Stars Will Align on ‘Idol Gives Back’
The celebrities and performers on the annual charity show will include Presidential hopefuls John McCain, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton; British Prime Minister Gordon Brown; David and Victoria Beckham; Maria Shriver; Jim Carrey; Adam Sandler; Alicia Keys; the Jonas Brothers and more.
They join previously announced talent Amy Adams, Annie Lennox, Ashley Tisdale, Billy Crystal, Bono, Brad Pitt, Carrie Underwood, Celine Dion, Chris Daughtry, Dane Cook, Eli and Peyton Manning, Elliott Yamin, Fantasia, Fergie, Forest Whitaker, Gloria Estefan, Heart, Jennifer Connolly, John Legend, Kiefer Sutherland, Mariah Carey, Maroon 5, Miley Cyrus, Reese Witherspoon, Robin Williams, Snoop Dogg (featuring Charlie Wilson) and Vanessa Hudgens.
During the show, viewers will be able to make donations via toll-free lines and the Internet. Money raised by the charity show will be sent to the Children’s Defense Fund; the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; Make It Right; Malaria No More; and Save the Children’s U.S. programs.
A Taste of Activism
The star power upon which the organization was founded continued Monday, with Cohen, Greenfeld and Chris Daughtry, the lead singer of his eponymous band who recently returned from Uganda.
…Ive been part of ONE for a while, he said. …I saw the effects of poverty and the simple things we can do to make a huge difference. We do see where it goes and it pretty amazing.
Daughtry followed 18 Ugandan and Kenyan children, most of the members of the African Children Choir, who opened the event with two songs inspired by their African communities.
The group of 7- to 12-year-olds have been singing and drumming through Canada and the United States to spread ONE message and, in the process, are getting an education they might not receive back home, said their chaperon, David Kanyosya.
…For them, it an opportunity to pursue education, he said. …Some of these kids are orphaned and some are in extreme poverty. This is a life-changing opportunity.
Two ‹Idols inspire judges to sing their praises
In honor of …Idol Gives Back, the remaining eight finalists got to pick a song they considered inspirational this week. The two singers who had the most at stake did the best job at picking songs that inspired the judges to sing their praises, while others with a better history on the show got tepid reviews.
‘American Idol’: Too Much Inspiration
The worst offender of the night truly hurt. For seven straight weeks, David Cook has ridden a wave of great performances (”Hello, ” ”Day Tripper, ” ”Billie Jean”) to the front of the season 7 pack and has turned me from an early doubter into a fan who doesn’t even care about that comb-forward (though I was happy to see the sexy, stylin’ side part once again tonight!). And while, sure, it was inevitable that Rocker David was going to hit a pothole or two on his way to the Nokia Theater, nothing could have prepared me for his thoroughly disjointed effort on Our Lady Peace’s ”Innocent, ” which he performed with all the awkwardness of a man who’d accidentally wandered onto the set of Dancing With the Stars and found himself asked to perform a paso doble with Edyta Sliwinska.
Are the Idolettes Inspiring? Dream On!
This week, the Idolettes are charged with singing inspirational songs to warm up the crowd to drop some serious coin tonight on “Idol Gives Back, ” which, judging by the number of celebs who’ve signed on, promises to be the greatest orgy of excess in the history of television. It’s gotten so out of hand that Fox has to start the show at 7:30 p.m., 30 minutes before prime time even begins.
American Idol – Not One of Your Most Shining Nights
Sinbad in the house!
Seacrest is very tricky. He said that Idol would be back on Thursday with results from the voting. He did not, however, say they would be kicking somebody off.
Can someone explain the Chihuahua tight shot Simon joke that Ryan made? I must be missing something.
American Idol sends its audience over the Rainbow
In honor of the three-night, ratings-busting “Idol Gives Back” charitypalooza, last night’s American Idol forced the eight remaining singers to choose selections from the “inspirational” well. What this meant for the singers varied widely’ while Jason Castro stretched the term “inspirational” to include “inspired covers of Idol chestnuts, ” other hopefuls played a much more straight-and-narrow path. Or chose power ballads. Rankings and reactions after the jump.
‘American Idol’ Top Eight Fails to Inspire
Wednesday night will be all about pleas for charity, but Tuesday (April 8) night’s American Idol is all about pleas for your votes. In other words, it was business as usual as the American Idol Top Eight sang Inspirational Songs.
‘Idol’ recap: Where’s the inspiration?
What is it about Songs of Inspiration week that produces so many uninspired song choices? Fully half of the eight selections performed by the aspiring American Idols Tuesday were seriously flawed.
Kristy Lee Cook had no business singing Martina McBride’s Anyway, although it’s a moving power ballad, because anyone who’s heard McBride knows she knocks it out of the park and poor Kristy Lee just doesn’t have the vocal chops to hit it out of the infield. (Fortunately for Kristy Lee, most of the voting audience probably hasn’t heard McBride’s version.)
American Idol: Top 8 Perform
As this week is “Idol Gives Back, ” Paula dressed up for the occasion in a lovely strapless cocktail dress. And Kristy dressed up by wearing white jeans. Tomorrow is the big show, though most, if not all, of it was taped this past weekend. In keeping with the theme of charity and hope and love and all that stuff, tonight’s theme is “Inspirational Songs.”
AI Aftermath: 9th place finishers – VIDEOS
Welcome back to “AI Aftermath, ” where we explore Idol’s past. Each week, as one more American Idol hopeful is eliminated from the competition, we take a look back at contestants past who were eliminated in the same week. We’ll examine how they did on the show and what they’ve been up to since their elimination. In honor of Ramiele Malubay’s elimination last week we’ll be looking at other ninth place finishers.
“Idol” fans see Archuleta winning: E-Poll/Reuters
American Idol” fans say baby-faced crooner David Archuleta will win the No. 1 television show’s current competition, even though they picked rival David Cook as the most talented performer, an E-Poll/Reuters survey found.
As the top-rated U.S. TV talent show entered one of its most-watched weeks when it hopes to raise $100 million for charity on its “Idol Gives Back” program, fans were showing plenty of love for the two Davids.
Voice coach in constant contact with Idol contestant
The Kaelin-Archuleta team has made a remarkable run through the contest, but it has not been without its challenges. Archuleta caught a strep throat infection a couple of weeks ago that persisted through two performances on “American Idol.”
“Imagine what that would be like, stepping on stage sick, ” Kaelin says. “It was petrifying. A lot of people didn’t know he was sick. He was congested. We just tried to keep his throat loose. We warmed up several times a day.”
Carly Smithson goes from record deal to waiting tables to ‘American Idol’
Carly Smithson may have snagged a big-time record deal as a teen, but her co-workers at an Irish pub in San Diego didn’t even know the raven-haired, tattooed chanteuse could sing.
Dublin-bred Smithson, 24, worked five days a week as a waitress and then as a bartender at the Field for almost three years, up until her stint as a finalist on Fox network’s “American Idol.”
“Carly, one day, told us, ‘I can sing.’ Then she sang, and she didn’t stop. That was New Year’s Eve, Dec. 31, 2006, ” the pub’s chef, Thomas Beatty, 31, told The Associated Press.
Smithson also co-owns one-year-old San Diego tattoo shop Nothing Sacred with her tattoo artist-husband, Todd Smithson, whose face is covered in ink art.
The Politics of American Idol
But that not the only vote that will be pursued tomorrow night, when Senators Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John McCain, will also appear on Idol Gives Back, with taped messages each will record especially for the program.
As Ryan Seacrest would say: …THIS is American President.
In the text of the statement Obama released to reporters of his Idol Gives Back statement, the candidate stuck to his theme of hope, while aligning himself with the Idol-loving fan base. …Id like to say a few words not just as the father of two young girls who are big American Idol fans, but as someone who cares deeply about what tonight show is all about ¦I hope that everyone who watching will make a contribution to Idol Gives Back, and help make this world a more just, more equal, and more hopeful place to live.”
Fans flock to see former ‹Idol contestant
‹‹There a lot [my fans] still dont know about me, he said. ‹‹They want to know what Ive been writing about.
But at Borders on Saturday, fans seemed to know a good deal about Young. They adore him for more than his seventh-place finish on ‹‹American Idol. Many said they admire his volunteerism with Children Hospital of Denver, his love of children, his genuine interest in his fans and his charming personality.
‹‹He an awesome person. It definitely worth driving two hours to see him, said Bridget Duvall, 34, who traveled from Middletown, Pa., to see Young. ‹‹He my favorite. He a genuine person, he has a big heart, he truly hot. He Ace.
Clay Aiken: Look Ma, No Hands
Clay Aiken promotes his starring role in the Tony Award winning Broadway musical Monty Python Spamalot with a handprint ceremony at Times Square Planet Hollywood on Tuesday in New York City.
Claymates will soon be rejoice ‘ a new CD next month will be released by their almighty Clay.
‘American Idol’ runner-up Blake Lewis thrills fans at Celebration Cinemas South
Blake Lewis, the runner-up of last season’s “American Idol” show, made an appearance at Celebration Cinemas South, courtesy of radio station WHTS-FM (HOT-FM, 105.3).
The cool, confident and candid Lewis was interviewed on-air with HOT-FM’s radio booth at Celebration Cinema and then took pictures and signed autographs with more than 250 fans inside one of the theaters.
Lewis also answered written questions from audience members during commercial breaks of Tuesday night’s episode of “American Idol, ” broadcasted live onto the big screen.
Pop/Rock Artist Brooke Barrettsmith To Release Debut June 10th
Essential Records announces today the upcoming debut release from newly-signed pop/rock artist Brooke Barrettsmith. The 26 year-old Chicago native has written a collection of uniquely crafted songs, melding her love of musical influences Jeremy Camp, Daughtry and Kelly Clarkson, with passionate lyrics reflecting messages of faith and encouragement. Produced by Aaron Sprinkle (Jeremy Camp, Kutless, The Almost) and Rob Hawkins (Fireflight, Jackson Waters), Brooke self-titled, 10-track album hits stores June 10.
Horses to Trot Onto La Brea for Von Dutch Photo Exhibit and Gallery Launch
Once upon a time, the area currently occupied by the sprawl of Los Angeles was an unspoiled expanse where horses tread. On Friday, Von Dutch will host a party that will return L.A. to its equine roots’ sort of. Santa Clarita horse sanctuary Dude’s Ranch, the current recipient of Von Dutch’s rotating charity focus, will send some of its horses for an appearance on Friday night to celebrate photographer Nigel Skeet’s photo exhibit, “Power and Motion, ” featuring images of the sanctuary. The party will also serve as the official launch for the Gallery 819 event space at the Von Dutch corporate headquarters and retail store on North La Brea. The space will be available for event booking, with room for 1, 100 when combined with a walled parking lot.
The band Steel Train will perform, along with 13-year-old guitarist Jackson Cook, Ryan Crosby, and former American Idol contestant Jon Peter Lewis.
Lonestar and Friends Bowl for Charity
Country Music group Lonestar will be bowling for charity this summer, and they want you to join them.
The Fourth Annual …Lonestar and Friends Strike Out for the Kids will be held this year on June 2 at the Hermitage Lanes in Hermitage, Tennessee. Proceeds from the event will go to St. Jude Children Research Hospital.
Besides Lonestar, artists appearing will include Little Big Town, Lady Antebellum, Bo Bice, Diana DeGarmo, Joe Nichols, Darryl Worley and more. Even though it the fourth time for this fundraiser, the guys from Lonestar are still passionate about the cause.
STP announce Bowl Date at Houdini Mansion
The invite-only gig was essentially a re-introduction to those in the media who might have forgotten that the band had hits in the 1990s, and lots of them.
The band clearly hopes this will be a summer of STP nostalgia, with the foursome embarking on an ambitious 65-date tour beginning in Columbus, Ohio, on May 17.
After STP crisp version of …Vasoline, Weiland spoke about why the band chose the Houdini Mansion as the setting for the evening festivities. Turns out, Gus Van Sant shot a video for …Creep at the mansion in the early 90s, but it was never released.
…We [always] loved this space ¦ we thought it had a cool vibe, Weiland said to the crowd, which included a few American Idols, including recent contender Amanda Overmyer and Season 4 favorite Constantine Maroulis.
CHANNEL SURFING:
Former Channel 12 morning anchor Caroline Lyders has landed at WJLA-TV, the ABC affiliate in Washington, D.C., where she’s been freelancing since leaving Milwaukee last year. You may recall the tabloids all atwitter after she was photographed frolicking with “American Idol” Taylor Hicks.
LYRIX Presents “American Idol” Contest for Tiger Beat Readers
Lyric Jeans, Inc. (PINKSHEETS: LYJN), the parent company behind the LYRIX brand for girls, today announced the introduction of a national sweepstakes in conjunction with Tiger Beat Magazine, the premiere publication for teenage girls, to promote its official “American Idol” line of tees for girls. The contest runs through April 25, 2008 and will be featured in a full page spread of Tiger Beat.
One lucky winner chosen at random will receive a makeover including a LYRIX “American Idol” wardrobe, two tickets to the season finale of “American Idol” and round trip airfare plus a four-day and three-night stay in Los Angeles. The contest can be entered on www.shoplyrix.com.
