‘American Idol’ gives, then gives again
“It worked, I think, because it actually made sense,” Cowell says. “A guy named Richard Curtis (the writer-director of the movie ‘Love Actually’) had pushed for this kind of awareness for years in the U.K., and he wanted to do something similar in America. ‘American Idol’ seemed the obvious place to go for the kind of awareness he wanted. That was his main priority; yes, we want to raise money, but most importantly, we want to raise awareness.”
As a music executive and a television producer and personality, Cowell allows that visiting underdeveloped regions is far from his norm. Still, he deemed it essential for “Idol Gives Back.”
“If you’re going to talk about it, you’ve actually got to witness it. Otherwise, you genuinely don’t know what you’re talking about.
More Idol Headlines After the Jump…
Ramiele yearns to be in RP for Christmas
The Florida-based Malubay told the Inquirer that the last time she visited the Philippines was two years ago.
“We try to visit every other year. I’m now due for a vacation. I hope to visit this Christmas.”
Malubay has always been vocal about being Filipino and even declared that she hoped to be the first Asian American Idol.
American Idol Betting At Online Casinos Becoming A Two Man Race
The most recent odds that have been released after Ramiele Malubay was eliminated last week, has David Archuleta gamblers laying money if they bet him to win. His odds are -120.
David Cook has been wowing judges for the past several weeks, and with each week that goes by, he is cutting his odds. He is now +200 to become the next American Idol.
After those two, everybody else is considered a long shot by odds makers. Michael Johns is +800. The next lowest odds are Carly Smithson and Brooke White, at +1150 and +1200, respectively.
Syesha Mercado is +3300, and fading Jason Castro is +3400. The long shot is still Kristy Lee Cook, whose odds have stayed consistent at +9000.
R&B Singer Alicia Keys To Tour The U.S., Jordin Sparks to Support
With only a small break after her European tour, R&B singer Alicia Keys is gearing up to take on the U.S. footprint.
The journey, which features “American Idol” winner Jordin Sparks in the opening slot, is due to kick off April 19 in Hampton, VA, and visit arenas all over the US and a couple in Canada through mid-June. The grand finale is set for June 18 at New York City’s Madison Square Garden.
Sanjaya Who? “Crying Girl” Is Now Sobbing for Jason
Remember Ashley, the teenaged girl who cried a river for Sanjaya Malakar on American Idol last season? Well, she and her watery eyes have a new favorite — Jason Castro, the dreadlock-coiffed Texan who wowed audiences and Simon with his performance of “Hallelujah” a few weeks back. Access Hollywood reports that Ashley has been attending tapings again this season and the waterworks have been in full working order when Jason takes the stage.
Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban Carry Tour to University Park, Pennsylvania for Show Bryce Jordan Center April 12
Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban will take their highly touted ““Love, Pain & the Whole Crazy Carnival Ride” tour to University Park, Pennsylvania on April 12 for a show at the Bryce Jordan Center.
Prior to their PA show the two will be in Baltimore, Maryland on April 9, Charlottesville, Virginia on April 10 and Charleston, West Virginia on April 11.
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Great “the Crying Gril” is back yipeee, now she is slobbering over Jason C. I understand the contestants somewhat crying(worked hard ,pressure) or American Idol fan getting teary eyed for thier leaving and a prefromance.This girl is becomming a running gag and she is in 8th grade now?
ok maybe getting cynicle about Americna Idol. The middle of season 5 then it picked up afterwaards big time , how manipulating American Idol. Vote for contest A the greatset thing not contestant B. They got thier youngster last season and this year another one and a rocker …
http://okmagazine.com/idol/view/5751
^ article on Bo Bice
Loved reading the Bo article - I loved him on Season 4 - that is so cool that he wants to teach kids about music!
Daughtry Fights Poverty with ‘ONE Cheesecake Brownie’ Ice Cream!
CHRIS DAUGHTRY and his self-titled band are joining ONE (the campaign to make poverty history) and Ben & Jerry’s in the fight against global poverty and disease — and giving out yummy treats in the process!
DAUGHTRY will be in Burbank, CA, on Monday, April 7 alongside Ben & Jerry’s co-founders BEN COHEN and JERRY GREENFIELD to announce the pro-active ice cream company’s involvement with ONE in the fight against global poverty and disease….
In addition to Daughtry’s ice-cream op, the African Children’s Choir will also perform. The action happens between 2:30 – 3:00 pm PST.
http://www.etonline.com/news/2008/04/60270/index.html
From Ellen’s live journal:
On Tuesday, one of the most successful performers to come out of American Idol, Grammy nominee DAUGHTRY is stopping by to tell us all about this year’s “Idol Gives Back” and The ONE Campaign, which is raising awareness about global poverty, hunger and disease. I’ll talk to Daughtry about what it’s like to work with Bono and Ben and Jerry on this incredible cause — and then he’s going to perform “Home” with our friends, the AFRICAN CHILDREN’S CHOIR!
http://community.livejournal.com/ellendegeneres/287614.html
LOL I thought they meant Ben and Jerry as in the ice cream :P
No surprise Ashley’s crying for Jason. She seems to like the guys with the crazy hair and stuff. But on that note, is she crying for Cookie, too? He’s the one this year with the really inconsistent hair — from the fauxhawk, to the straight ‘do (Top 24 week, if anyone even remembers that), to the emo-balding thing, and now to this shmexy hairstyle or whatever you want to call it. It makes me wonder whether or not the stylists will have something new for him come a few weeks…
TVGuide had a segment on her in one of the shows; I think she mentioned that she’s a freshman in high school now. And she’s still appearing places — she was in last week’s episode of Idol Tonight.
This comment gave me a little insight for when Simon is judging someone and he states whether he thought they were BELIEVABLE or not.
It’s a standard he holds for himself, and therefore holds others to. Interesting.
The ODDS standings are interesting, and it looks bad for Jason, which makes me sad because he’s my absolute favorite. I’m still holding out hope that he’ll pick up votes from some of the other eliminated idols, and also that he’ll step out of his comfort zone and do something with pizazz that will “wow” America.
Ashley Ferl apparently cries for a lot of the idols. Just before that show where she cried for Jason, when she was outside waiting in line, Jordin Sparks stopped by in a car and Ashley went over and spoke to her, and cried then, too.
If any of our MJers is going to the IGB taping today, please come and tell us what happened. I’m curious to know if Elliott is singing or just in the video footage..
This is a little disturbing, but pretty damn funny. There are some other ones on there too. I saw DC, MJ, DA, Chikezie, Ryan, Randy, and Paula too. As well as other celebrities.
Hey, it’s storming outside. Don’t judge! ;)
@Sarah - OMG That’s great! I’m making a DC doll, lolz.
http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20189194,00.html?xid=rss-topheadlines
Nice to hear Nigel does have a heart (last line.).
Idol David Cook’s Family Crisis
By Jennifer Wren
Originally posted Sunday April 06, 2008 02:00 PM EDT
Photo by: Frank Micelotta / FOX
David Cook quickly bounced back from his brief hospitalization due to high blood pressure and heart palpitations, but the American Idol finalist is coping with more than the weekly eliminations.
His older brother Adam Cook is battling cancer, sources confirm. David hasn’t spoken about it, the sources add, out of respect for his brother – and because he didn’t want to seek sympathy votes. But he has performed with an electric guitar emblazoned with his brother’s initials “A.C.”
Cook is not the first idol to compete while dealing with a personal crisis.
“The week before we came up for the Top 24, my best friend passed away, and I was just like, ‘I don’t know if I can go out there,’” last year’s champ Jordin Sparks tells PEOPLE. “I went to the funeral and came back and then my uncle passed away – and then my grandma … and so I had three deaths go on during the show.”
The blows tested Sparks physically as well as mentally, she said last week at a Hollywood PSA shoot for DoSomething.org and Staples School Supply Drive To Do Something for students who can’t afford school supplies.
“It’s hard because you have to go out there and put this smile on your face,” says the singer. “It’s very exhausting, and it’s very overwhelming and kind of gets to you. I mean I got sick a couple times, just because I was so tired and kept trying to do all this stuff and it was crazy.”
Still, if personal matters were to become very serious, it’s possible that Cook would be allowed time off from the competition to be with his family.
“It’s only ever happened once and that was in the U.K.,” Idol producer Nigel Lythgoe told reporters in a conference call. “We gave them a week out.”
Sarah, those dolls are just wrong but couldn’t resist dressing Simon and then Michael.
LOL! I know right, bean. It was terrible, but I couldn’t help “dressing” DC and MJ.
It’s just disturbing that this stuff is actually out there to begin with. I can’t help if I find it.
Haha - I have Chikezie in his orange suit! HEHE!
I hope Caffiend is there tonight! I can’t wait to hear about it!
Sadly, I’m not sure this proves Nigel has a heart. No way do I trust Nigel to do this fairly. Didn’t Geddeon’s dad or grandfather die while he was on Idol? Nary a mention of it for sympathy or backstory, much less a week off. He got the weird smile comment. So no, I guess I don’t see letting someone take a break from the competition as fair to the others who risk going home.
Can you imagine the uproar if KLC got a break for a personal tragedy and a better talent went home? Nope, I don’t think they should cut anyone any breaks.
If Simon’s harsh comments are supposed to reflect the “real world” of the entertainment industry, then I would think they would have to subscribe to the “show must go on” mentality. If someone can’t perform for whatever reason (health, personal issues, whatever), then they should have to bow out of the competition, even if it’s one of my faves.
I don’t think it was during the live show. IIRC, it was either before his original audition, or between his original audition and Hollywood. But I’m almost 100% sure it wasn’t while the live show was going on.
I don’t know how Nigel handled it in the UK edition, but I’m sure there is some kind of way to handle a situation like that so that it would be fair to all involved. Because honestly, to me, it wouldn’t be fair for someone to have to drop out of the competition either, for a situation that they have no personal control over. No matter who the contestant is.
That said, like the article mentioned, Jordin’s great-grandmother passed during country week last season. I don’t remember hearing anything much about it, so I’m not sure how it was handled on the competition side of things.
Well, I just don’t see how giving a contestant a free pass for a week could be fair at all to the other contestants. You get into murky water there. Who should judge which contestant’s personal/health issues are worse than another’s, whether it is beyond their control or not?
The only way to handle it is to let them all be safe for a week, I guess.
Do we have 4 hours to vote on Tuesday? If so, I think fanbases will play a big part this week.
Gedeon’s father died the December prior to the start of American Idol. There is an MSNBC article here.
It might also depend on how the contestant asks to handle it. If someone has a family member/friend die and requests that it not be mentioned, I’m sure it wouldn’t be. I just liked the fact that Nigel was open to realizing that real events can, in fact, supercede the competition. IMO, they have to have that kind of flexibility and as they do with the “scandals”, I’m sure everything would be decided on a case by case basis.
Sarah -
hahahahaha ! The Simon Cowell doll looks like Muhammad Ali !
OMG Caro, it kinda does! I totally didn’t even notice that at first. LOL!
Getty images has some pictures up from Idol Gives Back, including a few of the contestants singing.
I tried to post the link but can’t get it to work. Sorry!