Jennifer Hudson Denies Pregnancy Reports

Those recent tabloid stories about a new baby? It was all a dream about this girl.

“Contrary to what has been falsely reported, Jennifer Hudson is not pregnant,” her rep Lisa Kasteler says. “Jennifer leaves in April for South Africa where she will portray Winnie Mandela in the feature film, Winnie.”

“It is a commitment she is excited about and takes very seriously,” the rep adds. “Jennifer is currently in the studio recording her second album and this is the only delivery she is looking forward to in 2010.”

People

Best Of The 2000s: Part 2 … What A Time

“YOU’RE FROM WHEN?” “Two-thousand-nine.” “Two … thousand … nine. Boy, I knew people were taking this Y2K craziness pretty seriously, but I think you’ve outdone them all.” “No, no. (Ow, my head …) Honestly, I don’t know how I got … back … here, but somehow I … just … did.” “I think somebody’s been partying like it’s nineteen-ninety-nine a little too hard.” “No, please, listen. It was a stormy New Year’s Eve, two-thousand-nine. We were about to ring in two-thousand-ten. “The iPod was charging. So was the BlackBerry. And Ryan Seacrest was on TV getting ready to count down to midnight.”

“The what? The what? And who?”

Billboard

More Idol Headlines after the JUMP…

Nashville Reels To A Somber Tune

December 23, 2009 – As we look back at the challenging, sometimes chaotic music world in the decade that’s coming to a close, we turn our ears to Music City. Nashville’s mainstream country music business found some immunity from the trends devastating sales in other genres across the country ‘” at least for a while.

The 1990s could not have gone much better for Music Row. Country music was consistently among the nation’s top-selling genres. New stars were minted every month, it seemed, and the biggest of all ‘” Garth Brooks ‘” reset the bar for success in Nashville.

NPR.org

‘American Idol’ reverting to form — yay or nay?

“American Idol” announced Tuesday that it’s reverting back to a Top 24, with 12 men competing against each other and 12 women competing against each other. Is this a good thing?

We say yes. A resounding yes, for several reasons: gender balance, higher quality and more exposure before Top 12 starts.

Zap2it

Carrie Underwood and American Idol get good play in this new promotional video for the Grand Ole Opry.

USA Today

Simon Cowell’s Possible Departure From American Idol

For Idol, this would be a bad, though not necessarily fatal, blow. However much people hate (or love to hate) Cowell, he’s a major reason to watch, and more important, the public face of the show. Even if Idol has tried to tone down the show’s nastiness, the judge’s sneering and bickering with Ryan Seacrest and his co-hosts is the acid that cuts
the show’s sweetness. This helps bring in viewers who don’t necessarily care about pop competitions per se. You can’t replace that with Ellen’s star power, or by hiring some generic cranky Brit. And the show already has to deal with losing Paula Abdul. (Whatever you think of her judging, her unpredictability was another key to the show’s success.)

TIME

American Idol Finalist Danny Gokey To Sing Anthem At Sunday’s Game

Timberworks Lumberjack Show To Perform In Parking Lot Prior To Game, On Field At Halftime

Danny Gokey, the Milwaukee native and 2009 American Idol third place finalist, will perform the national anthem at Sunday’s Green Bay Packers-Seattle Seahawks game.

As part of his appearance, representatives of Sophia’s Heart Foundation, the foundation he created in honor of his wife who passed away just four weeks prior to his Idol audition, will be on hand in the Tundra Tailgate Zone prior to the game and in the Lambeau Field Atrium throughout the day to take donations and sell t-shirts.

Packers.com

Sun Bowl Halftime

The Brut Sun Bowl, known for its family-friendly halftime shows, invites David Archuleta, former ‘American Idol’  and teen pop star.

Archuleta became a household name at 16 when he made his stint as one of the youngest competitors during the seventh season of ‘Idol.’  Now, three years later, he will perform before a potential 50,000 fans at a halftime show presented by Helen of Troy.

What’s Up Pub

David Archuleta Shares His “Melodies of Christmas”

Us Weekly’s music editor, Ian Drew, talks with David Archuleta about his heartfelt holiday album!

American Idol alum David Archuleta loves Christmas — so much so that he decided to follow up his self-titled debut album with Christmas From the Heart.

The Season 7 runner-up, 18, talks to Usmagazine.com about the motivation behind his sophomore CD, what inspired him to write a brand-new Christmas song and his recommendations for your holiday party playlist!

US Magazine

New Voices creator Brandon Ivie: from early preview of Next to Normal to a bigger demand for seats

Some bright ideas deserve to shine. Several years ago, Brandon Ivie and friends decided to put on a show. With friends working in musical theater, the concert called New Voices grew into a showcase of new tunes, including an early preview of songs from the Tony Award winning Next to Normal. Now, twice a year, Ivie collects some of the hottest talent in Seattle, pairs them with an eclectic mix of brand new show tunes, and let’s them entertain increasingly enthusiastic audiences.

Among the expected line-up of singers for the current edition: Anthony Fedorov (American Idol finalist and 5th Avenue Theatre’s dreamy Joseph), Eric Ankrim (Peter Pan at SCT), Don Darryl Rivera (the Mouse with a cookie obsession at SCT but also a great singer and comedian), Nick Garrison (Seattle’s favorite Hedwig among other rocking roles), Jennifer Paz (Miss Saigon’s Kim in the national tour and another recent star at the 5th in Joseph), and a host of others.

Examiner.com

Simon Cowell delivers his Christmas pressies by yacht in the Caribbean

He has hired a sleigh of the seas, and will be handing over gifts to celebrity pals ‘“ including Britain’s Got Talent judge Amanda Holden and old flame Sinitta ‘“ as he cruises the Caribbean.

The only red nose in sight during the Cowell family festivities will be Simon’s as the catches the sun on the deck of the £625,000-a-week super yacht, called ‘Slipstream’ .

Just think how many turkey dinners you could get for that!

Mirror.co.uk

Batchelor, Bausilio & Corrles Star in Chicago’s BILLY ELLIOTT; Complete Casting Announced

Also featured are Matt Allen; Jason Babinsky; Chicagoan Elijah Barker; Madison Barnes; Cindy Benson; Sara Brians; Chicagoan Tony Clarno; Abby Church; Christine DeFillipo; Alexandra Dell’Edera; Faith Fetscher; Susan Haefner; Ryan Kasprzak; Chicagoan Kayla King; Kent Lewis; Will Mann; Kate Marilley; Spencer Milford; Brittany Nicholas; Chicagoan Mark Page; Mitch Poulos; Emily Richardson; Annelise Ritacca; Michaeljon Slinger; Jaclyn Taylor Ruggiero; Jamie Torcellini; Nicholas Torres; Brionna Trilling; and Kayla Vanderbilt. Additional casting will be announced at a later date.

Broadway World

139 Responses to “Idol Headlines for 12/24/09”