Idol Headlines for 05/18/09
‘Idolatry’: Goodbye, Danny! Hello, Kris-Adam finale!
Well, it finally happened. America put the ‘Go’ in Gokey. (Every time I hear/say that, my brain automatically flashes to John Goodman’s voice saying “America runs on Dunkin.” Why?) In this week’s two-part installment of Idolatry, my cohost Kristen Baldwin and I discuss why American Idol voters finally gave the boot to Danny Gokey, and why we’re squealie excited for Tuesday night’s Adam Lambert-Kris Allen showdown. There’s bonus Anoop, bonus blue nail-polish, and champagne for everyone! Okay, I won’t lie: Kristen hogs the champagne all for herself. Press play below and enjoy!
Lambert-Allen matchup may be a wacky ‘Idol’ finale
The final “American Idol” performance episode could be the weirdest concert ever televised.
In one corner, there’s over-the-top Adam Lambert, the dominating presence who transformed Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire” into a sitar-infused spectacle and tackled “Whole Lotta Love,” the first-ever Led Zeppelin tune performed on Fox’s “Idol.” From the outset, he’s been the ambiguous rocker next door, most comfortable à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’ but not scary à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’ in eyeliner and studded leather.
Then, there’s Kris Allen, always at home in jeans with his guitar. The only fashion risk he’s taken is that smidge of blue nail polish spotted on his thumb during a visit home to Conway, Ark. Allen garnered the most praise with his daring song choices, like singing “Falling Slowing” from indie musical “Once” and reinventing Kanye West’s robotic “Heartless” as a wistful singer-songwriter joint.
“Idol” without Simon could prove turnoff-poll finds
LOS ANGELES, May 18 (Reuters) – Fans of “American Idol” are as obsessed as ever after eight seasons of the TV talent show, but life without judge Simon Cowell could be a turn-off, according to a poll released on Monday.
New judge Kara DioGuardi gets a lukewarm rating in the AOL Television poll with 44 percent of the 233,795 votes cast judging her “awful” and 30 percent rating her “just ok.”
And in a season that has seen speculation over the sexual orientation of finalist Adam Lambert, 59 percent of those polled said they would vote for an openly gay contestant.
Power List: The New Reality
1. Simon Cowell
Principal, Syco Television
Yes, him.
The most influential person in reality television isn’t merely the most galvanizing performer on America’s top-rated program. He’s not just the highest-paid primetime TV personality and a successful producer in two countries. And he’s certainly not, as he described himself during a moment of humility before a recent taping of “American Idol,” just “a judge on a bloody talent show.”
Cowell tops this list because only he knows the answer to the most tantalizing question in reality TV: What will Simon Cowell do next?
His contract is up after next season of “Idol,” and Cowell, 49, is not shy about his willingness to leave.
Top 36 Contestants Aren’t Fans of Adam Lambert
Honestly, can you blame them? American Idol threw many people under the bus this year, almost double the normal amount of cannon fodder. The contestants who were cast aside by the Idol machine twittered about this season’s finale:
Discovery World Raises Money for Danny Gokey’s Sophia’s Heart Foundation
WITI-TV, MILWAUKEE – American Idol’s Danny Gokey may be out of the competition, but he is still a winner in the eyes of many Milwaukeeans. Gokey hopes to become more active in the foundation he created in memory of his late wife, the Sophia’s Heart Foundation. Saturday, Discovery World ran a special that helped raise money for the foundation. FOX 6’s Justin Williams explains.
More tidbits about Danny Gokey
“American Idol” had played up the fact that Danny Gokey suddenly lost his young wife last summer. Gokey has admitted he’s noticed and so has everyone else. While it’s obvious Sophia has inspired him, there is more to Danny Gokey.
Here are facts about Gokey:
–Gokey is a hugger. James Wagner, of Dr. Wagner’s Southridge Optical in Greendale, Wis., said Gokey had been coming to him for the last six years. Gokey would always say “God Bless you” and give hugs.
Kris Allen’s life away from American Idol
The countdown is on. In just under 46 hours, Kris Allen will give his final American Idol performances on FOX16.
FOX16 has exclusive home video and pictures of Kris hanging out with his friends and family.
Forget about a backstage pass when you can have a front row seat to a living room jam session with the Allen family. The home video is of Kris hanging out with his family after finding out he made it into Idol’s top 36.
Side Dish: ‘American Idol’s’ Adam Lambert goes to Outback with his ‘boyfriend’
à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¢ “American Idol” finalist Adam Lambert wasn’t coy about his love life when he and other “AI” contestants got together the other night at Burbank’s Outback Steakhouse. Lambert called the dude with him “my boyfriend,” says a spy. Also looking cozy at the dinner: Anoop Desai and Megan Joy Corkrey, who sources say are an item.
Adam Lambert had a ‘Wicked,’ pre-’Idol’ stage life
NEW YORK (AP) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’ Before “American Idol” took over Adam Lambert’s life, there was “Wicked,” not to mention “The Ten Commandments” à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’ yes, a musical version of the sand-and-sandals biblical epic.
The 27-year-old favorite to take the “Idol” crown next Wednesday had a professional musical-theater background before he ever sang for Simon, Paula and the rest of the show’s judges.
Lambert did two stints in “Wicked,” the mammoth musical prequel to “The Wizard of Oz” à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’ joining the touring company in March 2005 and staying for six months, then opening in the extended Los Angeles production in February 2007 and remaining with the show until October 2008. For both engagements, he was a member of the ensemble and understudied the role of Fieryo, the show’s love interest.
Will Adam Lambert turn out to be a loser after winning ‘American Idol’?
If Adam Lambert wins “American Idol” this week, as expected, where will he be in several years? Touring America’s backwaters in old stage musicals like Taylor Hicks à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’ or else not doing much at all like Ruben Studdard? American Idol Adam Lambert 527839461 newsOr will Adam Lambert be seen collecting major awards at podiums like past champs Carrie Underwood and Kelly Clarkson?
STAGE TUBE: UPRIGHT CABARET SINGS: Adam Lambert – ‘Gotta Get Through This’
AMERICAN IDOL Top 2 finalist and former ‘WICKED’ cast member Adam Lambert continues to thrill audiences every week with his high-wire performances and soaring vocals.
The Los Angeles based Lambert found a creative “home” at West Hollywood’s Upright Cabaret at Mark’s Restaurant. BroadwayWorld readers will be familiar with that venue as ‘Upright’ founders and producers Chris Isaacson and Shane Scheel are current members of the BroadwayWorld.com “family” with their ‘WEST SIDE STORIES’ features seen right here on BWW TV.
Superfan is making use of ‘Idol’ time before the finale
To say that Marieann Porzelt likes à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“American Idolà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ is like saying the Empire State Building is tall or that the Knicks have played poorly in recent years.
By her own admission, Porzelt, 52, a small-business owner in Bayside, is obsessed with the hit reality competition.
à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢m a big fan. Weà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢re talking huge,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ says Porzelt. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“I have two kids, but Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢m the die-hard à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹American Idolà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ fan in the family. I watch every show, from the first to the last, including the auditions. I even have American Idol T-shirts, key chains and hats.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬
American Idol airplay: A good week for the Dynamic Duo
David Cookà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Come Back to Me moves into the Top 10 of USA TODAYà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Mediabase-powered American Idol airplay chart this week, and Daughtry more than triples the spins for No Surprise, as the bandà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s new single leaps from #36 to #15.
AllenLambert_restricted Perhaps the more interesting story, though, is the play for this seasonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s last three contestants. Both Kris Allen and Adam Lambert had one of the more successful radio weeks of this season, with Krisà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ Heartless picking up 22 spins and Adam’s One 18.
David disappoints, David delights
à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“American Idolà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ champion David Cook disgruntled some of his Filipino fans by excluding à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“The Time Of My Lifeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ in his Manila concert set list last May 16.
à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“The Time Of My Lifeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ was the coronation song of à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“American Idolà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ Season 7 which Cook won. The song went as high as number three in the US Billboard charts and became an even bigger hit in Canada (#2) and in the Philippines (#1).
Instead, Cook performed a barrage of unreleased tracks from his self-titled album that left the crowd lethargic. Songs from à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Analog Heart,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ an album he released during his pre-à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Idolà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ days, made the crowd even more listless.
à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Weà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢re playing songs youà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ve never heard before,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ Cook explained, noticing the lull. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Is that okay?à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬
A pre-finale interlude at Villa San Juliette
The problem with being a conqueror of the world, is that overseeing the world is such a huge task that it’s bound to cause some scheduling conflicts sooner or later. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¨Ãƒâ€š Thus did the bells toll Friday night for the reigning titans of prime-time television, “American Idol” Executive Producer Ken Warwick and former “Idol” EP, current “So You Think You Can Dance” creator, star and Executive Producer Nigel Lythgoe. With four days to spare before the “Idol” finale and a week in a half to go until the “SYTYCD” season opener, both men found themselves urgently needed hundreds of miles away from Hollywood, in Central California à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’ Paso Robles to be precise, where the winery the two friends from youth jointly own, Villa San Juliette, was celebrating its coming out; its first debut dinner for a new vintage during Pasoà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s annual wine festival. The dinner is a requisite rite of passage for all would-be players on the region’s wine scene, and although it falls every year smack dab in the middle of “Idol” finale rehearsals, the call of duty could be ignored no longer by the fledging vintners.
Kelly Clarkson, Black Eyed Peas Party Jersey-Style For Zootopia
EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’ At the Izod Center on Saturday (May 16), fans gathered for a night filled with pop music from Kelly Clarkson, Ciara, Jesse McCartney and the Black Eyed Peas, rock from the All American Rejects and hip-hop from Soulja Boy Tell’Em.
Keeping the girl power alive, Kelly Clarkson’s killer voice rocked the room with “Since U Been Gone.” The set included lots of new songs off her new album, All I Ever Wanted, peppered with older hits, like “Miss Independent.” Before “I Do Not Hook Up,” Kelly listed her exceptions to that rule: Hugh Jackman and Russell Crowe. “Walk Away,” “Already Gone” and “If I Can’t Have You” also were fan favorites leading up to her finale “My Life Would Suck Without You.”
Kelly Clarkson, Flo Rida, Black Eyed Peas: Something for everybody at Zootopia
For music fans with eclectic but mainstream tastes, Z100’s annual Zootopia concert really does represent a utopian ideal.
Z100 (WHTZ, 100.3 FM) is a Top 40 station, and Zootopia participants are chosen on the basis of their popularity, not their genre. Over the past decade, everyone from Bon Jovi to Jay-Z has performed at Zootopia concerts, and the bill for this year’s show, which took place at the Izod Center in East Rutherford on Saturday, ranged from rapper Flo Rida to pop-punk group the All-American Rejects and teen-pop idol Jesse McCartney. These three and the other four acts on the bill — the Black Eyed Peas, Kelly Clarkson, Ciara and Soulja Boy — currently hold nine slots in Billboard magazine’s Top 40 singles chart.
Kelly Clarkson Heads Out for New Summer Tour
Kelly Clarkson has a new tour in support of her new album, All I Ever Wanted. On select dates, Eric Hutchison will be opening up for Clarkson.
The 17-city tour starts on July 3, at the Fantasy Springs Resort and Casino in Indio, California. The tour will end on September 12, at the Allegan County Fair Grandstand. Most of the dates are at county fairs.
The ticket prices start around $40.
Aside from her new tour, Clarkson will also be a part of the T-Mobile Sidekick and Grammy Tour. Clarkson will be joined with artists like Common, Estelle, Lady GaGa, Leona Lewis, LL Cool J, Katy Perry, N.E.R.D., Natasha Bedingfield, and Gavin Rossdale. Tickets for these events can be picked up through select T-Mobile retail locations. Details can be found on their Web site: http://www.sidekick.com/grammy_home.aspx.
Why Melissa Rycroft won’t win ‘Dancing With the Stars’ – and why Shawn Johnson will
Melissa Rycroft is going to get jilted again.
The woman who won, then lost “The Bachelor,” when her fiancà ©, Jason Mesnick, asked for his ring back, is going to see her chance at winning ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars’” glittery disco ball trophy go to the squeaky-clean gymnast.
This should be gold medalist Shawn Johnson’s shining hour.
Rycroft came to the show on short notice and immediately won the hearts of fans and judges because they felt she had been wronged. And she danced very well.
‘Dancing With the Stars’: Kristi Yamaguchi sizes up the finalists
She high-stepped her way to the Season 6 crown of “Dancing With the Stars” with the show’s highest scores ever. So who better to call upon to size up this year’s finalists than Kristi Yamaguchi?
But don’t expect a final prediction from the Olympic figure-skating champ. She insists it’s simply too close to call.
“I literally have no idea who’s going to win,” says the Fremont native, who now lives in Alamo. “It’s one of the tightest races they’ve ever had and they’re all so good. I’m just glad I’m not competing this season.”
Here’s her scouting reports on the final three couples:
Melissa Rycroft and Tony Dovolani
Gilles Marini Wants to Win ‘Dancing with the Stars’ for His Kids
Gilles Marini tells ET that he and his pro partner Cheryl Burke are bringing their A-games to the “Dancing with the Stars” finals tonight, so Gilles can bring home the mirrorball trophy to his son and daughter!
“My kids are really hoping for their dad to go all the way to the end,” the French hunk tells ET. “It’s magical every time you go home, [you've got] those two little bodies saying, ‘Aw, Daddy, you were great on TV.’ Y’know, this is the precious moment for me.”
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146 Responses to “Idol Headlines for 05/18/09”
Emma, thanks for that link – the Manila Times article really was enjoyable!
I don’t know if I will be able to stand watching my Cookie singing Permanent, but it will be a great way to honor Adam and raise money for the brain cancer charity. He is so awesome to do this, but I know it will be hard on him and it will break my heart watching it.
http://www.fox6now.com/news/witi-090517-idol-finale-week,0,4759918.story
Interview w/Cookie, talks about singing Permanent…
Regie Hamm wins songwriting award for The Rainbow
http://www.sesac.com/events/Event_News_Details.aspx?id=926
He talks about TOML as it nears its first anniversary
http://regiehamm.com/blog/2009/05/18/my-favorite-year
That’s actually a cool idea (see, Rainbow, will you put the gun away now?) as long as Reggie Hamm wouldn’t be offended and think they were busting on his song.
I don ´t know is this was posted:
The Year’s Top-Earning ‘Idols
More on the link…
Now I’ve seen everything.
OMG, thanks for posting these. Regie’s blog has me in tears. Couple the end of his blog with the one (last Summer) about his daughter and China… The Magic Rainbow is a very special song indeed.
Wow.
YES! One of the things I love most about David Archuleta is that I feel he is so open about everything, which shows how secure he is in who he is. I haven’t followed Cook much, but I think he is also secure in who he is. Neither one of them hesitate to express their love for others.
Wow, just Wow, at that Forbes List. Go David X2. They took home a lot more than I thought they would from their cd’s/concerts/etc. It shows to me that winning & coming in 2nd definitely can pay off. Of course, the caliber of the winner/runner-up sure helps.
Did you guys see Bill Oà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢Reillyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s segment tonight on Adam and Kris??
He introduced Adam as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“might-be-gayà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ and Kris as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Christianà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ .
They plastered the photos of Adam kissing that guy all over the screen again, and they pointed out how all the other Idol winners (Carrie, Kelly, Ruben, Jordin, etc.) are devout Christians and that the fact Danny was Christian, his voters will go Kris.
They made a big deal of Kris being Christian but never mentioned Adam was Jewish. Just that Adam hasnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t mentioned his religion on the show.
Finally, the show insinuated that Simon told America to vote for Adam because he was worried that America might not vote for Adam because heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s not Christian when there were two Christian singers competing against him.
Basically, it was a vote for Kris campaign because heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s the good married Christian guy.
I honestly cannot believe people donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t think Adam is an underdogà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦.. lol
It is funny how people can watch a show and see things so differently. The whole Bill Oreilly segment was focused on a Newsweek piece that was written about this Christian issue. The Newsweek guy talked about whether people think some people vote for one because they are Christian– definitely not a a vote for Kris campaign….
Also mentioned was the fact that Kris had not talked about his religion.
They said that Kris is obviously a Christian because he wears a cross and married young. They said that Adam never mentioned his religion. Not once did they mention Adam is Jewish. Plus, to me, you don’t call people the “maybe gay guy”. That is disrespectful. He has a name.
The point is, the segment never should have taken place. The hidden message was obvious, and yes it was a vote for Kris campaign. I am not the only one who thinks this.
huh? What happened? And this Sarver Gokey love stuff.. none of the vids are available now. What are you guys talking bout???? Tell!
May 18, 2009
24 hours to showtime: Adam Lambert and Kris Allen offer final thoughts
06:38 PM PT, May 18 2009
Photo With less than 24 hours to their final à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“American Idolà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ performances, last men standing Adam Lambert and Kris Allen took a timeout to meet the press.
And mostly, they tried to prop each other up.
Allen dismissed the idea that his background as a Christian church singer would give him a boost.
Winning à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“has to do with talent,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ he said. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s not about religion or all that stuff.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬
Lambert said, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢d hope people would vote based on what they hear. It’s an equal opportunity situation.”
Neither would admit that nerves have gotten to them — yet.
On a scale of 1 to 10, “I’d say about I’m at a 5,” Lambert said. Allen nodded, adding, “Tomorrow it’ll be a 10.”
Lambert enters the final performance the clear front-runner, having won over the judges week after week and singularly capturing the attention of the media. Last week’s guest artist Katy Perry was even so bold as to sing with a cape emblazoned with “Adam Lambert” on the back. Producers were not happy.
When asked if his theater experience has given him a leg up during the show, Lambert said he didn’t see it that way.
“This isn’t theater so I don’t see how it matters at all. We both have experience,” he said, pointing to Allen’s background playing in bars and clubs.
Said Allen: “I have just as much experience as he has — I just wasn’t in ‘Wicked.’ ”
Reporters tried to get the contestants to reveal their final song choices for Tuesday — and of course, both were tight-lipped.
“They’re good songs,” Lambert teased. “We think you’ll like them.”
“We’re just totally different artists,” Allen said.
With very different getting-ready regimens.
Asked how they will prepare tomorrow before the show, they gave answers that show their different personalities. “I’m going to go rehearse and then just try and get ready,” Allen said; Lambert offered, “I’m going to order a really big room service breakfast.” Including something with “lots of hollandaise.”
Further elaborating on the differences, Lambert said, “I have a very messy bathroom situation. Kris has like three products and I have every product I can get my hands on.”
All kidding aside, Lambert summed up the excitement for both: “At this point we both feel like we’ve already won.”
– Denise Martin and Richard Rushfield
Photo credit: Richard Rushfield
Article Link
Here is the bill o’reilly segment on adam/kris & christianity. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACNvP6b8Tnw
Thanks for that ^ article. LOL at the bathroom situation.
Cookie singing Permanent at the finale…yay! That is my favorite from his album and being the soppy, sentimental Filipino that I am, I wished he’d sing that in Manila but knew that he wouldn’t/couldn’t.
Speaking of the Manila concert, the author of that Manila Times article on DC also wrote a very nice review of the concert. (I agree with just about everything he wrote.)
http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2009/may/19/yehey/life/20090509lif5.html
(Sorry for the ugly link. I’m on my mobile.)
virgo03v- We will have to agree to disagree on a “hidden meaning”.
I don’t know where to put this, so sorry MJ if it’s the wrong place. Cook’s interview set up by Sony Malaysia is made of AWESOME:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
He talks about naming the band after a tanning salon (not!), dynamics of the tour bus, not giving up, President Obama, and um, Dublin’s recording contract (Hee). It’s his most entertaining and revealing interview yet. Didn’t want any Cook fans to miss this.
daenarys, thanks for those links! What a fun interview, I love it.
“Just as some think Michael and Danny were judging, I think others may be judging them.”
I think the crux of the problem is that gays are no longer satisfied with mere tolerance. They want acceptance. This puts them into conflict with much of the Christian community.