gavin DeGraw performed after Archuleta (though I only came for David.)
David Archuleta’s ‘A Little Too Not Over You’: Rate it now!
If David Archuleta’s “A Little Too Not Over You” video was a sandwich, it’d be a turkey (the sparse-yet-chic apartment setting) on white (Archie’s bland gray shirt) with light mayo (all that forced cheeriness/wackiness of his “happier times” memories with his lost love), topped with a piece of iceberg lettuce (so much rain!) and a tomato slice (that fetching tangerine-colored lamp). I won’t lie: With its sweeping strings and chorus, the song’s not bad. But much like an un-spicy, decidedly utilitarian offering from your local deli counter, you kind of forget about it the minute it’s finished. In other words, legions of the Idol runner-up’s fans will be gorging on “Not Over You” for weeks and months to come, but I can’t really envision the rest of the world salivating over this track or its accompanying video clip. What think ye, PopWatchers? And not to get all Barbara Walters on you, but if this video was a sandwich, what kind do you think it would be?
Archuleta or Efron – Who’d You Rather?
Last night I went out with some friends for dinner and a cocktail, or seven, and we got to playing Would You Rather. After a few rounds that included lines of questioning like, “Would you rather have no arms or no legs?” my friend Brian asked, “Would you rather look like David Archuleta or Zac Efron?” Obviously the debate quickly turned from “Who would you rather look like” to “Who would you rather date.”
I was team Efron, Brian was team Archuleta while the rest of our tablemates were firmly split down the middle. This is when things got interesting, because strangers sitting around us started to chime in, unprovoked, to our conversation. Apparently when discussing tween stars, people can’t help but weigh in on the matter. And wouldn’t you know it, by the time the evening was over and our margarita glasses were empty, the votes had been tallied and Archuleta came out on top – in a big way.
Former ‹American Idol Contender Luke Menard ‹Cancer Free
Former …American Idol Season 7 contender Luke Menard is cancer free.
The Crawfordsville, Indiana based singer, was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma, just days after being voted off the FOX reality show this past March. But he told AccessHollywood.com that the holidays have brought him good news about his health.
…Im cancer free according to my last test scan that I had, Luke told Access down the phone from a wintry Indiana. …It been exciting to get that news.
The singer, who released his sixth album with a cappella group Chapter 6 ‘ …With The Windows Down ‘ on December 2, still has a little over a dozen radiation treatments to go to target the scar tissue left over following months of chemo. But, the spirited 30-year-old said he was thrilled to end 2008 on a high.
…We were always praying for this news ‘ to be cancer free. When youre going through chemo, it kind of a one-day at a time thing. You dont know how youre gonna feel when you wake up in the morning and sometimes youre kind of sick and youre throwing up. It hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel, he said. …It definitely been a year to remember and a year to forget ‘ being on ‹American Idol, and days after I was eliminated being told I had cancer. It been a crazy year.
Jordin Sparks on Russell Brand, Alicia Keys, abstinence
JORDIN Sparks has had a busy year – supporting Alicia Keys, fighting with Brit bad boy Russell Brand, and celebrating a Grammy nomination off the back of a No.1.
And that’s all in the past few months for gracious American Idol winner Jordin Sparks.
The singer, who turns 19 next weekend, is supporting Keys on her national tour.
The two, who played to a packed Rod Laver Arena last night, spent their down-time catching a movie at the Gold Class cinemas at Crown on Tuesday night.
“It was a lot of fun, ” Sparks said yesterday. “We don’t get many chances to just hang out, so it was great.”
American Idol Finalist Michael Johns Gives The Gift That Keeps On Giving
As most everyone has probably heard by now, American Idol finalist Michael Johns has just released his first song since leaving the show.
“Another Christmas” was released for download on Amazon and iTunes December 9, 2008. Now that in itself is newsworthy enough, however, there is so much more to be told to the story. You see, Michael didn’t release the song to profit from it himself. In fact, he’s giving 100% of his first post-Idol single away to charities as his gift to others for Christmas.
Carrie Underwood ends 2008 on Top
Not only is Carrie Underwood the 2008 CMA and ACM Female Vocalist of The Year, but she is also the top selling country female touring artist of 2008, as her headlining “Carnival Ride Tour” wrapped this past weekend with fan attendance close to 1.2 million. Carrie played 137 concerts to many sell-out crowds, and appeared last night on the Grand Ole Opry stage for her last live performance of the year.
In addition to her highly successful headline tour, 2008 was a stellar year for Carrie. She closes out 2008 as the most-heard artist in country radio and was named the #1 Hot Country Songs Artist by Billboard and #1 Top Country Artist by Radio & Records. She became a member of the Grand Ole Opry, co-hosted the CMA Awards with Brad Paisley, won her first BMI Awards as a songwriter, scored 2 more #1 single co-writes this year for a total of 3, performed for the Idol Gives Back and Stand Up 2 Cancer benefits, sang with Elvis on the Elvis Presley Christmas Duets CD, saw her likeness come to life as the latest wax figure at Madame Tussauds New York, shot television commercials, made her second appearance on “Saturday Night Live, ” graced the covers of Allure, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Glamour, In Style, Shape and more, and she was included for a second consecutive year in People Magazine “Most Beautiful” issue.
Kellie Pickler Feels Safer Than At Home On Yuletide USO Tour
Kellie Pickler, who’ll be doing correspondent duty in Times Square on “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest, ” is getting in a Yuletide USO tour before turning her attention to the year-end fest. It’s the 22-year-old “American Idol” cutie’s second USO tour.
The first time out, she wound up “in Baghdad. We did about two or three shows a day. We flew helicopters to the different bases and did 30-45 minute shows. It was incredible!” She adds, “I didn’t get nervous at all. I was there with my military to protect me. I felt more safe than I do here sometimes, ” she says.
Santaluces High School Kids and “American Idol” Singers At The Kravis!
They didn’t show up until the end of the show, but the Reflections choir from Lantana’s Santaluces High School made themselves known through the entire “American Stars In Concert” presentation at the Kravis Center last night, featuring four former “American Idol” contestants.
The Santaluces kids, sitting in fancy black and white show outfits at the back of the auditorium, were the hit of the audience sing-along to “Twelve Days of Christmas” (“No fair! You’ve got the choir in your section!” Season Three’s Diana DeGarmo said when Season Two’s Kimberley Locke claimed victory when her chosen section sang best). They performed a gorgeous “Carol of the Bells, ” (and anyone who sings knows how hard that is) and then stayed on stage to do “Joy To The World” (the holiday and Three Dog Night versions).
‘American Idol’ finalists on Christmas tour
Kimberley Locke apologized for calling late. She had been out running ‘ seven miles in balmy Florida weather ‘ and I shouldn’t have been surprised.
But first, she called to talk about American Stars in Concert for the Holidays, a holiday-themed series of performances featuring four former American Idol contestants: Locke, Diana DeGarmo, David Hernandez and Chikezie. It will stop at E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall in Akron on Friday.
The show is mainly Christmas music from different combinations of the performers. For example, Locke sings Santa Baby, has a duet with DeGarmo on Breath of Heaven and is part of a group ”Christmas rock” medley. There’s also some audience participation that Locke called ”probably one of my funniest parts of the show.”
But while Idol is a major selling point for the tour, Locke said, ”I’m not throwing myself back in the Idol mix.”
‹Idol stars sing holiday favorites in concert
The singer, who came in 10th place in the last season, said the holiday show has been greeted warmly by fans.
…The audiences have been wonderful, Chikezie said. …Weve gone to a lot of smaller cities, so it pretty cool for us and for the people there. The ‹Idols tour was mostly in larger cities, and a lot of people dont get the opportunity to go.
The set list features about 80 percent holiday music, Chikezie said. He sings two Stevie Wonder songs, …Someday at Christmas and …What Christmas Means to Me.
…My whole thing is I wanted to sing songs that are fun and enjoyable and Christmasy, he said.
Are There A Few Pitchy Canaries Singing In The “American Idol” Coal Mine?
Earlier this week, American Idol announced a few format changes for the upcoming season: the “Idol Gives Back” charity show is off this year; 36 hopefuls will be in the semifinals instead of 24; the judges will hand-pick three candidates who were overlooked by text-happy kids in a “wild card” round to help determine the top 12 (the top nine vote-getters will make it through to the finals regardless); that top 12 won’t necessarily be split down the middle, gender-wise. Idol watcher MJ notes that ratings for the past three years have started to drop around the time the field of contestants was reduced to nine, and that perhaps these changes will help invigorate interest for people who really liked, say, that one chick who had a knack for putting her own spin on ’70s lite-rock and were crushed when she got eliminated in favor of vocally challenged Britney Spears knockoffs. And both Davids Cook and Archuleta are transitioning into the pop world better than Idol winners from previous years. But what if the economy gets in the way of the show’s rebound?
Post ‘Idol’ Future Bleak For Many Singers
Former ‘American Idol’ contestant Carly Smithson thought she had it all, as she toured with the season 7 cast, prepared for national press junkets and had her own stylist in tow. But now that a new season is slated to begin in January, Smithson says her “fishbowl” experience has ended, leaving her (and other contestants) with a bleak post-‘Idol’ future.
After the 53-city “Idols Live” national tour ended in September, Smithson was left “standing alone on the curb at the Burbank airport” with no more than a memory of her ‘Idol’ days. She was forced to break back into the music industry on her own, she told the Los Angeles Times.
Fan death made “Idol”s Cowell think “long and hard”
Acerbic “American Idol” judge Simon Cowell said on Wednesday the apparent suicide of a former contestant and obsessed fan forced him to think “long and hard” about his blunt comments to hopeless singers on the show.
But in his first detailed comments about the fan’s death in November, Cowell said the U.S. top-rated television talent show was “not inherently mean” and that the hundreds of thousands of people who audition every year knew they would be criticized.
Simon Cowell Wants Britney Spears On ‘American Idol’
Some of the biggest singer/songwriters in pop history have visited “American Idol” over the past few seasons: Mariah Carey, Dolly Parton, Neil Diamond, Tony Bennett, Jon Bon Jovi and even Bono.
But while judge Simon Cowell said during a conference call Wednesday (December 17) that the show has never been able to nail down the one mentor it has tried to get “every year” to help the kids on the show ‘ ex-Beatle Paul McCartney ‘ he has big hopes for this year’s slate of mentors. Specifically, he has one name in mind that he would love to see on the marquee: Britney Spears.
Simon Cowell Has ‘No Idea’ If Four-Judge ‘American Idol’ Panel Will Work
Simon Cowell thought he had his hands full with fellow “American Idol” judge Paula Abdul. But with the addition of another judge this year, singer/songwriter Kara DioGuardi, Cowell said Wednesday (December 17) that he’s not sure if four is the magic number.
“I have no idea if this will work or not, ” Cowell admitted during a conference call, saying he’ll only know when he watches the first few rounds of auditions when they begin airing January 13. “Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t work. [That’s the] delicious thrill of doing reality television.”
Simon Cowell Horrified by Goodspeed’s Suicide
Interesting just-concluded conference call with Simon Cowell, who went on at considerable length expressing:
a.) His horror at what happened vis a vis Paula Goodspeed;
b.) That “Idol” producers had no idea she was a Paula stalker;
c.) Seemed to suggest – by his extended answer – that the Goodspeed suicide wasn’t met with a shrug inside “Idoldom” but – in all likelihood – was seen as the public relations fiasco it very nearly turned out to be.
Simon (Cowell) says he ‘absolutely loved’ Salt Lake during ‘Idol’ tryouts
Simon Cowell ‘ the mean judge on “American Idol” ‘ has absolutely nothing mean to say about his visit to Utah.
As a matter of fact, given multiple opportunities in a conference call with TV critics, Cowell did nothing but gush about his visit to Salt Lake City for “Idol” auditions in September.
“You know what? I absolutely loved it there, ” Cowell said. “I loved the city. I loved the air. And, most importantly, I absolutely loved the people.”
Yikes. This is the guy who’s never been shy about expressing his dislike for anyone or anything. And there have been times when he hasn’t exactly showered praise on cities that hosted “Idol” auditions.
But, again, it was nothing but praise for Salt Lake City.
Celebrities’ Stalker Menace: ‘It’s Tough To Control Crazy’
But “American Idol” judge Paula Abdul’s case is the most tragic. Her stalker, Paula Goodspeed, died outside of Abdul’s house of an apparent suicide on November 12.
Abdul said Goodspeed, who had appeared on “Idol” as a contestant in 2005, had been stalking her for years. Abdul also said she had warned “Idol” producers that Goodspeed was her stalker before the woman’s on-camera audition. (Producer Nigel Lythgoe says he doesn’t remember that conversation, and “American Idol” refused to comment.)
Sunny Hostin said fueling a stalker’s fantasy by granting access to the object of her obsession is a terrible mistake. …The worst thing to give a stalker is the attention they are craving, says Hostin, …It makes the delusion a reality.”
Hostin says “Idol” producers made a huge error in judgment if they knew that Goodspeed had been following Abdul.
Coldplay hope for Simon Cowell gig cameo
Coldplay are planning to make their 2009 world tour X-tra special for fans, by throwing in lots of surprise guests – including Simon Cowell.
The lads are hoping that the X Factor judge – he of high-waisted trousers fame – will agree to a special cameo appearance in the show.
Chris Martin tells us: “I’ve never met Simon, but I keep wanting to ask him to do a bit in our concert next year.
Simon’s Lovelorn Xmas
Our very own Terri Seymour sat down with her ex, Simon Cowell, as he told of his plans for a lonely Christmas. Check out the video to hear Simon’s plans.
Canadian Idol judge Zack Werner on show’s hiatus: ‘It’s the worst possible message’
Werner says that one of the reasons they were given for the network belt-tightening was the cost of their Olympic commitments. …They paid $100 million for the Olympics, at a time when the economy looked booming, and now they’ve got to sell the advertising for that, he said, which quickly led to a discussion of just how CTV will replace Idol in their schedule. …It begs the question – so you’re going to put on a less expensive show where advertisers pay less money on slots on shows that are going to have fewer viewers?
…And you’re going to pay the license fee, which they’re going to have to pay to Fremantle (Idol parent company) whether they do the show or not. So the combination of paying the license fee and putting on cheaper programming and selling the advertising for less makes more economic sense than putting on our show – I think that begs some questions, don’t you?
