Idol Chit-Chat
This is your place to discuss all things "American Idol." The performances, the judges, the past contestants — it’s all right here.

Sunday, November 30, 2008

The New "Idol" Promo

If you haven’t seen this awesome “American Idol” promo, I’ve posted it here for you.

It features a look at David Cook’s wild ride in reverse.

And remember that “Idol” premieres Tuesday, January 13th at 8 p.m. on FOX…

Cook Turns the “Light On” the Christmas Tree

David Cook will be among the performers on “Christmas in Rockefeller Center” as the Christmas tree at the Center is lit.

The live show will air Wednesday, December 3rd at 8 p.m. on NBC…

Photo Credit: Eric Liebowitz/NBC (2007)

Clay's First Thanksgiving As A Dad

Clay Aiken stopped by CBS’ coverage of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade to talk about his first Thanksgiving as a father.

You can see the interview here…

Archie in the Parade

Here’s a look at David Archuleta in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

And yes, he is lipsynching, as is the parade tradition…

Clay Goes "Live" With Rosie

Clay did not perform on “Rosie Live,” but he did crack a few jokes with her during a break in “Spamalot.”

You can see it here…

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

What I'm Thankful For This Thanksgiving...

I considered writing something sappy about what all I’m thankful for this Thanksgiving, but I think you guys know me well enough by now to know I don’t really do sappy.

But, I thought I’d list a few things anyway in the spirit of the season…

I’m thankful for the return of “24” even if Tony is completely creepy. That will just make it more fun when Jack beats the crap out of him…

I’m thankful for YouTube, without which I would never be able to keep up with everything…

I’m thankful for all of the publicists who have been so good to answer my questions and provide me pictures to make these blogs better…

I’m thankful for Jeramey and the IT department at the H-D for taking such good care of me…

I’m thankful for Andrea, my editor, who allows me to do this…

I’m thankful for my friends who make sure I don’t miss anything…

I’m thankful for my fiancé, who not only understood that Sunday date night had to be moved to Sunday date afternoon because of “24: Redemption,” he arranged it himself without me even mentioning it…

I’m thankful for my dad, who could teach Jack Bauer a thing or two about strength and toughness…

And last but not least, I’m thankful for all of you, my loyal readers. You are the ones that make this thing go and I truly appreciate all of you…

Okay, sorry, that last part was pretty sappy. I don’t know what came over me…

Feel free to let me know what you’re thankful for this Thanksgiving as well…

Have a great one and I’ll be back in a few days…

Breaking News: How Did Cook Do?

David Cook debuts at #3 this week on the Billboard 200…

That’s double the numbers that Jordin Sparks did in her first week. And if you’re keeping track, it’s 97,000 more copies than David Archuleta sold in his first week …

In case you’re curious, Beyonce sold 482,000 copies of “I Am…Sasha Fierce” to claim #1 and Nickelback debuts at #2 after moving 326,000 copies of “Dark Horse.”

After debuting at #2, “David Archuleta” falls out of the top 10 this week…

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Will Ford Stay On?

If you’ve been staying up nights wondering if the Idols will be able to do the Ford commercials this season because of the hard economic times the car companies are going through, you can get a good night’s sleep tonight…

Ford confirmed this week that it will continue to be a sponsor for “American Idol.”

According to TNS Media Intelligence, Ford spent nearly $78 million on its sponsorship last year, and over $328.5 million over the seven seasons.

Because I try to stay away from politics in this blog, I’m going to refrain from commenting on this news in light of the proposed Congressional bailout. I’ll let you guys do that…

Monday, November 24, 2008

Ryan and Simon Go Family Friendly

Ryan Seacrest and Simon Cowell will be among the celebrities making appearances at the 2008 Family Awards.

The hour-long show will highlight the top moments in family friendly programming.

The show will air Friday, December 12th at 9 p.m. on The CW…

Congrats to the Idols!

Congratulations to the former Idols who won American Music Awards last night…

Daughtry took home Favorite Pop Band, Duo or Group, but was bested by Jordin Sparks for Favorite Adult Contemporary Artist.

Carrie Underwood won Favorite Country Album for “Carnival Ride”…
Photos Credit: Adam Larkey/ABC

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Clay Teams Up With Rosie

Clay Aiken will be among the guests for “Rosie Live,” Rosie O’Donnell’s variety show on NBC.

“Rosie Live” will air Wednesday, November 26th at 8 p.m. on NBC…

Photo Credit: Eric Ogden/RCA

Thursday, November 20, 2008

The Idols Represent at the AMAs

Idols will be a major part of the American Music Awards Sunday night…

First, David Cook will perform during the pre-show, “2008 American Music Awards Red Carpet Live.”

Then three Idols are nominated for the evening’s awards…

Daughtry is nominated for Favorite Band, Duo or Group and Favorite Adult Contemporary Artist along with Jordin Sparks (I don’t know who’s cringing the most. Daughtry or their fellow nominee The Eagles.).

And Carrie Underwood is nominated for Favorite Country Female Artist and for Favorite Country Album for “Carnival Ride.”

The American Music Awards air Sunday, November 23rd at 8 p.m. on ABC. “Red Carpet Live” airs at 7 p.m…

Photo Credit: David Clinch/RCA

And Now For Something Completely Different...

A friend of mine passed this along and I just had to share it with you.

And you thought I took “Idol” seriously…

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

The Perfect Gift For the “Idol” Fan

So I was standing in front of an ornament display at Kohl’s, concentrating on something else, when I heard a woman on her cell phone say, ‘They have an ‘American Idol’ one.”

Well that was all I needed to hear…

I listened to the woman describe the ornament to the person on the phone and then when she turned her back, I grabbed it.

Relax, they had more…

The “Idol” ornament from the Carlton Heirloom Ornament Collection is the perfect gift for the “Idol” fan—especially one as into Christmas ornaments as I am. It’s a replica of the stage you see during the opening credits of the show.

But the big bonus with the ornament is that when you push the button, you hear Ryan Seacrest say, “This is American Idol.”

Now, who wouldn’t love that?

There’s also a chip inside that allows you to record your own message if you wish.

The “American Idol” ornament (SRP $25.00) is available wherever Carlton Heirloom ornaments are sold. You can find the store nearest you here.

Photo Credit: American Greetings

So How Did Archie Do?

David Archuleta debuts at #2 on the Billboard 200 this week after selling 183,000 copies.

As I suspected, Taylor Swift topped the chart after selling 592,000 copies.

Considering the state of album sales these days, 183,000 is a pretty solid debut...

Photo Credit: Michael Becker/FOX

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Is "David Cook" Original?

David Cook fans have been thanking me all week for “my open mind.” Now I understand why…

USAToday.com had an article about Cook’s CD releasing today that featured a statement from music writer Don Waller, one of the “coaches” that follows “Idol” for the website:

“If RCA pumps money into promoting Cook and releases a second single by Christmas, the disc might sell 500,000, Waller speculates.”

OUCH!

Cook should have been the first “Idol” sure thing since he appealed to all demographic groups. So what’s happened here?

I’ve got one word for you—Daughtry.

The biggest complaint that reviewers have of Cook’s CD is that it’s not original. EW.com even called it “Daughtry 2.0.” And since Cook was one of the most original contestants in “Idol” history, I can understand their frustration (I almost voiced it myself.); but how was Daughtry original? I recall more than one person calling him a Nickelback rip-off, but now he’s the standard by which all Idol rockers must be judged? That’s not fair…

I listened to the Internet stream of the album at least three times today and I am really loving the CD. But is it original? Honestly, no.

But what about music is these days?

Now I am not attacking the David Cook critics for disagreeing with me—especially since I have taken some pretty hard hits over the years for my reviews. I am just saying that Cook deserves to be judged on his own merits or faults. If you don’t like the album—fine, but don’t not like it just because it sounds like someone else…

And for the record, I think the album sounds more like a cross between Creed and Lifehouse than it does like Daughtry…

You can hear “David Cook” for yourself here. Be sure to let me know what you think…
Photo Credit: Ron Cadiz/RCA

A Reason to Believe In Simon

If any of you ever doubt for a second that Simon Cowell knows what he’s talking about on “Idol,” just listen to this gorgeous cover of “Hallelujah” from the group he put together, Il Divo.

I’m sure that many scoffed at Simon when he said he was trying to bring opera to the mainstream, but I don’t hear anyone laughing now…

Il Divo’s new album, “The Promise” hit stores today…

Monday, November 17, 2008

Chris’ Acting Debut

Chris Daughtry is making his acting debut this week in a big way…

Chris will guest star on the 100th episode of “CSI: NY” in a very clever story. When two people named Mac Taylor are killed in a week, the CSI team springs into action to protect anyone else named Mac Taylor—including their very own Det. Mac Taylor (Gary Sinise). Chris plays one of the Mac Taylors.

Scott Wolf, Marshall Faulk and Nelly also appear in the episode which airs Wednesday, November 19th at 10 p.m. on CBS…

You can catch a short preview featuring part of Chris’ performance here.



Photo Credit: Monty Brinton/CBS

Carrie and Jordin Are the People’s Choice

Carrie Underwood and Jordin Sparks both received multiple nominations for this year’s “People’s Choice Awards”…

Carrie is nominated for Favorite Female Singer along with Rihanna and Alicia Keys and Favorite Country Song for “Last Name” along with Taylor Swift’s “Love Story” and Rascal Flatts’ “Take Me There.” Carrie is also one of the stars nominated in the Favorite Star Under 35 Bracket Game.

Jordin is nominated with Chris Brown for “No Air” in the categories of Favorite Combined Forces (Madonna and Justin Timberlake’s “Four Minutes” and “Natasha Bedingfield and Sean Kingston’s “Love Like This” are the competition.) and Favorite Pop Song (“Disturbia” and “I Kissed A Girl” are the other nominees.).

You can vote here.

Carrie’s Duet With Elvis

I’ve been so busy tracking down the other Idols’ Christmas efforts that I forgot to remind you about Carrie Underwood’s duet with Elvis Presley on the new CD, “Elvis Presley Christmas Duets”…
Carrie and Elvis do “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.” I couldn’t find a version on the Internet to share with you, but I did catch a snippet of Carrie’s side of the duet and it is REALLY high, but really pretty.

I just think that Elvis’ Christmas CD is so iconic that it shouldn’t be messed with. But maybe that’s just me.
“Elvis Presley Christmas Duets” is available now…
Photo Credit: Amazon.com

Constantine and Friends “Rock” Conan

Constantine Maroulis and the cast of “Rock of Ages” performed on “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” Friday.

Since I honestly don’t know what to say—especially about that lame and incredibly awkward opening—I’m going to just let the video speak for itself…

I will say that Whitesnake fans might want to make sure they’re sitting down…

Clay Spends Thanksgiving With CBS

I’ve already told you that David Archuleta is scheduled to be a part of NBC’s coverage of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Well, no worries, CBS fans, because they’ve got Clay Aiken…

Sadly, according to the CBS press release, he is not going to sing. The release says he will “drop by to chat” with the hosts, Dave Price and Maggie Rodriguez.
CBS’ coverage of the parade begins at 9 a.m…

Catching Up With Archie’s Publicity Tour

A huge apology to the David Archuleta fans out there for not letting you know about all of David’s TV appearances…

Let me update you on the ones that are left…

Tuesday, November 18th, David will appear on “The Bonnie Hunt Show” and on Thanksgiving Day, you can see David in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. David is scheduled to be a part of NBC’s coverage, which will begin at 9 a.m.

You can see Archie’s performance on “The Tonight Show” here. It’s pretty good and Jay really liked it, but I think Jeff may want to have a conversation with the band about drowning out his son…

Cook Hits The Airwaves

As part of his promotional tour, David Cook will appear on “Live With Regis and Kelly” on November 19th and “Ellen” on November 26th. Check your local listings for the times in your area.

You can also see David and his band perform songs from the new album on Wal-Mart Soundcheck at http://soundcheck.walmart.com/david_cook.aspx

My apologies for not letting you know about his “Tonight Show” performance. You can see that here.

It was nice to see the audience get into a little bit…

Saturday, November 15, 2008

The Catchiest Song Ever?

So while the debate continues about whether catchy and radio-friendly actually means good, I wanted to share with you what I think could quite possibly be the catchiest song ever—David Archuleta’s “Touch My Hand.”

And yes, I think it's good...

Let me know what you think…

Friday, November 14, 2008

Elliott's New Song

Here’s a new song from Elliott Yamin. It’s called “Bridge Is Burning.”

Elliott is currently working on his second CD…



Just for the record, I think it's pretty cool...

Nigel Speaks Out About the Fourth Judge

Nigel Lythgoe may no longer be with “American Idol,” but he’s still talking about it and he’s not happy about the addition of a fourth judge…

Nigel told the “New York Post,” “I don’t like fourth judges. I think once you’ve been told, ‘You suck,’ you don’t need to be told another three times.”

Nigel had nothing but compliments for Kara DioGuardi, but he says he never would have brought her on. According to “production sources,” Simon Cowell has taken a larger role in how the show is run since Nigel left, including the hiring of Kara.

Nigel had words of caution for Simon saying that “he’s never produced anything on television…at the end of the day, you have to leave it for the producers to produce, because if you're in it, you're seeing it from a completely different perspective and he's going to need to realize that. Sometimes you can't see the woods through the trees and you tend to lose the most important thing, which is so often forgotten: common sense.”

Yeah, because Nigel always did everything perfectly…

NBC announced today that it has picked up a new show from Nigel and “Idol” guru Simon Fuller that will feature an Olympic-style dance competition…

I'm honestly not sure what to say about that one...

Is Paula Making Plans to Leave "Idol"?

“OK Magazine” is reporting that Paula Abdul is hoping to “transition” out of “American Idol.”

According to “a source close to the reality judge,” Paula is developing new TV projects. The source went on to tell the magazine, “She knows that every season could be her last. Now, she’s got a new secret venture that she’s really excited about.”

The magazine also says that Randy Jackson has been telling friends that “Idol” has “lost its magic.”

Hmmm…

More on the Latest "Idol" Tragedy

People.com is sharing new details about Paula Goodspeed, the woman who was found dead outside Paula Abdul’s home.

Police now believe the death was caused by a drug overdose.

According to the website, Goodspeed sent flowers to Paula just last week, but the note read: “Hope you're doing great. Here's my new cell number. Love J.T.” When Paula called her boyfriend, J.T. Torregiani, to ask why he had changed his number and he said he hadn’t, Paula realized they had come from Goodspeed.

Why? Because in the three years since Goodspeed’s “Idol” audition, Paula had received more than 100 letters from Goodpeed, as well as numerous phone calls and uninvited visits, according to the “People” source.

Other signs of Goodspeed’s infatuation included her car’s license plate, “ABL LV” and the picture of Paula she had hanging from her rearview mirror. Plus, “People” is also reporting that Goodspeed changed her name from Sandra to Paula.

You can see Goodspeed’s audition here. It makes you see these people a little differently, doesn’t it?

Kellie's Revealing Performance

I’ve already showed you Carrie Underwood’s CMA performance, so how about Kellie Pickler’s?

Kellie did the song she co-wrote with Taylor Swift, “The Best Days of Your Life.” She sounded pretty good, but that outfit?

Let’s just say I hope she was wearing underwear. I’m sure someone in the front row could tell us if she was…

Thursday, November 13, 2008

David Cook CD Review: No Catchy Pop Here

The first time I hear a song, I know it’s good when it hits that first chorus and I uncontrollably break into a smile. And if I really think it’s good, my head bops along to the beat.

But as I was listening to “David Cook,” neither my lips nor my head even budged.

I don’t know what it was that was bothering me. Maybe I was expecting something different. Maybe it was too rock for me. Maybe it was because so many of the songs featured high screams followed immediately by hushed singing in his lower register, making them sound terribly alike.

Whatever it was, I just couldn’t get into the CD. That doesn’t mean it wasn’t good, I just wasn’t feeling it.

Then somewhere in the middle of the chorus of “Lie,” the eighth track on the CD, I felt the smile. One track later came the head bob. And then everything was fine. In fact, when I gave the CD a second listen, I enjoyed it a lot more.

So what was my problem in the beginning? Maybe I just had too much David Archuleta stuck in my head…

The CD starts out with “Declaration,” the song Cook sang on “SNL.” It sounds much better recorded, but I think it could still use a little less soaring of a chorus…

“Heroes” has a great chorus with some pretty good lyrics…

Then it’s the first single, “Light On,” which I still think rocks, even if Top 40 radio doesn’t…

“Come Back To Me” has a Lifehouse sound to it—and I mean that as a compliment…

“Life On the Moon” has some interesting lyrics and a pretty catchy chorus. It’s the moody rocker song.

The real rocker on the CD is “Bar-ba-sol.” And even though I’m not a big rock song fan, this one actually kind of works for me…

“Mr. Sensitive,” however, is a tad too much on the rock side for me. I think it’s the way David sings the word “sensitive”…

I’ve already told you about “Lie,” which is one of the best tracks on the CD…

“I Did It For You” is a great song with a great chorus…

“Avalanche” seemed to be continuing the CD’s momentum, but then it lost me…

But then Cook whips out a GORGEOUS ballad, “Permanent,” and I was back…

Cook then goes feel good—or as feel good as a rock anthem can get—with “A Daily Anthem.” It has a good chorus, but it goes a little too long.

And then, at the 12:04 mark of “Anthem” after several minutes of silence, there’s a hidden track possibly called “Kiss On the Neck.” I’m not sure why Cook kept this one hidden because it’s one of the best songs on the CD…

The CD closes with the bonus track, “The Time of My Life.” I was concerned that this song wouldn’t fit in, but after the hard rocking “Neck,” it works nicely…

“David Cook” tries really hard to strike the balance between rock and radio-friendly and for the most part it does with both solid rock songs and solid radio singles. But if you’re looking for catchy pop, you’re not going to get it here…

However, if you’re looking for some music with substance from an outstanding vocalist, this CD is for you.

It might just take an extra listen or two to get there…

“David Cook” hits stores Tuesday, November 18th…

Please note this review was written based on an Internet stream and not the actual CD...

Carrie Makes It Three In a Row

Not even the red-hot Taylor Swift could derail the Carrie Underwood awards train…
Carrie won her third straight Female Vocalist of the Year award at last night’s CMA Awards.

Carrie, who co-hosted the show with Brad Paisley, also helped produce one of the show’s most emotional moments as she performed her #1 hit, “Just A Dream,” after being introduced by a woman who lost her husband in Afghanistan.

You can watch the performance and part of the introduction here.

It’s nice to see Carrie show a little emotion and not be so stiff for a change…

Get Ready, Kelly Clarkson Fans!

EW.com reported today that a new single from Kelly Clarkson could hit radio as soon as December—and it will not be a country song.

Producer Dr. Luke tells EW.com that the first single will probably be “My Life Would Suck Without You” which he developed with Max Martin, thereby reuniting Kelly with the duo behind “Since U Been Gone.”

“They were going to have it out on November 20th, but it just got too late. So now they’re thinking December 8th for a worldwide release, but I wouldn’t be surprised if that ends up being early January,” Dr. Luke told the website.

A rep for Kelly said no single has been chosen…

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

"ELLE" Gets the "Idol" Touch

The new issue of “ELLE” magazine hitting newsstands this week has lots of “Idol” touches…

First, Carrie Underwood graces the cover. And taking a page out of the “Vogue” playbook, there are two covers. The usual cover…



And this sexier cover.



I bet that will give Tony Romo some pause…

Speaking of Tony Romo, Carrie does discuss him in her interview which you can read part of here.

Also in the issue, the top 10 from last season get fashion makeovers. You can see those pictures here...

Photos Credit: AmericanIdol.com

"Idol Gives Back" Gives Back

And now for some good news…

Checks are being handed out to various charities thanks to “Idol Gives Back.”

Here’s a look at some of the presentations…


According to producers, more than $64 million has been allocated from “Idol Gives Back” so far…

Another Idol-Related Tragedy

It seems like I’ve been talking a lot about tragedy lately on this blog…

A woman who was apparently obsessed with Paula Abdul was found dead in a car parked outside Paula’s house. She apparently took her own life.

Paula Goodspeed auditioned for “Idol” in season five and according to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Dept. had “a history of mental illness.”

In a statement to E! News, Paula said “I am deeply shocked and saddened by what transpired yesterday. My heart and prayers go out to her family”…

Monday, November 10, 2008

The Davids’ Real Competition

The David’s biggest competition for record sales may not be each other after all…

Archie’s CD, “David Archuleta” is debuting the same day as the new one from Taylor Swift.

“David Cook” is hitting stores the same day as the new one from Nickelback.

I think someone should have looked at the release calendar a little more closely…

Catching Up With Kellie

I know there are a lot of Kellie Pickler fans out there, so let me take a minute to play a little catch-up with her…

In the October 20th issue of “People,” Kellie opened up about her battle with depression.

In July 2007, Kellie’s dad went back to prison and by the fall, she was dealing with a painful breakup with hockey player Jordin Tootoo. Then came that infamous CMA performance of her hit, “I Wonder,” where Kellie broke down.

So what was going on that November 7th evening?

According to the “People” interview, Kellie had just gone off anti-depressant pills that “made [her] a zombie,” so she was “an emotional wreck.” Then, 10 minutes before she hit the stage, she got a call that her mother (who abandoned her at age 2) was on TV. Kellie said, “It really hurt. My hands shook all during the song. Then I lost it.”

Kellie’s mother has done several press interviews about why she left Kellie, but Kellie has not made contact. “If she had said, ‘I was not the mom I should have been,’ or ‘Kellie, I’m sorry,’ that’s all I wanted. I’m a forgiving person.”

Kellie is now dating Kyle Jacobs, a Nashville songwriter who wrote two songs with Kellie on her latest album…

Photo Credit: BNA Nashville

Saturday, November 8, 2008

David Archuleta CD Review: One Word...Catchy

So if I had to sum up David Archuleta’s CD in one word it would be…catchy.

Just as they did with Jordin Sparks, the people at Jive have produced a CD full of catchy pop numbers that are destined to be radio hits…

The CD starts out with the first single, “Crush,” which you guys know I’m a big fan of…

The next track, “Touch My Hand,” starts out a little rough with David using his lower register, but then it gets incredibly catchy. It’s been in my head all weekend…

“Barriers,” a slower song, is a little too overproduced with its strange echoes and some weird bridges…

The first time David hit the chorus of “My Hands,” I couldn’t help but smile. With its syncopated rhythms it’s SUPER catchy. I smell a bigtime radio hit…

“A Little Too Not Over You” is a clever break-up song that is, you guessed it, incredibly catchy…

“You Can” slows things down a little bit, but it’s not nearly as sappy as the title might suggest…

“Running” is not a bad song, it just doesn’t quite work for me…

“Desperate” is meant to be a more moody song and it actually works…

“To Be With You” is the first real ballad of the CD and it’s quite pretty…

“Don’t Let Go,” which Archie co-wrote with J.C. Chasez, is a pretty standard upbeat song, but it’s another one that doesn’t quite work…

When “Your Eyes Don’t Lie” came on, I actually said, “What is that?” since it begins with a western sound, complete with whistling. But when David hit that last chorus, I was right there with him, although I think we could have done without the whistling…

We already know David can sing the pants off Robbie Williams’ “Angels,” so I’m not sure why it needed to be so overproduced. But it’s still pretty good and a far cry from Jessica Simpson’s cringe inducing version...

Even though David Cook is still my favorite David, I will absolutely be adding this one to my collection. And I have to say that its radio friendliness makes me worry even more about Cook’s CD…

“David Archuleta” hits stores Tuesday, November 11th…

Please Note: This review was based on an Internet stream of the album and not the actual CD…

Photo Credit: Amazon.com

Justin Goes “Country”

So apparently it’s a requirement that the cast of “Gone Country” must include a former “Idol” contestant…

Justin Guarini will be part of the cast when “Gone Country 3” debuts on CMT in January. You’ll forgive me if this news makes me want to cry a little…

And am I the only one who wonders why people keep signing up for this show when it hasn’t produced a country star yet?...

Mark Your Calendars!

FOX ended the speculation this week about a possible move for “Idol” by announcing the dates for the show’s return…

“Idol” will return with a two-night premiere Tuesday, January 13th and Wednesday, January 14th at 8 p.m. each night…

Let the countdown begin…
Photo Credit: Michael Becker/FOX

Kat and Michael Team Up With the “Hit Man”

After all their recent collaborations—including a performance at her wedding—it’s no surprise that Katharine McPhee is featured on David Foster’s new CD/DVD “Hit Man: David Foster and Friends.”

Kat actually has two cuts on the CD: “Somewhere" and “The Prayer” with Andrea Bocelli (You may recall she dueted with Bocelli when Foster and Bocelli were guest judges on “Idol.”). You can also see performances of both of those songs on the accompanying DVD.

But Kat is not the only “Idol” you’ll see on the DVD. You can also see Michael Johns perform “Beauty”/“Man In Motion.”

“Hit Man” hits stores Tuesday, November 11th. In the meantime, you can see Kat and Andrea Bocelli’s duet here.

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Daughtry Asks "What About Now?" on "Oprah"

As I told you yesterday, Daughtry performed on “Oprah” today as part of her voting party.

They performed their salute to first-time voters, “Feels Like the First Time” and “What About Now.”

You can see “Now” before it’s cut off by the commercial here.

Cook’s New Video

David Cook’s new video debuted on the web yesterday and it’s…boring.

Uh-oh…

You can see for yourself here…

Simon on Britney: “A Terrific Artist”

Okay, this is only slightly related to “American Idol,” but since it involves Simon Cowell, I had to post it…

Britney Spears will perform “Womanizer” on “X-Factor” November 15th. You’ll recall that “X-Factor” is Simon’s “Idol” equivalent in England.

So why is Britney performing there? Because Simon is a big fan. He told the “UK Daily Mail,” “I'm really excited about it, because she has got her act together and the new record is terrific. She has come back from a very dark place and is a terrific artist.”

Hopefully, there will be plenty of video on YouTube for those of us in the States…

“Boy, don’t try to front. I-I know just-just what you are-are-are…”
Photo Credit: MTV

Archie Gets Wordy

Media outlets are reporting something interesting about David Archuleta’s CD—the extensive liner notes.

“Entertainment Weekly” reports that the notes are just over 3500 words and include thank yous to everyone from his family to Kelly Clarkson and Tamyra Gray.

Remember that “David Archuleta” hits stores next Tuesday, November 11th…
Photo Credit: Amazon.com

Monday, November 3, 2008

Daughtry Rocks the Vote on Oprah

Daughtry will perform on “Oprah” Tuesday, November 4th as Oprah throws a two-day Voting Party.

The show will also include cast members from “Saturday Night Live,” political odd couple James Carville and Mary Matalin, and many more who will help Oprah celebrate America’s right to vote.

Check your local listings for when “Oprah” airs in your area. “Oprah” airs in the Huntington area at 4 p.m. on WSAZ…

Photo Credit: David Clinch/RCA

Is It Time for Cook To Turn the “Light” Off?

So everything about David Cook’s performance of his new single “Light On” on “Saturday Night Live” was pitch perfect.

Even that huge octave jump he does toward the end of the song was right on key.

So why was I not jumping up and down with excitement at the end of it? For me, something was just not quite right…

You guys know I like “Light On,” but there’s just something about it that doesn’t translate well to a live performance. Maybe it’s the quick jump from verse to chorus that leaves David nearly gasping for breath. Maybe it’s because it doesn’t allow him to show any personality.

Whatever it is, it’s got me worried…

Think I’m overreacting? A check of YouTube today shows that there are no videos of David singing the song. There are not even any at NBC.com or over at Hulu. That can’t be good.

You can find a video of David’s second song, “Declaration,” which makes me think that maybe people like it better. I, however, am not one of those people.

I have to say I’m a little concerned that RCA may be blowing this one. Boy, do I hope I am VERY wrong…

You can see the video of “Declaration” here...