Jason Castro, other American Idols discuss new realities
Hours before he took the stage at American Airlines Center, Jason Castro already knew that this stop on the American Idol tour would be his highlight.”I’m excited and nervous, ” the Rockwall resident said. “You never know how you’ll be received.”
Yep, he’s still modest. But the guy who had close to zero experience onstage before the Idol auditions is now embracing his fast-paced, famed life.
“Now I feel like a regular” in the spotlight, he says. “And it’s pretty cool; I like it.”
David Cook Fans Host Power & Light Benefit for American Cancer Society
American Idol David Cook has inspired lots of fans to unite to fight cancer. Cook’s brother Adam is battling brain cancer.
This weekend, Cook will be performing with the American Idols Live Tour at the Sprint Center August 29 & 30.
On Saturday before the concert, organizers with David-Cook.org are putting together a fundraiser at the Power and Light District to benefit the American Cancer Society.
More Idol Headlines After the JUMP…
CNS Exclusive: David Cook Talks About “Idol” Tour, Skechers Endorsement And New Album
Ft. Lauderdale, FL (CNS) – Which David – Archuleta or Cook? That was the critical question earlier this year on “American Idol.” What most don’t know is that David Cook actually has a David Archuleta wristband.
“It was given to me in Utah, ” Cook tells the Celebrity News Service. “It says ‘David is my idol.’ He’s a good kid.”
Cook, 25, won “American Idol” earlier this year, beating out the other David – 17-year-old Archuleta. Though Archuleta was incredibly talented and irresistibly adorable, Cook impressed “Idol” audiences with his unique, radio-ready arrangements of songs like Mariah Carey’s “Always Be My Baby” and The Who’s “Baba O’Riley.”
Idol tour stop nothing to write home about
There were no especially revelatory moments or unexpected breakouts during Sunday’s American Idols Live! tour stop at Toyota Center.
Jason Castro is still a bemused goof. Brooke White is all sunshine and smiles. Michael Johns and Carly Smithson were eliminated much too early. David Archuleta is, well, gosh …
The group finale number ‘ Rihanna’s Don’t Stop the Music ‘ was cheesy fun. And David Cook is still the much-deserved champ.
But there were small surprises during the fun, frisky three-hour show, which has been nicely streamlined since the first few clunky outings. Each singer, counted down 10-1, got a mini-set of tunes to show his stuff.
Mission Accomplished!
I was not planning to attend another concert this year but when my friend’s husband decided he did not want to go to the Duluth concert and was going to sell his floor seat ticket, I jumped at the chance to go again. Even the six-hour drive ahead of me did not faze me too much, knowing I would be that close to the stage!
I had three things I wanted to accomplish – meet up with the Dreadheads (fans of Jason Castro) have my son’s guitar autographed (his birthday is Thursday – what a great present!) and to see the Idols I had not met yet.
An in-person highlight reel of ‘American Idol’
DALLAS ‘ The top 10 finalists of the seventh season of American Idol brought their penchant for glorified karaoke to the American Airlines Center Monday. In the spirit of judges Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul, let review some of the highlights, shall we?
`Idol’ alum Ace Young to make Broadway debut
NEW YORK (AP) ‘ Another “American Idol” alum is heading to “Grease” on Broadway.
Ace Young, who competed on season five of the Fox show, joins the cast Sept. 9, playing Kenickie in the revival of the popular musical.
The 27-year-old singer-songwriter ‘ known for his pretty looks and falsetto vocals ‘ will make his debut two days after fellow “Idol” Taylor Hicks completes a two-month stint as Teen Angel. Hicks took home the “Idol” title in 2006.
Young will perform through Jan. 18.
Gigi Graham gives thumbs-up to film about her parents
Billy: The Early Years soundtrack will be released Oct. 7, and its first single, “Low” by Sara Evans, will be released next month. Eleven of the 13 songs were recorded for this Arista Nashville/Essential Records project, including Josh Turner’s “Almost Persuaded.”
Brooks & Dunn and Third Day’s Mac Powell open the soundtrack and film with the Johnny Cash song “Over the Next Hill, ” and Michael W. Smith and Melinda Doolittle sing the Craig Wiseman song “Amazing Love.” Other artists include Brad Paisley, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Roy Orbison and Brandon Heath. Sierra Hull, 16, who sings “Just As I Am” and portrays Billy’s sister, was discovered through Anastasia’s talent search launched in this column.
‘American Idol’: The ‘Scarecrow & Mrs. King’ of Our Time?
Forget the hype. Ratings-wise, American Idol is a jugger-not.
Here’s why I say that: With reports now pouring in from the latest round of Idol auditions around the country, it’s only a matter of time before media critics head back to their thesauruses to find words to express just how culturally dominant this show really is.
The problem: It isn’t, really.
American Idol, at its most popular, was watched by roughly the same percentage of television households as were watching Scarecrow & Mrs. King in 1986.
Hard to believe? The proof, after the jump.
‘House Bunny’ delivers on easy laughs
Sony Pictures’ “The House Bunny” hopped into second place during its debut weekend at the box office.
The Anna Faris comedy brought in $15.1 million over the past three days.
In this film, Faris stars as Shelley Darlington, who’s lived at the Playboy mansion for the last nine years. Of course, she’s one of Hugh Hefner’s favorites, and has rule of the roost, so to speak.
However, she gets a surprise for her 27th birthday present, as she ends up being evicted from the mansion for “being too old.” She’s told that 27 years is like 59 in bunny years.
‹Sgt. Pepper performed live, 40 years after release
Bo Bice, 33, a singer and guitarist, was runner-up to Carrie Underwood on …American Idol and has gone on to a solo career as a Southern rocker.
…It is kind of a weird group, Bice says with a laugh. …When they first tapped me for this, I was like, wow, this is a different lineup. It wasnt like someone was trying to put together the most Beatles-like group of guys. Instead they picked people that were like polar opposites and put them together.
Bice gets to sing …With a Little Help From My Friends, …It Getting Better and …Lovely Rita, though each singer has learned all the songs, in case one of them cant make a show. …Todd could probably play the whole album all by himself, Bice says.
3 Doors Down, Bo Bice and More Down for Jerry Lewis Telethon
(PR) For over 43 years, Jerry Lewis has been raising funds for Muscular Dystrophy awareness in hopes of finding a cure. The telethon, which has raised over $1 Billion, will broadcast over Labor Day weekend starting August 31st and ending September 1st.
In the many years of its broadcast, celebrities from The Backstreet Boys to The Bee Gees have graced the telethon stage – this year will be no different. Disco-diva Gloria Gaynor, multi-platinum country artist Tracy Lawrence, multi-platinum rock band 3 Doors Down, platinum teen country artist Billy Gilman, and American Idol runner-up Bo Bice will all make special appearances and performances on the telethon.
‘American Idol’ Adds a Leg to The Judges’ Table
Because when ratings dip on non-scripted TV shows, network and studio suits always shuffle around the women (see “Today” show, e.g.), Fox is adding a younger, female judge to the country’s most popular show, “American Idol, ” when its eighth season begins in January.
Pop songwriter-producer Kara DioGuardi will join the singing competition show, which suffered a decline in ratings last year, as did virtually every other program on the prime-time landscape.
“American Idol’s” Controversial Change
“American Idol” has gone and done the unthinkable – they’ve shocked me. Yes, it turns out after seven seasons of “…after the break” predictability, the producers had one more trick up their sleeves for year eight: adding a fourth judge.
Apparently, they don’t remember how badly this idea tanked when they tried to fill a fourth seat during the sixth season’s audition rounds. You know who does remember though? Paula Abdul. It seems her lucidity comes and goes.
“[Producers] always tried for a fourth judge because it follows the format of the original show, but … we haven’t had much luck with that working. But we’re going to give it another try, ” Paula said (in her least convincing “go-team-go” voice) this morning on the John Jay & Rich radio show.
Songwriter Kara DioGuardi joins ‘American Idol’ panel
American Idol’s judging trio is now a quartet.
Kara DioGuardi, a Grammy-nominated songwriter who has penned hits for Kelly Clarkson, Gwen Stefani and Christina Aguilera, will join Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul for the Fox singing competition’s eighth season, which starts in January.
DioGuardi’s arrival is one of a number of upcoming changes designed “to keep the show fresh (and) make it a bit more unpredictable again, ” executive producer Cecile Frot-Coutaz says.
New judge will instantly improve ‹Idol
…American Idol now has a permanent fourth judge, as songwriter Kara DioGuardi will join Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson, for the show eighth season, starting Tuesday with the New York auditions.
The addition of DioGuardi to the panel has the power to be instantly transformative, changing the dynamic that central to the series and thus changing the U.S. number-one television show in the process. Although the show has a new group of singers every year, its core cast ‘ the judges plus host Ryan Seacrest are its true stars, and they give the show its center.
‘American Idol’ adds fourth judge
In what already looks like the biggest format shakeup in American Idol history, Fox announced this morning that the show’s eighth season will feature a fourth judge. It’s Kara DioGuardi, a songwriter/producer who’s worked with past Idol champs Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, and Taylor Hicks (as well as working with Davids Cook and Archuleta, Clay Aiken, Bo Bice, and Katharine McPhee), not to mention Avril Lavigne, Pink, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Miley Cyrus, the Jonas Brothers, Natasha Bedingfield, Jewel, Marc Anthony, and a host of others. Plus, she has some contest-judging experience, from MTV’s short-lived Idol-esque show The One. Her own attempt at singing stardom, in the duo Platinum Weird with Eurythmic Dave Stewart, didn’t really take off, but her credentials as a hitmaker for others are solid, at least.
American Idol’ adds writer-producer as 4th judge
LOS ANGELES, Aug 25 (Reuters) – “American Idol” on Monday added a fourth face to its panel of talent judges, a songwriter and producer who calls herself a “feisty” “straight-shooter” looking to crown a winner who is, above all, unique.
The Grammy-nominated pop composer, Kara DioGuardi, will join veteran “Idol” judges Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson for the upcoming eighth season of U.S. television’s most watched show when it returns in January 2009.
The addition of DioGuardi, 37, marks the biggest format change for the series, subtitled “The Search for a Superstar, ” since it burst into prime time on the Fox network in 2002.
SIMON COWELL TOUTS WILD CARD REVEAL ON NBC’S “AMERICA’S GOT TALENT”
Simon Cowell is a man with an eye for talent and success. While “American Idol” preps for a new season starting in January, “The X Factor” sits high atop the UK ratings and singing discoveries Leona Lewis and David Archuleta climb the music charts, Cowell spent some time talking about tonight’s return of NBC’s summer success (and Cowell creation) “America’s Got Talent” as well as what he thinks contributes to the show’s popularity.
13 New Stars to Shimmy, Shake on ‘DWTS’
A new set of celebrities is getting ready to shimmy and shake on “Dancing With the Stars.” The reality dance competition is about to return for its seventh season and for the first time, 13 celebrities vie for the coveted mirror ball trophy. Get to know them now, before the Sept. 22 premiere:
‘Dancing’ stars lined up for fall
Another eclectic group of 13 contestants ‘ officially announced Monday after several names were leaked over the weekend ‘ are set to vie for the trophy on ABC’s hit Dancing With the Stars (premieres Sept. 22, 8 ET/PT).
Season 7 features the popular ballroom dance show’s oldest and youngest competitors yet: 82-year-old actress Cloris Leachman and Hannah Montana star Cody Linley, 18.
Anne Murray Schools Canadian Idol Hopefuls
(andPOP) – On tonight episode of Canadian Idol, the last four standing take on Anne Murray songs. Yes, you read that right. Four twenty-something dudes performing Anne Murray songs? If this isnt the perfect recipe for a disaster, I dont know what is.
Canadian Idol: Who Says You Can’t Go Home?
The National Post caught up with the four remaining Canadian Idol contestants after they got back to Toronto from returning home for the first time since the beginning of the Top 10. Here’s what Idols’ four guys had to say about their trips.
Canadian Idol Recap: Sing High, Sing Low
Welcome to the third last week of Canadian Idol. It’s amazing how time flies when you’re having fun. Also interesting to see that American Idol is ripping off yet again from Canadian Idol by adding a fourth judge to their series. We’ll have to wait until January to see how that pans out. A little note before we start: since the Idols are singing two songs now, I’m not going to recap the episode from start to finish, but rather list the Idols and how they did on both (don’t worry, unlike Paula Abdul, I think I can handle it).
‘Canadian idol’ has sparks
American Idol winner Jordin Sparks and Canadian songstress Anne Murray perform on Canadian Idol, as one person is cut from the competition and the field of finalists shrinks to three. (CTV)
