Burke crowned ‘Dancing With the Stars’ queen
LOS ANGELES – Brooke Burke waltzed away with the mirror ball trophy on the “Dancing with the Stars” finale.
The 37-year-old TV personality and mother of four dominated the seventh season of the popular ABC dancing competition and bested former NFL player Warren Sapp and former ‘NSync member Lance Bass during the Tuesday night finale, in which she reprised an emotional Viennese waltz routine that earned her a perfect score from the show’s panel of judges.
“Unbelievable,” was all Burke could muster after winning amid a flurry a confetti.
David Cook’s Exclusive ET Performance
Back by popular demand! We’ve got more footage of David Cook performing on the ET stage!
Our Kevin Frazier went one-on-one with the reigning “American Idol” champ, who dishes on his recently released self-titled album and reveals his plans for the holidays!
More Idol Headlines after the JUMP…
“Idol†finalist stars in Syracuse production of “Godspellâ€
Syracuse, New York (WSYR-TV) – “American Idol†has helped shape American pop culture over the last few years. And now, Syracuse Stage is getting ready to present a holiday production that is “Idolâ€-charged.
Day by day, more than 35 years have crept up on “Godspell,†but the rock musical that helped reshape American pop culture post-Vietnam is still relevant. One-time “American Idol†finalist Anwar Robinson leads a cast that mixes Broadway veterans and SU drama students in a fresh take on the show.
15 floats + 19 bands + 7,000 marchers = 1 pulsating parade
It’s America’s oldest Thanksgiving Day parade and as much a holiday tradition as turkey, sweet potatoes and Black Friday shopping.
The 89-year-old parade, sponsored this year by 6ABC and Ikea, kicks off at 8:15 a.m. tomorrow at 20th and Market streets and ends at noon at Eakins Oval.
The event includes 15 floats, 14 giant helium balloons and 19 marching bands from across the country, as well as more than 7,000 marchers and performers.
Also on the bill are pop singer Mario, “American Idol” finalists Syesha Mercado and Justin Guarini, celebrity chef Rachael Ray, and a new float celebrating The Chronicles of Narnia, a touring exhibition opening Friday at the Franklin Institute.
Guarini, CB West choir to perform in parade
Central Bucks will be in the spotlight when several of its finest bring their musical talents to the festivities surrounding 6ABC’s Ikea Thanksgiving Day Parade in Philadelphia.
Central Bucks East High School graduate Justin Guarini and the Central Bucks West Chamber Choir, an elite choir of 40 of the best student voices at Central Bucks West High School, under the direction of conductor Joseph Ohrt, will both be performing at the event Thursday.
“American Idol†runner-up Guarini will deliver a dose of classic Philly soul from Disney’s Hollywood studios float, having recorded the vocals for Gamble and Huff’s “Love Train†Nov. 21 at the legendary producers’ International Records studio.
Carrie Underwood Sings with Elvis Presley!
“American Idol”-turned country star Carrie Underwood croons alongside the legendary Elvis Presley! See what Priscilla Presley has to say about Carrie’s duet with her late husband!
Carrie is just one of the many singers featured on the Elvis Presley Christmas Duets CD, in stores now. Through the magic of technology, the award-winning performer sings “I’ll be Home for Christmas” alongside the late rocker.
She’s got diva thing down pat
The success of Carrie Underwood has underscored a special kinship between American Idols and country music.
Notice the similarities: Country music often values celebrity over artistry, which is the very basis of American Idol. Country stars don’t often write their own material. American Idols don’t often write their own material.
Moreover, American Idols in a rock or pop vein may be compelled to write their own songs beyond their debut albums to prove their “cred,” but the resulting music often fails to catch on due to their lack of experience and songwriting expertise.
Underwood fulfils Crazy Dreams
EDMONTON - Carrie Underwood has all the vocal power of a diva, yet she exudes an understated, down-to-earth presence of a good ol’ country girl.
“It’s all about having a good time and it’s all about singing along and dancing along,” she told a delighted crowd of 11,000 Tuesday night at Rexall Place.
The former American Idol contestant, who won the reality show competition back in 2005, put on one heck of a performance. It was easy to see that, only three years after defeating some hippie-looking guy in Idol’s Season 4 finale, Underwood has become an entertaining powerhouse deserving of every praise and magazine cover she has gathered.
Faith, Jo Dee, Darius at Thanksgiving
After “American Idol” kicked off a year that included the Idol concert tour, recording a new album and promoting it, Kristy Lee Cook is looking forward to going home for the holiday. “It’s gonna be like the first time I actually get to go home and relax and eat a ton of food,” she says. “That’ll be awesome.” Best dishes: sweet potatoes with marshmallows, pumpkin pie and a dip made with both mustard and mayonnaise. She insists it’s better than it sounds.
David Hernandez Sets Album Plans in Motion
Season seven’s David Hernandez has taken full advantage of the exposure he received on American Idol in order to catapult his career. He is not only embarking on a holiday tour with fellow AI alums Diana DeGarmo, Kimberley Locke, and Chikezie, but he has also recently solidified a great contact in the industry to help him on his album. Actor and singer Eric West, who was named as one of US Weekly’s “One’s To Watch” and IMDB.com’s “Top Fresh Faces,” is expanding his already impressive resume by assisting David with his debut CD. The as-yet-untitled album is scheduled to drop next year.
Check the schedule below to see if David and the “Idols In Concert Tour” will be coming to a city near you:
Ruben Studdard brings smooth sound to Akron
DOWNTOWN AKRON — The 2003 “American Idol†winner, Ruben Studdard, is coming to The University of Akron’s E.J. Thomas Hall Dec. 2-4 for three performances of “Ain’t Misbehavin,’†the Broadway musical revue featuring the music of “Fats†Waller.
Both Studdard and the musical turned 30 this year, but the singer said the show of music from the 1930s is still relevant to audiences today.
“These songs are so good, and it’s such a well-written play,†said Studdard in a telephone interview from Atlanta, where the show opened Nov. 18. The title song, “This Joint Is Jumpin’,†“Honeysuckle Rose†and “Your Feet’s Too Big†are among the tunes in the show.
Jason Castro: What Hast Thou Wrought
Apparently having his opera men cover Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” wasn’t enough to satiate Simon Cowell’s obsession with the track. He loves the song (or, rather, the way that it took over iTunes in America after American Idol’s dreadlocked space-child performed it last season) so much, he’s making whoever wins his British talent show X Factor—which you may remember as the show that launched the forcible stardom of Leona Lewis—record the track in time for release at Christmas. Yes, “Hallelujah” will probably be joining Mr. Blobby and Bob The Builder as Famous Christmas No. 1 Songs In The UK by the time the year’s over. What a way to end 2008, huh?
Kanye West Vs. Guns N’ Roses: Akon, Jonas Brothers, Ne-Yo Weigh In On Chart Battle
“Oh, I don’t know,” “American Idol” winner Jordin Sparks said when asked who she thought would sell more records. “Guns N’ Roses have some pretty avid fans, but so does Kanye. I want to pull for both of them, but I’m going to say Guns N’ Roses, maybe. Kanye will probably hate me now. Crap.”
‘American Idol’ Daily: Idols give Thanksgiving
Entering a slow news week on the “Idol” front. But if you love a parade,you’re likely to find an “American Idol” alum marching right down your Main Street.
For starters (and thanks to MJsBigBlog for the tips), the biggest parade of them all, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day spectacular, will see “Idol’s” golden child David Archuleta himself riding through Manhattan. David will be joined in the parade by non-”Idol” talents Miley Cyrus, Kristin Chenoweth, James Taylor and Kermit the Frog.
In Philadelphia’s Ikea Thanksgiving Parade, Season 7’s Syesha Mercado — about whom not much has been heard since tour’s end — will be riding a float, singing her Andrew Lloyd Webber week hit, “One Rock and Roll Too Many.” Season 1 runner-up Justin Guarini also joins the parade.
‘American Idol’ star performs at Culpeper benefit
CULPEPER — Former “American Idol†contestant Chris Sligh performed Saturday night at Culpeper County High School. The concert, held in the auditorium, benefited Kelsey Kares and Kelsey’s Big Give, two charitable organizations created in memory of Kelsey Orndorff,, a 17-year-old Fredericksburg Christian Academy senior.
Orndorff was killed in a car crash Aug. 29 while on her way to see Sligh perform in Fredericksburg.
Sligh wrote in a September blog entry online about the night of the concert, and the moment he found out a local girl had been killed on her way to his concert. Sligh said that after the show, he heard crying from what sounded like teenage girls. When he went to investigate, he learned what had happened from a teacher.
Details Power 40 List
When Ellen came out to a national magazine it was a pioneering move. When Lance Bass did it, well, he knew a good idea when he saw one. But when Clay Aiken announced “I’m gay” on the cover of People, it was proof that a has-been’s hunger for publicity is matched only by America’s insatiable fag-scination. Was this a bombshell five years after the former American Idol had his 15 minutes, two years after the National Enquirer reported that he’d solicited sex in gay chat rooms? “You’d have to say good job for something that has so little news value,” says Larry Gross, director of USC’s Annenberg School for Communication. No one but a handful of Claymates was shocked—”I think it was all of five women who were still members of the Rock Hudson fan club,” says Howard Bragman, a longtime Hollywood publicist who has advised numerous actors on coming out. Expect more shameless D-listers to crawl out of the woodwork and the closet. “The appetite is there,” Bragman says. “The No. 1 thing people ask me is who’s gay in Hollywood.” Thanks to Gaiken, now we’ll know who’s gay on Hollywood Squares.
Best and worst: ‘Dancing With the Stars’ Season 7
As co-host Tom Bergeron’s booming voice will undoubtedly tell us when the results show opens at 8/7 Central, it all comes down to tonight on “Dancing With the Stars.†We will at last crown the winner of Season 7, by which I mean that someone will take home the mirror-ball trophy. I always imagine -– no matter who wins it -– that the trophy will someday undergo an adventure like the crystal egg in “Risky Business.†Maybe looking into the fate of the various trophies can be part of a future series on VH1: “After the Sequins.”
So let’s look back at the extremes of Season 7. I’m doing this by memory and by looking at my old Show Tracker posts, so I’m hoping that you will all weigh in with your own categories, reminiscences and winners.
‘Dancing With the Stars’: Brooke Burke voted Season 7 champion
In contrast to Season 6, it really seemed to me that any of the Season 7 finalists could win, depending on how the audience voted and how the mysterious “Dancing With the Stars†vote weighting worked.
Each finalist brought specific strengths to the competition. Brooke Burke was technically strong and very consistent, and her and Derek’s routines were often more ambitious than those of the other contestants. Lance Bass and Lacey exhibited a great deal of stage presence and solid technical skills; over time, too, their choreography managed to hit the right balance of personality and adherence to the rules. Warren Sapp and Kym consistently wowed the live audience with their exuberance, and Warren got high marks for degree of personal difficulty, given that he’s a 300-pound ex-NFL player.
In the end, though, Brooke’s skills won out, with Warren coming in second, and Lance –- surprisingly (to me, at least ) –- landing in third.
‘Dancing With the Stars’: Mama Mia!
The Era of the Infallible Athlete is ovahhhh. For the first time since season 2 of Dancing With the Stars, the sporto did not win! Instead of NFL champ Warren Sapp, it was the very deserving TV host and model Brooke Burke whose 10 weeks of commitment, catfights, ice packs, tears, and questionable wardrobe choices earned her a modestly sized trophy shaped like a disco ball. Score! After two full hours of celebrity babble, laser light shows, and filler segments of Bruno’s weirdest sexual innuendos cobbled together into one confounding run-on paragraph (kind of like this one), the only lingering question on most viewers’ minds was a simple one: Why doesn’t Derek let Brooke hold the damn trophy?
A look at the ‘Dancing’ winners
Kelly Monaco: The 32-year-old “General Hospital” star was the first celebrity to win the show’s mirror ball trophy when only six contestants competed in 2005. The actress — who infamously almost lost her top during a Latin routine when a strap on her dress broke — has continued in the role of Sam McCall on “General Hospital” since winning the show.
_ Drew Lachey: The former 98 Degrees boy-band member waltzed out of big brother Nick’s shadow after winning the popular dancing competition in 2006. The 32-year-old singer returned to the show for three weeks during the fifth season as co-host while Samantha Harris was on maternity leave. Earlier this year, Lachey starred on Broadway in “Monty Python’s Spamalot.”
Brooke Burke Will Put Mirror-Ball Trophy in Her Girls’ Rooms
Brooke Burke is speechless after being crowned the latest Dancing With the Stars champ.
“It’s amazing! It’s been such an incredible experience, and this is huge,” she told Usmagazine.com after her win Tuesday. “I’m at such a loss for words.”
Added her partner Derek Hough, “Honestly, the tears, the hurt backs, the hamstrings, the feet — everything was so worth it. Every tear, every emotion.”
Brooke Burke is ‘Dancing’ Champ!
TV personality and model Brooke Burke was crowned season 7 champ last night on “Dancing with the Stars.” The 37-year-old mother of four was announced the winner after the judges scores were combined with viewer votes.
Professional partner and first time winner Derek Hough was in shock, saying, “I actually can’t believe it! I really can’t, I honestly can’t. The journey’s been so long. It’s been tough. It’s been wonderful. It’s been everything I could ever hope for. Wow. I can’t believe we actually did it, girl!”
ET’s ‘Dancing with the Stars’ Backstage Exclusive Video
What did the “Dancing with the Stars” competitors have to say after last night’s finale?
Brooke Burke and Derek Hough talk to ET’s Thea Andrews about their three 10s and all the aches and pains they went through to earn them!
Then Warren Sapp and Kym Johnson chat about their amazing lifts and Kym’s close encounter with a wardrobe malfunction!
Finally, Lance Bass and Lacey Schwimmer tell Thea why they chose to do a hip-hop dance.
Clip of David & Archie on Jimmy Kimmel last night.
LOL that was funny gwendolyn ty
That Jimmy Kimmel clip is funny gwen, thanks! I also loved the extended ET clip, LOL that DC used to fudge on drinks and got away with 9/10 times! I love that he’s so honest about it now too!
I only wish they would have had the entire set of LO.
Hey MJ…..I hope you and Kirsten are getting paid for doing the LA TImes job. How many times are they going to quote you and/or use your stats??
Hold out for the big bucks!!! LOL
“Hey MJ…..I hope you and Kirsten are getting paid for doing the LA TImes job. How many times are they going to quote you and/or use your stats.”
LOL It does appear as though LA (Rushfield) is leaning heavily on all the hard handywork over here at MJs — like the rest of us. :-) He knows he’s found a gold mine!! Guess there’s no need to recreate the wheel, after all, and he’s giving credit where credit surely is due, which not everyone will. Kudos to Kirsten and MJ on a job consistently well done!
I think Rushfield has a thing for DC’s mother. LOL That Cook charisma spans the generations!
I don´t think this has being posted before:
Josiah’s promising debut
Latina.com interviews DA. Apparently, there will be a video interview with David and his mom, Lupe soon. She is accompanying David in NYC this week for the parade.
According to Fans of David:
“David will be filming the video for A Little Too Not Over You (his next single) this Sunday and Monday. The video will be storyline based, just like Crush, but will be much more stylized. Two techniques that were discussed and discarded include a freeze frame super-slow-mo, and the see-her-face-everywhere, kind of like in that diamond commercial. The technique they decided to go with? I can’t tell you until Tuesday. I’m sorry. It’s going to be amazing.”
More rumor patrol from a reliable source.. at Fans of david:
On the float tomorrow, David will be singing three songs besides Crush! If you are at the Macy’s parade, you will get to hear these. If you’re watching on TV, you will hear the 90-second version of Crush. Yes, lip-syncing.
^Dang it…. those archies that are going to the parade, better be ready to videotape…
Thank you Frog…
Thank you soundscene… it seem like the Jordin-DA lovefest continue… how cute is he?(See Ozarka, he said he loves her!!!! hehehe ;D) …
ps.
am I the only who is nervous about him lipsyncing… I mean he isn´t use to it…
^^ Wow, that’s quick. They just decided on ALTNOY as the next single last Thursday night. lol.
That Entertainment Tonight thing with Cookie was adorable.
^He said that now… give him time… it will get there… ;D
(In the meantime I´m already planning their wedding) j/k
hahaha celeste
Anyone else check out the picture of Anwar Robinons? Are we sure this is the same guy? Wow. Guess he’s had a couple of tough years.
Cruzceleste, I’ve been planning that wedding too. I think they are both adorable. They have alot in common, and they would have beautiful, singing babies, lol. I mean if he doesn’t marry my 17 year old. She can’t sing, but she’s brilliant and beautiful! Haha.
That’s not Anwar-looks like they made a mistake and mislabeled that picture on the website. It’s some other guy connected to the play.
Aw, maybe he just said that so that his fangirls wouldn’t have a meltdown.
(I kid, I kid 
)
^My best wishes to your daughter, I sugest you buy lots of tickets to the first row to Archie´s concerts maybe “Touch My Hands” will work it´s magic… either way we can´t start planning now… we will get to the who in 4 years (at least, I hope, I want him in love but teenage married scared me)… weather is your pretty daughter or Jordin don´t stop us to chose the flowers, Natasha Bedingfield can sng at the wedding … and for the cake something with a base of nutterbutters and chocolate…what do you said???
Clay Aiken is on Rosie Live right now on NBC
lol it was pretty funny- they made a gay joke.
I hear you, scares me too. Anyway she doesn’t believe in marriage at the moment, go figure, lol, so it would take a lot of convincing her, dating yes, marriage no, lol.
I had a great comeback for that, but I fear the claymates, so I resisted!
Reigning “Idol†David Cook has filmed a promotional spot for American Idol that will begin airing this week
TV Guide Network did a rebroadcast today of its show “Idol: Top 12″ from back in March when the top 12 were released to the press onto the red carpet. I didn’t see it the first time around so this was a real treat.
Kimberly Caldwell interviewed Archie who was soooo cute. He seemed exactly the same way then as he is now during interviews! Same flailing arms, same interminable grin, all the same Davidisms. So archudorkable!
Jason’s interview was pretty funny. Justin Guarini asked him, “How important to you is the fact that they included instruments this year?”
Jason’s response was, “I mean, I think that it was instrumental.”
Kimberly was so hitting on David Cook from the get go. She feels his biceps then says to the camera, “Ladies, the muscles are very, very yummy.”
Oh wow that Fox AI promo sounds awesome! That should be some good promo for LO!
Hope MJ catches that and has it for us soon, hehehe
Thanks for posting the ‘idol promo’ info. I too hope mj is able to post since I don’t I’ll be watching Fox all week. LOL!
Great Taylor interview w/ TVGuide ..
It’s been quite a year for Taylor Hicks. After mutually splitting with his record company, Arista, in January, the former American Idol champ took his career into his own hands by starting his own label, Modern Whomp Records, and taking a little music breather to get into acting. And no, there was no From Justin to Kelly monstrosity. Hicks made his Broadway debut in Grease as Teen Angel, the one (role) that he wanted and loved so much that he’s joining the musical on a nationwide tour. Before the festivities kick off Dec. 2, the man behind the Soul Patrol chatted with TVGuide.com about jump-starting his acting career, his upcoming, as-yet-untitled album and why he loves working overtime.
Q&A here:
http://www.tvguide.com/American-Idol/Taylor-Hicks-Takes-1000287.aspx
Best of 2008 from People Magazine
Teen Takeover! The Year’s Hottest (and Youngest) Stars
6.David Archuleta
4.Jordin Spark
25 Best Celeb Quotes This Year
21.Jordin Sparks