As you have heard by now, one aspect of Idol's host of "improvements" being sought ahead of its 10th season is the lowering of the minimum age to audition to 15. As you can imagine, this is a big deal in the vacuum that is the show's (early) off-season, and there is no shortage of opinions on the move.
As for me, I think it has come three seasons too late. Whereas there have been many viable young teens over the course of Idol's history that have fallen by the wayside when up against older, more experienced performers, it was not until Season 7 when teens pretty much were overlooked by voters (with the exception of David Archuleta, of course). Since then, the motto has virtually been NTNA - no teens need apply - when it comes to audition hopefuls. If they could go back in time, producers probably would have ensured a Justin Bieber-type to win the title. But really, if Miley Cyrus could make it big at 15, why not an Idol contestant?
Judging from the general sentiment stirred up from the reveal, I'm not alone in my doubts.
MTV News's Jim Cantiello writes "Why The 'American Idol' Age Limit Change Is A Bad Idea":
The last time "Idol" tweaked its age range was season five, where they upped the limit to 28 years old. The result? Taylor Hicks, a dude who looked 58, ended up winning. So if "Idol" is going the opposite route, does that mean America might be crowning a 15-year-old who looks seven come next May? In a year, will America be tired of pop stars who look like zygotes?
Marc Hirsh of NPR.org had more to say, including:
But even if we ignore the "Me, too!" mentality behind it (which is hardly new in the pop-music industry, or any entertainment industry, for that matter), Idol's sudden need to capitalize on the demographic that still needs Mom or Dad to drive them around ignores the simple truth that “talent” is not the same thing as “artistry.” This is a distinction made all the more important by the fact that Idol talks about contestants almost exclusively in terms of the latter word while rarely mentioning the former.
And Lyndsey Parker of Yahoo! Music opined:
Honestly, I personally would rather see the audition age limit raised, not lowered, on "Idol." Keep in mind that the biggest success story of all reality singing competitions in recent years has been 48-year-old Susan Boyle, and that Season 9's biggest "Idol" sensation was, arguably, 64-year-old General Larry Platt. Now, I'm not necessarily saying that senior citizens need to join the "Idol" ranks, and yes, I do understand that the show's producers probably want to seem more relevant to the top 40 marketplace in this tween-pop age. But I do believe this show improved when its age limit was raised from 25 to 28 in Season 4, thus allowing more seasoned singers with both performance experience and life experience--Bo Bice, Constantine Maroulis, Elliott Yamin, Chris Daughtry, Melinda Doolittle, Michael Johns, Danny Gokey, Adam Lambert, Casey James, Michael Lynche, et al--to make it through.
Still, not everyone was being a downer about the move. In fact, Jordin Sparks, once a teen champ herself, offered some words of wisdom to young hopefuls via Twitter:
I auditioned at 16 & won at 17. The pressure/criticism you're under...it's a lot to handle! But talent & maturity will speak for itself! :)
about 5 hours ago via TwitBird iPhone
If you're 15 & going to audition for the make sure you're ready! Good luck! I'm rooting for you! :D
about 5 hours ago via TwitBird iPhone
Good luck to anyone auditioning! The pressure is gonna be crazy for everyone, not just the youngins! Stay focused! :)
about 4 hours ago via TwitBird iPhone
In any case, we should have a good gauge of what kind of crowd shows up for Season 10 by the time auditions roll around on July 17 in Nashville.
Showing posts with label miley cyrus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label miley cyrus. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
'Idol''s age min. drop - good or bad?
Thursday, May 27, 2010
American Idol: 2002-2010
The title pretty much says it all. Tonight is the night that American Idol died.
I was thinking about how I would recap Idol's ninth season, and I decided instead of duplicating last season's marathon rant about how horrible the season was, I will keep it short and sweet.
Following last season's finale I was on the verge of not coming back to continue this blog for Season 9. I wanted to quit so many times, but my enjoyment of following the careers of alums from seasons past kept me motivated to continue blogging. By the time January rolled around, I was about to announce I would not be live blogging the season, but something made me decide to give it another try in case the season ended up being good. Sadly, that did not come to be.
Season 9 is the black sheep/ugly duckling/bastard child of the Idol franchise, not only for its lack of talent (save for a few contestants), horrible production, self-absorbed judges, addition of Ellen DeGeneres as a judge, focus on guest performers rather than contestants, awkward Ryan Seacrest drunk hosting performances, appallingly bad 'Idol Gives Back' special, poor auditions, horrible mentors (Miley Cyrus? Adam Lambert?), pants on the ground (okay, that was actually pretty good...at first...before Brett Favre killed it with his "spoof"), boring Ford commercials, boring themes, old themes, tired themes, messy camera angles, dazed and confused audiences, more Ryan being drunk or stoned or just flirting with Simon, Randy's "dudes," Kara's nonsense, Simon's departure, lack of Paula's antics, Miley Cyrus's results show "performance," rejection of Angela Martin, Joe Jonas as a guest judge, basically all the guest judges, lack of a cheesy coronation single, the judges' save, Dane Cook at the finale, or its result, but for the sheer fact that it took up a minimum of two hours of FOX's prime time each week for five-and-a-half months.
In short, Season 9 basically killed what little love I had for this show after Season 8 left it dangling by a thread. I will still always have the memories of actual good seasons and their finalists. But as for the show in its current form, it's finished as far as I'm concerned.
(p.s. I realize how many times I used the words "I" and "me" in this post and would like to apologize. I'm not as self-centered as I might sound...oops there are two more "I"s!)
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
IDOL LIVE Blog - Top 11 Results (3/24/10)
Last night's exhibition of Billboard No. 1s was extraordinarily boring, but at least it wasn't bad. Therefore, tonight we will most likely see an expected boot because it's still too early in the season for a shocker.
At least we get to look forward to Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato and Joe Jonas as our featured guest performers. Oh wait...
To see who I predict will be leaving tonight, see here. Please feel free to add your two cents throughout the two-hour blogcast, with coverage starting just prior to 9 p.m. ET.
Tonight's blogcast features the music of Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson, Matt Giraud, Melinda Doolittle and Nick Pedro.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Miley Cyrus to mentor Top 11 finalists
It was revealed today that Miley Cyrus, not Fred Bronson as previously reported, will serve as tonight's guest mentor for the Top 11 finalists as they perform songs that have hit No. 1 on Billboard' Hot 100 chart. Courtesy of LATimes.com:
American Idol is welcoming Miley Cyrus as the guest mentor for the Top 11. Somewhere, Haeley Vaughn is crying.
The only thing to say about this change of plans is that Idol has truly hit a new, embarrassing low.
From FOX: Miley Cyrus will appear as a guest mentor on American Idol and help the Top 11 finalists prepare for their performances on a Billboard No.1 Hits-themed show airing Tuesday, March 23 on FOX.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Kelly Clarkson: Jordin Sparks joins VH1's "Divas" special
VH1's first Divas special since 2004 is already very highly-anticipated, but interest increased yesterday when the Idol representation on the special grew by one, according to Kelly Clarkson at least. Kelly was interviewed on The Pulse earlier today and she was asked who was on the show, and she went on to name Jordin Sparks among a few other artists. Listen to the interview below:
Kelly said she would be performing "Already Gone" on the show after spilling the beans on Jordin's addition to the roster:
"As far as I know, it's Adele it's, um, Jordin Sparks I think just signed on..."
And she went on to gush about how sweet Jordin is. Per VH1.com, Divas will air on Thurs., Sept. 17, at 9 p.m. ET and will feature Leona Lewis and Miley Cyrus among others.
Monday, August 10, 2009
TCA wrap-up: Arch wins big and Adam beats Kris
Coming off a strong Idol presence at last year's event, the 2009 Teen Choice Awards was even less of the place to be if you had starred on FOX's highest-rated show, as Twilight and Miley Cyrus proved. Making waves at the staple meaningless awards show of the summer was Jordin Sparks, who made a trip up to the stage to introduce the "Dare the Jonas Brothers" segment during which viewer-submitted dares for the group were aired. Watch Jordin's segment below (begins at 5:54):
In terms of actual awards for the franchise, David Archuleta had three attached to his name as he was the recipient of Choice Music Breakout Artist, Choice Music Love Song (for "Crush") and Choice Music Tour for his tour with Demi Lovato.
Another big Idol-related winner of the night was Adam Lambert, who defeated his Season 8 rival Kris Allen in the Choice TV Male Reality/Variety Star. Neither David nor Adam could make an appearance at the show due to being on tour at the moment.
One last big Idol-related win included American Idol taking home a surfboard for Choice TV Reality Competition at the fan-voted award show, as expected.
The Teen Choice Awards were taped yesterday at the Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City, Calif., and aired earlier tonight on FOX.
Friday, July 24, 2009
'Idol' odds 'n ends: Kimberly Caldwell signs with Vanguard
The following are Idol-related odds and ends that happened this week:
>It was announced on Wednesday via a press release that Season 2 seventh-place finalist Kimberly Caldwell has signed with Vanguard Records. Kimberly had the following to say about the signing:Kimberly stated, "There are no words that can truly express how thrilled I am about joining the Vanguard Records family. Music has always been my first love so I'm beyond excited to release my debut album and it's such an honor to get to do so alongside the amazing artists who call Vanguard home."
According to the release, Kimberly's debut album will be produced by Marshall Altman and is expected to be out early next year. (Photo courtesy of Matt Beard.)
>Kelly Clarkson will be one of four female artists taking part in VH1's Divas special alongside Miley Cyrus, Leona Lewis and Adele. Per the press release issued on Tuesday:Continuing in true Divas tradition, the evening will feature a night of unforgettable performances from various performers, presenters and special guests. Additional performers and presenters will be announced in the coming weeks.
This is the first Divas special the network has hosted since 2005. VH1's Divas will be broadcast live on VH1 from the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) Howard Gilman Opera House on Thurs., Sept. 17 at 9 p.m. ET.
>Chris Daughtry tweeted yesterday to alert fans that lyrics for four bonus tracks off Leave This Town had been posted on his band's official Web site. The songs are "Long Way," "Traffic Light," "Get Me Through" and "One Last Chance."
>As part of her continuing promotional tour for her sophomore album Battlefield, Jordin Sparks appeared on MTV's talk show It's On with Alexa Chung on Wednesday. Watch the first segment from the show below:
In the second segment featuring Jordin, she played "Will You Drink It" in which she had to drink concoctions ranging from "Red Devil" (tomato and pineapple juice) and "Rootbang" (rootbeer and tang).
>Phil Stacey launched his new official Web site last week to coincide with his upcoming sophomore release Into the Light (Aug. 25) on Reunion Records. In his welcome message, Phil said in part:
This new project represents my heart. I come from a long line of ministers. These songs are lessons I have learned along the way that I feel have drawn me closer to Jesus. I am excited to share them with you.
In the meantime, please check out my tour dates. I have a lot of events coming up, including a tour with Michael W. Smith this fall. I would absolutely LOVE to see you out there on the road. Until then, God bless you! Be safe.
Phil's new single, "You're Not Shaken," is currently #3 on Amazon MP3's Top 100 downloaded songs chart. It has been available as a free download for the past few weeks.
Friday, May 8, 2009
'Idol' odds 'n ends: Paula takes back her rehab admittance
The following are Idol-related odds and ends that happened this week:
>Only days after the story broke in Ladies Home Journal that Paula Abdul admitted to entering rehab last November for addiction to painkillers as reported here, she comes out and refutes it. Per EW.com:On Detroit's WKQI radio station, Abdul insisted she checked into the spa for a vacation, not a rehab stint. "I just wanted to chill out and get massages," Abdul said on the air this morning.
So which is it, Paula? You admit in your own words that you want to rehab and now you want to take back what you said? Really disappointing.
>The episode of Disney Channel's Hannah Montana that featured David Archuleta starring in a guest role aired Sunday, which included a duet between him and the show's star, Miley Cyrus. Watch the duet below:
David has been in Great Britain this week for the overseas leg of his solo tour with McFly, and is currently in Manchester.
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>Jordin Sparks made a few waves at the Los Angeles Lakers playoff game Wednesday night when she was caught receiving a kiss from newly revealed boyfriend Steph Jones. The two have been keeping the relationship under wraps according to LoveBScott.comIn other Jordin news, two new producers for her upcoming sophomore album have been confirmed: Dr. Luke and Stargate, who join the previously announced Toby Gad as contributors to the album.
>Diana DeGarmo and Tom Lowe sat down with for his "Arts in Review" program on KPFK 90.7 FM in to discuss their current starring roles in the Los Angeles production of Back to Bacharach and David at The Music Box @ Fonda. Earlier in the week the pair split performances of "The Star-Spangled Banner" and "God Bless America" at the LA Dodgers game on Monday.
>Katharine McPhee and her record label, Verve Forecast, have teamed up with Shakefire.com and are holding a contest that will award one lucky entrant with a iPod Touch and a signed T-shirt. The contest's site states the following:
2009 is going to be a big year for Katharine McPhee! In the fall, she will be returning with a new album, new video, new tour and more! Get yourself ready with a brand new iPod Touch and a signed t-shirt!Sounds like a host of big things are planned for Kat this year.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Tonight: one song only and another Foxx
Idol has gone back on its word. Instead of having the Top 5 perform two songs each, as previously advertised on AmericanIdol.com, we will only get to hear one song from each from the era of the Rat Pack.
Also, as announced this morning by Paula on the Tommy and Brook Show Jamie Foxx will be mentoring the finalists tonight. Foxx, who is starring in that flop movie about a homeless musician, recently had to apologize for making disparaging comments about Miley Cyrus.
Perfect choice for a mentor, producers! Because when I think of Rat Pack music, Jamie Foxx is the first "artist" that comes to mind...
P.S. since Natalie Cole is performing tomorrow night, why couldn't they judt have switched her role with Foxx's? It's not like anyone wants to hear that "Blame It" song more than they have to, but it would at least be beneficial to the contestants in that Cole's expertise and advice would be much more meaningful.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Analysis: Judges make a bad decision
Well, at least one good thing can be said of tonight's results: the save is no more.
The rest of tonight's outcome was poorly concocted. It was a big mistake and will most likely cost a more deserving contestant his or her life in the competition next Wednesday. This is not to say that Matt is not a good guy, as he has a unique voice and has a great personality. But there are so many reasons he should not have been saved tonight, and a few of them are as follows.
First of all, Matt was a wild card contestant, meaning he was technically already "voted out" once. It was only after the judges gave him a second chance that he made it back into the competition. Secondly, Matt did not do extremely well last night, and received two lukewarm critiques from Randy and Kara. Thirdly, Matt sounded even worse tonight in his "singing for his life" opportunity, once again cracking on his falsetto near the end. Simon even made note of this in addition to saying that he thinks Matt has no shot at winning the competition prior to revealing the judges' decision.
For that comment alone, this save is pathetic. It is obvious that the judges are just trying to stir things up to increase the drama factor and it can be seen as nothing but a buzz builder and lame attempt to increase the show's sagging ratings this season. Simon knows this very well of course, but he apparently does not care anymore. He did not stand up for himself, unless of course it was three against one. That would make sense, but he never said he disagreed with the decision, so who really knows. After the show, however, Simon talked with Extra correspondent and former girlfriend Terri Seymour, saying he doesn't know why he saved Matt, but he did not get "caught up in the moment." Great rationale, Simon.
It was pretty apparent that the judges would exercise the save once Paula and Kara were shown swaying together during Matt's performance, as they appeared too jubilant to be sending him home. But now it's important to put tonight in the past and focus our attention on next week's possibilities.
First thing's first: Anoop is a total goner regardless of how he does. Secondly, disco week has not been traditionally kind to Idol finalists, and it would suggest that a front runner could very well be going next week thanks to the double elimination. The finalist that seems to be the most vulnerable in this situation is Allison, as she was not in the Bottom 3 this week so her fans are probably complacent right now, whereas Lil's fans once again got another kick in the pants, which could ensure her safety. Matt will most definitely not be going home next week because his fans realize they got a once in a lifetime opportunity with tonight's save, and they will be sure not to waste it.
The two obvious front runners that will not be going anywhere are Adam and Danny, though it would not be a shock to see one of them in the Bottom 3. Kris is the other vulnerable finalist next week, especially since he doesn't seem like much of a disco kind of guy. But we'll wait and see.
As for the rest of the show, Jennifer Hudson proved that she really is a great artist and although she showed signs of nervousness, she pulled it off in the end. The audience did not seem too into it but "If This Isn't Love" is one of those songs that's hard to really get into at a live performance.
A "singer" that could take a pointer or two from Jennifer was the night's other guest performer, Miley Cyrus. She looks more grown up than she has in the past, but her vocals are still very weak and do not justify her fame. It is a shame because her new single, "The Climb," is a solid song in its own right, it just belongs to the wrong owner. Hopefully Idol cancels Katy Perry's guest performance slot for Top 3 night before she can continue the streak of bad guest performances.
There was really nothing else interesting about tonight's results episode, as the Ford music video was boring and so were Ryan's questions to the finalists. One other thing of note was the montage of the Top 7 finalists attending the premiere of Zac Efron's new movie 17 Again, which received a huge amount of promotion from its four-minute commercial of sorts in front of 20-plus million. Oh, and by the way, the movie opens on Friday if you somehow missed that important tidbit.
On the results front, I would have been correct in both my original predictions and pre-show predictions with Matt receiving the fewest votes, but of course the judges had to go and screw that up. Maybe that's the real reason I'm upset? Regardless, this is really disappointing. Hopefully next week makes up for this horrible turn of events.
IDOL LIVE Blog: Top 7 Results (4/15/09)
Tonight we will almost certainly see someone go home, although the judges might be more tempted to use their save opportunity since they've only got a few weeks before that option goes out the window. Regardless of whether or not someone is granted immunity, it probably is worth following along to see how badly Miley Cyrus fails in her pre-taped performance, and how Jennifer Hudson shows her how it's really done in her live performance. As usual, the blogcast will begin at 9 p.m. ET and will last one hour.
Tonight's blogcast will feature music from Antonella Barba, Bo Bice, Daughtry, Jennifer Hudson and Kellie Pickler.
Friday, April 10, 2009
'Idol' odds 'n ends: Castro writes with Kara, signs with Atlantic
The following are Idol-related odds and ends that happened this week:
>Jason Castro let Billboard know that he has in fact signed with Atlantic Records, which confirms rumors that have been floating around as of late. Watch his segment on Billboard's "The Buzz" below:
Jason also confirmed he has been writing some material himself in addition to working with Kara DioGuardi in a video Kara took of him in the studio.
>David Archuleta finally got to meet Miley Cyrus, as reported yesterday by JustJaredJr. Arch will be guest starring in the Disney Channel's series Hannah Montana in the episode titled "Promma Mia," which will premiere Sun., May 3 at 7:30 p.m. ET. The two music superstars will premiere their duet "I Wanna Know You" on the episode.>Mandisa's new music video for her second single off her sophomore album, "He Is With You," premiered this week on the Christian video portal Tangle.com. Watch the video below:
Mandisa yesterday also appeared on the fourth hour of NBC's Today show to perform her single.
>Jordin Sparks will be performing in concert at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum following an Oakland Athletics game on Sat., June 6. The concert will be free to fans that paid admission to the baseball game.
>On the ratings front, Idol saw another slowdown in ratings this week. For Top 8 week, Tuesday's performance show pulled in 21.99 million viewers (7.9/21 ratings/share in 18-49 demo) while Wednesday's results show took in 22.44 million viewers (7.8/20) according to TVBytheNumbers.com.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Analysis: Sun (finally) sets on Scott's 'Idol' journey
Scott MacIntyre is a happy guy. In fact, he was probably the nicest, most personable finalist to appear on Idol this season. That said, like last week there was really no other option for who was to be sent home.
After weeks of offering up very similar song choices and performances at the piano, Scott finally tried something different as a result of Paula's nudging of him to step out of his comfort zone. Looking back, he probably still would have left had he gone with the piano on "The Search Is Over" rather than the gimmicky guitar, so the blame really can't be pinned on anyone but him and his vocals.
As for the seemingly endless discussion among the judges to decide whether or not Scott was worth their powerful save option, there is no way two of them were actually willing to use it. It had to be all for show, to ratchet up the drama factor and to give Scott that much more hope that he'd have another week. One thing I noticed was Randy seemed to be really detached from the rest of the judges, as he was sitting behind Simon and Paula during Scott's final performance and really had nothing to say when it was time to make a decision.
By the way, what was up with the judges and that photoshopped "baby photo" of Simon and Paula? That was a waste of time. But what was an even bigger waste of time was Frankie Avalon's surprise performance to make Simon feel old about turning 50 this year. The guy walked out from behind those big doors looking eerily similar to what Ryan will probably look like in 50 years and proceeded to shuffle around the stage. At least half of the audience (probably closer to two-thirds) had no idea who he was or why he was there. In fact, I still have no idea what he was doing there. All I know is it was a waste of time.
Speaking of wastes of time, last night's guest performers were both on the average-to-awful side, as Flo Rida had more fun stripping on stage than he did singing along to his "Right Round"'s catchy hook and Kellie Pickler was more interested in flirting with the judging than churning out a respectable vocal. Flo's typical rapper schlock ("R.O.O.T.S. in stores now!") when he chatted with Ryan (who was trying to act too cool, by the way) post-performance was just another anchor on his appearance on the show.
Getting back to the results for a moment, the other Bottom 2 dweller was Anoop, which did not come as a huge surprise. It looks like unless he can score the pimp spot next week and pull off an amazing showstopper, his time may be up soon. Lil, on the other hand, will get a kick in the pants to finally listen to what the judges have been trying to tell her for weeks and she will turn the advice into a golden performance as long as she does not go for a "I Will Always Love You"-like performance for next week's "Songs of the Cinema" theme.
Another Ford music video was upstaged by its behind the scenes featurette that preceded it, as seven of the finalists had to pretend to enjoy dressing up like magicians, putting sparkles on their faces and singing along to Britney Spears' "Circus" (no surprise on who the one finalist that enjoyed the whole production was). The amount of footage of Scott in the behind the scenes video was a dead giveaway as to who would be leaving, as he had never been included that much in any off-site group video package.
As for IDOL LIVE's predictions, I am now 0-6 with my original predictions because I had Alexis going home originally and, well, she left in 11th place a few weeks back. I'm doing much better on my pre-results show predix, though, as I correctly called Scott leaving last night. Therefore, my record has improved to 3-6 in that predicting category. I was off on who would be joining Scott in the B2, though, as I had Kris in there over Anoop, and I had Anoop in third-to-last rather than Lil. But oh well, as long as the end result is the same.
As mentioned upstream, next Tuesday the Top 7 will have to master "Songs of the Cinema" and endure re-listening to Miley Cyrus' taped performance of "The Climb" from a few weeks back. Awesome!
Monday, February 9, 2009
Jordin talks with media post-Grammys
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Jordin Sparks made the rounds today following her first Grammy Awards ceremony as a nominee. She talked with Phoenix's Johnjay & Rich from 104.7 KISS FM on their morning show, telling them she was psyched to meet Paul McCartney and Samuel L. Jackson and took pictures with them and that she loved Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus' performance of "Fifteen."
She also talked about how she got nervous before her category was announced, and how she got to try on T-Pain's famed top hat at the Sony-BMG post-Grammys party. Surprisingly, nothing came up on the topic of the Chris Brown scandal.
Jordin also talked with Access Hollywood on the red carpet, where she was bothered by Shaun Robinson about the Chris Brown story. Jordin remained upbeat and said she wished him the best and talked about how he was so comfortable to be around when they filmed the music video for "No Air."
Fantasia was also asked about Chris on the red carpet, and she was more willing to stick her neck out for him, telling Shaun "don't believe everything you hear."
Friday, January 2, 2009
'Idol' odds 'n ends: Kimberly Caldwell says "no deal!"
The following are Idol-related odds and ends that happened this week:
>Former Season 2 seventh-place finalist and current David Cook love interest Kimberly Caldwell appeared on last night's episode of NBC's Deal or No Deal. She was not a competing contestant, however, she just was there on the sidelines giving her advice.
>The New York Post is reporting that organizers of President-Elect Barack Obama's inauguration are trying to get Jennifer Hudson to sing "The Star-Spangled Banner" at the ceremony. Jennifer has yet to perform in public since her family suffered a tragedy back in October.
>Also on the inaugural front, it was announced that David Archuleta will sing the anthem at the inauguration of Utah Governor Jon Huntsman, Jr. This is the second time David will have sang the anthem at the governor's inauguration, as he did the same four years ago before his Idol fame.
>Jordin Sparks and David Archuleta were chosen as two of People magazine's 10 "Hottest (and Youngest) Teen Stars" for its "Best of 2008" issue. They were chosen along with popular artists like Miley Cyrus and Hayley Williams of Paramore.
>CNN named Katharine McPhee and The House Bunny cast's cover of "I Know What Boys Like" as the worst song of 2008 on its The Best and Worst of 2008 special.
Friday, December 12, 2008
'Idol' odds 'n ends: Cook to perform on New Year's Eve Live
The following are Idol-related odds and ends that happened this week:
>David Cook will perform on FOX's "New Year's Eve Live" special on Dec. 31, 2008 with Scott Weiland. The show is hosted by Spike Feresten and Mark Thompson and will begin at 11 p.m.
>Amanda Overmyer's debut album is available to download on her official Web site. The 12-song album is titled Solidify and "Play On," "Iroquois Lane" and "Fail to Compromise."
>Kady Malloy added a new original song to her MySpace called "Autumn Leaves."
>Simon Cowell and Ryan Seacrest will appear on the Family Entertainment Awards tonight at 9 p.m. on the CW network. Miley Cyrus and Leona Lewis will perform.
>Katharine McPhee appeared at the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces gala last night at the Beverly Hilton Hotel with David Foster, Charice and Lionel Richie among others. It benefited 30 members of the Israel Defense Forces.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Bucky in 'Hannah Montana' on the silver screen
Season 5's eighth-place finisher Bucky Covington is adding another line to his resume - he's taking up acting. Bucky was picked to star alongside Miley Cyrus and her less famous dad, Billy Ray, in the upcoming Hannah Montana movie. If it sounds like this would be something out of the ordinary for Bucky, that's because it is. He told The Huntsville (Ala.) Times:"I've never been on a movie set, so I don't know what to expect."
Bucky is not the only country singer to make an appearance in the film. Gary LeVox from Rascal Flatts and teen sensation Taylor Swift are also slated to be in it. Hannah Montana: The Movie will hit theatres nationwide on April 10, 2009.
Saturday, August 9, 2008
VMA update: Video of the Year now open
Since neither Paula Abdul nor Katharine McPhee made the final nomination roster for the Best Dancing in a Video category, it was Jordin Sparks who was the sole Idol alum to receive a nomination for a category last week. Jordin was nominated for Best New Artist for her video for "No Air." In that category, Jordin must deal with Miley Cyrus and Katy Perry among others.
But the most important category for all - Video of the Year - is now up for voting on narrowing down the nominees. On the list are Jordin ("No Air," "One Step At a Time"), Paula ("Dance Like There's No Tomorrow"), Katharine ("Love Story"), Blake Lewis ("Break Anotha"), Carrie Underwood ("Last Name"), Daughtry ("Feels Like Tonight," "Over You"), Elliott Yamin ("One Word") and Jennifer Hudson ("Spotlight"). Strangely enough, none of Daughtry's videos are nominated for Best Rock Video, which is also now open voting.
Voting for the category ends on Wed., Aug. 13, with the final nominees being revealed on Fri., Aug. 15. The VMAs will air live on Sept. 7, 2008, at 9 p.m. on MTV.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
TCA wrap-up
Last night's telecast of the 2008 Teen Choice Awards on FOX was hardly eventful, but four Idol alums made appearances regardless of how disappointing the show itself was. First on deck for the show was Katharine McPhee, who is "rocking her acting chops in The House Bunny" according to host Miley Cyrus, presented the award for "Choice MySpacer" with Jesse McCartney.
Katharine's exchange with Jesse was as cheesy as can be, and the fact that Katharine actually added Jesse into her top friends (and now sitting pretty as the top friend) following the taping made the situation all the more ridiculous. But the two looked like they were having fun, which is all that matters. Katharine was followed by the Davids, as Arch and Cook presented Miley with her award for "Choice Music Female Artist." The two had a poorly written exchange that centered around going by just one stage name ("David," would you believe it or not?).
Following the Davids was Jordin Sparks, who towered over presenting partner Lil' "Big Baby" Mama while presenting the awards for "Choice Male Hottie" and "Choice Female Hottie." Jordin, who brought Africa to the show via her shirt, had to put up with Lil' Mama's loopy cockiness but she definitely pulled it off.
Overall, the Idol alums were probably the highlight of the show, and its not surprising so many got premium appearance slots because the show was broadcast on FOX. Here's to a better show next year. Who knows, maybe Miley will actually kiss Arch.
Monday, August 4, 2008
Arch, Carrie, Cook, Jordin win at TCAs
The hills were alive last night, the Hollywood hills, that is, when many Idol-related nominees were honored by getting beach towels with their names on them unraveled at the 2008 Teen Choice Awards.
In total there were six victories by Idol alums or series-related entries of the total of 57 categories, including wins for both David Cook (Choice TV Male Reality/Variety Star) and David Archuleta (Choice Most Fanatic Fans). Jordin Sparks won Choice Hook-Up with Chris Brown for their duet of "No Air," and both American Idol and Randy Jackson's America's Best Dance Crew picked up wins for Choice TV Reality Music Competition and Choice TV Reality Dance, respectively.
All Idol-related wins are listed below:
-Choice TV Reality Dance: America's Best Dance Crew
-Choice TV Reality Music Competition: American Idol
-Choice TV Male Reality/Variety Star: David Cook
-Choice Hook-Up: Jordin Sparks and Chris Brown, "No Air"
-Choice Red Carpet Fashion Icon Female: Carrie Underwood
-Choice Most Fanatic Fans: David Archuleta
For tonight's broadcast expect to see Arch, Jordin, Cook, and Katharine McPhee. All will be accepting and/or presenting awards on the telecast. There is also a rumor that host Miley Cyrus tried coming onto Arch, so that will be quite the sight if FOX does not play around with editing.
The show, which celebrated its 10th anniversary this year, was taped at the Gibson Amphitheatre in Los Angeles. It will air tonight on FOX at 8 p.m. ET (Photos courtesy of WireImage).
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