Idol Headlines for 4/12/08

Idol, Give Back the Four Hours I Spent Watching

The camera pans out to the audience and HOLY SH*T! ITS BILL FORD. THE BILL FORD! EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN OF THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY! THAT BILL FORD! GOLLY! I, AS A VIEWER, LOVE IT WHEN CORPORATE TITANS SIT IN THE AUDIENCE OF A SINGING COMPETITION! BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHAT? F**K DENISE RICHARDS AND DAVID HASSELHOFF! IS EITHER OF THEM AN AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY HEIR? DO THEY RECLINE LEISURELY AT A DESK FOR 90 ENTIRE MINUTES EACH DAY AND GIVE CAR ORDERS? NO. ONLY THAT GUY BILL FORD DOES THAT. Next week some guy named Eugene Coca-Cola is going to be in the front row.

Advocate

Fergie, Jennifer Hudson Sign On For ‘Sex And The City’ Soundtrack

Hudson, of course, doubles as the film’s biggest new cast member as well, a lucky-in-life, unlucky-in-love assistant named Louise that Hudson told MTV News was “a young, sweet girl … in love with love.”

She’s the last one in, and will be given the honor of being the last one out, as King revealed her track, “All Dressed Up in Love, ” will play over the film’s end credits. According to EW, the song was written by MC Jack Splash and Cee-Lo of Gnarls Barkley.

“She sings it like nobody’s business, ” King told the mag of Hudson’s performance.

MTV

Last Words: Fallen Idol Michael Johns Says Goodbye

During a conference call with Michael Johns this morning, the media seemed to be unanimously perplexed by his ouster. Was it the song choice? asked one reporter. Was it the fact that he was Australian? pressed another. One reporter even wondered whether his ascot was to blame.

But Michael, for his part, didn’t want to dig into his past for clues. “[I have] absolutely no regrets at all, mate, ” Michael announced. He was also not interested in how his past success in the industry influenced voters, saying, “Did it help me or hurt me? I dont know.”

One thing Michael does know, however, is that he managed to stay true to himself throughout the competition. “Just because it’s an enormous machine doesnt mean you have to change with it, ” insisted Michael, adding that he was proud when his friends and family told him he never altered his persona for the cameras. Or, for that matter, for the judges.

LATimes

As Callers, ‹Idol Fans Often Lack Real Talent

Each week on …American Idol, Ryan Seacrest cautions viewers to be careful when they call the numbers that allow them to vote for their favorite contestants.

And each week thousands of …American Idol fans misdial.

Recently the calls have been pouring in to the phone bank of Internet Sales & Customer Services Support Inc., a telemarketing business in Blakeslee, Pa., owned by Henry Westendarp.

Mr. Westendarp received a toll-free phone number late last year, and things were running smoothly until …American Idol started up again in January. Then, he said in an interview on Friday, he began to notice an uptick in phone calls on Tuesday evenings after his office closed. Most of the calls, he said, resulted in messages in which the callers simply hung up.

After the number of calls spiked to more than 10, 000 this week, Mr. Westendarp said he did a little research. His discovery: …American Idol callers who mistakenly transpose two digits when dialing to cast a vote for a certain contestant end up on his phone line.

NYTimes

‘American Idol’ Castoff Michael Johns’ Shocking Exit Begs The Question: Just How Crucial Is Song Choice?

Few topics garner more airtime on “American Idol” than song choice. While the judges often harp on the decisions the contestants make, there is almost no recognition of the outside factors that influence those choices, such as contenders wishing to sing the same songs or artists refusing to allow or clear particular tracks for use on the show.

On Tuesday, Michael Johns was criticized for choosing the hard-rocking Aerosmith song “Dream On” after earning scads of praise for his soulful take on Dolly Parton’s “It’s So Wrong But It’s So Right” last week. America agreed with the judges, surprisingly eliminating the good-natured Aussie on Thursday.

MTV

I Do Not Celebrate Michael Johns Going Home

No, I’m not ready to talk about it quite yet.

But I must ask – Is Michael Johns the most shocking elimination on American Idol ever?

Sure weve had jaw-dropping ousters before but never this early. Jennifer Hudson was eliminated in the seventh round in season three. Chris Daughtry made it to the top four before he was eliminated in season five.

To give it more perspective, Sanjaya actually didnt get eliminated until the next round last year.

I actually think that having Kristy Lee Cook still in the competition is more damaging to the show credibility (and yes the show does currently have credibility) than Sanjaya was last season. Kristy is a good singer but she is mediocre and ordinary by American Idol standards.

zap2it

“American Idol:” A “Shock?” Really?

Come on, come on, come on, people. Get a grip!

GET A GRIP!

The exit of Michael Johns is not, repeat not, shocking.

Yet why has the morning buzz turned to a morning roar – that Johns exit was like some sort of amazing turn, totally unexpected, profoundly terrible, etc.? Michael Johns’ exit has become, all of a sudden, this season’s Next Big Flap, the First Big Flap being lap dancing pictures-or-whatever of David Hernandez.

I just saw Kelly Ripa do a Paula – Omygod omygod omygod (goes Kelly). He was a latter day JIM MORRISON.

What? Kelly, you were born like 30 years after Morrison died. How would you know what Jim Morrison was like.

Newsday

Give Me the Two and a Half Hours You Stole From Me and I’ll Send My Own Goddamn Mosquito Net

First off; TWO AND A HALF HOURS?!?!?!?!?!?!? Oh. My. God. I shoulda started this crap earlier. I have to warn you right now. This might get ugly.

Eight jillion people are watching tonight. Do you know how many five packs of Crayons that will buy if everyone just donated a dime? I don’t, but it’s enough to make all the starving people of the world salivate while they watch this show on their forty two inch plasmas. Calm down, starving people! You’ll get your money. Can’t tell you how, or when, or how much, or what percentage of what’s donated tonight, or really anything since last years numbers STILL haven’t been released, but mark my words. You will get a mosquito net at the very least.

TVGasm

‘American Idol’ In 60 Seconds

Michael Johns Charitably Sent Packing Kiss that ascot goodbye after the Aussie’s “Dream On” failed to inspire on “Idol Gives Back” week.

MTV

Jesus Idol: Contestants ask WWJD? I ask WTF???

You know that feeling you got in your stomach when you saw those cheerleaders beating up that poor, defenseless 16-year-old girl? Or when you saw that student beating up her teacher? That knot-in-your-stomach feeling is what I have right now.

What the hell happened to my favorite karaoke show? First Kristy Lee Cook vomits out “Proud To Be An American” and America eats it up and votes the hell out of her. Now we’ve moved on to singing praise to Jesus? Why be so specific? There are plenty of ridiculous Christian songs that are just as corny and awful that don’t resort to dropping JC’s name.

But I guess I just need to face the facts and move on. American Idol is going evangelical on us. Fine. Then the rest of the show has to hold up to this new squeaky clean image. Sure previous shows have featured contestants who have posed nude on the internet (Frenchie Davis, Antonella Barber), been arrested for cocaine possession (Jessica Sierra), and even been locked up after beating up their own family members (Corey Clark), but that’s all in the past. New, clean Idol from here on out.

Huffington Post

How Did Idol Decide to Use Shout to the Lord

Last Fall we were working on The Next Great American Band – essentially, an Idol for bands. On an episode we had in which the song selection was to be Judges Choice, one of our judges, Sheila E, had recommended for one of our contest bands, the song, …Shout To The Lord by Hillsongs from Australia. When my associate, Max, was trying to find that song, he ran across …Shout Unto God by Hillsong United. We found it by accident, but both Sheila & our executive producer, Nigel, loved it. So, Nigel kept it in the back of his mind until he found the perfect application for it & we are all quite delighted to get to be able to have your song performed by our Idol Finalists on this very special episode, our benefit show, Idol Gives Back!

Brewster

Simon Cowell responds to Kevin Spacey’s Andrew Lloyd Webber comments

Mr Spacey, the artistic director of the Old Vic theatre, said recently that BBC1 talent shows such as How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria, Any Dream Will Do and I’d Do Anything were creating unfair competition.

Over the last two years, BBC1 has cast stars in two Lord Lloyd-Webber shows – Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and The Sound of Music – both of which went on to be big commercial hits.

Mr Spacey criticised the shows for distorting the theatre market in favour of musicals instead of straight plays.

But Mr Cowell, whose ITV1 shows make him arch rival to Lord Lloyd-Webber, defended the BBC’s right to do the shows and compared Mr Spacey’s view with Soviet-style planning.

“It sounds like Russia in the Sixties, that mentality, ” said Mr Cowell. “I don’t think that applies to the modern world.”

telegraph.co.uk

mark. Signs 19 Recordings/Jive Recording Artist Jordin Sparks as First-Ever Representative Spokesperson

mark., the boutique beauty and fashion brand from Avon, announced today that it has partnered with 19 Recordings/Jive Recording Artist Jordin Sparks. In this newly established role, Jordin will be mark.’s first-ever spokesperson for its sales Representatives.

Jordin was mark.’s first sales Representative when the brand launched in 2003, and in her new role she will share inspirational messages and advice with the brand’s Representatives. Jordin will appear in a nationwide Representative advertising campaign targeting college campuses and will be seen in the brand’s magalog. In addition, she will be featured on mark. websites (meetmark.com and markgirl.com) as well the brand’s social networking pages on facebook and myspace. Jordin’s partnership initiatives are slated to begin in summer 2008.

prnewswire

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!