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Idols in the News
Get Updates from the Season 9 Contestants
How is Ellen DeGeneres working out? Our TV critic weighs in
‘Idol’ ditches individual Twitter and Facebook pages
Sarah Palin and Adam Lambert: Ships passing on "Tonight"
Today in ‘Idol:’ Will Crystal Bowersox compete?
Hinder singer on Lee DeWyze: ‘A front-runner with a great voice’
Ann Powers: The ‘Idol’ girls try to go universal, but mostly miss
Today in ‘Idol:’ Eliminations, Danny Gokey signing at Barnes & Noble, Katharine McPhee joins ‘Community’
Coming soon: Ellen, the comic book

Posted: 04 Mar 2010 10:09 AM PST

Season 5s second runner-up, Elliott Yamin is currently in Chile participating in theVia del Mar International Song Festival. Chile experienced an 8.8 magnitude earthquake last week while Elliott was there.He is currently ok and reporting in via his twitter account. Today he tweeted, Hey yall,.I am fine….no need 2 worry about my meds!…I have insulin….I will live!!..thanx ur concern everybody!! Less than two weeks ago, Elliott was in Africa for Idol Gives Back. Read about his trip.

Season 7 runner-up David Archuleta will be one of several artists in the Latin community participating in the Spanish version of the song, We Are The World, created by Gloria and Emilio Estefan. The song will be titled Somos El Mundo. Some of your favorite Idols joined together to record We Are The World 25 For Haiti. Read about it.

Season 7 finalist Carly Smithson and her group, We Are The Fallen, will release their debut album, Tear Down the World on May 11^th with Universal Records. Bury Me Alive, the groups first single, has a new release date for radio of March 23^{rd</… read more
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Get Updates from the Season 9 Contestants

Posted: 04 Mar 2010 10:09 AM PST

Season 9 contestants are now giving fans an inside look at their daily activities and moods with status updates on Facebook, Twitter and MySpace. Better yet, now theyre all added to each group page!

To view status updates on Twitter, become a follower.
To view status updates on Facebook, become a friend.
To view status updates on MySpace, become a friend.

And dont forget to follow American Idol on Twitter and friend us on Facebook and MySpace.

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How is Ellen DeGeneres working out? Our TV critic weighs in

Posted: 04 Mar 2010 10:09 AM PST

In Thursday's Entertainment section, check out L.A. Times television critic Mary McNamara's take on Ellen DeGeneres' "American Idol" journey thus far. McNamara sees the veteran talk-show host as offering somewhat tepid commentary in her assessment of season 9 contestants. Still, Paula Abdul she's not, especially with Kara DioGuardi fully embracing her zany side. So where does that leave Ellen?

A snippet:

In her first weeks, DeGeneres spent most of her time gazing shyly up at the various contestants, offering such brilliant insight as "you're adorable" and "lots of people will vote for you because you're adorable."

Indeed, if it had been up to DeGeneres, no one would have gone home last week and every contestant would have probably gotten a fabulous gift basket from Mrs. Beasley's.

Far from taking on the famously raven-harsh Cowell, as she promised to do, DeGeneres seemed at times in danger of disappearing almost entirely, dwindling to nothing beyond those unblinking baby blues and that Ryan Seacrest cowlick. Did it leave us missing Paula Abdul? No, Kara DioGuardi, with her embarrassing lust for Casey James, seems to be perfectly happy playing the nutty card.

Read the full article here, and let us know your thoughts: Is Ellen still finding her rhythm? Should she crack more jokes or fewer? Or is this particular foursome doomed, no matter what?

– Shirley Halperin

Follow @IdolTracker on Twitter

Photo: Ellen DeGeneres, Randy Jackson, Ryan Seacrest, Kara DioGuardi and Simon Cowell. Credit: Michael Becker / Fox

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‘Idol’ ditches individual Twitter and Facebook pages

Posted: 04 Mar 2010 10:09 AM PST

Here's an early elimination America didn't even get a chance to vote on: The official individual Twitter and Facebook pages of the "American Idol" contestants are a thing of the past. They've been consolidated into one central page shared by all of the contestants on each social networking site. Same goes for MySpace.

Twitter followers of the remaining contestants were treated to the following message Wednesday night, alerting them to the switcheroo: "Thanks so much for following me! All my updates from now on will be on our Official Ai9 Twitter Page, please follow me there @AI9Contestants." Their Facebook fans received a similar message, directing them to the Official American Idol 9 Contestant Page: AI9 Contestants.

The media response to the change has been one of vague suspicion. The going theory is that "Idol" producers were likely concerned that the discrepancies between the number of contestants' followers may have eroded the suspense about who America prefers — and may even have affected the way the audience voted.

Lily Personally, I'm cool with the switch. It's handy to have all the posts in one place, easier to scan through the flurry of posts expressing excitement and thanking fans for their support in order to spot the rare moment of revelation. Wouldn't want to miss Crystal Bowersox's post assuring fans, "Don't worry, my 'beetus [diabetes] is under control…" or the chance to learn that Lilly Scott has issues other than "Idol" on her mind at the moment.

Scott, it turns out, is an alumna of the Colorado school where that terrible shooting occurred last week. "My heart goes out to the students and staff at my former middle school Deer Creek in Littleton," she tweeted. "My hometown has experienced significant tragedy but peace will overcome! My song tonight goes out to all of you…"

– Amy Reiter

Photo: Lilly Scott performs Wednesday night. Credit: Frank Micelotta/ Fox.

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Sarah Palin and Adam Lambert: Ships passing on "Tonight"

Posted: 04 Mar 2010 10:09 AM PST

Looks like Sarah Palin got a double dose of "American
Idol" on Tuesday. First, the former governor of Alaska and vice
presidential candidate chatted with Jay Leno on his second night back on
"The Tonight Show" — a show "Idol" alum Adam Lambert closed with a rousing rendition
of his song "Sleepwalker" from his debut album "For Your
Entertainment." Then Palin and her family apparently slipped into the
"Idol" audience to watch the men perform.

"In the audience tonight at idol? @sarahpalinusa and her kids…" tweeted
"Idol" host Ryan Seacrest shortly after the show aired. "she
came over after taping Leno. You wont see her on camera but she was
there."

Also not seen on camera: Palin and Lambert actually
occupying the same space at the "Tonight Show." ("The producers
would love to have Sarah and Adam meet face-to-face on camera. It would be
ratings gold. However, that is not going to happen," an insider told
PopEater.com last week. "Both camps have made it clear they have no
interest in meeting backstage or onstage.")

While Palin, who appeared at the beginning of the show and
gamely delivered a few jokes in a "monologue," gushed about the guest
who came after her, Olympic snowboarder Shaun White, and described an exciting
backstage encounter with the flame-haired gold medalist, she didn't mention
Lambert. And when Lambert, all a-sparkle with rhinestones, finished his
dazzling performance, Leno and White came out to shake his hand. ("Great
job!" Jay enthused.) Palin, an outspoken opponent of gay marriage, was
nowhere in sight.

A backstage video — a "Tonight Show" Web feature
called "Backstage
with Bryan" — tells a similar story of ships passing in the night.
Palin, clad in a simple black jacket, jeans and heels, can be seen
lightheartedly bowing to White, whose studded leather jacket gave Lambert's
glittering glam garb a run for its money.

Later, as Lambert thanks his fans,
some of whom apparently camped out all night to catch a glimpse of him, Leno
pops in to tell Lambert that "Sleepwalker" is his "best
song," predicting that it will be his "biggest hit so far." But
by that time, Palin and her family appear to have skipped the scene.

Guess they had an "Idol" performance to catch.

– Amy Reiter

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Today in ‘Idol:’ Will Crystal Bowersox compete?

Posted: 04 Mar 2010 10:09 AM PST

According to "American Idol" executive producer Ken Warwick, as of Wednesday morning, it was still unclear whether Crystal Bowersox, who was hospitalized Tuesday for undisclosed reasons (believed to be diabetes-related), would be joining the other nine girls competing for spots on the much-coveted Top 12.

Speaking to Ryan Seacrest on his KIIS-FM morning show (see video below), Warwick says the producers are considering several options should the doctor advise Crystal not to perform Wednesday night, including allowing the viewers to vote based on rehearsal footage. Warwick did not rule out a disqualification. Should that be the case, only one girl will be eliminated on Thursday.

When will we know for sure? Probably right around show time, as Warwick himself stated he didn't expect a prognosis earlier than midday. ("Idol" goes live at 5 p.m. PST).

Normally, we'd make a crack about the show working up some drama, but since the situation is apparently quite serious, we just want to wish Crystal a speedy recovery.

– Shirley Halperin

Follow @IdolTracker on Twitter

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Hinder singer on Lee DeWyze: ‘A front-runner with a great voice’

Posted: 04 Mar 2010 10:09 AM PST

Last night, "American Idol" Top 24 contender Lee DeWyze proved his vocal might when he took on Hinder's "Lips of an Angel." Though the judges pointed out some minor pitch problems and a terrified look on his face, for the most part, their reaction was overwhelmingly positive. Kara DioGuardi told the 23-year-old Mount Prospect, Ill., native that his voice was a good fit for "radio right now," Ellen DeGeneres called his performance "great," while Simon Cowell declared that Lee was "head and shoulders above everyone else" and "may be the one to beat."

But what did the guy who originally sang the 2006 hit think of Lee's take? We reached out to Hinder frontman Austin Winkler and asked if he happened to catch the performance. "Yes, I did see it and was happy to see somebody sing ['Lips of an Angel'], especially Lee!" he tells Idol Tracker. "I think he is a front-runner and has a great voice! But hey, Lee, where is that falsetto at, buddy? Just kidding."

Hear Hinder's version below, and tune in Thursday night to see if Lee will be back next week.

– Shirley Halperin

Follow @IdolTracker on Twitter

Photo: Lee DeWyze performs "Lips of an Angel" on "American Idol." Credit: Frank Micelotta / Fox

Inset: Hinder frontman Austin Winkler. Credit: Florian Schneider

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Ann Powers: The ‘Idol’ girls try to go universal, but mostly miss

Posted: 04 Mar 2010 10:09 AM PST

"[T]here are not two genders," wrote the late feminist scholar Monique Wittig in one of her groundbreaking essays. "There is only one: the feminine, the 'masculine' not being a gender. For the masculine is not the masculine but the general."

What could this heady quote possibly have to do with "American Idol"? It may not be obvious. But Wednesday, as this year's women tried to recover from last week's horror (as a few of the men had the previous night), that fundamental tenet of feminist thinking — that a woman's voice is rarely thought to speak for everyone, the way a man's can — kept popping into my mind.

It wasn't just that the pre-performance interviews had most contestants confiding their tres femme preoccupations (Refurbishing furniture in polka dot patterns! Saying "kiss me" in different languages! Coloring! Coloring?), or that instead of getting feisty with critical judges, these hopefuls tend to apologize and swallow even the worst advice. It was something about the singing. Why is it so hard for most of these women to break out of their gilded cages and transcend?

They're already so trapped in their routines, these scared young ladies. I once held out hope for the erratic but interesting Haeley Vaughn, but her nervous grin somehow became a vocal tic — unremitting chirpiness — in her terrible take on Miley Cyrus' "The Climb," cementing her lack of range.

Similar fevers of self-limitation descended upon Didi Benami, who seemed to start in the wrong key on the Bill Withers classic "Lean on Me" and never recovered, and Lacey Brown, mind-numbingly cute while obeying Kara's dictum of last week to perform the sugar-pop favorite "Kiss Me." Katie Steven gave Corinne Bailey Rae's "Put Your Records On" a pretty spin that showed no depth. Paige Miles at least mustered some spirit (and chops!) paying tribute to Kelly Clarkson, but her classic-pop rafter-rattling was more technically accomplished than emotionally affecting.

It didn't matter whether the song these strivers chose had been a hit for a male singer: No switcheroo brought that thrill of surprise. Michelle Delamor's disorganized take on Creed's "Arms Wide Open" made scraps of an already cheap cut of meat. And Katelyn Epperly dragged her beautiful timbre through Coldplay's "The Scientist," connecting with that band's famously menschy singer, Chris Martin, at the exact epicenter of his blandness.

Three contenders did manage to put their fists through the walls of propriety and quickly built personae enclosing the others. It's interesting that each preceded her performance with a story that showed she'd struggled with that problem of the male universal before.

Lilly Scott showed off her skills as a multi-instrumentalist and bedroom auteur — musical identities traditionally claimed by dudes, but increasingly open to gutsy weirdos like this platinum-blond forest spirit. She then offered a rendition of Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come" that, while neither subtle nor penetrating, did have a certain triumphant ebullience.

Siobhan Magnus admitted to rocking a Mohawk a few years back (the first in "Idol" history?); that punk gesture was further indication of her daring, something she'd also undoubtedly built up as an apprentice in the extremely macho world of glass art. Then she frantically laid claim to Aretha Franklin's "Think." Her version of this simultaneously overdone and unassailable soul chestnut was mostly, let's be honest, a mess. But she brashly reached for Aretha's famous high note and hit it — the way a baseball hits a plate glass window. It was surely a memorable moment, if not a pretty one, and the judges were duly impressed.

Finally, the one woman of Idol 2010 who really seems to know and accept herself gave another performance that asked nothing but that people listen, and yet said more than any flashy gesture could. Crystal Bowersox, fresh from a hospitalization for complications of her Type 1 diabetes, invested her full voice and hopeful, weary heart into a reading of the Creedence Clearwater Revival song "I Can See the Light." Randy Jackson judged it best when he told her, guru style, "Truth is reality … you are the truth."

And the little-known fact of her life that Crystal shared in her persona-building interview? She has a twin. A brother. It seems she's been looking at that male universal her whole life. And she's figured out a pretty healthy way to define herself within, against, and beyond it.

– Ann Powers

Related:

Ann Powers: The men, in their own world

Photo: (Seated, left to right) Katelyn Epperly, Lilly Scott, Paige Miles, Haeley Vaughn and Katie Stevens; (standing, left to right) Didi Benami, Crystal Bowersox, Michelle Delamor, Lacey Brown and Siobhan Magnus. Credit: Michael Becker / Fox

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Today in ‘Idol:’ Eliminations, Danny Gokey signing at Barnes & Noble, Katharine McPhee joins ‘Community’

Posted: 04 Mar 2010 10:09 AM PST

There should be more room to breathe on Thursday night's hourlong "Idol," what with only 20 hopefuls left and four marked for elimination. If there's one thing we learned over the last two weeks, you're either good or bad with not much gray area to speak of. That should make predicting who's heading home slightly easier this week. In the danger zone: Haeley Vaughn, Lacey Brown and Jermaine Sellers, with Todrick Hall, John Park and Tim Urban not far behind as far as weak performances are concerned. Tune in at 8 p.m. for your results.

Danny Gokey has a busy and stressful Thursday as well, not the least of which involves singing his new single, "My Best Days Are Ahead of Me," for some 20-million people. Season 8's third-place finisher is the special-guest performer for this elimination night, after which he'll head next door to the Grove for a CD signing at Barnes & Noble (7:30 p.m.). Danny's debut album, "My Best Days," was released on Tuesday.

Elsewhere on the TV dial, Katharine McPhee guest stars on NBC's "Community" (8 p.m.), playing Chevy Chase's stepdaughter, Amber. The Season 5 runner-up says she's a huge fan of the show — especially star Joel McHale — and has the entire series on TiVo. Check out the video below for an on-the-set chat with Kat.

– Shirley Halperin

Follow @IdolTracker on Twitter

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Coming soon: Ellen, the comic book

Posted: 04 Mar 2010 10:09 AM PST

Ellen DeGeneres will have her life story told in comic-book form at the end of this month. The comedian, talk-show host and "American Idol" judge joins the ranks of accomplished women including Michelle Obama, Hillary Clinton, Oprah Winfrey, Stephenie Meyer, J.K.
Rowling, Judge Sonia Sotomayor and Barbara Walters, who all have been subjects of the "Female Force" series, published by Bluewater Productions.

Telling Ellen's story in pictures (with words by Sandra C. Ruckdeschel and penciling by Pedro Ponzo), the comic book covers every chapter of her life, both personal and professional, starting in childhood and winding its way to college, Ellen's formative years in New Orleans, the comedy-club circuit and early successes on television. The biography also delves into Ellen's advocacy for gay rights and her love of animals. (Ellen requested that a percentage of the proceeds from sales of the comic book go toward the Humane Society.) Even her signature dance made it in.

The illustrated history wraps with Ellen's "Idol" gig (see panel above), in which she outlines her goals for the season: "To be a compassionate judge while still being honest." It also shows a, shall we say, liberal rendering of the "American Idol" judges.

What do you think of this skillful reinterpretation? Did they get it right, or does Randy Jackson look more like Akon? Or maybe Quincy Jones?

– Shirley Halperin

Follow @IdolTracker on Twitter

Image: Bluewater Productions

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