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  Idol Headlines for 3/25/08

  http://mjsbigblog.com/idol-headlines-for-32508.htm
  53 days ago in American Idol · Authority: 252

  American Idol Odds to Win - March 25 update David Archuleta continues to lead the pack according to odds makers; however Carly Smithson seems to have gained momentum in today’s updated odds to win American Idol. Here we are again with the weekly update of the odds to win American Idol. There are no surprises at the top and the bottom of the chart. The Online Wire Idol Power List: The Top 10 They’ve qualified for the season 7 tour — and as focus turns to cracking the ‘Idol Gives Back’ extravaganza, a new contestant takes over the top slot. See where Michael Slezak ranks your favorite, then vote in our weekly poll. EW.com Let it be: ‘Idol’ brings in genre format too soon By Ayla Brown The last two weeks of Fox’s “American Idol” have been all about the legendary Beatles. The contestants showed off a diverse selection of song choices from the Beatles library, but they didn’t achieve what they had hoped for. The judges had nothing positive to say about song selection. Even America’s favorites, Brooke White, Jason Castro and Michael Johns, all struggled last week with their material. In the end, however, it was Amanda Overmyer’s rendition of “Back in the U.S.S.R.” that got her eliminated from the show, rightfully so. “Idol” should not have started this season with genres. In previous years, the genres didn’t start until the Top 12. I think the show should have continued that tradition this season. Forcing the Top 24 contestants to sing songs they normally wouldn’t prohibits them from expressing themselves musically. When I was a contestant, we could choose the songs we wanted in the first few rounds of the show. By doing this, America got an idea of who we were as performers. Starting the genres so early limits the contestants’ freedom of expression. Boston Herald ‘American Idol’ hits a sour note in season 7 ‘ American Idol”: Can you think of any two words that spark greater debate - with the exception of ” Mets” and “Yankees?” This season, ratings are down (a bit) and passions are high. Is this the most boring season ever, or is this the best? TV editor Andy Edelstein and TV writer Verne Gay square off over the most Important Question on TV (at least for this moment). I used to be an “American Idol” fan, eagerly looking forward to each week’s shows. But now I watch it solely because of professional obligation. And that’s no way to watch TV. This season, the show has become, to borrow one of Simon Cowell’s pet put-downs, “predictable.” And that’s putting it charitably. Newsday The ‘American Idol’ Top 10: Who can win, who can’t? Something very strange is going on with “American Idol” this year. It’s way too normal. As the top 10 contestants take the stage Tuesday (7 p.m., WFLD-Ch. 32 ), there’s barely a ripple of controversy, compared with past seasons. Sure, there was the blip caused by the emergence of former contestant David Hernandez’s past as a stripper. And the talent contest endured a fair amount of criticism for showcasing singers who’ve had record deals in the past. But even those “controversies” didn’t have much staying power. Where did it all go wrong? Isn’t “American Idol” supposed to be a long festival of outrageousness and scandals? Plus a little singing? Chicago Tribune Meet Britney, the Original American Idol Long before Simon Cowell had his grips on American Idol contestant Kristy Lee Cook, another pop diva played mentor to the Carrie Underwood wannabe. Back in 2000, Britney Spears signed 17-year-old Kristy as the first artist in her newly formed production company. “Britney would tell her how beautiful and talented she was,” says Marty Rendleman, Kristy’s manager at the time. “She told her that she would do whatever she needed to promote her and help launch her career.” EOnline American Idol: Carly Hennessy 2.0 It’s impossible to take a serious look at this crazy-cool season of American Idol and not consider the strange case of Carly Smithson. Smithson, the Irish-born 24-year-old and former Carly Hennessy who once opened for Bryan Adams (at Dublin Castle, in 2002, according to an old MCA Records web page) has arguably been Idol’s most consistent performer to date. Consistency didn’t count for much last week, though, as she found herself in the bottom three, in the first real shock result of the season. Canada.com Carrie Underwood enjoying the ride Carrie Underwood - she’s the all-American girl living the all-American dream. The blond, 25-year-old, girl-next-door from Checotah, Okla., has quite simply rocketed to stardom since winning the fourth season of American Idol. She’s parlayed that massive win into a pair of blockbuster CDs, won awards from the Grammy, People’s Choice and Academy of Country Music, and is currently on a tour that included a stop at Hamilton’s Copps Coliseum Saturday night. Underwood’s latest album, Carnival Ride, which contains the smash hits So Small and All-American Girl, was certified double platinum within two months of its release, and her debut disc, Some Hearts, recently went seven-times platinum, becoming the best-selling solo female country debut in U.S. history. And she’s just getting started. The Whig Underwood, Gill, Vassar, Wicks, Otto try a different playing field Carrie Underwood, Vince Gill, Phil Vassar, Jake Owen, Chuck Wicks, James Otto and Danielle Peck are known for their singing prowess. But they’re going to have to show their athletic abilities on the playing field in June. That’s because they agreed to play in the 18th Annual City of Hope Celebrity Softball Challenge June 4 in Nashville. Tennessee Titans’ cornerback Cortland Finnegan also will play. The event features the Grand Ole Opry Live and Blair Garner’s After MidNite teams for the fifth consecutive year. Country Standard Time DAUGHTRY to Perform Live Acoustic Set at The Beatles REVOLUTION Lounge in Las Vegas Grammy-nominated 19/RCA recording artist DAUGHTRY will perform a live acoustic set at The Beatles REVOLUTION Lounge at The Mirage Sunday, April 13. All proceeds from the ticket sales will go to the ONE Campaign (ONE.org) to fight the emergency of global AIDS and extreme poverty. DAUGHTRY will perform hits from their self-titled album. Two hundred tickets to the performance will be auctioned on eBay March 24 to March 31. The bidding will begin at 7 p.m. PDT, to access the auction site, click http://www.ebay.com/daughtry; must be 21 years or older to enter. The auction is being managed on eBay Giving Works by Auction Cause, a premier online auction management agency specializing in high-profile design, strategy, and cause marketing for corporations and nonprofits worldwide. PRNewswire McPheester Bunny x17online The Full Package: Jim Verraros For even the most obsessed queer “American Idol” fans among us, reciting the names of the Seven Dwarves would be easier than recalling all the finalists from the mega-hit show’s original season. Of course there’s winner Kelly Clarkson, who’s gone on to sell millions of records, win Grammys and star in wacky Vitamin Water commercials. After her, things start getting fuzzy. (Wasn’t there a semi-hot runner-up whose massive ‘fro was outdone only by his ego, and a fiery-haired karaoke queen and a pretty rocker chick who bared her midriff any chance she got?) But then there’s Jim Verraros, whose blip on the gay radar has not just grown stronger since the show’s seminal first run — it’s gone brilliantly radioactive. Gay.com American Idol Jordin Sparks Finds Love With Steph Jones? Jordin Sparks is the reigning champion of the Fox reality TV monster hit show American idol and now a new report says the budding young star has someone new to sing about! The American Idol winner, 18, was recently spotted having dinner with rising R&B star Steph Jones, 24, after his performance at NYC’s Spotlight The adorable star from Arizona and is the youngest winner in American Idol history as she captured the title when she was just seventeen years old. That meant her parents were keeping a close eye on her dating when she first hit the road with the idol tour as there were all sorts of romance rumors some even included runner-up Blake Lewis. National Ledger Jon Peter Lewis’s Advice to Idol 7 Contestants: Get Your Music Ready Now American Idol season 3 contestant Jon Peter Lewis is still a fan of the show which helped launch his singing career. In a recent exclusive interview with Reality TV Magazine, Lewis admitted that he’s been watching the current season of American Idol, but insists that he doesn’t play favorites. I have some people that I like. It’s hard for me to choose ‘a favorite.’ I’m a real song guy. So if somebody’s voice is great, for me it’s all about what kind of music are they going to do when it’s all over? I really like Brooke White’s voice a lot. I like Michael Johns’ voice. I like little David [Archuleta]. He’s a nice little guy. I think David has a really good shot.” Reality TV Magazine EXCLUSIVE: ‘American Idol’ alum Kimberley Locke says Clay Aiken was ‘messy’ roommate When “American Idol” alums Clay Aiken and Kimberley Locke decided to live together after finishing their run on Season 2, they could talk to each other about the wild experience they just had on network television. But while chatting with Suburbarazzi last week, Locke said Aiken wasn’t exactly the neatest of roommates and that living with him made her realize she just wanted “to be alone.” Find out the scoop on the best and worst parts of living with Aiken in the following audio clip: Remote Access Exclusive: American Idol Reveals Medical Scare!! Fantasia Barrino has been the target of recent rumors over the past few days as she was photographed leaving an undisclosed medical center in Beverly Hills[photoed above]. When I first heard about the buzz I paid it no attention. But, it seems that Fannie herself became very candid at a private award show [The 4th Annual Agape Gospel Theater & Film Awards] over the weekend. My source tells me that she began singing, but unfortunately wasn’t able to finish the song. In a shocking confession, Fantasia admitted to the audience that her doctors have in fact found a tumor on her vocal cords. She also stated that the tumor had been removed surgically but made no mention if the tumor was cancerous or not.. sohh ‘Chicken Soup for the Idol Soul’: Ace Young edition In his new weekly series, EW’s Dalton Ross performs dramatic readings of passages from the recently published book Chicken Soup for the American Idol Soul. Today’s second installment spotlights “author” Ace Young. (To see last week’s reading, from the pen of Haley Scarnato, click here.) Entertainment Weekly Pop Tarts: Randy, Simon Dis Ryan Seacrest’s Details Magazine Cover It’s no secret that “American Idol” judge Simon Cowell isn’t exactly best buddies with host Ryan Seacrest, but the caustic critic went a step further at Thursday’s “Mavericks” Details magazine party when he dissed the cover of the April issue featuring Seacrest. “There looks like a lot of work has been done — Ryan doesn’t look that good in real life,” Cowell told Pop Tarts with a groan. “As for the report that he’s the ‘King of Media’ — I presume he wrote the article himself. It’s annoying.” Fox News Ryan Seacrest, Inc. If, like me, you can’t comprehend the success of Ryan Seacrest because he has no discernible talent, then this will really perplex: he’s quickly becoming “the next Dick Clark, Merv Griffin, Larry King, for our generation”. So he says to TV critic Tom Shales. But who he’s really mimicking is Rupert Murdoch. The Viscount of Vapidness is paid an estimated $12.5 million annually just for hosting American Idol, not counting all the ancillary gigs he’s lined up. (Whereas Simon Cowell makes $42 million a year, from Idol and other sources.) seacrest.jpgBut Seacrest has so many gigs: a 3-year, $21 million deal with E! Entertainment Network to host its special event programming and Red Carpet coverage. The reason he fronts the E! News show is because he has a production deal with that network and shares the ownership in those shows. He also has investments in eight Southern California restaurants, runs a half-dozen media companies and recently launched “The ‘R’ Line” fashion label. In April, he’s taking 3 hours of his daily 5-hour L.A. radio show national, via syndication, and as an unprecedented part of the deal his advertising company retains 10 minutes of the commercial time on the show to sell on its own, so that the profit goes right back to Seacrest and not through any network or syndicator. Deadline Hollywood Grading the iTunes Hits Jordin Sparks: “No Air [feat. Chris Brown].” Holy shit: epic histrionic all-climax tingling synthpop, a welcome reminder that American Idol, for all its faults, still provides us the service of getting people who can actually sing on the radio. Chris Brown can’t hang with Sparks vocally, so he underplays his role, playing foil with his vulnerable little-kid schtick while Sparks just roils volcanically over him. I love the Edge-esque guitar-ripples, the delicate little string arpeggios, and the lyrical idea that this breakup is actually choking the air out of the kids singing about it, especially since the two people singing it manage to sound legitimately torn apart. Grandiloquent teen-heartbreak silliness doesn’t get any more operatic than this. 8.9 Village Voice Flo Rida climbs to top of Aussie chart Flo Rida ft. T-Pain’s ‘Low’ has climbed to the top spot in the Australian chart. The single pushed Rihanna’s ‘Don’t Stop The Music’ into second place after three consecutive weeks at number one. Ricki-Lee’s ‘Can’t Sing A Different Song’ is a new entry at eight, while Kelly Rowland’s ‘Work’ jumps three to seven and former American Idol winner Jordin Sparks moves up one place to five with ‘Tattoo’. Digital Spy

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