American Idol Tour Kicks Off
For months, as the entertainment world revolved around them, as desperate fans speed-dialed voting lines, as celebrity-driven tabloids and websites fought in mortal combat for every scrap of information about them, as television, music and Broadway rebuilt their firmaments in their wake, the contestants of “American Idol” toiled in the show’s protective cocoon-like bubble. “We were in a white room for three months,” said Irish songstress Carly Smithson.
But now, at last, their duties on the show over, America’s Top 10 gladiators of competitive singing are leaving the bubble and taking their songs directly to the millions of “Idol” fans as they prepare for the 49-city “American Idols Live!” tour, which begins Tuesday in Glendale, Ariz.
David Archuleta Nervous about 1st Show
Hey guys!
Tomorrow’s our first show!! I have to admit I’m a little nervous, but I’m way excited at the same time. We’ve been having rehearsals each day just getting ready for the big day, and everyone sounds great. Last night after the rehearsal Kristy Lee, Chikezie, Cook, Jason and his family, Carly and I went go karting and it was sooo much fun lol. At first I was kinda like eh, I don’t know if I should go or not, I should get some rest and stuff. But Kristy Lee pushed me into going and now I want to go again.
David Cook on Caldwell: She’s Very Supportive
The American Idols Live! Tour kicks off Tuesday, July 1. But, Idol king, David Cook, doesn’t have his mind completely on the road.
Cook told TV Guide’s Carita Rizzo that the long, intense tour won’t bother his relationship with former Idol contestant Kimberly Caldwell.
Cook told TV Guide “We seem to compliment each other really well…She’s very supportive, and not only with me but with my entire family, which is huge. She’s great.”
David Cook: Idol Tour Won’t Detour Love Life
If you do the math on the American Idol Live! Ttour, it looks something like this: 53 performances in 49 cities over 72 days adds up to no love life. But as David Cook gets ready to board the bus, he’s not worried about the damper it may put on his relationship with former American Idol contestant Kimberly Caldwell. “I get to do what I love and love what I do, so no, it doesn’t put a damper on anything,” he told TV Guide between rehearsals and wardrobe fittings.
“Kim’s great,” Cook continued. “She’s got a little bit of insight on it which definitely helps.”
Baby V enters not guilty plea for concealed weapon charge
Former “American Idol” finalist Vonzell Solomon filed a not guilty plea to carrying a concealed firearm and will not appear at her arraignment, which was scheduled for today.
Solomon, 24, also known as Baby V, was stopped June 10 at Southwest Florida International Airport after security officials discovered an unloaded gun in her bags.
Solomon posted an apology on her Myspace page shortly after the incident.
Her attorney, Michael Rich, filed the not guilty fee late last week. Solomon’s next court hearing is scheduled for July 25 before Lee County Judge Leigh Frizzell Hayes.
Happy birthday, Fantasia Barrino!
Easiest way to bring tears to my eyes: Put me within 20 feet of a freshly sliced onion. A close runner-up: Show me a clip of Fantasia Barrino performing “I Believe” during American Idol’s third season performance finale. I start getting choked up at around the 2:39 mark, and reaching for the tissues at the Gospel-rific bridge.
To me, one of the great pop-culture mysteries of our time is, how in the name of all that’s holy has the global music-buying populace failed to turn ‘Tasia into a major superstar? I know, I know… our birthday gal’s post-Idol musical output has been somewhat spotty, but listen to “Hood Boy,” her collaboration with Big Boi (Ellen performance embedded below) and tell me it’s not one of the catchiest singles in the last decade to not crack Billboard’s pop Top 40.
Babies Having Babies
This paris_bennett.jpgprobably isn’t the way former “American Idol” hopeful Paris Bennett wanted to find her way back into the public eye, but as any slimy publicist would say, all publicity is good publicity.
Anyway! Paris is pregnant.
The Minneapolis Star Tribune has confirmed reports that the “AI” contestant dubbed Princess P is expecting. She is due in October, when she’ll be 20-years-old.
Former Idol Star Paris Bennett Is Pregnant
American Idol’s “Princess P” is going to be a proud parent, her rep confirms to PEOPLE.
Paris Bennett, 19, the Idol singer who was an early favorite – and an early ejection – in the show’s fifth season in 2006, is expecting her first child, the Minneapolis StarTribue reports.
The Rockford, Ill., native’s mother, Jamecia Bennett, told the paper that the father “chooses not to be in the public eye.” She added that Paris “has a ring” and is expecting to have a baby shower in August.
Photo Coverage: Radio Broadway Rehearsal
BroadwayWorld.com’s cameras got to take sneak peak into the rehearsal process for the upcoming Radio Broadway presentation of the “The Radio Hits of 1958″
Radio Broadway Presents “The Radio Hits of 1958″ will feature a variety of Broadway stars, including American Idol’s Constantine Maroulis and alumni from American Bandstand and will take place TONIGHT, Monday, June 30 at 8 p.m. at The Town Hall, Times Square’s landmark concert venue. The BroadwayWorld.com camera’s took a peek into rehearsal to watch the talented cast in action!
Franklin Residents Will Idol Away the 4th
Franklin’s annual Fourth of July celebration will kick off this Thursday, and will include an “American Idol”-style contest featuring Ayla Brown, a former contestant on the Fox television show.
ayla.JPGThe part of Ryan Seacrest will be played by Ayla Brown (Globe file image)
The celebration will kick off Thursday night at 10 with fireworks at the high school on Oak Street. Festivities will continue on the Town Common through the weekend, and will include concerts, a magic show, story readings (including an appearance by Snow White) and the singing contest, which begins Saturday night at 6.
Related Posts
ok this carly bashing is getting out of hand…you must realize that she probably said a million nice things about the guys but reporters only write the stuff that will create controversy. And she may make excuses but the questions always lead her to, it’s not like she is saying all of this stuff out of the blue.
and yes the girls did have it harder this year….let’s look at the guys for a second: David C, David A, Jason, Michael, and Chikezie…not a bad looking one in the bunch…in fact i definitely think it is safe to say this is the best looking top 5 guys the show has ever had so how are the girls supposed to compete with the masses of tweens who powervote?
I’m hardly a tween, and I would have power-voted for Carly if she had given me a reason two.
Every reporter can’t get it wrong. She’s gives the same vibe with every interview….
I did note that the tone that this was said in would make all the difference. And, I had no idea that Syesha & Rami were close - I guess I didn’t read enough of all of those interviews. The phrasing of it struck me as weird. Plus, I’m inclined to think things Syesha says may be obnoxious because she kind of comes across that way to me.
I disagree with this theory because all of the powervoters I know are way out of the tween age range. Plus, I don’t think David C, David A or Chikeze are overwhelmingly good looking. Obviously, each of them appeal to some fans in that way, but it’s not like one of them is the next George Clooney or anything. They’re all pretty average looking to me.
On the other hand, I think both Brooke & Syesha are quite beautiful.
I respectfully disagree with this. What I personally think, is that the typical vocalist had a harder time this year than those on the show who had more musical creativity and those who could play instruments. I think Brooke, Jason, David C. & David A. accompanying themselves with their various instruments had a much bigger impact than anyone’s looks.
Of course, that theory doesn’t explain Syesha’s 3rd place finish either - but I’m still mystified by that myself.
I believe Carly finished where she finished because she simply didn’t connect as much with the viewing audience. I’m not really sure why that is, but I don’t think it’s because she had some inherent disadvantage as a female. Also - I actually like Carly, so I’m not bashing her.
Nail, head. All that good stuff. :)
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Mishaps so far:
Ok, there was one big one. I missed my flight this morning. lol. But I caught another one, so it’s all good.
No spoilers yet, huh?
Carly needs to learn how to work the press to her advantage cause right now they are making her out to be a whiny bitter contestant.
We’ll see how she does in concert, which I’m going to TONIGHT!!!!!!!
No spoilers MJ…but it’s great you are there and we wait with bated breath for the live blog!!
Good thing you averted a crisis there Mj! I can’t wait to hear what all of you concert-goers have to say about tonight’s show.
Thank goodness the concert is tonight. *Sigh*
Not sure where else to post this (Hi, mj!), so I just have to go yippee here. I was drivin’ in my car today and TOML came on the radio. When it was over, I punched in the next station and it was in the middle of playing there, too!!
Related to that. . .he seems to be on his way to overtaking Jordan (sorry, Jordan!!) on the AC and Hot AC charts. In a few years there will be so many Idols on the charts they will have to change the name of Mediabase to Idolbase. Hee.
And one more thing. Today, I heard TOML differently. I have been loving it ever since I listened to it a few times in a row and got addicted, but today was different. Some time back I read somewhere that David said he recorded that late at night when he was really tired and his voice was going. But he said he thought maybe the “strain” in his voice gave the song a “genuine” feeling. Today I really really heard that. The strain. The rawness. The genuine feeling. It tugged at my heartstrings, zing. And I thought, ya know, if that were a song that somebody else had made famous, and he did his version on the show, I’d have probably been really impressed from the git-go, and I would never have rolled my eyes at it. I would have just marveled how he made me love magic rainbows.
Show tonight! Can’t wait to read mj’s reports!
And yay - For once I get to go home and listen to the live blog cuz I am in AZ too - cannot wait! I can get my work done today
“Related to that. . .he seems to be on his way to overtaking Jordan (sorry, Jordan!!) on the AC and Hot AC charts. In a few years there will be so many Idols on the charts they will have to change the name of Mediabase to Idolbase. Hee.”
in a few days on the Pop chart Jordin should pass Cookie with her new single One Step At A Time.
Cool for Jordan that her new one’s doing so well, yay! It’s kind of funny to watch her, Daughtry and Cook tumble around each other in the charts, and that’s probably only a taste of the years to come.
I confess to feeling thrilled that Grace Slick named DC among her fav male singers. I wuvved her in her prime. Which is also when I was in my prime, lol.
Omg, its almost time!!!!
Happy birthday Fantasia!
I could have happily done without any KC inspired headlines but whatevs.
Seekrit song here we come!
When you see and hear absolute magic, you have a winner.
And this year the one to bring the “magic” to the stage was David Cook
“Magic” is not specific to gender –male or female.
I don’t have a link, but this was on DDB site from Jason. TPTB must not like Jason’s date nights with us.
Jul 1, 2008 4:21 PM
Subject: quick news!
Body: hey guys! i hope you this finds you all well. so were getting ready for the big first show tonight! woohoooo!!!! things are getting crazy! im really exctited and cant wait to see how it goes! now obviously since im going to be busy tonight i was thinkin wed have to do a lunch date. haha and i taped it and everything but some issues have come up with me posting my videos and pics. i guess im under alot more rules than i thought… its complicated. haha but fear not! iill figure it out. i just have to get some things worked out with everybody so we’re all happy! so if i dont make it tonight…please forgive me! ill get a new video up as soon as i can! i cant wait to let yall know how the first show goes!!! ttyl!
jasonnn.
MJ, have a great time tonight!!!!!!!! Can’t wait to hear all about the
other MJ(lol) Enjoy ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rock it Michael!!!
yeah DFC, I was just going to post that. I got a bulletin on my space. I found it interesting in one of the pictures he posted you could see David A at the computer at a table on the tour bus. I am sure if jason kept it up we’d probably know a LOT more than we have in the past, which would be fun! But I have a feeling that date nights will be VERY limited in context if we get to have them at all. Damn TPTB.
YAY MJ!! This must be the BEST business write off you’ve ever had!!
Pffft, that JCas news is a bummer!
I love my Cookie vlogs, but JCas is 2nd in my heart.
And I’ll just go ahead and speak for everyone by saying,
“We love you MJ!!” THanks in advance for the live blogging, I cant wait!
Oh god please not a Cookie vs. Jordin chart competiton. Jordin has had it made with airplay since day one and anything they put on the radio for her will sale right to the top anyway. I’m amazed David is doing as well as he is considering so many has viewed TOML as a cheesy winners song.
What an exciting day. Can’t wait to hear news from the kickoff night. Oh, and Happy Birthday Tasia. You can sing any damn thing you want for me. Wearing any color hair in the crayola box and I will be a happy camper.
MrsTrep, yes, damn TPTB. I don’t know what their reasons could be, unless they don’t want Jason stealing the thunder from David and David. I’ll be glad when he’s out from under their thumb and can do what he wants for his fans.
I hope MJ gets to meet all the Idols tonight.
Looking forward to the live blog! Happy BDay Tasia! Bummer about Jasonnn’s dates, can’t believe they’re making him break up with us already.
TPTB - Boo Hoo on you - Ok sign him already if you want to really keep tabs on Jason. Well I guess the statement he made about the rules proves that David C must have his vlogs up only after scrutiny and approval of TPTB.
I personally like Carly the best of the girls, she’s more mature, motherly and I think is a very nice person. She got a lot of bad press before Idol even started and also on the internet. She was like swimming uphill from the start and I also think bad press derailed David Hernandez and maybe to some extent Michael Johns. I always try to keep an open mind but sometimes it’s hard when you are bombarded by so much media. I think most things get distorted if they make a better story.(as with David A’s dad) She’s a great talent and deserves another chance Saying that I am a David Cook fan and am excited for him, hope the stress isn’t affecting his blood pressure too much. These guys have had a stressful year and it seems to double for the winner.
Sad news in Castroville:
Quote:
Jason Castro got David Archuleta to stay out late — way late, like 1 a.m. (All part of the go-kart extravaganza — the venue even stayed open late for the Idols.) And Archie’s dad was encouraging him to hang with the guys. “He’s gotten kind of comfortable now,” Castro says of his Idol-mate.
But Castro admits it’s perhaps he who is most misunderstood among the group. “Somebody said I was dumb as a bag of rocks,” he says (though he insists he reads very little of his own press, except for the occasional glowing dispatch forwarded over e-mail by his mom). “That’s foolish. They don’t even know me.” Like, they probably don’t know that the former Texas A&M student scored 1340 on his SATs “without even studying.” He says he’s like Uh-Huh in The Little Rascals, who said: “Actually, I’ve always had a rather extensive vocabulary, not to mention a phenomenal grasp of grammar and a superlative command of syntax. I simply chose not to employ them.” Or Mark Twain (paraphrased): “It’s better to remain quiet and let people think you’re stupid than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.”
The Vans-clad Castro is refreshingly candid: “I have no record-label talks. 19 (Entertainment) told me one label showed a little interest but they weren’t sure it would turn into anything.” No matter. Castro plans to make music 2008-style, with or without a record deal. So he’s writing his typical acoustic-heavy songs — some “happy, beachy,” others meatier — in the meantime, though he’s having a hard time getting work done on tour. “We’re all in cramped quarters. It’s not really conducive” to the creative process.
He’s looking forward to singing his audition song, Gnarls Barkley’s Crazy, tonight. (It never aired during the show because Idol couldn’t get clearance.) Retooled in the style of Ray LaMontagne, “it fits me really well.”
What he’s not so jazzed about: the final group number, (Pride) In the Name of Love. (The group stuff, incidentally, was his parents’ favorite part of the show.) “It’s not a song I would ever sing. I feel awkward singing it. But it’s fun.”
From USA Today.
Has this been reported yet?
***Hinder to David Cook: ‘We’ll write with you’***
“But one band is willing, if not eager, to help: hard rockers Hinder, best known for their 2006 hit power ballad “Lips of an Angel.” “I dig David Cook,” says singer Austin Winkler, a native of Oklahoma City, where Cook has lived for the past few years. “He shows that the world is starving for a little bit of rock-n-roll. Hopefully we can write some tunes for him.”
http://hollywoodinsider.ew.com/2008/07/hinder.html?xid=rss-feed-americanidol-20080701-Hinder to David Cook: ‘We’ll write with you’
Add another name to the list of people wanting to work with Cookie! I wonder who else wants to work with him that we aren’t hearing in the press?
Hopefully Castro will go the Elliott route and we’ll be all good. :)
Speaking of Elliott, he’s currently making a tiny run on the AC radio chart with Can You Feel the Love Tonight, from the DisneyMania 6 album, as Richmond (no surprise there, of course) decides it loves the song. Up to 73 from 152 last week. I love his rendition of the song — he brings out words and meaning in it that I hadn’t realized were there.
Morning, noon, or night … Jason Castro. Yummy.
A while back Brian D. (host with Ryan, Season 1) explained the concept of a cast of characters that TPTB script. This was verified by Carmen, Kimberly Locke, Scott, Kellie Pickler, etc. Seeing Jason’s laid back personality, TPTB came up with “dumb as a bag of rocks” concept. Kellie explained that she had eaten calamar prior to the little skit which became a joke.
Sorry Jason felt bad. To me, he is charming not dumb.