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A Night of Fun with Archie

If you’re an AI fan living in Los Angeles and are looking for great (and FREE!) family entertainment this weekend, you’re going to love this event at the Hollywood & Highland Center. On Saturday, December 6th, the Hollywood Christmas Tree will be lit, along with an appearance by Santa Claus and various celebrity guests. Even better, David Archuleta will be performing! While the event is free of charge, guests are invited to support One Heartland, an organization that helps to improve the lives of kids impacted by HIV and AIDS. How can you help? Sponsor one of the 30,000 lights on the 35-foot high Christmas Tree, or donate $100 or more to become a part of the VIP pre-reception. Find out more about the event and pre-reception on oneheartland.org.

Hot cocoa, holiday treats, and David Archuleta…what could be better?

American Idol

Clay Aiken Christmas EP

Clay Aiken has more than proven himself in the Christmas music realm, and fans will be thrilled to know that he’s added to his extensive holiday catalog. He has released an EP, All Is Well-Songs For Christmas, that features the classic “O Come O Come Emmanuel,” along with some with a more modern spin, like “All Is Well,” “Christmas Waltz,” and “My Grown-Up Christmas List”. Care to buy it AND spread goodwill? If you access iTunes via goodshop.com, 3.75% of your purchase price will go to Clay’s foundation for inclusion, the Bubel/Aiken Foundation, or a charity of your choice.

American Idol

More Idol Headlines after the JUMP…

11 Most Shocking Moments of 2008

CLAY: ‘I’M A GAY DAD’

New dad Clay Aiken – his son Parker was born Aug. 8 – comes out as a gay man in September, telling PEOPLE, “I cannot raise a child to lie or to hide things.” The Idol runner-up also acknowledges the news will be a shock to some of his fans. “Whether it be having a child out of wedlock, or whether it be simply being a homosexual, it’s going to be a lot.”

People

Exclusive: David Cook Shoots Promo of His Journey to Success

It is hard to believe that this time last year nobody even knew David Cook, but fast-forward less than a year after his big win and the reigning King of American Idol has had his journey re-filmed for a commercial to promote the upcoming season.

“I think it will be nice to step back and actually watch the last year of my life within a thirty second you know montage,” David told Tarts exclusively at our recent visit to the downtown set of the promo production.

But just because Cook is in the big leagues now doesn’t mean that’s he is well, totally comfortable.

“I freak out on a daily basis for many good reasons, but I think I’m in a very blessed position in my life right now,” he said, adding that he recently attended fellow “American Idol” Carrie Underwood’s live concert which featured video of Underwood and runner-up Bo Bice standing beside Ryan Seacrest awaiting the big announcement.

“I freaked out for a second, it was so real and we were in the Nokia and everything,” Cook said. “I had to remember it wasn’t me.”

Fox News

Police confident Hudson family murders solved

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Police charged the estranged brother-in-law of Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Hudson with the murders of her mother, brother and nephew, expressing confidence on Tuesday the evidence was sufficient to convict.

“You can never always know how a jury will decide a case but I’m confident the evidence is there and I’m confident we’ll be successful,” Chicago Police Superintendent Jody Weis said.

Police said they had the murder weapon and physical evidence as well as testimony that would convict William Balfour, 27, the estranged husband of Jennifer Hudson’s elder sister, Julia.

Reuters

Bikini-Clad ‘Idol’ Contestant Going To Hollywood Despite Pitchiness In Left Saline Implant

With just a little over a month before Fox parts the 200-foot-high bamboo gates of Karaoke Island and unleashes their gargantuan ratings beast upon an eager-to-be-trampled public, the American Idol publicity machine is in full swing.

In the coming weeks, two new spots will start creeping repeatedly into your cherished quiet time with Drs. House and Annoyingly Sing-Songy Josh Jackson Sr.: The first is a big-budget, slickly produced Idol fever dream as told through David Cook’s dreamy eyes, offering just a taste of what life might be like from inside the Rockstar-O-Matic machine. (Training-groupies, Costco-sized Jack Daniels bottles, and bouncing a delighted David Archuleta on your knee all figure heavily.)

Defamer

Honor Student to Attend Presidential Inauguration

She will attend the inauguration of Barack Obama as 44th President of the United States on January 20, 2009. Besides watching the swearing in, she’ll also attend on the black-tie inaugural balls with headline entertainment from American Idol singer Chris Daughtry.

KFVS12

DSO show is solid musically, spiritually

DALLAS — It was a fittingly sophisticated evening of holiday music.

Contemporary Christian icon Michael W. Smith brought his Christmas show to Meyerson Symphony Center on Tuesday night and, with the help of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, delivered a concert that had both spiritual and musical substance.

The best pipes belonged to Melinda Doolittle, a former American Idol finalist with a huge, soaring voice. She and backup singer George Huff (also an AI alum) provided some soul. It was badly needed because there were times when Smith — who wore a suit and tie that a funeral director would have dismissed as too dreary — was just a bit too Hallmark card-ish.

star-telegram.com

Idol Star the Real Deal

Even if you’re not a new-country fan — or worse, an American Idol addict — we can probably all still agree Carrie Underwood deserves points just for being here.

Because let’s face it: The years have not been kind to her fellow Idol contenders.

Sure, Kelly Clarkson had one of the biggest pop songs of this century, but she’s since had to trade in her rock mama aspirations for playing second fiddle to Reba McIntire. And let’s face it: Clay Aiken, Jordin Sparks and Chris Daughtry haven’t exactly been burning up the charts recently, either.

But not only has Underwood — the fresh-faced Oklahoma native with the platinum tresses and perky smile — managed to transition smoothly from the Idol stage to the Nashville scene, she’s also become a bona fide star in the process.

Winnipeg Sun

American Idol stars in concert for the holidays

Attention American Idol fans! If you can’t wait until season eight of the hit show premieres in January, this should tide you over. Catch some of your favorite American Idol alumni, and get in the holiday spirit, when Chikezie (Season 7), Diana DeGarmo (Season 3), David Hernandez (Season 7) and Kimberely Locke (Season 2) visit a city near you as part of the “American Stars in Concert for the Holidays” tour. The concert, running now through December 21, promises an exciting night of solo, duet and ensemble performances and is a great way to see and hear the Idols up close and personal.

“I just got off tour and am doing it again,” Chikeizie told In Touch when we caught up with the Idols during rehearsals in Los Angeles. “This is a smaller scale, though, and more intimate, so doing this show I will have a chance to make contact with the audience and have them walk away feeling it was for them.”

In Touch

Eich reduces cost of ‘American Idol’ show

The Eichelberger Performing Arts Center reduced the cost of tickets to “American Stars In Concert for the Holidays,” featuring former American Idol stars.

Previously $50, tickets are now $25 for all seats to see Diana DeGarmo, Chikezie Eze, Kimberley Locke and David Hernandez Sunday at either 3 or 7 p.m. at the Eichelberger, 195 Stock St., Hanover.

Academy at the Eichelberger students will join the stars on stage for a special musical selection at both shows.

Previously, tickets were sold for $50, and executive director Deb Levy said part of the reason to lower prices was because of the economy.

“We just wanted to give Hanover an opportunity to see the show,” Levy said.

She hopes that more people will be able to attend with the drop in price. All persons who purchased tickets at $50 have been contacted and have been given the opportunity to receive extra tickets or a refund, Levy said.

Evening Sun

X Factor Hallelujah: Simon Cowell takes on Leonard Cohen

Can a great song survive anything? We may be about to find out, as Leonard Cohen’s ‘Hallelujah’ is put to the ultimate test: to be covered by the X Factor winner (whoever they may be) as the nation’s likely Christmas number one.

Leonard Cohen and the X Factor is not an obvious union. For one thing, if Cohen himself had ever auditioned, he clearly wouldn’t have got past the first round. One can only imagine Simon Cowell’s withering contempt for Cohen’s bassy, fragile and idiosyncratic vocal style. The fact that he is acknowledged as one of the greatest and most poetic songwriters of all time would be no defence. Can he sing an ABBA medley, that is far more to the point.

Telegraph.co.uk

Simon Cowell has the ex factor again as he steps out with another former girlfriend

Simon Cowell clearly isn’t quite ready to jump back into the dating pool just yet.

Cowell stepped out for the first time with a woman on his arm since his split from girlfriend Terri Seymour, he took comfort from the presence of doting ex-girlfriend Jackie St Claire.

The pair were seen leaving a party at club The Electric Birdcage in central London.

Cowell, 49, has famously kept his enemies close, and his ex-girlfriends Sinitta and Jackie closer.

Daily Mail