David Archuleta Wants the “Miley Touch”
David Archuleta’s camp knows what works.
E! News has exclusively learned that the 17-year-old crooner is working on songs for his debut album with Rock Mafia Records, the Santa Monica-based tune factory behind the Miley Cyrus hits “7 Things” and “See You Again.”
A source tells us that Jeff Archuleta, the little one’s infamous father-manager (dadager, perhaps?), recently met with Rock Mafia producers Antonia Armato and Tim James, who cowrote and coproduced eight of the tracks on Cyrus’ latest album, Breakout. They have also worked with Mariah Carey, Vanessa Hudgens and Aly & AJ.
David Still Cooking on Album Release
While no specific release date, save for the month, has been announced for Cook’s debut, what is for sure is that this fall will mark yet another battle of the Davids, with Cook and Idol runner-up David Archuleta expected to drop their albums on the same day.
Bo Bice’s wife gives birth to baby boy
Bo Bice’s publicist has confirmed to Usmagazine.com exclusively that the U.S. singer’s wife has given birth to a baby boy.
Caroline Fisher gave birth to little Caleb Tuesday, the entertainment news Web site reported.
More Idol Headlines After the JUMP…
‘Rock of Ages’ cues Off B’way run
It’s taken ages, but it looks like “Rock of Ages” will finally get an Off Broadway run this fall.
“American Idol” alum Constantine Maroulis (“The Wedding Singer”) will topline the 1980s-set musical that incorporates tunes by music acts of the era, including Journey, Bon Jovi, Pat Benatar, Styx, Twisted Sister and Whitesnake. Show will play New World Stages starting in September.
In “Rock, ” written by Chris D’Arienzo (“Barry Munday”), a Hollywood rock club threatened by developers serves as the backdrop for a romance between a wannabe guitar hero and a small-town girl. Kristin Hanggi (“Bare”) directs.
David Cook To Sing National Anthem At Chiefs Home Opener
The Kansas City Chiefs announced on Tuesday that American Idol champion and Blue Springs, Missouri native David Cook will perform the National Anthem on September 14th when the Chiefs host the Oakland Raiders at Arrowhead Stadium. David will perform the anthem with his younger brother, Andrew Cook.
American Idol: Experiencing a Tempest in a Coke Cup?
A story on AP’s Spanish-language wire about union protests of the San Juan auditions had a quote from a union organizer that referred to low audition turnout, which Idolator researcher/Spanish correspondent Kate Richardson was kind enough to roughly translate for me:
Why did Paula Abdul cancel Today Show (again)?
Paula Abdul may be burning her bridges over at the Today Show. She was supposed to perform her single “Dance Like There’s No Tomorrow” on the morning show’s concert series in April. But she bailed because of “production commitments” and reskedded for August 29.
But last Friday, she canceled that show as well, because of “‘American Idol’ commitments.”
Stage fright? Or perhaps fear of looking/sounding like Ashlee Simpson on “Saturday Night Live?”
Nigel Lythgoe’s ‘American Idol’ exit: Good for the show?
From last January to May, I wrote approximately a gugillion* words about American Idol’s seventh season, and not many of them were kind to executive producer Nigel Lythgoe. After all, the man introduced those hateful, front-row swaybots; chose a multitude of themes that prevented contestants from singing anything written after 1990; failed to purchase a thesaurus (or hire an “adjectives consultant”) for judge Randy ”Molten Hot (mess)” Jackson; refused to properly apologize for the show’s Paula-gate incident; and seemed hellbent on sticking to a predetermined David-vs.-David story arc, no matter how well the 10 remaining finalists performed on a given week. (Rumors that Lythgoe planned to have sixth-place finisher Carly Smithson blindfolded and dragged in front of a firing squad as part of her post-elimination sendoff remain unconfirmed.)
‘American Idol’ Exec Producer Nigel Lythgoe Steps Down To Work On ‘Dance, ‘ Other Ventures
When “American Idol” starts rolling in early 2009, its unseen puppet master will not be working behind the scenes for the first time since the show’s launch in 2002.
Executive producer Nigel Lythgoe has confirmed that he is leaving his “AI” gig to accommodate a challenging international travel schedule to promote locals versions of his other hit show, “So You Think You Can Dance, ” on which the jovial Brit serves as a judge and producer.
A Top Producer for ‹Idol to Leave for Other Projects
…Idol is currently holding auditions for contestants for the new season, and mostly the usual crowds of thousands of hopefuls have been turning out. But at least one audition drew an unusually small response.
Omar Marrero, an Associated Press reporter based in San Juan, P.R., who attended the audition there this past Saturday, said that only a few hundred people showed up. That is a stark contrast with the more than 6, 000 reported to have attended the recent audition in Salt Lake City.
Ms. Frot-Coutaz said the producers of …Idol had expected a small turnout in Puerto Rico because it is an island, but that they went there …to give a different flavor to the show.
Oscar Bait Posters: ‘Doubt’ and ‘Bees’
I have been thinking about how I am going to cover the Oscar season this year and I am hoping to create individual pages for all the titles I think have a shot and update them as we get closer and closer to February 22, 2009, but for now I remain in limbo. However, that isn’t stopping the marketing train as posters, pics and info for Oscar contenders are starting to roll in and today we have posters for Doubt starring Amy Adams, Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman and The Secret Life of Bees starring Queen Latifah, Dakota Fanning, Jennifer Hudson, Sophie Okonedo, Alicia Keys and Paul Bettany.
National Underwear Day: What scene do you think of first?
August 5 is National Underwear Day. It’s true, y’all. I already unknowingly celebrated this morning by fast-forwarding through last night’s Queer as Folk Logo repeat to see Brian (Gale Harold) attend an Underwear Party. Yay me.
You can celebrate by naming the TV or movie scene you think of first. Just keep it PG. (Notice the restraint that I showed by not linking to the QAF scene. From episode 302. Wink.) Because I know where some of you are headed, I’ve embedded David Cook’s Guitar Hero commercial below.
‘American Idol’ goes on downtown shopping spree
NEWBURYPORT ‘ Petit Bijou owner Richard Coco celebrated the one-month birthday of his store in a big way Monday when Kelly Clarkson went on a shopping spree.
“She gave me her credit card and license, and I said you must get teased a lot because you look like Kelly Clarkson, ” Coco said. “She said, well I am Kelly Clarkson.”
Clarkson, her mother, sister and a small child were visiting for the day while staying with friends in Portsmouth when they stopped in the 10 State St. store.
“I didn’t know what to think, ” Coco said. “My wife is a big ‘American Idol’ fan, and she was always our favorite.”
Reality TV star becomes hometown hero
It was a homecoming appropriate for a hometown hero.
Eleven days after being eliminated from Fox’s reality TV show “So You Think You Can Dance, ” Gev Manoukian was back at Park City Dance Academy teaching an evening masters class to more than 20 of his biggest fans Tuesday, July 29.
The 21-year-old hip hop/break dancer from Kazakhstan who currently lives in Centerville, Utah, with his grandparents and aunt was eliminated from “So You Think You Can Dance’s” fourth season based on home viewer votes cast July 17.
End Of Days for Day on Canadian Idol
Before the hammer comes down on one of the Idol hopefuls, the seven remaining competitors sing a haphazard medley of Tom Jones songs, followed by the man himself singing …Unusual. And is it ever. From his spray on tan to his geriatric dance moves, Tom Jones is far from being a sex bomb.
Tom Jones also performs a new song from his latest album, destined for the buck a bin section of your local record store.
Canadian Idol Recap: It’s not Unusual who Goes Home
At the top of the episode, Ben informs us 2.5 million votes were cast Monday night. Despite this, someone is still going home. We get thoughts from only two of the judges (Zack and Farley) before getting a recap of the night before.
‘Nashville Star’ champ Melissa Lawson: I expected Gabe Garcia to win
Melissa Lawson said she felt “a lot of disbelief” when she was crowned Nashville Star’s sixth-season champ over Gabe Garcia during last night’s live finale.
“We’re standing there and of course it’s that horrible music that they’re playing. I’m standing next to Gabe and was just telling myself, ‘Gosh, I made it to the Top 2. This is unbelievable, ‘” Lawson told Reality TV World during a Tuesday conference call.
Going Country with 2008 Nashville Star Melissa Lawson
When Nashville Star made its seventh season debut a number of weeks ago, a lot of media types and fans were questioning whether any of the new crop of wannabe-stars had the country chops to make it in “Music City”. Although Nashville Star took a few weeks to settle into its new home on NBC, the show got better each week as the true stars emerged from the shadows.
After making the transition from an everyday mother-of-give to a country hopeful on the Nashville stage, 32 year old Melissa Lawson beat out the young kids to become the 2008 winner of Nashville Star. Not only does Melissa take home the top prize of a recording contract with an upcoming single and a new truck, she’s also struttin’ her country stuff at the upcoming Beijing Olympic games as part of her prize.
Reliving Nashville Star with Finalists Gabe Garcia and Shawn Mayer
When a huge competition gets whittled down to the final three competitors, the sad reality is that someone has to go and someone will be crowned the winnder. During this season of Nashville Star on NBC, after 40, 000 auditions, Gabe Garcia and Shawn Mayer went from unknown country hopefuls to household Nashville names, as the two made it into the final round of competition. Although Gabe and Shawn gave it their all, growing by leaps and bounds throughout the season, both couldn’t top mother-of-five Melissa Lawson, who was crowned this year’s Nashville Star.
