The Unofficial Danny Gokey FanSite

Monday, March 29, 2010 Posted by Television at 1:19 PM 0 comments

The Unofficial Danny Gokey FanSite

Paula Abdul pokes fun at self, denies Broadway run, loves Siobhan

Posted: 29 Mar 2010 08:05 AM PDT

Paula Abdul at Perez Hilton's birthday party When Paula Abdul walked on stage at blogger Perez Hilton's birthday party Saturday night, we'll admit, at first we feared a Kanye moment. After all, she was following a four-song set by none other than Liza Minnelli (can you really top that?). When she grabbed the stool that was there for the diva, then hunching over in faux despair (see photo), well, no one quite knew what to make of it.

But in no time, and to everyone's delight, Paula had the place in stitches! She was self-deprecating in the best way, like when she told the crowd, "I'm here proving to everyone that I'm totally open to employment opportunities. … I found this gig tonight on Craigslist!" Plus, her delivery was spot on. Paula's first words after making a dramatic entrance (albeit nothing compared to Katy Perry's arrival atop a live elephant) were straight out of the Perez Hilton dictionary: "This party is amaze-balls! I mean this is ridonculous!" Later on, she leafed through a stack of jokes and commented that one wouldn't work because it might "hurt Simon's feelings." Another piece of paper she hid away for safekeeping, telling the revelers, "This one's actually my prescription." Paula wrapped her five-minute stand-up act with this Perez-dedicated zinger: "I wanted to get you the best birthday gift I could possibly find, but Zac Efron wasn't available tonight."

All kidding aside, earlier on the pink carpet, Paula denied recent rumors (thanks, Perez) that she's looking at Broadway as her next career move; specifically, the musical "In The Heights." As for a possible judging spot on Simon Cowell's "The X-Factor"? "We'll have to see on that," she told reporters.

Naturally, we also had Season 9 on the brain, like Andrew Garcia's take on her hit "Straight Up." "It was fun," she said. Paula's stand-outs so far? "There's that quirky girl, Siobhan [Magnus] — love her!" she told Idol Tracker. "And Crystal [Bowersox] is wonderful too." Asked whether either or both were too oddball for "Idol," Paula answered, "Talent is talent."

We couldn't agree more. Imagine that.

– Shirley Halperin

Follow @IdolTracker on Twitter

Photo: Paula Abdul takes the stage at Perez Hilton's birthday party at Paramount Studios. Credit: Shirley Halperin

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Fantasy ‘Idol:’ 10 exit song alternatives

Posted: 29 Mar 2010 08:05 AM PDT

It's been several weeks now, but we still can't wrap our heads around Season 9's exit song. Sure, Will Young's "Leave Right Now" is a pleasant enough tune — actually, we quite like it — but subbing the love song sentiment, while not uncommon in the annals of "Idol" history, doesn't really jibe all that well in this instance, does it? On its own, the title sort of stings and, if you listen to the song in its entirety, you're met with lyrics such as: "And I'd love to say I do / Give everything to you / But I can never now be true…" Not exactly elimination material.

Plus, "Leave Right Now" was released in 2003 as the inaugural "Pop Idol" winner's first single off his sophomore album. It was a huge hit in England, but to us here in the U.S., it's an old song we haven't heard by the winner of a show that no longer exists. So since the "Idol" producers are allowing pop relics with little relevance to the task at hand — namely, giving a proper send-off to the week's eliminated contestant — we thought, why not offer a few more exit song options worth considering? Like:

1. "Don't Look Back in Anger" by Oasis

If it's British pop pride the producers are after, why not go with the country's most talked about brotherly duo and the song that helped make them international superstars? After all, "(What's the Story) Morning Glory?," from whence "Don't Look Back in Anger" came, just won a BRIT Award for greatest British album of the last 30 years!

2. "Dream On" by Aerosmith

"Sing with me now, if it's just for today / Maybe tomorrow, the good lord will take you away…" Truer words have never been sung. Maybe it's time to retire this popular "Idol" go-to from the competition round and just use it for a final bow? That way, no one will ever have to attempt that note again.

3. "Don't Come Around Here No More" by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Similar in sentiment to "Leave Right Now," but eternally cooler, the Tom Petty classic says more with less: "I've given up. Stop."

4. "Hit the Road Jack" by Ray Charles

Forget the weepy ballad, how about we wave goodbye to the hopefuls with this upbeat ditty? It was a No. 1 hit for Ray Charles in 1961 that amazingly is just as relevant today — just substitute "Tim" for "Jack."

5. "Homeward Bound" by Simon & Garfunkel

References to cigarettes and one-night stands may not apply, but a "suitcase and guitar in hand" brings to mind Alex Lambert, Lilly Scott, Didi Benami, Andrew Garcia and so on. No matter who the cast-off, this Simon & Garfunkel classic leads to a common destination for "Idol" contestants: "Home, where my music's playing."

6. "Take A Bow" by Madonna or Rihanna

Sexual overtones aside, Madonna's 1994 hit is strangely appropriate to the travails of an "Idol" finalist. Case in point: "Take a bow / The night is over / This masquerade is getting older / Lights are low / The curtains down…" Ditto for Rihanna's 2008 smash, which begins with, "How about a round of applause?" and later laments, "That was quite a show / Very entertaining / But it's over now…"

7. "Don't Dream It's Over" by Crowded House

"We know they won't win." 'Nuff said.

Don't Dream It's Over @ Yahoo! Video

8. "Don't Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)" by Mötley Crüe

The Crüe's ultra-poppy fourth single off 1989's "Dr. Feelgood" album is another ode to good times on the Sunset Strip, which speaks of holding "our dreams in our hands," but also references a bus back to Nowheresville.

9. "Goodbye to You" by Scandal

Here's another up-tempo option with weirdly appropriate lyrics. "I remember the good times… and the bad times, too," sings frontwoman Patti Smyth in this early MTV classic. "These last few weeks of holding on…"

10. "Never Let Me Down Again" by Depeche Mode

We dedicate this last song to Andrew Garcia and really do hope he'll take it to heart this week.

Some others we were considering: The Jackson 5 classic, "Never Can Say Goodbye," U2's "With or Without You," Phil Collins' "In the Air Tonight," and Glass Tiger's (remember them?) "Don't Forget Me (When I'm Gone)."

What would be your picks?

– Shirley Halperin

Follow @IdolTracker on Twitter

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The Unofficial Danny Gokey FanSite

Sunday, March 28, 2010 Posted by Television at 1:18 PM 0 comments

The Unofficial Danny Gokey FanSite

Catching up with Nick Mitchell (aka Norman Gentle)
Catching up with Nick Mitchell (aka Norman Gentle)
Ryan Seacrest makes his ‘Oprah’ debut, choppers down to Disneyland

Catching up with Nick Mitchell (aka Norman Gentle)

Posted: 28 Mar 2010 01:04 AM PDT

Nick Mitchell is still working up to his 15 minutes. When he ambushed the Season 8 "American Idol" auditions as his alter ego, Norman Gentle, belting "Dreamgirls'" "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" like nobody's business, he clocked in at around five. Making the Top 36 earned him another third. And now, with a recurring segment dishing "Idol" on the nationally syndicated "The Wendy Williams Show," well, you could say he's finally made it.

But that's not all Nick and Norman have in the works. There's talk of a reality show (co-starring fellow hot mess Tatiana Del Toro!), an ex-Idols Las Vegas review, and a send-off song to Simon Cowell complete with accompanying video. Indeed, Nick is striking while the iron is hot. But he's not about to start taking iron pills. More on that, his thoughts on the current season and memories of Adam Lambert in our hilarious Q&A. And for the latest on Norman, including a performance of "Stand By Me," the song he would've chosen had he advanced to the next round, check out his YouTube channel.

First off, congratulations on the "Wendy Williams" gig. Amazingly, your alter ego appeared on her show even before trying out for "Idol."

A week before the auditions! And I went to the "Idol" audition because of Wendy. I was, like, if this character Norman Gentle got me on the Wendy show, why don't I try to get on the blooper reel on "Idol?" So I really have Wendy to thank for being on "Idol" because she gave me the boost the week before.

So when you auditioned for "Idol," was it a joke? Or did you really think you had a chance to make it on the show?

That's the thing; the cool answer would be, like, "Yeah, I didn't care," but I really wanted to be on it. I do characters, my heroes are Martin Short, Robin Williams, Mario Cantone and Whoopi Goldberg — musical comedy people – so I was just trying to get on TV with this character, never thinking I'd make it that far. But it kind of got spun like I was making fun of it and I really wasn't. Don't get me wrong, I would kill to be someone like David Cook or Clay
Aiken, but I don't have the pipes or the coolness. I woke up one day around [age] 26 and realized, "Dude, you're not a legit singing star."

What was the audition like and what was going through your mind?

It was like a 20-minute audition. When Randy said yes, it was a drawn-out 10 minutes of him deciding. They edited that down to, like, 15 seconds. I was just thinking, "What is going on right now?!" First of all, we're on the Hudson River, I'm looking at the Statue of Liberty, watching Simon and Randy fighting over whether I make it on "American Idol," and Kara is punching her fist on the desk. I had brought Banana Republic dry-cleaned clothes, and I kept on
saying,, "Do you want me to change? I don't
have to do the character." And Simon said, "The clothes aren't going to help you
Nick-Norman or whatever your name is." Then he makes this
comment, like, "I want to kick you between the legs but I think
you'd like it." That was within the first minute, and I was so taken aback, but this one line
just popped in my head, and I said, "The way you like it when Seacrest does it?" I really
feel like that's the reason I got through. If I did not add that line,
I never would've made it on TV.

So Norman made it to TV and you made it to Hollywood. Dream come true?

Yes, and I always watched "Idol," but I did
not know it was "Star Trek"-diehards who are, like, "Don't mess with our show!" I'd go online and read that I'm ruining the show. People were
pissed! And I understand why. They put me next to Jamar Rogers during the Hollywood week
episode, the guy can sing better than anything and he's my roommate. Even I was, like, "Why didn't you let Jamar go through?" I felt
horrible about that. But what
really rocked me was coming home after "Idol." Some of the stuff that people would say or write was so
vile.

A lot of Idols say going home is a tough transition…

I'm not gonna lie, I got knocked down for a couple months. The most people I've ever performed in front of was a room of 40. I did extra work
in a bunch of movies, like you can see the back of my head in "I Am Legend" — $70 a day for 15 hours work, non-union. So it did rock me at first, and I kind of hung low for a couple months at my parents' house in Brookfield, [Conn.]. I remember this guy came up to me at the Danbury Mall and goes, "You'll
never be Adam Lambert!" and then just walked away. So strange.

This season's Katie Stevens is from Middlebury, Conn. What are your thoughts on her "Idol" run so far?

She lives 15 minutes away from me, what are the chances? For a 16-year-old girl to sing Stevie Wonder that way? Amazing. And from Middlebury, a town which has maybe a couple stoplights… I just hope the judges stop confusing her with country and mariachi.

What about Siobhan Magnus?

I love how she slayed Aretha Franklin. It's like Björk and Courtney Love had a baby and named her Liza Minelli — that's Siobhan. She still has that Broadway thing going on in the verses, but when the climax comes, it's crazy. And I loved her combat boots.

And the guys?

I loved Andrew Garcia. Now I hope that he just lets go of the band
and does things acoustic. Maybe not "Genie in a Bottle," but something like Kris Allen's "Heartless" or Adam when he
sang "The Tracks of my Tears." It takes a lot of artistry to pull that off. Wendy ripped Andrew apart last week, but she did not see him do
"Straight Up," which was amazing. Her favorite is Casey James because he's
the new Michael Bolton.

A confession: We love Casey, too.

What's not to love? Casey James might have just stepped out of an Abercrombie magazine. Or he's one of those live models at the Grove. You know who I loved? Todrick Hall! I like his original songs, but when you have mothers on the news saying, "I hope he fails, he
stole from my baby at the dance studio in Indiana…," that will hurt
you.

And how about this year's front-runner, Crystal Bowersox?

It's so hard then when you're favored that early. She reminds me of how Danny Gokey was so the shoo-in in the beginning of last season, where everybody was just praising him. Adam, too. When you're so loved by Simon, in a weird way, it's the kiss of death, isn't it? Like he's saying Crystal is the one to beat before the final 12 are even announced! But I definitely think it's going to be a female this year.

So tell us about the reality show you're working on.

This guy approached [Season 8's] Kristen McNamara about doing a
show. He flew me out and I moved in with her and Tatiana Del Toro. Not
a lot of other things were coming, so I thought, "Why not?" But I
didn't want it
be about my personal life, mainly because I'm boring. I just sit around
watching TV and eating Pringles. But Norman Gentle has a wife, he grew
up in Stratton, Vt., worked on a syrup factory… there's a whole
story behind it (see vintage video below). So they said I could do this
character and we filmed it for a couple weeks and actually had a really
good time. They're trying to sell the show now.

Have you been approached about other shows?

Not really. I auditioned for a new sitcom on NBC and didn't get it.
Then I came back home and got the call from Wendy. It's been great and
I'm learning so much. Wendy is legendary. I've listened to her on the
radio my whole life, and now I'm working for her, it's crazy! That's
the power of "Idol." It's now been a year, and while I was on the show,
I wore a headband and glasses 90% of the time, yet I still have
people grab my arm and call me Norman. One woman said to me, "You
should take iron pills for the dark circles under your eyes." I was,
like, "Hello, for my audition, I had to lay on the floor for 10 hours
outside Giants stadium! It is what it is! I looked rough that day and
it was hi-def!"

Can you share any early memories of what Adam Lambert was like in those first few weeks?

He was living right next to me during group two of Hollywood Week
and I remember him being really nice. Then at the finale when he sang
with Kiss at the Nokia theater, I've never
seen a crowd bow down like that. It was like Janet Jackson on the
"Again" tour — it was crazy! People worship him
and I wish I could sell T-shirts at his concert but he hasn't called me
back. Please Adam, anything! Seriously though, I think Adam Lambert is
the greatest
performer out there. What he did on the American Music Awards will
change
everything for the LGBT community and young kids struggling with
acceptance. I think he should be so proud of himself. I'm pretty blown
away by that guy.

[Updated 5:35 p.m.: An earlier version of this post incorrectly identified "The Tracks of My Tears" as "Tears of a Clown."]

– Shirley Halperin

Follow @IdolTracker on Twitter

Photo: Nick Mitchell as Norman Gentle in 2009. Credit: Michael Becker / Fox

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Catching up with Nick Mitchell (aka Norman Gentle)

Posted: 28 Mar 2010 01:04 AM PDT

First off, congratulations on the "Wendy Williams" gig. Amazingly, your alter ego appeared on her show even before trying out for "Idol."

So when you auditioned for "Idol," was it a joke? Or did you really think you had a chance to make it on the show?

What was the audition like and what was going through your mind?

So Norman made it to TV and you made it to Hollywood. Dream come true?

A lot of Idols say going home is a tough transition…

This season's Katie Stevens is from Middlebury, Conn. What are your thoughts on her "Idol" run so far?

What about Siobhan Magnus?

And the guys?

A confession: We love Casey, too.

And how about this year's front-runner, Crystal Bowersox?

So tell us about the reality show you're working on.

Have you been approached about other shows?

Can you share any early memories of what Adam Lambert was like in those first few weeks?

[Updated 5:35 p.m.: An earlier version of this post incorrectly identified "The Tracks of My Tears" as "Tears of a Clown."]

– Shirley Halperin

Follow @IdolTracker on Twitter

Photo: Nick Mitchell as Norman Gentle in 2009. Credit: Michael Becker / Fox

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Ryan Seacrest makes his ‘Oprah’ debut, choppers down to Disneyland

Posted: 28 Mar 2010 01:04 AM PDT

Ryan Seacrest took a seat on Oprah Winfrey's couch for the very first time earlier Friday. The "American Idol" host talked about his feelings for Simon Cowell ("He's a terrific individual and one of the sweetest guys you'll ever meet in the business"), his thoughts on Ellen DeGeneres' performance thus far and ran through his insane daily schedule ("You know you're busy when you don't even realize your hair is being flat-ironed"). See video below (thanks for posting, MJ!).

In Part 2, Ryan's mom Connie appears, and all bear witness to a photo slide-show of Ryan as a tubby tween. "I am gonna let someone on my staff go this afternoon for releasing that photograph," he joked. But in all seriousness — and aptly so — Ryan's latest extracurricular project, a collaboration with celebrity chef Jamie Oliver called "Food Revolution," aims to get Americans to eat healthier. It premieres Friday night on ABC.

Though he's not one to get star struck (unless Brad and Angelina are involved), excitement clearly got the best of Ryan this morning when he tweeted, "On @oprah today, love her, she dropped by my dressing room in slippers and haircurlers, I had slippers and a flat iron."

Check out more of the "Oprah" clips here.

– Shirley Halperin

Follow @IdolTracker on Twitter

Photo: Ryan Seacrest travels via helicopter to Disneyland, where he live-streamed an appearance by Justin Bieber. Credit: Twitpic

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The Unofficial Danny Gokey FanSite

Saturday, March 27, 2010 Posted by Television at 1:07 PM 0 comments

The Unofficial Danny Gokey FanSite

Make a Difference with Idol Gives Back’s “Help Me Give Back” Campaign
Happy Birthday, Katharine, Jason, and Carmen!
Kris Allen has dinner, gets groovy with ‘Dream’ cast
Demi Lovato and Joe Jonas admit to ‘Idol’ butterflies
Sanjaya caught speeding in Seattle
Critics may complain, but ‘Idol’ ratings are actually up
Paige Miles: ‘It wasn’t my best and the judges ripped me for it’
Diddy to perform on next week’s ‘Idol’

Make a Difference with Idol Gives Back’s “Help Me Give Back” Campaign

Posted: 26 Mar 2010 06:04 PM PDT

Be a part of something special this year and help those in need by raising funds to support Idol Gives Back and its beneficiaries before the show airs Wednesday, April 21 at 8/7c on FOX. Join the Help Me Give Back program, an online initiative that empowers individuals and teams to raise money for Idol Gives Back, now at www.americanidol.com/idolgivesback and start fundraising today for this worthwhile cause.

Viewers and fans can give back by creating and joining fundraising teams on the Help Me Give Back website, which tracks fundraising goals and progress of individual members. Additionally, participants can create individual Help Me Give Back pages, set fundraising goals and get the word out to friends, family and co-workers through feeds and widgets as well as via social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and MySpace.

The individuals and teams who impress the shows producers with their campaigns before the deadline of 11:59 PM PT on Tuesday, April 20 could hear Ryan Seacrest say their name on the Idol Gives Back broadcast the following night or even find themselves at an upcoming American Idol show.

The brainchild of Simon Fuller, Idol Gives Back is the Emmy Award-winning television event and musical celebration raising awareness and funds to benefit various U.S. and international charities. This years beneficiaries include Childrens Health Fund, Feeding America, Malaria No More, Save the Childrens U.S. Programs and the United Nations Foundation. The special has made history by raising over $140 million for charity to date, … read more
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Happy Birthday, Katharine, Jason, and Carmen!

Posted: 26 Mar 2010 06:04 PM PDT

Three former American Idol finalists share their birthday today: Katharine McPhee, Jason Castro, and Carmen Rasmusen.

Season 5s runner up, Katharine McPhee, turns 26 today. She has made quite a name for herself since stepping on to the Idol scene. Just days after the finale, Katharine was signed by 19 Recordings and RCA Records and released her debut self-titled album in 2007. Earlier this year, Kat released her sophomore album, Unbroken, and has been promoting it on talk shows, late night shows, and more. Singing isnt all Katharines been up to; you may have seen her on your TV screen or movie screen lately. In late summer of 2008, Katharine had a supporting role in The House Bunny. Last week, the brunette-turned-blonde had a guest spot on Community. Later this year, Katharine will star in another movie, You May Not Kiss The Bride and shes also filming a pilot for a show called The Pink House. On March 8^th, Katharine performed at the White House for International Womens Day. She sang a song that she wrote called Surrender from Unbroken. The President and the First Lady were sitting in the front row for Katharines performance!

Season 7s dreadlocked singer, <a href="http://www.americanidol…. read more
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Kris Allen has dinner, gets groovy with ‘Dream’ cast

Posted: 26 Mar 2010 06:04 PM PDT

Kris Allen is a good guy. Not that I had any doubt, having interviewed the Season 8 winner on more than one occasion, but knowing that 12 hours before he was due to get on a plane headed for Rwanda, and with his wife sick at home from the seven shots she received earlier in the day, he still honored his dinner commitment with the "If I Can Dream" kids? Respect.

It must be the Arkansas in Kris, because while he and his wife Katy currently call our fair city home, he's about as far from the stereotypical Angeleno as it gets. As in, Kris follows through.

Case in point: his TOMS Shoes initiative, in which Kris will personally deliver and distribute 35,000 pairs of the lightweight canvas shoes to Rwandans in need, has nothing to do with "Idol Gives Back" (Kris' recent trip to Haiti will be featured on that April 21 special) and is, in fact, Kris giving back entirely of his own free will.

He told us a bit about the trip and the celebratory Barefoot concert he'll play in Little Rock, Ark., upon his return on April 8. We also talked about his favorite eatery, Chick-fil-A, whether "cougar" is a derogatory term (the jury was split), Justin Bieber, and I challenged Kris to try and list 20 Beatles songs off the top of his head (it's harder than you think, and he cheated!). Then, Kris taught Dream house resident Justin Gaston his favorite dance, the running man, and the two jammed in the living room, sort of. We also had a delicious dinner of Panko-encrusted chicken breast and coconut rice whipped up by the Dreamers in-house chef.

Not bad for a Tuesday night. Read on for highlights from Kris' Twitter Q&A, including a question from the one and only @TheDavidCook. And expect to see the Kris Allen footage on next week's episode of "If I Can Dream," airing worldwide exclusively on Hulu.

Are there any practical jokes within the band?

Yes! I was staying in a hotel in Buffalo this one time and right next to the bed was a hot tub. It was the weirdest thing, right there in the bedroom. So I'm sitting watching the game or something and one of the guitar players, he puts the bubbles on and gets in, and we called in the band one-by-one. We're like, "Hey man, how's it going?" and you don't really notice the tub at first, then this guy looks over and freaks out because there's [someone] sitting in the tub naked as can be.

How old were you for your first kiss and where was it?

I was 5 or 6 … and it was a french kiss. It was on the playground. Older chick. It was cool.

What's your favorite song right now?

"Need You Now" by Lady Antebellum. I never turn that off.

What do you do to relax on the road?

I read, especially to relax when I'm on a plane. I'm reading John Lennon's biography right now. The newest one, the crazy long one. it's 800 pages. I'm on page 400.

Did You try the chicken rice in Singapore?

No I didn't actually. The funny thing is that when you go to Asian countries, people think you want American food! And you don't, you want to try Asian food and they're like, "Here, try the steak!" I was there a month and a half ago and they were like "here's some sandwiches" and I wanted to eat some rice, man!

Who was your favorite "Idol" mentor? How would you have liked Miley Cyrus?

They were all good. Smokey Robinson for sure, he's a legend. He was really cool and he's been nice to me ever since. I got the chance to sing with him after the show. How would have I liked Miley mentoring me? I don't know, it might have been a little weird, I think.

@TheDavidCook: Thoughts on group numbers? Go…

They're cheesy, so cheesy dude, but you got to do them. And there's dancing involved usually.

Have you ever wanted to go back and change the lyrics of a song after it was recorded?

Absolutely. [Which one?] I don't know, I can't think of anything. But I remember, I made a record four or five years ago. And I listen to it now and I'm like, what was that? It doesn't even make sense? It was before "Idol" and I made it on my own and it sucked. Well, some people liked it.

What was the best advice that you ever received?

I met [Queen guitarist] Brian May at the finale and I never asked anybody for their autograph until him, and he comes out and he's got his hair and his guitar on and he's jamming around and I'm like, "Brian May, can I have your autograph?" He's a super nice guy and he wrote "kill" and his name. That was it, just "kill" and Brian May. Kill whatever you want to, music, whatever. I kind of took it to heart.

Who is your favorite "Idol" judge?

It's hard. I spent a lot of time with Paula on the show and she was a sweetheart. I spent a little time with Kara after the show and she's awesome. And I've talked to Randy a few times, he's a really cool, nice guy. Haven't really talked to Mr. Cowell much. He's a pretty busy man, he's got five shows he's on now. Too busy for me. I don't know, it's hard to pick.

Who is your biggest inspiration?

That would be my wife. Good times, bad times, it's easy to write a song about the person that you love.

Celebrity crushes?

No. 1, Kate Beckinsdale. That British thing always gets me. No. 2 is probably Shakira and I'm a K.T. Tunstall fan; I think she's super cute.

Your most embarrassing moment?

When I was in high school I made a video of myself singing Creed songs. Like, for real. "With arms wide open…" And then some people found it. Like my brother found it, so he let some friends see it.

Your most embarrassing album?

"Kris Kross." The only reason I bought it is because they spelled their name like me.

Which former "Idol" contestant would you like to do a duet with from your season and all seasons?

From my season, probably Matt Giraud; that's my boy. And from all seasons, Kelly Clarkson.

– Shirley Halperin

Follow @IdolTracker on Twitter

Photo: Top row, from left, "If I Can Dream" cast members Kara Kilmer, Amanda Phillips, and Giglianne Braga; Bottom row, from left, Benjamin Elliot, Justin Gaston and Kris Allen. Credit: Brian To.

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Demi Lovato and Joe Jonas admit to ‘Idol’ butterflies

Posted: 26 Mar 2010 06:04 PM PDT

In a chat with Ryan Seacrest following their appearance on
Wednesday night's live results show, Demi Lovato and Joe Jonas admitted that
even they were nervous before stepping onto the "American Idol"
stage, though they said they were somewhat comforted by the adulation flowing
from the audience.

"We were both — not that we were nervous — but we
were looking at each other, and I said, 'Are you nervous?'" Jonas told
Seacrest. "She was like, 'Yeah.' And she was like, 'Are you nervous?' And
I was like, 'Um … no,' trying to play it cool."

Despite the cool act, Lovato said she could "totally
tell" her beau Jonas was nervous.

We're sure Didi Benami, who asked "Idol" mentor Miley Cyrus whether she
too felt butterflies before going onstage, will be pleased to hear it.

Watch the below video, in which the couple also talk about how their relationship developed.

– Amy Reiter

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Sanjaya caught speeding in Seattle

Posted: 26 Mar 2010 06:04 PM PDT

Season 6 finalist Sanjaya Malakar was cited for speeding at 2:30 a.m. on a freeway outside Seattle on Tuesday. According to a report in the Seattle Times, the "American Idol" cast-off (and more recently, a cast member on "I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here") was driving 110 mph on Interstate 405 outside Seattle at Kirkland and was issued a $411 ticket.

And just because, here's his unforgettable ponyhawked performance of No Doubt's "Bathwater." Better or worse than Tim Urban?

– Shirley Halperin

Follow @IdolTracker on Twitter

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Critics may complain, but ‘Idol’ ratings are actually up

Posted: 26 Mar 2010 06:04 PM PDT

Yes, there's a lot of carping out there about "Idol" this season. And this week the moaning may have hit a crescendo. The Times' Ann Powers blasted the contestants for "ridiculous song choices and emotionally tone-deaf performances." AOL blogger MJ Santilli wrote that the Tuesday show is "bound to go down in 'Idol' history as one of the worst nights" of live performances ever.

So, how are the ratings holding up? Well, they're doing a lot better than the contestants, that's for sure. In fact, there's evidence that the ratings are actually improving as the critics and judges say the singers are getting worse. As it heads into the Top 10 phase of the competition, "Idol" is seeing its usual late-season bounce as anticipation builds for the finale.

That two-hour Tuesday show that so offended the critics averaged 24.2 million total viewers, according to live-plus-same-day figures from the Nielsen Co. That's no record-setter by "Idol" standards, of course, but it still was up 6% compared with the previous week's performance show, and it climbed in all major demographics compared with last season's Top 11 show. The program also blew away anything that Fox's rivals aired, but you knew that.

Wednesday's results show, which saw Paige Miles sent home, averaged 21.4 million viewers. True, that considerably underperformed the Wednesday average of 25 million this season, but it was again a solid improvement over the 20.5 million from last week.

Season to date, "Idol" is still down compared with last season, but only slightly. The Tuesday shows are averaging 26.4 million viewers, for a 2% drop.

Who knows? If the contestants keep annoying the critics, "Idol" might finish the season in positive territory!

– Scott Collins

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Paige Miles: ‘It wasn’t my best and the judges ripped me for it’

Posted: 26 Mar 2010 06:04 PM PDT

The popular sentiment in "Idol"-land today? Poor Paige. Not only will the 24-year-old schoolteacher not be joining the "American Idol" tour this summer, when she got on the phone with reporters earlier today, she sounded as if a tractor had run over her vocal cords, which clearly had not recovered from the beating they've taken these last three weeks.

"There was the possibility of doing permanent damage," Paige tried to explain in her barely audible rasp. "I had to take it easy. Unfortunately, it was bad timing. Awful timing. I wish I could have
done more like what I did last night."

She was referring to her encore number, "All Right Now," which she belted with such ease, one had to wonder: Where was this Paige all along? Especially after her Tuesday performance of "Against All Odds" went down as one of the worst in all "Idol" history — so much so that the judges, led in a unanimous decision by Simon Cowell, wouldn't even allow her a chance to sing for the save. Ouch.

To hear Paige reflect upon it, the dis clearly stung. "I initially thought the save was something that, even if they're not
gonna use it, you get the opportunity to at least sing for it and then they make
their decision," she said. "But for the statement to be made before I opened my
mouth, I was pretty bummed."

Although Paige acknowledged that her singing wasn't up to snuff this week — "It definitely wasn't my best and they ripped me for it" — she says she was still surprised to be going home. "I knew I had a poor performance on Tuesday but I didn't know it was my time yet…."

So what happened? Paige blames a combination of illness and exhaustion along with the now-tired excuse of the judges sending mixed messages. But in the end, it comes down to the voters. "Sometimes they back up the person the judges ripped apart," she says. "You never really know how America is going to vote."

But there was no denying her vocal issues from the beginning. "I struggled with laryngitis for three weeks," she explained. "I had swollen vocals cords and with all the
singing and rehearsing we do, very little time to heal. It's tough
when you're on a singing competition and you have no voice…. Exhaustion met with any kind of sickness makes it that much harder to fight off." Still, she feels the judges could tone down the harshness of their comments. "It can be a little hurtful," she confesses. "Sometimes I wish they could rephrase or say it a different way."

Paige gave the distinct impression that if she could do it again, she might choose a different song. Not just because of the judges' critiques, but because she never really connected with the Phil Collins hit. "It was tough to find my place in the song [or find] the meat in the song where I
could really sink my teeth into it," she explained. "I could never really grasp it even in
rehearsals…. I was
trying to find a slower song that I wouldn't have to stress too much
over [because] my vocal cords were pretty much trashed."

In its underlying message, however, "Against All Odds" was an appropriate fit. Says Paige: "Me being where I was, with everything I had going against me, I felt very in the moment in that song."

– Shirley Halperin

Follow @IdolTracker on Twitter

Photo: Paige Miles waves goodbye to the "American Idol" audience on her elimination night. Credit: Michael Becker / Fox

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Diddy to perform on next week’s ‘Idol’

Posted: 26 Mar 2010 06:04 PM PDT

Diddy will perform on next week's elimination show, he tweeted earlier Thursday. Vibe has the scoop. With Diddy's new album, "Last Train to Paris," scheduled for release on June 22, he will deliver the track "Hello, Good Morning" (which features T.I.) on "American Idol" on Wednesday.

The performance will follow Tuesday's soul and R&B theme, during which Usher will be responsible for mentoring the contestants.

Never one to sing and split, will Diddy take the live performance opportunity to pitch himself as the new Simon Cowell? Does the hip-hop impresario belong on the "Idol" stage? What do you think?

– Shirley Halperin

Follow @IdolTracker on Twitter

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