Idol Headlines For 6/26/08

Combination Locke

Kimberley Locke became a part of the national consciousness when she was a finalist on season two of TV’s …American Idol, finishing third to Clay Aiken and eventual champion Ruben Studdard. She’s since parlayed that result into being a successful entertainer, combining careers in music ( including the smash single …8th World Wonder ) ; television ( …Celebrity Fit Club, co-hosting …The View ) ; and modeling/endorsements ( Jenny Craig ) . She also has become quite the gay icon, and will perform at Chicago PrideFest Sat., June 28.

WCT: Of course, I have to ask about …American Idol. What I want to know, though, is if you caught this past season [ which David Cook won ] ?
KL: I thought this past season was very boring. I was very unimpressed with most of the contestants.
WCT: I’m still wondering how Jason Castro made it to the final four.
KL: He’s cute; that’s all. He looks good in a pair of jeans’ you gotta give it to him. But he was as dumb as a box of rocks.
WCT: Yeah, and that’s usually how I like ‹em [ Locke laughs loudly: …I love that! ] , but not on …AI.
KL: It’ll be interesting to see what they do next year. I’d like to see them go back to the basics and stop giving them so much in the beginning. It’s like they have nowhere to grow to. Make [ the contestants ] sing the track; when you have a 20-piece band behind you, anyone can sound good.
WCT: It might be interesting if they incorporated a little choreography.
KL: Hmmm. But those people’ did you see them in the finale?
WCT: Yes. Poor Brooke White ¦
KL: They looked a mess.

Windy City Times

U.S. pop star appeals for world attention on Somalia

U.S. pop star Clay Aiken appealed on Wednesday for the world not to forget Somalia, where conflict and hunger have created one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

Aiken said U.S. and international interest in Somalia had been minimal since failed military intervention in the early 1990s.

“There hasn’t been much discussion of Somalia since the early 1990s in the U.S., ” said Aiken, a U.N. goodwill ambassador, on a visit to Somalia. “The American population kind of got a bad taste of Somalia in the early 90’s and hasn’t really had much interest in the country since.”

Reuters

David Cook Hoping for Teen Support to Win Award

KANSAS CITY, MO. — David Cook is up for his first award since winning the title of American Idol. The rising star known for his older, female fan base, the Cougars, is now hoping for support from teenagers.

Cook is up for a Teen Choice Award for best male reality star. His competition includes The JabbaWockeeZ from America’s Best Dance Crew, Brody Jenner from The Hills, Rob & Big, and Ryan Sheckler from Life of Ryan.

MyFoxKC

‹Idols will find worship at Sports Arena

According to many television critics and diehard fans of the show, …American Idol season seven boasted the best talent that the incredibly popular competition has seen ‘ so far. The …American Idols Live! Tour 2008 offers fans the chance to find out for themselves, as the second stop on the tour is at the San Diego Sports Arena on Wednesday, July 2.

Simon Fuller, creator and executive producer of …American Idol, stated, …One of the key factors in the success story of ‹American Idol is the unique experience of seeing today best undiscovered talent perform live on stage each and every week. We are truly excited that the American Idols Live! Tour will once again give fans the chance to see the TV show come to life in their hometown.

SD News

American Idol finalists roll into Branson

The Idols are in Branson this year. The top 12 contestants from the first six seasons of American Idol are performing at The Grand Palace.

R. J. Helton finished as a top five finalist in the show’s first season. He performed on Ozarks Today on Wednesday morning.

Here’s more information on the show from The Grand Palace: Six of your favorite performers from the #1 smash-hit television show “American Idol” will be featured in 2 to 4 week runs with different performers rotating in and out every 4 weeks. The show runs through October 26.

KY3.com

Song List for Radio Broadway Concert on 6/30 Announced

The complete song list for Radio Broadway Presents “The Radio Hits of 1958, ” sponsored by BroadwayWorld.com, has been announced. The show will feature a variety of Broadway stars, American Idol’s Constantine Maroulis and alumni from American Bandstand and will be presented on Monday, June 30 at 8 p.m. at The Town Hall, Times Square’s landmark concert venue.

Broadway World

‘American Idol’ Alum Blake Lewis Parts With Label, Says He ‘Couldn’t Be Happier’ With Debut LP’s Performance

“My contract with Arista is up, and they didn’t option me, so I’m with 19 Recordings and we’re working on booking a tour, ” he explained. “Arista went through a lot of changes. The person who was working on my record was fired. … I guess in the world of radio, selling 300, 000 is not a success. I beg to differ. I couldn’t be happier, and my fans are amazing and super-supportive.”

The label setback isn’t about to deter Lewis from continuing his music career. He said he’s already written four songs for his sophomore LP, which he’s working on with his band’s drummer, Kevin “KJ” Sawka. The pair will be co-producing the effort, which Lewis describes as “Massive Attack meets Zero 7 ‘  drum-and-bass with a little pop influence.”

But who will release the record when it’s in the bag? Lewis said he may release the disc through his own label, which he’s in the process of getting off the ground. “I’m super-passionate about this record, ” he said. “Who knows what’s in store? Half the year’s over, and it’s only going to keep going.”

MTV

Colliding with the Real World at the Canal Room

Last night was one of those beautiful city nights, when Manhattan can do no wrong. The thick but gentle wind tickled my hoop earrings as I walked along Canal Street toward Canal Room, where I was about to watch Brianna Taylor from …The Real World, who said …but I dont like hard work of any kind, followed by Blake Lewis from …American Idol, famous for creative use of mouth noises and being rumored as one of Lindsay Lohan chew toys. Youre right; I have GOT to find a way to spin this for this column. Itll come to me ¦

Mediapost.com

I Met Blake Lewis, Jealous?

I am a ginormous reality TV junkie that’s why it was so much fun to sit down and chat with “American Idol’s” Blake Lewis and “The Real World’s” Brianna Taylor, who performed last night at The Canal Room in New York City.

Blake spills the real deal on getting dropped from his label and what is playing on his iPod right now, while Brianna threatens to put some of her former houseguests on blast!

NYPost

ATLANTA COUPLE WED AT ‹TODAY LIVE TV ALTAR

…American Idol contestant (and the bride cousin!) Melinda Doolittle surprised the couple at their 65th floor Rainbow Room wedding reception by singing …Never Felt This Way for the couple first dance.

…Today then temporarily transformed into …Dancing With the Stars as Suggs and Bradford cut loose with a carefully choreographed dance routine featuring dips and lifts.

As Vieira observed: …You now have the best wedding video out of all of your friends!

Access Atlanta

Chicago NFL Alumni and Sinai co-hosting benefit

Chicago NFL Alumni and Sinai Community Institute will present …Gala 2008: Celebrating 15 Years of Going the Distance Sat., June 28, 6-11 p.m., at Cadillac Club at Soldier Field, 1400 S. Museum Campus. The event is black-tie optional.

There will be a VIP reception, Latin-inspired cuisine and a silent auction. In addition, former …American Idol finalist Melinda Doolittle will perform.

Windy City Times

Sparks lights up stage at SCERA

When Jordin Sparks took the stage at the SCERA Outdoor Theatre Wednesday night, she did it without an extravagant set or special effects. In actuality, the concert was all about Sparks displaying her voice’ and the large crowd that piled into the theater should have left the show feeling it got its money’s worth.

Sparks took the stage just before 9 p.m. and had the crowd engaged from the get-go. She swayed onto stage in a bright floral summer dress and wasted no time in doing what she does best.

Deseret News

Hicks, Mitchell and More to Perform on PBS’ “A Capitol Fourth”; Smits Hosts

The fireworks extravaganza ‘  filmed live at the U.S. Capitol ‘  will air on PBS stations around the country July 4 from 8-9:30 PM ET; check local listings.

The 90-minute special will boast performances by Tony Award winner Brian Stokes Mitchell, “American Idol” winner and current Grease star Taylor Hicks, opera singer Harolyn Blackwell, Huey Lewis & The News, Jerry Lee Lewis, Hayley Westenra and figure skater Scott Hamilton. Erich Kunzel will conduct the National Symphony Orchestra.

Playbill

Ace has a new album up his sleeve

Ace Young, a season five “American Idol” finalist, called recently from the road. He’s touring with his band and visiting radio stations to drum up interest to a fever pitch for his self-titled debut CD out July 15.

Ace only finished seventh on “A.I.” but he points out that the same season, top-selling rocker Chris Daughtry finished fourth. For the record, Taylor Hicks won that year. Ace’s good looks and long flowing hair made him a heartthrob and his dedication to his craft could make him a rock star.

Press Telegram

Chicago Pride Fest to Kick Off with Pet Parade at Noon

Entertainment kicks off on the main stage at 1:00 p.m., and includes American Idol Winner Kimberly Locke at 2 p.m., American Idol Contestant and Broadway Star Frenchie Davis at 3:30 p.m., Dance Diva Inaya Day at 5:15 p.m., Legendary Martha Wash (C+C Music Factory, Black Box, Weather Girls) at 6:15 p.m. and 80’s pop superstar Tiffany at 7:00 p.m. A special Pride Drag Show will occur between acts at 2:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. featuring performers from The Baton, Hydrate Chicago, Circuit Night Club, Roscoe’s and the Kit Kat Club.

Chicago Pride

2008 Gay Pride Parade and Festival

The Civic Center will welcome a wide variety of entertainment to multiple stages featuring everything from political speakers to live bands to a variety of DJ areas. This year’s performance areas include the Trans Stage (focusing on transgender entertainers), the Soul of Pride African American Stage, the Asian and Pacific Islander Stage (headlined by American Idol finalist Jasmine Trias) and the Homo Hip Hop Stage. In addition to the many live acts performing including Saturday headliner Meshell Ndegeocello, there will be no less than eight different sound systems pumping everything from house and techno to swing and country music in the Civic Center area.

KTVU.com

Clay Aiken Calls Attention to Somalia

Clay Aiken is urging the world not to forget about Somalia.

The American Idol runner-up and a U.N. goodwill ambassador, appealed for world attention on the war-torn and hunger-stricken country on Wednesday.

“There hasn’t been much discussion of Somalia since the early 1990s in the U.S., ” Clay said during a visit to Somalia. “The American population kind of got a bad taste of Somalia in the early 90s and hasn’t really had much interest in the country since.”

OK Magazine

Paramount Takes a ‘Chance’ on Simon Cowell

Paramount is moving forward on a Simon Cowell-produced movie that the studio clearly hopes will be less “From Justin to Kelly” and more… anything other than “From Justin to Kelly.”

The project, titled “One Chance, ” is based on Paul Potts’ rise from opera singing mobile phone salesman to international music sensation thanks to the reality hit “Britain’s Got Talent.”

Zap2it.com

‘So You Think You Can Dance’: It’s a dead audience’s party…

It must be really difficult for the remaining So You Think You Can Dance to perform to the unresponsive group that populated the audience tonight. Sometimes it was so quite in there, you’d think it was a dress rehearsal.

Zap2it

So You Think You Can Dance A Love Story

Look around the studio during a taping of …So You Think You Can Dance and read the signs. …Kherington and Twitch! raves one. …Courtney and Gev! shouts another. Although at the end of the season just one person will be crowned …America favorite dancer, the audience is falling in love with whole couples at the moment, and not individual contestants. For this reason, it is absolutely essential for each pair to display a believable and relatable relationship, both during their dances and during their video segments.

Twitch and Kherington Payne knew what they were doing when they renamed themselves …Twitchington early in the season. They marketed themselves as a package deal. A power couple. And thus, they were the first pair to secure a spot in the collective consciousness. At SYTYCD High, Kherington and Twitch are the homecoming king and queen.

LA Times

Twenty Remain: First Canadian Idol Results of Season Revealed

TORONTO, June 25 /CNW/ – The season’s first four competitors have been eliminated from Canadian Idol, leaving 20 to compete next week for a covetedspot in the Canadian Idol Top 10. The following competitors have received the fewest votes following performances on Monday and Tuesday and will not bemoving forward in the competition:

Newswire.ca

“Nashville Star” cancels Pussycat Dolls

When I tuned in late to Monday’s “Nashville Star, ” I thought I caught a performance of the scantily-clad female pop group Pussycat Dolls. I was wrong, but only because the NBC reality show cancelled the pop group’s booking — and replaced them with a similar group.

“We booked the Pussycat Dolls last Thursday, and then Friday (their label, Interscope) wanted to add Clique Girlz, which didn’t make sense for the show, ” says the show’s publicist, Carrie Simons.

She says the show cancelled the Dolls and replaced them with Danity Kane. That’s the group that won Diddy’s MTV reality show, “Making the Band 3.”

WBIR

Nashville Star: NBC Is Ruining A Perfectly Good Show

Unfortunately, what has run for the last three weeks on NBC bears little resemblance to anything in the first five seasons of Nashville Star, and the series might just be the worst thing airing on network television right now. The problems are many. Billy Ray Cyrus, who can actually be likable when not asked to do too much, is hopelessly out of his depth in the Ryan Seacrest role. John Rich, the lead judge in demeanor, if not in name, is overbearing and seems unable to prevent himself from making inappropriate comments about teenage girls. While the premiere episode dispensed with most of the American Idol-style bad audition filler, everything since then has seemed horribly bloated, with two hours on Monday devoted to only ten contestants.

Film.com

Nashville Star: Catching Up with Country Cast-Off Justin Gaston

After what looked to be an easy first few rounds of competition for wanna-be Nashville Star, Justin Gaston, the fans took matters into their own hands and sent the part-time model packing. Although we thought Justin was a few years away from a Nashville Star type victory in country music, we did think it was possible the female teen generation would give the dreamy good looking dude a bye into the top three just for being Justin Gaston. The following day after Gaston belted out a rendition of Cyndi Lauper’s “Girls Just Wanted to Have Fun, ” we caught up with the ambitious music industry hopeful on the conference call to see if he, himself, had any fun and what he took away from his time on Nashville Star.

Deadbolt

About mj santilli 34841 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!