American Idol Gambling Odds Have Archuleta And Cook Favored
David Archuleta is no stranger to being favored in the American Idol competition. He has been the odds makers choice since the finalists were announced, and continues to be a favorite.
He is now joined at the top, however. David Cook started out the live performances somewhere in the middle of the pack. He has consistently performed at a top level, and is now a co-favorite with Archuleta. Both contestants are +100 to win.
Starr Report: At least for now…
OK, so now Paula Abdul will perform on the “Today” show, after canceling her original April 25 live performance (part of the show’s summer concert series). Abdul is now scheduled to appear on “Today” Friday, Aug. 29 - the first show back in New York following “Today’s” two- week sojourn to Beijing for the Summer Olympics.
Abdul’s rep said yesterday that, “She looks forward to performing for her loyal and supportive fans and being a part of the prestigious ‘Toyota Concert Series on ‘Today,’”- attributing the cancellation of Abdul’s April 25 “Today” performance to a “production commitment” on “American Idol.”
“Bye-Bye” to Miss God Bless the USA
It’s Mariah-Carey-as-mentor week on AI. And I was all set. This was going to be a gold mine of weirdness, of loony Mariah Carey-isms. But something very strange is going on in Mariah-land lately. She seems to be…this almost hurts to write…not entirely out of her mind.
Back in the good old days of Glitter, “exhaustion,” TRL Popsicle-based entertainment moments, “Loverboy” videos that consisted of her caressing her own breasts to the exclusion of all other activities, and that monumental, flabbergasting Cribs appearance, you could count on Mariah for a sweet dose of reality-disconnection.
But then I saw her on Oprah. And she seemed all normal, foxy and sane and thinner, but not in that Posh Spice way where you have to just sort of smell a lemon for breakfast and pretend you ate it. My friend Dennis and I immediately e-mailed each other. His message to me: “I’m obsessed with how Oprah tried to tie Mariah’s diet into something ’spiritual’ and Mariah wasn’t having it. She’s like, ‘Thanks to this French lady who works for me now, I never eat anything fun because I want to look hot.’ It’s that simple and it has nothing to do with the Secret or my higher self or an aha moment.”
Dish Of Salt: Booted ‘Idol’ Kristy Lee Cook
Kristy talks about her departure from “American Idol.” Plus, the newly engaged Kristy shares the steamy “I do” details of her engagement to AccessHollywood.com’s Dish of Salt, Laura Saltman.
Podcast: David Cook’s brother went to “Idol” for all the right reasons
David’s very sick brother Adam Cook was in L.A. to see the show this week. The citizens of Terre Haute raised $80,000 to cover the costs of getting him out there, which we talked about earlier this week. I had once relied on a family member’s access to a Cessna to get myself medical treatment. And though Adam Cook’s cancer is much more serious than mine ever was, the reason was the same: getting aboard a commercial jet with compromised immune systems is a no-no. Plus, if I were to get sick, could we land in time to get me to medical care?
Terre Haute solved all those problems … and a heartwarming storyline was made possible. David Cook had tears in his eyes at the end.
On the radio this morning I was asked: Was bringing Adam out to L.A. just a ratings ploy? Well, if it was, it failed. And no, I don’t believe it was. You can hear my reasons why in the podcast.
Who’s Gov. Perry’s ‘idol’? Hint: he’s an Aggie
When Gov. Rick Perry said this week, “Don’t ask me who I voted for ’cause that’s none of your business,” he wasn’t talking politics, exactly.
Perry’s comments on the KVET-FM radio morning show “The Talk of Austin” with Bucky Godbolt and Bob Cole, were referring to “American Idol.”
Yes, the governor is a fan.
He strongly hinted that his favorite contestant is Jason Castro, a student at the governor’s alma mater, Texas A&M University.
“I don’t watch an inordinate amount of TV,” Perry explained, “but this is one that my wife actually said, ‘Come here, you’ve got to watch this. They’ve got an Aggie on here that’s singing and he’s got dreads.’ ”
How to speak Paula, or The Abdul-to-English Dictionary
But once it all settles down and we’re left with only those singers with real talent, where can we go for our weekly dose of crazy? Yes, this is something that is an important part of the American Idol experience. The producers aren’t stupid. They know that once the crazy contestants are flushed away they risk the chance of losing the ’slow down to look at an accident and I better see a body if I had to sit in traffic for more than ten minutes for this or at least a severed limb’ crowd. And that, my friends, is why I bring you ‘Exhibit A’: Ms. Paula Abdul.
What young Roman Catholics want from the pope.
On Saturday, Benedict will play host to more than 25,000 young people at a youth rally just north of Manhattan at St. Joseph’s Seminary in Yonkers, N.Y. Kelly Clarkson has been enlisted to warm up the crowd with a rendition of “Ave Maria”–perhaps a sign that Benedict may need a little help in energizing a crowd of kids. “Honestly, I think a lot of people are more excited to see Kelly Clarkson,” admits 16 year-old Stephanie LaGumina, who will attend the rally along with 100 of her female classmates from The Ursuline School in New Rochelle, N.Y. In a group interview with four of them earlier this week, they spoke of a strong desire for Benedict to speak directly to young people but also a deep disconnect that many in their generation feel with the church, particularly with this pope. “It’s important for him to see how the faith relates to us, and I’m not sure that he does,” said 17-year-old Gianna Caiola. “We’re the future of the faith, and if you lose us now, there will be nothing left.” Added LaGumina, “I know a lot of guys who have said they would be more interested in going to seminary if John Paul was still pope.”
Go! The St. Louis Calendar, Saturday, 4/19
The Wiz and Son: Nikko Smith, former American Idol contestant and son of St. Louis’ favorite Hall of Fame shortstop, Ozzie Smith, will be out touting a new book, Chicken Soup for the American Idol Soul. Despite the book’s breathless title, the meet-and-greet today is a chance to see the Cards’ former shortstop and his son. If you need some advice, the book could help also. It’s at 2 p.m. at the Creve Coeur Borders (11745 Olive Boulevard; 314-432-3575 or www.borders.com). More details here.
Jordin Sparks, O.A.R. Join Lineup For Earth Day Event
Several stars are joining the lineup for the Earth Day celebration planned for April 20 on the National Mall in Washington.
Jordin Sparks from “American Idol, Black Eyed Peas frontman will.i.am, veteran rapper Doug E. Fresh, O.A.R. and others will join The Roots at the flagship event in Washington. Organizers say speakers will include Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, NASA scientist James Hansen and others.
Glendale’s Jordin Sparks going on tour with Alicia Keys
Glendale’s Jordin Sparks is quickly becoming one of “American Idol’s” more successful winners, and Saturday, she’ll go on tour with one of pop music’s biggest names.
Sparks, who already has two hit singles, will be the opening act for Alicia keys.
Sparks says her last touring experience was with the “American Idols Live” tour last summer.
Jordin Sparks performance at BJC canceled
Due to an unfortunate illness, Jordin Sparks has been forced to cancel her show scheduled for this Sunday, April 20, at the Bryce Jordan Center.
Sparks’ doctor has advised the Jordan Center that the former “American Idol” winner cannot perform due to an acute vocal cord hemorrhage condition. Because of the risk of permanent vocal cord damage, Sparks has been ordered to strict vocal rest and will not be able to perform anywhere until her condition improves.
The Jordan Center apologizes for any inconvenience caused by this uncontrollable circumstance.
An ‘Idol’s’ giddy year
Jordin Sparks vividly remembers where she was last year at this time: buried in the pack of American Idol finalists.
“Blake [Lewis] was the super-favorite,” she recalls on the phone from Los Angeles. “Other than him, it was between Melinda [Doolittle] and LaKisha [Jones]. Sanjaya [Malakar] was getting all the press. I was like, ‘I still can’t believe I’m even here.’ ”
Yet, the dark horse from Glendale, Ariz., went on to win the singing contest, becoming, at 17, the youngest Idol ever.
Sun Fun lineup biggest yet
t may not be on Ocean Boulevard, but the Sun Fun Festival on the former Myrtle Beach Air Force Base is going to be bigger this year than ever.
There will be celebrities - “Hannah Montana” star Cody Linley, American Idol winner Ruben Studdard, and more - a performance from Third Eye Blind, a national personal watercraft championship and a kids play area the size of a football field.
“This will be a banner year for Sun Fun,” said Holly McMillan, who organizes the festival for the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce. “It’s just going to be awesome.”
Cinderella Ball set for May 31
The House Inc., a Woodbridge-based non-profit organization, will hold its Third Annual Cinderella Ball on May 31 for students in fourth to 12th grades with disabilities.
The ball is a prom night designed especially for middle and high school students at the Willard InterContinental in Washington, D.C.
This event, which begins at 6 p.m., will be highlighted by live presentations from recording artist Ruben Studdard and best-selling author Kyle Maynard.
Studdard, the 2003 winner of the Fox television show “American Idol,” has gone on to become an award-winning recording artist. He will meet the guests, sign autographs and perform a live concert for the students and their families.
Finally— the Josh Gracin interview!
At this stage of his career, all the time he’d been spending on the road promoting his records had taken a toll on his personal life. (He’s married with kids.) And he said he ultimately wasn’t satisfied with the way the album was coming together. He changed producers and he wanted to get more involved in writing his own songs.
Ultimately, he said, if “Favorite State of Mind” had become a massive hit, the album would have come out, an album “I was not happy with, not comfortable with. It should have been better.”
That’s what got him to the current single “We Weren’t Crazy,” an autobiographical song. “I had just gotten off the road,” he said. “I thought about how my parents disapproved of my relationship when I was 16. [He married his high school sweetheart.] I thought about how people thought I was crazy joining the Marines. I’m fortunate it’s worked out three kids and 11 years later. I proved them wrong. I wasn’t crazy!”
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I guess I was referring to the top 6 who have to do ALW songs this week.
I think he’ll sing something from Jesus Christ Superstar — just for Simon.
Maybe Mary’s song — “I don’t know how to love him” - not really out of his box except for the gender reversal — or another ” what’s the buzz”.
Interesting fact about DC: He was very involved in theatre in high school. He did several shows including West Side Story and Singing in the Rain. (Here is a video of him giving a hilarious performance of Make ‘em Laugh from Singing in the Rain and an interview with his HS theatre teacher.)
Also, he went to college on a theatre scholarship, but he abandoned it after two years for a major in graphic design. I don’t think we’ll see him on Broadway, but he’s got experience in musical theatre.
thanks for the link pm. i am looking forward to seeing what the scaries are up to.
I read about Cookie’s experience with musical theater, but this is the first time I’ve bothered to watch one of his high school clips (which was entertaining, to say the least. LOL). All I have to say is, I am quite thankful he abandoned that scholarship. The whole rock thing fits him better, IMO. And it’d be a bit strange to see him on Broadway considering he’s doing rock now, no?
Hmm, interesting. I’m guessing anything that doesn’t involve sitting/standing in one place with a mostly acoustic accompaniment and a pretty, soft, nuanced vocal would count as a risk (not complaining, I lurve Jason). I’m kind of hoping he’ll come out in a cat tail, bounding around the stage and singing The Rum Tum Tugger, just to make the VFTW people wish they had picked him.
OK, maybe not. I’m guessing he chose something with big glory notes and/or something upbeat that requires him to work the stage more than he’s used to doing. Actually, doesn’t Jason belt a little bit in the studio version of “Shout to the Lord”? There’s one voice on there I don’t recognize and I assume it must be what Jason sounds like when he powers it up a bit.
ETA: DC’s high school performance always cracks me up. I wish he would incorporate those moves in the group songs.
lalate.com
True confession: I’m probably all alone on this but I LOVE the old musicals. I wish I cuold have seen David Cook up close. He looks like he was doindg great! I love Donald O Conner doing that song in Singin in the Rain… one of my all time faves. I’ve even got my girls liking the old musicals. I know many will find it strange but I really, really love them!
That’s really bad news about Jordin… VFTW is making it sound like there’s even more to it that meets the eye.
I’m really looking forward to Jason’s performance.
Syesha will probably have a good week since she’s an actress.
Also, David Cook was in “singing in the rain” in high school. He played Danny Kaye’s part.
Brooke’s got VFTW voting for her now.
I wonder who’s going home this week?
Poor Jordin. So is the vocal chord bleeding the whole story, cause it seemed like the vftw source was hinting at more? She needs to take care of herself, Blake had similar problems and hasn’t sounded 100% since. It seems terribly rough on the kids’ voices to go from the show to tour to (for those on compressed album release schedules) the recording studio to promotional appearances.
The pattern of boy-girl-boy-girl points to Jason, but I highly doubt he’ll go home. Based on fanbases, I think the girls are much more likely to fall prey, and any of them could go at this point.
I thought it was weird that PSU announced the news, but the rest of the world was going on about the start of the tour.
Vocal chord bleeding is pretty bad. That could keep her out for awhile
Also she had two concerts scheduled for the same time. Confusing.
Oh btw, I’m taking the site down tonight, again. I swear I have this all figured out! It should take less than an hour….
I’m moving the Team Plaid database too.
I wish VFTW hadn’t picked Brooke, I don’t think she can handle it. Hope she sees the funny & lucrative side and it makes her stronger.
I was hoping they’d pick Jason, he’d be all for it like Taylor. I thought Chan’s blog said they were picking Jason but it must’ve been his view and not Dave’s.
Jason Castro
Song: “I Don’t Want To Cry”
Notes: A surprisingly good Mariah Carey interpretation. Jason’s vocals sound more assured than last week, and I can actually see Jason’s career looming in front of us. The only sensible thing Paula says all evening is that she can imagine this on a Jason Castro album. I can too, and I will enjoy listening to that album, with the usual caveat that if the Nigels or Simons have anything to do with it, it will be a steaming pile of crap.
Ways of Entertaining Chan: Singing a song well. Making me want to hear a Jason Castro album. These are good things. Unintentional Humor bonus points when Randy tries to crack a Simon-style hyperbole joke and says this sounds like a performance from a Hawaiian luau. Now we REALLY know he’s drowning in Paula fumes. What the hell does that even mean? Maybe Randy was just pissed off he didn’t get to use it Idol Gives Back week when Jason played the ukulele.
GRADE: A – Come and join me on the Jason Castro train, friends. Toot! Toot!
LOL! Good thing I’m drinking water and not something else.
MJ, thanks for all your hard work!
ETA: 4Got, I think it’s up to Dave. However, Chan is one of a few recappers I love to read each week (and he’s not always pro-Jason).
Yeah, I thought Castro was a shoo in for the VFTW pick. I think he (and most of his fans) would have gotten a kick out of it too. lol.
Oh well. I hope Brooke sees the humor in this and can keep it together this week. :)
You’re nicer than me. That is all.
I personally never got Brooke…she’s always seemed brittle to me. The nanny attitude she’s taken towards the judges and audiences always bugged too. I think vftw is going for a spectacular Brooke-breakdown on tv…she seemed really close last week during her Hero performance.
Jason Castro —yeah that would be ironic vftw picking a “plant ” as the choise that at the beginning trashed..The other thing Ai does not want a good looking guy that will bring girls to swoon over no way..I want him off the show…
Give all the excuses laid down this season ratings are down and yes they did have internet acess two years ago also .
Hey Pop! I loved Brooke at first, but her attitude and string of bad performances have turned me off. Can’t help it. We’re getting down to the wire and I won’t cry if she leaves. I’ll gladly give her a tissue and tell her it’s okay.
Jason was on TV for about 15 minutes total on that Cheyenne show. I guess that could mean he’s experienced with the camera, but he never sang. His band’s manager also managed Cheyenne, so that’s how I’m guessing he got that gig. They did show him drumming for about 10 seconds.
Brooke used to be my favorite girl, but I’ve felt a little meh about her lately. None of her perormances since Let it Be have done anything to inspire or excite me. Well, actually, I kind of liked Here Comes the Sun. LOL. But I thought she deserved the boot this past week (yes, over KLC).
Anyways, I think she’ll survive another week, picking up Kristy Lee’s votes and being the new VFTW pick. That leaves Syesha, Carly, and Jason in trouble this coming week. Any of them could be voted off, I think.
I will personally send Nigel a death threat if Jason performs first and sucks (not that the latter will be his fault…but yeah.)
Heres a video of Kelly Clarkson performing “Ave Maria” for the Pope.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qd4sn_aZPvw
Yeah, I do agree that Jason’s looks are helping him. But the funny thing is, I like listening to the audio clips of his live performances just as much- if not more than- watching it. So, for me, his looks just make it easier to be a fangirl.
Lu, I also share your love of the old musicals! I love song and dance over the different eras of music.
One appeal of Jason is that he is not an expereinced singer and he’s doing such a nice job. I do see this as a major challenge for him. Let it be a girl that goes home!
I hope Jordin gets the required care she needs to take care of the vocal problems.
By the way, while I’m working on the site, you can still hang out in chat:
http://mjsbigblog.com/client/123flashchat.swf
I officially no longer have a favorite girl. I want them all to go away in the next 3 weeks. I do think this is the week the boy-girl-boy-girl pattern will end. If it continues, we get Archie and 2 girls in the top 3 and that would be when I stopped watching.
Jason won’t necessarily go first, especially if he is doing something risky and surprising. David C hasn’t gone first yet and he went 2nd to last for top 7, so it could very well be his night in the death spot.
I’m taking the site down at 12 EDT. Check back in 45 minutes to an hour
I’m going to quit watching any performances other than Cookie’s if Jason leaves next (although I agree with you; at least 2 of the 3 girls left are more likely to leave before him). Or maybe I’ll just keep watching anyway just to poke fun at everyone…
My predicting skills are weak, but TPTB could very well bookend the performances next week with the Davids — Cookie in the death slot, Archie in the pimp slot. But I am, for sure, hoping that it’s not happening.
Hope the move goes well, MJ! :)
Thank you, dv.
How many music stars of today could sing Ave Maria that beautifully? Very few, I think–very, very few.
Kelly has amazing vocal abilities.
ETA: Good luck, mj!
Thanks, MJ! I warned Team Plaid. I will go hang in chat for awhile if anyone is interested! :-)
I kind of feel this way to…although, i am really not feeling archie. I def. wouldn’t cry if he went home, but its safe to say that that won’t happen. I also kind of have a strange soft spot for carly. i know she is great…somewhere deep down. i still have an iota of faith in her (for some strange reason).
Kelly singing Ave Maria is awesome. Just awesome. That girl is all kinds of wonderful. She can do it all. I guess this is why she want to spread her wings. Someone who can sing like this should’nt have to repeat Breakaway for the rest of her career. Brava Ms. Clarkson, Brava.
Kelly sang beautifully, however, I wish she would’ve worn a little more conservative dress.
Thank you for the Kelly Clarkson video. I am a fairly recent Kelly fan (My December made me one)…I think she’s amazing. :)
I do, too. I’m hoping she would be the last girl standing. I used to really like Brooke, but she’s not done anything lately to remind me of that earlier feeling, which is unfortunate. Not to mention that I put all my pool points on her leaving last week and she let me down there, as well, so pffft to her. LOL
cheese, I told you I was going to let you know if David’s ABMB was going to take the number 1 spot in the local station’s countdown on Friday, but I forgot at the time that the station doesn’t do countdowns on Fridays (they play only 70s and 80s music those days). Besides, there is a problem: that DJ that said he was going to steal the CD? He (apparently) actually did it! Now the David fans requesting and voting for the song are being told the CD is missing! Crazy guy. LOL
Over at perezhilton…
Separated at birth
Kelly did an absolutely gorgeous job on Ave Maria. She is amazing!
Kelly’s voice was rough and it wasn’t all that. They should have had someone with a pure and beautiful voice sing Ave Maria. Kelly got through it. That’s all.