David Cook Helps Raise Big Bucks to Fight Cancer
KANSAS CITY, MO. — American Idol David Cook’s name and image has helped raise more than $30,000 for the American Cancer Society.
Cancer is close to Cook’s heart. His brother, Adam, suffers from brain cancer. Cook put an “AC” on his guitar during his time on American Idol in honor of his brother.
An eBay auction for David Cook autographed memorabilia ends Tuesday, June 17. A guitar on auction raised $500. The amount raised by the auctioned T-shirts was still in flux.
Help Jennifer Hudson Name Her Debut Album!
It’s only taken her four years and an Oscar, but ex-â€Idol†Jennifer Hudson is finally putting out her own record this September. (Seriously, think about it. Even Jon Peter Lewis convinced someone to release his album.) My West Coast colleague Yasmine recently visited the set of J-Hud’s music video for “Spotlight†(so jealous!) and during their interview, Hudson dropped this bomb: She doesn’t have an album title yet!
So, being a die-hard J-Hud fan since her first “Idol†appearance, I feel it’s my duty to suggest a few album titles for the full-figured diva.
For the Record: The Game, David Archuleta, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony & More
Jessica Simpson is getting flack from PETA for a shirt she was recently spotted wearing that read, “Real Girls Eat Meat.†Either she loves her some T-bones, or she was taking a swipe at on-off boyfriend Tony Romo’s ex Carrie Underwood, who has been voted PETA’s World’s Sexiest Vegetarian twice.
So his dad cost “American Idol†some extra licensing fees and reportedly got banned from backstage for his antics. That doesn’t mean David Archuleta didn’t have an awesome Father’s Day with big poppa Jeff. In fact, their “neat†day included church and a trip to a lovely sounding eatery called Soup Plantation.
Carrie Underwood Longs For Club Bed
Carrie Underwood seems to be living life in the fast lane judging by songs including Last Name, Before He Cheats, Jesus, Take The Wheel and All-American Girl.
Despite romances with Chace Crawford and others, guys needn’t worry about her poison pen.
“Oh, no, I don’t write songs about the guys I date,†she tells me backstage at the CMA Music Festival in Nashville. “Every song, though, has to have a character in it. You definitely relate certain characters to certain people. Even if I write a song, I pick a song and sing a song, I have to relate them to certain people that I know. So I may relate a little bit to friends or family or guys that I have been around.â€
Youthful Carrie Underwood lacks gritty authenticity in Birmingham show
Carrie Underwood really can sing. That we know, from her “American Idol” win and two top-selling albums.
Carrie Underwood is a beautiful young thing with impeccable grooming. That we also know, from her TV appearances and photos in celebrity magazines.
Carrie Underwood has label support that permits her to tour with high-tech gear, high-fashion costumes and an eight-member band. That we definitely know, from Tuesday’s 8:45 p.m. concert at the BJCC Arena.
Taylor Hicks Came From Alabama With A Banjo On His Knee
The American Idol winner is singing a new tune on Broadway in Grease. For tickets to see Taylor Hicks in Grease, log onto to www.telecharge.com
VIDEO AFTER THE JUMP…
Taylor Hicks, Gloria Reuben among stars teeing up for good cause in Mamaroneck
I know celebrities are supposed to be nice when they lend their name, time and (sometimes) money to charitable causes, but I thoroughly enjoyed meeting and interviewing former “American Idol†champ Taylor Hicks, former “ER†star Gloria Reuben, former New York Giants cornerback Jeremy Lincoln and “SportsCenter†anchor Trey Wingo in Mamaroneck yesterday at Autism Speaks’ 10th annual New York Celebrity Golf Challenge. All of them were good-natured and showcased great senses of humor.
Kellie Pickler Has a Soft Spot for Seniors
Like many country stars, Kellie Pickler uses her celebrity status to help charitable organizations. But her favorite charity is a little unusual: the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP). “I love working with different charities, but the big foundations and organizations already get so much exposure and so much attention,†explains Pickler. “I wanted to bring awareness to a smaller charity that might not have gotten that kind of attention had I not helped them. The AARP is amazing, and I can really relate to it. My grandparents raised me, so I know the struggles that they have to go through financially and legally and all that.
Kellie Pickler Golfs for a Good Cause
Kellie Pickler’s gone green – at Nashville’s 21st Annual Music Row Ladies Golf Tournament & Tupperware Party.
Taking time from recording her second album, the former Idol star, 21, went “clubbing” at Monday’s outdoor fund-raiser on behalf of United Cerebral Palsy of Middle Tennessee.
“I am the queen of putt-putt,” said Pickler, who quickly got into the swing of things – and proved herself no novice with a golf club and dimpled ball.
7th Annual Summer SnowFest (Fairs & Festivals)
The public is invited to a free concert by “American Idol” Season One runner-up Justin Guarini at 7 p.m., Saturday, June 21, 2008, at Jordan Valley Park, 735 E. Trafficway, as part of the 7th annual Springfield-Greene County Park Board Summer SnowFest.
Continuing his successful relationship with “Idol,” Guarini appears as a special correspondent on TV Guide Channel’s nationally televised program “Idol Tonight.” Guarini also serves as co-host of “Idol Wrap,” a fast-paced review of the previous week’s episode of “American Idol.”
Leona Lewis refers to Simon Cowell as her ‘uncle’The ‘Bleeding Love’ singer – who was mentored by the music mogul when she appeared on hit British TV talent show ‘The X Factor’ in 2006 – is extremely close to Simon and US producer Clive Davis and thinks of them as part of her family.
She said: “I wouldn’t label them as my godfathers, more like my uncles!â€
Leona also revealed she relies on her friends and family to keep her grounded and make sure she doesn’t go off the rails.
‘American Idol’ vs. ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ judges
Reality competitions are only as good as the judges who preside over them. The “American Idol” panel, the gold standard of the genre, proves that the right combination of critiques can add professional insight, comic relief or a verbal jab (much to the delight of the audience). So how do the folks of Fox’s summer series “So You Think You Can Dance” measure up to the “Idol” ideal?
Nashville Star’s fallen season
Nashville Star moved from cable’s USA Network to NBC this season but if you think the move to the majors has boosted this show’s already weak grip on talent or ability to make stars, think again. If Nashville Star was a lame American Idol-with-a-twang knockoff before, the episode I caught Monday night was so embarrassingly inept it almost makes me want to rewrite all my criticisms of Idol’s Jason Castro this season. Jason would outshine the 10 remaining NS contests — that’s how low the bar for this show is.
NBC’s ‘Nashville Star’ in a ratings slide
The country crooners on NBC’s “Nashville Star†hit an off note in their second outing last night. Though the series continues to improve on its ratings from last year, when it aired on USA, the show saw a substantial decline in its second week of competition.
“Star†averaged a 1.8 adults 18-49 rating last night from 9 to 10:30 p.m., according to Nielsen overnights, off 18 percent from an opening-week 2.2. That’s still well ahead of what the show averaged on USA last year.
But “Star†finished fifth in the 9 p.m. hour, behind even Univision’s “Fuego en la Sangre,†and it barely topped ABC bomb “The Mole†during the 10 p.m. half hour, averaging a 1.9 to the latter’s 1.6.
‘Nashville Star’: Is John Rich out of control?
I like me some John Rich, but our relationship is becoming love/hate thanks to Nashville Star. Let’s get right into last night’s show…
Canadian Idol Announces First-Ever Top 24
The talent was too good and the stakes too high. On tonight’s Canadian Idol broadcast on CTV, it was revealed that the standard group of 22 semifinalists would expand to 24 this season to accommodate the wealth of talent seen by the judges during this week’s Top 200 episodes. The names of the Top 24 revealed on tonight’s broadcast also indicated another
change: the Top 24 semifinals and Top 10 finals will no longer be split along gender lines. Fifteen men and nine women begin competing for Canada’s votes with the first live Top 24 performance episode next Monday, June 23 at 8 p.m. ET on CTV.
For the first time ever, the Top 24 will perform in mixed groups over the next three weeks, instead of in groups of guys and girls - meaning that there will be no gender division when it comes to eliminations. The most talented performers will move forward regardless of gender, resulting in the best group of Top 10 performers possible.
Canadian Idol now moves into its most crucial and important stage. In total, 14 competitors will be eliminated in just three short weeks.
Canadian Idol Recap: And the Top 22 are…actually 24
Just a pre-show note: Is it just me, or are the audition rounds going faster this year than normal? I’ve found it hard to keep up, and keep track of everyone I liked in the first round. Personally, I think the whole month of June should be dedicated to auditions - spread out the first round more so we see more of each city (maybe cap it at two cities a show tops) and then move on to the top 200, then the top 22 starts in July. Just a thought.
Sharon Osbourne and Jerry Springer dish on ‘America’s Got Talent’
America’s Got Talent executive producer Simon Cowell has stated the NBC reality show’s third season will feature “one of the most talented people on any show I’ve been involved in.” However neither the show’s judges or host are ready to reveal which contestant Cowell — who has certainly had no problem making his favorites known while judging American Idol — considers worthy of such lofty praise.
“I do know who he’s talking about but you’re going to have to wait and see,” America’s Got Talent judge Sharon Osbourne told Reality TV World during a Friday conference call.
Unlike Osbourne, host Jerry Springer said he doesn’t know of whom Cowell is speaking about in the third-season promos — but said even if he did he wouldn’t give his opinion on the talented individual.
America’s Got Talent: Episode 301 (season premiere)
“Single worst tribute act I have seen in my entire life.” - Piers to hopeful Bill
The greatest search for talent is back with a bang! Even if we only saw 12 complete acts during this two-hour premiere of NBC’s America’s Got Talent, I must say I was highly entertained. What I love about this show is that you never know what will come next. Will it be yet another singer? Dancers? An illusionist? A puppeteer? A guy twirling batons? A burlesque act? Unknown. It’s like a surprise bag. And surprises we’ve got in this third season premiere. Bad ones, funny ones, weird ones, and amazing ones.
Join me in a slightly-longer-than-usual review of this two-hour entertainment packed premiere!
Single & Sexy Men of 2008
DAVID COOK
He can sing in front of millions of people, but the 25-year-old American Idol winner admits that his stage bravado doesn’t always carry over into his personal life. “Looking a pretty woman in the eye and convincing her I’m worth taking a chance on is different. It takes a specific brand of guts, and it’s not the kind I have.”
Want more? Watch David share his inner romantic at his PEOPLE shoot in our exclusive video.
People Magazine
GwendolynD,
I just watched that video.
What that fan said to him, priceless! 
For those that might be interested, here is David’s phone interview that he did on Monday with KRBE in Houston. The first minute or so of this is not part of the interview, but Cookie ended up getting in on it and it’s kind of funny. He talks about the possibility of being able to use the material from his unreleased solo album. Here is the link to the interview.
Hehe. The look on his face was priceless, too. Poor Cookie. Them fans is crazy, boy!!!
Well, Mr. Miami Herald, not only does Jason Castro outshine the 10 remaining finalists on Nashville Star, but, he also outshone 8 other contestants, on AI. Nine, if you want to include Syesha in that mix, and, I do include her.
Pam, thanks for the Houston interview! I really liked it. The bird poop part was funny, and it was interesting when he said there isn’t currently any in-house talk about doing full versions of Hello, Billie Jean, etc., but that he’s heard a lot of people ask him that, and that “maybe we should be talking about it.” Yes, yes, yes!! We’d be happy to accept it as an extra Christmas present from you to those of us who voted like crazy people for you after all those songs, dear David.
I love the People love!
Oh my, that variation on the couch picture that People.com has up is just as good as the one they printed. Yummy.
The video is priceless. Especially that raised eyebrow after the fan quote. Oh man, I love the understated humor of DC.
Also - The KRBE interview was awesome. I love that we’re getting less and less repeated questions as we move away from the finale.
So… I assume the “hottest bachelors” issue is not the same as “sexiest man alive”, right? How many of these things does People magazine have exactly?
Not that I’m complaining, mind you.
PS - whoever wants a reminder - TCA voting is daily. DCFTW.
LOL, I thought I was done writing that.
Holy cow. That People video….Everytime I see these behind the scenes videos of photoshoots I always hate the pictures they end up using in the magazine. But I’ll start praying to every diety there is now that they use the one where there’s that sliver of open shirt. GOOD LAWD.
DCFTW.
LOL, I thought I was done writing that.
ha! We’ll never be done writing that. ::big goofy grin::
Thanks for bringing that over, Gwen. I think I’ll post that out front, with the pic. :).
According to this Music News site two interesting bits of info:
http://www.newmusictipsheet.com/page.php?id=crystal
Taylor will be releasing his pre-idol music on Vanguard Records this summer.
That’s a terrific blues/rock label and seems to be where he’s been signed.
Everlast will be releasing an album this fall on the Hickory label (which makes him the second artist on this label after Elliott Yamin (who I think co-owns the label).)
About Nashville Star: the people on there make Kristy Lee Cook sound like Carrie Underwood. None of them would (or at least should) make the top 24 on Idol…
Vanguard has an impressive list of clients …. Marc Broussard, Blues Traveler, Carbon Leaf, the Robert Cray band, Hootie and the Blowfish, Shawn Mullins, Linda Ronstadt, and Edwin McCain just to name a few
Thanks for the Houston KRBE radio interview interview link, it was funny and a pleasure, as usual, and there was one slightly new bit.
The DJs asked Cook a more intelligent version of the usual question about what famous names he might be writing songs with, and questioned whether there was pressure to pair up with big names to try to manufacture hits.
David gave a very comfortable-sounding answer, mentioning that he had an unreleased album worth of his own material to draw on, then adding re producer pressures: “I have no ego about this. I’m 25, I’m learning from all these people, there are a hundred different ways to approach writing a hit, and if I can wrap my mind around one of them, I’m good.”
This hit me because the fans who love him (points at self) have been driving themselves into great fits of anxiety, and hundreds of pages of posts, wondering if he’ll get jacked up with the wrong material. It’s a natural concern, given the experience of contestants like Bo and Kelly who ended up having to put out a certain amount of producer-driven schlock before wrestling enough control back to make albums in their own style.
He just sounds awful clear-eyed and calm for someone that young and in such a big, new, weird position. This is a smart Cookie.
I totally agree w/ the writer of that Carrie Underwood article. She’s an excellent singer, lovely girl, but I’ve always found her performances wooden/emotionally lacking. Hopefully she’ll grow into it, but it’s been a few years now…
Carrie’s a very guarded performer, hence the lack of emotion. It’s almost like she’s afraid to let go. It’s a shame because her voice is phenomenal. Ultimately, I can relate that to DC talking about the wall he worked to break down between weeks 2 and 3 on Idol. I could immediately tell the difference. If Carrie ever gets to that place, she will be virtually unstoppable.
I forget sometimes that she’s pretty much an amateur, and even in her astronomical success, she’s still very new at this. She’s got a lot to learn, and there’s lots of room for growth and life experience to enhance that emotional connection. I’d give her another few years.
May I first say “thanks!” to all of you who post links to all this great stuff. Wait…first thanks to mj* for setting up this site. SHOUT OUT TO YOU ALL!!!!
So in the PEOPLE interview, David said he likes a woman with “confidence and compassion.” I thought he said “continence and compassion.” (hee hee)
I’m like “wha?” Was that a message to us cougars?
Then I laughed. To use one of David’s words, I was being absurd.
——————
*mj? Are you the “Molly” that did a weekly critique of Idol on youtube?
“Carrie Underwood is a beautiful young thing with impeccable grooming.”
WOW…this phrasing realy bugs the crap out of me. Since when did Carrie become a “thing” Before anyone jumps all over me for this and saying that the writer didn’t mean anythng offensive by the wording, sorry, but it is just plain WRONG…IMHO. Carrie is a talent and successful young WOMAN, not a thing. Doubt this writer would use that word to describe a young man.
*ok…I’m down off my soapbox now…back to regularly scheduled programming*
Wait…omt…
In defense of Jason, he was my #2 after DC. I think folks should go back and listen to him. He wasn’t the most engaging, but his voice…man oh man it was beautiful. Definitely a future CD purchase!
You’ll get no complaints from me, MJ.
Gwen, our boy has mastered the art of playing the game! That look, yeah that look. He sure knows how to play, lol.
Nope, not me. :)
Jason used his phrasing,and, heartfelt emotions to pull you into his performances. He didn’t need to hop all over the stage to do that. He definitely doesn’t fit into the entertainer category.
I agree Skylight - everyone should really go back and listen to Jasons studio versions. He has a beautiful voice, I did that during the show and then Jason took my #1 spot and Cook #2. At first I did not really pay attention to him until after SOTR, then I went back and really listened and that was all she wrote. Hated the Forever In Blue Jeans song but his lower register is really nice in that and I had no idea he had such a range. I want to listen to the song more but everytime I do it gets stuck in my head and I find myself humming it all damn day.
Archie’s team posted a bulletin on his myspace asking people to check out Archie’s video answering his fans’ questions - one part of a three part series, with the rest to be posted on his myspace - here:
VIDEO: David Archuleta Answers Your Questions
ETA: The video (is there one up?) does not load for me. Gah. :s
I don’t know…
I didn’t agree with the gal from the AL article who said Carrie doesn’t have “emotional depth”. Who is she to judge? I wonder if she’s used to listening to Country music? Country music is more about the WORDS making you cry, than the PERFORMANCE making you cry.
Not only that, but it makes me uncomfortable when people try to judge whether someone else is FEELING something, or whether they’re even CAPABLE of it… like a lot of people did with Archie this season. I remember when I was 17, and I was VERY passionate… maybe even more so than now.
I loved that David Cook vid. You know I think THAT’S the FACE Jason was trying to demonstrate the other day!
1st Off—-I have HAD it—-I do not appreciate these column writing people always knocking down on>>>what I call “Beautiful Sunshine” aka Jason castro. So–I have gathered my GEAR and I am going Hunting.
A music critic? ;-)
But the thing is, IMO, these two go hand-in-hand. Carrie Underwood can be singing a song with the world’s saddest, most heart-wrenching, most tragic lyrics, but if she’s doing so while making the centerpiece of her performance a moment at which she tears off her skirt to reveal hotpants underneath, or if she’s singing those words without allowing her voice to go into the emotion, for me, there would not be much of an emotional impact. Idol singers get criticized all the time for not injecting emotion into their voices and performances. To me, that’s the difference between a mere singer and an artist.
Carrie has a beautiful voice and is a fine SINGER, but IMO, Kellie Pickler is ten times the artist that Carrie is right now. And believe me when I tell you how much it pains me to type those words.
Sumidol, you and I had the same experience. I also loved DC until I heard SOTR. Didn’t pay much attention to Jason until then. Listened several times and couldn’t get it out of my head. I went back and listened to all his songs after that and loved all of them. I like DC but I’d rather talk about Jason.
Ya hit the nail on the head!
sciencefan, Mary Colurso has been a music critic in Bham for a long, long time. She also follows all the Idols closely.
There’s no way you can live in Alabama and NOT be exposed to country music.
That complaint has been waged against Carrie since she graced the Idol stage. She’s grown some but still carries some inhabitions and may never be able to grow beyond them.
At this stage in her career it doesn’t seem to be hurting her ticket sales so all is good.
She’s had a lot of experience performing country music with country artists before Idol. How much longer than nearly her whole life does she need before she’s no longer an amateur?
http://www.netglimse.com/celebs/pages/carrie_underwood/index.shtml
Jason Castro k92fm interview with Doc and Grace