Season 7 ‹Idol contests look back after tour
After two and a half months crisscrossing the country, the American Idols Live! tour and its exclamation point finally grind to a halt this weekend in Tulsa, Okla.
Once it done, this year top 10 will be free to either start working on their recording careers in an effort to catch up with David Archuleta smash debut single …Crush or pack it up and rebuild their shattered lives.
Since that likely to be the last youll hear from them in a while, MSNBC presents some never-published excerpts from interviews with five of …American Idol 7 singers, taken from a speed-dating-style pre-show press junket before their Worcester, Mass. show.
Marathon Near the End for the American Idol Finalists
WILKES-BARRE TWP. — Four hours before the curtain went up for another sold-out performance, the 10 stars of …American Idols Live were scattered throughout the grounds of the Wachovia Arena at Casey Plaza.
Some were out by the West Gate signing autographs for a gathering of fans. Some were getting their hair and makeup done, or rehearsing their tunes. And some, including David Archuleta, Chikezie, Kristy Lee Cook, Carly Smithson and Michael Johns, were meeting the media in the basement of the facility.
More Idol Headlines after the JUMP…
Pickler feels most at home on stage
It has taken years, but at long last, Kellie Pickler can say those four words: “I’m finally happy now.”
Emerging from a tumultuous upbringing that’s been well documented -from her mother leaving the family when Pickler was 2, to her hard-living father’s prison term for stabbing a neighbor -the 22-year-old singer has found peace in her life.
“I live in Nashville now, relocated to Music City, ” Pickler recently told the Poughkeepsie Journal. “I’ve started my life over. There was nothing to go back home for. There’s been a lot of filtering of the people in my life.
EXCLUSIVE: Kara DioGuardi picks favorite ‘Idol’ contestants, performance and judge (sort of)
Just before Labor Day weekend, I had the pleasure of chatting up New Rochelle native and Grammy-nominated songwriter/producer Kara DioGuardi, who on Aug. 25 Fox announced as the fourth judge on …American Idol.
A true LoHudder, her connections to the region are seemingly endless. As a child, she attended Immaculate Heart of Mary School in Scarsdale, sang at the Larchmont Shore Club and provided the soundtrack at campaign stops throughout Westchester County for her father, former U.S. Congressman Joe DioGuardi. She later graduated from The Masters School in Dobbs Ferry. Despite graduating from Duke University with a degree in political science, she abandoned law to become a vocalist in an Ossining garage band called Gramma Trips.
Paula Abdul Accidentally Swallows own Tongue During Rachel Ray Show Brownie Binge
It’s really not the end of summer until Paula Abdul salivates over a Tupperware container filled with Rachael Ray’s delicious Klonopin-chip brownies. Side note: We believe that video breaks the world record for on-camera time in which Ryan Seacrest remains completely silent.
Natalie Cole: Hepatitis C ‘Keeled Me Over’
It’s not visible to the naked eye, but Natalie Cole has just begun the fight of her life. The Grammy winning singer is battling hepatitis C, and tonight on ET she’s sharing her story for the very first time with her good friend and ours, Paula Abdul.
“In 1980-1982, I was doing heroin, ” reveals Natalie, tracing the possible cause of contracting the disease. “The first day that ‘This Will Be’ came out on the radio I was on my way to get heroin.”
Paula Blogs Her Emotional Natalie Cole One-on-One
Web exclusive: Paula Abdul reveals her impression of songstress Natalie Cole just moments after sitting down with the singing sensation for a one-on-one interview.
Paula admits she was nervous before the interview, saying she didn’t know what to expect. But she soon found out Natalie was easygoing, calling her “candid, honest and vulnerable.”
Watch Paula’s all-new blog to find out what else she had to say about her fellow crooner!
HOT DISH: Visiting With Carrie Underwood
If Carrie Underwood is the least bit concerned about the state of the music biz, she never seems to let on. During a recent gathering with a few media folks, Carrie was all smiles in a short royal blue dress. Her eyes sparkled, and her heels were high.
The country music headliner won the American Idol competition in 2005, and her debut CD sold 7 million copies, but Carrie Underwood is the most down to earth of all the country girl singers. If the Checotah, Okla., star has an ego, it does not show. Why, she even remembered me teaching her to shake hands when she first came to Nashville with a wimpy handshake and a dream after winning American Idol.
James Redford & Robert Redford Host Event to ‘Share The Beat’ for Transplant Community
ATLANTA, Sept. 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — James Redford and Robert Redford are teaming up once again to “Share the Beat” on Saturday, September 13, as they host a star studded evening of live music and entertainment at Atlanta’s historic venue, The Tabernacle, with support from Presenting Sponsor, uBID.com ( www.uBid.com ).
The event will kick off at 8 p.m. with special musical performances and story telling, featuring appearances by actor/filmmaker Robert Redford, James Denton and Dana Delany of Desperate Housewives, award-winning singer/songwriters Deana Carter, Rivers Rutherford, Greg Barnhill, Malina Moye, Aimee Mayo, Alexa Wilkinson, and American Idol’s Bo Bice, as they raise awareness and funds for the Georgia Transplant Foundation (GTF) and the James Redford Institute for Transplant Awareness (JRI).
Johnston, Mertes, Rebeck to Particpate in New York Television Festival
The discussion is part of the 4th Annual New York Television Festival, which runs September 12-17 at the theater complex. It includes screenings of many commercial and independent pilots, including one for the theater-oriented series Project Ghostlight, narrated by Tony Award winner Philip Bosco, and the comedy Teachers, which features Broadway’s Kate Reinders, Sarah Litzsinger, and Constantine Maroulis, as well as panel discussions.
Fight drug abuse
The Asian American Drug Abuse Program will host a benefit show titled “Showtime 2008 “Changing Lives and Saving Families, ” featuring performances by “American Idol” finalist Jasmine Trias, Hawaiian Music Trio Na Kama and Hawaiian Dance Troupe Keali’i O Nalani. The benefit also features a dessert reception and silent auction. The event takes place 7 p.m. Saturday at Alex Theatre, 216 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale. Tickets are $20 to $60. For more information, call (323) 293-6284. To purchase tickets, visit www.alextheatre.org.
Boggess, Butler, Carmello, Jackson, Leavel, Parrish and More Set for Broadway on Broadway
A host of theatre favorites will perform at the 17th annual “Broadway on Broadway” concert Sept. 14 in Times Square.
Among those scheduled to make appearances and/or perform are Sierra Boggess (The Little Mermaid), Kerry Butler (Xanadu), Tevin Campbell (Hairspray) Carolee Carmello (Mamma Mia!), Kerry Ellis (Wicked), Bailey Hanks (Legally Blonde), Cheyenne Jackson (Xanadu), Beth Leavel (Young Frankenstein), Hunter Parrish (Spring Awakening), Mary Testa (Xanadu), Tom Wopat (Chicago), Jackie Hoffman (Xanadu) and Ace Young (Grease)
As previously announced, Drew Lachey, the second season champion of ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” who is currently playing Patsy in Broadway’s Spamalot, will host “Broadway on Broadway, ” the annual, free outdoor concert in Times Square that celebrates the upcoming theatre season.
Idol Chartwatch, September 8: New Idol Releases on the Horizon
Josiah Leming, the Season 7 castoff who made it anyway, has announced that he will be releasing an eight-song EP on October 28. The album will be sold on iTunes. Josiah full-length album will be released in January.
David Cook debut has a November 18 release date. This is the first firm date for the album. David Archuleta album still has a November 11 release date listed on Amazon. As we have learned, however, these release dates tend to slip, especially for newly-minted Idols.
Kellie Pickler second album is set for release September 30. Amazon has two entries listed for Kellie Pickler, both a single and double-disc version.
Fine dining
Morton’s the Steakhouse, which doesn’t open to the public until dinner, graciously agreed to open the kitchen early to prepare lunch for the newcomer.
DioGuardi’s order from the downtown steakhouse: jumbo crabmeat cocktail and sesame-encrusted yellow fin tuna.
Dancing With the Stars Season 7: Who Will Win?
There’s a lot of buzz surrounding the upcoming seventh season of Dancing With The Stars. Who will win, and who will go home defeated?
Hollyscoop caught up Cheryl Burke and Makisim Chmerkovskoiy from the hit TV show at the Nylon magazine 90210 launch party in Los Angeles last week, where they gave us their predictions about the new season.
Everyone is buzzing about teen sensation Cody Linley, and how he’s considered the frontrunner. “I’m sure he’s going to be great, ” said Cheryl. “He’s young, he has a lot of energy. And he was Julianne as his partner.”
East versus West for Idol supremacy
It was East versus West on Canadian Idol Monday night. With one final chance to impress Canadian voters, Mitch MacDonald, from Port Hood, N.S., and Theo Tams from Lethbridge pulled out all the stops in their quest for this year’s Idol crown. After being flown mid-week to New York to a workshop with Grammy winning soul singer John Legend, the final two contestants each sang a song of their choice, a judges pick and the winners single.
Judge Farley Flex advised the final two to sing each song like “all three songs will be the last they’ll ever sing.”
Canadian Idol final two happy for `great start to careers, regardless of winner
HALIFAX ‘ Most of 2008 is a blur for Mitch MacDonald and Theo Tams, but life isnt bound to get any less hectic as they prepare to square off for the final time on Canadian Idol.
In between rehearsals and jet-setting to New York with Tams to meet Grammy-winner John Legend, MacDonald says he knows making his mark on the music industry could be a limited-time offer.
…I dont think (Im) completely ready to do all of this, but Im going to try my best because I think it very important to try to keep the ball rolling, MacDonald, 22, said from Toronto, where the CTV program is filmed.
Canadian Idol Recap – And Then There Were Two
As the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. Canadian Idol is ending, but whether or not if it a good thing, well, Ill let you decide.
On tonight show, Theo Tams and Mitch MacDonald square off in one last attempt to win the votes of the Canadian public before one is crowned the Canadian Idol on Wednesday night.
Theo and Mitch will sing three songs; their own choice, the judge choice and the potential winner single.
Canadian Idol: The final two perform
And we’re down to two. I was live at the show on Monday (I also watched it back on television to see if my opinions changed at all from the live show to how it looked on television). A few pre-show notes. When they brought the remainder of the Top 10 out to sit in their seats, Drew got the most applause from the fans. The Top 10 also seemed genuinely happy for Theo and Mitch (they even participated in the pre-show events that are done to warm up the crowd).
After winning a coin toss, Mitch decided to go first (reportedly he told Jully Black on eTalk last week he chose to do so because Theo is a tough act to follow). The guys sang three songs on Monday: one of their choice, their respective singles and a judges’ choice.
