The Unofficial Danny Gokey FanSite |  |
- Happy Birthday, Vonzell Solomon!
- Crystal Bowersox’s Century City shopping spree
- Taylor Hicks looking to put the moves on Kate Gosselin?
- Bo Bice debuts shorter ‘do, announces new album
- Mum’s the word about Ryan Seacrest’s Twitter spoiler, as ‘American Idol’ ratings drop
- Lacey Brown: ‘I had the strangest feeling I was going home’
- Ryan Seacrest spoiler ignites Twitter revolt
- Orianthi is a Casey James fan
- ‘Idol’ results show: Minute by minute
| Happy Birthday, Vonzell Solomon! Posted: 19 Mar 2010 12:02 AM PDT Season 4s second runner-up, Vonzell Solomon, celebrates her 26th birthday today. The former U.S. Postal Service letter carrier has come along way since her days delivering mail in a rural Florida town. Vonzell, also known as Baby V, became the CEO of her own independent record label, Melodic Records. She was one of the headliners in Americas Favorite Finalists and also starred as Glinda/Aunt Em in Season 9 semifinalist Todrick Halls Oz the Musical. Read more about her role, here. Just last week, on March 8, Vonzell released a new single called Dirt Bag which is available on iTunes. She also hosts a weekly show called The BabyV Show online. The show features American Idol chat, contestant interviews, comedy, and more. Happy Birthday, Baby V! Vonzell walked the red carpet at the Season 8 Idol finale. Check her out!
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| Crystal Bowersox’s Century City shopping spree Posted: 19 Mar 2010 12:02 AM PDT
Considering Crystal's comments at last week's Top 12 party, during which she poo-pooed excessive styling and shunned a future makeover ("A makeover doesn't freak me out at all because it's not going to happen," she told Idol Tracker), we were surprised to hear that "American Idol's" resident hippie was spotted happily shopping at Westfield Century City — in a bright red dress, no less! Accompanied by a security guard and one of the series' stylists, Emmy Award-winning Soyon An, the Season 9 front-runner picked up nearly $500 worth of clothing to wear on next week's show. "Mos Among the items she bought? Metropark's WYL "Gloria Lace Top," (see photo), which retails for $64.00 and definitely has that Stevie Nicks-meets-"Idol" kind of look. In between fittings, Crystal obliged a few fans who stopped by and asked to take a photo. "She was really sweet," says an observer. – Shirley Halperin Follow @IdolTracker on Twitter Photos: Courtesy Metropark
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| Taylor Hicks looking to put the moves on Kate Gosselin? Posted: 19 Mar 2010 12:02 AM PDT
Here are two names we never imagined appearing in the same sentence: Taylor Hicks and Kate Gosselin. Huh? PopEater's resident gossip blogger Rob Shuter has the scoop: Taylor and I were having drinks the other night in New York City (you've got to love a dude who still drinks Bud in a champagne-sipping crowd) when the topic of Kate Gosselin came up. "I would totally date her," Taylor told me. "I have always said I wanted nine kids, so it would be perfect!" Hold the phone — did Taylor Hicks just offer to step in as stepdad to the Gosselin brood? And, what, add one of his own, to boot? It's a strange pop culture world, indeed. What do you think? Would the Season 5 winner, who's currently touring with the national production of "Grease," be a step up from Kate's ex, Jon? – Shirley Halperin Follow @IdolTracker on Twitter Left photo: Taylor Hicks in 2006. Credit: Shirley Halperin Right photo: Kate Gosselin in her "Dancing With the Stars" garb. Credit: ABC
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| Bo Bice debuts shorter ‘do, announces new album Posted: 19 Mar 2010 12:02 AM PDT
"I have a new project with a new style of music, incorporating more country elements," he told People.com. "With all these new aspects going on in my career, it was just another thing that I felt needed a bit of change." His new album is due out May 18 on Time-Life's roots label Saguaro Road Records (home to Patty Loveless, Blind Boys of Alabama, Joan Osborne and Tanya Tucker), and while the title was originally reported to be "Different Shades of Blue," Idol Tracker has learned that the name has since changed to the simple "3" — no doubt signifying his third album and the recent arrival of his third son, Ean Jacob, born Jan. 22. What do you think of Bo's shoulder-length 'do? Was a dramatic trim, er, overdue? – Shirley Halperin Follow @IdolTracker on Twitter
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| Mum’s the word about Ryan Seacrest’s Twitter spoiler, as ‘American Idol’ ratings drop Posted: 19 Mar 2010 12:02 AM PDT
His actions, at least, ignited a Twitter revolt, and at most, sunk ratings for the show to an all-time low. Of course, for "Idol" that means 20 million viewers still tuned in to watch someone get the boot, a bigger audience than anything else on Wednesday night. Despite fan outrage, and having possibly sunk ratings, Seacrest didn't mention his rather large snafu on his morning radio show Thursday, nor has he tweeted an apology. When asked about the incident, reps for Fox, 19 Entertainment and "Idol's" producers responded only with a "no comment." Seacrest's personal reps won't return our e-mails at all. Apparently, everyone is pretending it never happened. At the same time, Seacrest was only too happy to talk up his faux feud with Simon Cowell on his radio show. (Their yawn-inducing head-butting sunk Simon to an all-time low in our "American Idol" judge power rankings this week.) "Just for the record, it's all part of the show," Seacrest said. "We went to dinner last night. And I paid." Yeah, thanks for the news flash, Ryan. – Denise Martin Photo credit: Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times
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| Lacey Brown: ‘I had the strangest feeling I was going home’ Posted: 19 Mar 2010 12:02 AM PDT
It was written all over Lacey Brown's face on Wednesday night, and the Texas native confirmed Thursday that she had a feeling it was her turn to go. "I woke up yesterday with the strangest feeling I was going home," she told reporters the morning after her elimination. "I wasn't tipped off by [and I didn't] read anything … but it wasn't a shocker." Nor was it for the rest of America, if we're being totally honest. The redhead reached her competitive best when she performed Sixpence None the Richer's "Kiss Me," but her string-heavy, trilly "Ruby Tuesday" failed to resonate with viewers. As judge Ellen Degeneres put it, Lacey sat on the stage when she should have stood, and stood when she should have sat — there was a disconnect there that was undoubtedly felt outside the "Idol" studio. For her part, Lacey says she wouldn't have changed a thing. "I played violin growing up," she explained, "and when I decided to put the quartet on stage with me, I was totally digging it." In the end, Lacey says she was "super happy with it," adding that "if I had to do it again, I would do it the exact same way." So what was it that sent her home? Lacey thinks it may have come down to energy. "[The judges] kept asking for energy in my songs," she said. "They kept saying it was a sleepy performance and I'm a happy, bubbly personality, and they just wanted to see that transferred into my music. But the issue I was having is, I really love to sing ballads. I love telling a story with a song. I love the emotion of the song. I'm very artsy, so that side comes out of me when I sing." Lacey said the judges were very supportive and all came up to talk to her after the show. "They genuinely care about the contestants," she said. "They're there to help you [and] had nothing but nice things to say. Like, 'This is just another step into your career, you have great vocals, you're very unique.' They're just full of compliments because they want to see us succeed." Asked about negative remarks made by last week's contestants implying that someone else — possibly her — should have gone home instead of fan favorites like Alex Lambert and Lilly Scott, Lacey was decidedly Zen about it. "I haven't put my focus on any negativity going on," she said, emphasizing that she didn't "sense that was happening" backstage. "This is a reality show and someone has to go home every week. … It's been a shocker sometimes, but that's the nature of the beast that is 'American Idol.'" That said, the self-described "avid Twitterer and Facebooker," who's also a big Pete Yorn fan, is returning home with her head held high. "Even though I got voted off, this is not the end-all for me," she said. "This is a great opportunity to jump-start my career." – Shirley Halperin Follow @IdolTracker on Twitter Photo: Ryan Seacrest offers Lacey Brown a shoulder to lean on while she watches her exit montage. Credit: Michael Becker / PictureGroup
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| Ryan Seacrest spoiler ignites Twitter revolt Posted: 19 Mar 2010 12:02 AM PDT
Only problem is, at the time he tweeted (just after 7 p.m.), "Idol" had yet to air in Los Angeles or anywhere else on the West Coast. No strangers to the perils of spoilers, PDT tweeters were, in a word, peeved. Among the hundreds of messages addressing the snafu are comments such as this one by @SportsAllDay83: "Thanks for ruining Idol for us on the west coast. You live out here, you should know what time it starts." But Ryan also has his supporters. "It's ok," wrote @bornluckyme. "Lacey brown is not my fave anyway." – Shirley Halperin
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| Posted: 19 Mar 2010 12:02 AM PDT
It wasn't her first time sharing a stage with an Idol — she crossed that off her To-Do list by performing with Carrie Underwood on the 2009 Grammy Awards — but Australian guitar virtuoso Orianthi felt the emotional vortex of the competition firsthand on elimination Wednesday. Or, as she likes to call it, "eviction night." Which is why after she performed her hit, "According to You," she made a beeline for the Top 12 to offer some advice and words of encouragement. "I just told them that they're all really talented and that one person will be evicted tonight, but they've all probably learned so much from being on the show," she told Idol Tracker. "It's made them better performers and singers, so now that they've got the world as their audience, it's about writing music and putting themselves out there." Orianthi said she studied up on the Season 9 finalists by watching YouTube videos of all their performances in one night. So who stood out? "Casey [James] is great," she said. "He's got that real sort of Kenny Wayne Shepard thing going on. And he's bringing the guitar back. Also Andrew Garcia has got a great, soulful voice, especially with the acoustic guitar." – Shirley Halperin Follow @IdolTracker on Twitter Photo: Orianthi after performing her hit single, "According to You," on "American Idol." Credit: Michael Becker / PictureGroup
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| ‘Idol’ results show: Minute by minute Posted: 19 Mar 2010 12:02 AM PDT
Wednesday's "American Idol" was a jam-packed episode. Not only were there 12 contestant verdicts to get through in an hour, Season 7 winner David Cook also performed along with master shredder Orianthi (more on her "Idol" experience here) and dance-floor diva Ke$ha, featuring members of 3Oh3. To match the frenetic pace, here's our minute-by-minute rundown from inside the "Idol"-dome. 5:55 p.m. Ryan Seacrest is off to stage right looking over his lines while the Top 12 are positioned on the blue velvet couches across the way. Usually, the mood is pretty somber on elimination nights, but this group looked, dare we say, peppy. That will end soon enough. 5:58 p.m. With two minutes until show time, warm-up guy Jay Flats quickly introduces the judges, who are sprinting to their seats. Randy high fives audience members then motions a big up to the Top 12. Kara, meanwhile, is flailing her arms around and hugging everybody in sight. But Jay forgets to introduce her at first, which leaves her bewildered. 5:59 p.m. Still touchy-feely, Kara takes a seat on Randy's lap as Simon approaches the judges' table (accompanied by the roar of the studio audience) and gives Ellen a double kiss, Euro-style. 6:00 p.m. The show begins with a video package, during which the judges are more interested in chit-chat than what's on the screen. 6:03 p.m. The studio audience is bewildered by Simon's strange tête-à-tête with Ryan. Is Simon legitimately annoyed at Ryan's bravado last night? Is Ryan thrown off by the unscripted moment and Simon's terse response? Or is it all designed to set off a whisper campaign that will turn into ratings? One thing we do know, it is incredibly awkward for all. 6:05 p.m. David Cook takes the stage and, for three minutes, all is good in the world. Katie Stevens, "Big Mike" Lynche, Crystal Bowersox and Didi Benami are rocking out on the couch as an onslaught of guitars fills the room. As promised, "Jumpin' Jack Flash" is a gas, gas, gas. 6:08 p.m. Ryan talks to David about his new album. But we've already got the goods on that in much more detail. 6:09 p.m. Time for a commercial break. The judges all hop on the stage and clamor to say hello to Cook. It's a happy reunion that takes most of the four-minute break, so when Crystal gets up to try to say hello to Cook, she's told there's not enough time. 6:13 p.m. With one second to spare, Simon takes his seat. 6:14 p.m. Ford commercial time! The Top 12 watch intently as their mugs are splashed across the gigunto video screen, with the exception of Katie Stevens, who can't help but giggle. The judges, meanwhile, are in a huddle, presumably discussing official judge business. 6:17 p.m. Paige Myles is the first sent to the stools on stage right, and the crowd, usually generous with finalists in the bottom three, offers very tepid applause. The mention of Lee Dewyze's name, however, brings the opposite response — a deafening cheer. When Lee is told he's staying, he clutches his hands and gestures to the sky. 6:18 p.m. Siobhan's agony is short-lived as she's quickly told to take a seat. She slinks back into her seat, the look of relief noticeable from even the farthest corner of the studio. 6:20 p.m. Aaron Kelly gets the good news, takes his seat and grabs Tim Urban's arms in a show of support. 6:21 p.m. With Andrew Garcia and Urban now standing, everyone knows one is destined to take the walk of "Idol" shame across the stage. Still, Andrew Garcia's very vocal fan base is undeniable. But Tim also has a fan in the crowd — one who insists on screaming, "Tim, I love you!" during the quietest moments. 6:22 p.m. Another break and Andrew and Lee seem to be having an intense discussion as they gab to themselves on the couch corner. Meanwhile, Paige and Tim look surprisingly calm as they await their fate. 6:26 p.m. Orianthi makes her way to center stage and seems to be struggling a bit with her footwear — black BCBG boots with 3-inch platform heels. Talk about a workout! Strutting her ax like a modern-day Lita Ford, "According to You" goes over great in the studio — Big Mike is into it, Lacey Brown claps in time and Katie knows the words so she sings along. At the song's end, Aaron and Siobhan are the first to stand. 6:27 p.m. Randy runs up on stage during the commercial break to give Orianthi a hug. Kara and Ellen aren't far behind. Simon keeps the pleasantries to a handshake, natch. Orianthi then heads over to the couch and shakes each Top 12ers' hand. Simon and Ellen walk out for some air hugging each other. 6:33 p.m. With 30 seconds to go, the judges again dash in at the last possible moment, but this time, Kara randomly decides to swap places with Randy. 6:35 p.m. As Didi Benami receives her sentence, all eyes on on her mom, sitting judges' table-adjacent in the front row. 6:37 p.m. Crystal stands her ground when Ryan asks her about having the competition "in the bag," insisting those were not her words, though much appreciated. You can hear whispers in the crowd as people try to decipher whether she's being overly defensive, but the good news washes all the negativity away as she keeps her spot for this week and probably several more to come. 6:38 p.m. It's Katie's turn, and Kara is called upon for her two cents. But as usual, the judges can't agree on her ideal genre. Pop-rock? Country? Mariachi? The crowd erupts in laughter. Thanks, Ellen. 6:40 p.m. Big Mike equals big applause. And everybody knows, he's not going anywhere. 6:41 p.m. Casey and Lacey reluctantly stand. The former looks worried; the latter, resigned. It's inevitable that she'll go home and everyone — including Lacey herself — pretty much knows it. 6:42 p.m. Tim and Paige make their way to center stage, where they're joined by Lacey. Asked if any of the three is worth using the "save," Ellen is, for once, at a complete loss for words. 6:43 p.m. Tim is sent back to the couch, and the room erupts in cheers. Go figure. 6:44 p.m. With the end of the show approaching, Paige and Lacey, who also happen to be roommates, hold each other for support. On the couches, Siobhan wraps her arms around Aaron and Tim, clearly happy to have her flop-top friend back. 6:47 p.m. It's Ke$ha time. Her performance of "Blah Blah Blah" was taped earlier in the afternoon (3 p.m., to be exact), so the audience and the Top 12 watch it on video. Or stare in bewilderment is a more apt description. Big Mike in particular looks somewhat perplexed and keeps checking his watch. 6:50 p.m. The last commercial break finds Lacey and Paige standing cheek to cheek on the "Idol" stage, ready for whatever may come. Ryan, meanwhile, is keeping his poker face on as he surveys the last segment's notecards. He obviously knows who's going home already but is not about to spoil it — he does that to the West Coasters some 30 minutes later. 6:54 p.m. One minute left in the break and Ryan pats both girls on the shoulder in preparation for the final act. No Simon to be found, and Lee seems weirdly fidgety. 6:55 p.m. Back on the air, the girls hang on to each other for dear life, but it's Lacey who's declared the lowest vote-getter. She goes out with the song. The judges deliberate for about a third of it, but it's a unanimous "no" when it comes to the save. 6:59 p.m. With Lacey's fate sealed and pushing back tears, Katie comes running over to console her friend and is joined in due time by the 10 other finalists. 7:00 p.m. And it's a wrap. Ryan, Kara, Randy, Simon and Ellen step on stage to console Lacey, who's trying her best not to smudge her carefully applied makeup minutes before she does a bunch of press. There's little time for tears anyway, as the show has to tape another performance, by Sons of Silvia (formerly the Clark Brothers, winners of Fox's short-lived "The Next Great American Band"), while there's still an audience to cheer on the hunky brother trio. Exiting stage left, you could still spot Lacey by the glistening microphone she was hanging onto. Indeed, it's hard to let go. – Shirley Halperin Follow @IdolTracker on Twitter Photo: The
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"American Idol" host Ryan Seacrest may have tweeted himself into a heap of trouble. Soon after Wednesday night's elimination show, which was broadcast live from the West Coast starting at 6 p.m. PDT, Ryan 
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