Idol Headlines for 1/24/08

“Idol” Wannabe’s Gun-Totin’ Past

Perrie Cataldo — a smooth-talking “AI” contestant who crooned his way to Hollywood last night — once had a secret weapon up his sleeve … literally!

TMZ has obtained an arrest record revealing that Cataldo carried a handgun into a bar in Glendale, Ariz. back in 2006, after being kicked out for fighting. According to the arresting officer, Cataldo was “concealing” the gun under his clothing, and was confronted by security and arrested.

TMZ

Kristy Lee Cook – Sexy Pics Emerge from the Bowls of the Internets

Looks like Kristy Lee Cook will be one of the controversial figures in American Idol this year. A website called undercoveredonline is SELLING a video of Kristy Lee Cook in some sexy (some topless) photos and a webcam striptease. Oy!

Rickey

American Idol: Charleston Auditions

Aretha Codner: “Oh, I have a beautiful voice. I do have a beautiful voice. My voice, it is amazing. It is amazing. To my family, to people that don’t even know me. I stop crowds. I do. I stop crowds. People listen to me because they’re just like ‘Wow.'”
Simon: “Do you mean the crowd disappears?”
Aretha: “Hey, you know what, they come closer.”
Simon: “Holding anything?”

At first I thought it was just me, but on the start of “Day Two” in Charleston, the judges even said that they were hoping it would get better. Unfortunately, it didn’t. And I guess there must have been a lot of out-of-towners to the city, recently crowned “The Nicest City in America, ” because there was enough bitching going on to make Simon look sweet. Aretha wasn’t even the worst of it. Twenty-one people out of a crowd of 10, 000 made it through, and I’ll bet some of those were just because the judges standards got lower and lower as they thought “We’re gonna have to let someone through.” But they did manage to find one of my favorite contestants of the season thus far.

TV Squad

Friendly city brings out ire in ‹Idol judges

Charleston, South Carolina, is billed as the friendliest city in the country, according to …American Idol host Ryan Seacrest. Not surprisingly, none of the show three judges live there.

The city might not be that friendly anymore. Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul dismissed or at best, tepidly praised, all the talent that it had to offer.

Only 23 contestants earned tickets to Hollywood, and their performances combined for about 23 seconds of airtime. Most of Wednesday broadcast recapping the auditions was focused on those who got denied.

MSNBC

The Upside-Down Show

It seems like every American Idol season, the show’s producers devote one very special episode to turning the ever-predictable audition process upside down. Attractive, seemingly well-adjusted folks get their dreams crushed. Freaks and geeks clutch their golden tickets and break out the happy dances. Rejected contestants upgrade from R-rated tirades to amusing punch lines. And ‘  ”hallelujah, Jesus!” ‘  tonight’s Charleston, S.C., episode gave us all those scenarios and more, in a mercifully succinct 61 minutes. (Sorry, Fox, your evil plan to lure me into Moment of Truth ‘  and earn added cash for delivering my soul to Satan ‘  didn’t work; better luck next week!) Here’s how it all played out:

Entertainment Weekly

‘Idol’ needs a hit and a star this year

Not even two weeks in, and “American Idol’s” seventh season reeks of desperation. This sense of dread was in the air before Fox showed us the “12, 000 hopefuls” who poured into San Diego for Audition Episode No. 3, many of them, it turns out, having already been rejected by the music industry.

Indeed, the episode ended with one Carly Hennessy, the widely reported former major-label bust once signed to MCA Records (as of 10:44 p.m. Tuesday, that link to MCA’s long out-of-date Web page for Hennessy works, but in case it fails you, there’s also Amazon). As far as the seventh season of “Idol” is concerned, she’s Carly Smithson, back on the show after being disqualified in Season 5 due to visa issues.

LA Times

‘American Idol’ impact: More pop hits

In light of recent debate about whether “American Idol” is losing some glimmer, Edison Research vice president of music and programming Sean Ross says we shouldn’t forget how much influence “Idol” has acquired over radio.

“The impact on radio, and not just top 40 radio, can’t be denied, ” says Ross.

“It helped reopen pure pop as a category for top 40. It made possible Kelly Clarkson’s ‘Since U Been Gone, ‘ probably the most-imitated record of the last five years.

NY Daily News

‘Idol’ Hands FOX Tuesday’s Title

Though it once again didn’t the heights it did last year, “American Idol” was still more than strong enough to push FOX to a ratings win Tuesday.

FOX averaged a 12.3 rating/19 share in primetime, doubling up on second-place NBC, which drew a 6.5/10 (FOX had 21.53 million viewers to NBC’s 10.28 million). CBS came in third with a 5.9/9. ABC, 4.1/6, was fourth, and The CW posted a 1.6/2 for fifth.

The adults 18-49 title also went to FOX, which scored an 8.4 rating in the demographic. NBC finished second at 4.0. CBS, 2.0, took third, followed by ABC, 1.8, and The CW, 1.0.

Zap2it

Primetime Ratings: American Idol Down But Still StrongFox continues to move along smartly under Idol power, but at a slower pace than in previous seasons.

In its first one-hour outing of the season, Fox’s American Idol averaged an 11.7 rating/29 share in the 18-49 demo, according to Nielsen Media Research overnights. That was good enough to give Fox an easy win on the night but down from the 13.3 rating/33 share it averaged on a comparable Tuesday last season.

For the night, Fox averaged an 8.4/20, down considerably from the similar early season Tuesday last season, when it averaged a 12.3/30. One of the differences is that last season, the show led into a new episode of House, which averaged a powerhouse 11.2/27.

Broadcastingcable

‘American Idol’ Gets Snappy In San Diego, Tempts Fate With Failed Recording Artist

Fact: Tuesday night’s San Diego audition episode was the best “Idol” audition episode ever. It featured the perfect balance of disasters and discoveries, a brilliantly edited music montage and a healthy sense of unforced humor, all wonderfully showcased with a zippy, snappy pace. Plus, the starting-to-get-boring “nice” side of “Idol” slipped away into hiding with Melinda Doolittle thankfully bringing Simon and the show back to their old wicked selves.

Which brings us to our first award of the night …

MTV

American Idol Slips Into a Coma

The American Idol party was over right around the time a chin connection was made between late-night host Jay Leno and season five Idol winner Taylor Hicks. Really, season six can only be acknowledged as the show’s “denial stage.” No one knew it at the time, but Blake Lewis’ saliva-flecked beatboxing was Idol’s “Taps, ” and the current season is pretty much a brain-munching-zombie stage show.

The bad contestants are proving to be no more entertaining than the even mildly decent acts. The San Diego auditions brought out hapless Mariah Carey’worshipper Valerie Reyes, whose off-key attempts to ape the whistle-voiced songstress no doubt left dogs bleeding from the ears throughout Southern California.

Radaronline

American Idol says Stay Classy, San Diego

…Randy, ooh baby, Randy ¦Chocolate. Chocolate.

I see why the San Diego auditions were only an hour tonight. Aside from a few really pretty decent singers, the show was lacking in the comedic gold department. The funniest part of the whole show was seeing the Rachel Dratch Vlem look-alike singing …Im Not Goin Nowhere by Jennifer Hudson in the preview for tomorrow night South Carolina episode. Happy Valentimes!

Here were the goods and the bads.

Phillyburbs

American Idol – Carlygate

Much has been made of the fact that a few of the Season 7 contestants on …American Idol have had record deals in the past. Folks are complaining that this ruins the sanctity of the otherwise untarnished show (ha ha ha). People like their Idols to be unknown bumpkins with little or no experience. They like to vote for the rawest talent, and then completely avoid buying their albums. It tradition, like cranberry sauce on Thanksgiving.

I say, …Send in the pros. Many former Idol contestants, while they may not have had big old record deals, had sung professionally before making it on the show.

Phillyburbs

American Idol: San Diego Auditions

Simon (to Christopher Baker): “The reality is there is not a single person on planet Earth who would ever pay to hear you sing.”
Christopher: “I understand your opinion, Simon, and I am going to sing the song in a lower tone.”

San Diego, California. Where the talented flock to make their dreams come true and where many of them stay after that dream fizzles. Never mind that Carly Hennessy, er I mean Smithson, over there has already had a major record deal with MCA Records back in 2001, she’s got a sleeve of tattoos now, a new husband and name so she’s a fresh-faced undiscovered talent all over again. So just shut up and don’t question it already, capische?!

TV Squad

American Idol Introduces the World to Carly not-Hennessy, Other Hopefuls

Last night’s audition episode of American Idol was only an hour long, but somehow that felt like more than enough time for the San Diego auditions, which were filled with snarkiness-by-the-numbers from the judges, hopefuls who were just naive enough to think that they weren’t being set up for a laugh, and a girl with a crush on Simon who actually made it through to Hollywood. Oh, and the viewing public was finally introduced to one Carly Smithson, an Irish lass with a sleeve tattoo who spoke of the big chance she blew a few years back–you know, when she made it to American Idol’s Hollywood round but wound up getting disqualified during season five. Curiously, the words “ultimate” and “high” were never uttered once during her segment!

Idolator

Carly Smithson, an ‘American Idol’ singer with a major-label past

Tuesday’s “American Idol” audition episode gave the choice closing slot to a young Irish singer named Carly Smithson. The judges obviously thought she was great before shed even opened her mouth to sing. Smithson was a shoo-in to the Hollywood round.

…Idol made a big deal about the fact that Smithson had tried out in 2005 and made it to the Hollywood round, but due to visa problems was not able to compete.

What …Idol did not mention was that under her maiden name, Carly Hennessy, she has already released an album on a major record label. A quick Google search reveals that MCA Records still has a Web page about Smithson (under her previous name). VH1 still has a page up on …Hennessy as well. Entertainment Weekly PopWatch dug up an old video by Smithson.

Chicago Tribune

Show Tracker: What you’re watching

Not even two weeks in, and “American Idol’s” seventh season reeks of desperation. This sense of dread was in the air before Fox showed us the “12, 000 hopefuls” who poured into San Diego for Audition Episode No. 3, many of them, it turns out, having already been rejected by the music industry.

Indeed, the episode ended with one Carly Hennessy, the widely reported former major-label bust once signed to MCA Records (as of 10:44 p.m. on Jan. 22 that link to MCA’s long out-of-date Web page for Hennessy works, but in case it fails you, there’s also Amazon). As far as the seventh season of “Idol” is concerned, she’s Carly Smithson, back on the show after being disqualified in Season 5 due to visa issues.

LA Times

‘American Idol’ Auditions: Best and Worst of Season 6

With season 7 auditions heating up, we look back at the best and worst of last season’s tryouts — including the rollergirls, the ”other door, ” and that totally unnecessary crotch shot.

Entertainment Weekly

‘Idol’ also-rans get another chance

Artists’ Addiction Records and Rocket Science, a sales and field marketing company, figure there’s still an audience for “American Idol” finalists voted off in the early and middle rounds.
The two companies are banding together on a four-volume series featuring four “Idol” performers per CD, with each singing three original songs. First volume, which will be released Feb. 5, features recordings by Jon Peter Lewis, Ryan Starr, A.J. Tabaldo and Stevie Scott. Vol. 2, tentatively scheduled for March 4, will spotlight Alaina Alexander, Rudy Cardenas, Patrick Hall and Gedeon McKinney.

Variety

Anti-virgin bias amongst judges for American Idol

A 19-year-old contestant for the …American Idol singing competition faced scrutiny from judges and celebrity commentators after revealing he is a virgin who has never kissed a girl, Cybercast News Service reports.

Bruce Dickson, a show contestant from Bostrop, Texas, at the American Idol Dallas auditions was asked to share something interesting about himself. He told the judges he had never kissed a girl.

“What?” Randy Jackson asked. “On purpose?”

…On purpose, ” Dickson said. “On my wedding day, that will be my first kiss.”

Catholic News Agency

Yamin: R&R and writing – Back from Hawaii, he is studying and readying releases

You would expect Elliott Yamin to be relaxed after a 10-day vacation in Hawaii with his girlfriend.

And he is.

Chatty and forthcoming, the guy who will always be tied to Richmond, no matter how long he lives in L.A. or how many gold records he earns, is relishing a little well-deserved time off.

InRich

Jordin Sparks, Others, Find Winning Combination in Phoenix

Reality TV-star Kristen Cavallari (Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County) and American Idol winner (and Arizona native) Jordin Sparks were the …head coaches for each team; both received special assistance from Phoenix Suns players Boris Diaw and Shawn Marion respectively.

The battle for celebrity supremacy was fierce, but Jordin Sparks purple team prevailed over Kristen white team at the conclusion of the game.

djbooth

SEVENDUST Enlists CHRIS DAUGHTRY On New CD

According to The Pulse of Radio, SEVENDUST has apparently enlisted Chris Daughtry and ALTER BRIDGE frontman Myles Kennedy to contribute guest vocals to the band’s new album, “Hope and Sorrow”. The names of the tracks featuring the singers have not yet been revealed. The 11-song effort, which was originally given the working title of “The 7th Chapter”, is due out on April 1. The new CD will follow up “Alpha”, which came out in March of 2007.

Blabbermouth

Penn State’s Beaver Stadium is going ‘Fergalicious’

The night before the Nittany Lions hold their annual spring football scrimmage, pop star Fergie will headline the first-ever concert at Beaver Stadium.

Fergie will perform April 18, with the Blue-White game to be held the next afternoon at the stadium. Tickets, at $35, go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. at Ticketmaster.com and the official website, GridIronBash.com .

The concert is one of 15-20 to be held simultaneously during spring football games at college campuses around the country as part of “Gridiron Bash, ” an event created by New York-based MSL Sports and Entertainment.

Among those performing at other schools are Kelly Clarkson, Maroon 5, Dwight Yocum, Taylor Swift, and Counting Crows.

The Morning Call

Post ‘Idol’ DeGarmo heads in a country direction

At 20, Diana DeGarmo is going through those post-“American Idol” growing pains.

“You hit ‘Idol’ and it catapults you from zero to hero in 2.5 seconds, ” says the Georgia native, runner up to Fantasia Barrino in 2004.

“It’s where the chaos begins.”

She recorded a pop album that had mixed reviews and lukewarm sales. Then she hit Broadway, with a role in “Hairspray” for almost a year.

Now she’s going in a new direction.

scrippsnews

Country Too Far ‘Gone’ on D-lister Talent Show

Will Marcia Brady replace Whitney Houston in Bobby Brown heart?

That surreal question is one of the few trivial teases from the tone-deaf …Gone Country.

This unscripted series, debuting Friday on CMT at 8 p.m., gathers seven D-listers, including Roxbury native Brown (New Edition), Maureen McCormick (…The Brady Bunch), Carnie Wilson (Wilson Phillips), Dee Snider (Twisted Sister), Sisqo (…Thong Song), Julio Iglesias Jr. and Diana DeGarmo (…American Idol).

All allegedly wish to win a Nashville talent show and a producing deal with host John Rich of Big & Rich.

It like …Nashville Star – without the stars.

Boston Herald

The limited-engagement tour is called …Two Worlds, Two Voices.

The voices, each distinctive, each good in its own way, belong to Reba McEntire, a 33-year veteran of Nashville, new, old and in-between; and Kelly Clarkson, the first winner of American Idol, but dont hold that against her. She much better now.

It a show that a little bit country, a little bit rock n roll – and more.

The tour is a smart bit of showbiz that designed to initially appeal to and pull from two separate musical demographics. There will be little in the way of staging, and the singers will share the same band. What you see and hear is what you get – and that what makes this science project fascinating.

Journal Now

About mj santilli 34833 Articles
Founder and editor of mjsbigblog.com, home of the awesomest fan community on the net. I love cheesy singing shows of all kinds, whether reality or scripted. I adore American Idol, but also love The Voice, Glee, X Factor and more!