Allison Iraheta chat at 12:30 pm today Z-100. She opens for Adam Lambert tonight at the Nokia Theater in New York City. Sign on HERE.
Jennifer Hudson gets VH1’s ‘Behind the Music’ treatment June 28
Jennifer Hudson will be on VH1’s “Behind the Music” Monday, June 28, at 9 p.m.
VH1 publicity sent me some quotes:
“Being a mother reminds me of my mom, in so many ways I channel her.” –Jennifer Hudson on being a mother
“I felt like I’ve seen the highest of the highs and the lowest of the lows. But I would not trade my career for nothing in the world.” – Jennifer Hudson on her career
“That’s what great stories are about. When the underdog really gets a chance to win.” – Jamie Foxx on Jennifer winning an Oscar for her role in “Dreamgirls”
DC July 4 features David Archuleta, Gladys Knight
WASHINGTON — “American Idol” runner-up David Archuleta and Gladys Knight will perform at the annual July Fourth holiday concert in Washington.
“A Capitol Fourth” will be broadcast live from the west lawn of the Capitol at 8 p.m. on PBS stations.
Actor Jimmy Smits is hosting the event. Reba McEntire, Darius Rucker and the National Symphony Orchestra are also scheduled to perform.
The 19-year-old Archuleta was the 2008 “American Idol” runner-up. He’ll sing the National Anthem — a song he says he loves to perform.
Why 15 is too young for ‘Idol’
‘American Idol” is lowering its age requirement from 16 to 15 — the first change in the age eligibility since the upper age limit was raised from 24 to 28 at the start of Season 4 in 2005.
All I can say is a big, fat ugh.
There’s hardly a teen singer on the show who couldn’t benefit from a few more years of seasoning before making it to “Idol.” Even the really talented ones who do well — Jordin Sparks, Allison Iraheta and David Archuleta — could have used a little more time.
More Headlines after the JUMP…
‘American Idol’ Singers Say Lee DeWyze, Tim Urban Will Have Most Groupies On Tour
Not that they all agree. Casey James is convinced Aaron Kelly will have the most fans screaming his name. “He’s a chick magnet, ” James told MTV News.
Yet Kelly has a feeling Tim Urban will be the most groupie-centric “Idol”er. And who does Urban believe will be surrounded by the most screaming tweens? Put that question to the floppy-haired crooner-next-door and all he’ll offer is a sheepish, “Uhhhhh …”
But who is the ultimate groupie-getter? The singers’ opinions are largely split between Urban and champ DeWyze. Ask DeWyze, though, and he’ll simply declare, “We’re all pretty different.”
Bo Bice to sing National Anthem at Tampa Rays Game
American Idol alum Bo Bice will sing the national anthem at the Tampa Bay Rays game this Wednesday, June 23rd. He will perform just prior to the start of the 7:10pm game against the San Diego Padres. Bice’s third album, aptly titled 3, was released on May 18th (via Saguaro Road Records in association with Bo’s own Sugar Money Records). Soulful southern blues and rock, gospel-like choruses, Americana and a touch of country, the new album is much like Bice himself; irresistibly likeable, filled with easygoing charm and undeniable talent.
‘Idol’ spotlights shines on Milwaukee
In announcing the Season 10 auditions, Fox’s “Idol” publicity machine pointed out that previous winners and contenders have included a paint store clerk (this year’s winner, Lee DeWyze), a farm girl (Carrie Underwood) and a cruise ship performer (Jennifer Hudson).
And there’s Danny Gokey – a truck driver and church music director before an audition changed all that. Gokey came in third in Season 8 and headed to Nashville. His debut CD, “My Best Days, ” has been a chart-topper on country charts.
His advice to “Idol” hopefuls heading to the auditions:
“Whoever’s been on the show – they don’t need another one of those. They don’t need another Danny Gokey, they don’t need another David Cook, they don’t need another Adam Lambert, ” Gokey said in a telephone interview from Nashville.
A Campaign for M&Ms With a Salty Center? Sweet
The campaign for its new variety — a pretzel nugget covered in milk chocolate, then coated with a colored candy shell — has a strong emphasis on digital and social media outlets and caters to younger consumers. Mars Chocolate North America, which makes M&Ms, is sponsoring the current “American Idol” tour, with this year’s winner, Lee DeWyze, and the nine finalists performing in 49 cities nationwide.
The promotion, which includes television and movie theater commercials and print advertisements, “is our biggest launch in a decade in both dollars and reach, ” said Carole Walker, vice president for Mars’s integrated marketing communications group.
Why the hype?
I’m a 28-year-old male. My musical tastes include Keane, U2, They Might Be Giants, Regina Spektor and Broadway soundtracks. I am not what I would have called a typical David Archuleta fan. And even though I have interviewed him twice, and met him twice more, I had never, until Saturday night, heard a single song sung by him.
I interview a lot of artists and bands, and most of these interviews come with the opportunity to attend their respective concerts, take photos for the paper, etc. I rarely attend these events, mostly due to time. However, I so enjoyed my interactions with Archuleta this past week that I decided to take my wife to his concert.
Gulf Telethon: Diaz, Seacrest, Redford and, of Course, Bieber Fever
Despite Larry King’s repeated (and very enthusiastic) assurances that we had Justin Bieber to look forward to, the 16-year-old sensation was not the reason Robert Redford, Ryan Seacrest, Cameron Diaz, Chelsea Handler, Harry Connick Jr., Alyssa Milano and Ian Somerhalder all flocked to CNN tonight.
No, they—plus many more—were on hand for the two-hour telethon special Disaster in the Gulf: How You Can Help, hosted by King to benefit those hit hardest by the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
The more than $1 million raised Monday was earmarked for the United Way, the National Wildlife Foundation and the Nature Conservancy.
Mezhgan Hussainy flying to Lodnon for ‘summit talks’ with Simon Cowell
Just when we were about to list her as an endangered species, Simon Cowell’s fiancee has finally come out of hibernation.
Make-up artist Mezhgan Hussainy has spent the past seven weeks squirrelled away in Los Angeles – noticeably absent from the side of her X Factor lover at several high profile events.
We feared she’d gone missing, but on Day Two of our Mezghan Watch we are hot on her trail.
Piers Morgan won’t invite Simon Cowell to his wedding
Piers Morgan is not planning to invite his fellow Britain’s Got Talent judges to his wedding this summer.
Morgan, who proposed to writer fiancee Celia Walden in December, has asked brother Jeremy to be his best man – and left Simon Cowell and Amanda Holden off the guest list.
But his fellow judges need not feel snubbed as the 45-year-old is keeping the wedding celebrity free.
He told new! magazine: “Simon and Amanda will be distraught to hear that, but I’m planning a very, very small wedding and a big party.”
Ellen brings more comedy than ever
Ellen DeGeneres takes her funny any way she can get it.
Be it watching the pole performer known as The Flag Man, an Australian magician or the Kabuki Expert act — all part of her “Somewhat Special” special airing Sunday on TBS. It’s one of three specials taped at the Just For Laughs Festival in Chicago earlier this month.
“I think this is the best one so far, as far as interesting acts, ” DeGeneres said during a recent teleconference. “It’s a jam-packed show. The Kabuki act is really cool. The flagman is great, the magician is incredible and there’s Lady Antebellum. There’s more comedy than I’ve done before because I’ll be just kind of in between each act.”
Larry King’s Gulf Relief Telethon Raises $1.8 Million [VIDEO]
“A hundred dollars? Wow! Thanks you so much, ” rocker Tyson Ritter told one donor who called in. The two-hour CNN show raised more than $1.81 million, with proceeds going to three charities deeply involved in the efforts to help humans, wildlife and the environment.
Numerous generous corporate donations were made including a $100, 000 from Bing who pledged to donate $10 for every retweet of Ryan Seacrest’s tweet at the top of the broadcast up to 10, 000 tweets.
Clay Aiken: “I’m Not on the Market!”
Claymates are screaming once again as their hero, Clay Aiken, 35, just returned to Billboard’s Top 10 with his latest disc, the standards-heavy Tried and True. I decided to catch up with single dad to Parker Foster, 2 (with Jaymes Foster) about his fifth album, summer tour with American Idol Season 2 best bud Ruben Studdard and his second Father’s Day. Read on and, hey, pipe down so you can hear him!
UsMagazine.com: It’s been two years since your last album. What makes it different than the last one, which was very emotional and lyrically deep?
