I have to admit -- I'm addicted to Perez Hilton.
The celebrity gossip blogger, who has gotten so popular he reportedly gets 5 million visits to his site each day, is annoying, self-important, and totally full of himself, but the truth is, he breaks news. The comments from the readers on his site can be nasty, but generally the readership seems to know what they are getting into when they visit his blog, and they respond accordingly.
But yesterday, something interesting happened.
Early in the day on January 30, internet reports began to surface saying that there was an "explosive" video of Heath Ledger doing and talking about drugs. Then came word that Entertainment Tonight and other venues would show the video, followed by actual promos on these shows which showed footage from the video. Perez lambasted these shows, asserting that it was not their place to put this forth to the public.
Keep in mind, this is coming from someone who ridicules celebrities by drawing things on pictures of them and calling them juvenile names. It's also coming from someone who documents the Britney Spears mental health meltdown like he was a constitutional scholar. Just saying.
Anyways...last night, Perez posted a link to the Heath Ledger video.
I didn't watch it -- I couldn't. Apparently, I'm not alone -- within minutes, there were hundreds of comments from loyal Perez leaders genuinely upset with their blog guru for stepping over the line. Here is an example of one comment:
"u gotta be kidding me? even et and the insider are taking it back and you show it? that's it I am done with this site…
wow i thought nothing could surprise me in the media anymore but you leave me speechless.."
There were literally hundreds others like it.
Now, to be fair, Perez didn't actually post the video on his site, he simply provided his readers with a link. And, like it or not, it is news.
However, something about Heath Ledger's death, combined with the endless public deterioration of Britney Spears, seems to be making people a little tired with the celebrity mill. Will it be the case that, as many commenters suggested, people will give up on Perez now that they think he has crossed the line? Probably not, at least not in any immediate, significant way. But it'll certainly be interesting to see what happens next...
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Is The Tide Changing? Perez Hilton Lambasted for Posting Heath Ledger Drug Video
Some Miami American Idol Auditions Sizzle; Others Not So Much
I'm officially feeling American Idol audition fatigue.
That's not to say there weren't some good contestants in Miami -- there were. Boy bander turned rocker Robbie Carrico showed off an impressive set of pipes, and tiny spitfire Ramiele Mulaby's rendition of "Natural Woman" was quite impressive. And let's not forget Syesha Mercado, whose got a great backstory (father just graduated from rehab) and wailed "Think" with total abandon. All three could end up doing quite well in the competition.
Believe it or not, it's not even the awful auditions that are making me cringe (although, to be honest, I could barely stomach Brandon Black's episode-closing debacle). Instead, it's the contestants that have a bit of talent but don't know how to audition, or the marginally talented folks that the judges end up putting through, that are tiring me out.
Shannon McGouh, the meat market girl who thinks she's Janis Joplin, and former American Juniors contestant Julie Dubela definitely fall into the first category . Neither one had a terrible voice, but they were both so sure they were going to make it through, and it was so clear that they were not going to make it through, that they were literally uncomfortable to watch. Why do the producers insist on showing us these trainwrecks?
As for the rest of the folks that made it through -- what were the judges thinking? I'll forgive the gold tickets for full-figured ladies Corliss Smith and Brittany Wescott, since they were both charming and good singers (although likely not good enough to be truly successful in the competition), but Ghaleb Emachah? I mean, are they actively searching for the next Sanjaya?
The good news? Only one more week before Hollywood round. Hallelujah!
MAJOR SPOILER: American Idol Top 24 Finalists Revealed!
Omaha Auditions -- Hiccups, Goth Wrestlers, and David Cook, Oh My!
Four Cities In, This Season's 15 Best American Idol Auditions So Far
Ten Best Initial American Idol Auditions of All Time
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
IDOL MADNESS Wednesday Report -- Only One Day Left to Vote in the Round of 32 Matches!
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There's only one more day of voting in the Round of 32, so spread the word to vote for your faves!
Voting for all Round of 32 matches ends Thursday January 31, 11:59PM EST.
Here are updates (as of 1/30 at 5:00PM EST) of the Round of 32 match-ups in all divisions. Click on any match-up to vote!
There look to be several upsets underway, and with only one day left of voting, there's very little time for some favorites to rebound. Among those in trouble: Taylor Hicks, Fantasia, Jordin Sparks, Chris Daughtry, Ruben Studdard and Katharine McPhee!
Matches to keep an eye on:
#4 Kimberley Locke vs. #5 Blake Lewis
#2 Chris Daughtry vs. # 7 Josh Gracin
#1 Taylor Hicks vs. #9 Constantine Maroulis
#2 Jordin Sparks vs. #7 Anthony Fedorov
#4 Katharine McPhee vs. #12 Gina Glocksen
#2 Ruben Studdard vs. #10 Kellie Pickler
Cowell Bracket
#1 Kelly Clarkson vs. #9 Chris Richardson
Today: Kelly 65.7%-34.3%
Jan. 29: Kelly 65.1%-34.9%
Jan. 27: Kelly 64%-36%
Jan. 26: Kelly 65.5%-34.5%
Jan 25: Kelly 67%-33%.
#2 Ruben Studdard vs. #10 Kellie Pickler
Today: Kellie 60.4%-39.6%
Jan. 29: Kellie 60.3%-39.7%
Jan. 27: Kellie 59%-41%
Jan. 26: Kellie 67%-33%
Jan 25: Kellie 66%-34%
#3 Tamyra Gray vs. #6 Jasmine Trias
Today: Jasmine 66.6%-33.4%
Jan. 29: Jasmine 65.1%-34.9%
Jan. 27: Jasmine 67%-33%
Jan. 26: Jasmine 72%-27%
Jan 25: Jasmine 75%-25%
#4 Jennifer Hudson vs. #5 Bo Bice
Today: Bo 56.8%-43.2%
Today: Bo 55.8%-44.2%
Jan. 27: Bo 58%-42%
Jan. 26: Bo 54%-46%
Jan. 25: Bo 55%-45%
Seacrest Bracket
#1 Taylor Hicks vs. #9 Constantine Maroulis
Today: Constantine 60%-40%
Jan. 29: Constantine 58.9%-41.1%
Jan. 27: Constantine 56%-44%
Jan. 26: Constantine 61%-39%
Jan 25: Constantine 75%-25%
#2 Clay Aiken vs. #7 RJ Helton
Today: Clay 73.4%-26.6%
Jan. 29: Clay 74.1%-25.9%
Jan. 27: Clay 70%-30%
Jan. 26: Clay 58%-42%
Jan 25: Clay 52%-48%
#3 Melinda Doolittle vs. #6 Vonzell Solomon
Today: Melinda 66.7%-33.3%
Jan. 29: Melinda 66.6%-33.4%
Jan. 27: Melinda 66%-34%
Jan. 26: Melinda 66%-34%
Jan. 25: Melinda 64%-36%
#5 LaKisha Jones vs. #13 Bucky Covington
Today: Bucky 69.8%-30.2%
Jan. 29: Bucky 69.3%-30.7%
Jan. 27: Bucky 71%-29%
Jan. 26: Bucky 71%-29%
Jan. 25: Bucky 72%-28%
Abdul Bracket
#1 Fantasia vs. #9 Ace Young
Today: Ace 67.4%-33.6%
Jan. 29: Ace 67.2%-33.8%
Jan. 27: Ace 66%-34%
Jan. 26: Ace 68-32%
Jan. 25: Ace 69%-31%
#2 Jordin Sparks vs. #7 Anthony Fedorov
Today: Anthony 57.9%-42.1%
Jan. 29: Anthony 56.5%-43.5%
Jan. 27: Anthony 56%-44%
Jan. 26: Anthony 52%-37%
Jan. 25: Jordin 58%-42%
#3 Elliott Yamin vs. #6 Nikki McKibbin
Today: Elliott 78.1%-21.9%
Jan. 29: Elliott 77.7%-22.3%
Jan. 27: Elliott 76%-24%
Jan. 26: Elliott 77%-23%
Jan. 25: Elliott 81%-19%
#4 Kimberley Locke vs. #5 Blake Lewis
Today: Blake 51.2%-48.8%
Jan. 29: Blake 51.1%-48.9%
Jan. 27: Blake 51.7%-48.3%
Jan. 26: Blake 51.5%-48.5%
Jan. 25: Kimberley 50.2%-49.8%
Jackson Bracket
#1 Carrie Underwood vs. #9 Mandisa Hundley
Today: Carrie 71.5%-28.5%
Jan. 29: Carrie 71.7%-28.3%
Jan. 27: Carrie 72.4%-27.6%
Jan. 26: Carrie 76%-24%
Jan. 25: Carrie 80%-20%
#2 Chris Daughtry vs. # 7 Josh Gracin
Today: Josh 54%-46%
Jan. 29: Josh 53.9%-46.1%
Jan. 27: Josh 58%-42%
Jan. 26: Josh 50.3%-49.7%
Jan. 25: Chris 55%-45%
#3 Latoya London vs. #11 Anwar Robinson
Today: Latoya 56.7%-43.3%
Jan. 29: Latoya 57.5%-42.5%
Jan. 27: Latoya 58.5%-41.5%
Jan. 26: Latoya 57%-43%
Jan. 25: Latoya 62%-37%
#4 Katharine McPhee vs. #12 Gina Glocksen
Today: Gina 54.9%-45.1%
Jan. 29: Gina 55%-45%
Jan. 27: Gina 55%-45%
Jan. 26: Gina 52%-48%
Jan. 25: Katharine 53%-47%
Video of Idina Menzel Singing "Brave" on The Today Show
Here's a video of Idina Menzel singing an acoustic version of "Brave" on yesterday's Today Show. Her new album is in stores now.
I do love me some Idina!
Jordin Sparks Will Sing National Anthem at Super Bowl, Release "No Air" Duet With Chris Brown
While we continue to watch the newest crop of American Idol wannabes make it to the big stage, here's some updates on last year's champ.
Jordin Sparks will sing the National Anthem at this Sunday's Super Bowl -- not entirely surprising since the game is being broadcast on FOX. But talk about exposure -- the game is expected to draw more than 100 million sets of eyeballs!
In other Jordin news, the next single from her debut album will be "No Air," her duet with Chris Brown. You can stream the audio from this song by clicking here.
I wasn't the biggest fan of Jordin's first single "Tattoo," but I actually quite like this R&B ballad. What do you think?
American Idol's Omaha Auditions: Hiccups, Goth Wrestlers and David Cook, Oh My!
Click here to read: MAJOR SPOILER: American Idol Top 24 Finalists Revealed!
American Idol's first trip to Omaha, Nebraska wielded some mixed results, and some strange behavior on the part of the judges. In other words, par for the course in Idol-land.
First of all, Paula was wasted. This wouldn't usually be noteworthy, but she's actually seemed pretty sober (at least by Paula standards) throughout the season so far, so her loopiness was especially apparent tonight. Perhaps, since her flight was "delayed," she took a few of her special pills. I'm just saying...
And also -- the hiccup! I laughed for five minutes straight, no joke.
And then there was that business with Ryan being a judge. Blah -- funny judge antics -- blah.
As for the contestants, they fell into three categories: terrible, kinda good but nothing special, and David Cook.
The most memorable folks to fall into the first category were Kelly Clarkson stalker Chris Bernheisel and goth wrestler Sara Whitaker, aka Lady Morgue. Both were pretty scary. That's about all that needs to be said.
As for the second category, where most of the people to receive tickets to Hollywood fall, it's a group that showed sparks of talent, but failed to really impress. Jason Rich had a nice tone to his voice, but he screwed up his lyrics so badly that I couldn't take him seriously as a contender. Rachael Wicker, arm wrestling champion of the world, had a lovely Dolly Parton thing going on, but is she nearly versatile to compete in this competition? Samantha Sidley was cute and sounded great on Norah Jones' "Don't Know Why," but she didn't really sing. Leo Marlowe was charming and likable, but is he a star? And Angela Puente hit the notes, but she was clearly doing a Celine Dion impression.
Any of these Idol wannabes could step it up in the next round, or in front of an audience. But for now, I'm left wanting more.
Which is absolutely not the case with David Cook. Oh, David Cook, how excited am I to see you? All it takes to make a good Idol season is a few good singers, and David Cook definitely qualifies, laying down "Living on a Prayer" without breaking a sweat. He has a quirky appeal, and based on what I've heard, I'd guess he'll actually be able to tackle different style of music with more ease than Chris Daughtry was. Welcome to the party, David Cook!
MAJOR SPOILER: American Idol Top 24 Finalists Revealed!
Four Cities In, This Season's 15 Best American Idol Auditions So Far
Ten Best Initial American Idol Auditions of All Time
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Daughtry and Underwood Swap Spots for the Third Straight Week on the Album Sales Chart
Chris Daughtry and Carrie Underwood continue to swap spots on the album sales chart, with Daughtry coming out on top this week. This is the third straight week the two Idol alumni have traded places.
Daughtry sold 21K albums this week, which put him at #19 on the chart, four spots higher than he was last week. Underwood, meanwhile, sold just under 20K albums, good enough for the #22 spot, a four spot drop from last week. Looks like this back-and-forth will continue for some time to come.
Jordin Sparks is still hangin' tough in the Top 50, selling 13K albums and falling two spots from last week.
This week's top 5 albums were the soundtrack to Juno (66K), Alicia Keys (59K), Natasha Bedingfield (50K), Mary J Blige (45K) and Radiohead (35K).
Numbers courtesy of Hits Daily Double
IDOL MADNESS: Tuesday Report
Spread the word to vote for your faves!
Remember, voting for all Round of 32 matches ends Thursday January 31, 11:59PM EST, so there's plenty of time to still vote!
Here are updates (as of 1/27 at 7:00PM EST) of the Round of 32 match-ups in all divisions. Click on any match-up to vote!
Chris Daughtry appears to be making a last minute push in his battle with Josh Gracin; Jordin Sparks and Katharine McPhee are still struggling with Gina Glocksen and Anthony Fedorov, respectively; Blake Lewis and Kimberley Locke continue to meet each other vote-for-vote; and Taylor Hicks and Constantine Maroulis' fanbases continue to spar.
Matches to keep an eye on:
#4 Kimberley Locke vs. #5 Blake Lewis
#2 Chris Daughtry vs. # 7 Josh Gracin
#1 Taylor Hicks vs. #9 Constantine Maroulis
#2 Jordin Sparks vs. #7 Anthony Fedorov
#4 Katharine McPhee vs. #12 Gina Glocksen
#2 Ruben Studdard vs. #10 Kellie Pickler
Cowell Bracket
#1 Kelly Clarkson vs. #9 Chris Richardson
Today: Kelly 65.1%-35.9%
Today: Kelly 64%-36%
Yesterday: Kelly 65.5%-34.5%
Jan 25: Kelly 67%-33%.
#2 Ruben Studdard vs. #10 Kellie Pickler
Today: Kellie 60.3%-39.7%
Jan. 27: Kellie 59%-41%
Jan. 26: Kellie 67%-33%
Jan 25: Kellie 66%-34%
#3 Tamyra Gray vs. #6 Jasmine Trias
Today: Jasmine 65.1%-34.9%
Jan. 27: Jasmine 67%-33%
Jan. 26: Jasmine 72%-27%
Jan 25: Jasmine 75%-25%
#4 Jennifer Hudson vs. #5 Bo Bice
Today: Bo 55.8%-44.2%
Jan. 27: Bo 58%-42%
Jan. 26: Bo 54%-46%
Jan. 25: Bo 55%-45%
Seacrest Bracket
#1 Taylor Hicks vs. #9 Constantine Maroulis
Today: Constantine 58.9%-41.1%
Jan. 27: Constantine 56%-44%
Jan. 26: Constantine 61%-39%
Jan 25: Constantine 75%-25%
#2 Clay Aiken vs. #7 RJ Helton
Today: Clay 74.1%-25.9%
Jan. 27: Clay 70%-30%
Jan. 26: Clay 58%-42%
Jan 25: Clay 52%-48%
#3 Melinda Doolittle vs. #6 Vonzell Solomon
Today: Melinda 66.6%-33.4%
Jan. 27: Melinda 66%-34%
Jan. 26: Melinda 66%-34%
Jan. 25: Melinda 64%-36%
#5 LaKisha Jones vs. #13 Bucky Covington
Today: Bucky 69.3%-30.7%
Jan. 27: Bucky 71%-29%
Jan. 26: Bucky 71%-29%
Jan. 25: Bucky 72%-28%
Abdul Bracket
#1 Fantasia vs. #9 Ace Young
Today: Ace 67.2%-33.8%
Jan. 27: Ace 66%-34%
Jan. 26: Ace 68-32%
Jan. 25: Ace 69%-31%
#2 Jordin Sparks vs. #7 Anthony Fedorov
Today: Anthony 56.5%-43.5%
Jan. 27: Anthony 56%-44%
Jan. 26: Anthony 52%-37%
Jan. 25: Jordin 58%-42%
#3 Elliott Yamin vs. #6 Nikki McKibbin
Today: Elliott 77.7%-22.3%
Jan. 27: Elliott 76%-24%
Jan. 26: Elliott 77%-23%
Jan. 25: Elliott 81%-19%
#4 Kimberley Locke vs. #5 Blake Lewis
Today: Blake 51.1%-48.9%
Jan. 27: Blake 51.7%-48.3%
Jan. 26: Blake 51.5%-48.5%
Jan. 25: Kimberley 50.2%-49.8%
Jackson Bracket
#1 Carrie Underwood vs. #9 Mandisa Hundley
Today: Carrie 71.7%-28.3%
Jan. 27: Carrie 72.4%-27.6%
Jan. 26: Carrie 76%-24%
Jan. 25: Carrie 80%-20%
#2 Chris Daughtry vs. # 7 Josh Gracin
Today: Josh 53.9%-46.1%
Today: Josh 58%-42%
Yesterday: Josh 50.3%-49.7%
Jan. 25: Chris 55%-45%
#3 Latoya London vs. #11 Anwar Robinson
Today: Latoya 57.5%-42.5%
Jan. 27: Latoya 58.5%-41.5%
Jan. 26: Latoya 57%-43%
Jan. 25: Latoya 62%-37%
#4 Katharine McPhee vs. #12 Gina Glocksen
Today: Gina 55%-45%
Jan. 27: Gina 55%-45%
Jan. 26: Gina 52%-48%
Jan. 25: Katharine 53%-47%
Strike Talks Reportedly Going Well -- A Deal Within Reach?
I love reality TV as much (if not more) than the next person, but I've gotta admit -- I'm missin' my shows! Brothers & Sisters! Grey's Anatomy! Come back!
Well, there appears to be a chance they just might. The Los Angeles Times is reporting that discussions between the WGA and the major studios is going well, and that an agreement could be reached by the end of the week. Hallelujah!
According to the paper, both sides have narrowed the gap between them in some key areas, including how much writers should earn when films and TV shows are distributed online.
Of course, until an agreement is actually reached the discussions could still fall apart. However, the Times says, "There is guarded optimism on both sides that the outlines of a deal could be reached as early as this week, paving the way for formal negotiations."
Once again I say -- hallelujah!
February Premiere Dates and Specials: Survivor, Big Brother, Top Model and More!
February is just around the corner, which means a slew of new shows (Lipstick Jungle, Baby Borrowers) season premieres (Big Brother, Survivor, Top Model, Jericho), specials (Grammys and Oscars, Celine Dion) and TV movies (A Raisin in the Sun).
Here's a list of premiere dates
Sunday February 3
6:00 PM FOX Super Bowl!
10:15 PM FOX House
Wednesday February 6
8:00 PM The CW America's Next Top Model: Favorite Moments
Thursday February 7
8:00 PM CBS Survivor: Fans vs. Favorites
10:00 PM MTV Randy Jackson Presents: America's Best Dance Crew
10:01 PM NBC Lipstick Jungle
Sunday February 10
8:00 PM CBS Grammy Awards
Tuesday February 12
9:00 PM CBS Big Brother 9, Tuesday premiere
10:00 PM CBS Jericho
Wednesday February 13
8:00 PM The CW America's Next Top Model: Favorite Moments Part II
8:00PM CBS Big Brother 9, Wednesday premiere
Friday February 15
9:00 PM CBS Special: Celine Dion: That's Just the Woman in Me
Sunday February 17
8:00 PM CBS Big Brother 9, Sunday premiere
9:00 PM NBC Knight Rider: Pilot
10:00 PM CBS Dexter (cable run series premiere)
Monday February 18
8:00 PM NBC Baby Borrowers
9:00 PM The CW Pussycat Dolls Present: Girlicious
9:00 PM NBC Quarterlife
Wednesday February 20
8:00 PM The CW America's Next Top Model
Sunday February 24
7:00 PM ABC Barbara Walters Oscar Special
8:30 PM ABC 80th Annual Academy Awards
Monday February 25
8:00 PM FOX Moment of Truth
8:00 ABC TV Movie: A Raisin in the Sun
More Naked Fun on Make Me a Supermodel
They certainly like nudity on Bravo's Make Me a Supermodel.
According to the video preview below, the contesants are asked to be nude models in an art class on this week's episodes. Any excuse to get those clothes off!
Monday, January 28, 2008
MAJOR SPOILER: American Idol 7 Top 24 Revealed!
SPOILER! SPOILER! SPOILER!
The spoilers keep on coming for American Idol 7 -- first there was the revelation of the Top 50 Finalists with Photos and Myspace pages, and now, courtesy of BuddyTV, comes the alleged list of finalists who have made it to the Top 24.
Stop reading now if you want to be surprised!
And remember -- take all spoilers with a grain of salt.
Here are the rumored Top 24...
Top 12 Girls
Asiah Epperson
Alaina Whitaker
Alex Lushington
Amanda Overmyer
Amy Davis
Brooke White
Carly Hennessy Smithson
Joanne Borgella
Kady Malloy
Kristy Lee Cook
Ramielle Malubay
Syesha Mercado
Top 12 Guys
Chikeze Eze
Colton Berry
Danny Noriega
David Archuleta
David Cook
David Hernandez
Garrett Haley
Jason Castro
Jason Yeager
Luke Menard
Michael Lee Johns
Robbie Carrico
Four Cities In: American Idol 7's 15 Best Auditions So Far
We're about to head into the third week of initial American Idol auditions, and believe it or not, we've actually seen some talented folk! If past seasons are any indication, several of the contenders who seem strong in their initial auditions will collapse upon reaching Hollywood, while others who we have yet to see will soon step into the limelight.
Note: In making this list, I have not consulted the recently revealed alleged list of Top 24 Finalists -- click here to read that spoiler-ific list.
All we have to go on is what we've seen so far, though, so here's a look at my 15 favorite auditions from the first four cities:
1. Carly Smithson (San Diego)
Ladies and gentlemen, I think we've found a frontrunner. This girl is amazing! Part Kelly Clarkson, part Pink, she sounded awesome singing "I'm Every Woman," hitting notes that the other girls we've seen so far wouldn't even dream of trying to hit, a capella no less. And how lovely and genuine does she seem? Speaking up for her tattooed boyfriend, and declaring how hard she's going to work and how she hopes that this is her year? I love her already.
2. Perrie Cataldo (San Diego)
Sure he has a rap sheet, but who cares when he's got a voice like that! In fact, this single father's voice as he sang "I'll Make Love To You" vaguely reminded me of Elliott Yamin, which I mean as a very high compliment. His heartbreaking backstory (and his adorable son) won't hurt him one bit -- this guy seems like a definite Top 10 contender.
3. Michael Johns (San Diego)
I've never heard Otis Redding's "I've Been Loving You Too Long," so I have no idea if that is what the song is actually supposed to sound like, but to my ears (and eyes), this guy is the real deal. He also seems like he'd be versatile -- he'd nail the country and soul themes, and could probably rock out as well. And that Australian accent? I approve.
4. Kristi Lee Cook (Philadelphia)
After the success of Carrie, Bucky and Kellie, you'd think last year would have been flooded with country hopefuls, but there was nary a country crooner in the bunch. Perhaps this year will be different, especially with Kristi, who is a bit like Carrie Underwood with more of an edge, in the mix. Clearly the producers think she's something special, as they teased this "cage fighting singer" throughout the Philadelphia episode. It was worth the wait -- her gorgeous rendition of "Amazing Grace" easily made her the city's best audition. Expect to see this girl in the Top 10.
5. Colton Swon (Dallas)
If Bucky Covington and Josh Gracin can get country music careers out of Idol, there doesn't seem to be any reason Colton won't be successful. Belting out Little Big Town's "Boondocks," he has a natural talent that could take him far. Now he's just gotta figure out how to stand in one place while he sings!
6. Kady Malloy (Dallas)
I was more impressed with her Britney impression than with her "Unchained Melody," but this girl definitely showed glimpses of potential, along with a very nice tone to her voice. She didn't high-belt, however, which makes me a bit nervous. 'Cause really, if you can't high-belt, what use do I have for you?
7. Junot Joyner (Philadelphia)
Wrapping his silky smooth vocals around Elton John's "The Blues," this guy showed raw talent and lots of potential. Good thing -- there hasn't been a good male R&B voice on the show in a few years now.
8. Jonathan Baines (Philadelphia)
Showing excellent musicality and possessing a contemporary, folk-y voice, this kid could be the real deal. And he's cute and charming, in a gawky way, which doesn't hurt. Keep an eye on this kid.
9. David Archuleta (San Diego)
Loved his audition, but I'm wondering why they didn't mention that this kid won Star Search a few years back. Weird. Anyways, he sounded great singing "Waiting for the World to Change," and he's adorable, which means, pretty much, he's a shoo-in for the finals. We could do worse.
10. Samantha Musa (San Diego)
Love Samantha -- hate her sister! Upstage much? Samantha sounded great singing "Until You Come Back To Me," but her sister's hogging of the spotlight totally distracted from Samantha's talent. And that comment about overcoming her earlier obstacles? Yuck!
11. Jessica Brown (Dallas)
This former meth-addict, who is amazed at how far she has come, gave a pretty strong rendition of "I'll Stand By You." Will she work her twang to her benefit, or will it pigeonhole her as "just another Carrie wannabe"?
12. Brooke White
There is something sincere about Brooke, as the judges kept saying, and her rendition of "Like a Star" was charmingly lowkey, but what's with the "no R-rated movie" shlock? Gimme a break.
13. Joey Catalano (Philadelphia)
There's an endearing quality to the dorkiness of this former fattie, and he does a killer Adam Levine impression, but is he versatile enough to survive in this competition? And how long until Simon starts telling him his voice is too nasal?
14. Beth Stalker (Philadelphia)
This stay-at-home mom crooned "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered" in a manner that crossed Barbra Streisand and Fiona Apple -- and it kinda worked. Sure, she's old-fashioned, but there's something about her that allowed her to pull it off.
15. Chris Watson
With cheekbones like Chris' he didn't need to sound great, but he went ahead and did anyways. Granted, "Follow Me" is not the hardest song to sing, but he pulled it off with a suave confidence. But does he have a range?
Daniel Day Lewis Dedicates SAG Award to Heath Ledger
The SAG Awards were a pretty ho-hum affair, with anticipated wins from Javier Bardem (No Country For Old Men), Daniel Day Lewis (There Will Be Blood), Julie Christie (Away From Her), and best cast for No Country For Old Men. Ruby Dee was a surprise (and, likely, sentimental) winner for Best Supporting Actress, while The Sopranos swept the Television Drama categories and 30 Rock picked up 2 of the 3 Comedy awards (The Office grabbed Best Cast).
As expected, there was lots of pro-WGA talk from the winners, but one acceptance speech stood out from the others. Daniel Day Lewis, in accepting his trophy for Best Actor (There Will Be Blood) dedicated his award to Heath Ledger, calling him one of the actors who has inspired him to overcome the "longing and self doubt" that accompanies taking on a role. Citing his performance in Monster's Ball as well as his work in Brokeback Mountain (which he called "perfect"), Day Lewis gave Ledger a far more meaningful tacked-on-to-the-end photo that closed the retrospective on actors who have died this past year. The looks on the stars sitting in the audience while Day Lewis spoke made it feel like a public memorial service, in a good way.
Very classy, Daniel.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
IDOL MADNESS: Sunday Report
Spread the word to vote for your faves!
Remember, voting for all Round of 32 matches ends Thursday January 31, 11:59PM EST, so there's plenty of time to still vote!
Here are updates (as of 1/27 at 7:00PM EST) of the Round of 32 match-ups in all divisions. Click on any match-up to vote!
Matches to keep an eye on:
#4 Kimberley Locke vs. #5 Blake Lewis
#2 Chris Daughtry vs. # 7 Josh Gracin
#1 Taylor Hicks vs. #9 Constantine Maroulis
#2 Jordin Sparks vs. #7 Anthony Fedorov
#4 Katharine McPhee vs. #12 Gina Glocksen
#2 Ruben Studdard vs. #10 Kellie Pickler
Cowell Bracket
#1 Kelly Clarkson vs. #9 Chris Richardson
Chris continues to chip away at Kelly's lead, but the original Idol is still way out front.
Today: Kelly 64%-36%
Yesterday: Kelly 65.5%-34.5%
Jan 25: Kelly 67%-33%.
#2 Ruben Studdard vs. #10 Kellie Pickler
The Velvet Teddybear is trying to rally, and he's making up some ground -- he gained 8% since yesterday.
Today: Kellie 59%-41%
Yesteray: Kellie 67%-33%
Jan 25: Kellie 66%-34%
#3 Tamyra Gray vs. #6 Jasmine Trias
Jasmine's lead continues to diminish -- she's lost 8% since Friday! Could Tamyra be staging a comeback?
Today: Jasmine 67%-33%
Yesterday: Jasmine 72%-27%
Jan 25: Jasmine 75%-25%
#4 Jennifer Hudson vs. #5 Bo Bice
After a minor setback yesterday, Bo continues to lead the Oscar winner.
Today: Bo 58%-42%
Yesterday: Bo 54%-46%
Jan. 25: Bo 55%-45%
Seacrest Bracket
#1 Taylor Hicks vs. #9 Constantine Maroulis
The Soul Patrol has come roaring back, boosting Taylor's take by 5% and making this match with Constantine a real horse-race.
Today: Constantine 56%-44%
Yesterday: Constantine 61%-39%
Jan 25: Constantine 75%-25%
#2 Clay Aiken vs. #7 RJ Helton
I saw Spamalot this afternoon (read my review here), but it looks like some of the Claymates were voting for their boy -- they've lifted his lead over RJ to 40%!
Today: Clay 70%-30%
Yesterday: Clay 58%-42%
Jan 25: Clay 52%-48%
#3 Melinda Doolittle vs. #6 Vonzell Solomon
In this battle of the divas, Melinda stays out on top.
Today: Melinda 66%-34%
Yesterday: Melinda 66%-34%
Jan. 25: Melinda 64%-36%
#5 LaKisha Jones vs. #13 Bucky Covington
No change here -- Bucky is still on track for his second straight upset and a show-down with Taylor in the next round.
Today: Bucky 71%-29%
Yesterday: Bucky 71%-29%
Jan. 25: Bucky 72%-28%
Abdul Bracket
#1 Fantasia vs. #9 Ace Young
Fantasia gained back a few % points, but it's not going to be enough if she's going to defeat Ace.
Today: Ace 66%-34%
Yesterday: Ace 68-32%
Jan. 25: Ace 69%-31%
#2 Jordin Sparks vs. #7 Anthony Fedorov
Last year's champ is still in serious trouble -- she's totally lost her lead to Anthony, and is down almost 7% from yesterday. Not good!
Today: Anthony 56%-44%
Yesterday: Anthony 52%-37%
Jan. 25: Jordin 58%-42%
#3 Elliott Yamin vs. #6 Nikki McKibbin
In this battle of the third place finishers, Elliott has lost about 5% points since Friday, but is still way out on top.
Today: Elliott 76%-24%
Yesterday: Elliott 77%-23%
Jan. 25: Elliott 81%-19%
#4 Kimberley Locke vs. #5 Blake Lewis
Blake still has the slight lead, but this remains one of Round 2's closest contests.
Today: Blake 51.7%-48.3%
Yesterday: Blake 51.5%-48.5%
Jan. 25: Kimberley 50.2%-49.8%
Jackson Bracket
#1 Carrie Underwood vs. #9 Mandisa Hundley
Carrie has lost 8% since Friday, but she still holds a commanding lead.
Today: 72.4%-27.6%
Yesterday: Carrie 76%-24%
Jan. 25: Carrie 80%-20%
#2 Chris Daughtry vs. # 7 Josh Gracin
After leading early, Daughtry has fallen way behind Gracin. If Chris' fans don't start voting harder, we're going to have a huge upset on our hands.
Today: Josh 58%-42%
Yesterday: Josh 50.3%-49.7%
Jan. 25: Chris 55%-45%
#3 Latoya London vs. #11 Anwar Robinson
Latoya still maintains a healthy lead.
Today: Latoya 58.5%-41.5%
Yesterday: Latoya 57%-43%
Jan. 25: Latoya 62%-37%
#4 Katharine McPhee vs. #12 Gina Glocksen
Katharine continues to struggle with Gina, in fact losing 3% and falling even deeper in the hole. Where are the folks with McPheever?
Today: 55%-45%
Yesterday: Gina 52%-48%
Jan. 25: Katharine 53%-47%
Color Me Surprised: Clay Aiken Is Fantastic in Spamalot
If I'm being totally honest, I didn't go into today's matinee performance of Spamalot with the highest of expectations. Since it had been announced that Clay Aiken was joining the Broadway cast in the role of Sir Robin I've been dubious as to how good of a fit the American Idol runner-up and the Monty Python show would be.
Well color me very pleasantly surprised -- Clay was great!
His voice was, of course, fantastic, but it was his comic timing and his dancing that shocked me the most. From the moment he appeared on stage, he was totally, and delightfully, in character, and he maintained that commitment throughout the entire show. He delivered his lines like an old pro, and completely embraced his character's often quirky movement, footwork, and comic bits, even when they required him to make fun of himself.
Best of all -- he appeared to be having the time of his life. The often irreverent humor of the show seemed to fit him like a glove, and he imbued each of his scenes with what appeared to be a genuine sense of joy.
I was a big Clay supporter back in Season 2 of Idol, but his attitude the past several years has turned me off a bit to him. However, seeing him sing, dance, act, and laugh, I remembered the charming, dorky fella' who shocked us all with his pipes back on Idol. I half-expected him to be stiff and awkward -- instead, he was loose and relaxed, creating real chemistry with his co-stars.
Speaking of his co-stars, the cast is more solid and the show tighter than it's been since it first opened. As Sir Lancelot, Rick Holmes was a hoot and a half, and a more accomplished song-and-dance man than Hank Azaria, who created the role. Chris Seiber has returned to the show, and although he appears to have put on about 30lbs, he was funny as ever playing Sir Galahad. Tom Deckman played the roles originated by Christian Borle with a delightfully deadpan gaze plastered across his face, and Hannah Waddingham, imported from the British version of Spamalot, was perfection as the Lady of the Lake.
All in all, Clay and the cast have managed to make Spamalot a must-see once again.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
IDOL MADNESS: Saturday Report
Spread the word to vote for your faves!
Remember, voting for all Round of 32 matches ends Thursday January 31, 11:59PM EST, so there's plenty of time to still vote!
Here are updates (as of 1/26 at 7:00PM EST) of the Round of 32 match-ups in all divisions. Click on any match-up to vote!
Cowell Bracket
#1 Kelly Clarkson vs. #9 Chris Richardson
Kelly is holding onto her lead, but Chris is making up a very little bit of ground.
Yesterday: Kelly 67%-33%.
Today: Kelly 65.5%-34.5%
#2 Ruben Studdard vs. #10 Kellie Pickler
Pickler holds onto her lead from yesterday, posting an almost identical score.
Yesterday: Kellie 66%-34%.
Today: Kellie 67%-33%
#3 Tamyra Gray vs. #6 Jasmine Trias
The question remains: where are the fans of Tamyra Gray? Jasmine still has a dominant lead over the Season 1 4th place finisher.
Yesterday: Jasmine 75%-25%
Today: Jasmine 72%-27%
#4 Jennifer Hudson vs. #5 Bo Bice
The Oscar winner is still struggling with Season Four runner-up Bo.
Yesterday: Bo 55%-45%
Today: Bo 54%-46%
Seacrest Bracket
#1 Taylor Hicks vs. #9 Constantine Maroulis
Looks like the Soul Patrol woke up, because they've made some serious ground in this battle with Constantine, though the Greek still leads by a fairly wide margin.
Yesterday: Constantine 75%-25%
Today: Constantine 61%-39%
#2 Clay Aiken vs. #7 RJ Helton
The Claymates also seem to have gone into overdrive, bumping up their boy's lead over RJ by 6%.
Yesterday: Clay 52%-48%
Today: Clay 58%-42%
#3 Melinda Doolittle vs. #6 Vonzell Solomon
In this battle of the divas, Melinda stays on top.
Yesterday: 64%-36%
Today: Melinda 64%-36%
#5 LaKisha Jones vs. #13 Bucky Covington
Bucky pulled off Round 1's biggest upset by sending Diana Degarmo packing; it looks like he's on his way to doing the same thing to LaKisha.
Yesterday: Bucky 72%-28%
Today: Bucky 71%-29%
Abdul Bracket
#1 Fantasia vs. #9 Ace Young
Fantasia fans, where are you? Your girl is still losing to Ace!
Yesterday: Ace 69%-31%
Today: Ace 68-32%
#2 Jordin Sparks vs. #7 Anthony Fedorov
Last year's champ is in serious trouble -- she's lost her lead to Anthony, and is down almost 20% from yesterday. Not good!
Yesterday: Jordin 58%-42%
Today: Anthony 52%-37%
#3 Elliott Yamin vs. #6 Nikki McKibbin
Yesterday: Elliott 81%-19%
Today: Elliott 77%-23%
In this battle of the third place finishers, Elliott has lost about 4% points, but is still way out on top.
#4 Kimberley Locke vs. #5 Blake Lewis
Blake has taken over the lead, but this is still one of Round 2's closest contests.
Yesterday: Kimberley 50.2%-49.8%
Today: Blake 51.5%-48.5%
Jackson Bracket
#1 Carrie Underwood vs. #9 Mandisa Hundley
Mandisa has gained a bit of ground, but Carrie continues to roll.
Yesterday: Carrie 80-20%
Today: Carrie 76%-24%
#2 Chris Daughtry vs. # 7 Josh Gracin
There's only a few votes separating these two, with Josh having taken over the lead. Where are the Daughtry fans at?
Yesterday: Chris 55%-45%
Today: Josh 50.3%-49.7%
#3 Latoya London vs. #11 Anwar Robinson
This has turned into much more of a contest, thought Latoya still maintains the lead.
Yesterday: 62%-37%
Today: 57%-43%
#4 Katharine McPhee vs. #12 Gina Glocksen
After finishing yesterday on top, Kat has lost some ground and is currently behind Gina.
Yesterday: Katharine 53%-47%
Today: Gina 52%-48%
Friday, January 25, 2008
Mary Kate Olsen Speaks About Heath Ledger's Death
Mary Kate Olsen has broken her silence about her role in Heath Ledger's death -- sort of.
The diminutive Full House star told Entertainment Tonight, “Heath was a friend. His death is a tragic loss. My thoughts are with his family during this very difficult time.”
Doesn't really answer any questions about their relationship, does it?
Watch The Video For Carrie Underwood's "All American Girl"
Here's the new video for Carrie Underwood's "All American Girl," which is already approaching the Top 10 on the Country chart.
The video's kinda cheesy, but I love it! Thoughts?
Make Me a Supermodel or Make Me a Porn Star?
Did anyone else need a cold shower after last night's episode of Make Me a Supermodel? I mean!
Last night, Bravo's newest show demonstrated how it differs from America's Next Top Model -- sex, sex and more SEX! The co-ed competitors were asked to take part in a photo shoot that required them to demonstrate "chemistry" -- or, in other words, to make out and look like they were having sex. As if that wasn't enough, they then had to participate in a runway show utilizing fetish gear. Are they looking for a supermodel or a porn star here?
Several of the contenders rose to the challenge quite admirably, with Perry and Casey convincingly essaying a gay couple and Jackie and Stephanie getting into the groove as a hot sapphic pair. Katie and Ben, and Shannon and Ronnie, were also surprisingly adept at getting intimate in front of the camera; Holly and Frankie, and Aryn and Jay, not so much. (By the way, what was with Holly this week? She seemed totally deflated!)
As for the chemistry outside of the photo shoots, Ben and Ronnie continued their cat-and-mouse game, with Ben seeming more interested than ever in potentially taking his relationship with Ronnie to the next level. His poor wife! Not only does she have to watch him make out with another woman during a photo shoot, she also has to see him openly flirt with a gay man (a gay man who declared he has "real feelings" for Ben, no less). It'll be interesting to see how this dynamic plays throughout the rest of the season.
As for the three contestants up for elimination, I think the judges made very appropriate choices. I can't decide whether I think Aryn or Jay should get the boot -- neither has much spark in front of the camera. Right now I'm leaning toward hoping Aryn gets sent packin' -- there's just something about her that rubs me the wrong way.
How about you -- who do you think should be eliminated this week? And was there too much sex on this week's episode for your liking...or not enough?
Thursday, January 24, 2008
IDOL MADNESS: Round of 32 Match-Ups (All Brackets)
Voting for all Round of 32 matches ends Thursday January 31, 11:59PM EST.
Here are the Round of 32 match-ups in all divisions. Vote away!
Cowell Bracket
#1 Kelly Clarkson vs. #9 Chris Richardson
#2 Ruben Studdard vs. #10 Kellie Pickler
#3 Tamyra Gray vs. #6 Jasmine Trias
#4 Jennifer Hudson vs. #5 Bo Bice
Seacrest Bracket
#1 Taylor Hicks vs. #9 Constantine Maroulis
#2 Clay Aiken vs. #7 RJ Helton
#3 Melinda Doolittle vs. #6 Vonzell Solomon
#5 LaKisha Jones vs. #13 Bucky Covington
Abdul Bracket
#1 Fantasia vs. #9 Ace Young
#2 Jordin Sparks vs. #7 Anthony Fedorov
#3 Elliott Yamin vs. #6 Nikki McKibbin
#4 Kimberley Locke vs. #5 Blake Lewis
Jackson Bracket
#1 Carrie Underwood vs. #9 Mandisa Hundley
#2 Chris Daughtry vs. # 7 Josh Gracin
#3 Latoya London vs. #11 Anwar Robinson
#4 Katharine McPhee vs. #12 Gina Glocksen
Visit the IDOL MADNESS Main Page
Jake Gyllenhaal's Response to Heath Ledger's Death
If, like me, you've been wondering what Jake Gyllenhaal's response to his Brokeback Mountain co-star Heath Ledger's death is, you may have to wait awhile.
TMZ is reporting that Gyllenhaal is in New Mexico filming his new movie Brothers. According to the website, there are no plans to shut down production, but Jake is very upset and doesn't want to talk to the media. The set has apparently been closed to non-crew members and extra security has been hired.
Jake is the godfather to Heath's daughter, Matilda Rose; her godmother is Michelle Williams' Dawson's Creek co-star Busy Phillips.
Charleston American Idol Auditions Are a Hot Southern Mess
Um, huh?
The Charelston auditions produced a very strange (and annoying) episode of American Idol, especially coming off one of the most enjoyable audition episodes the show has ever produced. Unlike in San Diego, where there were more good auditioners than bad, Charleston didn't produce one stand-out contender. Instead, we got wannabe-Clay-Aiken Rashar's "I Can't Make You Love Me," surly waitress DeAnna Prevatte angry version of "Fancy," Joshua Boson's, um, interesting rendition of "And I Am Telling You," and Idol message board lovebirds Randy Stark Crystal Ortiz.
Yeah, not quite Carly Smithson level.
And why did they spend so much time on navy pilot Lyndsey Goodman, aspiring superstar Aretha Codner, and new father Oliver Highman when none of them were going to make it through? Here's a thought -- how about spending some of that time showing us people we will actually see again?
Even the folks that did get through weren't great. Michelle and Jeffrey Lampkin's "I Am Your Angel" was borderline awful, and yet they made it to Hollywood! Huh?? Abstinence preacher Amy Flynn was just about as annoying as can be, and her rendition of Christina Aguilera's "Reflection" was nothing special -- so why did she make it through? London Weidberg was probably the best auditioner of the night, but I couldn't even accurately assess how good she is because I have no idea how Billie Holliday's "Good Morning Heartache" is actually supposed to sound.
All in all, Charleston turned out to be pretty much a waste of time. Ah well -- we still have San Diego.
Read 'The Ten Best Initial Auditions Ever'
Read 'Ranking Idol: Dallas' Five Best Auditions'
Read 'Ranking Idol: Philadelphia's Five Best Auditions'
Ricky Cries, Jillian Whines and Victorya is Eliminated on Project Runway
What a strange season of Project Runway this has been! Who would have thought that with only six designers left, Sweet P and Ricky would still be in the mix, and Victorya, Kevin and Kit would be gone?
Not only are Sweet P and Ricky still around -- they produced two of the best designs of the week! Of course, it wouldn't be a Runway episode if Ricky didn't cry and Sweet P didn't completely overhaul her design at the last moment, but somehow both misfits managed to perform during the "Denim Challenge," with the weepy lingerie designer actually taking home the win. Could one (or both) of these two make it to fashion week?
One designer who won't be going to fashion week is Victorya, who went out with a whimper this week. What was that abomination of a jacket? It really did look like a jean jacket with a skirt sewed on, and showed about zero inspiration or originality. For someone who calls herself "competitive" you'd think she would have put a bit more effort into the outfit. Good riddance, Victorya -- I can't say I'll miss you.
One designer I would miss if he was eliminated is Christian -- I love him! I mean, even his throwaway lines are comic gems! I'm sure his constant bitchiness is totally annoying to his fellow designers, but I just can't get enough. Granted, I only have to spend 45 minutes with him a week, but still...
Aside from his humor, based on the strength of his designs I fully expect to see Christian in the Top 3. Joining him, I'd imagine, will be Jillian and Ramy. It was nice to see Ramy do something other than drape this week, and I quite liked the dress he produced. Jillian, on the other hand, fell apart a bit in trying to do another jacket. Girl, you know you have time management issues, how about choosing something you can execute to perfection?
And I need to get this off my chest -- I am so sick of hearing her whine and cry, there was a (small) part of me that actually wanted to see her get the boot this week. Ultimately I'm glad she's still around, because she clearly knows what she's doing design-wise, but I just can't handle the "poor me" routine anymore. Get yourself together!
What do you think -- was Victorya the right one to go? And do you agree with me that Christian, Jillian and Ramy are looking like the most likely candidates for the Final 3?
More Project Runway
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Top Chef Returns March 12; Contestants Announced
Keep your palatte wet, because the reality keeps on rollin' in!
Bravo has announced that Top Chef will return for it's fourth cycle on March 12 at 10PM. The latest installment will be set in Chicago.
Here's some info on the 16 new contestants from Bravo's press release:
-Andrew, 30 - Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, FL; Resides in N.Y.
-Antonia, 31 - Hometown/Resides in: Los Angeles, CA
-Dale, 29 - Hometown: Chicago, IL; Resides in N.Y.
-Erik, 38 - Hometown: Chappaqua, NY; Resides in San Francisco, CA
-Jennifer, 35 - Hometown: Brooklyn, NY; Resides in San Francisco, CA
-Lisa, 27 – Hometown: Toronto, Canada; Resides in N.Y.
-Manuel, 33 - Hometown: Laredo, TX; Resides in N.Y.
-Mark, 29 - Hometown: Invercargill, New Zealand; Resides in N.Y.
-Nikki, 35 - Hometown/Resides in: N.Y.
-Nimma, 26 - Hometown: Peachtree City, GA; Resides in Atlanta, GA
-Richard, 35 - Hometown: Uniondale, NY; Resides in Atlanta, GA
-Ryan, 28 - Hometown: Los Banos, CA; Resides in San Francisco, CA
-Spike, 27 – Hometown: Clearwater Beach, FL; Resides in Williamsburg, N.Y.
-Stephanie, 31 - Hometown: Stamford, CT; Resides in Chicago, IL
-Valerie, 32 - Hometown/Resides in: Chicago, IL
-Zoi, 30, - Hometown: Seattle, WA; Resides in San Francisco, CA
American Idol Contender Perrie Cataldo Has a Rap Sheet
In what will surely be the first of many revelations of American Idol contestants' wayward pasts, TMZ.com is reporting that single father Perrie Cataldo, whose San Diego audition was shown last night, has a rap sheet.
According to the website, "TMZ has obtained an arrest record revealing that Cataldo carried a handgun into a bar in Glendale, Ariz. back in 2006, after being kicked out for fighting. According to the arresting officer, Cataldo was "concealing" the gun under his clothing, and was confronted by security and arrested.Cataldo plead no contest to carrying a concealed weapon (a misdemeanor) and was fined $568."
Cataldo vaguely addressed his past last night, revealing that his son's mother was killed for being "at the wrong place, at the wrong time, with the wrong people, doing the wrong thing."
A Raisin in the Sun TV Movie Preview
Looks like P Diddy wants the world to know he is an actor!
Here is the first preview of the upcoming television movie A Raisin in the Sun, starring Diddy, Tony winners Phylicia Rashad and Audra McDonald, Sanaa Lathan, and John Stamos. The TV movie airs February 25, 2008.
In the trailer Diddy says, “The reason why it’s very important to me is ya’ll know me for a lot for different things–music, fashion, television and films. But you don’t really know me as an actor. I’d like to introduce my actor to you. That’s me! Sean Combs! My name is Sean Combs! You know I’ve got a lot of split personalities.”
What do you think -- does it look like the TV movie will live up to the acclaimed stage version of the show?
Underwood Outsells Daughtry, as Sparks Hangs On in the Top 50 Album Sales Chart
There's quite a battle going on between Carrie Underwood and Chris Daughtry on the sales charts! Last week, Daughtry's album placed above Underwood's; this week Underwood grabbed the higher spot.
For the week ending January 20, Carrie sold 21K albums for the #18 spot, while Daughtry moved 19K albums for the #23 spot. Fellow Idol alumni Jordin Sparks sold 12,600 albums (almost identical to the number she sold last week), which put her at #44.
Alicia Keys once again grabbed the top spot on the chart, followed by the soundtrack to Juno, Mary J Blige, Raheem Devaughn and Radiohead.
Numbers courtesy of Hits Daily Double
Read 'The Ten Best Initial Auditions Ever'
Read 'Ranking Idol: Dallas' Five Best Auditions'
Read 'Ranking Idol: Philadelphia's Five Best Auditions'
Shocker: More Good Auditions Than Bad in San Diego -- Ranking the Six Best
Well, this is a first -- they actually showed more good auditions than bad on an early episode of American Idol. Hallelujah!
Of course, we had to sit through Valerie Reyes and her Mariah Carey impression, Monique Gibson's meltdown, and the totally bizarre antics of Alberto Hurtado, but in the end San Diego produced real talent -- and we got to see a surprisingly large amount of it!
Here are my rankings of the best San Diego auditions:
1. Carly Smithson
Ladies and gentlemen, I think we've found a frontrunner. This girl is amazing! Part Kelly Clarkson, part Pink, she sounded awesome singing "I'm Every Woman," hitting notes that the girls we've seen so far wouldn't even dream of trying to hit, a capella no less. And how lovely and genuine does she seem? Speaking up for her tattooed boyfriend, and declaring how hard she's going to work and how she hopes that this is her year? I love her already.
2. Perrie Cataldo
What a voice! This single father's voice as he sang "I'll Make Love To You" vaguely reminded me of Elliott Yamin, which I mean as a very high compliment. His heartbreaking backstory isn't gonna hurt him one bit; either is the fact that his son is adorable! This guy seems like a definite Top 10 contender.
3. David Archuleta
Loved his audition, but I'm wondering why they didn't mention that this kid won Star Search a few years back. Weird. Anyways, he sounded great singing "Waiting for the World to Change," and he's adorable, which means, pretty much, he's a shoo-in for the finals. We could do worse.
4. Michael Johns
I've never heard Otis Redding's "I've Been Loving You Too Long," so I have no idea if that is what the song is actually supposed to sound like, but to my ears (and eyes), this guy is the real deal. He also seems like he'd be versatile -- he'd nail the country and soul themes, and could probably rock out as well. I approve.
5. Samantha Musa
Love Samantha -- hate her sister! Upstage much? Samantha sounded great singing "Until You Come Back To Me," but her sister's hogging of the spotlight totally distracted from Samantha's talent. And that comment about overcoming her earlier obstacles? Yuck!
6. Tetiana Ostapowych
I quite liked the smoky vocal tone of this California blonde as she crooned "Someone to Watch Over Me," and didn't seem to find her confidence quite as off-putting as Simon seemed to have. We didn't hear her upper range, which concerns me -- is she as good as she thinks she is? Is she gonna end up the Haley Scarnato of Season 7?
Read 'The Ten Best Initial Auditions Ever'
Read 'Ranking Idol: Dallas' Five Best Auditions'
Read 'Ranking Idol: Philadelphia's Five Best Auditions'
Vote in the IDOL MADNESS Live Matches:
#1 Carrie Underwood vs. #16 Brandon Rodgers
#2 Chris Daughtry vs. #15 Camile Velasco
#3 Latoya London vs. #14 Corey Clark
#4 Katharine McPhee vs. #13 Jon Peter Lewis
#5 Justin Guarini vs. #12 Gina Glocksen
#6 Paris Bennett vs. #11 Anwar Robinson
#7 Josh Gracin vs. #10 Nikko Smith
#8 Christina Christian vs. #9 Mandisa Hundley
IDOL MADNESS Abdul Bracket Results
The results are in from the Abdul Bracket of IDOL MADNESS!
View the results of the Cowell and Seacrest Brackets and vote in the Jackson Bracket Here
There was only one upset in the Abdul bracket, with #9 Ace Young soundly defeating #8Phil Stacey. Ace will next go up against #1 Fantasia, who was less than convicing in her battle with #16 EJ Day. Her fans are gonna have to turn up if she's going to continue to advance.
The top 7 seeds of the Abdul Bracket cruised pretty easily into the Round of 32, with #5 Blake Lewis and #12 Nadia Turner having the tightest battle (60.4% to 39.6%). Blake will next face off against #4 Kimberley Locke, who gave AJ Gil a resounding beating. #2 Jordin Sparks will next play #7 Anthony Fedorov, with #3 Elliott Yamin taking on #6 Nikki McKibbin. Check back this weekend for those matches.
In the meantime...
Vote in the IDOL MADNESS Live Matches:
#1 Carrie Underwood vs. #16 Brandon Rodgers
#2 Chris Daughtry vs. #15 Camile Velasco
#3 Latoya London vs. #14 Corey Clark
#4 Katharine McPhee vs. #13 Jon Peter Lewis
#5 Justin Guarini vs. #12 Gina Glocksen
#6 Paris Bennett vs. #11 Anwar Robinson
#7 Josh Gracin vs. #10 Nikko Smith
#8 Christina Christian vs. #9 Mandisa Hundley
Abdul Bracket Results:
#1 Fantasia def. #16 EJ Day 69.4%-30.6%
#2 Jordin Sparks def. #15 Jim Verraros 75%-25%
#3 Elliott Yamin def. #14 Julia DeMato 89%-11%
#4 Kimberley Locke def. #13 AJ Gil 82.4%-17.6%
#5 Blake Lewis def. #12 Nadia Turner 60.4%-39.6%
#6 Nikki McKibbin def. #11 John Stevens 68.1%-31.9%
#7 Anthony Fedorov deg. #10 Carmen Rasmussen 74.8%-25.2%
#9 Ace Young def. #8 Phil Stacey 63.2%-36.8%
Things Get Hot On 'Make Me a Supermodel'
In this week's episode of Make Me a Supermodel, the straight guys are stripped to their underwear and forced to pose as a gay couple. I mean!!
Here's a video preview of tomorrow night's show...
More CUTE BOYS OF POP CULTURE
Heath Ledger Had Pneumonia When He Died; Michelle Williams "Devastated"
TMZ is reporting that Heath Ledger had pneumonia when he died yesterday in New York City.
In addition, the website is reporting that his former girlfriend, and the mother of his child, Michelle Williams, is "devastated by the news. Words cannot describe the grief." She is said to be on her way to New York City.
Meanwhile, his family has denied reports that Ledger committed suicide. With the information coming forth that he had pneumonia, that is looking to likely be true.
What a tragedy.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Breaking News: Heath Ledger is Dead; Signs Point to Suicide
This is too tragic for words...
From the New York Times:
"Actor Heath Ledger was found dead this afternoon in an apartment building at 421 Broome Street in SoHo, according to the New York City police. Mr. Ledger was 28.
At 3:31 p.m., a masseuse arrived at Apartment 5A in the building for an appointment with Mr. Ledger, the police said. The masseuse was let in to the home by a housekeeper, who then knocked on the door of Mr. Ledger’s bedroom. When no one answered, the housekeeper and the masseuse opened the bedroom and found Mr. Ledger unconscious. They shook him, but he did not respond. They immediately called the authorities. The police said they did not suspect foul play. Officials said pills fear found near the body."
Wow.
UPDATE: TMZ is reporting that pills were found strewn all around Ledger's deathbed, and that his body was found facedown in an apartment owned by Mary Kate Olsen.
More info to come...
Last Photo Taken of The Late Heath Ledger
According to TMZ.com, this is the last photo taken of Heath Ledger, who was found dead today in his New York City apartment. The photo was taken in London on the set of "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus," directed by Terry Gilliam.
Remember When Jared Leto Was Hot?
The picture above upsets me. Remember when Jared Leto was hot, and not totally disgusting?
I could forgive his foray into Goth, but making out with Paris Hilton? Gag me!
Here's some pics that will help us remember a time when Jared Leto was actually good looking. Enjoy.
More Cute Boys of Pop Culture
Photo of Jared Leto and Paris Hilton courtesy of DListed
Terminator's Thomas Dekker -- Gayest Pictures Ever!
Here are some photos of Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles and Heroes star Thomas Dekker, posing in the gayest possible way. Work it out, girl!
Oscar Nominations Announced -- There Will Be Blood and No Country Lead the Pack
There Will Be Blood and No Country For Old Men led the way when the Oscar nominations were announced this morning, picking up eight nods each. They, along with Juno, Michael Clayton and Atonement, were nominated for Best Picture.
There were a few surprises: Laura Linney (The Savages) and Cate Blanchett (Elizabeth) snuck into the Best Actress race, knocking out assumed nominees Angelina Jolie and Keira Knightley. It was Blanchett's second nod of the year -- she was also nominated for I'm Not There.
Into the Wild's Emile Hirsch and Atonement's James McAvoy, meanwhile, were also not nominated -- they lost their places to surprises Tommy Lee Jones (In the Valley of Elah) and Viggo Mortenson (Eastern Promises).
Enchanted grabbed three nods in the Best Song category, where it's joined by tunes from Once, Hairspray and August Rush.
Here is a full list of nominees:
BEST PICTURE
"Atonement"
"Juno"
"Michael Clayton"
"No Country for Old Men"
"There Will Be Blood"
BEST ACTRESS
Cate Blanchett, "Elizabeth: The Golden Age"
Julie Christie, "Away From Her"
Marion Cotillard, "La Vie en Rose"
Laura Linney, "The Savages"
Ellen Page, "Juno"
BEST ACTOR
George Clooney, "Michael Clayton"
Daniel Day-Lewis, "There Will Be Blood"
Johnny Depp, "Sweeney Todd"
Viggo Mortensen, "Eastern Promises"
Tommy Lee Jones, "In the Valley of Elah"
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Cate Blanchett, "I'm Not There"
Ruby Dee, "American Gangster"
Saoirse Ronan, "Atonement"
Amy Ryan, "Gone Baby Gone"
Tilda Swinton, "Michael Clayton"
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Casey Affleck, "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford"
Javier Bardem, "No Country for Old Men"
Hal Holbrook, "Into The Wild"
Philip Seymour Hoffman, "Charlie Wilson's War"
Tom Wilkinson, "Michael Clayton"
BEST DIRECTOR
Paul Thomas Anderson, "There Will Be Blood"
Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, "No Country for Old Men"
Julian Schnabel, "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" Tony Gilroy, "Michael Clayton"
Jason Reitman, "Juno"
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Diablo Cody, "Juno"
Nancy Oliver, "Lars and the Real Girl"
Tony Gilroy, "Michael Clayton"
Brad Bird, Story by Jan Pinkava, Jim Capobianco, Brad Bird, "Ratatouille"
Tamara Jenkins, "The Savages"
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Paul Thomas Anderson, "There Will Be Blood"
Christopher Hampton, "Atonement"
Ronald Harwood, "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly"
Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, "No Country for Old Men"
Sarah Polley, "Away From Her"
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
"Beaufort" (Israel)
"The Counterfeiters" (Austria)
"Katyn" (Poland)
"Mongol" (Kazakhstan)
"12" (Russia)
BEST ANIMATED FILM
"Persepolis"
"Ratatouille"
"Surf's Up"
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
"The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" Roger Deakins
"Atonement," Seamus Mcgarvey
"The Diving Bell and the Butterfly," Janusz Kaminski
"No Country For Old Men," Roger Deakins
"There Will Be Blood," Robert Elswit
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
"Across the Universe," Albert Wolsky
"Atonement," Jacqueline Durran
"Elizabeth: The Golden Age," Alexandra Byrne
"Lust, Caution," Pan Lai
"La Vie En Rose," Marit Allen
"Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street," Colleen Atwood
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
"No End in Sight"
"Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience"
"Sicko"
"Taxi to the Dark Side"
"War/Dance"
BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT
"Freeheld"
"La Corona" ("The Crown")
"Ochberg's Orphans"
"Salim Baba"
"Sari's Mother"
BEST FILM EDITING
"The Bourne Ultimatum," Christopher Rouse
"The Diving Bell and the Butterfly," Juliette Welfling
"Into the Wild," Jay Cassidy
"No Country for Old Men," Roderick Jaynes
"There Will Be Blood," Dylan Tichenor
BEST MAKEUP
"La Vie en Rose"
"Norbit"
"Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End"
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
"Atonement", Dario Marianelli
"The Kite Runner", Alberto Iglesias
"Michael Clayton", James Newton Howard
"Ratatouille", Michael Giacchino
"3:10 to Yuma", Marco Beltrami
BEST ORIGINAL SONG
"Falling Slowly" from "Once"
"Happy Working Song" from "Enchanted"
"Raise It Up" from "August Rush"
"So Close" from "Enchanted"
"That's How You Know" from "Enchanted"
BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM
"I Met the Walrus"
"Madame Tutli-Putli"
"Même Les Pigeons Vont au Paradis (Even Pigeons Go to Heaven)"
"My Love (Moya Lyubov)"
"Peter & the Wolf"
BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM
"At Night"
"Il Supplente (The Substitute)"
"Le Mozart des Pickpockets (The Mozart of Pickpockets)"
"Tanghi Argentini"
"The Tonto Woman"
Round 1 of Dance War: Bruno vs. Carrie Ann Goes To...
I have to admit -- last night's episode of Dance War: Bruno vs. Carrie Ann was less than thrilling.
First of all, it wasn't until 30 minutes into the show that the actual competition began. I don't know why this should surprise me -- this is, after all, the producers of fluff-ful Dancing with the Stars. But since we are only two weeks into the season, and this show airs only once a week, I wasn't expecting so much fluff so soon.
Even when the dancing did begin, it was not what I'd call overly impressive. Solid at times, yes; mind-bogglingly amazing, no. I get that it's hard to sing and dance at the same time, but in order for this show to surpass the talent level seen at any high school across the country, these teams will be able to tighten up a bit.
The lack of dynamism wasn't due to the fact that Bruno and Carrie Ann aren't taking this seriously -- on the contrary, the titular stars of the show seem to be taking this almost too seriously, especially when it still hasn't been articulated what the prize of this show is. Why make this kids crazy and not even let them know what they are playing for?
In terms of the competition, I'd give round 1 to Bruno -- his team's "A Little Less Conversation" was way better than the mess Carrie Ann's team made of Chris Brown's "Run It." (You just know that Carrie Ann ripped the techies apart on the commercial break after Chris' microphone failed to work). However, Round 2 was a clear victory for Carrie Ann's squad, as their "Call Me" was definitely the strongest performance of the night. All in all, I would cast my vote for Team Carrie Ann.
As for the individual performances -- Mariel stands head and shoulders above the rest of the competitors. She's like a mini-Aguilera! Lacey and Zach were also strong, and Chris made the best out of his rough microphone situation. If Team Bruno is forced to eliminate a contestant, I wouldn't be surprised to see Charity or Philip get the boot; if Team Carrie Ann has to get rid of someone, expect Alyssa or possibly Bradley to get sent packin'.
Which team are you rooting for? And what contestant do you think will be eliminated first? Leave a comment below and let me know!
Zac Efron Shows Off Blue Underwear
Zac Efron showed off his blue underwear (and the fact that he needs a new belt!) in Los Angeles yesterday.
Hmmmmmmm....those High School Musical kids sure do seem to like showing what they've got on underneath their clothes!
More CUTE BOYS OF POP CULTURE
Thanks to JustJared for the photos
Disturbing Video of Amy Winehouse Smoking Crack
Ok, now this is upsetting.
Here is a video, obtained by London's The Sun newspaper, of Grammy nominated singer Amy Winehouse smoking crack.
Amy -- don't you remember what Whitney said? Crack is whack!
Oh goodness, I hope this girl gets her crap together. She's too talented to die young.
Here's the video...be warned, it's sad.
Monday, January 21, 2008
The 'Nice Guys' Finish First on A Very Satisfying End to the Amazing Race
This is how a reality show should end.
After a season that was arguably dominated by the fighting between Jennifer and Nathan, in the end "Nice Guys" TK and Rachel took home the prize on The Amazing Race. In what turned out to be a tooth-and-nail fight to the finish, all three teams were worth rooting for -- a rare and exciting occurrence on any reality show. The fact that mellow couple TK and Rachel won was extremely satisfying, proving that calmness and a level head may be the most important tools any team could possess on this exciting race around the world.
And how exciting it was! Ron and Christina held an early lead, and threatened to run away with the win, before Rachel figured out the difficult final road block just minutes before Christina, essentially securing the win. Kudos to Ron and Christina, who ran a very strong final leg, and really did grow as a team and as family members over the course of the race. The fact that Ron could talk about how proud he is of her daughter just moments after she had essentially lost them the $1 million showed how much he truly had changed. This is what makes Race special -- pre-existing relationships can grow and flourish, all in the midst of breathtaking surroundings and a competitive environment.
I was a little surprised that Don seemed to turn on Nick a bit in the final leg. Granted, Nick did forget the gear at the store and took forever to finish the puzzle roadblock, but Don seemed cold to Nick throughout the final leg, which seems a bit unfair considering how much Nick labored for his grandfather throughout the race. Still, they were a truly likable pair.
All in all, it was a pretty solid season of The Amazing Race, with a very satisfying conclusion. Hmmm, perhaps this is why the show has won five Emmys in a row...
Read more on The Amazing Race and Big Brother, including 'What Impact Will The 'Donato Effect' Have on Big Brother 9
Sunday, January 20, 2008
IDOL MADNESS Jackson Bracket -- Draw, Seeds and First Round Match-Ups
Vote in the Abdul Bracket First Round Match-Ups and see the results of the Cowell and Seacrest Bracket First Round Match-Ups
Jackson Bracket First Round Match-Ups:
#1 Carrie Underwood vs. #16 Brandon Rodgers
#2 Chris Daughtry vs. #15 Camile Velasco
#3 Latoya London vs. #14 Corey Clark
#4 Katharine McPhee vs. #13 Jon Peter Lewis
#5 Justin Guarini vs. #12 Gina Glocksen
#6 Paris Bennett vs. #11 Anwar Robinson
#7 Josh Gracin vs. #10 Nikko Smith
#8 Christina Christian vs. #9 Mandisa Hundley
Visit IDOL MADNESS Main Page
The top 2 seeds of the Jackson bracket were two of the hottest pop stars in 2007. #1seed Carrie Underwood picked up 3 Grammys (and countless other awards) and released a sophomore album on her way to selling several million records last year. #2 seed Chris Daughtry picked up 3 American Music Awards and 4 Grammy nominations on his way to selling 3 million records.
Trying to keep those two seeds from reaching the Final Four will be a pair of runners-up (#5 seed Justin Guarini and #4 seed Katherine McPhee) and a trio of divas (#9 Mandisa Hundley, #6 Paris Bennett, and #3 Latoya London). Overall, Season 5 contestants could overpower this bracket with strong 2, 4, 6, and 9 seeds. Anyone dare call for the sweep??
1 Carrie Underwood
2 Chris Daughtry
3 LaToya London
4 Katharine McPhee
5 Justin Guarini
6 Paris Bennett
7 Josh Gracin
8 Christina Christian
9 Mandisa Hundley
10 Nikko Smith
11 Anwar Robinson
12 Gina Glockson
13 Jon Peter Lewis
14 Corey Clark
15 Camile Velasco
16 Brandon Rodgers
IDOL MADNESS Seacrest Bracket RESULTS!
There is still time to vote in the Abdul Bracket!
Click to see the just-released first round match-ups of the Jackson Bracket!
Seacrest Bracket First Round RESULTS:
#1 Taylor Hicks def. #16 Matt Rogers
#2 Clay Aiken def. #15 Jessica Sierra
#3 Melinda Doolittle def #14 Amy Adams
#13 Bucky Covington def. #4 Diana Degarmo
#5 LaKisha Jones def. #12 Ryan Starr
#6 Vonzell Solomon def. #11 Kimberly Caldwell
#7 RJ Helton def. #10 Sanjaya Malakar
#9 Constantine Maroulis def. #8 Trenyce
Friday, January 18, 2008
Listen to Paula Abdul's New Song, "Dance Like There's No Tomorrow"
American Idol judge Paula Abdul's new single hit the internet today, and it's actually getting pretty favorable response. I guess she really is "forever our girl!"
The song, produced by Randy Jackson for his upcoming album Randy Jackson's Music Club, Volume 1 has a dance beat and some, um, very manipulated vocals. Still...I kinda like it!
Click here to listen to Paula's new song, and leave a comment below to let me know what you think.
IDOL MADNESS: Friday Report
Spread the word to vote for your faves!
Remember, voting for all Round of 32 matches ends Thursday January 31, 11:59PM EST, so there's plenty of time to still vote!
Here are updates (as of 1/25 at 3:30PM EST) of the Round of 32 match-ups in all divisions. Click on any match-up to vote!
Cowell Bracket
#1 Kelly Clarkson vs. #9 Chris Richardson
Clarkson has her hands full with Richardson, but currently leads 67%-33%.
#2 Ruben Studdard vs. #10 Kellie Pickler
Pickler is trying to pull of her second straight upset; she leads Studdard 66%-34%.
#3 Tamyra Gray vs. #6 Jasmine Trias
Jasmine's fans have come on strong, propelling her to a 75%-25% lead over Tamyra. Where are Tamyra's fans??
#4 Jennifer Hudson vs. #5 Bo Bice
Today's featured match is a nail-biter, with Bice currently leading Oscar winner Hudson 55%-45%.
Seacrest Bracket
#1 Taylor Hicks vs. #9 Constantine Maroulis
Constantine's fans have certainly mobilized, but where is the Soul Patrol? Constantine is currently ahead 75%-25%.
#2 Clay Aiken vs. #7 RJ Helton
Perhaps the Claymates are too busy going to see their boy in Spamalot, because he's struggling with RJ, holding a slim lead of 52%-48%. Could an upset be brewing?
#3 Melinda Doolittle vs. #6 Vonzell Solomon
In this battle of the divas, Melinda is currently on top, 64%-36%.
#5 LaKisha Jones vs. #13 Bucky Covington
Bucky pulled off Round 1's biggest upset by sending Diana Degarmo packing; with a 72%-28% lead, will he do the same to LaKisha?
Abdul Bracket
#1 Fantasia vs. #9 Ace Young
Fantasia fans, where are you? Your girl is currently losing to Ace Young, 69%-31%!
#2 Jordin Sparks vs. #7 Anthony Fedorov
Last year's champ is ahead of Anthony Fedorov, but just by a bit; Jordin currently leads 58%-42%.
#3 Elliott Yamin vs. #6 Nikki McKibbin
In this battle of the third place finishers, Elliott is way out on top, 81%-19%.
#4 Kimberley Locke vs. #5 Blake Lewis
In Round 2's closest match, Kim and Blake are in a dead heat, with Kimberley enjoying an oh-so-slight lead of 50.2%-49.8%.
Jackson Bracket
#1 Carrie Underwood vs. #9 Mandisa Hundley
Carrie continues to roll, enjoying an 80%-20% lead over Mandisa.
#2 Chris Daughtry vs. # 7 Josh Gracin
Daughtry is having a surprisingly difficult time with Gracin -- right now he's only up 55%-45%.
#3 Latoya London vs. #11 Anwar Robinson
Anwar knocked off Paris Bennett in the first round, but as of now he's having trouble getting the best of Latoya. The Season 3 fourth place finisher is currently ahead 62%-37%.
#4 Katharine McPhee vs. #12 Gina Glocksen
After barely squeezing out a win over Jon Peter Lewis in the first round, Kat has her hands full with Gina -- she's barely leading 53%-47%.
IDOL MADNESS -- Abdul Bracket, Seedings and First Round Match-Ups
See the winners of the first round of the COWELL BRACKET
Vote in the first round match-ups of the JACKSON BRACKET
Abdul Bracket First Round Match-Ups:
#1 Fantasia vs. #16 EJ Day
#2 Jordin Sparks vs. #15 Jim Verraros
#3 Elliott Yamin vs. #14 Julia DeMato
#4 Kimberley Locke vs. #13 AJ Gil
#5 Blake Lewis vs. #12 Nadia Turner
#6 Nikki McKibbin vs. #11 John Stevens
#7 Anthony Fedorov vs. #10 Carmen Rasmussen
#8 Phil Stacey vs. #9 Ace Young
IDOL MADNESS Main Page
Two more Idol champs appear in this bracket -- Season 3 winner, top seed Fantasia Barrino, and fresh-faced #2 seed Jordin Sparks from Season 6. Each of them will face a tough road to the Final Four. #3 seed Elliot Yamin potentially awaits Jordin in the Sweet 16, but not before he first has to face the winner of the match-up between #6 seed Nikki McKibbin and #11 seed John Stevens, two contestants who have found the votes to surprise people before.
Down the road, Broadway star and 4-time Grammy-nominee 'Tasia will have her hands full with Season 6runner-up Blake Lewis (#5 seed) and Season 2 second runner-up Kimberly Locke (#4 seed). Even before that, though, is a likely second round match-up with the winner of the contest between #8 seed Phil Stacey from Season 6 and #9 seed heartthrob Ace Young from Season 5. Should be interesting!
Seed / Name
1. Fantasia Barrino
2. Jordin Sparks
3. Elliott Yamin
4. Kimberly Locke
5. Blake Lewis
6. Nikki McKibbin
7. Anthony Fedorov
8. Phil Stacey
9. Ace Young
10. Carmen Rasmusen
11. John Stevens
12. Nadia Turner
13. AJ Gill
14. Julia DeMato
15. Jim Verraros
16. EJ Day
IDOL MADNESS -- Cowell Bracket Round of 64 RESULTS!
Round of 64 voting for the Cowell Bracket of IDOL MADNESS is now closed, and the results are in!
The draw above reflects the results. Round of 32 voting for the Cowell Bracket begins next weekend, so keep checking back to vote for your favorites.
There's still time to vote in the Seacrest Bracket -- click here!
And click here for the just-released Abdul Bracket!
COWELL BRACKET ROUND OF 64 RESULTS:
#1 Kelly Clarkson def. #16 Melissa McGhee
No surprise here, are the original American Idol demolished Season 5's 12th place finisher 89% to 11% in the bracket's most one-sided contest.
#2 Ruben Studdard def. #15 Stephanie Edwards
Play-in winner Edwards put up a good fight, but the Season 2 champ preailed, 63% to 37%.
#3 Tamyra Gray def. #14 Chris Sligh
Chris' fans made a last-minute push, but Season 1's fourth place finisher was able to home them off, 70% to 30%.
#4 Jennifer Hudson def. #13 Haley Scarnato
Haley's got great legs, but Jennifer's got an Oscar, and she showed how much that was worth by defeating last season's eighth place finisher 77% to 23%.
#5 Bo Bice def. #12 Lisa Tucker
Lisa never had a shot, falling behind early and losing to Season 4's runner-up 82% to 18%.
#6 Jasmine Trias def. #11 Rickey Smith
Riokey held an early lead, but Jasmine came roaring back, ultimately defeating Mr. "Hercules Hercules" 79% to 21%.
#10 Kellie Pickler def. #7 George Huff
In one of only two upsets and the closest match of the bracket, Pickler pickled Huff 64% to 36%.
#9 Chris Richardson def. #8 Scott Savol
Savol may have gotten to #5 back in Season 4, but he was knocked out in the first round by Chris, 72% to 28%.
IDOL MADNESS: THE GAME Main Page
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Ranking Idol: Dallas' Five Best Auditions
Let's be honest -- even though I hate the bad auditions on American Idol, the star of the show during the Dallas portion of the process was clearly the guy in the silver fedora and feathers that crooned "We Are Brothers Forever" with unadulterated abandon. I mean, the guy is a lyrical genius.
Overall, however, it was a pretty uninspiring night of hopefuls, with even tonight's batch of talented contestants possessing a same-same quality to them. I mean, if I saw one more Carrie Underwood wannabe come through the door, I thought I was going to scream!
Having said that, here are my choices for Dallas' Top 5 auditions:
1. Colton Swon
If Bucky Covington and Josh Gracin can get country music careers out of Idol, there doesn't seem to be any reason Colton won't be successful. Belting out Little Big Town's "Boondocks," he has a natural talent that could take him far. Now he's just gotta figure out how to stand in one place while he sings!
2. Kady Malloy
I was more impressed with her Britney impression than with her "Unchained Melody," but this girl definitely showed glimpses of potential, along with a very nice tone to her voice. She didn't high-belt, however, which makes me a bit nervous. 'Cause really, if you can't high-belt, what use do I have for you?
3. Brandon Green
That bag of nail clippings is one of the most disgusting and disturbing things I have ever seen, but I have to admit this guy sounded pretty awesome singing "Rich Girl." But why, oh why, did he have to give us that visual image?
4. Jessica Brown
This former meth-addict, who is amazed at how far she has come, gave a pretty strong rendition of "I'll Stand By You." Will she work her twang to her benefit, or will it pigeonhole her as "just another Carrie wannabe"?
5. Drew Poppelreiter
This corn fed farm boy certainly has the face to do well in the competition, but does he have the voice? Though charmed by his sweet looks and demeanor, I was less than impressed with his voice. I have a bad feeling that in about two months time he is going to be the cute boy who can't sing but keeps getting votes. Guess we'll see...
American Idol 7 Spoilers With Photos and Myspace Pages'
Read 'Ranking Idol: Philadelphia's Eight Best Auditions'
Read 'Ten Best Initial American Idol Auditions of All Time'
Read 'Am I Wrong For Dreading the American Idol Audition Episodes?'
Read 'Daughtry Passes Underwood on Album Sales Chart; Sparks Barely Hangs in Top 50'
Play IDOL MADNESS: THE GAME To Determine the Best Idol of All Time
America's Next Top Model Cycle 10 Participants Revealed!
It seems like just yesterday that Saleisha was named the new America's Next Top Model, but it's already time to shift focus to Cycle 10 of the show, which premieres February 20!
The photo above is the next cycle's 14 contestants. Here is more info on the girls' competing to be the apple of Tyra's eye...
Aimee
Age: 18
Occupation: Hostess
Hometown: Spanaway, Washington
Allison
Age: 19
Occupation: Hostess
Hometown: Waunakee, Wisconsin
Amy (a.k.a. “Amis”)
Age: 20
Occupation: Waitress
Hometown: Bartlesville, Oklahoma
Anya
Age: 19
Occupation: Retail Sales
Hometown: Honolulu, Hawaii
Atalya
Age: 18
Occupation: Student
Hometown: Brooklyn, New York
Claire
Age: 24
Occupation: Production Coordinator
Hometown: New York, New York
Dominique
Age: 23
Occupation: Receptionist
Hometown: Columbus, Ohio
Fatima
Age: 22
Occupation: Student
Hometown: Boston, Massachusetts
Katarzyna
Age: 22
Occupation: Finance
Hometown: Roslyn, New York
Kimberly
Age: 20
Occupation: Customer Service
Hometown: Worcester, Massachusetts
Lauren
Age: 22
Occupation: Artist
Hometown: Brooklyn, New York
Marvita
Age: 23
Occupation: Retail Sales
Hometown: San Francisco, California
Stacy Ann
Age: 22
Occupation: Student
Hometown: Miami, Florida
Whitney
Age: 20
Occupation: Student
Hometown: Atlantic Beach, Florida
More America's Next Top Model
Kit Kicked to the Curb on Project Runway
Ok, the madness on Project Runway has go to stop! Kevin and Kit are gone, and Ricky and Sweet P are still around?? What is going on here?!?
It was a packed show, with the designers tasked with creating an avant garde dress and a ready-to-wear companion piece. When the designers are forced to pair up, you always know there is going to be drama, and last night's episode did not disappoint. Ramy and Sweet P, predictably, butted heads, as did similar control freaks Victorya and Jillian.
I gotta say -- Jillian is an incredible designer, it's true, and she might end up winning the whole thing, but I am so over her "I'm a mess, it's so hard, I'm terrible at time management...look, my design came out amaaaaazing" shtick. Stop being such a whiner, Jillian!
Although hers and Victorya's creation was pretty fabulous, the win went deservedly to "Team Fierce" (Christian and Chris), who came up with a fantastically over-the-top creation. I've said it before and I'll say it again -- Christian cracks me up. Everything he does is pure comic genius, and I hope he sticks around for awhile, because he makes me laugh!
As for Kit -- what a bummer! Yes, the dress was terrible and did evoke a cheap version of Scarlett O'Hara's frocks, but why did the judges eliminate Kit, who has performed well throughout the competition, when they had the opportunity to get rid of Ricky, who consistently produces terrible work? Kit always reminded me of last year's contestant Allison, and, unfortunately like Allison, she has been eliminated prematurely, with a couple of rotten designers still in contention. (Yes, Sweet P and Ricky, I'm talking to you!)
With Rami taking a few hits in the past couple of weeks for the same-sameness of his designs, and Kit sent packin', is this contest whiny Jillian's to win?
More Project Runway
Photos: Clay Aiken in Spamalot
Clay Aiken starts performances tonight in the Broadway musical Spamalot.
As for the photos...there are no words.
*Pictures courtesy of JustJared and Towleroad.com
Mamma Mia Movie Poster Revealed!
Here's the poster for the film version of Mamma Mia, starring Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, and Christine Baranski. The movie will be released this summer.
Thoughts?
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Ranking American Idol: The Eight Best Philadelphia Auditions
Here we go again...
Yep, it's the official start of American Idol season, signaled by the beginning of four long weeks of ear-splitting horrendousness, with a bit of talent and a healthy dose of humor sprinkled in for good effect.
American Idol auditions. Season 7. Wow.
Not much has changed since we last saw the terrible trio of judges -- Simon was his usual nasty self; Randy, as always, had nothing overly insightful to add to the dialogue; and Paula -- well -- Paula was Paula. I think you all know what that means.
I'm gonna leave Princess Leia, chest waxing, and the recapping of the rest of the "bad" auditions to the folks who enjoy it more than I do (although I must admit, James Lewis' basso version of "Go Down Moses" is one of the funniest things I have ever seen. It's true.)
Instead, I'm going to focus on the actual talent that Philadelphia produced (and there actually was some, sprinkled amongst the rest of the garbage.) As such, here is my list of Philadelphia's eight best auditions:
1. Kristi Lee Cook
After the success of Carrie, Bucky and Kellie, you'd think last year would have been flooded with country hopefuls, but there was nary a country crooner in the bunch. Perhaps this year will be different, especially with Kristi, a bit like Carrie Underwood with more of an edge, in the mix. Clearly the producers think she's something special, as they teased this "cage fighting singer" throughout the episode. It was worth the wait -- her gorgeous rendition of "Amazing Grace" easily made hers Philadelphia's best audition. Expect to see this girl in the Top 10.
2. Junot Joyner
Wrapping his silky smooth vocals around Elton John's "The Blues," this guy showed raw talent and lots of potential. Good thing -- there hasn't been a good male R&B voice on the show in a few years now.
3. Jonathan Baines
Showing excellent musicality and possessing a contemporary, folk-y voice, this kid could be the real deal. And he's cute and charming, in a gawky way, which doesn't hurt. Keep an eye on this kid.
4. Joey Catalano
There's an endearing quality to the dorkiness of this former fattie, and he does a killer Adam Levine impression, but is he versatile enough to survive in this competition? And how long until Simon starts telling him his voice is too nasal?
5. Brooke White
There is something sincere about Brooke, as the judges kept saying, and her rendition of "Like a Star" was charmingly lowkey, but what's with the "no R-rated movie" shlock? Gimme a break.
6. Chris Watson
With cheekbones like Chris' he didn't need to sound great, but he went ahead and did anyways. Granted, "Follow Me" is not the hardest song to sing, but he pulled it off with a suave confidence. But does he have a range?
7. Angela Martin
Thank goodness Angela made it through to Hollywood, since she had her friend and her entire extended family waiting for her outside the room. And how about that clips package? Talk about sympathy vote -- how can you not love the single mother with the handicapped child? (The support she gets from her community really is moving, I must admit.) Her delivery of "Signed, Sealed and Delivered" was good, but nothing special -- she never really belted, ya know what I mean? Still, she seems likable, so for now I'm pulling for her.
8. Beth Stalker
This stay-at-home mom crooned "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered" in a manner that crossed Barbra Streisand and Fiona Apple -- and it kinda worked. Sure, she's old-fashioned, but there's something about her that allowed her to pull it off.
American Idol 7 Spoilers With Photos and Myspace Pages'
Read 'Ten Best Initial American Idol Auditions of All Time'
Read 'Am I Wrong For Dreading the American Idol Audition Episodes?'
Read 'Daughtry Passes Underwood on Album Sales Chart; Sparks Barely Hangs in Top 50'
Play IDOL MADNESS: THE GAME To Determine the Best Idol of All Time
IDOL MADNESS: Wednesday 1/16 Report
Voting for the Cowell and Seacrest brackets of IDOL MADNESS is underway, and there continues to be huge response, and some very close match-ups that may come down to the wire.
Remember, Cowell Bracket voting ends Thursday at 11:59PM EST and Seacrest Bracket voting ends Saturday at 11:59PM EST. The Jackson bracket will be posted on Friday morning.
Cowell Bracket Report -- Click for drawsheet and first round match-ups
Most of the favorites continue to cruise in the Round of 64 voting, with Kelly Clarkson, Ruben Studdard, Tamyra Gray, Jennifer Hudson and Bo Bice all headed for relatively easy victories.
The last two match-ups, however, look like they will end in upsets -- #10 Kellie Pickler is currently enjoying a 63.7% to 36.3% lead over #7 George Huff, and #9 Chris Richardson is dominating #8 Scott Savol, 70.5% to 29.5%.
Seacrest Bracket Report -- -- Click for drawsheet and first round match-ups
This bracket features the tightest match-up so far, between #4 Diana Degarmo and #13 Bucky Covington. They've gone back and forth over the past two days, but as of this writing Bucky has a slim lead, 53.7% to 46.3%, over the Season 3 runner-up. This one is going to be a battle to the finish.
Top seeds Taylor Hicks, Clay Aiken, Melinda Doolittle and LaKisha Jones all look headed for expected victories, but #9 Constantine Maroulis looks bound to pull of an upset win over #8 Trenyce -- he's currently leading by more than 70% of the vote. #7 RJ Helton and #10 Sanjaya Malakar are also locked in a bit of a battle, with RJ currently holding off Sanjaya 57.4% to 42.6%.
To vote in any of the match-ups, click on the links in the right side navigation bar.
Daughtry Blasts Idol -- Then Takes It Back!
Drama, drama, drama!
Chris Daughtry, the Season 5 fourth place finisher on American Idol and now a multiplatinum star, stepped into a pile of dung...and is now trying to crawl his way out!
Comments he made to Rolling Stone magazine, in which he expressed doubt as to the credibility and longevity of the show, were published on the web this morning, and now Chris has made a blog posting on his official site to try to clear up any misunderstandings.
The quote from Rolling Stone is:
"I feel like [American Idol] it’s definitely lacking some credibility at this point. It’s in a state of decline and if they don’t do something about it, it’s probably not gonna last too much longer. I’m sure that’ll be used against me, but that’s the truth, you know? People get tired of seeing people that suck. It’s funny at first, but come on. They spend three weeks on people that can’t sing, and that’s what they’re banking it on. [They should] find some people that you can really invest in.”
And his damage-control post on his site:
" I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm…..Just being honest! Sorry!
It's so sad that when you're asked something and you answer honestly….you're made out to be the bad guy. Yes, I'm referring to the Rolling Stone post. The funny thing is, if you heard the whole conversation you would've heard all the good things I said about the show as well. Like for instance: How it's an amazing platform to launch a career….."If you take it seriously!!!!" Let's not forget I was a struggling artist for 11 years that never got any respect or notoriety so know that I'm eternally grateful for the opportunity that Idol gave me. And that's where my comments came from. It all started when the interviewer (who was great by the way) asked me where the "Idol stigma everyone talks about" comes from. Ya know….the reason people never take anyone from the show serious in the real world and why people say "oh they came from AI, they're not real artists." So, I answered that I don't feel that enough "artists" try out for the show because of how many people they focus on that are obviously there for comedic and entertainment value. And when you focus enough on people that aren't serious about it then it's hard for the audience to take you as an artist serious. And it's also hard as a potential contestant to think it's a good way to get seen because you're afraid of being made a joke of. I also said I think it's AWESOME that they are letting the contestants play their own instruments and that I feel that will show something in the contestants that people (the audience) never get to see….but that wasn't printed. My long winded point is this….I was never trying to "DISS" the show or "BITE THE HAND THAT FED ME" so to speak. I was simply giving my input on what I think would spice the show up a bit."
Come on, Chris -- I thought you were more of a renegade than that!
Get Connected With T-Mobile's New Web Series
T-Mobile got in touch with me to let me know about a new web-based series called Connected. I am usually skeptical of entertainment properties that are designed to market products (in this case the T-Mobile Sidekick LX), but I have to be honest -- after watching a couple episodes, I'm hooked!
The series, which debuted on the web in December 2007, follows David Newman, a Hollywood agent desperate to keep his clients happy. It's got a bit of an Entourage vibe to it, complete with the loyal assistant, the wild teen movie star (think Lohan), the fledgling comedian, the fresh-out-of-school director and more.
In this period of scripted drought (thanks writer's strike!), this is a web-series worth checking out.
Visit the CONNECTED website here: http://www.t-mobileconnected.com/
American Idol Ratings Report: 13% Drop From Last Year's Opener
American Idol is back with a vengeance.
The singing competition, now in it's seventh season, pulled in an average of 33.24 million viewers last night, easily making it the most watched show of the evening. It was, however, a drop of 4.2 million and 13% from last year's opener, which begs the question -- has Idol hit it's peak?
Even if it has, these are still impressive numbers -- 13.8 rating/32 share among adults 18-49? Wow. Many industry observers, however, had predicted the writer's strike would actually boost the show's ratings to it's highest numbers ever. Well -- so much for that!
NCIS (Viewers: #2, 15.91 million; A18-49: #2, 3.0/ 7) and part two of miniseries Comanche Moon (Viewers: #2, 12.48 million; A18-49: #4, 2.4/ 6 from 9-11 p.m.) performed well for CBS, while NBC’s The Biggest Loser 5 fell to a season-low 7.18 million viewers opposite Idol. CW’s One Tree Hill, meanwhile, roped in 2.74 million viewers.
We'll see how Idol holds up tonight, in it's second airing of the season.
Numbers courtesy of Marc Berman at Mediabase
Read 'Ranking American Idol: Philadelphia's Eight Best Auditions
American Idol 7 Spoilers With Photos and Myspace Pages'
Read 'Ten Best Initial American Idol Auditions of All Time'
Read 'Am I Wrong For Dreading the American Idol Audition Episodes?'
Read 'Daughtry Passes Underwood on Album Sales Chart; Sparks Barely Hangs in Top 50'
Play IDOL MADNESS: THE GAME To Determine the Best Idol of All Time
More Reality: MTV's Making the Band Returns January 28
Between Idol, Project Runway, Amazing Race, Dance War, Make Me a Supermodel and the upcoming seasons of Big Brother, Survivor: Fans vs. Favorites, Dancing with the Stars, Randy Jackson Presents America's Best Dance Crew, Pussycat Dolls and Top Model, I don't know how much more reality TV I can handle.
But wait...there's more!
MTV's Making the Band returns January 28 for a season that promises to better than ever! The boys from the most recent band, solo singer Donny, and the girls of Danity Kane will all be living in the same house as they work on their respective albums. Let the drama begin!
Yep, I think there might be room for one more show in the reality TV schedule...
Idol Thoughts' AMERICAN IDOL CENTRAL
Brad Renfro Found Dead at Age 25
Actor Brad Renfro was found dead in his apartment earlier this week at the age of 25.
Soooooooo sad! I used to love this guy, who starred in The Client, Apt Pupil, and Bully, when I was a kid.
In the past several years, it has been widely reported that he had a history of drug abuse. In addition, he has had several problems with the law.
Here are some pictures to commemorate the passing of Brad Renfro. RIP.
New York Times article on Renfro's death
After 12 Years, Rent Is Closing on Broadway
I guess all good things must come to an end.
After a groundbreaking 12 year run, the musical Rent is closing on Broadway. According to the New York Times, that translates to a whopping nine hundred thirty thousand, one hundred eighty minutes! The show will play it's final performance June 1, 2008.
Viva...La Vie...Boheme!
Stay Turned For a Report on the Dallas American Idol Auditions
Stay tuned for news on the American Idol politician Kyle Ensley, the white caped, fedora wearing "We Are Brothers Forever" and much more...
"I am your brother, your best friend forever. Singing the songs, the music that you love. We're brothers 'til the end of time..."
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Daughtry Passes Underwood on the Album Chart; Sparks Barely Hangs in the Top 50
Well how do you like that -- Daughtry, whose eponymous album has been in stores for more than a year, just passed Carrie Underwood's Carnival Ride on the album sales chart. Looks like there's a new Idol sheriff in town!
Daughtry moved 23K copies for the #17 spot this week, while Underwood sold almost 22K, good enough for the #20 spot. It'll be interesting to see how this back-and-forth battle shapes up in the upcoming weeks.
Jordin Sparks, meanwhile, dropped 21% this week, falling to just 12K albums sold and the #49 spot. I'm surprised by this -- her song "Tattoo" continues to hang in the Top 10 on the pop chart, and "No Air" (featuring Chris Brown) is quickly rising. Is her sales boost simply yet to come?
The top 5 this week were the Juno soundtrack (71K), Alicia Keys (70K), Mary J Blige (64K), Radiohead (56K) and Taylor Swift (35K).
Numbers courtesy of Hits Daily Double
IDOL MADNESS: Seacrest Bracket Seeding and First Round Match-Ups
View The Results of the Cowell Bracket First-Round Match-Ups
Vote in the Just-Released Abdul Bracket
Voting for the Seacrest Bracket Ends Saturday January 19 at 11:59PM EST
SEACREST BRACKET 1st Round Match-Ups
#1 Taylor Hicks vs. #16 Matthew Rogers
#2 Clay Aiken vs. #15 Jessica Sierra
#3 Melinda Doolittle vs. #14 Amy Adams
#4 Diana Degarmo vs. #13 Bucky Covington
#5 LaKisha Jones vs. #12 Ryan Starr
#6 Vonzell Solomon vs. #11 Kimberly Caldwell
#7 RJ Helton vs. #10 Sanjaya Malakar
#8 Trenyce vs. #9 Constantine Maroulis
The #1 seed in the Seacrest bracket is Season 5 winner and Soul Patrol captain Taylor Hicks. With a bracket that includes Clay Aiken (#2 seed), Melinda Doolittle (#3), Diana DeGarmo (#4) and Lakisha Jones (#5), this bracket could be anyone’s game. A potential 4 vs. 5 match-up would have possibly two of the biggest female voices on the show head-to-head for a place in the Sweet Sixteen.
In the other half of the brackets, Season 6’s favorite head of hair makes his appearance at the #10 seed. Sanjaya faces off #7 seed RJ Helton for the chance to face #2 seed Clay Aiken. Clay should easily handle the legally-challenged #15 seed Jessica Sierra (though crazy things could happen in a single-elimination tournament).
Remember, voting starts now!
IDOL MADNESS: THE GAME Main Page
Seed / Name
1 Taylor Hicks
2 Clay Aiken
3 Melinda Doolittle
4 Diana Degarmo
5 LaKisha Jones
6 Vonzell Solomon
7 RJ Helton
8 Trenyce
9 Constantine Maroulis
10 Sanjaya Malakar
11 Kimberly Caldwell
12 Ryan Starr
13 Bucky Covington
14 Amy Adams
15 Jessica Sierra
16 Matthew Rogers
Paula Abdul, Katharine McPhee and Elliott Yamin Will Be On "Randy Jackson's Music Club"
Looks like Randy Jackson is enlisting the help of some of his Idol friends for the first installment of "Randy Jackson's Music Club."
Fellow Idol judge Paula Abdul, along with finalists Katharine McPhee and Elliott Yamin, will appear on the CD, which will be released in mid-March. Mariah Carey, Joss Stone, Travis Tritt and Jason Mraz will also be featured on the disc, which ranges in genre from country to hip hop.
Paula? Elliott? Katharine? I am so there!
Dance War is Like "Open Call: The Musical"
About halfway through tonight's episode of Dance War: Bruno vs. Carrie Ann, my significant other said aloud, "This show is like 'Open Call: The Musical."
It's sooooooooo true.
Tonight, 14 kids who don't sing well enough to be on American Idol or dance well enough to be on So You Think You Can Dance performed their hearts out, belting high notes and shaking their asses to choreography that was about a half step away from jazz hands.
And I loved every second of it -- mostly because it's like a reality TV version of A Chorus Line. Some were stars; others faded into the background. Just like the show. "What I did for loooooooooooove."
Come to think of it, it's probably the most Broadway-esque reality show I've ever seen, and I include Grease: You're the One That I Want in that category. Both Idol and So You Think You Can Dance can make themselves semi-relevant by using current music. This show, however, is inherently theatrical, bordering on $camp -- just like (many) Broadway musicals themselves. In addition, requiring the contestants to be able to both sing and dance is no joke. Most show business professions don't ask you to be able to do both -- except Broadway chorus members, that is.
What does the winner on this show get? They haven't yet said. And the format is likely to change now that the constantly preening Carrie Ann and Bruno have picked teams. But to be honest -- I don't care what the cash prize is. I'm all caught up in Open Call: The Musical.
Monday, January 14, 2008
IDOL MADNESS: Monday January 14 Report
Voting is underway in IDOL MADNESS: THE GAME, and there's already been huge response!
Cowell Bracket Draw, Seedings and First Round Match-Ups
Here are updates on the Cowell Bracket's first round match-ups (all %'s as of 5PM EST):
#1 Kelly Clarkson vs. #16 Melissa McGhee
The original American Idol is currently wiping the floor with play-in winner Melissa McGhee, 92.7% to 7.3%.
#2 Ruben Studdard vs. #15 Stephanie Edwards
Season 2's champ Ruben Studdard has his hands full with play-in winner Stephanie Edwards. Right now, he's leading Edwards 68.2% to 31.8%.
#3 Tamyra Gray vs. #14 Chris Sligh
Chris Sligh's fans are coming on strong, but for now the Season 1 fourth place finisher is withstanding the challenge. Tamyra leads 75.8% to 24.2%.
#4 Jennifer Hudson vs. #13 Haley Scarnato
Oscar winner Hudson is not having a problem with Season 6' Scarnato, leading 81.1% to 18.9%.
#5 Bo Bice vs. #12 Lisa Tucker
Season Four runner-up Bice currently has 83.6% of the vote, far exceeding Tucker's
16.4%.
#6 Jasmine Trias vs. #11 Rickey Smith
Jasmine's fans have come on strong today, overcoming an early lead from Smith to surge to a 69.4% to 30.6% advantage.
#7 George Huff vs. #10 Kellie Pickler
There looks to be an upset-in-the-making here, as #10 seed Pickler is currently enjoying a 67.4% to 32.6% advantage over the lovable Season 3 fifth place finisher.
#8 Scott Savol vs. #9 Chris Richardson
Season 6' hearthrob is also looking to pull of an upset in the closest race this round. Richardson is currently leading Savol 63.3% to 36.7%.
Visit the IDOL MADNESS Main Page
Which Designer is the Next to Go on Project Runway?
Ya know, sometimes I don't get Project Runway. Some designers (Sweet P, Ricky -- I'm talking to you!) manage to stay way beyond the time they should, and others (unlucky eliminated contestant Kevin) wind up getting the boot prematurely. Why don't the judges take into account the designer's collective body of work, instead of eliminating them for one bad design? Sure, Sweet P made a great dress this week, but she's also made four really not great dresses. Kevin, meanwhile, has produced mostly quality work, but he was auf'ed in the same week Ricky came up with another one of his eyesores. Can someone explain this to me?
All of that is a long way of saying it's difficult to predict who will go home on this show, since one bad design can get you eliminated. Difficult as it may be, though, I'm still gonna try!
Even considering what I wrote above, I still think Jillian and Rami are safe bets this week, as is, of course, immunity-holding Victorya. Even though Rami had his first misstep last week, the overall quality of his designs is so much better than most of the competition, he shouldn't be in danger of elimination.
Kit has managed to make it through the past few weeks without being one of the best or the worst designs, and I have little doubt she'll manage to make it through another week. And while Christian seemed to have lost his spunk last week (read 'Put Out an Amber Valetta Alert: Christian Has Lost His Mojo'), I think this week he'll rebound in style. You can't keep a good bitch down!
The designers in trouble, I believe, are Chris, Ricky and Sweet P. Chris' prom dress was surprisingly understated and classy, but we all know he's capable of coming up with a monstrosity, so he could be in trouble. And Sweet P managed to eek out a presentable prom dress, she could easily self-destruct this week and end up sent packin'.
Luckily for both Chris and Sweet P, however, is the fact that Ricky is still in the competition. He's gotta go soon, right? Right? I am so over his ugly dresses and teary confessionals. Get him outta here!
Zac Efron Lookin' Fine on the Cover of Details Magazine
I thought I was over Zac Efron.
I'm not.
This is a picture from Details magazine, which Mr. Efron graces the cover of this month.
Swoon.
More Cute Boys of Pop Culture
The Good, Surprising and Bad From the Golden Globe Results: Go Mad Men!
What a bummer the Golden Globes announcement was.
There were plenty of worthy winners, sure, but watching Billy Bush and Nancy O'Dell deliver the news was borderline painful. We don't need to hear your commentary, guys -- just announced the awards and move on. Sheesh!
Here are my thoughts on the good and bad from the Golden Globe results:
The Good
1. Mad Men! Picking up two major awards (Best Drama Series and Best Drama Actor -- Jon Hamm) was just the buzz this show needs, and it's a shame they didn't get a larger platform from which to celebrate their wins.
2. Best Actress in a Drama: Glenn Close, Damages -- Thank goodness Glenn was recognized for her outstanding work on the gripping FX legal drama. I was actually watching La Close tear her way through Dangerous Liasons when her win was announced, making her win even more rewarding.
3. Best Actress in a Comedy Series: Tina Fey, 30 Rock -- Tina is often thought of primarily as a writer, so I was glad to see her get a deserved win for her deadpan genius on 30 Rock.
4. Best Actress in a Drama: Julie Christie, Away From Her -- Christie is amaaaazing in this movie!
The Pleasantly Surprising
1. Marion Cotillard upsetting Amy Adams and especially Ellen Page for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical. Who saw that coming? I actually saw La Vie En Rose and I was still surprised!
2. Julian Schnabel's win in the Best Directing category. This one just became a horserace!
3. Samantha Morton (Longford) pulling off an upset over Katherine Heigl and Rachel Griffiths in the Best Supporting Actress category. The HFPA loves those Brits!
The Bad
1. Cate Blanchett over Amy Ryan for Best Supporting Actress -- Come on, Cate has dozens of these things at home, give the amazing newcome a shot!
2. Javier Bardem and Daniel Day Lewis surely deserve their awards and are clear-cut frontrunners for the Oscars, but booooooooooooring!
3. Atonement winning Best Picture. So predictable -- the epic romance with literary pedigree takes home the prize. I'll go on record right now saying it doesn't have a chance in hell at repeating this win at the Academy Awards.
4. David Duchovny for Best Actor in a Comedy (over Alec Baldwin)? Huh?
What did you think of the Globes? Were you happy with the results?
With Nathan and Jen Gone, Three Likable Teams Remain on The Amazing Race
The bickering Bickersons are gone!
With the elimination of Nathan and Jen on last night's episode of The Amazing Race, we have something we haven't had for years -- three moderately likeable teams competing for the final prize!
TK and Rachel, who started the leg of the race three hours after the rest of the teams and also had to contend with a "Speed Bump" due to coming in last place during the previous non-elimination round, managed to escape defeat to join Ron and Christina and Don and Nick as the final three teams. And while Ron and Christina have had their ups and downs throughout the race (mostly thanks to Ron's badgering of his too-patient daughter), all three teams have at least some redeeming qualities that would make them worthy winners.
Which could not have been said about Jen and Nathan. From basically the very beginning of the race, these two yelled and screamed at each other, moped and whined, and were generally pretty miserable and annoying. I wouldn't have been surprised if they had ended up winning the whole thing, as they are in good physical shape, and annoying teams like this have won in the past. -- think Freddy and Kendra fttirom a few seasons back. I'm not ashamed to admit that seeing them eliminated before the final leg of the competition brought a smile to my face.
So who should take home the million dollar prize? Ron and Christina seem to have hit their stride late in the race, keeping the family tension to a minimum and scooping up a couple of first place finishes in the process. Ron has certainly grown over the course of the race, and you can see that he has learned a lot about communicating with his daughter. Will they be able to keep their streak going and win first place?
TK and Rachel, meanwhile, have shown that slow and steady can, in fact, win the race, and they're hoping their mellow attitudes will propel them toward the finish line. And how about Don and Nicholas? I wouldn't guessed these two would have been out weeks ago, but they've found a rhythym that works for them, and they don't scream and yell at each other (an undervalued quality), and now they are actually in contention for the prize. Who would have thunk it?
Who do you think should win the Amazing Race? Is it the same team you think will win the Amazing Race? And are you as happy as I am that Jen and Nathan are gone?
More Amazing Race
Sunday, January 13, 2008
IDOL MADNESS: Cowell Brackets Seeding and First Round Match-Ups
Voting for this round ends Thursday January 17 at 11:59PM EST
We have seeded the candidates based both on their performance on the show and their accomplishments since then. Most of the finalists are seeded within 3 spots of their rank on the show (i.e. if a finalist was 3rd on the show, they can’t be seeded lower than 6th in the bracket) and we have made sure candidates from the same seasons can not face each other in the first two rounds.
Other than that, it’s pretty subjective and we have tried to keep it interesting and balanced. Now it’s up to you to vote! Polls are now open!
COWELL BRACKET
1st round match-ups:
#1 Kelly Clarkson vs. #16 Melissa McGhee
#2 Ruben Studdard vs. #15 Stephanie Edwards
#3 Tamyra Gray vs. #14 Chris Sligh**
#4 Jennifer Hudson vs. #13 Haley Scarnato
#5 Bo Bice vs. #12 Lisa Tucker
#6 Jasmine Trias vs. #11 Rickey Smith
#7 George Huff vs. #10 Kellie Pickler **
#8 Scott Savol vs. #9 Chris Richardson
**Featured match
We tried to keep all the brackets pretty even but if there was a “Bracket of Death”, it would be this one. #1 seed is the first ever American Idol, multi-platinum, 2-time Grammy Award winner Kelly Clarkson, who starts off the action against play-in winner Melissa McGhee from Season 5. Barring any upsets, she could face the only Oscar winner in the competition, #4 seed, Jennifer Hudson, in the Sweet Sixteen.
In the other half of the bracket, Season 2 winner Ruben Studdard could face tough competition from the likes of #15 seed Stephanie Edwards (Season 6), country favorite #10 seed Kellie Pickler (Season 5), and #3 seed Tamyra Gray just to get to the bracket finals. Whoever wins this bracket will definitely be a force in the Final Four!
Check back for my predictions on who will be victorious in their first round match-ups.
And remember, voting starts now!
Seed Name Season / Place
1 Kelly Clarkson 1 / 1
2 Ruben Studdard 2/ 1
3 Tamyra Gray 1 /4
4 Jennifer Hudson 3 / 7
5 Bo Bice 4 / 2
6 Jasmine Trias 3 / 3
7 George Huff 3 / 5
8 Scott Savol 4 / 5
9 Chris Richardson 6 / 5
10 Kellie Pickler 5 / 6
11 Rickey Smith 2 / 8
12 Lisa Tucker 5 / 10
13 Haley Scarnato 6 / 8
14 Chris Sligh 6 / 10
15 Stephanie Edwards 6 / 11
16 Melissa McGhee 5 / 12
Friday, January 11, 2008
Rumor Mill: Is Paula Abdul Going to Perform Live at the Super Bowl?
Could it really be true? This is a trainwreck waiting to happen!
Michael Ausiello from tvguide.com is reporting that American Idol judge Paula Abdul is in talks to perform live at the Super Bowl this year, which will be airing on Fox.
The woman can't even walk in a straight line -- how is she gonna pull this one off?
Here's the item from Ausiello:
"A tipster in close proximity to Abdul's inner circle tells me that the American Idol judge, who hasn't released an album of new material since 1995's Head over Heels, is in talks to perform — no, not on Idol's next '90s theme night — during the network's Super Bowl XLII telecast!
It gets better. (No, not a cameo by MC Scat Cat.) According to my source, the onetime Laker Girl is already in rehearsals for the video to her duet with Randy Jackson, the first single from his upcoming Music Club Vol. 1 CD. If the Super Bowl deal goes through, she would likely use the same choreography during her Feb. 3 Astroturf comeback. (Fox Sports declined comment.)"
American Idol 7's Top 50 Finalist Spoilers: To Look or Not To Look
The season hasn't even begun yet, and already there are American Idol spoilers!
I have known that there was a list circulating of most of this year's Top 50 finalists, and, since we live in the internet age, it wasn't long before people were associating photos and myspace pages with the alleged finalists.
I've avoided looking at this list, for fear of tempting myself. If I'm gonna get through weeks of audition episodes, I might as well have some drama along with it, at least in the manufactured form the Idol producers dole out to us. Won't it take away the fun if I know going in who makes it and who doesn't?
But then again, how much drama is there, really? Most of the people who truly deserve to make it do, in fact, make it, and every year there are maybe one or two genuine surprises. So what would it hurt to take a peek...
No. I don't want the fact that I can listen to a demo on myspace impact me, at least not yet. I know thousands of others have looked, but for now I'm gonna hold on.
In case you are not nearly as over-analytical as I am, and are interested in taking a peek, click the link below. But don't spoil it for the rest of us who don't want to know!
SPOILER: American Idol 7's Top 50 Finalists, With Myspace Pages and Photos
Ten Best Initial American Idol Auditions of All Time
Is it Wrong That I'm Dreading the American Idol Audition Episodes?
Make Me a Supermodel: Ranking the Top 14
It's like Top Model filtered through the Project Runway structure, with a bit of American Idol style voting thrown in for good measure. No wonder I love Bravo's Make Me a Supermodel!
Tonight's premiere got things going with a bang, starting with a photo shoot, moving on to catwalk lessons and a fullout runway show in front of the judges. In swimsuits! Think Bravo knows their audience? I mean!
Here's my rankings of the Top 14. My pick is for Katy to go, but I wouldn't have put Dominic or Sarah in the Bottom 3. But hey,t that's just me.
Leave your rankings in the comments, and take the poll to see who you think should be eliminated.
1. Holly
I love her look and her style, haircut be damned.
2. Shannon
She has a vague transgender thing going on, and I love it!
3. Perry
Though he's a bit obnoxious, his desire to fight through the pain scores him points in my book. Plus, he's hot.
4. Stephanie
Apparently the intellectual snob of the series, she took a fierce picture and gave hot catwalk, so I can't be a playa hater.
5. Ben
His good-guy vibe will get him far, but can he do high fashion? How 'bout that tiny little ass?
6. Casey
Can't you just see him in an ad in Vogue? Too bad his walk sucks.
7. Jacki
Although she clearly knows what she's doing, she's a bit too skinny for my taste. Plus, not wearing a thong? Come on!
8. Dominic
He's a bit vanilla, and he does seem like he's trying a bit too hard, but his dark good looks lead me to believe he's got some potential.
9. Frankie
He's the classic goodlooking annoying guy, but his picture actually wasn't terrible. I just don't think he's got much going on beneath the surface.
10. Sarah
The Katherine Heigl look-alike seems sweet, and her picture turned out well, but her lack of an "edge" is going to be her downfall.
11. Ronnie
There's something about this guy that screams "cheeseball!" to me. I'm over him and his Ken-doll good looks.
12. Aryn
Who? Absolutely no impression made.
13. Jay
He seems like a sweet enough guy, but his awkward catwalk and photo shoot make me believe he really is "boyfriend cute" and not "model cute."
14. Katy
She looked constipated half the episode! I do feel for the drubbing she took about her body, but I can't see an ounce of potential in him. Good riddance.
Broadway's Cheyenne Jackson Shows What's Going On Underneath the Short Shorts
All he wears on stage every night in Xanadu is a pair of short-shorts, so it shouldn't come as much of a surprise that Cheyenne Jackson didn't mind takin' off some of his clothes for a photo shoot with Refresh Magazine.
Enjoy the photos!
More Cute Boys of Pop Culture
Thursday, January 10, 2008
American Idol 7 Schedule
I've gotten a bunch of emails inquiring about the schedule for American Idol, so here it is!
Tuesday, Jan. 15 (8:00-10:00 PM) Season Premiere, Part 1
Wednesday, Jan. 16 (8:00-10:00 PM) Season Premiere, Part 2
Tuesday, Jan. 22 (8:00-9:00 PM) Auditions Episode
Wednesday, Jan. 23 (8:00-9:00 PM) Auditions Episode
Tuesday, Jan. 29 (8:00-9:00 PM) Auditions Episode
Wednesday, Jan. 30 (8:00-9:00 PM) Auditions Episode
Tuesday, Feb. 5 (8:00-9:00 PM) Auditions Episode
Wednesday, Feb. 6 (8:00-9:00 PM) Auditions Episode
Tuesday, Feb. 12 (8:00-10:00 PM) Hollywood Round, Part 1
Wednesday, Feb. 13 (8:00-9:00 PM) Hollywood Round, Part 2 Top 24 Semifinalists Announced
Tuesday, Feb. 19 (8:00-10:00 PM) Top 12 Male Singers Perform
Wednesday, Feb. 20 (8:00-10:00 PM) Top 12 Female Singers Perform
Thursday, Feb. 21 (8:00-9:00 PM) First Results Show (ET live/PT tape-delayed) Two Male and Two Female Contestants Voted Off
Tuesday, Feb. 26 (8:00-9:30 PM) Top 10 Male Singers Perform
Wednesday, Feb. 27 (8:00-9:30 PM) Top 10 Female Singers Perform
Thursday, Feb. 28 (8:00-9:00 PM) Results Show (ET live/PT tape-delayed) Two Male and Two Female Contestants Voted Off
Tuesday, March 4 (8:00-9:00 PM) Top 8 Male Singers Perform
Wednesday, March 5 (9:00-10:00 PM) Top 8 Female Singers Perform
Thursday, March 6 (8:00-9:00 PM) Results Show (ET live/PT tape-delayed) Two Male and Two Female Contestants Voted Off; Top 12 Finalists Revealed
Tuesday, March 11 (8:00-10:00 PM) Top 12 Finalists Perform
Wednesday, March 12 (9:00-9:30 PM) Results Show (ET live/PT tape-delayed) One Contestant Voted Off
One Day Left To Vote in IDOL MADNESS: THE GAME Preliminary Rounds
There's about one day left to vote in the preliminary rounds of IDOL MADNESS: THE GAME.
In the girls race between the 11th and 12th place finishers, Stephanie Edwards is still leading the pack with more than 60% of the vote, and looks to be a shoo-in to make it to the main draw. Melissa McGhee and Mikalah Gordon are battling it out for the second position, with McGhee currently enjoying the slight advantage.
On the boys side, Brandon Rodgers is way out in front with nearly 70% of the vote. Matthew Rogers and Charles Grigsby are neck-and-neck in the second place position, with Kevin Covais not too far behind in fourth.
Vote in the IDOL MADNESS: THE GAME preliminary rounds now!
What Impact Will The 'Donato Effect' Have on Big Brother 9?
It's only been four months since Dick Donato was named the champion of Big Brother 8, and as we gear up for the next installment of the ridiculously addictive reality show, a question arises...
What impact will the 'Donato Effect' have on Big Brother 9?
By the 'Donato Effect,' I am referring to the fact that Dick managed to take home the $500K prize by being downright nasty to his fellow houseguests. And by nasty, I mean naaaaaasty. He berated Amber about her former drug addiction; screamed at Jameka about her religion; gave Dustin a hard time about his sexuality; and said more crass things to Jen than I would care to recall. He smoked, spat, and ranted, and yet the other BB9 competitors still gave him the money in the end.
Strategy is part of Big Brother -- always has been, always will be. While there is always a contingent that claims to be "playing the game honestly," some former contestants, like Dr. Will Kirby, have gained infamy by lying and manipulating their way through the game. Dick, however, was the first to successfully adopt a "strategy" (if you could call it that), from beginning-to-end, of just being as nasty and unlikable as he could be. And, to his credit, it worked. After all, he did win.
While Dick had the added benefit of having his daughter Daniele there to deflect, at least in part, from the wrath the other players felt for him, presumably this year's contestants won't have the same luxury. Is CBS nervous that after last summer's controversies (Dick's rants, Amber's anti-semitic comments) that they are in for more trouble? Will this season's houseguests have taken notice of Dick's success, and adopt his "strategy" as well? If so, will the other houseguests put up with it, or will they nip it in the bud to avoid another Dick-esque win?
Only time will tell!
More Big Brother
Mario Lopez, Shane Sparks and JC Chasez Will Serve as Judges on MTV's Best Dance Crew
The judges and premiere date have been announced for MTV's new dance show Randy Jackson Presents: America's Best Dance Crew.
The judges for the dance contest will be Dancing with the Stars runner-up (and Saved by the Bell star) Mario Lopez, 'nsync's JC Chasez and So You Think You Can Dance choreographer Shane Sparks. Does this mean Shane won't be appearing on SYTYCD this summer? I guess we'll have to wait and see.
The show will premiere on February 7 at 10PM, with a casting special airing January 26 at 2PM.
Between this show, ABC's Dance Wars and Dancing with the Stars, Bravo's upcoming Step Up and Dance, and the return of So You Think You Can Dance this summer on Fox, it's dance fever...and I love it!
Amber Valetta Alert: Christian Has Lost His Mojo on Project Runway!
Put out an Amber Valetta Alert: Christian has lost his mojo!
Oh-so narrowly avoiding elimination this week, the always entertaining Project Runway munchkin was decidely un-witty this week, uttering nary a bitchy bon mot throughout the entire episode. He met his match in aspiring designer/total diva Maddie, and instead of rising to the challenge, he backed away with a whimper. Is it shocking that Christian hates the prom and thinks its tacky? Absolutely not. But where's the fighting spirit? I'm disappointed, Christian.
Luckily for him, Kevin produced an even uglier dress (and it was red!) and was as such eliminated. It's a shame he got the boot while trainwrecks Sweet P, Ricky and Victorya are around, but he wasn't gonna win the thing, so, really what use do we have for you?
Here are some other shocking and not-so-shocking things about the prom dress challenge:
PLEASANTLY SHOCKING: The schoolgirls get to choose which designer they want to work with. Love it!
UNPLEASANTLY SHOCKING: Kevin and Christian's high school picture. Yikes!
COULDN"T BE LESS SHOCKING: Ricky tears up when talking about the "doors that could open" if he wins Project Runway. Let's not get too far ahead of ourselves, buddy.
TOTALLY SHOCKING: Chris' fabulously classy dress. Who knew?
JAW-DROPPINGLY SHOCKING: Rami didn't produce a beautiful dress, and then had the nerve to get lippy with the judges. He's lucky he had immunity this week, considering there were no total trainwrecks. Did he just lose his frontrunner status?
SHOCKING: Sweet P was confident and happy, as opposed to weepy and self-doubting. It worked -- she was one of the top designs of the week!
EVEN MORE SHOCKING: The judges liked Victorya's dress enough to give her the win and the immunity that goes along with it. Is it just me, or were those rhinestones at the top just trashy?
NOT SHOCKING AT ALL: The judges did not like Ricky's dress. And who could blame them? That color was terrible, and the execution was totally sloppy!
More Project Runway
Video of Idina Menzel Wailing The National Anthem at the Patriots Game
Broadway star Idina Menzel wrapped her Tony-winning vocals around the National Anthem last week at the very high profile New England Patriots/New York Giants football game, in which the Patriots were going for a perfect season.
The crowd seems to love the Wicked star, cheering her on as she added some riffs to the anthem.
Watch the video below.
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Kelly Clarkson Named to Mr. Blackwell's Worst Dressed List
Well, it wasn't a great year for Kelly Clarkson -- her album sales disappointed and she got into a fight with her record label. It looks like style guru Mr. Blackwell is rubbing some salt in her wounds -- he's named the Idol champ to his annual Worst Dressed List!
Kelly came in at #5 on the list, below Posh Spice, Amy Winehouse, Mary Kate Olsen and Fergie. That's some pretty, um, auspicious company.
Here is the entire Top 10, along with what Mr. Blackwell had to say about each of the "honorees":
10.) Alison Arngrim: "Little Nellie of the prairie, looks like a 1940's fashion editor for the Farmers Almanac."
9.) Lindsay Lohan: "Lindsay the fashion frenzy strikes again! Lohan takes fashion to a new low."
8.) Jessica Simpson: "Forget the Cowboys. In prom queen screams, can it get any worse? She's a global fashion curse!"
7.) Avril Lavigne: "Gothic make-up courtesy the mad spatula-Fashions provided by.. The house of Dracula!"
6.) Eva Green: "Stuck in neon nightmares not fit for the sane. Fashion this loud could give Bond a migraine! A profusion of confusion from toes to nose!"
5.) Kelly Clarkson: "Her heavenly voice soars above the rest... but those belly-baring bombs are hellish at best! She may be the queen of 'Pro-Active' – but that wardrobe looks downright radio