NEW YORK -- Paula Abdul says she didn't figure out her purpose in life until she became a judge on Fox network's "American Idol."
"I knew since I was a little girl that I had this profound way of touching people. My purpose is bringing out everybody's best and being that cheerleader to other people's success," the 44-year-old singer-dancer tells OK! magazine in its latest issue.
"Being a judge on `American Idol' overshadows being a Grammy Award winner and selling millions of records," she says.
Abdul has been diagnosed with reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD), a chronic neurological disorder that causes severe pain.
"I have four titanium plates in my neck. I've had 14 surgeries over the years. I had an operation the same evening as the first season finale of `American Idol,'" she says. "It can come and go at any time, but I no longer have the intense nerve pain that is associated with RSD, thank God."
Abdul -- who says she was hit by a drunk driver in 1987 and injured in an emergency plane landing in the early '90s -- says she is treated with anti-inflammatory medications and has massage and acupuncture treatments for her pain.
"If I appear exhausted on television, it's because I am!" she says. "I have a lot of sleepless nights because I'm in so much pain. I was taking far more medication on earlier seasons (of `American Idol'), and nobody said anything. I try to say something and I stumble, and that's what people have picked up on. I'm not polished."
When asked how she responds to claims that her behavior during "Idol" is sometimes bizarre, Abdul replies:
"I'm sick of it. I've never been drunk. I don't do recreational drugs. It's defamation of character."
The choreographer and former Laker girl also says: "I'm a warrior. I'm not the best dancer, and I'm certainly not the best singer, but I am an entire package of a great performer."
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
'Idol' worship pays
The final two nights of "American Idol" helped Fox easily scoop up its network-record 16th consecutive victory among young adults.
In a May 20-27 frame that included the final three nights of the 2006-07 television season, Fox captured five nights in the 18-49 demo. In addition to the "Idol" nights of Tuesday and Wednesday, the net took Thursday behind the return of "So You Think You Can Dance" and also won Saturday with staples "Cops" and "America's Most Wanted" and Sunday with a NASCAR race.
The Murdoch net also cruised to victory for the week in all other key categories, ranging from persons 12-34 to adults 25-54 and total viewers.
Fox ended up winning the season by the largest margin of any net in five seasons, with its 4.0 rating among adults 18-49 topping CBS (3.7) by 8%, according to Nielsen. Net also won in all younger demos, while CBS prevailed in adults 25-54 and total viewers (Daily Variety, May 23).
Wednesday's 129-minute reveal of the "American Idol" winner towered over all other programs for the final full frame of May with an 11.5 rating/31 share in adults 18-49 and 30.73 million viewers overall. Ratings peaked in the final nine minutes -- no doubt frustrating viewers who had set their recorders to the scheduled two hours -- with a 36 share in 18-49 and about 39.2 million viewers overall.
Despite the gaudy numbers, this year's finale came in 19% below last year's in 18-49 (11.5 vs. 14.2) and 26% lower in 18-34 (9.6 vs. 13.1); among viewers 12-34, this "Idol" conclusion was the lowest rated to date.
"Idol's" Wednesday edition finished as the season's No. 1 program in 18-49, marking the fourth consecutive year that either the performance or results edition of the franchise has finished on top.
Net was hopeful that Tuesday's "Idol" performance show (9.7/27 in 18-49, 25.33m from 8 to 9:03 p.m.) would provide a nice launching pad for new unscripted skein "On the Lot," but the Mark Burnett-Steven Spielberg show settled for soft preview scores (3.6/9 in 18-49, 7.60m) before settling for much smaller numbers when it bowed in its regular Monday slot to kick off the current week (Daily Variety, May 29).
Elsewhere in the week for Fox, "So You Think You Can Dance" (3.7/12 in 18-49, 9.51m) wasn't as strong as its premiere of a year ago, but it beat out its mostly repeat competish on Thursday, while NASCAR's "Coca Cola 600" race did the same on Sunday (2.7/11 in 18-49, 7.50m).
Kicking off the week, the two-hour "24" finale (3.8/10, 10.30m) was down a sharp 31% from last year's.
ABC placed second for the week thanks primarily to "Dancing With the Stars," which won its timeslot both on Monday (5.3/15, 20.19m) and Tuesday (6.7/17, 22.96m).
Also clicking early in the week for the Alphabet were the two-hour finales of "The Bachelor" (4.8/12, 12.67m) and "Lost" (5.9/15, 13.86m). While the dating show was up vs. its most recent cycle, the drama was off about 20% from its year-ago finale.
On Friday, "National Bingo Night" (1.8/6 in 18-49, 5.51m) won its timeslot in demos and was in line with its OK week-earlier premiere.
CBS, whose key Monday and Wednesday series wrapped the previous week, had a quiet frame but was led by a repeat of "CSI" on Thursday (4.1/12 in 18-49, 13.79m).
On Tuesday, the season-ender of "NCIS" (3.4/10 in 18-49, 14.13m) placed second in its slot to Fox's "American Idol" but stood as the week's most-watched scripted telecast.
NBC opened well with the first-season finale of "Heroes" (6.2/15, 13.48m) -- the week's No. 1 scripted program in 18-49 -- but didn't do a whole lot the rest of the way save for the Tuesday season finale of "Law & Order: SVU" (4.1/11, 10.28m).
Not helping NBC's cause was a weak perf for "Friday Night Lights" on Sunday (0.7/2 in 18-49, 2.23m). Fragile first-year show is moving from Wednesdays at 8 to Fridays at 10 in the fall, so the net thought repeats Sunday at 9 was a good idea? Go figure.
TNT was the week's primetime cabler leader in key demos, as three of its NBA Playoff games between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Detroit Pistons ranked among cable's top five programs in adults 18-49.
USA still eked out a victory among the cablers in total viewers, led by "WWE Raw" on Monday and boosted by some "Monk" repeats on Sunday.
And in the evening news race, ABC's "World News With Charles Gibson" remained hot (2.0/9 in 25-54, 7.78m), besting NBC's "Nightly News With Brian Williams" for a fifth straight week in all key categories. CBS' "Evening News" with Katie Couric was a distant third (1.5/7, 5.96m), again at historic-low levels for the program.
In a May 20-27 frame that included the final three nights of the 2006-07 television season, Fox captured five nights in the 18-49 demo. In addition to the "Idol" nights of Tuesday and Wednesday, the net took Thursday behind the return of "So You Think You Can Dance" and also won Saturday with staples "Cops" and "America's Most Wanted" and Sunday with a NASCAR race.
The Murdoch net also cruised to victory for the week in all other key categories, ranging from persons 12-34 to adults 25-54 and total viewers.
Fox ended up winning the season by the largest margin of any net in five seasons, with its 4.0 rating among adults 18-49 topping CBS (3.7) by 8%, according to Nielsen. Net also won in all younger demos, while CBS prevailed in adults 25-54 and total viewers (Daily Variety, May 23).
Wednesday's 129-minute reveal of the "American Idol" winner towered over all other programs for the final full frame of May with an 11.5 rating/31 share in adults 18-49 and 30.73 million viewers overall. Ratings peaked in the final nine minutes -- no doubt frustrating viewers who had set their recorders to the scheduled two hours -- with a 36 share in 18-49 and about 39.2 million viewers overall.
Despite the gaudy numbers, this year's finale came in 19% below last year's in 18-49 (11.5 vs. 14.2) and 26% lower in 18-34 (9.6 vs. 13.1); among viewers 12-34, this "Idol" conclusion was the lowest rated to date.
"Idol's" Wednesday edition finished as the season's No. 1 program in 18-49, marking the fourth consecutive year that either the performance or results edition of the franchise has finished on top.
Net was hopeful that Tuesday's "Idol" performance show (9.7/27 in 18-49, 25.33m from 8 to 9:03 p.m.) would provide a nice launching pad for new unscripted skein "On the Lot," but the Mark Burnett-Steven Spielberg show settled for soft preview scores (3.6/9 in 18-49, 7.60m) before settling for much smaller numbers when it bowed in its regular Monday slot to kick off the current week (Daily Variety, May 29).
Elsewhere in the week for Fox, "So You Think You Can Dance" (3.7/12 in 18-49, 9.51m) wasn't as strong as its premiere of a year ago, but it beat out its mostly repeat competish on Thursday, while NASCAR's "Coca Cola 600" race did the same on Sunday (2.7/11 in 18-49, 7.50m).
Kicking off the week, the two-hour "24" finale (3.8/10, 10.30m) was down a sharp 31% from last year's.
ABC placed second for the week thanks primarily to "Dancing With the Stars," which won its timeslot both on Monday (5.3/15, 20.19m) and Tuesday (6.7/17, 22.96m).
Also clicking early in the week for the Alphabet were the two-hour finales of "The Bachelor" (4.8/12, 12.67m) and "Lost" (5.9/15, 13.86m). While the dating show was up vs. its most recent cycle, the drama was off about 20% from its year-ago finale.
On Friday, "National Bingo Night" (1.8/6 in 18-49, 5.51m) won its timeslot in demos and was in line with its OK week-earlier premiere.
CBS, whose key Monday and Wednesday series wrapped the previous week, had a quiet frame but was led by a repeat of "CSI" on Thursday (4.1/12 in 18-49, 13.79m).
On Tuesday, the season-ender of "NCIS" (3.4/10 in 18-49, 14.13m) placed second in its slot to Fox's "American Idol" but stood as the week's most-watched scripted telecast.
NBC opened well with the first-season finale of "Heroes" (6.2/15, 13.48m) -- the week's No. 1 scripted program in 18-49 -- but didn't do a whole lot the rest of the way save for the Tuesday season finale of "Law & Order: SVU" (4.1/11, 10.28m).
Not helping NBC's cause was a weak perf for "Friday Night Lights" on Sunday (0.7/2 in 18-49, 2.23m). Fragile first-year show is moving from Wednesdays at 8 to Fridays at 10 in the fall, so the net thought repeats Sunday at 9 was a good idea? Go figure.
TNT was the week's primetime cabler leader in key demos, as three of its NBA Playoff games between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Detroit Pistons ranked among cable's top five programs in adults 18-49.
USA still eked out a victory among the cablers in total viewers, led by "WWE Raw" on Monday and boosted by some "Monk" repeats on Sunday.
And in the evening news race, ABC's "World News With Charles Gibson" remained hot (2.0/9 in 25-54, 7.78m), besting NBC's "Nightly News With Brian Williams" for a fifth straight week in all key categories. CBS' "Evening News" with Katie Couric was a distant third (1.5/7, 5.96m), again at historic-low levels for the program.
American Idol: The Sanjaya / Ozzy Osbourne duet that never was
There is no escaping the constant fear of Sanjaya. It's not that Sanjaya Malakar is a scary fellow, or an intimidating presence. In fact, if one were to bump into Sanjaya on the street or at a party, he would probably be scared of you, regardless of who you are. The real fear is this: that he will never, ever go away. He has already exceeded what any rational pundit would have guessed was his staying power. He is an anomaly, someone whose appeal is altogether indescribable and unknowable, kind of like Carrot Top or Stephen A. Smith.
Sanjaya will be going out on the American Idol tour soon, after which he will likely cut an album with the highest bidder. After that, it's anyone's guess. He could become a national pop icon. He could star in a renowned Nickelodeon comedy about a singing hairstylist. He could go on to become the US diplomat to Cote D'Ivoire. You never know. Everything about and surrounding Sanjaya has been a complete mystery. For example, there's this story that surfaced today:
According to the New York Post, Ozzy Osbourne had been booked to perform on the American Idol season finale last week, but pulled out when he learned that he'd be performing a duet with Sanjaya Malakar. Reportedly, Ozzy said he didn't want to be on stage with “that hairstyle-challenged idiot”. Instead, Idol ended up bringing in Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry to perform an utterly reprehensible rendition of “You Really Got Me”.
A couple things about this story:
The New York Post isn't exactly a bastion of journalistic integrity, and they cite an unnamed source for the story, so take it all with a grain of salt. It certainly could be true, and it doesn't seem out of character for a man like Ozzy to lay a verbal smackdown on someone like Sanjaya.
Wouldn't that have been the absolute weirdest duet in the history of civilized man? If true, whose idea was this? What the hell were Ozzy and Sanjaya going to sing together? It's all quite astonishing, really.
So, that's your Sanjaya news for the week. Hopefully, this will be the last we hear from Sanjaya for awhile, but it probably won't be.
Sanjaya will be going out on the American Idol tour soon, after which he will likely cut an album with the highest bidder. After that, it's anyone's guess. He could become a national pop icon. He could star in a renowned Nickelodeon comedy about a singing hairstylist. He could go on to become the US diplomat to Cote D'Ivoire. You never know. Everything about and surrounding Sanjaya has been a complete mystery. For example, there's this story that surfaced today:
According to the New York Post, Ozzy Osbourne had been booked to perform on the American Idol season finale last week, but pulled out when he learned that he'd be performing a duet with Sanjaya Malakar. Reportedly, Ozzy said he didn't want to be on stage with “that hairstyle-challenged idiot”. Instead, Idol ended up bringing in Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry to perform an utterly reprehensible rendition of “You Really Got Me”.
A couple things about this story:
The New York Post isn't exactly a bastion of journalistic integrity, and they cite an unnamed source for the story, so take it all with a grain of salt. It certainly could be true, and it doesn't seem out of character for a man like Ozzy to lay a verbal smackdown on someone like Sanjaya.
Wouldn't that have been the absolute weirdest duet in the history of civilized man? If true, whose idea was this? What the hell were Ozzy and Sanjaya going to sing together? It's all quite astonishing, really.
So, that's your Sanjaya news for the week. Hopefully, this will be the last we hear from Sanjaya for awhile, but it probably won't be.
Sam Milby wants to try his luck in "American Idol"
At 23 years old and with two years of local showbiz, wala na ngang mahihiling si Sam. Moving to Manila from Plaridel, Bulacan, almost two years ago from Ohio, USA, Sam has made one of the biggest leaps from being one of the ousted Pinoy Big Brother housemates Season 1, to one of the most popular matinee idols today.
Sa ikli ng panahong itinagal niya sa local showbiz, nagawa na ni Sam halos lahat—a self-titled album that reached the platinum status and a follow-up album this August; three successful movies, with the fourth already in the works; a high-rating primetime soap debut na magkakaroon na rin ng Book Two; endorsements from some of the biggest and highest profile products; and recognitions and citations from several award-winning bodies.
Despite all his laurels, consistently low-key pa rin ang Filipino-American matinee idol. Sa ngayon, with a break from his hectic career sa pagtatapos ng kanyang soap opera na Maging Sino Ka Man at bago magsimula ang Book Two nito, kasabay ng next movie niya from Star Cinema, may one-month intensive tutorial siya sa Tagalog. Kailangan niya raw ito for him to stay in the business.
"I know that there will come a time that there will be new ones who will be introduced, better looking ones, younger, and better in acting," pasakalye ni Sam during the special solo birthday press con na ibinigay sa kanya ng Star Magic last Monday, May 28.
Dagdag pa niya, "I understand that this is a competitive business and I want to stay."
With his American roots, kataka-takang hindi siya sumubok muna sa Hollywood bago siya umuwi ng Pilipinas.
"When I was in the States, it was just figure-skating and school for me. Acting never crossed my mind and I never did any acting in school or even singing," sabi ni Sam.
For the record, two years in a row nang second placer si Sam sa figure-skating sa buong United States sa kanyang division.
"Because of my figure-skating, I have to be schooled home for about four years and just returned when I went to high school. I was a bit chubby then. I live in a community where we [he and sister Ada Milby] were the only Asians in our school, so it's hard for us just coping with school. Showbiz never entered my mind," kuwento ng matinee idol.
Now that he has tried showbiz here, gusto na niya ring masubukan ang Hollywood.
"Who hasn't dreamt of making it there? I'd like to try it out," pag-amin niya.
Dito niya nadagdag ang American Idol, ang popular na televised singing contest sa Amerika.
"I love the show," sabi ni Sam. "Specially the contestants at the start of the season. Imagine just being part of the line who would go through the line and meet Simon [Cowell] just to get his reaction.
"I know I'm not that good in singing but there are other contestants who are worse. Just the idea of being part of the show is something. I could just imagine Simon's face when I start to sing. But man, that's still an experience!" natutuwang sabi ni Sam.
Sa ikli ng panahong itinagal niya sa local showbiz, nagawa na ni Sam halos lahat—a self-titled album that reached the platinum status and a follow-up album this August; three successful movies, with the fourth already in the works; a high-rating primetime soap debut na magkakaroon na rin ng Book Two; endorsements from some of the biggest and highest profile products; and recognitions and citations from several award-winning bodies.
Despite all his laurels, consistently low-key pa rin ang Filipino-American matinee idol. Sa ngayon, with a break from his hectic career sa pagtatapos ng kanyang soap opera na Maging Sino Ka Man at bago magsimula ang Book Two nito, kasabay ng next movie niya from Star Cinema, may one-month intensive tutorial siya sa Tagalog. Kailangan niya raw ito for him to stay in the business.
"I know that there will come a time that there will be new ones who will be introduced, better looking ones, younger, and better in acting," pasakalye ni Sam during the special solo birthday press con na ibinigay sa kanya ng Star Magic last Monday, May 28.
Dagdag pa niya, "I understand that this is a competitive business and I want to stay."
With his American roots, kataka-takang hindi siya sumubok muna sa Hollywood bago siya umuwi ng Pilipinas.
"When I was in the States, it was just figure-skating and school for me. Acting never crossed my mind and I never did any acting in school or even singing," sabi ni Sam.
For the record, two years in a row nang second placer si Sam sa figure-skating sa buong United States sa kanyang division.
"Because of my figure-skating, I have to be schooled home for about four years and just returned when I went to high school. I was a bit chubby then. I live in a community where we [he and sister Ada Milby] were the only Asians in our school, so it's hard for us just coping with school. Showbiz never entered my mind," kuwento ng matinee idol.
Now that he has tried showbiz here, gusto na niya ring masubukan ang Hollywood.
"Who hasn't dreamt of making it there? I'd like to try it out," pag-amin niya.
Dito niya nadagdag ang American Idol, ang popular na televised singing contest sa Amerika.
"I love the show," sabi ni Sam. "Specially the contestants at the start of the season. Imagine just being part of the line who would go through the line and meet Simon [Cowell] just to get his reaction.
"I know I'm not that good in singing but there are other contestants who are worse. Just the idea of being part of the show is something. I could just imagine Simon's face when I start to sing. But man, that's still an experience!" natutuwang sabi ni Sam.
American Idol Taylor Hicks Mystery Woman: TV Babe Caroline Lyders
American Idol winner Taylor Hicks created quite a stir when he was photographed lounging and canoodling with an attractive and fit mystery blonde babe on a beach in Hawaii and the pictures were then published online. Taylor looked slimmed down and lean and the short haired blonde was gorgeous. Was it an American Idol love match for Taylor? And who is this woman?
American Idol Taylor Hicks Mystery Woman: TV Babe Caroline Lyders
American Idol Taylor Hicks Mystery Woman: TV Babe Caroline Lyders
The mystery woman has been revealed. Caroline Lyders the co-anchor of the weekday edition of WISN "12 News This Morning," has been identified as the woman in the photos.
***
A report from On Milwaukee notes: It didn't take long for Hicks' fans to identify the bikini-clad woman in the photos as Lyders and link to both her bio on the station Web site -- themilwaukeechannel.com -- and her interview with OMC.
"Yes, Taylor and I are friends," Lyders told managing editor Bobby Tanzilo Wednesday morning, "and as a journalist I respect your asking. But beyond that, I'd rather not comment on my personal life." TMZ.Com snarkily asks - "friends with benefits?" The item notes that Hicks played the Pabst Theater in March, but doesn't have any scheduled gigs soon in Wisconsin. He is playing the Genesse Theatre in Waukegan, Ill. on July 12.
American Idol Taylor Hicks Mystery Woman: TV Babe Caroline Lyders
American Idol Taylor Hicks Mystery Woman: TV Babe Caroline Lyders
The mystery woman has been revealed. Caroline Lyders the co-anchor of the weekday edition of WISN "12 News This Morning," has been identified as the woman in the photos.
***
A report from On Milwaukee notes: It didn't take long for Hicks' fans to identify the bikini-clad woman in the photos as Lyders and link to both her bio on the station Web site -- themilwaukeechannel.com -- and her interview with OMC.
"Yes, Taylor and I are friends," Lyders told managing editor Bobby Tanzilo Wednesday morning, "and as a journalist I respect your asking. But beyond that, I'd rather not comment on my personal life." TMZ.Com snarkily asks - "friends with benefits?" The item notes that Hicks played the Pabst Theater in March, but doesn't have any scheduled gigs soon in Wisconsin. He is playing the Genesse Theatre in Waukegan, Ill. on July 12.
Wednesday's Weekly Diatribe: American Idol Is Rapidly Turning Into A Joke
I am a huge ‘American Idol’ fan. I have watched every single episode of every single season. There was just something insanely captivating about watching everyday stiffs gradually turn into stars. Over the years, I’ve rooted on George Huff, remained indifferent to Chris Richardson, and shouted epithets at Kellie Pickler, but you know what. I can’t take it anymore. I am sick of this mass produced contest, and I’m not sure if I will even watch next season.
The first season of the Coke-sponsored Juggernaut was insanely interesting. None of the contestants had any idea what the hell they had gotten themselves into, and they behaved accordingly. The producers weren’t even sure if America would care. ‘Big Brother’ had just fallen on its face, and audiences were weary of British exports. The dynamic between the judges was fresh, and you could almost feel Simon’s dislike for Paula screaming its way through the television screen. Tens of thousands auditioned, and Uncle Sam eventually chose Kelly Clarkson as the first, and arguably only deserving, Idol. Then something changed.
By the third season, contestants began to realize exactly how many people were watching them. This caused a large percentage of performers to begin playing to the audience at home. These were no longer everyday people. In fact, most of them were just douche bags hell bent on getting famous. Why would I want to vote for any of these fame-grubbing Madonna wannabes?
It’s like ‘The Real World.’ The first season had genuine people of all shapes and sizes dealing with actual problems. Now the seven people they collect for each season are just a brain dead concoction of bulimics and future Betty Ford patients. Many of these train wrecks even attempt to use the show as a launching pad for fledgling careers. It’s ridiculous.
Sadly, ‘American Idol’s’ biggest problem isn’t even these questionable contestants. The last two seasons, in particular, producers and executives have turned the show into a joke. Between horrid faux Ford commercials, the ‘Golden Idol’ awards, and early editing focusing squarely on the worst singers, ‘American Idol’ is pretty much lampooning itself. No one even claims it’s a real singing competition anymore. It’s the bloated, over broadcasted, laughing stock of TV.
Before you rush to judge me, take a step back and realize that apparently, I’m not the only one who feels this way. This season’s live televised finale was watched by 20% less Americans than last year. It may still be the highest rated show on television, but the once untouchable beast is starting to show its wounds.
Let’s take Taylor Hicks for example. Last year tens of millions of people voted for him, but not even a million bothered to buy his record. Gone are the days where finishing in the top two would guarantee at least one widely purchased, money-making record. Honestly, the vast majority of ‘A.I.’ alums can only be described as complete failures at this point.
Now, let’s take Sanjaya. I realize that a certain percentage of the deaf American public fell in love with this asshole, but let’s take a step back and look at him for exactly what he is: a pathetic, word-forgetting, marginally talented, effeminate suckfest. I wouldn’t give this idiot a glee club solo, and American viewers decided that he was one of the ten best singers. Give me a break. Every time this prick stayed, while a legitimate singer got guillotined, just furthered the perception that this show no longer matters.
Right now there is millions of disenchanted ‘Idol’ fans just like me who are unsure if next year will be worth watching. I, honestly, hope producers begin recognizing this disillusioned fanbase, because one more year of declining interest and ratings may end up vaulting the singing competition off the apex of the cultural landscape and into a spiraling downfall.
The first season of the Coke-sponsored Juggernaut was insanely interesting. None of the contestants had any idea what the hell they had gotten themselves into, and they behaved accordingly. The producers weren’t even sure if America would care. ‘Big Brother’ had just fallen on its face, and audiences were weary of British exports. The dynamic between the judges was fresh, and you could almost feel Simon’s dislike for Paula screaming its way through the television screen. Tens of thousands auditioned, and Uncle Sam eventually chose Kelly Clarkson as the first, and arguably only deserving, Idol. Then something changed.
By the third season, contestants began to realize exactly how many people were watching them. This caused a large percentage of performers to begin playing to the audience at home. These were no longer everyday people. In fact, most of them were just douche bags hell bent on getting famous. Why would I want to vote for any of these fame-grubbing Madonna wannabes?
It’s like ‘The Real World.’ The first season had genuine people of all shapes and sizes dealing with actual problems. Now the seven people they collect for each season are just a brain dead concoction of bulimics and future Betty Ford patients. Many of these train wrecks even attempt to use the show as a launching pad for fledgling careers. It’s ridiculous.
Sadly, ‘American Idol’s’ biggest problem isn’t even these questionable contestants. The last two seasons, in particular, producers and executives have turned the show into a joke. Between horrid faux Ford commercials, the ‘Golden Idol’ awards, and early editing focusing squarely on the worst singers, ‘American Idol’ is pretty much lampooning itself. No one even claims it’s a real singing competition anymore. It’s the bloated, over broadcasted, laughing stock of TV.
Before you rush to judge me, take a step back and realize that apparently, I’m not the only one who feels this way. This season’s live televised finale was watched by 20% less Americans than last year. It may still be the highest rated show on television, but the once untouchable beast is starting to show its wounds.
Let’s take Taylor Hicks for example. Last year tens of millions of people voted for him, but not even a million bothered to buy his record. Gone are the days where finishing in the top two would guarantee at least one widely purchased, money-making record. Honestly, the vast majority of ‘A.I.’ alums can only be described as complete failures at this point.
Now, let’s take Sanjaya. I realize that a certain percentage of the deaf American public fell in love with this asshole, but let’s take a step back and look at him for exactly what he is: a pathetic, word-forgetting, marginally talented, effeminate suckfest. I wouldn’t give this idiot a glee club solo, and American viewers decided that he was one of the ten best singers. Give me a break. Every time this prick stayed, while a legitimate singer got guillotined, just furthered the perception that this show no longer matters.
Right now there is millions of disenchanted ‘Idol’ fans just like me who are unsure if next year will be worth watching. I, honestly, hope producers begin recognizing this disillusioned fanbase, because one more year of declining interest and ratings may end up vaulting the singing competition off the apex of the cultural landscape and into a spiraling downfall.
Former 'American Idol' finalist Elliott Yamin does music his way now
Last summer, Elliott Yamin toured the country on the "American Idols Live!" tour, playing sold-out arenas, staying in posh hotels and experiencing the luxury of having a massage therapist at your beck and call.
That was then, however, and this is his now. Yamin currently is in the middle of a 21-date club tour of the United States, which drops by Detroit's St. Andrew's Hall tonight.
What he loses this time around in amenities -- he is now calling his tour bus home, and last we checked St. Andrews didn't have an on-call masseuse -- he gains in creative freedom: This time it's his show, playing his music to his fans.
"It's my own little headlining tour," crows Yamin, on the phone from Los Angeles earlier this month. "I'm really thrilled to get out there and touch the fans and have a blast out there on stage."
This is a different Yamin than the shy underdog viewers were first introduced to on "Idol." But the blue-eyed soul singer slowly came out of his shell over the course of the show and endeared himself to viewers to the point where he ended up coming in third place for the season, behind Taylor Hicks and Katharine McPhee.
"I always lacked confidence growing up; people always had more confidence in me than I had in myself," says Yamin, adding the validation of the show's judges, viewers and coaches helped boost his self-esteem. "Being on the show helped me realize my talent, and being on such a broad stage really forced me to kind of shed that shyness. Now I live on that stage, man."
After Yamin wrapped his duties on the "Idol" tour, he went home to Richmond, Va., for several weeks before prepping his debut album. He worked on the self-titled release -- a mix of uptempo R&B and hip-hop-lite -- from October 2006 to February of this year, and it was released to positive reviews and healthy sales in March, debuting at No. 3 on Billboard's albums chart.
"We didn't go into the studio knowing what kind of record we were going to make," Yamin says of himself and his team of co-writers and producers, which included ex-House of Pain and Limp Bizkit turntable maestro DJ Lethal. "I had a basic idea, as far as I knew I wanted it to be real soulful, and I knew I wanted it to be a singer's type of record."
Yamin sang the first single, "Wait for You," on "Idol" several weeks ago, and the album has sold 217,000 copies to date, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
The singer stays in touch with his cohorts Hicks, McPhee and Chris Daughtry, and looks back fondly at his time on "Idol," saying it gave him the tools he needs to build what he hopes will be a long-lasting career.
"It was the best learning experience and the best training I could have gotten," Yamin says. "I take everything I learned, and I apply it to what I do now. It was the best crash course I could have ever received."
That was then, however, and this is his now. Yamin currently is in the middle of a 21-date club tour of the United States, which drops by Detroit's St. Andrew's Hall tonight.
What he loses this time around in amenities -- he is now calling his tour bus home, and last we checked St. Andrews didn't have an on-call masseuse -- he gains in creative freedom: This time it's his show, playing his music to his fans.
"It's my own little headlining tour," crows Yamin, on the phone from Los Angeles earlier this month. "I'm really thrilled to get out there and touch the fans and have a blast out there on stage."
This is a different Yamin than the shy underdog viewers were first introduced to on "Idol." But the blue-eyed soul singer slowly came out of his shell over the course of the show and endeared himself to viewers to the point where he ended up coming in third place for the season, behind Taylor Hicks and Katharine McPhee.
"I always lacked confidence growing up; people always had more confidence in me than I had in myself," says Yamin, adding the validation of the show's judges, viewers and coaches helped boost his self-esteem. "Being on the show helped me realize my talent, and being on such a broad stage really forced me to kind of shed that shyness. Now I live on that stage, man."
After Yamin wrapped his duties on the "Idol" tour, he went home to Richmond, Va., for several weeks before prepping his debut album. He worked on the self-titled release -- a mix of uptempo R&B and hip-hop-lite -- from October 2006 to February of this year, and it was released to positive reviews and healthy sales in March, debuting at No. 3 on Billboard's albums chart.
"We didn't go into the studio knowing what kind of record we were going to make," Yamin says of himself and his team of co-writers and producers, which included ex-House of Pain and Limp Bizkit turntable maestro DJ Lethal. "I had a basic idea, as far as I knew I wanted it to be real soulful, and I knew I wanted it to be a singer's type of record."
Yamin sang the first single, "Wait for You," on "Idol" several weeks ago, and the album has sold 217,000 copies to date, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
The singer stays in touch with his cohorts Hicks, McPhee and Chris Daughtry, and looks back fondly at his time on "Idol," saying it gave him the tools he needs to build what he hopes will be a long-lasting career.
"It was the best learning experience and the best training I could have gotten," Yamin says. "I take everything I learned, and I apply it to what I do now. It was the best crash course I could have ever received."
Report: Katharine McPhee "hurt" by 'American Idol' finale "snub"
Last May, Katharine McPhee didn't receive enough love from viewers and finished second during American Idol's fifth-season finale. And last week, it was reportedly the same old song for McPhee during Idol's sixth-season finale -- only this time, she was supposedly shunned by the show's producers, not home viewers.
"Katharine called them herself, trying to get on the [finale]," a "source close to the singer" told Us Weekly on Wednesday.
The call was apparently unsuccessful, as McPhee did not appear during last week's sixth-season Idol finale. Of course, McPhee's snub probably wouldn't have been as bad if many of the rest of Idol's fifth-place finalists hadn't been featured throughout Idol's sixth season run.
While McPhee was nowhere to be seen during Idol's sixth season, seventh-place finisher Kellie Pickler performed "I Wonder," a single from her debut album "Small Town Girl," during Idol's sixth-season Top 16 semifinalists results show and third-place finisher Elliott Yamin performed "Wait for You," a song from his recently released self-titled debut album, during the sixth-season's penultimate results show.
Then, during last week's final set of sixth-season Idol broadcasts, fourth-place fifth-season finisher Chris Daughtry performed "Home" -- the ballad that also served as the background music Idol's sixth-season eliminations -- during the last Tuesday's final sixth-season performance episode and fifth-season champ Taylor Hicks also performed "Heaven Knows," a track from his self-titled debut album, during Idol's Wednesday night sixth-season finale.
"She's really hurt," the source told US about how McPhee felt following the reported decision to not invite her to participate in Idol's sixth-season finale broadcast, which also featured performances by original Idol champion Kelly Clarkson, second-season Idol winner Ruben Studdard and fourth-season Idol winner Carrie Underwood along with appearances by numerous non-Idol artists, including Smokey Robinson, Gladys Knight, Gwen Stefani, Tony Bennett, Green Day, Bette Midler, Aerosmith's Joe Perry, and Bebe and Cece Winans.
McPhee's self-titled debut album peaked at No. 2 on The Billboard 200 album sales chart during its first week of sales in early February when it sold 116,000 copies in its first week of release. However it's since fallen to No. 186 and has sold only 326,000 total copies in four months, according to USA Today's Idol Chatter blog.
"Katharine called them herself, trying to get on the [finale]," a "source close to the singer" told Us Weekly on Wednesday.
The call was apparently unsuccessful, as McPhee did not appear during last week's sixth-season Idol finale. Of course, McPhee's snub probably wouldn't have been as bad if many of the rest of Idol's fifth-place finalists hadn't been featured throughout Idol's sixth season run.
While McPhee was nowhere to be seen during Idol's sixth season, seventh-place finisher Kellie Pickler performed "I Wonder," a single from her debut album "Small Town Girl," during Idol's sixth-season Top 16 semifinalists results show and third-place finisher Elliott Yamin performed "Wait for You," a song from his recently released self-titled debut album, during the sixth-season's penultimate results show.
Then, during last week's final set of sixth-season Idol broadcasts, fourth-place fifth-season finisher Chris Daughtry performed "Home" -- the ballad that also served as the background music Idol's sixth-season eliminations -- during the last Tuesday's final sixth-season performance episode and fifth-season champ Taylor Hicks also performed "Heaven Knows," a track from his self-titled debut album, during Idol's Wednesday night sixth-season finale.
"She's really hurt," the source told US about how McPhee felt following the reported decision to not invite her to participate in Idol's sixth-season finale broadcast, which also featured performances by original Idol champion Kelly Clarkson, second-season Idol winner Ruben Studdard and fourth-season Idol winner Carrie Underwood along with appearances by numerous non-Idol artists, including Smokey Robinson, Gladys Knight, Gwen Stefani, Tony Bennett, Green Day, Bette Midler, Aerosmith's Joe Perry, and Bebe and Cece Winans.
McPhee's self-titled debut album peaked at No. 2 on The Billboard 200 album sales chart during its first week of sales in early February when it sold 116,000 copies in its first week of release. However it's since fallen to No. 186 and has sold only 326,000 total copies in four months, according to USA Today's Idol Chatter blog.
Take Note Blake Lewis: American Idol Snubbed Katharine McPhee
Blake Lewis was dubbed the Katharine McPhee of American Idol season six. The reasoning behind the label was that the theory is that both singers only made it to the American Idol finals because of their gender. Blake outlasted quality singer and performer Melinda Doolittle and Katharine dumped both Chris Daughtry and Elliott Yamin. But when it came time for all the reunion performances did anyone see Katharine McPhee?
Take Note Blake Lewis: American Idol Snubs Katharine McPhee
Take Note Blake Lewis: American Idol Snubs Katharine McPhee
Will we see Blake Lewis beat box at some point in the finals next year? Us Weekly Magazine notes that scores of American Idol alums turned out to partake in this year's season finale, but noticeably absent from the festivities was last year’s runner-up Kat.
***
Although fellow Season 5 competitors Elliot Yamin, Kellie Pickler, Taylor Hicks and Chris Daughtry all returned for guest spots this season, McPhee, 23, was missing from the rundown – and it was not by choice. “Katharine called them herself, trying to get on the [finale],” a source close to the singer tells Us. “She’s really hurt.”
But she wasn’t the only former Idol who got dissed. When Sony/BMG president Clive Davis addressed the TV audience, he made sure to plug Taylor Hicks’ new single, but failed to mention Kelly Clarkson’s latest single or her forthcoming CD, My December, over which the two have reportedly butted heads.
Cue the reps™: McPhee's rep could not be reached, and Fox had no comment.
Take Note Blake Lewis: American Idol Snubs Katharine McPhee
Take Note Blake Lewis: American Idol Snubs Katharine McPhee
Will we see Blake Lewis beat box at some point in the finals next year? Us Weekly Magazine notes that scores of American Idol alums turned out to partake in this year's season finale, but noticeably absent from the festivities was last year’s runner-up Kat.
***
Although fellow Season 5 competitors Elliot Yamin, Kellie Pickler, Taylor Hicks and Chris Daughtry all returned for guest spots this season, McPhee, 23, was missing from the rundown – and it was not by choice. “Katharine called them herself, trying to get on the [finale],” a source close to the singer tells Us. “She’s really hurt.”
But she wasn’t the only former Idol who got dissed. When Sony/BMG president Clive Davis addressed the TV audience, he made sure to plug Taylor Hicks’ new single, but failed to mention Kelly Clarkson’s latest single or her forthcoming CD, My December, over which the two have reportedly butted heads.
Cue the reps™: McPhee's rep could not be reached, and Fox had no comment.
Sparks' "American Idol" Victory Tops Hispanic TV Ratings
A nationwide audience voted 17-year-old Jordin Sparks as its new "American Idol" on the show's Wednesday night season finale, which led all others in the Hispanic TV ratings for English-language programs, according to figures released by the Nielsen Media Group for the week of May 21-27.
Ms. Sparks and runner-up Blake Lewis performed three songs apiece on Tuesday's performance show, which was second place with an 8.6 rating. More than 1.1 million Hispanic households then tuned in for Wednesday's finale. It earned a chart-topping 9.6 mark.
The culmination of another season-long competition, ABC's "Dancing with the Stars," and NBC's breakout series "Heroes" also captured the attention of the Hispanic audience. Former Olympic speed skater Apolo Anton Ohno won "Dancing with the Stars" on Tuesday's program, which drew a 7.7 rating for third place. Monday night's performance segment of the show was fourth with a 5.4 and the season finale of "Heroes" garnered a 4.3 rating to round out the top five.
Univision telenovela "Fea Mas Bella" came up short in its quest to regain the top spot in the Hispanic TV ratings for Spanish-language programs. It was edged by "Destilando Amor," another Univision telenovela, for the third straight week. "Desitilando Amor" produced a five-night average rating of 22.5 while "Fea Mas Bella" posted a 22.0.
More than 2.7 million Hispanic households tuned in to see Monday's broadcast "Destilando Amor," which garnered a chart-topping 23.5 rating for individual shows.
Nielsen's figures, however, have their detractors. One group has started a petition, hoping Nielsen Media Group will change the way it samples the U.S. Hispanic population in its English and Spanish TV ratings. The Help Change TV group, which has a petition at www.HelpChangeTV.com, claims that Nielsen does not include enough U.S.-born Hispanics in its audience sample, leading to the impression that a vast majority of Hispanics watch Spanish-language TV.
The following lists are TV ratings based on Hispanic viewership. Nielsen's ratings include viewers who watched the program while it aired and others who viewed the shows via digital video recorder within 24 hours of their airing. The group says that the Hispanic TV audience represents more than 11.63 million television households in the United States. The rating is equivalent to the percentage of households or persons watching a TV program during the average minute.
Top 10 English-language shows (May 21-27)
1. American Idol – Wednesday (Fox), 9.6
2. American Idol – Tuesday (Fox), 8.6
3. Dancing with the Stars – Tuesday (ABC), 7.7
4. Dancing with the Stars – Monday (ABC), 5.4
5. Heroes (NBC), 4.3
6. So You Think You Can Dance (Fox), 3.9
6. The Bachelor (ABC), 3.9
8. Lost (ABC), 3.8
9. On The Lot (Fox), 3.7
10. CSI: Miami (CBS), 3.1
Top 10 Spanish-language shows (May 21-27)
1. Destilando Amor – five-night avg. (Univision), 22.5
2. Fea Mas Bella – five-night avg. (Univision), 22.0
3. Cristina (Univision), 20.3
4. Nuestra Belleza – Tuesday (Univision), 19.6
5. Duelo de Pasiones – five-night avg. (Univision), 17.1
6. Don Francisco Presenta (Univision), 16.8
7. Aqui y Ahora (Univision), 16.1
8. Nuestra Belleza – Friday (Univision), 13.1
9. Cine Espeical (Univision), 12.2
10. Sabado Gigante (Univision), 11.0
Ms. Sparks and runner-up Blake Lewis performed three songs apiece on Tuesday's performance show, which was second place with an 8.6 rating. More than 1.1 million Hispanic households then tuned in for Wednesday's finale. It earned a chart-topping 9.6 mark.
The culmination of another season-long competition, ABC's "Dancing with the Stars," and NBC's breakout series "Heroes" also captured the attention of the Hispanic audience. Former Olympic speed skater Apolo Anton Ohno won "Dancing with the Stars" on Tuesday's program, which drew a 7.7 rating for third place. Monday night's performance segment of the show was fourth with a 5.4 and the season finale of "Heroes" garnered a 4.3 rating to round out the top five.
Univision telenovela "Fea Mas Bella" came up short in its quest to regain the top spot in the Hispanic TV ratings for Spanish-language programs. It was edged by "Destilando Amor," another Univision telenovela, for the third straight week. "Desitilando Amor" produced a five-night average rating of 22.5 while "Fea Mas Bella" posted a 22.0.
More than 2.7 million Hispanic households tuned in to see Monday's broadcast "Destilando Amor," which garnered a chart-topping 23.5 rating for individual shows.
Nielsen's figures, however, have their detractors. One group has started a petition, hoping Nielsen Media Group will change the way it samples the U.S. Hispanic population in its English and Spanish TV ratings. The Help Change TV group, which has a petition at www.HelpChangeTV.com, claims that Nielsen does not include enough U.S.-born Hispanics in its audience sample, leading to the impression that a vast majority of Hispanics watch Spanish-language TV.
The following lists are TV ratings based on Hispanic viewership. Nielsen's ratings include viewers who watched the program while it aired and others who viewed the shows via digital video recorder within 24 hours of their airing. The group says that the Hispanic TV audience represents more than 11.63 million television households in the United States. The rating is equivalent to the percentage of households or persons watching a TV program during the average minute.
Top 10 English-language shows (May 21-27)
1. American Idol – Wednesday (Fox), 9.6
2. American Idol – Tuesday (Fox), 8.6
3. Dancing with the Stars – Tuesday (ABC), 7.7
4. Dancing with the Stars – Monday (ABC), 5.4
5. Heroes (NBC), 4.3
6. So You Think You Can Dance (Fox), 3.9
6. The Bachelor (ABC), 3.9
8. Lost (ABC), 3.8
9. On The Lot (Fox), 3.7
10. CSI: Miami (CBS), 3.1
Top 10 Spanish-language shows (May 21-27)
1. Destilando Amor – five-night avg. (Univision), 22.5
2. Fea Mas Bella – five-night avg. (Univision), 22.0
3. Cristina (Univision), 20.3
4. Nuestra Belleza – Tuesday (Univision), 19.6
5. Duelo de Pasiones – five-night avg. (Univision), 17.1
6. Don Francisco Presenta (Univision), 16.8
7. Aqui y Ahora (Univision), 16.1
8. Nuestra Belleza – Friday (Univision), 13.1
9. Cine Espeical (Univision), 12.2
10. Sabado Gigante (Univision), 11.0
'Idol' no longer idolized by American viewers
The best days may still be ahead for Jordin Sparks, but the same may not be said for American Idol.
The 30.7 million people who watched Sparks win last week reflected a sharp drop from the 36.4 million people who saw Taylor Hicks in last year's finale, according to Nielsen Media Research.
Industry observers said chances are that the 2006 season will stand as the peak for audience interest. A lackluster pool of contestants, the general malaise among viewers this spring and the simple laws of TV gravity are all factors.
"People are getting tired of it," said Marc Berman, an analyst for Media Week Online. "I know I am."
Mind you, most TV shows would kill for this kind of "bad news." The Fox phenomenon was still TV's most popular program this season. Barring a major surprise, it will be again next year.
For the first half of this season, ratings outstripped last year. But when water-cooler favorite Sanjaya Malakar was voted off in April, much of the interest left with him.
"The competition down at the end didn't have the excitement that it had in years past," said Tim Brooks, author of The Complete Directory to Prime-Time Network and Cable Television. "It's kind of a rehash to viewers."
Producers have tweaked the show to keep it fresh, this season adding a songwriters' contest and charity drive for those starving in Africa.
The long hiatus each year has also kept interest keen. American Idol won't be back for new episodes until next January.
However, producers have agreed to make a spinoff for Fox, a band contest instead of one for individual singers, that will air Fridays in the fall.
While Berman said it's likely to fail in the same way that American Juniors did, the spinoff still represents a risk in diluting the brand.
"I would steer clear of it," he said.
'Idol' on a slide
Viewers of American Idol's finale slipped this year compared to some previous years.
Year Viewers (millions)
• 2003 38.0
• 2004 28.8
• 2005 30.3
• 2006 36.4
• 2007 30.7
The 30.7 million people who watched Sparks win last week reflected a sharp drop from the 36.4 million people who saw Taylor Hicks in last year's finale, according to Nielsen Media Research.
Industry observers said chances are that the 2006 season will stand as the peak for audience interest. A lackluster pool of contestants, the general malaise among viewers this spring and the simple laws of TV gravity are all factors.
"People are getting tired of it," said Marc Berman, an analyst for Media Week Online. "I know I am."
Mind you, most TV shows would kill for this kind of "bad news." The Fox phenomenon was still TV's most popular program this season. Barring a major surprise, it will be again next year.
For the first half of this season, ratings outstripped last year. But when water-cooler favorite Sanjaya Malakar was voted off in April, much of the interest left with him.
"The competition down at the end didn't have the excitement that it had in years past," said Tim Brooks, author of The Complete Directory to Prime-Time Network and Cable Television. "It's kind of a rehash to viewers."
Producers have tweaked the show to keep it fresh, this season adding a songwriters' contest and charity drive for those starving in Africa.
The long hiatus each year has also kept interest keen. American Idol won't be back for new episodes until next January.
However, producers have agreed to make a spinoff for Fox, a band contest instead of one for individual singers, that will air Fridays in the fall.
While Berman said it's likely to fail in the same way that American Juniors did, the spinoff still represents a risk in diluting the brand.
"I would steer clear of it," he said.
'Idol' on a slide
Viewers of American Idol's finale slipped this year compared to some previous years.
Year Viewers (millions)
• 2003 38.0
• 2004 28.8
• 2005 30.3
• 2006 36.4
• 2007 30.7
American Idol Supports Greensburg
A Wichita native who became famous on American Idol returned to his hometown to help Greensburg Tornado victims. Fans filled Central Christian Church to hear their “Idol” sing and raise money for Greensburg.
Stacy, the North West High graduate, made it clear that he wasn’t only there to raise money, but also awareness. He wanted to remind people that even if they don’t have money to give, they can give time. All proceeds raised at the concert go to the Salvation Army for Greensburg Tornado Relief.
Stacy, the North West High graduate, made it clear that he wasn’t only there to raise money, but also awareness. He wanted to remind people that even if they don’t have money to give, they can give time. All proceeds raised at the concert go to the Salvation Army for Greensburg Tornado Relief.
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Israel hits Gaza, killing 2 members of Hamas' military wing
JERUSALEM (CNN) -- An Israeli airstrike killed two members of Hamas' military wing early Wednesday, Palestinian security sources said, as Israel kept up pressure on Palestinian militants in the West Bank and Gaza.
Meanwhile, in an effort to defuse the latest flare-up in tensions, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will meet next week, Olmert's office said in a statement released Tuesday. The precise date and location has yet to be determined.
The latest Israeli air raid occurred shortly after 1:30 a.m. Wednesday (6:30 p.m. Tuesday ET), east of the Jabalya refugee camp in Gaza, the security sources said. Two people were killed and one person was wounded, hospital sources said.
The strike came a day after an attack on what an Israel Defense Forces spokeswoman said was a Hamas training facility in southern Gaza. No injuries were reported from that attack.
An Israeli incursion into southern Gaza killed two Palestinian men and wounded a woman, Palestinian security sources said. The IDF confirmed Israeli military activity near the Sufa Crossing, where a spokeswoman said two gunmen were killed.
Israeli aircraft have been pounding Gaza in an effort to stop Hamas militants from firing Qassam rockets into Israeli territory. In recent weeks, at least two people have been killed and dozens wounded in and around the Israeli town of Sderot.
In the West Bank, Israeli soldiers killed a gunman in the village of Kafr Dan, northwest of Jenin, an army spokesman said.
In the West Bank town of Ramallah Tuesday, Israeli soldiers and unknown gunmen exchanged gunfire in a raid that netted a member of the Palestinian parliament.
About 15 Israeli Army vehicles, including armored personnel carriers, entered Ramallah Tuesday afternoon and arrested several people including Jamal el-Tirawi, Palestinian security sources said.
El-Tirawi, a member of Palestinian Authority President Abbas' Fatah party, was arrested at the Balata refugee camp in Nablus, the sources said.
The 41-year-old lawmaker was among four senior operatives of Fatah's militant wing Tanzim who were arrested, the Israeli military said. They had three handguns and were taken into custody, Israeli security sources said, because they had been involved in deadly bombing and shooting attacks against Israeli civilians.
Palestinian Information Minister Mustafa Barghouti accused Israeli undercover special forces of "executing" a Palestinian man with a shot to the head "at point-blank range" after wounding him in the leg, according to the Information Ministry.
The Israeli army spokeswoman denied the allegation and said the man was armed and had continued to move toward the Israeli forces after being shot, prompting them to shoot him again.
The Information Ministry said Barghouti was at the scene of the firefight, which began about 5:45 p.m. on Ramallah's main street. Israeli special forces had entered a building "full of civilian shoppers and passers-by" and took positions beneath the offices of the Health, Development, Information and Policy Institute, the ministry said.
Israeli forces shot at Barghouti's car as he tried to follow a Palestinian ambulance with the body of Omar Abu Daher and seven wounded Palestinians to Ramallah's Sheikh Zayed hospital, the ministry said.
Meanwhile, in an effort to defuse the latest flare-up in tensions, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will meet next week, Olmert's office said in a statement released Tuesday. The precise date and location has yet to be determined.
The latest Israeli air raid occurred shortly after 1:30 a.m. Wednesday (6:30 p.m. Tuesday ET), east of the Jabalya refugee camp in Gaza, the security sources said. Two people were killed and one person was wounded, hospital sources said.
The strike came a day after an attack on what an Israel Defense Forces spokeswoman said was a Hamas training facility in southern Gaza. No injuries were reported from that attack.
An Israeli incursion into southern Gaza killed two Palestinian men and wounded a woman, Palestinian security sources said. The IDF confirmed Israeli military activity near the Sufa Crossing, where a spokeswoman said two gunmen were killed.
Israeli aircraft have been pounding Gaza in an effort to stop Hamas militants from firing Qassam rockets into Israeli territory. In recent weeks, at least two people have been killed and dozens wounded in and around the Israeli town of Sderot.
In the West Bank, Israeli soldiers killed a gunman in the village of Kafr Dan, northwest of Jenin, an army spokesman said.
In the West Bank town of Ramallah Tuesday, Israeli soldiers and unknown gunmen exchanged gunfire in a raid that netted a member of the Palestinian parliament.
About 15 Israeli Army vehicles, including armored personnel carriers, entered Ramallah Tuesday afternoon and arrested several people including Jamal el-Tirawi, Palestinian security sources said.
El-Tirawi, a member of Palestinian Authority President Abbas' Fatah party, was arrested at the Balata refugee camp in Nablus, the sources said.
The 41-year-old lawmaker was among four senior operatives of Fatah's militant wing Tanzim who were arrested, the Israeli military said. They had three handguns and were taken into custody, Israeli security sources said, because they had been involved in deadly bombing and shooting attacks against Israeli civilians.
Palestinian Information Minister Mustafa Barghouti accused Israeli undercover special forces of "executing" a Palestinian man with a shot to the head "at point-blank range" after wounding him in the leg, according to the Information Ministry.
The Israeli army spokeswoman denied the allegation and said the man was armed and had continued to move toward the Israeli forces after being shot, prompting them to shoot him again.
The Information Ministry said Barghouti was at the scene of the firefight, which began about 5:45 p.m. on Ramallah's main street. Israeli special forces had entered a building "full of civilian shoppers and passers-by" and took positions beneath the offices of the Health, Development, Information and Policy Institute, the ministry said.
Israeli forces shot at Barghouti's car as he tried to follow a Palestinian ambulance with the body of Omar Abu Daher and seven wounded Palestinians to Ramallah's Sheikh Zayed hospital, the ministry said.
Romney Says He'd Give Presidential Salary to Charity
When you're worth $250 million, the annual presidential salary of $400,000 represents a bit less than two-tenths of 1 percent of your net worth.
So it may not have been a big stretch for former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney to acknowledge, as he did yesterday, that he will give away an amount equal to his White House salary if elected president.
"I haven't really thought ahead that far. There are some questions I haven't forecasted, perhaps because that would seem presumptuous of me," he told reporters after an event in New Hampshire. "I presume I would take the salary and then I would donate at least that amount -- or more -- to charity."
As governor, Romney accepted a salary of $1, according to spokesman Kevin Madden. His fortune, reported at somewhere between $190 million and $250 million, was made largely as the founder of an investment company. The governor of Massachusetts is normally paid $135,000 a year.
-- Michael D. Shear
Sheehan's 'Resignation'
On the blog Daily Kos, Cindy Sheehan, the mother of a soldier who died in Iraq and became the face of the antiwar movement with her protest outside President Bush's Texas ranch, announced that she is leaving the limelight.
"This is my resignation letter as the 'face' of the American anti-war movement," Sheehan wrote on Memorial Day on the blog, a center for left-wing activism on the Web. She wrote her son had died "for nothing" and was "killed by his own country which is beholden to and run by a war machine that even controls what we think."
Sheehan also criticized Democrats and the antiwar movement: "[W]hen I started to hold the Democratic Party to the same standards that I held the Republican Party, support for my cause started to erode and the 'left' started labeling me with the same slurs that the right used."
"Good-bye America . . . you are not the country that I love," she wrote, "and I finally realized no matter how much I sacrifice, I can't make you be that country unless you want it."
So it may not have been a big stretch for former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney to acknowledge, as he did yesterday, that he will give away an amount equal to his White House salary if elected president.
"I haven't really thought ahead that far. There are some questions I haven't forecasted, perhaps because that would seem presumptuous of me," he told reporters after an event in New Hampshire. "I presume I would take the salary and then I would donate at least that amount -- or more -- to charity."
As governor, Romney accepted a salary of $1, according to spokesman Kevin Madden. His fortune, reported at somewhere between $190 million and $250 million, was made largely as the founder of an investment company. The governor of Massachusetts is normally paid $135,000 a year.
-- Michael D. Shear
Sheehan's 'Resignation'
On the blog Daily Kos, Cindy Sheehan, the mother of a soldier who died in Iraq and became the face of the antiwar movement with her protest outside President Bush's Texas ranch, announced that she is leaving the limelight.
"This is my resignation letter as the 'face' of the American anti-war movement," Sheehan wrote on Memorial Day on the blog, a center for left-wing activism on the Web. She wrote her son had died "for nothing" and was "killed by his own country which is beholden to and run by a war machine that even controls what we think."
Sheehan also criticized Democrats and the antiwar movement: "[W]hen I started to hold the Democratic Party to the same standards that I held the Republican Party, support for my cause started to erode and the 'left' started labeling me with the same slurs that the right used."
"Good-bye America . . . you are not the country that I love," she wrote, "and I finally realized no matter how much I sacrifice, I can't make you be that country unless you want it."
Some Hitherto Staunch G.O.P. Voters Souring on Iraq
But Ms. Thompson, a mother of two from this affluent suburb of Chicago, says her views on the war have evolved, and she now wants Mr. Kirk to change, too.
“My patience for this war, it’s run out,” said Ms. Thompson, 53. “I think this is the most expensive, stupidest thing ever done. My frustration has reached a level that is so unsettling, something has to be done.”
Though voters here in the 10th Congressional District have elected a Republican to the House for as long as anyone can remember, there is a newfound hostility about the war that is being directed toward Mr. Kirk, who was narrowly re-elected to a fourth term last November.
Nor is Mr. Kirk alone in his struggle to appease increasingly restless constituents. He and 10 other Republicans in Congress recently delivered a warning to President Bush that conditions in Iraq needed to improve soon because public support of the war was crumbling.
While a majority of Republican voters continue to support Mr. Bush and the Iraq war, including the recent increase in American troops deployed, there are concerns that the war is undermining the party’s political position. A majority of Republicans who were interviewed for a New York Times/CBS News poll this month said that things were going badly in Iraq and that Congress should allow financing only on the condition that the Iraqi government met benchmarks for progress.
In a poll in March, a majority of Republicans said that a candidate who backed Mr. Bush’s war policies would be at a decided disadvantage in 2008. They also suggested that they were open to supporting a candidate who broke with the president on the war.
That change of heart can be seen in many ways around the country. When the North Shore Women for Peace, a small group of antiwar activists from around here, first stood in the breezeway of a high-end strip mall in nearby Highland Park in the months leading up to the war, they drew sneers, expletives and many a thumbs-down.
By 2005, members said, they had found a more neutral audience, given to stares but little else. Recently, people smiled in support, honked their car horns and volunteered to join the cause at a peace rally.
“Anything I can sign?” asked one shopper, Lynne Black, a retiree from Wilmette. “I feel desperation at this point.”
Those feelings are reflected in Congressional districts across the country where Republican backers of the war are taking more political heat. Mr. Kirk would not be interviewed, but one of his biggest backers, the mayor of nearby Kenilworth, Tolbert Chisum, a Republican, described as “remarkable” the meeting between the 11 congressmen and Mr. Bush.
“Given a choice, none of us would want to be at war,” said Mr. Chisum, the committeeman of the largest Republican organization in the North Shore suburbs.
Mr. Chisum expressed confidence that Mr. Kirk would win re-election in 2008 but acknowledged that the battle was shaping up to be fierce, particularly since Democrats won control of both houses of Congress last November.
“I’m a realist,” Mr. Chisum said. “I don’t know what’s going to happen between now and the next election. Who would have thought there would be a complete rollover in the House and Senate?”
Interviews with voters, elected officials and others in Illinois, Minnesota, New York and Pennsylvania — home to 4 of the 11 Republican congressmen who met with Mr. Bush about the war — suggest that more Republican voters are opposing the war, and that independents who might have voted Republican are moving toward supporting a Democrat.
Emmett F. Vanslyke, a musician from Syracuse, is typical of some of the independent voters in those districts. Mr. Vanslyke said he would support his Republican congressman, Representative James T. Walsh, only if Mr. Walsh changed positions on the war by the next election.
“We’ve been over there with the lost cause,” Mr. Vanslyke said. “I would support anybody that would get the soldiers out.”
Democratic voters who opposed the war still do so, they say, and more passionately than ever. The North Shore Women for Peace, for instance, had never gone so far as to call for Mr. Bush’s impeachment — until recently. Now they carry yellow signs with black letters that say “Impeach.”
“Things have changed a lot,” said a member, Annette Jacobson, a retired court reporter from Highland Park. “We have a terrible feeling of anguish that more people are coming to understand.”
A slightly less hawkish Mr. Kirk has emerged in recent months. He voted against the troop surge backed by Congress early this year and wrote on his blog, “The United States should increase the responsibilities of the elected Iraqi government to solve its own problems, while reducing the number of American combat troops sent overseas.”
To some voters, that only made him seem less committed to his convictions, highlighting some of the pitfalls of changing course.
“He’s all over the place,” said Sally Walshe, a psychiatrist and a member of the North Shore peace group. “Wants to have his cake and eat it, too.”
Representative Jim Gerlach, Republican of Pennsylvania, another of the 11 who met with Mr. Bush, faces similar issues. Some voters said they believed that Mr. Gerlach was under pressure and was losing popularity in a marginally Republican district because of the administration’s handling of the war.
“The public wants to hear that the war is going to be over soon,” said Tiffany Hines, a Pennsylvanian who works as a medicine packager in Norristown.
In Pottstown, a peace group that demonstrates against the war every Friday is getting more honks from passing motorists after initially being seen as a bit radical, said Patricia Matson, editor of The Phoenix, a newspaper in Phoenixville, in Mr. Gerlach’s district.
“I don’t think it’s overwhelmingly antiwar,” Ms. Matson said, “but more so now than it was a year ago.”
G. Terry Madonna, director of the Center for Politics and Public Affairs at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, said Mr. Gerlach “understands he has a serious political problem.”
In Minnesota, Representative Jim Ramstad, a Republican who has supported the war, won with 72 percent of the vote in 1998 and 2000, but dropped to 68 percent in 2002 and about 65 percent in 2004 and 2006.
“If he comes out and is too strongly critical of the war, he’s going to lose his base,” said Larry Jacobs, a professor of political science at the University of Minnesota. “But if he doesn’t create some space between himself and the president, he could lose the independent voters.”
Mr. Kirk’s case in Illinois is not helped by his being in an overwhelmingly Democratic state where political experts expect large numbers to turn out in 2008 for the Democratic presidential nominee. It will be even harder for Mr. Kirk to hold his seat if that nominee turns out to be Senator Barack Obama of Illinois or Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, who is a native of Chicago.
Bill Wallin is a retired lawyer for the State of Illinois and the Republican precinct captain for his area of Wilmette. Mr. Wallin said his wife, formerly a Republican, now calls herself an independent. He said he thought Mr. Kirk was right to petition the White House.
“We can demand progress,” Mr. Wallin said. “When the war started, I was pretty sure it wasn’t a bad idea. Everything the Bush administration was telling us, I believed. Now I think the war was a mistake. I just think it is a horrendous situation.”
“My patience for this war, it’s run out,” said Ms. Thompson, 53. “I think this is the most expensive, stupidest thing ever done. My frustration has reached a level that is so unsettling, something has to be done.”
Though voters here in the 10th Congressional District have elected a Republican to the House for as long as anyone can remember, there is a newfound hostility about the war that is being directed toward Mr. Kirk, who was narrowly re-elected to a fourth term last November.
Nor is Mr. Kirk alone in his struggle to appease increasingly restless constituents. He and 10 other Republicans in Congress recently delivered a warning to President Bush that conditions in Iraq needed to improve soon because public support of the war was crumbling.
While a majority of Republican voters continue to support Mr. Bush and the Iraq war, including the recent increase in American troops deployed, there are concerns that the war is undermining the party’s political position. A majority of Republicans who were interviewed for a New York Times/CBS News poll this month said that things were going badly in Iraq and that Congress should allow financing only on the condition that the Iraqi government met benchmarks for progress.
In a poll in March, a majority of Republicans said that a candidate who backed Mr. Bush’s war policies would be at a decided disadvantage in 2008. They also suggested that they were open to supporting a candidate who broke with the president on the war.
That change of heart can be seen in many ways around the country. When the North Shore Women for Peace, a small group of antiwar activists from around here, first stood in the breezeway of a high-end strip mall in nearby Highland Park in the months leading up to the war, they drew sneers, expletives and many a thumbs-down.
By 2005, members said, they had found a more neutral audience, given to stares but little else. Recently, people smiled in support, honked their car horns and volunteered to join the cause at a peace rally.
“Anything I can sign?” asked one shopper, Lynne Black, a retiree from Wilmette. “I feel desperation at this point.”
Those feelings are reflected in Congressional districts across the country where Republican backers of the war are taking more political heat. Mr. Kirk would not be interviewed, but one of his biggest backers, the mayor of nearby Kenilworth, Tolbert Chisum, a Republican, described as “remarkable” the meeting between the 11 congressmen and Mr. Bush.
“Given a choice, none of us would want to be at war,” said Mr. Chisum, the committeeman of the largest Republican organization in the North Shore suburbs.
Mr. Chisum expressed confidence that Mr. Kirk would win re-election in 2008 but acknowledged that the battle was shaping up to be fierce, particularly since Democrats won control of both houses of Congress last November.
“I’m a realist,” Mr. Chisum said. “I don’t know what’s going to happen between now and the next election. Who would have thought there would be a complete rollover in the House and Senate?”
Interviews with voters, elected officials and others in Illinois, Minnesota, New York and Pennsylvania — home to 4 of the 11 Republican congressmen who met with Mr. Bush about the war — suggest that more Republican voters are opposing the war, and that independents who might have voted Republican are moving toward supporting a Democrat.
Emmett F. Vanslyke, a musician from Syracuse, is typical of some of the independent voters in those districts. Mr. Vanslyke said he would support his Republican congressman, Representative James T. Walsh, only if Mr. Walsh changed positions on the war by the next election.
“We’ve been over there with the lost cause,” Mr. Vanslyke said. “I would support anybody that would get the soldiers out.”
Democratic voters who opposed the war still do so, they say, and more passionately than ever. The North Shore Women for Peace, for instance, had never gone so far as to call for Mr. Bush’s impeachment — until recently. Now they carry yellow signs with black letters that say “Impeach.”
“Things have changed a lot,” said a member, Annette Jacobson, a retired court reporter from Highland Park. “We have a terrible feeling of anguish that more people are coming to understand.”
A slightly less hawkish Mr. Kirk has emerged in recent months. He voted against the troop surge backed by Congress early this year and wrote on his blog, “The United States should increase the responsibilities of the elected Iraqi government to solve its own problems, while reducing the number of American combat troops sent overseas.”
To some voters, that only made him seem less committed to his convictions, highlighting some of the pitfalls of changing course.
“He’s all over the place,” said Sally Walshe, a psychiatrist and a member of the North Shore peace group. “Wants to have his cake and eat it, too.”
Representative Jim Gerlach, Republican of Pennsylvania, another of the 11 who met with Mr. Bush, faces similar issues. Some voters said they believed that Mr. Gerlach was under pressure and was losing popularity in a marginally Republican district because of the administration’s handling of the war.
“The public wants to hear that the war is going to be over soon,” said Tiffany Hines, a Pennsylvanian who works as a medicine packager in Norristown.
In Pottstown, a peace group that demonstrates against the war every Friday is getting more honks from passing motorists after initially being seen as a bit radical, said Patricia Matson, editor of The Phoenix, a newspaper in Phoenixville, in Mr. Gerlach’s district.
“I don’t think it’s overwhelmingly antiwar,” Ms. Matson said, “but more so now than it was a year ago.”
G. Terry Madonna, director of the Center for Politics and Public Affairs at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, said Mr. Gerlach “understands he has a serious political problem.”
In Minnesota, Representative Jim Ramstad, a Republican who has supported the war, won with 72 percent of the vote in 1998 and 2000, but dropped to 68 percent in 2002 and about 65 percent in 2004 and 2006.
“If he comes out and is too strongly critical of the war, he’s going to lose his base,” said Larry Jacobs, a professor of political science at the University of Minnesota. “But if he doesn’t create some space between himself and the president, he could lose the independent voters.”
Mr. Kirk’s case in Illinois is not helped by his being in an overwhelmingly Democratic state where political experts expect large numbers to turn out in 2008 for the Democratic presidential nominee. It will be even harder for Mr. Kirk to hold his seat if that nominee turns out to be Senator Barack Obama of Illinois or Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, who is a native of Chicago.
Bill Wallin is a retired lawyer for the State of Illinois and the Republican precinct captain for his area of Wilmette. Mr. Wallin said his wife, formerly a Republican, now calls herself an independent. He said he thought Mr. Kirk was right to petition the White House.
“We can demand progress,” Mr. Wallin said. “When the war started, I was pretty sure it wasn’t a bad idea. Everything the Bush administration was telling us, I believed. Now I think the war was a mistake. I just think it is a horrendous situation.”
Mad about beauty
Since I am still recovering from surgery, I was able to watch the live telecast of the 2007 Miss Universe pageant from Mexico City yesterday. I think the last time I actually sat through a whole Miss Universe pageant—and it was the primetime telecast that I caught—was when Miriam Quiambao won as first runner-up. It was the last time the Philippines came close to winning the international beauty contest.
Crowned Miss Universe was 20-year- old Riyo Mori from Japan.
And no, Binibining Pilipinas Anna Theresa Licaros did not make it. Four Asians were among the 15 semifinalists: Thailand, Korea, Japan, and India. The two other candidates with Filipino blood in them, Miss Germany (whose father is 100 percent Filipino) and Miss Finland (whose mother is Filipino), did not make it too. Why do I know these obscure facts about Mesdames Germany and Finland? Because ABS-CBN, the station that bagged the franchise to telecast this year’s Miss Universe pageant, went to town with that information, as if their victory, if ever, would be credited to the Philippines.
In fairness to ABS-CBN, the telecast was mercifully short. I think the telecast was done in two hours and the advertisement load was not very heavy. I remember how RPN’s telecast of the pageant would often last four or five hours in the past.
A number of things struck me while watching the 2007 Miss Universe pageant yesterday.
First, either there is some cloning factory somewhere in the world that we haven’t heard about yet or the standards for beauty has really become global. I wonder what happened to celebrating diversity and natural beauty?
The five finalists, regardless of race and skin color, looked the same. The final five included an African-American (Miss USA), two Latin Americans (Brazil and Venezuela), and two Asians (Japan and Korea) but except for a slight difference in the shape of their eyes, they could come from the same super human gene pool. They had the same body and facial structure, the same gait and bearing, even the same way of smiling and waving. In short, these people did not fit the common and ordinary definition of what comprises beauty.
Perhaps it is really true: Beauty contests do represent a kind of beauty trap. More and more today, it promotes a specific standard of beauty, one that is heavily biased in favor of the Western or Caucasian model. One has to have flawless skin, a well-sculpted nose, a perfect chin, a wide forehead, luscious hair, and a whistle-bait figure. For a while there, I thought Miss Tanzania, the only finalist who was from an African country and the only one who challenged the generic definition of beauty (she was bald to begin with) would get into the magic five, but alas, she did not make the final cut. So much for appreciating diversity.
If the finalists were made to wear the same gowns, it would have been really difficult distinguishing one from the other.
So this we know: There is a specific requirement, a specific set of criteria used to choose winners of international beauty titles. I am not saying winning international beauty titles is that important, but if we join these contests we might as well do so with the expressed intent to win.
Let’s stop this crap about joining these contests to promote world peace and international unity and friendship. Let’s please stop this nonsense about how the results are secondary, that win or lose, the candidates are already winners in their own right. We know these are wimpy excuses for losers.
Let’s join these contests to win! And the best way is to pick contestants who fit the global standard of beauty. The other countries who always land in the magic five (Venezuela, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Colombia, etc.) make no bones about the fact that they re-sculpt the faces and bodies of their contestants through cosmetic surgery to fit the global standards. If we have qualms about using science to enhance our chances of winning, if we want to take the higher moral ground and insist on competing using high ethical standards, then let’s stop joining these contests altogether. There is simply no point in joining a contest if we do not want to win.
I was once asked what I thought of the country’s bid to bag certain titles such as this or that capital of the world. I remember what I said, and I still hold the same opinion. I think there is nothing inherently wrong with being called Call Center Capital of the World, or Entertainment Capital of the World, or even Beauty Capital of the World as long as we don’t stop there. We must seek to be renowned for a number of distinctions, the more the better. Of course I am against titles that paint a derogatory image of the country; I do not write for newspapers that make a fortune doing that every day.
Anyway. Going back to the Miss Universe pageant. Since beauty contests are popular and no amount of pointing out how socially irrelevant they are seem successful in making them obsolete, I hope that organizers of these contests really make an effort to make these contests more politically correct. I have always wondered why these beauty contests insist on asking the candidates the same trite and staid questions. Variations of the same questions were asked this year: What powerful lesson can you share with the world, what kind of man will you choose, what superpower will you pick, etc. Yawn.
I wish they would ask real, controversial questions such as: “Why is USA having difficulty electing a black or a woman president?” Or “Should there be a separate contest for those who have had surgical enhancements to distinguish those who are natural and artificial?” Or perhaps even “What can you say about atrocities against women in Afghanistan or Pakistan?”
Another observation I made was that Mexicans take losing in beauty contests more seriously than they do in boxing. Their bet got into the final 10, but failed to make it to the final five. Thereupon, the audience chanted “Me-hi-co!, Me-hi-co!” almost all throughout the pageant, their chanting almost drowned out the questions and answers during the interview portion.
But then, I know a number of countries are crazy over beauty contests, they are not just as rabidly fanatical as Mexico. Let’s face it, even the Philippines is crazy over beauty contests—our candidate, Anna Theresa Licaros, won as Miss Photogenic once again. And in case you still do not know, the selection for this particular award is done through voting in the Internet. So once again, Filipinos from all over the world seemed to have rallied behind Miss Philippines. If only we can generate the same level of support for other causes.
Crowned Miss Universe was 20-year- old Riyo Mori from Japan.
And no, Binibining Pilipinas Anna Theresa Licaros did not make it. Four Asians were among the 15 semifinalists: Thailand, Korea, Japan, and India. The two other candidates with Filipino blood in them, Miss Germany (whose father is 100 percent Filipino) and Miss Finland (whose mother is Filipino), did not make it too. Why do I know these obscure facts about Mesdames Germany and Finland? Because ABS-CBN, the station that bagged the franchise to telecast this year’s Miss Universe pageant, went to town with that information, as if their victory, if ever, would be credited to the Philippines.
In fairness to ABS-CBN, the telecast was mercifully short. I think the telecast was done in two hours and the advertisement load was not very heavy. I remember how RPN’s telecast of the pageant would often last four or five hours in the past.
A number of things struck me while watching the 2007 Miss Universe pageant yesterday.
First, either there is some cloning factory somewhere in the world that we haven’t heard about yet or the standards for beauty has really become global. I wonder what happened to celebrating diversity and natural beauty?
The five finalists, regardless of race and skin color, looked the same. The final five included an African-American (Miss USA), two Latin Americans (Brazil and Venezuela), and two Asians (Japan and Korea) but except for a slight difference in the shape of their eyes, they could come from the same super human gene pool. They had the same body and facial structure, the same gait and bearing, even the same way of smiling and waving. In short, these people did not fit the common and ordinary definition of what comprises beauty.
Perhaps it is really true: Beauty contests do represent a kind of beauty trap. More and more today, it promotes a specific standard of beauty, one that is heavily biased in favor of the Western or Caucasian model. One has to have flawless skin, a well-sculpted nose, a perfect chin, a wide forehead, luscious hair, and a whistle-bait figure. For a while there, I thought Miss Tanzania, the only finalist who was from an African country and the only one who challenged the generic definition of beauty (she was bald to begin with) would get into the magic five, but alas, she did not make the final cut. So much for appreciating diversity.
If the finalists were made to wear the same gowns, it would have been really difficult distinguishing one from the other.
So this we know: There is a specific requirement, a specific set of criteria used to choose winners of international beauty titles. I am not saying winning international beauty titles is that important, but if we join these contests we might as well do so with the expressed intent to win.
Let’s stop this crap about joining these contests to promote world peace and international unity and friendship. Let’s please stop this nonsense about how the results are secondary, that win or lose, the candidates are already winners in their own right. We know these are wimpy excuses for losers.
Let’s join these contests to win! And the best way is to pick contestants who fit the global standard of beauty. The other countries who always land in the magic five (Venezuela, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Colombia, etc.) make no bones about the fact that they re-sculpt the faces and bodies of their contestants through cosmetic surgery to fit the global standards. If we have qualms about using science to enhance our chances of winning, if we want to take the higher moral ground and insist on competing using high ethical standards, then let’s stop joining these contests altogether. There is simply no point in joining a contest if we do not want to win.
I was once asked what I thought of the country’s bid to bag certain titles such as this or that capital of the world. I remember what I said, and I still hold the same opinion. I think there is nothing inherently wrong with being called Call Center Capital of the World, or Entertainment Capital of the World, or even Beauty Capital of the World as long as we don’t stop there. We must seek to be renowned for a number of distinctions, the more the better. Of course I am against titles that paint a derogatory image of the country; I do not write for newspapers that make a fortune doing that every day.
Anyway. Going back to the Miss Universe pageant. Since beauty contests are popular and no amount of pointing out how socially irrelevant they are seem successful in making them obsolete, I hope that organizers of these contests really make an effort to make these contests more politically correct. I have always wondered why these beauty contests insist on asking the candidates the same trite and staid questions. Variations of the same questions were asked this year: What powerful lesson can you share with the world, what kind of man will you choose, what superpower will you pick, etc. Yawn.
I wish they would ask real, controversial questions such as: “Why is USA having difficulty electing a black or a woman president?” Or “Should there be a separate contest for those who have had surgical enhancements to distinguish those who are natural and artificial?” Or perhaps even “What can you say about atrocities against women in Afghanistan or Pakistan?”
Another observation I made was that Mexicans take losing in beauty contests more seriously than they do in boxing. Their bet got into the final 10, but failed to make it to the final five. Thereupon, the audience chanted “Me-hi-co!, Me-hi-co!” almost all throughout the pageant, their chanting almost drowned out the questions and answers during the interview portion.
But then, I know a number of countries are crazy over beauty contests, they are not just as rabidly fanatical as Mexico. Let’s face it, even the Philippines is crazy over beauty contests—our candidate, Anna Theresa Licaros, won as Miss Photogenic once again. And in case you still do not know, the selection for this particular award is done through voting in the Internet. So once again, Filipinos from all over the world seemed to have rallied behind Miss Philippines. If only we can generate the same level of support for other causes.
American Idol's Simon Cowell Abashed At Revealed Sex Secrets
Simon Cowell has been left red-faced after his sex secrets were exposed on a TV tribute show about his life.
Simon's fellow 'American Idol' judge Paula Abdul joked about the music mogul's performance in the bedroom while recording her contribution for the episode of British show 'This Is Your Life'.
Paula, 44, quipped: "Simon is an egomaniac. He's the only man I know who screams his own name when having sex. And his idea of foreplay is staring at himself in the mirror."
The incident was made even more embarrassing for Simon, 47, as Paula made the comments in front of an audience including his 80-year-old mother Julie.
Simon's older brother Tony, 55, also let slip the music mogul would wear make-up to feign illness to get out of going to school.
He said: "He used to wear pale make-up to look ill so he could get out of going to school."
The programme - presented by veteran British newsreader Sir Trevor McDonald - is to be broadcast on June 2, when viewers will see Simon reunited with various faces from his past.
Fellow 'The X Factor' judge Sharon Osbourne, his singer ex-girlfriend Sinitta and TV presenting duo Ant and Dec were all involved with the show.
Even pop manager Louis Walsh appeared to show there were no hard feelings after being axed from Simon's UK talent show 'The X Factor'.
After filming, Simon's girlfriend Terri Seymour threw a lavish bash for the star and all his friends and family
Simon's fellow 'American Idol' judge Paula Abdul joked about the music mogul's performance in the bedroom while recording her contribution for the episode of British show 'This Is Your Life'.
Paula, 44, quipped: "Simon is an egomaniac. He's the only man I know who screams his own name when having sex. And his idea of foreplay is staring at himself in the mirror."
The incident was made even more embarrassing for Simon, 47, as Paula made the comments in front of an audience including his 80-year-old mother Julie.
Simon's older brother Tony, 55, also let slip the music mogul would wear make-up to feign illness to get out of going to school.
He said: "He used to wear pale make-up to look ill so he could get out of going to school."
The programme - presented by veteran British newsreader Sir Trevor McDonald - is to be broadcast on June 2, when viewers will see Simon reunited with various faces from his past.
Fellow 'The X Factor' judge Sharon Osbourne, his singer ex-girlfriend Sinitta and TV presenting duo Ant and Dec were all involved with the show.
Even pop manager Louis Walsh appeared to show there were no hard feelings after being axed from Simon's UK talent show 'The X Factor'.
After filming, Simon's girlfriend Terri Seymour threw a lavish bash for the star and all his friends and family
American Idol: Blake Lewis vs. Jordin Sparks, American Idull Part Deux
The numbers are in: Jordin Sparks is the new American Idol, and the show’s ratings are way down. Is anyone surprised at either outcome? The show this year has included everything from bad karaoke-like performances to unexplained pre-taped “appearances” by members of the music community that served no purpose other than to take the attention away from the competitors.
I’ve got to give it to American Idol: They are the masters of hype. “This is the best finale ever,” crowed Simon. I beg to differ; it was long and painful. I have some words of wisdom for this show (no surprise there), but I will hold those words until later. Let me just say that, for me, there were but two highlights during this year’s finale: Melinda’s performance with gospel royalty Bebe and Cece Winans, and Jordin’s duet with Ruben Studdard. Speaking of Ruben, it was great to see all the former winners on the show, except Fantasia, who is, of course, busy with “The Color Purple.”
American Idol on the ropes?
American Idol has closed the door on another season, and 'The Powers That Be' know they’re in trouble. Not only are the ratings down, but the talent pool seems to be quickly drying up. Before we look back at this past season, if you haven’t recently visited the American Idol homepage, you should do so soon.
You can participate in a poll, requesting fan feedback on aspects of the show that need to be changed. Of course, the bad voting process is not addressed, which is the major modification the show needs. Not only did American Idol lose out to Dancing With the Stars in ratings, but I would be willing to bet money that their tour sales aren’t going well either. Now, on with the show.
Predictable finish
Jordin and Blake’s sing-off was fairly predictable. Blake started off the show by reprising his performance of Bon Jovi’s “You Give Love A Bad Name.” I will agree with the judges that his performance was entertaining; however, beat-boxing is not singing, and it’s not going to sustain a career. Blake’s next performance, Maroon 5’s “She Will Be Loved,” helps to understand why he employs the beat-box. Can you say “mediocre?” “Mediocre” best describes Blake’s singing ability, and that point really comes home on his performance of the songwriting competition winner, “This Is My Now.”
It was painful. He was off-key for most of the song, and it was just awful. Simon said that if we judge him on only two of his performances, he did well. No, you don’t judge him on only two performances; you judge him as the one-dimensional artist that he is. To bring that point home, let’s look at Jordin’s final performances.
She started the night by covering Christina Aguilera’s “Fighter.” Jordin’s performance was both good and bad. It was good because she sounded almost exactly like Christina. Christina is one of the more talented vocalists in the business today, and to be able to emulate her says a lot about Jordin’s abilities; however, because the performance was virtually identical, one would believe that Jordin has yet to find her musical identity, which is no surprise given her age.
Her next song, “Broken Wing” calls for standing behind the mic and belting out the song, which she did without hesitation. Jordin sings “Broken Wing” quite well, though I wouldn’t insult Martina McBride by saying she sang it “better than the original,” as Simon said. Let’s just say she did a great job with the song and leave it at that. Finally, Jordin got her shot at “This Is My Now.” The song suited Jordin better, which was also no surprise. While Jordin sang the heck out of “This Is My Now,” the end result was a very anti-climactic final sing-off and another American Idull finish to the season.
No more Sanjaya's, please
As for the final show, I am trying to figure out why they felt the need to continue to hype that no-singing Sanjaya and, once again, show us “the American Idol crier.” Sanjaya is a complete joke, but the joke is no longer funny. One would think that if the producers are worried enough about the show to post a survey, they would stop with all the foolishness. I figured Joe Perry was making faces like most artists do when they perform, but in retrospect, he was probably tuning up in response to Sanjaya’s horribly off-key singing and shouting.
Judges, please leave the Sanjaya-type singers out of the competition next year. In fact, leave out ALL the male contestants if they sing no better than this group. The standout among the men, far and away, was Phil Stacey. He shined in the group numbers, and the full-length, studio versions of his performances on the show are very good. I strongly believe that Phil has a future, something I can’t say for sure about the remaining men, including Blake.
Looking forward
Chris might possibly have a career if he takes advantage of the skills he does have. While everyone spent the season comparing Chris to Justin Timberlake, he is really more like Adam Levine of Maroon 5. After seeing Maroon 5 on the show, which is a very good band, I have found Chris Richardson’s vocal double. Instead of giving off the fake R&B vibe, why didn’t Chris sing some Maroon 5 songs? I might have actually liked him. It’s very important for an artist to stick with what works. Adam Levine is not a necessarily strong singer, but he has the “package” and a dynamite band, so the vocals work for him. There you go, Chris. He should be paying me for my advice.
As for the women, I expect both LaKisha and Melinda will have careers. LaKisha still needs to tone down her wardrobe, but she sounded fabulous in the group number with Gladys Knight. Melinda displayed strong gospel ability, but with her talent, she is not limited to that genre. I was almost as shocked to see two incredible gospel singers on this show as I was to see Prince last year, for different reasons. Melinda really sparkled on “Hold Up The Light,” and the reason is obvious. For those who don’t know, Melinda is a devout Christian, and she sings back up on the original version of this song. The show could not have chosen better celebrities for her performance. The Winans are a well-known, incredibly talented gospel family, and Melinda fit right in.
Year-end advice for American Idol
Now, it’s time for my year-end advice for American Idol. First, leave out the canned performances. Unless they want to sign up as mentors, these celebs can and should peddle their wares elsewhere. This show is supposed to be about the young people who are competing, and the show did this group a disservice by removing that focus. Second, make the voting more fair. Stop the unlimited voting, as it really serves no purpose other than to show who is most popular not who is the better vocalist. Thank God that at least one of the better vocalists won this year. Last and most important, stop lying to the American public.
There is no way this season received any of the vote totals Ryan spewed from the big stage. My sister voted faithfully each week, and she reveals that she got through to Jordin—the winner—by 9:30 p.m. While we both had to turn to text messages to vote for Elliott Yamin last year and could never get through to vote for Ruben Studdard the year he won, she had absolutely no trouble voting for Melinda and Jordin this season—ever. Sixty-three million votes my patootie.
I’ve got to give it to American Idol: They are the masters of hype. “This is the best finale ever,” crowed Simon. I beg to differ; it was long and painful. I have some words of wisdom for this show (no surprise there), but I will hold those words until later. Let me just say that, for me, there were but two highlights during this year’s finale: Melinda’s performance with gospel royalty Bebe and Cece Winans, and Jordin’s duet with Ruben Studdard. Speaking of Ruben, it was great to see all the former winners on the show, except Fantasia, who is, of course, busy with “The Color Purple.”
American Idol on the ropes?
American Idol has closed the door on another season, and 'The Powers That Be' know they’re in trouble. Not only are the ratings down, but the talent pool seems to be quickly drying up. Before we look back at this past season, if you haven’t recently visited the American Idol homepage, you should do so soon.
You can participate in a poll, requesting fan feedback on aspects of the show that need to be changed. Of course, the bad voting process is not addressed, which is the major modification the show needs. Not only did American Idol lose out to Dancing With the Stars in ratings, but I would be willing to bet money that their tour sales aren’t going well either. Now, on with the show.
Predictable finish
Jordin and Blake’s sing-off was fairly predictable. Blake started off the show by reprising his performance of Bon Jovi’s “You Give Love A Bad Name.” I will agree with the judges that his performance was entertaining; however, beat-boxing is not singing, and it’s not going to sustain a career. Blake’s next performance, Maroon 5’s “She Will Be Loved,” helps to understand why he employs the beat-box. Can you say “mediocre?” “Mediocre” best describes Blake’s singing ability, and that point really comes home on his performance of the songwriting competition winner, “This Is My Now.”
It was painful. He was off-key for most of the song, and it was just awful. Simon said that if we judge him on only two of his performances, he did well. No, you don’t judge him on only two performances; you judge him as the one-dimensional artist that he is. To bring that point home, let’s look at Jordin’s final performances.
She started the night by covering Christina Aguilera’s “Fighter.” Jordin’s performance was both good and bad. It was good because she sounded almost exactly like Christina. Christina is one of the more talented vocalists in the business today, and to be able to emulate her says a lot about Jordin’s abilities; however, because the performance was virtually identical, one would believe that Jordin has yet to find her musical identity, which is no surprise given her age.
Her next song, “Broken Wing” calls for standing behind the mic and belting out the song, which she did without hesitation. Jordin sings “Broken Wing” quite well, though I wouldn’t insult Martina McBride by saying she sang it “better than the original,” as Simon said. Let’s just say she did a great job with the song and leave it at that. Finally, Jordin got her shot at “This Is My Now.” The song suited Jordin better, which was also no surprise. While Jordin sang the heck out of “This Is My Now,” the end result was a very anti-climactic final sing-off and another American Idull finish to the season.
No more Sanjaya's, please
As for the final show, I am trying to figure out why they felt the need to continue to hype that no-singing Sanjaya and, once again, show us “the American Idol crier.” Sanjaya is a complete joke, but the joke is no longer funny. One would think that if the producers are worried enough about the show to post a survey, they would stop with all the foolishness. I figured Joe Perry was making faces like most artists do when they perform, but in retrospect, he was probably tuning up in response to Sanjaya’s horribly off-key singing and shouting.
Judges, please leave the Sanjaya-type singers out of the competition next year. In fact, leave out ALL the male contestants if they sing no better than this group. The standout among the men, far and away, was Phil Stacey. He shined in the group numbers, and the full-length, studio versions of his performances on the show are very good. I strongly believe that Phil has a future, something I can’t say for sure about the remaining men, including Blake.
Looking forward
Chris might possibly have a career if he takes advantage of the skills he does have. While everyone spent the season comparing Chris to Justin Timberlake, he is really more like Adam Levine of Maroon 5. After seeing Maroon 5 on the show, which is a very good band, I have found Chris Richardson’s vocal double. Instead of giving off the fake R&B vibe, why didn’t Chris sing some Maroon 5 songs? I might have actually liked him. It’s very important for an artist to stick with what works. Adam Levine is not a necessarily strong singer, but he has the “package” and a dynamite band, so the vocals work for him. There you go, Chris. He should be paying me for my advice.
As for the women, I expect both LaKisha and Melinda will have careers. LaKisha still needs to tone down her wardrobe, but she sounded fabulous in the group number with Gladys Knight. Melinda displayed strong gospel ability, but with her talent, she is not limited to that genre. I was almost as shocked to see two incredible gospel singers on this show as I was to see Prince last year, for different reasons. Melinda really sparkled on “Hold Up The Light,” and the reason is obvious. For those who don’t know, Melinda is a devout Christian, and she sings back up on the original version of this song. The show could not have chosen better celebrities for her performance. The Winans are a well-known, incredibly talented gospel family, and Melinda fit right in.
Year-end advice for American Idol
Now, it’s time for my year-end advice for American Idol. First, leave out the canned performances. Unless they want to sign up as mentors, these celebs can and should peddle their wares elsewhere. This show is supposed to be about the young people who are competing, and the show did this group a disservice by removing that focus. Second, make the voting more fair. Stop the unlimited voting, as it really serves no purpose other than to show who is most popular not who is the better vocalist. Thank God that at least one of the better vocalists won this year. Last and most important, stop lying to the American public.
There is no way this season received any of the vote totals Ryan spewed from the big stage. My sister voted faithfully each week, and she reveals that she got through to Jordin—the winner—by 9:30 p.m. While we both had to turn to text messages to vote for Elliott Yamin last year and could never get through to vote for Ruben Studdard the year he won, she had absolutely no trouble voting for Melinda and Jordin this season—ever. Sixty-three million votes my patootie.
Access Hollywood | Life After 'Idol:' Finalists Visit Access Hollywood | Celebrity and Hollywood News Access Hollywood
Access Hollywood | Life After 'Idol:' Finalists Visit Access Hollywood | Celebrity and Hollywood News Access Hollywood
Life After 'Idol:' Finalists Visit Access Hollywood
LOS ANGELES (May 29, 2007) -- Following her "Idol" coronation, Jordin Sparks made an exclusive stop by the Access Hollywood stage to show off her winning vocal chops.
And what's the only thing better than one exclusive visit? How about eight of them all at once, as eight of "American Idol's" final 10 visited the Access stage to chat about life in the spotlight and their new found fame.
"It was a year ago and nobody knew who you were," Access' Shaun Robinson joked with the group.
"Five months ago," Melinda Doolittle joking corrected her.
One thing is for sure – everyone knows them now! But the top eight apparently still aren’t used to seeing themselves on camera, as they took every opportunity to ham it up on our set before the interview began, with Sanjaya Malakar smothering LaKisha Jones with kisses.
"Sanjaya you kiss me one more time and I'm gonna beat you down," she smiled.
In that regard, it looks like LaKisha stands alone, because plenty of girls are clamoring for smooches from Sanjaya.
"It's very awkward sometimes though because you're walking down the street and someone will be like, 'Hey Sanjaya! How you doing?' and I'm just like 'Hi,'" he told Shaun.
"It's weird because I thought Sanjaya was the most non-popular person on the show," Chris Richardson joked, getting a big laugh from the rest of the group.
But no doubt, with his luscious locks Sanjaya was the stand out of this "Idol" season – even if it wasn't for typical reasons.
But how did all of the controversy impact the musical Malakar?
"I was just focusing on what I had to do each week because that's what you have to do," he told Shaun. "You can't get distracted by that stuff."
So did his fellow contestants feel all of the attention helped Sanjaya stick around a little longer than he would have otherwise?
"I think the press certainly helped Sanjaya get votes, but I also think he deserved it," Phil Stacey said.
"He stuck through it too," Chris Richardson added. "Especially being his age and having so many people just coming down on him, he still would come in with a smile every single day."
But in a bizarre twist, "Idol's" most talked about commodity might not even be who he says he is!
In a popular video on YouTube last week, Sanjaya claims his name is Bill Vendall, a 25-year-old grad student who's been playing the role of "Sanjaya" as an art project.
Shaun asked Sanjaya about the video.
"Okay, you wanna explain that?" Shaun asked him.
"I was having fun and then people believed that I was actually Bill Vendall," he laughed. "I'm not Bill Vendall!"
As it turns out, the bizarre hoax was actually commissioned by Will Ferrell for his Web site FunnyOrDie.com.
Ok, all gags aside – it's time to talk business as the "Idols" are gearing up for their big summer tour.
"It's gonna rock," Richardson said.
"Now the pressure is off – we're not competing for anything anymore," LaKisha noted.
No pressure… and no judges.
So who do the "Idols" think received the worst slam from the always candid Simon Cowell?
"Haley," Chris Sligh quickly answered, drawing a laugh from Scarnato. "It was when he was like, 'I can't even remember your name.'"
But apparently Haley isn't the only one who Simon couldn't remember.
"Don't take it too hard," Phil Stacey added. "He came up to me at the finale and said, 'Chris, how have you been doing?'"
Life After 'Idol:' Finalists Visit Access Hollywood
LOS ANGELES (May 29, 2007) -- Following her "Idol" coronation, Jordin Sparks made an exclusive stop by the Access Hollywood stage to show off her winning vocal chops.
And what's the only thing better than one exclusive visit? How about eight of them all at once, as eight of "American Idol's" final 10 visited the Access stage to chat about life in the spotlight and their new found fame.
"It was a year ago and nobody knew who you were," Access' Shaun Robinson joked with the group.
"Five months ago," Melinda Doolittle joking corrected her.
One thing is for sure – everyone knows them now! But the top eight apparently still aren’t used to seeing themselves on camera, as they took every opportunity to ham it up on our set before the interview began, with Sanjaya Malakar smothering LaKisha Jones with kisses.
"Sanjaya you kiss me one more time and I'm gonna beat you down," she smiled.
In that regard, it looks like LaKisha stands alone, because plenty of girls are clamoring for smooches from Sanjaya.
"It's very awkward sometimes though because you're walking down the street and someone will be like, 'Hey Sanjaya! How you doing?' and I'm just like 'Hi,'" he told Shaun.
"It's weird because I thought Sanjaya was the most non-popular person on the show," Chris Richardson joked, getting a big laugh from the rest of the group.
But no doubt, with his luscious locks Sanjaya was the stand out of this "Idol" season – even if it wasn't for typical reasons.
But how did all of the controversy impact the musical Malakar?
"I was just focusing on what I had to do each week because that's what you have to do," he told Shaun. "You can't get distracted by that stuff."
So did his fellow contestants feel all of the attention helped Sanjaya stick around a little longer than he would have otherwise?
"I think the press certainly helped Sanjaya get votes, but I also think he deserved it," Phil Stacey said.
"He stuck through it too," Chris Richardson added. "Especially being his age and having so many people just coming down on him, he still would come in with a smile every single day."
But in a bizarre twist, "Idol's" most talked about commodity might not even be who he says he is!
In a popular video on YouTube last week, Sanjaya claims his name is Bill Vendall, a 25-year-old grad student who's been playing the role of "Sanjaya" as an art project.
Shaun asked Sanjaya about the video.
"Okay, you wanna explain that?" Shaun asked him.
"I was having fun and then people believed that I was actually Bill Vendall," he laughed. "I'm not Bill Vendall!"
As it turns out, the bizarre hoax was actually commissioned by Will Ferrell for his Web site FunnyOrDie.com.
Ok, all gags aside – it's time to talk business as the "Idols" are gearing up for their big summer tour.
"It's gonna rock," Richardson said.
"Now the pressure is off – we're not competing for anything anymore," LaKisha noted.
No pressure… and no judges.
So who do the "Idols" think received the worst slam from the always candid Simon Cowell?
"Haley," Chris Sligh quickly answered, drawing a laugh from Scarnato. "It was when he was like, 'I can't even remember your name.'"
But apparently Haley isn't the only one who Simon couldn't remember.
"Don't take it too hard," Phil Stacey added. "He came up to me at the finale and said, 'Chris, how have you been doing?'"
Is Rosie O’Donnell vying to be the next ‘American Idol’?
March 6: South Nyack’s Rosie O’Donnell discusses “American Idol,” which hasn’t had a Lower Hudson Valley resident make the Top 24 since the previous season. On “The View,” the full-figured O’Donnell says “Idol” is “weight-ist” in light of producers’ lenient treatment of the lean Antonella Barba versus its quick disposal of the plus-sized Frenchie Davis.
April 25: O’Donnell, who later is named the country’s sixth-most charitable celebrity, announces she’ll be leaving “The View”; the announcement comes mere hours before the first “Idol Gives Back” charity episode airs.
May 22: On her blog, O’Donnell posts herself singing along with a remix of Amy Winehouse’s “Rehab.” Later that day, “Idol” contestants sing for the last time before producers voters pick a champ.
May 23: O’Donnell and Elisabeth Hasselbeck get into an epic 10-minute argument on “The View.” Another epic battle comes to an end later that day, when Jordin Sparks becomes the new “American Idol”—and inspires singers nationwide to audition for Season 7.
May 25: O’Donnell quits “The View.” Some people wait a lifetime for a moment like this.
April 25: O’Donnell, who later is named the country’s sixth-most charitable celebrity, announces she’ll be leaving “The View”; the announcement comes mere hours before the first “Idol Gives Back” charity episode airs.
May 22: On her blog, O’Donnell posts herself singing along with a remix of Amy Winehouse’s “Rehab.” Later that day, “Idol” contestants sing for the last time before producers voters pick a champ.
May 23: O’Donnell and Elisabeth Hasselbeck get into an epic 10-minute argument on “The View.” Another epic battle comes to an end later that day, when Jordin Sparks becomes the new “American Idol”—and inspires singers nationwide to audition for Season 7.
May 25: O’Donnell quits “The View.” Some people wait a lifetime for a moment like this.
'American Idol' Recap: Christians a Definite Presence
Looking back at this year’s season of “American Idol,” one thing is quite clear: Christians had a very definite presence on the popular TV talent contest.
The most obvious proof is this year’s winner, Jordin Sparks, who took home the “Idol” crown last week. She has been on the Christian music scene for some time, and will become a positive role model for other Christians out there.
“I want them (non-believers) to know that God loves them, Jesus died for them, and that God has a plan for their life,” explained Sparks in her online e-profile at the Gospel Music Association (GMA) website prior to the competition. “I want them to see and hear that being a Christian and singing about it isn't weird!”
Sparks, 17, has strong ties to the GMA. In 2004, she competed in the GMA Music in the Rockies – a showcase event for aspiring, often unsigned, songwriters and artists in the Christian music industry – and was the Overall Spotlight Winner at the 2004 GMA Academy in Washington, D.C., a feat which she listed on her online “Idol” profile as her “proudest moment in life so far.”
The recent champion has even traveled as a singer with popular artist Michael W. Smith on his Christmastime tour, and listed “God” as the first person she would thank if she won “Idol,” among several other contestants.
Besides Sparks, half of the singers on this summer’s “Idol” tour – five out of ten – have Christian roots.
Third place vocalist Melinda Doolittle was a backup singer in Nashville, hometown to a majority of Christian artists, for some time, and was labeled as this year’s best singer by many critics. She also attended Belmont University – the largest Christian university in Tennessee.
When asked what her personal goals in life were, she responded, “To represent Christ well and do everything 150 percent.”
Other Christian top ten finalists included Chris Sligh, Phil Stacey, and LaKisha Jones, who have all voiced their Christian foundations.
Stacey is a minister of music at First Coast Christian in Jacksonville, Fla., as well as a student at Liberty University – an independent fine arts Baptist university located in Lynchburg, Va.
Sligh, who had several people support his faith early in the competition, also serves as a music minister at his home Seacoast Church in Greenville, S.C., and, like Sparks, had competed in the GMA Music in the Rockies where he took home a first place award. The South Carolina native has even announced plans to move into a Christian music career.
"He's not going to back away from the fact that he's a Christian," said Chris Surratt, pastor of the Sligh’s church, in the Associated Press. "He's going to let that shine through in what he does."
Sligh is also the son of missionaries and attended two Christian universities in the past: Bob Jones University and North Greenville University.
Rounding out the five Christians is LaKisha Jones, who although does not have professional ties to Christian music, has explained how she honed her singing voice from growing up in the church.
Even non-competitors have had a significant impact on this year’s contest. “This Is My Now” was chosen as the winning song for the “American Idol” songwriter competition and was performed by both Sparks and fellow finalist Blake Lewis in the finale. It, too, was composed by two Christian composers: veteran Christian artist and songwriter Scott Krippayne and his pastor Jeff Peabody.
Famous gospel artists, BeBe and CeCe Winans, also had a reunion performance with Doolittle, their former backup singer, during a rendition of "Hold Up the Light" in Wednesday’s finale.
After all the success and fame that comes from “Idol,” it will be interesting to see how each of the Christian finalists will hold onto their faith.
The most obvious proof is this year’s winner, Jordin Sparks, who took home the “Idol” crown last week. She has been on the Christian music scene for some time, and will become a positive role model for other Christians out there.
“I want them (non-believers) to know that God loves them, Jesus died for them, and that God has a plan for their life,” explained Sparks in her online e-profile at the Gospel Music Association (GMA) website prior to the competition. “I want them to see and hear that being a Christian and singing about it isn't weird!”
Sparks, 17, has strong ties to the GMA. In 2004, she competed in the GMA Music in the Rockies – a showcase event for aspiring, often unsigned, songwriters and artists in the Christian music industry – and was the Overall Spotlight Winner at the 2004 GMA Academy in Washington, D.C., a feat which she listed on her online “Idol” profile as her “proudest moment in life so far.”
The recent champion has even traveled as a singer with popular artist Michael W. Smith on his Christmastime tour, and listed “God” as the first person she would thank if she won “Idol,” among several other contestants.
Besides Sparks, half of the singers on this summer’s “Idol” tour – five out of ten – have Christian roots.
Third place vocalist Melinda Doolittle was a backup singer in Nashville, hometown to a majority of Christian artists, for some time, and was labeled as this year’s best singer by many critics. She also attended Belmont University – the largest Christian university in Tennessee.
When asked what her personal goals in life were, she responded, “To represent Christ well and do everything 150 percent.”
Other Christian top ten finalists included Chris Sligh, Phil Stacey, and LaKisha Jones, who have all voiced their Christian foundations.
Stacey is a minister of music at First Coast Christian in Jacksonville, Fla., as well as a student at Liberty University – an independent fine arts Baptist university located in Lynchburg, Va.
Sligh, who had several people support his faith early in the competition, also serves as a music minister at his home Seacoast Church in Greenville, S.C., and, like Sparks, had competed in the GMA Music in the Rockies where he took home a first place award. The South Carolina native has even announced plans to move into a Christian music career.
"He's not going to back away from the fact that he's a Christian," said Chris Surratt, pastor of the Sligh’s church, in the Associated Press. "He's going to let that shine through in what he does."
Sligh is also the son of missionaries and attended two Christian universities in the past: Bob Jones University and North Greenville University.
Rounding out the five Christians is LaKisha Jones, who although does not have professional ties to Christian music, has explained how she honed her singing voice from growing up in the church.
Even non-competitors have had a significant impact on this year’s contest. “This Is My Now” was chosen as the winning song for the “American Idol” songwriter competition and was performed by both Sparks and fellow finalist Blake Lewis in the finale. It, too, was composed by two Christian composers: veteran Christian artist and songwriter Scott Krippayne and his pastor Jeff Peabody.
Famous gospel artists, BeBe and CeCe Winans, also had a reunion performance with Doolittle, their former backup singer, during a rendition of "Hold Up the Light" in Wednesday’s finale.
After all the success and fame that comes from “Idol,” it will be interesting to see how each of the Christian finalists will hold onto their faith.
American Idol finalist joins Rent
Grey finished fourth place on Idol and will don latex pants to play the role of dancer-muse Mimi Marquez in Rent, until November 25, at the Nederlander Theatre.
Since American Idol, Gray had a recurring role on the hit television series Boston Public, guest spots on other shows is no stranger to Broadway, making her debut in the Bollywood-themed musical Bombay Dreams.
She also has writing credits for the songs ‘I Believe’ for Idol winner Fantasia Barrino (who is now on Broadway in The Color Purple) and ‘You Thought Wrong’ for first season champion Kelly Clarkson. Gray also appeared in the film The Gospel.
Since American Idol, Gray had a recurring role on the hit television series Boston Public, guest spots on other shows is no stranger to Broadway, making her debut in the Bollywood-themed musical Bombay Dreams.
She also has writing credits for the songs ‘I Believe’ for Idol winner Fantasia Barrino (who is now on Broadway in The Color Purple) and ‘You Thought Wrong’ for first season champion Kelly Clarkson. Gray also appeared in the film The Gospel.
Scot Dario becomes an American idol
He collects Ferraris, flies a helicopter, is married to a Hollywood actress, and has won one of the blue riband events of world motorsport.
And he can walk the streets of his hometown Edinburgh largely unrecognised.
But on Sunday millions of television viewers around the world certainly knew who Dario Franchitti was, as the 34-year-old Scot won the 91st running of America's most prestigious motor race, the Indianapolis 500.
Franchitti's win for the Andretti Green Racing team emulates the success of all-time greats such as Graham Hill and Jim Clark, who also both crossed the Atlantic to triumph at the circuit known as the Brickyard.
Clark is such an inspiration to Franchitti that he has a room in his house set aside specifically for memorabilia of the two-time Formula One world champion.
And Franchitti could have followed his fellow Scot into the world of F1 had he not chosen to move to America 10 years ago, having paid his dues in the lower categories of European competition.
Three-time F1 world champion Sir Jackie Stewart, who twice raced in the Indy 500 himself, knows Franchitti well from those early days.
"I always saw Dario as a top-flight talent," Stewart told BBC Sport.
"In the early 1990s he was a leading force for Paul Stewart Racing, the team I had with my son.
"When he went to the US I was certain he would be a power to be reckoned with over there."
But when Franchitti broke his back in a motorbike accident in Scotland in 2003, the mere prospect of driving again, let alone winning the Indy 500, must have seemed a distant dream.
"He was out of racing for a while after injuring his back in a motorbike accident and some people thought it might have destroyed his entire career," said Stewart.
"So it's great for him to come back and win after people wrote him off."
Franchitti's father George owned a string of ice cream parlours in Scotland before retiring, and now travels the world watching all his son's races.
And despite Franchitti having entered the world of A-grade American celebrity through his marriage to actress and singer Ashley Judd, Stewart said these family ties ensure his feet remain firmly on the ground.
"He's never lost his Scottishness, his accent, or any of his values," he said.
"Dario's very straightforward, he hasn't changed at all with his fame, and becoming a celebrity.
"He enjoys his life fully, is good with his sponsors and presents himself well - he's one of the nicest men I know."
Collecting Ferraris, attending red-carpet premieres and flying your own helicopter are a lifetime away from the junior karting circuit, where the young Franchitti began his racing career.
He worked and won his way up the junior ranks before entering the Formula Vauxhall Lotus championship for Paul Stewart Racing in 1992.
The following year he won the class, and spent the next three years competing in Formula Three and German Touring Cars before trying his luck in American Cart racing in 1997.
One of his few career disappointments occurred in 2000, when he had an unsuccessful try-out with the Jaguar F1 team.
"I think he was good material for F1 but perhaps he had stayed too long in America before making the approach to get a test drive," said Stewart.
"The drive went well, but because of his canniness he spent the morning getting to know the car, not putting in quick laps.
"But there was a mechanical problem which prevented him doing the laps he might have done later, so the laps he did in the morning may not have met the expectation of those in power. He was definitely worthy of more testing.
"The reality of life is that you play with the cards you pick out of the pack. I'm sure he would have preferred some of his success to be in F1 but it was not to be.
"But outside winning the Indy 500, he can be very proud of what he's achieved in his life."
Even before he could walk, motor racing was already part of Franchitti's life.
As a baby, he watched his father drive karts at the West of Scotland Kart Club, and club vice-chairperson Bill McDonald remembers him as a talented youngster.
"He had good equipment and it was always well maintained and well set-up, which comes from the family background," he told BBC Sport.
"The Franchittis have been involved in motorsport for years and that knowledge got funnelled down to the youngsters early on."
Despite being one of the club's most successful graduates, Franchitti is treated the same as anyone else on his frequent return visits - not that he is the sort to complain.
"He just turns up like anyone else and walks about - there are still a lot of people here who know him from his young days," said McDonald.
"He's a gentleman, a very nice guy - he'll not walk past you, he'll stop and talk to the people in the pits. He's certainly not aloof."
His journey from Bathgate to Hollywood has certainly not been without its setbacks and moments of hardship.
But as the victor's garland was put around his neck last Sunday, Dario Franchitti was living proof that sometimes life really does produce a Hollywood ending.
And he can walk the streets of his hometown Edinburgh largely unrecognised.
But on Sunday millions of television viewers around the world certainly knew who Dario Franchitti was, as the 34-year-old Scot won the 91st running of America's most prestigious motor race, the Indianapolis 500.
Franchitti's win for the Andretti Green Racing team emulates the success of all-time greats such as Graham Hill and Jim Clark, who also both crossed the Atlantic to triumph at the circuit known as the Brickyard.
Clark is such an inspiration to Franchitti that he has a room in his house set aside specifically for memorabilia of the two-time Formula One world champion.
And Franchitti could have followed his fellow Scot into the world of F1 had he not chosen to move to America 10 years ago, having paid his dues in the lower categories of European competition.
Three-time F1 world champion Sir Jackie Stewart, who twice raced in the Indy 500 himself, knows Franchitti well from those early days.
"I always saw Dario as a top-flight talent," Stewart told BBC Sport.
"In the early 1990s he was a leading force for Paul Stewart Racing, the team I had with my son.
"When he went to the US I was certain he would be a power to be reckoned with over there."
But when Franchitti broke his back in a motorbike accident in Scotland in 2003, the mere prospect of driving again, let alone winning the Indy 500, must have seemed a distant dream.
"He was out of racing for a while after injuring his back in a motorbike accident and some people thought it might have destroyed his entire career," said Stewart.
"So it's great for him to come back and win after people wrote him off."
Franchitti's father George owned a string of ice cream parlours in Scotland before retiring, and now travels the world watching all his son's races.
And despite Franchitti having entered the world of A-grade American celebrity through his marriage to actress and singer Ashley Judd, Stewart said these family ties ensure his feet remain firmly on the ground.
"He's never lost his Scottishness, his accent, or any of his values," he said.
"Dario's very straightforward, he hasn't changed at all with his fame, and becoming a celebrity.
"He enjoys his life fully, is good with his sponsors and presents himself well - he's one of the nicest men I know."
Collecting Ferraris, attending red-carpet premieres and flying your own helicopter are a lifetime away from the junior karting circuit, where the young Franchitti began his racing career.
He worked and won his way up the junior ranks before entering the Formula Vauxhall Lotus championship for Paul Stewart Racing in 1992.
The following year he won the class, and spent the next three years competing in Formula Three and German Touring Cars before trying his luck in American Cart racing in 1997.
One of his few career disappointments occurred in 2000, when he had an unsuccessful try-out with the Jaguar F1 team.
"I think he was good material for F1 but perhaps he had stayed too long in America before making the approach to get a test drive," said Stewart.
"The drive went well, but because of his canniness he spent the morning getting to know the car, not putting in quick laps.
"But there was a mechanical problem which prevented him doing the laps he might have done later, so the laps he did in the morning may not have met the expectation of those in power. He was definitely worthy of more testing.
"The reality of life is that you play with the cards you pick out of the pack. I'm sure he would have preferred some of his success to be in F1 but it was not to be.
"But outside winning the Indy 500, he can be very proud of what he's achieved in his life."
Even before he could walk, motor racing was already part of Franchitti's life.
As a baby, he watched his father drive karts at the West of Scotland Kart Club, and club vice-chairperson Bill McDonald remembers him as a talented youngster.
"He had good equipment and it was always well maintained and well set-up, which comes from the family background," he told BBC Sport.
"The Franchittis have been involved in motorsport for years and that knowledge got funnelled down to the youngsters early on."
Despite being one of the club's most successful graduates, Franchitti is treated the same as anyone else on his frequent return visits - not that he is the sort to complain.
"He just turns up like anyone else and walks about - there are still a lot of people here who know him from his young days," said McDonald.
"He's a gentleman, a very nice guy - he'll not walk past you, he'll stop and talk to the people in the pits. He's certainly not aloof."
His journey from Bathgate to Hollywood has certainly not been without its setbacks and moments of hardship.
But as the victor's garland was put around his neck last Sunday, Dario Franchitti was living proof that sometimes life really does produce a Hollywood ending.
Our first American Idol-free week in what seems like forever
Hey, if you're a fan of the show, bless your soul and enjoy EW's all-Idol issue. But for the rest of us: Hallelujah! If I never have to hear the caterwaul of any of this edition's grotesque excuses for ''pop'' or ''rock'' singing, I will be forever grateful. Ditto the name ''Sanjaya.'' Ditto anything from the mouths of Ryan, Randy, Paula, and — yes, I've even tired of the one person in on the cynical joke of it all — Simon.
2. John Wayne, Dean Martin, and Ricky Nelson in the new two-disc Rio Bravo
(Warner Home Video DVD)
There's a slew of John Wayne movies being released to capitalize on the 100th anniversary of his birth, but this, of course, is the best of them. Director Howard Hawks' 1959 ode to a man's-gotta-do-what-a-man's-gotta-do is simply one of the most purely enjoyable Westerns ever made. Richard Schickel's commentary provides a welcome wealth of production detail and exploration of Hawks' themes. Schickel's only flaw? He doesn't really ''get'' Ricky Nelson — what the teen idol stood for outside of this film, and how good the kid was in it.
3. Ultimate Fighters: Rosie, Elizabeth, and Joy on The View
Hoo, boy, last week's O'Donnell/Hasselbeck donnybrook, provoked by Behar, was far more tense than anything on the entire season 6 of 24...and led to the announcement that Rosie won't be coming back to ride out her contract. Does that make Hasselbeck the winner? No — now she has to contend with a freshly feisty Joy Behar, who won't grab headlines the way Rosie did, but will provide the liberal yin to Elizabeth's conservative yang. I'll stay tuned for a while, if only to hear how Barbara Walters spins this.
4. Father vs. son: Which should you buy?
Loudon Wainwright's Strange Weirdos: Music From and Inspired By the Film Knocked Up (Concord) or Rufus Wainwright's Release the Stars (Geffen)?
Rufus: gorgeous voice, overreaching ambition, mosquito-sized sense of humor. Loudon: scratchy tenor, sneakily large-but-underplayed ambition, best sense of humor in the music biz. I declare Dad the winner by a knockout. His album is a hybrid by Loudon standards — I gather that instrumental versions of some of the tunes here accompany the Knocked Up you'll see in the movie theater, and Loudon, usually a solo author, collaborated on a few songs with his producer Joe Henry, and also covers a couple of Henry's songs. Strange Weirdos is nonetheless top-tier Loudon music. Its fretting about middle-age (''Doin' The Math'') adapts neatly to the movie's anxiety about impending parenthood, and parenthood has always been primo subject matter for Loudon (just ask, um, Rufus, immortalized in more of his dad's songs than he'd probably like). The re-recording of an old Loudon song, ''Lullaby,'' is lovely, and new stuff such as ''You Can't Fail Me Now'' and the title track are superb. Come on: Give the old WASP duffer some record sales.
5. The season finale of House
(Fox, Tues., 9 p.m.)
The best thing about this season of House has been the streamlining of its concept. The writers no longer bother trying to give the families of the mysteriously stricken patients personalities — establishing subsidiary characters just gets in the way of what we tune in for: Hugh Laurie being rude and brilliant. And I appreciate the effort, in the second half of the season, to give more screen time to Robert Sean Leonard's Dr. Wilson; until now, Leonard has managed to convey anguished soulfulness almost solely through line-readings and glances — it's good to see him actually handed a storyline now and then, because he's both witty and moving. Oh, yeah: the finale plot is about Omar Epps' plans to leave the hospital (yawn).
2. John Wayne, Dean Martin, and Ricky Nelson in the new two-disc Rio Bravo
(Warner Home Video DVD)
There's a slew of John Wayne movies being released to capitalize on the 100th anniversary of his birth, but this, of course, is the best of them. Director Howard Hawks' 1959 ode to a man's-gotta-do-what-a-man's-gotta-do is simply one of the most purely enjoyable Westerns ever made. Richard Schickel's commentary provides a welcome wealth of production detail and exploration of Hawks' themes. Schickel's only flaw? He doesn't really ''get'' Ricky Nelson — what the teen idol stood for outside of this film, and how good the kid was in it.
3. Ultimate Fighters: Rosie, Elizabeth, and Joy on The View
Hoo, boy, last week's O'Donnell/Hasselbeck donnybrook, provoked by Behar, was far more tense than anything on the entire season 6 of 24...and led to the announcement that Rosie won't be coming back to ride out her contract. Does that make Hasselbeck the winner? No — now she has to contend with a freshly feisty Joy Behar, who won't grab headlines the way Rosie did, but will provide the liberal yin to Elizabeth's conservative yang. I'll stay tuned for a while, if only to hear how Barbara Walters spins this.
4. Father vs. son: Which should you buy?
Loudon Wainwright's Strange Weirdos: Music From and Inspired By the Film Knocked Up (Concord) or Rufus Wainwright's Release the Stars (Geffen)?
Rufus: gorgeous voice, overreaching ambition, mosquito-sized sense of humor. Loudon: scratchy tenor, sneakily large-but-underplayed ambition, best sense of humor in the music biz. I declare Dad the winner by a knockout. His album is a hybrid by Loudon standards — I gather that instrumental versions of some of the tunes here accompany the Knocked Up you'll see in the movie theater, and Loudon, usually a solo author, collaborated on a few songs with his producer Joe Henry, and also covers a couple of Henry's songs. Strange Weirdos is nonetheless top-tier Loudon music. Its fretting about middle-age (''Doin' The Math'') adapts neatly to the movie's anxiety about impending parenthood, and parenthood has always been primo subject matter for Loudon (just ask, um, Rufus, immortalized in more of his dad's songs than he'd probably like). The re-recording of an old Loudon song, ''Lullaby,'' is lovely, and new stuff such as ''You Can't Fail Me Now'' and the title track are superb. Come on: Give the old WASP duffer some record sales.
5. The season finale of House
(Fox, Tues., 9 p.m.)
The best thing about this season of House has been the streamlining of its concept. The writers no longer bother trying to give the families of the mysteriously stricken patients personalities — establishing subsidiary characters just gets in the way of what we tune in for: Hugh Laurie being rude and brilliant. And I appreciate the effort, in the second half of the season, to give more screen time to Robert Sean Leonard's Dr. Wilson; until now, Leonard has managed to convey anguished soulfulness almost solely through line-readings and glances — it's good to see him actually handed a storyline now and then, because he's both witty and moving. Oh, yeah: the finale plot is about Omar Epps' plans to leave the hospital (yawn).
For Covington, there is life — and a career — after '06 'Idol'
"I don't do a whole lot of thinking," Bucky Covington says. "I'm a big believer in not over-thinking. I don't really think about things until it's done. If I thought about it before, it'd probably scare me to death."
That philosophy is serving the native of Rockingham, N.C., well. "American Idol's" most recent transplant to country music phoned from Michigan, where he's busy promoting his new album.
Covington, 29, only made it to the final eight on "American Idol" in 2006, but his album debuted at No. 1 on Nielsen Soundscan's Country Top 75 chart. The performance of the album, released April 17, has turned country music on its ear. With 61,000 units sold, Covington had the best first-week sales for any new male country artist since Billy Ray Cyrus in 1992. He was also the only new country act to open inside the Top 5 this year on Soundscan's all-genre Top 200 chart.
"I got to give some credit to 'American Idol,' " Covington said. "A lot of people know who I am because my face rings a bell, and I have some name recognition. But Mark Miller and Lyric Street gave me a lot of help."
Miller, the lead singer and frontman for the hugely popular band Sawyer Brown, praised Covington for his honesty and believability, and came on board to produce the record for Lyric Street, the label made famous by Rascal Flatts. (Covington is Lyric Street's second "Idol" singer; the label signed former Marine Josh Gracin after his Season 2 experience ended.)
Critics are praising the Covington album's diversity. Entertainment Weekly said, "The North Carolinian with the throaty drawl could sell everything from the cheeky to the weepy. And he does."
From the totally twangy first single, to the sweet ballad "I'll Walk," to the Southern rock kicker "Bible and the Belt," Covington keeps the tempo interesting. He even earned writing credit on the sentimental "Carolina Blue," but says, "I just wanted good songs; I didn't care who wrote it."
The first single, "A Different World," is making a solid mark on the country charts, having landed at No. 19 last week on Billboard's Hot Country Songs charts. The video is doing even better.
Lyric Street hired virtuoso video director Trey Fanjoy for Covington's debut video. "We filmed it in 15 hours, all in one day, at the Disney Ranch (in California). It was about 15 degrees at 6 in the morning, and by noon it was 75," Covington says. Of Fanjoy, he says, "She is a sweetheart. She was about seven or eight months' pregnant at the time, when she directed that. She never complained, and she has done an awesome job. I would love to work with her again." Fans like the video so much that it was in the Top 5 on CMT last week.
With such a strong country background, Covington might have auditioned for "Nashville Star," the country version of "American Idol," but he almost didn't audition for "American Idol" at all.
Hurricane Katrina forced the cancellation of the "American Idol" audition at the closest venue for him, 11 hours away in Memphis, Tenn. But then, a new site was chosen, in nearby Greensboro, N.C. Covington thought it was karma, and he went.
"There wasn't a whole lot of thought into it, period," he said. "I thought, 'Let's give it a good hit-and-a-miss,' and it hit."
That philosophy is serving the native of Rockingham, N.C., well. "American Idol's" most recent transplant to country music phoned from Michigan, where he's busy promoting his new album.
Covington, 29, only made it to the final eight on "American Idol" in 2006, but his album debuted at No. 1 on Nielsen Soundscan's Country Top 75 chart. The performance of the album, released April 17, has turned country music on its ear. With 61,000 units sold, Covington had the best first-week sales for any new male country artist since Billy Ray Cyrus in 1992. He was also the only new country act to open inside the Top 5 this year on Soundscan's all-genre Top 200 chart.
"I got to give some credit to 'American Idol,' " Covington said. "A lot of people know who I am because my face rings a bell, and I have some name recognition. But Mark Miller and Lyric Street gave me a lot of help."
Miller, the lead singer and frontman for the hugely popular band Sawyer Brown, praised Covington for his honesty and believability, and came on board to produce the record for Lyric Street, the label made famous by Rascal Flatts. (Covington is Lyric Street's second "Idol" singer; the label signed former Marine Josh Gracin after his Season 2 experience ended.)
Critics are praising the Covington album's diversity. Entertainment Weekly said, "The North Carolinian with the throaty drawl could sell everything from the cheeky to the weepy. And he does."
From the totally twangy first single, to the sweet ballad "I'll Walk," to the Southern rock kicker "Bible and the Belt," Covington keeps the tempo interesting. He even earned writing credit on the sentimental "Carolina Blue," but says, "I just wanted good songs; I didn't care who wrote it."
The first single, "A Different World," is making a solid mark on the country charts, having landed at No. 19 last week on Billboard's Hot Country Songs charts. The video is doing even better.
Lyric Street hired virtuoso video director Trey Fanjoy for Covington's debut video. "We filmed it in 15 hours, all in one day, at the Disney Ranch (in California). It was about 15 degrees at 6 in the morning, and by noon it was 75," Covington says. Of Fanjoy, he says, "She is a sweetheart. She was about seven or eight months' pregnant at the time, when she directed that. She never complained, and she has done an awesome job. I would love to work with her again." Fans like the video so much that it was in the Top 5 on CMT last week.
With such a strong country background, Covington might have auditioned for "Nashville Star," the country version of "American Idol," but he almost didn't audition for "American Idol" at all.
Hurricane Katrina forced the cancellation of the "American Idol" audition at the closest venue for him, 11 hours away in Memphis, Tenn. But then, a new site was chosen, in nearby Greensboro, N.C. Covington thought it was karma, and he went.
"There wasn't a whole lot of thought into it, period," he said. "I thought, 'Let's give it a good hit-and-a-miss,' and it hit."
'Idol' to pack the house -- and schedule
"American Idol" finalist Phil Stacey is in Wichita to put on a benefit concert for Greensburg.
But tonight's sold-out concert isn't the only item on Stacey's whirlwind agenda.
He's going to meet with concert sponsors. Have a barbecue and reunion with old Wichita pals. Partake in his-and-hers massages with wife, Kendra.
And, per his own request, Stacey hopes to take a tour of Greensburg today.
"We're still hopeful he can do that," Brett Harris, the Wichita disc jockey who organized Stacey's trip, said Monday.
Stacey, a 1997 graduate of Wichita's Northwest High School, will perform tonight in front of a sold-out crowd of 2,900 at Central Christian Church.
Harris is hoping the show will raise $50,000 for the Salvation Army's fund for Greensburg Tornado Relief.
The concert came about after an off-hand comment Harris made to Stacey during a radio interview a couple of weeks ago.
Stacey had just been booted from "American Idol" (tied for a respectable fifth place) and had called in to Harris' morning radio program on B-98, (97.9-FM).
"It was in the middle of the interview, and I flippantly said, 'We need to drag you out here for a benefit concert,' " Harris said. "And there was a pause and then a, 'Sure. No problem.' "
It wasn't quite that simple, though.
For the next week, Harris spent his days on the phone trying to gain approval from "American Idol" people and from Stacey's superiors in the Navy, who had to agree to extend his leave by one day.
Then there was the matter of transportation. Harris, a flight enthusiast and pilot who does part-time sales for Yingling Aviation, discussed the visit with Yingling's president, Lynn Nichols. He promptly offered to charter a flight for Stacey and his family from their home in Jacksonville, Fla.
On Monday, Harris and a crew took a Yingling prop jet to Jacksonville to pick up Stacey, his wife, Kendra, and his two young daughters, Chloe and McKayla.
As soon as tonight's concert ends, they'll immediately board the plane and head back to Florida, where Stacey is expected to report for duty on Wednesday morning.
The concert, Harris said, will feature Stacey singing most of the tunes he performed while on "Idol," and he has plenty to choose from. During his 11-week-run, Stacey sang hits ranging from Bon Jovi's "Blaze of Glory" to Keith Urban's "Where the Blacktop Ends."
Stacey, who will be backed by local cover band Three Ring Circus, also hopes to perform a few hits by one of his Christian music heroes, the late Rich Mullins.
Among the concert attendees will be survivors of the Greensburg tornado and the Greensburg city administrator. Gov. Kathleen Sebelius hopes to attend, Harris said, and Wichita Mayor Carl Brewer will declare this "Phil Stacey Day."
For Stacey's Wichita buddies, the visit feels sort of surreal.
They're used to seeing him when he swings through town and having unlimited access to his time.
This visit is different, though, said one of those friends, Darren Schopf. He's pretty sure he'll see Stacey while he's here, but Schopf bought tickets to the concert just to be sure.
"Normally, when he comes in to visit we spend a good amount of time with him," Schopf said. "But now, he's got a full schedule -- just like when we saw him in Los Angeles."
But tonight's sold-out concert isn't the only item on Stacey's whirlwind agenda.
He's going to meet with concert sponsors. Have a barbecue and reunion with old Wichita pals. Partake in his-and-hers massages with wife, Kendra.
And, per his own request, Stacey hopes to take a tour of Greensburg today.
"We're still hopeful he can do that," Brett Harris, the Wichita disc jockey who organized Stacey's trip, said Monday.
Stacey, a 1997 graduate of Wichita's Northwest High School, will perform tonight in front of a sold-out crowd of 2,900 at Central Christian Church.
Harris is hoping the show will raise $50,000 for the Salvation Army's fund for Greensburg Tornado Relief.
The concert came about after an off-hand comment Harris made to Stacey during a radio interview a couple of weeks ago.
Stacey had just been booted from "American Idol" (tied for a respectable fifth place) and had called in to Harris' morning radio program on B-98, (97.9-FM).
"It was in the middle of the interview, and I flippantly said, 'We need to drag you out here for a benefit concert,' " Harris said. "And there was a pause and then a, 'Sure. No problem.' "
It wasn't quite that simple, though.
For the next week, Harris spent his days on the phone trying to gain approval from "American Idol" people and from Stacey's superiors in the Navy, who had to agree to extend his leave by one day.
Then there was the matter of transportation. Harris, a flight enthusiast and pilot who does part-time sales for Yingling Aviation, discussed the visit with Yingling's president, Lynn Nichols. He promptly offered to charter a flight for Stacey and his family from their home in Jacksonville, Fla.
On Monday, Harris and a crew took a Yingling prop jet to Jacksonville to pick up Stacey, his wife, Kendra, and his two young daughters, Chloe and McKayla.
As soon as tonight's concert ends, they'll immediately board the plane and head back to Florida, where Stacey is expected to report for duty on Wednesday morning.
The concert, Harris said, will feature Stacey singing most of the tunes he performed while on "Idol," and he has plenty to choose from. During his 11-week-run, Stacey sang hits ranging from Bon Jovi's "Blaze of Glory" to Keith Urban's "Where the Blacktop Ends."
Stacey, who will be backed by local cover band Three Ring Circus, also hopes to perform a few hits by one of his Christian music heroes, the late Rich Mullins.
Among the concert attendees will be survivors of the Greensburg tornado and the Greensburg city administrator. Gov. Kathleen Sebelius hopes to attend, Harris said, and Wichita Mayor Carl Brewer will declare this "Phil Stacey Day."
For Stacey's Wichita buddies, the visit feels sort of surreal.
They're used to seeing him when he swings through town and having unlimited access to his time.
This visit is different, though, said one of those friends, Darren Schopf. He's pretty sure he'll see Stacey while he's here, but Schopf bought tickets to the concert just to be sure.
"Normally, when he comes in to visit we spend a good amount of time with him," Schopf said. "But now, he's got a full schedule -- just like when we saw him in Los Angeles."
'Idol' runner-up McPhee projects a new image
Coupled with her new sex-kitten image, Katharine McPhee's sound suggests that she’d be a strong candidate for the Pussycat Dolls reality show.Taylor Hicks is headlining in clubs and casinos. Kellie Pickler is opening for Brad Paisley. Chart-topping Chris Daughtry is gigging all over the place.
Last year’s “American Idol” finalists are working it harder than any of their predecessors.
Runnerup Katharine McPhee has hit the radio-concert circuit, Minneapolis, Allentown, Pa., and New Haven, Conn.
McPhee, 23, is promoting her self-titled CD, which was a curveball to “Idol” worshippers. After showing off her big, Broadway-ready voice on TV, she gave herself a musical makeover, serving up a collection of dance pop, R&B and pop.
Coupled with her new sex-kitten image, the sound suggests that she’d be a strong candidate for the Pussycat Dolls reality show.
We caught up with McPhee — her publicist calls her Katharine, not Kat — before she started her radio tour to talk about her single (“Over It”), career and “Over the Rainbow.” She was much more talkative than champion Hicks — and a lot funnier.
Q. What can we expect from you?
A. I’ll be singing four to five songs. You’ll get to know me a little bit more as a personality and as performer. Because on “Idol” you didn’t get to see us perform; it was like one two-minute song and then you were finished. This gives you a chance to let the nerves subside.
Q. We’re not going to hear “Over the Rainbow,” I take it.
A. No, you’re not. I’m sorry.
Q. When was the last time you performed that?
A. Gosh, I don’t even remember. On the “Idol” tour, I sang it every night.
Q. People look at your album cover and wonder if you’re going to wear the over-the-knee boots and sweater for this performance.
A. No.
Q. Is that an outfit you wear very often?
A. Oh, yeah. I wear it out all the time. Heh-heh-heh.
Q. You had a glamorous image on “Idol.” What kind of image are you looking for now?
A. It’s more about what’s in right now. I like little dresses. I still like the long dresses as well. It’s summer so a little bit more cute, sexy. An album cover is really different from what you wear every day. At least this album cover.
Q. Your album had a big first week of sales (116,000) and then has slowed down. How do you feel about the reaction to the album so far?
A. It’s what I predicted it would be with the current single. I don’t think it was one of those songs that was going to drive record sales up to crazy numbers. It’s a good introduction to the new sound. It wasn’t my favorite song off the new record; so I’ll be candid about that. More important, I’m really excited about the next single, which is “Love Story.”
Q. There are a lot of different musical styles on the album. What were you trying to do?
A. My initial approach for the record was to have it in the vein of “Love Story,” “Not Ur Girl,” “We’ve Got Each Other.” Then a few ballads made it on. There are a lot of politics that go on with the first record and a lot of things that you don’t think you have control over and then later you realize ‘oh, I had a little bit more control than I thought.’ ... I think it’ll be a little more my way on the second record.
Q. Your album hasn’t been a blockbuster and either has Taylor’s. How do you feel about that?
A. I think the record industry is in a weird place right now. Considering that Taylor didn’t have anything on the radio, he’s done pretty well for himself.
I have to say I’m very satisfied where I am right now. Coming off a show where everything happens so fast and you rise to the top so quickly, (it’s good) being able to kind of be on the other side now and see how other artists have to start out. I can certainly say now that I’ve had to do things to try to work my way to the top; it wasn’t just all handed to me. I kind of appreciate this way my music is evolving. We have three more singles to go. As far as sales go, I don’t pay attention to the weekly reports nor do I want to know about them.
Q. You have said that “American Idol” saved your life. Could you explain what you mean by that?
A. I was able to be more focused on my career and the possibilities of what could happen as opposed to an eating disorder.
Q. Was being runnerup a blessing or a curse?
A. Everything has been a blessing. Chris will tell you that being fourth is a blessing; he’s doing great. We’re all doing great in our own way. We’re all hitting different markets. If I had won, I’d probably be in the same situation right now. That’s fine with me.
Q. When you appeared on Tyra Banks’ show in February, people wonder about what you thought when she grabbed your breast to determine if it was real or enhanced?
A. Well, she asked me. It was just a fun, cute little show. I didn’t realize that people would make such a big deal about it for weeks to come. That’s how I’m with with my girlfriends — I’m really playful and fun. That’s what it was like with Tyra. I was just having her help me clarify a rumor.
Q. You appeared on the sitcom “Ugly Betty.” What’s your future with acting and dancing?
A. I’m taking ballet. Just kidding. I’m not like: “Oh, the door’s open; I have to get into a movie.” I’d rather take some time to find the perfect project than to just rush into something.
Monday, May 28, 2007
American Idol – Self Improvement Brought to Life By Jordin Sparks
So, another season of American Idol comes to an end with the crowning of Jordin Sparks as American Idol 2007. On the night, she was a deserving winner, as well as being a beautiful person and a wonderful singer. Only the most cynical and spiteful of observers can argue that American Idol does not produce some great singers, it does; or that Jordin is not one of them, she is. We know already that the top three, as last year, will probably be superstars. So we can look forward to great things and big album sales from Melinda Doolittle and Blake Lewis, as well as Jordin.
Apart from loving music of many types, one of the reasons I enjoy American Idol is the way, when it gets down to the final 16 and the serious singing contest, you can watch as young talented people develop before your eyes. The whole process of American Idol ensures that every contestant, making the final stages in Hollywood, will get coaching and encouragement by professionals in their field; singing, performance, image, dress, movement around the stage, and every other aspect of being a star singer, everything seems to be covered, as you can observe those who are destined to succeed listen watch and learn.
Apart from that, you can observe the pressure mount each week and see how each contestant handles it. To be successful, they need to absorb and grow, just as with any other profession. But in their case, they do so under intense publicity over a four month period; the successful have to soak up more and more pressure each week. Some respond well to the pressure, while others start to fade and cannot move to the next level of performance needed to reach the top 6 and beyond. Most start from obscurity; many come from relatively poor backgrounds.
Self improvement writers can be quite snobbish, and many would dismiss a so called reality show, especially when they see the freak show element of American Idol, as being of any relevance with success or achievement. They would be wrong to do so. Each year in American Idol we see great examples of young people going through a self development process, condensed into a very short period of time.
Transformations can be outstanding, as you observe some singers improve week by week in every aspect of their performance. You also get to see how they respond to set backs, such as having to sing outside of their comfort zone, or incur the wrath of Simon Cowell’s barbed tongue. Others you can see grow for a while and then suddenly fade; it is a fascinating show to observe. To me it is simply a singing or talent contest, not a reality show, which consistently reveals some amazing talents in American youth.
Jordin Sparks has been one of the best examples yet. Although I have always liked Jordin, when the contest first started she seemed far off the talent levels of the likes of Melinda Doolittle and Lakisha Jones. However, by the time she reached the top 10 I was starting to take more notice. “Jordin’s going to make the top 4, even the final”, I began to tell myself.
Of all the contestants, Jordin Sparks improved the most over the period of the contest, and as we reached the top 5 she was running quite close to Melinda in some performances. I was starting to see a Melinda/Jordin final, rather than a Lakisha/Melinda final. In the end, we had a Blake/Jordin final, and it was Jordin who carried the crown.
So, why did Jordin progress so much? Why did she become the 2007 American Idol and not Blake Lewis, Lakisha Jones or Melinda Doolittle?
In the end, her bubbly personality, beauty, and youth may have helped tip the balance in her favor. But they would have meant little if she had not persevered in developing her singing talent as the contest went on. What she was able to do was take her singing ability, and work at it as hard as she could for the duration of the contest. She showed strength of character whenever there was any criticism, and she learnt from her mistakes as she went along. Off screen, I suspect she was one of the keenest contestants when it came to listening to the advice of her advisors, those who were already in the business and knew how to become a star in every respect.
Ultimately, she did just enough to become a deserving American Idol; a beautiful young woman (in all ways) who has star quality written right across her face; but her head and heart have remained exactly in the right place, all through the contest, right until the final.
No wonder her proud parents watched with awe and tears combined. Their daughter, Jordin Sparks, is a star, but a personable and modest one who we will see so much more of over the coming decades.
Apart from loving music of many types, one of the reasons I enjoy American Idol is the way, when it gets down to the final 16 and the serious singing contest, you can watch as young talented people develop before your eyes. The whole process of American Idol ensures that every contestant, making the final stages in Hollywood, will get coaching and encouragement by professionals in their field; singing, performance, image, dress, movement around the stage, and every other aspect of being a star singer, everything seems to be covered, as you can observe those who are destined to succeed listen watch and learn.
Apart from that, you can observe the pressure mount each week and see how each contestant handles it. To be successful, they need to absorb and grow, just as with any other profession. But in their case, they do so under intense publicity over a four month period; the successful have to soak up more and more pressure each week. Some respond well to the pressure, while others start to fade and cannot move to the next level of performance needed to reach the top 6 and beyond. Most start from obscurity; many come from relatively poor backgrounds.
Self improvement writers can be quite snobbish, and many would dismiss a so called reality show, especially when they see the freak show element of American Idol, as being of any relevance with success or achievement. They would be wrong to do so. Each year in American Idol we see great examples of young people going through a self development process, condensed into a very short period of time.
Transformations can be outstanding, as you observe some singers improve week by week in every aspect of their performance. You also get to see how they respond to set backs, such as having to sing outside of their comfort zone, or incur the wrath of Simon Cowell’s barbed tongue. Others you can see grow for a while and then suddenly fade; it is a fascinating show to observe. To me it is simply a singing or talent contest, not a reality show, which consistently reveals some amazing talents in American youth.
Jordin Sparks has been one of the best examples yet. Although I have always liked Jordin, when the contest first started she seemed far off the talent levels of the likes of Melinda Doolittle and Lakisha Jones. However, by the time she reached the top 10 I was starting to take more notice. “Jordin’s going to make the top 4, even the final”, I began to tell myself.
Of all the contestants, Jordin Sparks improved the most over the period of the contest, and as we reached the top 5 she was running quite close to Melinda in some performances. I was starting to see a Melinda/Jordin final, rather than a Lakisha/Melinda final. In the end, we had a Blake/Jordin final, and it was Jordin who carried the crown.
So, why did Jordin progress so much? Why did she become the 2007 American Idol and not Blake Lewis, Lakisha Jones or Melinda Doolittle?
In the end, her bubbly personality, beauty, and youth may have helped tip the balance in her favor. But they would have meant little if she had not persevered in developing her singing talent as the contest went on. What she was able to do was take her singing ability, and work at it as hard as she could for the duration of the contest. She showed strength of character whenever there was any criticism, and she learnt from her mistakes as she went along. Off screen, I suspect she was one of the keenest contestants when it came to listening to the advice of her advisors, those who were already in the business and knew how to become a star in every respect.
Ultimately, she did just enough to become a deserving American Idol; a beautiful young woman (in all ways) who has star quality written right across her face; but her head and heart have remained exactly in the right place, all through the contest, right until the final.
No wonder her proud parents watched with awe and tears combined. Their daughter, Jordin Sparks, is a star, but a personable and modest one who we will see so much more of over the coming decades.
'American Idol' LaKisha Jones Visits Hometown
FLINT, Mich. -- LaKisha Jones made a triumphant return to her hometown Sunday night, when an estimated 500 people turned out to welcome the "American Idol" contestant.
Fans, some carrying posters, balloons and roses, chanted "Kisha! Kisha!" as Jones rode down the escalator at Bishop Airport in her first visit to Flint since January.
"Hello, Flint! It's good to be here!" Jones told the crowd swarming around her podium in the airport lobby. "I want to thank Flint for your love, your support, your encouragement and your votes."
The 27-year-old bank clerk became a fixture on the top-rated Fox television singing competition. Jones made the semifinals in February, got an on-camera kiss from sometimes-churlish judge Simon Cowell and remained in the running until May 9, when she was outpolled by Melinda Doolittle, Blake Lewis and eventual winner Jordin Sparks.
Jones flew from Los Angeles to Flint to pick up her 4-year-old daughter, Brionne, who stayed with Jones' mother, Beverly Jefferson, during her "Idol" run. She and her daughter were to leave Tuesday for a visit to Houston, where she lived for six years, The Flint Journal reported.
Jones told the Flint crowd she looked forward to a longer stay in June, when the city will hold a rally in her honor.
Fans, some carrying posters, balloons and roses, chanted "Kisha! Kisha!" as Jones rode down the escalator at Bishop Airport in her first visit to Flint since January.
"Hello, Flint! It's good to be here!" Jones told the crowd swarming around her podium in the airport lobby. "I want to thank Flint for your love, your support, your encouragement and your votes."
The 27-year-old bank clerk became a fixture on the top-rated Fox television singing competition. Jones made the semifinals in February, got an on-camera kiss from sometimes-churlish judge Simon Cowell and remained in the running until May 9, when she was outpolled by Melinda Doolittle, Blake Lewis and eventual winner Jordin Sparks.
Jones flew from Los Angeles to Flint to pick up her 4-year-old daughter, Brionne, who stayed with Jones' mother, Beverly Jefferson, during her "Idol" run. She and her daughter were to leave Tuesday for a visit to Houston, where she lived for six years, The Flint Journal reported.
Jones told the Flint crowd she looked forward to a longer stay in June, when the city will hold a rally in her honor.
AMERICAN IDOL - Why do we watch Dancing and Singing talent shows?
There a thousands of young adults that can sing and dance. They wait in line, in the rain, in the heat and in the hope they will get picked to be on either of Fox's top rated talent shows Fox Broadcasting Company: So You Think You Can Dance and American Idol: Official FOX Site . They want to be the next Carrie Underwood, or Benji Schwimmer. Their friends and family encourage them to try out, some of them are real good and others ... well then there are others. In the never ending race of ratings, the producers of these shows focus more on the bad than the good in the first weeks. It is not really kind or funny, but they think it is. The good ones stand out and you remember what city they started out in as they carry out the accepting letter to go Hollywood and be in the finals.
So in the interest of time, I skip to the last weeks of the finals, when it gets down to 12 contestants in each show. I root and rave about my favorite. I wanted to be a Broadway dancer, so dancing makes me smile. As far as a singer, that was never encouraged by my family, so I would never have to be profiled on the bad entries. Each week, each show spotlights different genres-- Hip Hop, Waltz and Free Style-- on So You Think You Can Dance. On AI, they have Bon Jovi, Blues, or Pop music. It gives the group of hopefuls a chance to show their range of talent. While one may be great at Hip Hop or the Blues, they don't do well at Waltz or Bon Jovi.
What the producers want is an overall talent that transcends all the genres. They want the American standard. The triple talent. One that can sing, dance and have that special something. The thing that makes them shine. The thing that makes us fall in love with them. Each season, as the final show arrives, the winners from previous years are brought back to show how they fared. Every now and then, there may be someone that fans forgot, but they get their moment in the sun again for 15 more minutes.
This week on AI, voters picked a new winner. With far more votes than in any American Presidential Election that I know of, over 70 millions viewers voted and Jordin Sparks won over Blake Lewis. Two very different singers appealing to different fans. In fact, the last 4 or 5 finalists will do well. Remember Clay Aiken or Chris Daughtry?
ON SYTYCD, last years winner-- Benji Schwimmer-- is not so famous. But he was one heck of a dancer and very much liked by this old gal. Thursday, Fox starts a new season of the dancing show and I will be dancing along with it. But this show can not compare to ABC's Dancing with the Stars. The kids on So You Think You Can Dance have done nothing else but train to dance all their young lives. They eat, sleep and dream dance. They don't have famous friends to cheer them on. They rely of the extra job their parents take to afford dancing lessons. They stay after school to use the Gym. They use baby sitting money and after school jobs to buy their dance shoes.
Dancing and singing is a God given talent, so I stand up and cheer for each one that gets a chance to share that talent with the fans. Each final show brings me joy in seeing a young adult get a chance to make their dreams come true. We watch to see the kid next door make good. To see the pride in their families for all the hard work that brought them to this time and place. We watch because this is reality TV. Nice things happening to nice people. Not like a Jerry Springer show that rips people’s lives apart as the crowd cheers. I only cheer for winners and the talent shows are the ones to watch, for me.
So in the interest of time, I skip to the last weeks of the finals, when it gets down to 12 contestants in each show. I root and rave about my favorite. I wanted to be a Broadway dancer, so dancing makes me smile. As far as a singer, that was never encouraged by my family, so I would never have to be profiled on the bad entries. Each week, each show spotlights different genres-- Hip Hop, Waltz and Free Style-- on So You Think You Can Dance. On AI, they have Bon Jovi, Blues, or Pop music. It gives the group of hopefuls a chance to show their range of talent. While one may be great at Hip Hop or the Blues, they don't do well at Waltz or Bon Jovi.
What the producers want is an overall talent that transcends all the genres. They want the American standard. The triple talent. One that can sing, dance and have that special something. The thing that makes them shine. The thing that makes us fall in love with them. Each season, as the final show arrives, the winners from previous years are brought back to show how they fared. Every now and then, there may be someone that fans forgot, but they get their moment in the sun again for 15 more minutes.
This week on AI, voters picked a new winner. With far more votes than in any American Presidential Election that I know of, over 70 millions viewers voted and Jordin Sparks won over Blake Lewis. Two very different singers appealing to different fans. In fact, the last 4 or 5 finalists will do well. Remember Clay Aiken or Chris Daughtry?
ON SYTYCD, last years winner-- Benji Schwimmer-- is not so famous. But he was one heck of a dancer and very much liked by this old gal. Thursday, Fox starts a new season of the dancing show and I will be dancing along with it. But this show can not compare to ABC's Dancing with the Stars. The kids on So You Think You Can Dance have done nothing else but train to dance all their young lives. They eat, sleep and dream dance. They don't have famous friends to cheer them on. They rely of the extra job their parents take to afford dancing lessons. They stay after school to use the Gym. They use baby sitting money and after school jobs to buy their dance shoes.
Dancing and singing is a God given talent, so I stand up and cheer for each one that gets a chance to share that talent with the fans. Each final show brings me joy in seeing a young adult get a chance to make their dreams come true. We watch to see the kid next door make good. To see the pride in their families for all the hard work that brought them to this time and place. We watch because this is reality TV. Nice things happening to nice people. Not like a Jerry Springer show that rips people’s lives apart as the crowd cheers. I only cheer for winners and the talent shows are the ones to watch, for me.