Idol Worship: Joanna Pacitti disqualified!
We didn’t think it would happen, seeing as Carly Smithson, another major label refugee, was allowed to continue on through the top 12 of American Idol last season, but Joanna Pacitti, the 24-year-old stunner who made it to the Top 36 on this week’s episode, has been disqualified from competing on season 8.
The show’s website, americanidol.com, posted the official Top 36 late last night, noting that Pacitti was deemed “ineligible” and would be replaced by Felicia Barton. FOX did not respond to our request for comment on Wednesday evening, but we hear a statement is forthcoming.
NAACP Honorees: Beyonce Knowles, Jennifer Hudson, Tyler Perry
Beyonce’s half-dozen nominations are the result of playing Etta James in “Cadillac Records” and her performing on that pic’s soundtrack as well as a couple of musicvideos and her LP “I Am … Sasha Fierce” plus its nommed song “Single Ladies.” Her bounty tops the five noms she received in 2004, when the rap group OutKast topped her with half a dozen.
Hudson does Beyonce one better this year with seven nominations. Her perf in “The Secret Life of Bees” and her eponymous album put the singer-
actress head to head with Beyonce in no fewer than five categories.
More Idol Headlines after the JUMP…
Rushfield Review: 36 singers to lead us
Aidol2009_36_6x6abrf_1 The season of tears and atonement behind us, at last we know whose names have been written in the Book of Life. After half a year of wandering the desert, Idol Nation has at last found the 36 warrior who will lead us forward. ¨ In the Shinto religion, the afterlife is a process of the soul losing its individuality, merging with a common ancestor god. For the past five weeks (of TV time; six months off-screen time), these 36 have completed the reverse of this process ‘ gaining their individuality and thus achieving immortality; through sheer exercise of personal will they rose forth from the featureless human tide that poured into the stadiums to answer Idol call.
‘American Idol’ Recap: A Dramatic Weeding
You want drama, people? Then pay no attention to the girl who turns up the volume on her screeches every time she sees a camera. And forget about the guy who’s been cast in the role of ”comic relief” and is threatening to don a bikini if it’ll help keep him on your TV screen for another week. Don’t even sweat the trumped-up drama of the ”judges’ mansion, ” with its rococo-on-a-dime design, its gaudy red chairs, and (presumably) a basement dungeon that contains the bound and gagged singing careers of Haley Scarnato, Anwar Robinson, and Lisa Tucker.
Were Live-Blogging The Last Round Of ‹American Idol Hollywood Week!
The …American Idol Top 36 list is mere hours away from revealing itself and all I can think about is Leneshe Young. Before we get to tonight …Idol live blog, I just want to say it unfair that she got cut when a host of singers who flubbed lyrics (a-hem Joanna), and acted like psychopaths (Im lookin at you, Tatiana!) skated through to Judge Mansion.
And let talk about Judge Mansion for a moment. This …the judges live together joke might have worked in season 1, but we all know Simon, Randy, Paula and Kara aint shacking up together while they decide on …Idols new cast. Puh-leaze!
‹American Idol bores its way to final 36
The most boring episode ever?: It takes a lot to be an especially boring episode of …American Idol. There always copious filler and quasi-suspenseful buildup about What Will Happen, so the bar is low. All efforts to spice up Wednesday’s two-hour episode fell flat, the elimination math worked against them, and the judges used and reused the same techniques to play with the contestants. The result? The most DVR-able episode of all time.
Phil Stacey Blog: Few surprises in the Top 36
Philstaceycdcover The chair episode is the most difficult episode of the entire “American Idol” season for the contestants. Think about it. You dont even perform from the time you make it into the final Hollywood group until you sit in front of the judges to find out if youve made it to the semifinals or not. This year, it will be a little different, as I will explain in a bit.
There were a lot of surprises for those of us on my season. I cant even begin to tell you the amazing talent Season 6 had that you never saw ‘ simply because they werent what the producers were looking for.
Headlines: Theater Stars on American Idol: Adam Lambert Makes Top 36; Joanna Pacitti Deemed Ineligible at Final Hour
Theater stars Adam Lambert and Joanna Pacitti were selected as semi-finalists for Season 8 of the popular reality star search American Idol during the February 11 pre-taped episode. However, shortly after the airing, Pacitti was “determined to be ineligible to continue in the competition” according to a statement and stripped of the opportunity. Lambert will go on to compete live against the other contestants in the top 36 on the Fox television ratings juggernaut starting next Tuesday, February 17.
Lambert appeared in the ensemble of the Los Angeles production of Wicked, where he also covered the role of Fiyero. Prior to joining Wicked, he was seen in The Ten Commandments at the Kodak Theatre, where he made it through American Idol’s grueling “Hollywood Week.”
Eminem knocks Kelly Clarkson off US No.1
Eminem has ended Kelly Clarkson’s two-week reign at the top of the US singles chart.
His comeback single ‘Crack A Bottle’, which features contributions from Dr. Dre and 50 Cent, leaps from 78 to number one this week.
It becomes his second single to reach the top of the Billboard Hot 100 after 2002’s ‘Lose Yourself’.
Elsewhere, Kanye West climbs to two with ‘Heartless’, while Lady GaGa bounces back to three with former number one ‘Just Dance’.
Last week’s chart-topper, ‘My Life Would Suck Without You’ by Kelly Clarkson, tumbles to four this week.
The Fray Kick Bruce Springsteen To #2 On Billboard
It’s been four years since Denver rockers the Fray released their debut album, but clearly their fans have not forgotten the “How to Save a Life” group. The band’s self-titled second album will debut at the top of the Billboard albums chart next week with sales of 179, 300, according to figures provided by Nielsen SoundScan.
That top debut will push Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band’s Working on a Dream ‘ which held the spot for just one week ‘ down to #2 with sales of 101, 600, a 55 percent slide. Country singer Dierks Bentley will debut at #3 with Feel That Fire, which sold 71, 200 copies.
Leaving a light on
There is one thing season seven American Idol-winner David Cook says he wants those attending his concerts to walk away thinking – that they got way too much for their money.
Cook will give the students of UW-Eau Claire the opportunity to experience this feeling as he will be appearing in the University Activities Commission sponsored concert on Feb. 18 in the Council Fire Room of Davies Center as part of the mtvU presents David Cook’s Declaration Tour 2009.
Tickets for the general admission show went on sale at 7 a.m. on Feb. 4 for $10 as part of a pre-sale for Eau Claire students and the 650 available tickets sold out within one hour of going on sale said senior Nicole Feldkamp UAC co-concert chair. The quick sellout, which Feldkamp said was an hour quicker than what UW-Green Bay experienced for its Cook concert taking place on Feb. 20, was something Cook took as a huge compliment.
Finally, An “American Idol” Episode With (Just A Little) More Singing Than Drama
Last night’s American Idol was the third in the suite of Hollywood Week episodes, and it was filled with rapidfire montages of the remaining contestants singing new standards like “Bubbly, ” “Since I Ain’t Got You, ” and, “Tattoo.” (Really? “Tattoo”?) At the end of the episode there were 54 contestants left, and that pool will apparently be winnowed down to 36 on tomorrow night’s show. People who made it through: the oil rigger, the major-label refugee, the guy with a split personality, and the guy with the really big mouth. More music, less chatter, after the jump!
Why ‘American Idol’ Contestant Norman Gentle Is A Genius
Here’s the thing about Norman Gentle, the showboating, sparkly shirt-wearing, short-pantsed “American Idol” contestant who has somewhat inexplicably continued to survive cut after cut: He is either the most annoying contestant in the show’s illustrious eight-year history, or the most brilliant. It’s not exactly clear which just yet.
See, Norman isn’t even real. He’s the brainchild of Nick Mitchell, a 27-year-old something-or-other (entertainer?) from Brookfield, Connecticut, which makes his success all the more impressive. It’s difficult to think of a fictional character that’s made it further on “Idol” than Norman has (well, maybe Jason Castro). And it’s hard to think of a contestant who’s appeared to care less about actually winning “Idol” than Mitchell. At least, one who has made it to Hollywood Week.
Who is the reigning ‘Idol’ Fashion Victim: Paula, Kara, or Randy?
I had difficulty concentrating during the ”holding room of doom” portion of last night’s American Idol episode. Maybe it was the blinding glare coming off Paula Abdul’s torso-sized metallic necklace, which was so cumbersome the ”Straight Up” singer seemed to be struggling to keep her head up. Or perhaps it was Kara’s lace-and-fringe blouse, which kind of resembled a crow caught in a giant spider web. Then again, it could’ve been The Dawg, who proved there is a look more frightful than the painted-on-tuxedo t-shirt: Behold the appliquà ©d-necklaces V-neck!
Hitfix caught up with Daughtry (the man, not the band) at Clive Davis’s pre-Grammy party.
The album reunites the band with producer Howard Benson (My Chemical Romance, All-American Rejects), who helmed “Daughtry.” That album, released in 2006, spent two weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top 200 and spawned hit after hit: “It’s Not Over, ” “Home, ” “Over You” and “What About Now.”
Daughtry is also writing with his band mates-bassist Josh Paul, drummer Joey Barnes, guitarist Brian Craddock and guitarist Josh Steely. “We’re very happy and proud of [the record], ” Daughtry says. “Hopefully that translates when it comes out and people will dig it and continue to buy our stuff.”
Wait ¦ Justin Guarini Was AT THE GRAMMYS! THIS YEAR!
No, not Justin TIMBERLAKE ¦ Justin GUARINI ¦ Remember? American Idol first-ever runner-up, who cleared the paths for future runners-up like Clay Aiken and David Archuleta, both of whom would go on to totally eclipse him to degrees so extreme it almost preposterous? THAT Justin Guarini! With the broccoli-shaped hair!
Carrie Underwood Visits New “Idol” Stage
Feb. 11, 2009 ‘ Carrie Underwood rather famously got introduced to the public through FOX-TV “American Idol, ” and she expected to join former contestants from several different seasons on Thursday when Disney opens a new “Idol” attraction in Florida.
Disney Hollywood Studios are holding the premiere for the new American Idol Experience that night, and The Orlando Sentinel predicts at least 20 “Idol” alumni will make it to the event. Shell likely be joined by David Cook, Jordin Sparks, Taylor Hicks, David Archuleta, Bo Bice and Justin Guarini, as well as perennial “Idol” host Ryan Seacrest.
Student tickets for Syesha concert available
BRADENTON, FL. – Specially discounted student tickets for the Follow Your Dreams benefit concert featuring American-Idol star and former Manatee County student Syesha Mercado are now available online at www.ticketmaster.com.
The concert is scheduled for next Thursday, February 19, 2009, at 7 p.m. at the Manatee Convention Center. Student tickets are available for $12 plus a $3 service charge.
Proceeds from the concert will help fund critically important gang-prevention and character-development programs in Manatee County District Schools. Premium Reserved tickets are $25 plus service charge and General Admission tickets are $15 plus service charge.
Carrie Underwood Considers House Gig
Carrie Underwood isn’t looking to jump-start an acting career, but she wouldn’t mind a guest-starring gig on FOX’s House.
“I love House, ” Underwood told me the other night at Clive Davis’ pre-Grammy bash. “You know, I’m not an actress, but I think I would like to do something for the fun of it. I usually find when people try to cross over from music to acting or acting to music that one of those two are not very good.”
And speaking of not being very good at something, the American Idol winner says she wasn’t impressed by Katrina “Bikini Girl” Darrell’s unorthodox way of auditioning for the new season of A.I.
Kara DioGuardi has weighty issue with ‹Idol
According to …American Idol newbie judge Kara DioGuardi, when it comes to having a promising pop music career, size matters.
It seems DioGuardi looks at Jessica Simpson headline-inspiring waistline as a warning for contestants.
…When you look at someone like Jessica, I dont know if she gained weight, but it all Ive heard about, DioGuardi told E! Online. …Im looking for someone with a great voice, but if someone is 50 pounds overweight, I have to tell them the reality ‘ that it might hold them back.
Maksim Chmerkovskiy Speaks on Season Eight of Dancing with the Stars
We’re really sorry, Maksim Chmerkovskiy.
The gorgeous Dancing with the Stars professional is stuck with Denise Richards as a partner for season eight of the show.
He seemed upbeat about it during a recent interview with TV Guide, however. A few excerpts from it:
TVGuide.com: How excited are you to be paired with Denise?
Chmerkovskiy: Very. Very. Things are happening up here [in my head], as to what we’re going to do for our first dance… . I’m picking up on all the things she’s been saying about her flexibility and the Pilates. Most of the things that are difficult for the celebrities are moving their legs and arms in different directions at the same time, to the music.
Why Woz Could Win ‘Dancing With the Stars’
Who wants to see the grandpa of the geeks get up and dance? ABC for starters, as it chose 58-year-old Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, usually just called “Woz, ” for the 2009 season of “Dancing With the Stars.”
His qualifications? His 2006 biography is titled “iWoz: Computer Geek to Cult Icon: How I Invented the Personal Computer, Co-founded Apple, and Had Fun Doing it.” Pretty much says it all.
Light on his feet? While Mr. Wozniak may be a top-notch geek, he lacks the stereotypical skinny build. That is, he’s a tank with facial hair. Also described as a “teddy-bear physique.”
Athletic ability? He’s a founding member of the Segway Polo team called the Silicon Valley Aftershocks.
