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.

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Top 6 Results Show: Did America Get It Right?

Don’t look now, kids, but “Idol” Season 10, The Remix, has struck again. Just when I think I have this thing figured out, we get another curve ball. I was 100 percent positive that Jacob was going home.

So what happened? The same thing that happened when Casey almost went home the last time. The crazy eyes and growl appeared again and America doesn’t like that. And because his song was SO much different than the others, it stood out like a sore thumb. And that was a problem.

But I’m still shocked that Jacob had that much of a fan base to help him overcome his performance. I didn’t know he had it in him…

So let me ask my usual question. Did America get it right? Absolutely 100 percent NO! Jacob should have gone home. And the fact that he’s still in there makes this oh so interesting heading into the homestretch.

It also narrows the favorites considerably making it—in my opinion—a two-horse race between Lauren and Scotty. But with the Remix, who knows…

What do you guys think? Are you bummed that Casey went home? And who do you think the favorites for the finale are now?

Let’s discuss here, on Facebook or Twitter now…

Top 6 Results Show: The Remix Strikes Again

8:55 We’re back…Jacob, Casey, Scotty…Ryan stresses the results are in random order…Jacob…is safe? WHAT?!...That leaves Casey and Scotty. WHAT?! Going home is…Casey. Randy is upset and so am I…It was the growl and the angry eyes. When those come out, bad things happen…Goodbye video. Casey is handling it well…Can’t wait to see Haley’s face…And there she is. She’s crying…As is JLo. She, Randy and Steven stand for him…Cassey goes to the judges and gives Steven a kiss on the cheek, a big hug for JLo and a big one for Randy…Now he’s randomly grabbing girls in the audience and kissing them…Hugs for Jacob’s family and a bunch of other people…He’s all over the stage…Now he jumps into the crowd to hug some more people…He rolls onto the stage…He’s singing “I Put a Spell on You” by the way…He grabs Haley by the shoulders to sing the last part “because you’re mine” and they smile…That was awesome and I am so going to miss him…And we’re out…

LOTS of final thoughts in a moment…

Top 6 Results Show: Bruno Mars Gets "Lazy"

8:48 We’re back…Ryan intros Bruno Mars who is doing “The Lazy Song.” I wonder how many people besides me consider this their theme song…Did they just bleep the word sex? You can’t say “have really nice sex” after all the stuff Steven says? Maybe he was just trying to be nice…I really like him…Wow, what a big band…I’m not sure if that was on tape or not. I think it might have been…After the break…

Top 6 Results Show: Another Two Are Safe

8:40 We’re back…James…Video…Jimmy says when he picks the right songs there is no doubt in his mind that he can win…James is safe…I guess Ryan is just going to drop the hammer at the last minute. I’m not sure…Jacob…Video…Jimmy said he went in the “Dancing With the Stars” dressing room. OUCH!...

8:43 Ryan calls Lauren, Scotty and Casey to join Jacob…Lauren is safe…Bruno Mars, after the break…

Top 6 Results Show: Ryan Plays Some Serious Games

Just a warning, a storm appears to be brewing in my neighborhood, so you may lose me…

8:22 We’re back…Haley and Jacob look sick…Tour plug…Uh-oh, the return of asking the contestants questions…Casey says if he could sing a duet with anyone at all, it would be Oscar Peterson…Jacob says he discovered the range of his voice when he was six or seven during choir practice…Lauren says the hardest thing about being an “Idol” finalist is missing friends and family. She sends love to those who were affected by the storms…Scotty says his pre-“Idol” job was at a grocery store and at a tanning salon…James says he played with a few bands before “Idol” and he’s always got side proejects happening. Ryan says he knows all about that…Haley says her all-time fave past “Idol” contestant is hard to say but she likes Adam Lambert for her uniqueness and she also cites Lee, Crystal and SIOBHAN?! What?! And Ryan takes a shot at Taylor Hicks? Really?...

8:27 Ryan is calling out everyone individually. Maybe he’s doing the two groups of three tonight?...Haley…Replay of performance and judges’ comments. So this is how we’re going to stall…Jimmy is giving his comments on the performances as well…He says if she goes home it will be because she doesn’t know who she is and America is sensing it…Haley actually cursed in response to the video. She’s clearly frustrated that the comment keeps coming up…She’s safe…NICE! Her time with Jimmy should be interesting next week…

8:30 Scotty…Video…Jimmy says he’s a phenom. Jimmy is worried that he may be too subtle. I think he was just grasping at straws for something to say…Scotty is starting to sound very mature…Ryan has him sit back on the couch…Lauren…Video…Jimmy says again that she worries too much about the notes…Ryan sends her back to the couch. What is he up to?...Casey…Jimmy said he was disappointed in Casey because he felt like he had to growl and he needs to realize the family dog doesn’t vote on the show…Ryan sends him back…Lauren looks perplexed…Ryan says “we may be surprised.” What is he up to? After the break…

Top 6 Results Show: Crystal Returns to the "Idol" Stage

8:13 We’re back…Ryan is on the couch with the Idols…Ford Music Video…“Our House”…They’re drawing the furniture in the house and then it comes to life, or something like that…Not so sure about that one…Haley and Casey just gave each other a look with Jacob sitting in the middle of them…

8:15 Ryan intros Crystal Bowersox doing “Ridin’ With the Radio”…She’s brought her mic stand back…I read somewhere that she was very upset the first night she brought that out because a stagehand wiped all the dirt and dust off it and she thought that gave it character…Is it just me or does this sound a little blah?...The Idols and Ryan are clapping along and, of course, Ryan is off the beat…Why can’t we let Mandisa come on the show? Too scared of a little Christian music?...The Idols come over and hug her, but Ryan doesn’t talk to her. What, nothing to plug?...After the break…

Top 6 Results Show: Time For a Medley

8:00 A live intro. Where is our pretty edited recap video? I guess they need to stall a lot tonight so they’re going to do that later? I was really starting to like those…Opening Credits…Judges Intro…Check out that skin tight red dress JLo is wearing…Ryan intro…

8:01 Ryan says “a lot of fans are going to be disappointed with tonight’s results.” Notice he didn’t say shocked, so…Ryan intros the Idols and they head to the couch…Ryan intros Steven Tyler, who graces the cover of “People” this week…He’s also on the cover of “Rolling Stone” and Ryan shows them both…Ryan asks if he’s a good guy now?...#Tylerism Alert: “I may be good but when I’m bad I’m even better”…Charlie Sheen joke? Really, Ryan…The Idols visited the British Royal Consulate in honor of the Royal Wedding…Fred Willard is there because? I love him and he’s such a nice guy. I had the honor of talking to him last year…

8:05 Ryan intros a Carole King medley from the group…They are milking this Casey-Haley thing for all its worth…This is a little rough. Lauren and Haley are totally outsinging the guys, interestingly enough…Scotty is singing in a group of girls…I read today that the music coaches are working with him to not hold his microphone sideways anymore because they’re unidirectional mics and they need to be held straight…Wow, Carole King wrote a lot of stuff…Is it just me or is James getting better each week. His voice is really pure when he actually uses it…It ended a little better, but still…After the break…

Tonight's Results Show

Coming up tonight, it’s performances from Bruno Mars and Crystal Bowersox.

And the Top Six will become the Fab Five. And if I’m right and the final five is Lauren, Casey, Scott, Haley and James, it will be fabulous indeed…

Back in 10 minutes…

See What City Near You The Idols Are Coming To...

As promised, here is the complete list of Idols Live Tour dates:

7/6—West Valley City, UT, Maverik Center

7/8—Everett, WA, Comcast Arena at Everett Events Center

7/9—Portland, OR, Rose Garden

7/11—Sacramento, CA, Power Balance Pavilion

7/12—Oakland, CA, The Oracle Arena

7/13—San Jose, CA, HP Pavilion at San Jose

7/15—Los Angeles, CA, Nokia Theatre LA Live

7/16—Ontario, CA, Citizens Business Bank Arena

7/17—Phoenix, AZ, US Airways Arena

7/19—Oklahoma, OK, Cox Convention Center

7/20—Grand Prairie, TX, Verizon Theater at Grand Prairie

7/21—Houston, TX, Reliant Arena

7/22—New Orleans, LA, Lakefront Arena

7/26—Duluth, GA, Arena at Gwinnett Center

7/27—Raleigh, NC, RBC Center

7/28—Charlotte, NC, Time Warner Cable Arena

7/30—Nashville, TN, Bridgestone Arena

7/31—St. Louis, MO, Scottrade Center

8/2—Kansas City, MO, Sprint Center

8/3—Minneapolis, MN, Target Center

8/4—Milwaukee, WI, Bradley Center

8/6—Rosemont, IL, Allstate Arena

8/7—Detroit, MI, Joe Louis Arena

8/9—Columbus, OH, Schottenstein Center

8/10—Pittsburgh, PA, Consol Energy Center

8/11—Baltimore, MD, 1st Mariner Arena

8/13—Atlantic City, NJ, Boardwalk Hall

8/14—Newark, NJ, Prudential Center

8/17—Philadelphia, PA, Wells Fargo Center

8/19—Washington, DC, Verizon Center

8/20—Richmond, VA, Richmond Coliseum

8/21—Wilkes-Barre, PA, Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza

8/23—Long Island, NY, Nassau Coliseum

8/25—Bridgeport, CT, Webster Bank Arena at Harbor Yard

8/27—Providence, RI, Dunkin’ Donuts Center

8/28—Albany, NY, Times Union Center

8/30—Portland, ME, Cumberland County Civic Center

8/31—Manchester, NH, Verizon Wireless Arena

9/1—Worcester, MA, DCU Center

9/6—Syracuse, MY, War Memorial Arena at The Oncenter

9/7—Reading, PA, Sovereign Center

9/9—Toronto, ON, Air Canada Centre

9/10—Rochester, NY, Blue Cross Arena.

Tickets go on sale Friday, May 13th at 10 a.m…

Photo Credit: John Ganun/PR NewsFoto/American Idol

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

The Latest News From Danny Gokey

Danny Gokey will perform the National Anthem Saturday at the 13th Annual Country Music Marathon & ½ Marathon presented by Nissan. It’s the largest running event in Tennessee.

Danny will be raising awareness for Sophia’s Heart, the non-profit organization he founded in honor of his late wife.

Lat weekend, Danny performed at the Grand Ole Opry and he’ll join Taylor Swift on her tour this summer. He’s currently in the studio working on his second album.

Photo Credit: Sony Music Nashville

More On JLo's New Reality Show

Today, “The Hollywood Reporter” shared some more details about Jennifer Lopez’s new reality show.

“Q’Viva” will partner JLo and her husband, Marc Anthony, with director-choreographer Jamie King and “Idol” guru Simon Fuller. According to the story, the show will follow JLo and Marc on a three-month journey through remote areas of the Americas and three languages will be heard on the show.

No network has been announced, but according to the story, the show will be broadcast simultaneously across 21 countries in North America, Central America and South America.

Meanwhile, JLo has joined the voice cast of “Ice Age: Continental Drift,” which will hit theaters July 13, 2012.

Photo Credit: FOX

Top 6 Performance Show: Final Thoughts

Okay, so I admit it. Carole King Week was not nearly as bad as I thought it would be. And James did not struggle anywhere near as much as I thought he would—unless you count that hideous duet with Jacob…

So who’s going home? I say absolutely, 100 percent, Jacob. Since there are only six, I don’t know if there will be a bottom three. If there is, it will be Jacob, Haley and Casey with Jacob and Haley making up the bottom two.

What do you guys think? Is Jacob’s time over? And was Carole King Week better than what you thought? Let's discuss...

Top 6 Performance Show: Jacob and James...

Ryan just tweeted that Haley’s technical glitch was that her inner ear monitor fell into her dress and they had to fish it out…

Duet: Jacob and James: “Something Good”

This was better than I thought it would be, but it’s a bummer that James had to sing another song after his big moment. I think it tarnished it a little. And I think it was funny that even Jacob and James knew they were an odd pairing.

And with the two of them admitting it was the producers that paired them confirms the show is pushing Lauren, Scotty, Casey and Haley. And I’m okay with that…

Line of the night from Ryan after Jacob admitted they were just trying to get close to JLo during that duet. “If you’d like to vote for Jennifer’s legs, the numbers are…”

Final thoughts in a moment…

Top 6 Performance Show: Haley Overcomes a Glitch

Haley Reinhart, “Beautiful”: 18

Poor Haley. Right before she goes on there’s a technical glitch and Ryan has to stall with her. I think that shook the whole first half of the song. The last part was really good, but was it enough? I hope so. And she always has that awesome duet to fall back on.

Nice that JLo actually praised Haley for once. Get on the Haley train, JLo…

And why did Ryan run over to the trombone player?

Top 6 Performance Show: Casey Says "Hi-De-Ho"

Casey Abrams, “Hi-De-Ho That Old Sweet Roll”: 18

I love Casey, but this is one of those I’m just not sure about. It was good, but I worry when he brings out the anger. I’m afraid it will turn off voters. But he always deserves points for being unique.

Top 6 Performance Show: Lauren and Scotty Bring It Together

Duet: Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina, “Up On the Roof”

GORGEOUS! Okay, let’s just do an “Idol” duets album.

And what was up with JLo praising Lauren to the extent that it semi-slammed Scotty? He was good too…

And what was up with Ryan’s interrogation of Scotty and Lauren? Why didn’t he interrogate Haley and Casey like that?

Top 6 Performance Show: James Gives Us Our First Real Moment of the Season

James Durbin, “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?”: 20

I think we finally had our first real moment of the season. FREAKIN’ AWESOME! That a capella beginning was GORGEOUS. I wish the band hadn’t come in and ruined it. We have been waiting all season for someone to make a song their own and that was it. Why hasn’t he sung that way all season? Ditch the screams and just sing, James!

And our first bold prediction of the season as Randy says he might just win the whole thing. He keeps performing like that it’s a distinct possibility…

Top 6 Performance Show: Scotty Takes It Softer

Scotty McCreery, “You’ve Got a Friend” 18

I really liked the second half of the song, but the first part just didn’t work for me. But I blame Jimmy and Babyface more for that than Scotty. He really is growing on me for some reason.

Penny Marshall in the house. Wearing sunglasses…

Top 6 Performance Show: Haley & Casey Make "The Earth Move"

I’m not going to score the duets since they don’t technically count…

Haley & Casey: “I Feel the Earth Move”

Am I the only one that thinks these two should record an album together? That rocked! And is it just me, or is there something up with them? Ryan had a little bit of a look when he introduced them too. God bless Steven for trying to get Casey to admit it…

Top 6 Performance Show: Lauren Brings It Big Time

Lauren Alaina, “Where You Lead”: 19

That was Lauren’s most confident performance yet. She went for those high notes (Way to go, Babyface!) and they sounded great. And that dance she did with that guy from the audience? Awesome. But did she really just pull that guy out randomly? I thought he was a friend of hers…

And yes, Miley Cyrus did appear and she and Jimmy joked off his insulting her a few weeks ago. I wanted to hear I’m sorry…

Top 6 Performance Show: Jacob Tries to Bring It

Woah! How bright were those individual spotlights on the contestants at the top of the show? I guess they’re trying to keep it exciting before the music puts us to sleep…

I promise that will be my last snarky comment about Carole King…

Brad Garrett in the house…

Ryan just told the audience “we need that energy.” See, I’m not the only one thinking it…

Did I read that sheet music in the video right? Is James doing “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?”…

Constantine in the house!...

Man, they are SERIOUSLY stalling tonight!...

Babyface is mentoring the contestants tonight. NICE!...

And yes, it looks like it is Haley & Casey, Lauren & Scotty, and James & Jacob for the duets tonight…

Okay, enough with the stalling, Let’s do this…

Jacob Lusk, “Oh No, Not My Baby”: 18

It’s rough when Jimmy says you’re in the most jeopardy before you even sing. But he’s totally right. Jacob gave it everything he had, but I don’t think it will be enough. And what was up with that outfit? A blue checkered suit jacket with a blue vest, yellow shirt and a striped bowtie?

Kara Unleashes the Dirt We've Been Waiting For

Okay, just one more...

I still haven’t gotten my hands on my copy of Kara Dioguardi’s “A Helluva High Note,” but “Rolling Stone” has shared the dirt we were waiting for…

Kara writes about how hard she tried to please Simon and how uncomfortable she was on the show. You can read the quotes here.

Photo Credit: Amazon.com

"Idol" Tour Dates: Huntington Bypassed Again

One more piece of news before the show starts tonight. The "Idols Live Tour" dates were announced today and once again, Huntington did not make the cut.

I was really hoping this year...

The closest stop to the Tri-State is once again Columbus. In fact, Columbus is the tour's only stop in Ohio this year, which I find interesting.

I'll have complete info on the tour later...

A Warning About Tonight's Show

Tonight there are LOTS of storm warnings for my area. So, there's an excellent chance that I could lose electricity, Internet service, cable service or all three.

And just to warn you. If the weather gets too scary, I will not hesitate to go to the basement and leave "Idol" behind. Hopefully, the storm will pass us by and everything and everyone will be fine...

Back in 20...

Report: Miley to Appear on "Idol" Tonight

E! Online reported today that Miley Cyrus will make an appearance on “Idol” tonight to mentor Lauren Alaina.

You may remember that Jimmy Iovine said Lauren was “a much better singer” than Miley when she sang “The Climb” a few weeks back. E! reports that Jimmy regretted making the comment and personally invited Miley to be on the show.

The story also says that Lauren’s song is “a mid-tempo ballad.” Is there a Carole King song that isn’t?

Steven Tyler Lets Matt Lauer Inside His Head

NBC today released excerpts of Matt Lauer’s interview with Steven Tyler about his new book, “Does the Noise in My Head Bother You?: A Rock ‘n’ Roll Memoir.”

He discusses “Idol,” his struggles with drug addiction, his family, and his feud with Aerosmith…

On “Idol”:

MATT LAUER:
These kids who go on from “American Idol” to win or place second or third or whatever, they are not going to have to do what you did in those club bands in New York City and getting the gigs and trying to make a name for yourself. They're going to become uber-famous in 16 weeks. Do you worry about them?

STEVEN TYLER:
No, it’s like saying that you know, once your kid has a job you don't worry about him getting one. They wanted to be an idol and they're gonna be, you know, people are looking at them soon as they're the top 12 wanting to manage and take percentage of their publishing and get 'em on tour. I guess I am worried. I'm worried that they didn't come up in the clubs. I mean, it starts here with me. For the 12 weeks that we do, you know, or six weeks that we do the initial auditions, I'm looking at these 15-year-old kids, I got three daughters, so I can't sit there and say, you can't sing, what did you come here for?… I don't want to be Steven Tyler, the one they all look up to and tell them they can't sing and for whatever reason that girl leaves there and doesn't sing to her child because I told her she can't sing. That kills me inside... Spot it, you got it. Along with maybe some character, oh, you know? It's not a show about who can sing best. I mean, I told the producers, that's not it. That can't be it for me. Because, there are so many stars out there right now, but they're not the best singers. But they sure got character. And I like to say that, you know, as this was established early on, it's what I love about J-Lo and Randy. It's the whole package.


On Joe Perry and Aerosmith:

MATT LAUER:
Is it fair to say that you two [Joe Perry] have spent as much time fighting over the course of your time together as lovin' each other?

STEVEN TYLER:
Well, you see, he plays guitar -- and he plays it in such a way where I'm addicted to it. There is no one like him. He's my own Keith. He's my own Clapton. He is that. He is Aerosmith…you know, we've been to places where it's, you know, "F**k you, you're fired, and I'm leaving." And that's when he left in 1983-- '80-- '81 or something.

MATT LAUER:
'79.

STEVEN TYLER:
'79, okay.

MATT LAUER:
'79. You actually set the record straight in this book for real Aerosmith fans who know about this breakup, this fight in 1979 where apparently it was always reported that he said, "I may just leave," and you said, "Well, then go ahead," and say in the book you basically fired him from the band.

STEVEN TYLER:
It was on the steps of a trailer, you know. And it's one thing about gettin' sober, "Look out, because the memory comes back."

MATT LAUER:
But are you sure it's the right memory?

STEVEN TYLER:
Oh, yeah.

MATT LAUER:
Yeah?

STEVEN TYLER:
Oh, yeah. Well you know, I must admit, of all the things I ever lost, I miss my mind the most. But, when it comes back, it comes back strong, Matt…But it was big enough, 'cause we were all using at the time. We'd come off stage, do a nice blast of blow and that's where it kinda happened. And it was, like, "Enough. The show was good. And now we're fightin' back here. We fight on stage." I got really pissed and we got into an argument with Joe. And I said, "You know what, you're f*****n' fired."

Those words were said, "Oh, I'm leaving." But, it's not about ego, who said what. You know, it's not about that. It's a story I'm telling, whether it's true or not, it doesn't matter. It's how I see it. It's what I remember. I remember rumor was he was playing with Alice Cooper. And I went, "What? This is Aerosmith. You're not playin' with Alice Cooper." And I called up his people and I got a number and I called him up. And I said, "Are you playin' with Alice Cooper?" He goes, "Yeah." I went, "Enough. Let's get back together." And we did. And that's the truth. It's not my take. It's just the truth. And I'll tell you what, for better or worse, this band wouldn't be what it was without him. We're fighting right now. And I just sent the band a letter.

MATT LAUER:
What are you fighting about now?

STEVEN TYLER:
You know what, it's about internal issues that since I left the last management, it's four now against one. So there's -- there's little things. Remember, being in a band this big, it's a very heavy marriage.

MATT LAUER:
Well, for this long, too.

STEVEN TYLER:
So I simply sent a letter that said, "Dude, you're the best drummer there is. Let's get better and play. Brad, you're the best rhythm guitar -- he's the MVP for every tour. And Joe, you know, we wouldn't have a band if it wasn't for you and I. And Tom, come on, get back in here. So it's just that, again. You know, maybe it's everyone's too rich and --

MATT LAUER:
And as you get older, isn't that a lotta wasted energy? I mean, don't you just want to say, "Let's stop fighting?"

STEVEN TYLER:
And that's what I just said. Leave the managers, the lawyers behind. Let's get together… This band is gonna do the best album it ever did, Matt. And it will be. The fighting's kind of frivolous. What bothers me the most is there's certain managers that let it happen, and allow it to happen, you know, and don't facilitate it to come back together. So, hence, I just sent a letter saying, "We're meeting at X and such and such a place…and let's just stop foolin' around, get back together and do this album."

On his children:

MATT LAUER:
Rate yourself as a dad to your older children. Mia and Liv. That was tough. You have a complicated relationship there.

STEVEN TYLER:
Very complicated…And for many years, the whole band was sober. And I stayed sober for 12 years. And in that time, I got to see, really, you know, how I wasn't there for Mia. And wasn't there for Liv. And it broke my heart. I cried like a baby. They were still very young. You know, but I made amends to my ex-wives. Deep, deep amends, cried with 'em. And it was some years later where I said to Liv, I said, "I'm so sorry for not being there when you were a baby."

And she was the first one to say, "Daddy, it's so all right, you're here now. And now I know I got a Daddy." And, you know, those were the moments in my life that I'll -- I will never forget. That moment meant more than the shame I can dump in self loathing, I can put on myself, for not being there.

MATT LAUER:
You write about this in the book, when Mia was on “The Today Show,” back in 2008, writing about addiction, and the fact that she had begun cutting herself. She was going through a very tough time. You watched, and you wrote, "I began crying because I realized I'd gotten sober, but I hadn't done it for my kids, or even my own health. I hadn't thought of them when I was using, so why would I have gotten sober for them either? Drugs robbed me of my spirituality and compassion, only later to find out I'd lost Liv and Mia, as well. I cried when they forgave me for my past behaviors, but I'll be working on it for the rest of my life."

STEVEN TYLER:
That's what drugs did. That's what it did. On one hand, it can put you in a place you've never been, so you can use that experience, and on the other hand, for me, I rode it like a gypsy rode a horse. And it took my children away, it took my life away, it took my band away, took my marriages away, and I was on my knees.

The interview will air Sunday, May 1st on “Dateline” at 7 p.m. and Monday, May 2 on “Today.” Fans can also catch clips from the interview on “Weekend Today” on Sunday, May 1st and MSNBC. There will also be outtakes and clips on dateline.msnbc.com and Today.com; an exclusive clip on Tyler’s Absolwedly app will be available via iTunes.

“Noise” hits bookshelves, Tuesday, May 3rd and Steven’s first US solo single, “It Feels So Good” will be released May 10th

Photo Credit: NBC

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

The Top 6 Add Duets to Their Performance Night

EW.com reported today that the Top 6 will pair off and sing duets in addition to their solo performances tomorrow night.

Since the show is 90 minutes, they’ve got to fill it with something. And I’m guessing these duets will be available for download in order to make the EP 9 songs, as opposed to just six.

So, here’s the question. Will the show split up the tried and true combos of Scotty and Lauren and Casey and Haley? My guess is no, but I also can’t imagine Jacob and James singing together. Of course, I can’t imagine James singing one Carole King song, let alone two…

There are severe storms in the forecast tomorrow night, so there is a slight possibility I won’t be with you. I’m hoping that’s not the case…

"The Voice" Welcomes a Familiar "Idol" Face

It looks like “The Voice” has its first compelling story…

So I’m watching the premiere of “The Voice,” not really paying attention, when a familiar face popped on the screen. It was Frenchie Davis, the powerhouse singer from Season 2 of “Idol.”

You may remember that she was disqualified when it was discovered that she had pictures on an adult website. It was a pretty controversial decision, because Frenchie was SO talented. But she went on to do “Rent” on Broadway and toured with Ruben Studdard in “Ain’t Misbehavin’.” So I was stunned to see her on “The Voice.”

But maybe more stunning is that it looked like none of the coaches were going to turn around their chairs and pick her for their team. In their defense, she was doing what I would consider a mediocre version of “I Kissed a Girl.”

In the end, Christina Aguilera did turn around her chair and pick Frenchie for her team. During her post-audition interview, Frenchie told host Carson Daly that she didn’t want to give up her dream of a recording career. I wonder if all her years on Broadway and touring have taken too much of the street out of her voice.

Personally, I think it’s sad that this show may be her only outlet to record an album. She’s way more talented than that…

Today's Column: The Remix Allows Pia on "Dancing With the Star"

Pia Toscano will tread new “Idol” ground tonight when she performs “I’ll Stand By You” tonight on “Dancing With the Stars,” while her reported boyfriend, Mark Ballas dances with Karina Smirnoff.

You can read my thoughts on that and one more rant about Carole King Week in today’s “Idol” column in “The Herald-Dispatch.”

“Dancing With the Stars: The Results Show” airs tonight at 9 on ABC…

Photo Credit: Michael Becker/FOX

Monday, April 25, 2011

Get Inside Steven Tyler's Head Beginning Next Week

For those of you who want to get inside of Steven Tyler’s head—and really, isn’t that all of us?—his memoir hits bookstores next week…

“Does the Noise In My Head Bother You?” which gives an inside look at Steven’s life and career, will be release May 3.

Here’s Steven’s quote from the press release: “I’ve been mythicized, Mick-icized, eulogized and fooligized, I’ve been Cole-Portered and farmer’s-daughtered, I’ve been Led Zepped and 12-stepped. I’m a rhyming fool and so cool that me, Fritz the Cat, and Mohair Sam are the baddest cats that am. I have so many outrageous stories, too many, and I’m gonna tell ’em all. All the unexpurgated, brain-jangling tales of debauchery, sex & drugs, transcendence & chemical dependence you will ever want to hear. And this is not just my take, this is the unbridled truth, the in-your-face, up-close and prodigious tale of Steven Tyler straight from the horse’s lips.”

You’ve gotta love that guy…

I hope to have more on this as we get closer…

Photo Credit: Amazon.com

Kara DioGuardi Hits A "High Note" Beginning Tomorrow

Just a reminder that former judge Kara DioGuardi’s memoir, “Helluva High Note,” hits stores tomorrow (Tuesday, April 26th).

I was hoping to get an early look at the book, but the publicist told me that they had an exclusive deal with “People” magazine and had to allow them the first word. I’m hoping I’ll still get a copy of it soon.

You can see what "People" has to say about the book here.

Photo Credit: Amazon.com


Jennifer Lopez: Will She Stay or Will She Go?

EW.com reported exclusively last week that Jennifer Lopez is teaming with “Idol” creator Simon Fuller on a new reality show.

The show would follow JLo and her husband, Marc Anthony, as they tour Latin America looking for the best undiscovered musical talent. It’s tentatively called “Que Viva.” EW.com reports that the show is in the early development stages and is not committed to any network.

The question this raises is whether JLo will stay with “Idol.” According to the story, she is only signed through the end of this season.

Personally, I think JLo would be crazy to leave “Idol” after all of the things it has done for her with endorsements, etc. And Simon Fuller is not going to let her get away after what she’s done for the show this year. So I think this will get worked out…

By the way, Steven Tyler told reporters before the season started that he is signed for one more year…

Photo Credit: FOX

Friday, April 22, 2011

Kimberly Caldwell CD Review: Making Progress With Me

In the interest of full disclosure let me say from the beginning that I have never been a fan of Kimberly Caldwell. I never liked her when she was a contestant during the second season of “Idol” and I’ve never been a fan of her TV Guide Channel work.

So I was surprised that I actually found myself liking much of her debut CD, “Without Regret.” I wouldn’t go so far as to say I loved it, but I wouldn’t say I hated it. And I’d call that progress…

The problem with the CD—which was also the problem Kimberly had on “Idol”—is that she can’t seem to decide what kind of a singer she is. With the natural rasp in her voice, you would think she’d go for more edgy, rocker songs. But instead she tries to stay in the pop vein and it doesn’t always work.

The first single, “Desperate Girls & Stupid Boys,” is pure pop and actually pretty catchy. And “If You’re Gonna Fall” is a pretty solid ballad that actually suits Kimberly’s voice. “Heart Like Mine,” which was written by Kara DioGuardi, Chad Kroeger and Joey Moi, is not surprisingly the best song on the CD. It’s a rocker ballad that I think someone should have seriously considered as the first single.

But in all honesty, the last four songs end up sounding the same with Kimberly’s voice sounding a little over-raspy and worn out in some places.

The CD is a solid first effort that Caldwell fans will enjoy. But its lack of anything unique will most likely leave everyone else wondering why it took so long to finally be released.

“Without Regret” is available now.

Photo Credit: Vanguard Records

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Top 7 Results Show: Did America Get It Right?

So did America get it right? Absolutely 100 percent, they did. And I applaud them for it. I also applaud them for letting their ears overrule their hearts and put Jacob in the bottom three. And, I thank them for not sending Haley home. I know she’ll probably go very soon, but I want to see her stick around at least one more week…

And speaking of next week, Ryan announced at the end of the show that the theme is the music of Carole King. SERIOUSLY?! No offense to Carole King fans, but that’s a total momentum killer in my book. I mean, how can you go from a week that featured Muse to a week of “You’ve Got a Friend” and “I Feel the Earth Move”? It will be interesting, but I’m not sure it will be totally entertaining…

Could the show be trying to hold onto the girls a little longer? Hmmm...

What do you guys think? Did the right person go home? And are you as bummed about Carole King week as I am? Let’s discuss…

Top 7 Results Show: And the Person Going Home Is...

8:52 We’re back…Ryan stands with Stefano and Jacob…Jacob looks sick but Stefano is totally calm…JLo says it’s hard and she hates to see either one leave…Stefano keeps nodding his head. He is SO ready and I am SO with him…Steven says no one deserves to be standing there…Dim the lights…Stefano is almost laughing…Going home is…Stefano. Yea! He’s all smiles…James’ head is in his hands…Stefano wants to grab the mic and sing, but Ryan wants to try and make him cry first…Goodbye video…Stefano can’t stand still. He’s clearly trying to get revved up and keep it together…That was a good video…James is in tears…Ryan is stalling since they’re running short tonight…He’s doing “Lately”…Scotty and Casey appear upset too…JLo is tearing up, of course…Jacob looks a little contemplative…I think he should’ve done “If You Don’t Know Me By Now”…Once again, he connects with no one while singing…He doesn’t even totally finish his last note before he’s practically tackled by James. I’m betting he didn’t really appreciate that since it kind of stole his moment a little…The judges come up and talk to him and he and Randy are having a fairly animated conversation. They turned the mics off this time, so we didn’t get to hear it…And we’re out…

Final thoughts in a moment…

Top 7 Results Show: Katy Perry Goes Gaga

8:44 We’re back…Ryan intros Katy Perry to do “E.T”…It starts with the Kanye West rap on video…She’s carried out through the doors by people dressed like aliens…And now her outfit lights up…I think she’s been watching too much Lady Gaga…I thought at first she wasn’t singing, but I think she is…And KANYE WEST comes through the doors to audience cheers…SERIOUSLY?! Didn’t see that one coming…He seems a little uncomfortable on the stage of aliens…She finally interacts with him and then she gets in her little alien craft thing so her outfit can light up…Ryan is backstage with Jacob and Stefano. Okay, so Katy Perry was clearly on tape…Stefano is clearly at peace with going home…After the break…

Top 7 Results Show: The Bottom Three Is Completed

8:32 We’re back…Video of Top 7 having some down time…Dodgers game…They met Tommy Lasorda…Bowling…Spa…

8:35 Jacob looks a little sick over on the urinal stool…Dim the lights…James, Lauren and Stefano center stage…Jacob says he got a response from Matt from Muse who said, “Wow”…Stefano, right? Please?...Randy says he hopes Stefano did enough to stay out of the bottom three…He did not. YEA!...Stefano jaunts over to the stools. You can tell he expected it…Lauren looks sick…They’re both safe…JLo has a perplexed look on her face…Haley and Scotty…It’s Haley, UNLESS Scotty got bit by the curse of going first…Haley gets a lot of cheers…Scotty…safe…Haley is in the bottom three. I think she’s actually surprised this time…Ryan walks over to the stools…Ryan gets Haley and brings her back center stage. He then whispers in her ear that she’s safe…Jacob and Stefano are left…Stefano seems totally pumped. I think he’s ready to go and I’m ready for him to go…And by the way, I got two out of three on the bottom group…After the break…

Top 7 Results Show: David Cook Rocks the Stage

8:23 We’re back…Ryan intros David Cook to sing the new single from his second album, “The Loud Morning,” due out June 28th. It’s called “The Last Goodbye”…The audience really loves him. I hope Top 40 radio shows him a little more love with this album…I think there were some sound issues, though…May 1st he’ll be doing the Race for Hope again in Washington D.C. to benefit a brain cancer charity…David’s mom is in the audience. She wanted to meet Steven Tyler. Steven gives her a big hug and David looks offended and says they’ll have to have a conversation…He is SO awesome…After the break…

Top 7 Results Show: The Bottom Three Begins...

8:11 We’re back…Downloads plug…Ford Music Video…”World”…They’re roping clouds…Oh, I get it, they’re building a world…That was kind of clever…

8:12 Casey, Scotty and James doing “Vida la Vida,” aka Scott Rolen’s song. Reds fans get that one…Casey is good with the harmony, but he’s too loud…Scotty’s sideways mic is really starting to crack me up…With some tweaks this one could work on the tour…Could Scotty be growing on me?...That was pretty good…Robin Antin (Pussycat Dolls) choreographed both numbers. Not sure I’d take credit for that one…

8:15 Ryan lets Jacob respond to the diva comments from the other contestants. He says he’ll get them back…Scotty reports there’s a cupcake named after him in his hometown…Casey shows off a painting a viewer did for him of him and his dog. It was really good…

8:16 Dim the lights! Ryan has Casey and Jacob stand at the couches. Ooh ooh! Is he doing the two groups of three?! PLEASE?!...Jacob explains the technical glitch during his song…Casey…safe…Okay, yea to Casey being safe, boo hiss to not doing the two groups of three…Jacob…bottom three. He’s not surprised. Really thought he’d get some sympathy votes last night…After the break…

Was Ryan giving Jacob an out if he’s the one going home tonight? Hmmm…