Idol Chit-Chat

Are You Ready For Some New Madonna Music?

2012-01-29T21:04:00.001-05:00

FOX announced today that Madonna will preview the video for her new single during Thursday’s episode of “American Idol”…

“Give Me All Your Luvin’” features Nicki Minaj and M.I.A. It’s from her upcoming 12th album, “MDNA.”

The preview will air Thursday, February 2nd during the St. Louis auditions at 8 p.m. Portland auditions will air Wednesday, February 1st at 8 p.m…

You can see a preview of the preview here…

Houston: "I feel like I'm in the Twilight Zone"

2012-01-29T20:56:00.002-05:00

At the beginning of the Houston auditions, Randy Jackson said Season 11 was a new beginning. Funny, I thought that’s what last season was. I guess he couldn’t come up with something as clever as Season 10: The Remix…

For the first batch of episodes, we’ve been seeing a lot more good than bad. So, we were due for a lot of bad. But we also got a lot of good that still didn’t make it to Hollywood thanks to a trip into “The Twilight Zone”…

Here are some of my thoughts on Houston…

The bad auditions normally make me squirm, but I admit I actually laughed at Phong Vu (“Unbreak My Heart”) because he was just so dramatic…

#Tylerism Alert: “You rode that one into the sunset”…

It was nice to see Baylie Brown (“Bed of Roses”) come back, although I wonder what kept her away so long. If I remember correctly, her group—which included Antonella Barba—was quite the drama fest in Hollywood. Hopefully, it will work out better for her this time around…

I love when JLo said, “Thank you, God” when Kristine Osorio (“God Only Knows”) started singing. JLo was just so happy that the single mother of three could sing…

We didn’t hear enough of Rachael Turner (“Undo It”) and Reagan Wilson (“At Last”) to know about them, but JLo was absolutely right about Cheyenne James (“Misery”). Cheyenne was awesome and I don’t know what Steven and Randy were thinking not letting her through. Especially since they let Linda Williams (“Fallin’”) through with that hideous audition. I wish whoever JLo looks at over to the side had jumped in and helped her at least keep Cheyenne in. It was a trip to the Twilight Zone indeed...

#Tylerism Alert: “I wrote ‘Dream On’ back when the Red Sea was still sick”…

Randy’s bad ear continued when he nearly stopped Cortez Shaw from finishing his R&B version of “Someone Like You.” His rendition was strange, but his voice was solid…

#Tylerism Alert: “I bet you’re crazy in—on the dance floor”…

Every year, there’s always that heartwrenching story that totally gets you. And this year’s so far is Ramiro Garcia. I had never known of anyone born without ears, but to hear him now is pretty remarkable. I have no idea why JLo said they were taking a leap of faith with him. No leap at all. The guy is awesome…

Golden tickets went out to 55 in Houston…

#Tylerism Alert: “Don’t sweat the petty things and don’t pet the sweaty things”…

Rock on, Steven. Rock on…

Aspen: "When You Got It, Share It"

2012-01-29T20:16:00.001-05:00

Since I was watching this on tape, I was able to take a closer look at the opening credits and I discovered something interesting…

In years past, the opening credits have showed all of the winners and some notables like Chris Daughtry and Adam Lambert. But this year, the credits only show eight winners and an interesting selection of contestants from last season…

The first shot is Kelly Clarkson (Season 1), Ruben Studdard (Season 2), Carrie Underwood (Season 4) and David Cook (Season 7). Carrie then morphs into Haley Reinhart, Ruben morphs into James Durbin and David morphs into Casey Abrams. The camera then pans to Fantasia (Season 3). Fantasia then quickly morphs into Lauren Alaina. The next shot is Lee DeWyze (Season 9), Scotty McCreery (Season 10) and Kris Allen (Season 8).

If you’re keeping track, the winners that are not shown are Taylor Hicks (Season 5) and Jordin Sparks (Season 6). It’s interesting that the powers-that-be chose to show Lee over Jordin, since Jordin is still somewhat relevant and Lee has already been dropped from his label. If I was “Idol,” I would want to forget that Lee’s season even happened…

As for why all the pictures of the contestants from last season, I’m not sure. Maybe they think people will remember them more than the others. But it’s interesting they get showcased when 19 didn’t sign either James or Casey and Haley’s album has not been released yet…

For the record, both Jordin and Taylor are featured in the artwork on the audition sets….

Now let’s get back to the auditions. Here are some of my thoughts on Aspen…

I’m not sure that Jenni Schick could have picked a better audition song than Pat Benatar’s “Heartbreaker.” It perfectly matched her personality. And I love how she admitted she despises her kindergarten students playing the recorder…

I LOVED Devan Jones, who I think was singing The Script’s “The Man Who Would Not Move.” If I’m right, it was a great take on a great song that should’ve gotten a little more chart love…

Keep your eye on Mathenee Treco. His R&B take on “Hey Jude” was pretty interesting…

I have to compliment the producers’ choice of “Skyscraper” to play during Shelby Tweten’s (“Temporary Home”) Hollywood moment. No doubt the young woman diagnosed as bipolar can totally relate to the song’s message…

I loved the girl who did “Stand By Me” complete with beatboxing…

So who is JLo always looking at off to the side during the auditions? Is it a producer? Is it an assistant? Sometimes it looks like she’s seeking their approval before she decides something…

You guys know the auditions make me a little uncomfortable and one of the big reasons why is when talented singers nearly blow their auditions with stupid stuff. That’s what Angie Zeiderman did with her whole “When You Got It, Share It” performance. She clearly has a good voice and she should’ve just showed it. Of course, if she hadn’t done the whole song and dance, she never would have gotten on TV, so I guess she couldn’t win there…

People like Magic Cyclops also make me uncomfortable because I hate contestants who are just there to get on TV. I will say he could possibly make an excellent Neil Diamond impersonator…

It looked like Aspen was producing a lot of talent, but only 31 made it through to Hollywood…

Next up, Houston, Texas…

Tonight's Episode

2012-01-26T00:43:00.002-05:00

Once again tonight, life intervened, so I am unable to share my thoughts on tonight's audition episode.

I'll share them tomorrow night when I share my thoughts about tomorrow night's episode. And then eventually, I'll get back into rhythm...

In the meantime, feel free to share your thoughts by posting a comment here...

FOX Reruns "The Midnight Special

2012-01-23T18:07:00.003-05:00

For those of you who missed last night's "Idol"--and I'm guessing due to the late hour it was a bunch of you--FOX is re-airing it Tuesday at 8 p.m...

San Diego: A "Midnight Special." Literally...

2012-01-23T00:18:00.001-05:00

The line of the night came very early from Steven: “Did you not think there’d be jets flying overtop?”

You’d think that if Steven Tyler could have figured that out, the producers could have too. Maybe next year they won’t put picturesque over practical…

Here are some of my thoughts on tonight’s auditions from the USS Midway in San Diego…

Every year a Buckeye manages to embarrass us. This year it was Jennifer Diley, the girl in the super short shorts and bikini top who didn’t have the voice to match, who was from Columbus. And singing Jessica Simpson (“With You”)? Seriously?...

#Tylerism Alert: “Your voice lacks the fire your getup has.”

It takes a lot of guts to sing “I Will Always Love You” for your audition. Fortunately, Ashley Robles had more than enough talent to pull it off. And she picked all of the best parts of the song for the audition. She’s one to watch…

Weren’t you just positive that Jayrah Gibson (“Just Friends”) was going to be terrible?...

So in addition to the chances of boats and jets making noise, did it not occur to anyone that people might bang their heads on the low ceiling of an aircraft carrier? I mean, we all know the contestants are going to jump and down, right?...

How much did Aubree Dieckmeyer milk “Feelin’ Good”? I mean she was good, but it was a little drawn out…

If it hadn’t have been for the “Ellen” connection, I’m not sure the judges would have let Ali Shields (“Like a Star”) keep auditioning. Can’t believe how she almost blew that one with that rap…

I’ve got my eye on Kyle Crews (“Angel of Mine”). I was sure he was going to be bad—especially singing a female R&B song. But he was great…

#Tylerism Alert: “I went through four hours of hair and makeup to listen to this sh--?”

Does anyone else feel like Jane Carrey (“Something to Talk About”) only went through because she’s Jim Carrey’s daughter?...

I was 100 percent positive that Jason “Wolf” Hamlin (“Midnight Special”/ “Folsom Prison Blues”) would be terrible—especially the way they kept teasing him during the breaks. But I thought he was cool…

All in all, it looked like a pretty strong crop in San Diego. 53 got golden tickets to Hollywood…

Wednesday, it’s off to Aspen and back to a more normal airtime. See you then…

Reminder: A Special Sunday "Idol"

2012-01-22T21:26:00.002-05:00

Don't forget that a special audition episode of "Idol" will be airing after the NFC Championship Game, probably around 10:15 p.m. or so.

I've seen some previews of this one and things get a little outrageous when someone clearly didn't think of all the issues involved with doing auditions on an aircraft carrier...

I'll be back later tonight with my thoughts...

Pittsburgh: "Family Matters"

2012-01-19T21:16:00.001-05:00

As I suspected, Phillip Phillips was the one everyone was buzzing about from last night’s auditions. And no, I am still not caught up from last night…

But I did catch every second of tonight’s episode and just as I predicted, there were some faces from our area among the ones we saw. Here are some of my thoughts…

Heejun Hun (How Am I Supposed to Live Without You) was one you were sure was going to be terrible. And the judges thought so too…

Reed Grimm (Theme from “Family Matters”) is my favorite so far. I was like the judges. I thought singing that song—though a good one—was crazy. But he was awesome and I’m hoping he’ll be the next Blake Lewis…

It’s nice to see Chase Likens from Point Pleasant audition again. It looks like the judges liked him. By the way, if you haven’t seen him in any Marshall University productions, Chase is also a very good actor…

I also really liked Creighton Fraker who sang an original song about “Idol” for the judges. He had a very unique sound…

If he doesn’t get chewed up and spit out in Hollywood, Milford, Ohio’s Eben Franckewitz could go a little ways…

Wow! How heartbreaking was Travis Orlando’s (“Isn’t She Lovely”) story? His mom walked out for another relationship while his dad is ill? I’m so glad the judges let him through…

Shane Bruce from Moundsville, WV, was a little heartbreaking as well. I agree with the judges that he wasn’t good enough to go through, but it was still sad. I’d like to see him come back next year too, but I’m guessing he’d have to drive a lot further than Pittsburgh. I think he should have gone with “In the Still of the Night,” the song he was singing for his fellow coal miners. And speaking of which, JLo clearly knows nothing about West Virginia or she’d understand why Shane’s a coal miner. It’s in his blood…

And am I the only one who thinks it’s a little sad that the only way Shane knew the gorgeous “Hallelujah” was from “Shrek”?

Yes, Hallie Day’s audition was great and will probably be the one everyone talks about since Reed was so early in the show. But I think the real highlight of her audition was not the performance as much as how she picked all the best parts of “I Will Survive” for the audition. It was very savvy…

Don’t forget the next audition episode will air Sunday after the NFC Championship Game (around 10 p.m.). We’ll head to San Diego where the show mistakenly set up camp at a military base in front of a launch area. Trust me. There will be some crazy moments…

So what do you guys think? Have you picked any favorites yet?

Savannah: My Thoughts On the Half-Hour I Saw

2012-01-18T22:20:00.000-05:00

I confess. I decided to watch the Capital Classic with my husband. So I only saw the last half-hour of the show.

I know. I should be ashamed of myself…

So until I can get caught up on the rest of the show, here are my thoughts on that last half-hour…

I’m worried about W.T. Thompson (Something about the “Lullaby of the Midnight Train”). His wife is pregnant and he quit his job for a shot at “Idol”? Of course, we’re watching something that happened months ago, so I hope he’s found something else by now. And Ryan, never fake out a pregnant chick. That’s just mean…

#Tylerism Alert: “If I get any closer I’ll be on the other side of you.”

#Tylerism Alert: “The best note you hit was when you grabbed my a--.”

I think Brittney Kerr (the NBA dancer) deserved to go through. But she’ll get chewed up and spit out in Hollywood. At least she’ll look good doing it. And I can’t believe she adjusted her chest on national TV…

Of course, the last person on tonight’s show, Phillip Phillips (“Superstition”), will probably be the one everyone talks about tomorrow. He has a great voice and his guitar playing on “Thriller” was amazing…

All in all, 42 went through to Hollywood. Wow! I think there is a lot of harsh trimming coming up…

Tomorrow, we’re off to Pittsburgh. I’ll be scoping the crowds closely for local faces. If any of you know anyone—or you yourself auditioned—let me know…

Much more later when I get caught up…

Tonight's the Night: Are You Ready?

2012-01-18T15:15:00.002-05:00

Tonight's the night...

A new journey begins as "American Idol" launches its 11th season tonight. I admit I'm still having trouble wrapping my head around the fact that this has been going on for 11 years...

Tonight's audition episode is two hours beginning at 8 p.m. on FOX. I'll post my thoughts on the episode after it airs.

I will warn you that I may be somewhat distracted by the Capital Classic, which is also tonight. So it may be late before you hear from me. In the meantime, feel free to post your thoughts on tonight's auditions here or on my Facebook page.

Are you ready? I know I am...

Photo Credit: Warwick Saint/FOX

Kelly to Perform at Grammys

2012-01-14T23:35:00.001-05:00

Kelly Clarkson is a busy, busy girl these days…

CBS has announced that Kelly will perform at the Grammy Awards, along with Jason Aldean.

The duo are nominated for Best Country Duo/Group Performance for “Don’t You Wanna Stay.” The song will appear on the 2012 Grammy Nominees CD which will hit stores on January 24^th.

The Grammys will air February 12^th at 8 p.m. on CBS…

Will Kelly Clarkson Kick Off the Super Bowl?

2012-01-14T23:18:00.002-05:00

The Associated Press has reported that Kelly Clarkson will sing the National Anthem at this year’s Super Bowl. The report has not been confirmed by the NFL.

The choice makes sense because Kelly has a lot of experience singing the Anthem at major sporting events, she appeals to a wide range of fans, and NBC seems eager to showcase her these days since she will be appearing as a mentor on “The Voice,” which will air immediately after the game.

Oh, and she’s awesome…

The AP also reported that Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert will be singing “America the Beautiful” during pregame ceremonies. Blake and Kelly are both represented by Reba McEntire’s husband, Narvel Blackstock.

The Super Bowl will air on NBC Sunday, February 5^th…

Photo Credit: Harper Smith/RCA Records

Stefano Signs a Deal

2012-01-14T22:58:00.001-05:00

Season 10’s Stefano Langone has added a major feather in his cap by signing with Hollywood Records…

Ken Bunt, executive vice president, Disney Music Group and Hollywood Records, said in a statement, “We are very excited to have Stefano on our roster. He’s an incredibly talented vocalist and songwriter. His story is very inspiring and we are looking forward to helping him achieve his goals.”

Stefano is managed by 19 Entertainment.

As you may recall, Stefano was nearly killed in a car accident in 2009, where he was hit by a drunk driver. The accident left him with two broken arms, a fractured pelvis and other life-threatening injuries. He was wheelchair-bound for months.

Stefano was Jennifer Lopez’s wild card pick and was best known for his performance of Stevie Wonder’s “Lately.”

Stefano has become a celebrity supporter of Eva Longoria’s Padres Contra El Cancer organization, which according to the Hollywood Records press release, is “a health and education curriculum designed to be culturally-relevant, family-centered and community-based.”

No word on when an album or single might be released…

Photo Credit: Miguel Starcevich/Hollywood Records

Ryan Seacrest Speaks

2012-01-09T13:33:00.002-05:00

Yesterday at the Television Critics Association Tour, Ryan Seacrest addressed his upcoming “Idol” negotiations…

“I love this television show…and I can’t imagine life without ‘American Idol,'” he said, according to “The Hollywood Reporter.” However, Ryan would not go into details about his future with “Today.”

“I have a deal with NBC Universal that we’re in negotiations discussing what I’ll do, but I already work there,” he said.

The “Reporter” story says that Ryan may do interview specials or take a major role in Olympics coverage. The most interesting tidbit from the “Reporter” post was this: “When asked about a potential future with NBC’s rival series, ‘The Voice,’ Seacrest slithered about in his seat, noting that his focus this year is on ‘Idol.’”

Hmmm…

Earlier in the day, FOX Entertainment President Kevin Reilly said FOX would work hard to keep Ryan. “As we know, it’s a much harder job than meets the eye.”

I’m glad to hear him acknowledge that…

Reilly said he knew the negotiations would be tough, but that they would wrap up “pretty quickly”…

How Season 11 Will Roll Out

2012-01-09T13:17:00.001-05:00

Yesterday, FOX announced the upcoming schedule for the eleventh season of “American Idol.”

Wait. Did that just say 11 seasons? Wow…

Beginning January 18^th, we’ll see auditions every Wednesday and Thursday through February 2^nd. There will also be a special audition episode Sunday, January 22^nd at 10 p.m. after the NFC Championship Game.

The final auditions episode will be Wednesday, February 8^th with the Hollywood Round kicking off Thursday, February 9^th. We’ll get three Hollywood episodes this year as they’ll continue through Thursday, February 16^th. Then Wednesday, February 22^nd it’s the Performance Challenge as the remaining contestants sing one more time for the judges. We’ll learn the identity of the semifinalists when the “Green Mile” episode airs Thursday, February 23^rd.

The next week, the show expands to three nights as voting begins. Tuesday, February 28^th, the first group of semifinalists will perform on a special 400^th episode. Wednesday, February 29^th, the second group of semifinalists will perform and Thursday, March 1^st, we’ll have our first results show as the votes are revealed and the judges choose their wild cards.

The finalists will perform for the first time Wednesday, March 7, with the results shows beginning March 8^th.

No word yet on how many finalists there will be this year. And although nothing was said in the release, it appears the show will be following the same girls-guys formula it did last year to divide the semifinalists.

Are we ready to roll?

Is This Ryan Seacrest's Swan Song?

2012-01-07T23:39:00.002-05:00

Rumors are flying fast and furious that this could be Ryan Seacrest’s last season as the host of “American Idol”…

“The Hollywood Reporter” reports that Ryan is in the final year of his contract and negotiations will begin soon for a new deal. The report says Ryan is expected to play hardball since he’s so in demand these days—which lends a little credence to my theory that someone from Ryan’s camp leaked the story that “Today” is wooing Ryan as a potential Matt Lauer replacement. But a source tells “THR” that FOX believes they can replace Ryan for much less money.

Having seen what FOX considers a good alternative—Steve Jones of “The X Factor”—I think the network and the show’s producers should give Ryan whatever he wants…

Or maybe if they dump him, he could take over “The X Factor.” Hmmm…

Photo Credit: Sam Jones/FOX

Live From New York, It's Kelly Clarkson

2012-01-07T22:58:00.004-05:00

Kelly Clarkson has been taking a lot of flack lately…

From her tweet supporting Ron Paul to her upcoming appearance on “The Voice” as a mentor, she’s been getting it from all sides. But tonight, she’ll just be doing what she does best as the musical guest on “Saturday Night Live.”

And as she sings, what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger…

“Saturday Night Live” airs tonight (January 7^th) at 11:30 on NBC. There will be a delay due to the NFL playoffs, so program your DVRs accordingly...

Photo Credit: Harper Smith/RCA

Is Kelly Clarkson an "Idol" Traitor?

2012-01-06T15:13:00.001-05:00

Is Kelly Clarkson turning her back on “Idol”?

“The New York Post” reported today that Kelly will appear as a mentor on “The Voice” this season. According to the post, she will mentor contestants coached by Blake Shelton.

It’s important to note that Kelly and Blake have the same management—Starstruck Entertainment, which is run by Reba McEntire’s husband, Narvel Blackstock.

If this report is true—and there’s no reason to believe that it isn’t—I can’t imagine that “Idol” will be too happy about it.

I have to wonder if maybe Kelly has made her last performance on the “Idol” stage…

Photo Credit: Mike Ruiz/RCA

Can Clay Become the Next "Celebrity Apprentice"?

2012-01-04T15:23:00.002-05:00

NBC finally announced today what we already knew…

Clay Aiken will be a contestant on the newest edition of “The Celebrity Apprentice.”

Fellow contestant Adam Carolla told the media today that he was surprised at how gritty Clay was during the competition. But in all honesty, I’m not sure if he was joking or not…

“The Celebrity Apprentice” premieres Sunday, February 12^th at 9 p.m…

Photo Credit: Mitchell Haaseth/NBC

"The Price is Right" for Chris Daughtry

2012-01-03T18:20:00.003-05:00

Chris Daughtry will appear on "The Price Is Right" this week as part of Celebrity Charity Week.

But he better bring his A game in order to outdo Snoop Dogg who showed some serious pricing skills Monday...

Chris' episode is scheduled to air Thursday. "The Price Is Right" airs at 11 a.m. on CBS...

Photo Credit: Screen Grab 2011 CBS Productions Inc.

My Conversation With James Durbin: "There's a True Reason That You're Different"

2011-12-28T23:11:00.002-05:00

If you guys read my blog during Season 10 of “Idol,” you know that I often criticized James Durbin. But one listen to his new album, “Memories of a Beautiful Disaster,” and I could hear what all of his fans were screaming about.

And after talking to him, I admit. I’m on the Durbin train. My purpose was to get James’ thoughts about the album and the process of making it—and I achieved that. But I also received an inspirational message about following your dreams no matter what the obstacles in front of you…

“It doesn’t matter what obstacles you put in your way, you can overcome them. And there’s a reason, no matter if you feel you’re outnumbered, if you feel singled out. There’s a true reason that you’re different, no matter if you can’t figure out that reason just yet. I just say give it time. Because I didn’t know what my purpose was at first—growing up, getting bullied, beat up and teased, picked on—but now I do. My real purpose was to be able to go on “American Idol” and go in front of 25-30 million people every week and tell them that I can overcome anything. I can do what I love to do and there’s no limitations by it. My whole dream my whole life has always been to be a working musician and be able to support myself and my family off of doing what I love and doing pretty much the only thing I’ve ever been good at, which is performing and being on stage. And my dreams have been surpassed completely so I’ll just hold on to it as tightly as possible. Because if you lose sight of it for too long it will be snatched right out of your hands.”

Pretty good, huh?

Read on to see James’ thoughts about the album, including the meaning of the title, and what else he’s got going on in his life right now…

When I listen to the album it takes me back to the glam rock of the 80s. Is that what you were going for?

It definitely is. That’s probably the #1 genre or subgenre, however you want to refer to it. It’s definitely the big one that inspires me. The big one that is probably my favorite. It’s probably the thing that I listen most to. I try to find bands nowadays that embody that and I look up to that and I go off of that for inspiration.

Who are some of the bands who inspire you these days?

They’re all from, none of them are from the US, they’re all from Europe. Hardcore Superstar are probably my #1. They actually co-wrote one of the songs on the record, which is Outcast, which is the song Mick Mars [Motley Crue] plays on. Another band is Crash Diet. Hardcore Superstar and CRASHDIET are both from Sweden. Negative from Finland, HIM from Finland, Backyard Babies from Sweden. That’s pretty much it for now. The list goes on and on as I keep discovering more. The more I listen to those certain bands, the more I discover other bands that have that same style and flavor to them. Something about it, it’s something that’s been long forgotten in the States for a while. I still have a strong passion for that style of music so I think that’s probably why I go looking for it so much.

Tell me about the whole process with the album.

I had just come off of “Idol” and we were trying to figure out who would be a good fit to produce the record and pretty much the only person I was thinking was Howard Benson. I just love his producing style and the way he produces and just the artists that he’s worked with. Number one for me on his list would be a tie. Two different sides. He produced four Motorhead records. He did My Chemical Romance’s first record. Motorhead was the very first rock CD that I ever got and My Chemical Romance was one of my favorite bands growing up in high school. So you have a singer, you have the producer, so all you need are good songs to have a good record. So we enlisted the help of Dj Ashba of Sixx: A.M. and James Michael also from Sixx: A.M. and Marti Frederiksen who has written for Aerosmith and a long, long list of others. And we got right down to songwriting. I wrote a track with Dj called Crawling Home which was an iTunes pre-order bonus track. And I wrote a couple songs with Marti Frederiksen and James Michael and one that did make this record is the opening track, “Higher Than Heaven” which is basically the story of my life before I met my now fiancé, soon to be wife, but now fiancé, Heidi, and just really how she transformed my life and gave it meaning. And later on in the process we had a bunch of songs and I kept begging and begging to enlist the help and the expertise of my favorite band Hardcore Superstar. And we reached out to them and they took it in with open arms and they got back to us with the song Outcast and we got a call from Mick Mars, who wanted to, out of the kindness of his heart, play on the record. You’re not gonna not let Mick Mars play on your record if he asks. Mick played on it and we just got right down to singing and we got all the vocals down in two and a half weeks which was pretty insane. I hear that doesn’t happen too often, getting it done that quickly. But I was completely satisfied with all the songs and I still am and I found that I work really well under pressure and under stress and we got it finished. We had a deadline and I beat the deadline by a long shot. Finished it long before anyone thought we would. It was definitely a journey but it was a learning experience and I’ll take everything I learned from making “Memories of a Beautiful Disaster” into making the second, the third, the fourth, the fifth, so on and so forth, God willing for the rest of the life.

Where does the title, “Memories of a Beautiful Disaster” come from?

The title is about looking back at moments of my life that perhaps at the time, you know, growing up I thought why did this happen? Why is this happening to me? I wish I could change this. But now I look back on my memories and I see the beauty in the pain. I can see the beauty in what was once a supposed disaster. It makes me who I am today and I would never want to change that.

Talk to me about your label, Wind-Up. Is it a dream knowing that you are on this label with all of these amazing artists?

It’s a huge dream come true to know that I have a recording contract and a record deal and on top of that my record is out right now. And on top of that it’s on Wind-Up Records with all these other great artists like Seether, Evanescence, and OAR. Just great, great amazing bands that are just, artists that aren’t just good recording artists, artists that go out there and bust their a-- on tour and really show their fans that they love them and they care about them. Artists that go out there and tell their fans thank you. I’m so happy to have gotten to be with Wind-Up. I was looking for a recording deal and a contract and Wind-Up came in the mix and I got to talk to them and we hadn’t finalized anything. But two days later they called me up to see how I was doing. Just to see how the Idols Live Tour was going at the time and just to keep up. And that really spoke to me. I really appreciated that and it really meant something to me. They asked me how my family was and family is what I’m all about. It was kind of a no brainer in that aspect.

Do you feel like now you can really show people who you really are and not just that guy from “Idol”?

Yeah, definitely. “American Idol” is a terrific amazing platform and I’m forever grateful for that opportunity, but the thing is that you’re up there singing karaoke every week and now this is my chance to shine and to show who I am as a musician, as a singer, as a songwriter. I am forever grateful for that opportunity because if it wasn’t for “American Idol,” I would have never had this chance to tell people who I am and to show the world, show the masses what I can do.

What else have you got going on in your life right now?

I’m getting married real soon and the album’s doing great and I’m just trying to secure, trying to get the album out there as much possible, do as much promotion around it and really get it out there because there’s still a lot of people who don’t know that it’s out, who don’t know that I have something out right now. So I do as many interviews as possible and radio performances. Go visit radio stations, go visit fans. I know in a couple of days I’ll be going to a children’s hospital in Atlanta and I love visiting kids. I love it for their satisfaction. I walk away being so much, so thankful for what I do have. I just love being able to give back like that. Because if not for fans, what do you have?

What’s the #1 question people still ask you about “American Idol”?

That’s interesting. I don’t know if I get asked so much about my favorite thing, it’s more, “Oh we voted for you, you should’ve won.” So it’s “Thank you so much. I really appreciate that.” There’s only so much you can say to that. Only so much you can answer that with. Either that answer or “Oh well, I didn’t. But I’m thankful for what I’ve got.”

That’s a great answer, because you’ve got a lot to be thankful for and more on the way.

Amen.

“Memories of a Beautiful Disaster” is available now.

Photo Credit: Michael Scott Slosar/Wind-Up Records

James Durbin Brings Back Rock

2011-12-22T22:40:00.001-05:00

I’m a child of the 80s, so I remember the days of the hair bands. You know Poison, Motley Crue, Cinderella—all those bands that cranked out the rock music that made you want to put your rock fingers in the air and bang your head all day long.

It’s been a while since we’ve gotten an album full of that music. But thankfully there is someone out there looking to bring it back—even if he’s not old enough to remember it in the first place…

James Durbin’s new album, “Memories of a Beautiful Disaster” brings back that music in full force. From the opening track, “Higher Than Heaven,” you’ll be banging your head through the whole thing with a few pauses when you’ll want to take out your lighter and sway instead.

If you’re looking for that last minute Christmas gift for the rocker in your life, I totally recommend “Memories.”

And next week, I’ll have a special gift for you as I share my recent interview with James about the album, “American Idol” and what he’s up to now…

Photo Credit: Wind-Up Records

"Idol" Dominates the American Country Awards

2011-12-07T12:09:00.003-05:00

“Idol” was well represented Monday night at the American Country Awards…

Carrie Underwood won Artist of the Year: Female, and Single of the Year: Female and Music Video: Female for “Mama’s Song.”

Kelly Clarkson’s collaboration with Jason Aldean, “Don’t You Wanna Stay,” won Single of the Year: Vocal Collaboration and Music Video: Group or Collaboration.

And, Scotty McCreery won Artist of the Year: New Artist.

The ACA winners are decided completely by a fan vote.

Congratulations to all!

Photos Credit: Tom Donahue/FOX

Celebrate Christmas With J-Hud In Washington

2011-12-01T23:12:00.001-05:00

There will once again be an “Idol” tie-in on “Christmas in Washington” this year…

Jennifer Hudson will be one of the performers for President Obama and his family at the annual concert.

“Christmas” airs Friday, December 16^th at 8 p.m. on TNT…

Photo Credit: Anthony Mandler/RCA

Time to Mark Your Calendars!

2011-12-01T22:51:00.001-05:00

Ladies and gentlemen, mark your calendars…

FOX announced today that “American Idol” will premiere January 18^th at 8 p.m. with a two-hour episode. Part two of the premiere will air Thursday, January 19^th at 8 p.m. with an hour-long episode.

“Idol” will also air a special episode Sunday, January 22^nd after the NFC Championship Game.

Are you ready?

Photo Credit: Warwick Saint/FOX

Kelly Clarkson Rocks My Favorite Commercial

2011-11-27T20:02:00.001-05:00

I admit it. I smile every time I see this commercial…

If you haven’t seen it, here’s a slightly extended version of the Toyota commercial featuring Kelly Clarkson. It makes me smile because I love Chris Berman giving everything he can to a performance of a Kelly Clarkson song—in front of Kelly Clarkson…

Why Is Everybody Picking on Scotty McCreery?

2011-11-27T19:57:00.002-05:00

I’m thinking Scotty McCreery might be thinking of warming up that low voice of his to do a chorus of the oldie, “Charlie Brown” and sing “Why’s everybody always pickin’ on me?”

As for the answer to that question, I honestly have no idea…

Friday, one of the top three stories on MSN.com’s homepage was Scotty’s “lip-synching fiasco” at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Scotty’s song started before he started “singing,” so he was revealed to be lip-synching.

So what?

EVERY performer in the parade lip synchs. It’s just not technically possible for them to actually sing. And with all the commotion and the people cheering, it’s totally understandable how a young performer like Scotty could make that mistake. I say give the kid a break. I've seen seasoned performers make this very same mistake over the years...

If you want to see the “fiasco,” you can see it here courtesy of TMZ.com…

video platform video management video solutions video player

Kat Readies for Her Close-Up

2011-11-27T19:46:00.001-05:00

If you’re a Katharine McPhee fan, you’re going to be very happy over the next two months as Kat prepares for the premiere of her new NBC show, “Smash”…

“Smash” is the show NBC is hoping will turn its season around so look for Kat to appear everywhere between now and February 6^th when the show premieres.

First up, Katharine will perform during “Christmas in Rockefeller Center” Tuesday, November 30^th at 8 p.m. on NBC…

Photo Credit: Will Hart/NBC

Check Out the New "Idol" Promo...

2011-10-23T00:02:00.000-05:00

Here's your first look at the new "American Idol" promo FOX will begin airing Sunday.

This is all FOX provided, so I guess you'll just have to watch to see how it ends...

Tomorrow is Lauren's Big Day!

2011-10-10T21:50:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow is the big day for Lauren Alaina as her debut album, "Wildflower," hits shelves and online outlets...

As soon as I can catch up, I'll have a review--as well as my promised review of Scotty's CD. In the meantime, feel free to share your thoughts here...

Photo Credit: Mercury Nashville

Get Ready to "Rock" at the Paramount!

2011-10-10T14:26:00.003-05:00

Wednesday night, “Rock of Ages” will invade the Paramount Arts Center as part of its second national tour.

Constantine Maroulis is no longer a part of the tour, but that doesn’t mean you won’t have a rockin’ good time jamming to the big hair hits of the 80s…

Friday, I got the chance to talk to Alyssa Herrera, a member of the “ROA” cast about the show.

“It’s a rock concert with stories involved and characters. There are a lot of different plots going on,” she said. “It’s a lot of fun.”

This is Herrera’s second national tour after wrapping up a run as Sandy in “Grease.” “It’s something really amazing. The different faces, the time off to explore, the different audiences,” she said. “Especially with this show. We’ve been realizing that every night. It’s like a rock concert. People still know every single song. They hear the first song and it gets them really pumped. You get excited for what’s about to happen. It’s going to melt your faces off.”

Herrera is a performing swing, which means she needs to be prepared for any role. “It keeps me on my toes.” When I spoke with her, she had been playing Waitress #1 for a few days. She is also the understudy for the characters of Sherrie and Regina.

The main reason to come to the show, Herrera told me, is for the good time. “They’re going to laugh until they fall off the chair. They’ll have a fantastic time with the people around them.”

For more of my thoughts about “ROA,” visit the Paramount Arts Center website.

Photo Credit: Jeff Busby

Scotty's Release Date Is Here!

2011-10-03T22:03:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow is the big day for Scotty McCreery as he releases his debut album, "A Clear Day."

As soon as I receive my copy, I'll post a complete review. In the meantime, feel free to share your thoughts here...

Photo Credit: Mercury Nashville

Bucky Covington Talks New Label, Drunk Tweeting and BLT Sandwiches

2011-09-02T18:37:00.004-05:00

I still maintain that Bucky Covington’s self-titled debut album is one of the best CDs ever released by an “American Idol” contestant. But any new music from him got completely shanghaied by the folding of his label, Lyric Street Records.

So when the words “new record label” came out of Bucky’s mouth tonight, I was pretty jazzed. The official announcement won’t be released until next week, but I did manage to get some details out of him…

I had the opportunity to talk to Bucky before his soundcheck for his concert at Portsmouth River Days tonight. The show will start around 9:30 p.m., so you’ve still got plenty of time to get to the river and enjoy what will no doubt be a rockin’ good show.

When Bucky achieved such early success, I was happy for him. And now that I know he is such a good guy, I’m hoping he achieves that success—or more—again soon.

In all honesty, I could’ve hung out with Bucky all night. He’s that kind of guy. But we managed to have a pretty good time in the 20 minutes or so we had together.

Read on to get Bucky’s thoughts on touring, his record label shutdown, drunk tweeting and the pros and cons of BLTs for breakfast…

Welcome to Portsmouth, Sorry it’s so hot.

It ain’t so bad when you’re on the water like this. And that has got to be the absolute longest boat landing I have ever seen. You can’t miss that one. I could’ve backed a boat in with my bus. It’s a nice thing. It does look like everybody’s out on the river having a great time. With the stage right on the water, I tell you I’m looking for a great time tonight.

Tell everybody what they can expect tonight.

Well the first album I put out when I came off of “American Idol” debuted at #1 and went on to produce three consecutive Top 10s. First of all, I thank all the fans for that. That was a great way to walk into country music. For the show tonight, we’ll be playing about half of that. I’ve just signed up with a new record label. We have a new single coming across your radios in the next two or three months. The album another five, six months after that, of course, once the song releases. I’ll be playing about half the old album, half the new album. Plus some cover songs. You know, you just gotta come to see what cover songs we have. You can’t give it all away.

Oh come on. Just a little tease?

Okay, we’ll do Elvis. And then some.

That was a good tease.

Yeah. [laughs]

Tell me about the new record label.

Well we haven’t exactly put out a press release on it yet. It’s a great company. It’s a great company that’s moved into Nashville. I’m the first country artist they’ve signed. I’m absolutely thrilled. The guy that’s heading it up, Van, is also from North Carolina like myself. So far, I’m also working with a lot of people who were on Lyric Street. Of course, when Lyric Street Records shut down, everybody goes a little somewhere and a lot of the folks have gone over to this company. So I’m looking very much forward to working with some of these folks again.

So that had to be a disappointment when Lyric Street shut down.

It really is. Without a doubt, it really is but that’s one thing that scared me to death comin’ into the business. When I came into the business it was kind of battin’ a thousand. I came off of a big “American Idol” show, everybody knows who you are. But the scary thing to that is when all that goes away, how do you go away and then you get it back? ‘Cause that’s the way…It’s gonna happen. I’m sure it’s gonna happen again and again. Hope not. I really really really hope not. But it does happen all the time so it’s always something I have in the back of my mind. At least I’ve dealt with it now and it makes you much more comfortable in the business just having been through it a little bit.

I thought your album was one of the best, if not the best release of anyone from “American Idol.”

Well, thank you so very kindly.

Well don’t get mad at me for saying this, but I’m not that big of a country music fan. But I thought your album was so solid from beginning to end.

Well thank you. That’s very sweet of you. We’ll aim to change your mind tonight about that country thing [laughs].

I am so happy to hear that you’re working on a new release.

Without a doubt. They’re actually big in Los Angeles and everything and they’re ready to come into Nashville. Looks like everybody’s likin’ a little piece of that country which is…God bless you and thank you very much.

You have never stopped touring though.

That’s one thing we did when things got slow with everything. Off my first album, I had a song called “Hometown.” And I had this idea. I’m from a very small town called Rockingham, North Carolina. And I live in Nashville now. And every time you go to Chicago or Nashville, you say, “Where you from?” “I’m from a little town 45 minutes away.” Half hour away, three hours, four hours away. Nobody’s really from the big cities, you know. So I had the idea of I wanted to go on a hometown tour. Instead of going to Chicago, go two hours outside of Chicago and tour that area. And do the same thing in North Carolina, Alabama and every bit of it. We put that together and called it the Hometown Tour and it just…it started selling out in the beginning of it. God bless the people when they show up because I haven’t really had a whole lot of songs on the radio lately with the label shuttin’ down and everything. To think we came to town and all these people came out and just…well, frankly, got hammered with me is completely awesome.

What is it that you love about touring?

Touring altogether. For me, when I first saw myself playing on a stage it was the live shows. It was the instant gratification. I was in the Hannah Montana movie and I absolutely enjoyed doing it and I wanna do more movies without a doubt. But there’s a big difference of…See when I did the movie, a year later my cousin comes up to me and goes, “Oh my goodness, we saw you in the movie.” and I’m like what? Oh yeah, that’s right, yeah. ‘Cause see it was already gone for me because I did it a year ago but it just came out. And music, when you do a great song and I sing one of my songs and people sing the words back to you, I think that kind of tops all. I think there’s some great things we get to do. We get to see some wonderful charity events. We get to help out a lot of folks. I mean we as in country music artists in general. We do a lot of charity things. We help a lot of stuff, so there’s a lot of great things that go along with it. But when you’re standing on stage…writing and everything, the studio, everybody has fun. But when you’re standing on stage and you play something and the crowd just digs it, that definitely beats all. Without a doubt.

So what’s the one everybody digs the most?

Well, it’ll change. And that’s what’s great about it. You go to a theater show, it might be a song like “I’ll Walk,” a ballad. You go to a rockin’ fair like I have a feelin’ tonight’s gonna be, it’ll probably be “Good To Be Us.” It might be a song that’s not even been on the…not even been out yet. Something that’s just rockin’. The best part about it is it will change night after night depending on the crowd. I’m thinkin’ tonight it’s gonna be a rockin’ tune. Whichever one it’s gonna be, it’s gonna be a rockin’ tune. Everytime we come here, man, it just always rocks.

You’re going to have a lot of people comin’ from their high school football games.

Good deal. From me to all y’all, I hope you won.

Unless you have two teams from the same area.

Just remember, Bucky says, I hope you won. Both of you. I hope it’s a dead tie.

Where are you takin’ off to next?

We’ll go back into Nashville tomorrow and then I think I’ve got a show [Turns to his publicist]. It’s either Iowa or Wisconsin. You can go to BuckyCovington.com though and be exact on point. Now you’re already on the Internet, you just go over there to BuckyCovington.com and matter of fact, tweet me and let me know where I gotta be. So whoever goes to BuckyCovington.com please tweet me and let me know where in the h—l I’m supposed to go Sunday. I’m lost. Help me, folks.

So you’re a big tweeter?

Actually no, I’m not a big tweeter. I’m starting…I have an idea, I have a tweet I have to call it in still because they’re still scared I’m gonna drunk tweet. I have a pretty big sense of humor so I’d hate to go sending something I think is funny and the whole world thinks it’s oh my goodness [laughs]. So yeah, all my tweets are still screened, but they are me. You have to screen it. We know what I’m talkin’ about, you don’t want that to be goin’ out. Well, some people might want that tweet goin’ out, but I don’t think I want that tweet goin’ out.

Do you Facebook?

I’m more of a tweeter than Facebook. We stay up on Facebook, of course, to let you know about events coming up and where I’m gonna be at and everything else, but definitely tweeting is a little more, I reckon, today? I’m still learning a lot of the social stuff. I’m slow.

But it’s a great new way to interact with the fans.

Without a doubt. I dig it. The other day I sent out a tweet about what I should have for breakfast—a BLT or a sausage biscuit. And you know there’s a lot of people who eat BLTs for breakfast? I didn’t know that. I thought it was a major lunch thing. I like them for breakfast but everybody said BLT, BLT. Of course, then again, my breakfast is kind of lunchtime. I kind of wake up like 10 or 11 and by the time you eat, it kind of is lunchtime. That’s probably the reason I got the big BLT response. I ended up eating chocolate chip pancakes in case you’re wondering.

That sounds good.

It was very good. I didn’t realize it was an option at the time [laughs].

Is there anything else you want to say to the fans?

You know, every time we come into Ohio, it’s just absolutely great to us every time. Thank you all very much for everything that you do. You know, I had no idea country music was so big in Ohio, because I’m from the Southeast. We think everything above the Mason-Dixon is New York City [laughs]. Turns out I was wrong. You all got more rednecks than we do [laughs]. I absolutely love coming to Ohio. Every time we come we have full crowds, people have a great time. Y’all come out, y’all look to have a good time. Come on out and have a great time tonight and we’ll see ya soon.

Bucky Rocks the River Tonight!

2011-09-02T14:27:00.001-05:00

Just a reminder that Bucky Covington will be performing at Portsmouth River Days tonight (Friday) at 9:30 p.m.

I won't be at the concert tonight, so if anyone wants to share their thoughts, please feel free.

However, I will have more from Bucky later tonight and maybe a picture or two...

Stay Tuned...

Simon Speaks Out About "Idol"

2011-08-24T20:32:00.001-05:00

Simon Cowell finally speaks out in this week’s “The Hollywood Reporter” and it looks like it’s going to be juicy…

“THR” posted some excerpts today. Most interesting are Simon’s comments about “American Idol.” He’s clearly angry at how the producers and FOX execs tried to downplay his contributions to the show in order to make it look like the show wouldn’t miss him.

I don’t think the show did miss him, but I completely agree that “American Idol” wouldn’t be “American Idol” without Simon…

You can read the excerpts here.

Photo Credit: Ian Derry/FOX

Clay AIken Takes On a "Drop Dead" Different Role

2011-07-21T14:25:00.002-05:00

So when you hear that Clay Aiken is guest starring in an episode of “Drop Dead Diva” called “The Prom,” your first guess is that Clay will be the entertainment at the prom and will end up serenading the show’s cast.

But you would be wrong as Sunday’s guest appearance is like nothing Clay has ever done before. Not only is he not playing himself, he is not playing any variation of himself. No singing, just acting. And I think he does a pretty good job of it.

Without giving too much away, I will tell you that Clay is a part of the secondary legal case in the episode, which involves a man who was duped by his mail order bride.

Josh Berman, the show’s creator/executive producer told me that Clay had a lot of input into the character.

“I just got on the phone with him and I said I really want you in this episode, here’s a character I’m considering, and we kind of crafted his character together,” Berman said. “Through the process we actually have become friends. He’s actually flying to LA for the Outfest panel for the episode on Sunday. It’s amazing. You have a show like this that’s very empowering to women, empowering to humanity, it gets people excited. And that’s a unique experience for me.”

Sunday’s episode is a special one because it takes a look at an important issue. Jane (the phenomenal Brooke Elliott) represents two lesbian teenagers who are not allowed by their school to purchase a couples ticket for their prom. The case is inspired by the real-life case of Constance McMillen, a Mississippi teenager who was banned from her prom because she’s gay.

Though the episode takes a stand on the issue, it never turns preachy. And the hour never loses the show’s trademark combination of drama and humor. No matter what side of the issue you fall on, you’ll laugh, yell and cry all within the same 60 minutes.

I had hoped to have some comments from Clay about the episode, but just like every other time I’ve tried to interview him, it didn’t work out.

Someday, my friends. Someday…

“The Prom” episode of “Drop Dead Diva” airs Sunday, July 24^th at 9 p.m. on Lifetime…

Photo Credit: Bob Mahoney/Lifetime

Breaking News: Houston, We Have a Problem

2011-07-20T12:04:00.000-05:00

This is not good…

“The Hollywood Reporter” exclusively reported today that “Idol” creator Simon Fuller is suing FOX for money he claims the network owes him.

The lawsuit stems from the settlement of Fuller’s lawsuit against Simon Cowell back in 2004. According to the papers Fuller filed, the settlement—which cleared the way for “Factor” to come to the U.S.—entitled Fuller to a producer fee for “The X Factor,” which he says FOX and Fremantle North America have not paid.

You can read all the details of the suit here.

This is bad because the lawsuit between the Simons nearly destroyed “Idol” and created a lot of hard feelings. I’ve got to believe that Fuller suing the network and the production company is not going to make things any easier.

The “Reporter” article also says that Fuller is angry over how much attention FOX has showered on launching “The X Factor.” Um, I was under the impression that’s what all networks did to launch new shows. Clearly, there’s some touchiness going on here…

Stay Tuned, folks…

JLo and Marc Anthony: The Show Must Go On

2011-07-18T16:09:00.001-05:00

It’s a known fact in the world of public relations that if you want something to not get very much media attention, you release it on a holiday or over the weekend. No doubt that’s what Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony were thinking when they released the very business-like statement that they are ending their marriage…

Considering how much we saw of Marc during the “Idol” season it certainly is pretty surprising…

So where does that leave “Q’Viva!” their reality show collaboration with “Idol” guru Simon Fuller? According to Fuller’s XIX Entertainment, the show will go on…

In a statement from XIX, the show is set to start filming this fall “with Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony as previously announced.” The Internet is already buzzing that the break-up may actually help the show find a network home…

Get Ready to Rock with Scotty and Lauren

2011-07-18T15:30:00.001-05:00

Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina got a true indoctrination into the world of country music last month and now we’ll be able to see it all…

Scotty and Lauren will be a part of the ABC special, “CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night to Rock.” Scotty will sing with Josh Turner and Lauren will sing with Martina McBride. The show will also go behind the scenes with Scotty and Lauren as they experience their first CMA festival.

Kelly Clarkson will also appear with Jason Aldean.

“CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night to Rock” will air for three hours Sunday, August 14^th at 8 p.m. on ABC.

"Idol" Receives A Special Honor

2011-07-18T15:23:00.002-05:00

“American Idol” will be inducted into “Broadcasting & Cable”s Hall of Fame this fall.

Bill McGorry, Chairman of the B&C Hall of Fame said in a press release, “‘American Idol’ has been a broadcasting phenomenon from the moment it debuted, and it just keeps getting stronger. This honor is richly deserved for a show that has had such an unprecedented impact on the entire industry.”

The 21^st annual awards dinner will be Wednesday, October 26^that the Waldorf Astoria in New York City…

Photo Credit: Tony Duran/FOX

Listen to Pia's Debut Single

2011-07-13T19:02:00.002-05:00

Pia Toscano’s debut single is now available on iTunes...

The song, “This Time,” was written and co-produced by Esther Dean, who has written hits for Nicki Minaj, Katy Perry, Rihanna and more. Pia is performing the song on the Idols Live! Tour.

Her debut album on Interscope Records will be released later this year.

You can hear a scratchy version of the song, which debuted on Ryan Seacrest’s radio show here. Be sure to let me know what you think.

I kind of like it. Or maybe I’m just happy to hear Pia singing to an actual beat…

New Kelly Clarkson Music Hits the Airwaves

2011-07-11T11:10:00.001-05:00

A new Kelly Clarkson song hit the Internet last week and now it’s starting to hit Top 40 radio…

It’s called “Let Me Down.” See what you think…

I personally say, welcome back, Kelly…

Jordin Sparks Warms Up for Another Anthem

2011-07-10T14:21:00.002-05:00

If it’s a major sporting event in Arizona and it’s airing on FOX, you can count on Jordin Sparks being there to sing something…

Jordin will be singing the National Anthem prior to the Major League Baseball All-Star Game Tuesday night. Also, during the pregame, you can get a preview of Simon Cowell’s “The X Factor.”

The Major League Baseball All-Star Game airs Tuesday, July 12^th at 8 p.m. on FOX…

Photo Credit: Randee St. Nichol/FOX

Relive the Best of the Top 4

2011-07-02T22:19:00.002-05:00

If you didn’t get the iTunes downloads during the season, you can now get the best of the Top 4 at Wal-Mart…

Four EPs containing five tracks each are now available exclusively at Walmart and Walmart.com for $5 each. Each EP contains a track never before available for purchase.

Here is the track listing for each EP:

"Scotty McCreery-American Idol Season 10 Highlights"

"I Love You This Big"
"The River"
"Amazed"
"Gone"
"Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not"

Lauren Alaina - American Idol Season 10 Highlights

"Like My Mother Does"
"Flat On The Floor"
"The Climb"
"I'm The Only One"
"Wild One"

Haley Reinhart—American Idol Season 10 Highlights

"House Of The Rising Sun"
"Bennie and the Jets"
"Rolling In The Deep"
"What Is And What Should Never Be"
"You Oughta Know"

James Durbin—American Idol Season 10 Highlights

"Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow"
"Maybe I'm Amazed"
"Uprising"
"While My Guitar Gently Weeps"
"Good Riddance"

Photo Credit: Michael Becker/FOX

Idols Dominate the Billboard Charts

2011-06-27T16:13:00.000-05:00

Billboard.com has an interesting article about all of the former Idols on the Billboard charts last week.

There were 15 Idols on the chart representing every season of the show except—not surprisingly—season nine. They were: Scotty McCreery (S10), Lauren Alaina (S10), Kelly Clarkson (S1), Ruben Studdard (S2), Fantasia (S3), Jennifer Hudson (S3), Carrie Underwood (S4), Constantine Maroulis (S4), Kellie Pickler (S5), Chris Daughtry (S5), Mandisa (S5), Chris Sligh (S6), David Cook(S7), Kris Allen (S8) and Adam Lambert (S8).

“American Idol” now has 301 #1s in the show’s history. Kelly has the most of them with 60. Carrie is close behind with 50. Chris Daughtry, with his band, Daughtry, has 38 and Ruben, somewhat surprisingly, has 16 of them. Mandisa has 11.

Of the 119 finalists from the show’s first 10 years, 54 of them have hit the charts.

You can read more of the numbers in the Billboard.com story here.

Kellie Pickler Is In No Hurry to Expand Her Family

2011-06-27T16:00:00.002-05:00

“People” magazine had an article on its website today about Kellie Pickler not being in a hurry to have a baby…

“I don’t think people realize…the responsibility that comes along with it. It’s almost like a fad,” she said. The comments come from an interview with CMT Radio airing tonight.

Kellie and her husband, Kyle Jacobs, were married on New Year’s Day.

Photo Credit: BNA Nashville

The 11th Season Officially Kicks Off Next Week!

2011-06-23T16:45:00.001-05:00

FOX has announced the audition dates and sites for the 11^th season of “American Idol.” It all starts next week…

Tuesday, June 28^th: St. Louis

Saturday, July 2^nd: Portland

Friday, July 8^th: San Diego

Friday, July 15^th: Pittsburgh

Friday, July 22^nd: Charleston, SC

Friday, July 29^th: Denver

Friday, August 26^th: Houston

If anyone plans to go to any of these auditions, I would love to hear from you! All the information on times and venues is available at AmericanIdol.com…

Randy Jackson, Talk Show Host?

2011-06-23T15:31:00.001-05:00

Is Randy Jackson looking to become the king of talk?

“The Hollywood Reporter” is reporting that Randy has been pitching a talk show to potential buyers. The report quotes someone as saying that Randy is looking to talk about “things that will be hip next.”

Um, seriously? Yes, Randy did manage to put better sentences together this season on “Idol.” But a talk show?

What do you guys think? Would you watch?

Photo Credit: FOX

Paul McDonald is "Pumped Up" About Marriage

2011-06-22T16:36:00.000-05:00

Paul McDonald told “People” that wedding plans are under way and he is “pumped up” to marry Nikki Reed.

You can see the interview here.

Report: JLo is "On the Fence" About Returning

2011-06-14T20:42:00.001-05:00

“The Hollywood Reporter” is reporting that Jennifer Lopez is “on the fence” about returning to “American Idol.”

The news comes via an interview JLo did with BBC Radio. She said, “I don’t know, I haven’t been forced to make a decision, and I’m glad about that because honestly I’m very on the fence about it. I had an amazing time doing it and I loved it, but I have a lot of other things happening, and it's going to come down to making a choice of really what I want to do for the next year. We're not really at the breaking point of ‘You have to make a decision right now!’ So I'm not. I'm really enjoying the time of just waiting — and seeing.”

Does that mean she’s looking for FOX to sweeten the pot?

JLo is currently working on “Q’Viva! The Chosen,” a Latin competition show, with her husband Marc Anthony.

I think JLo would be making a HUGE mistake if she decided not to come back to “Idol.” Those other things happening she talks about wouldn’t be possible without “Idol.” She may have helped to reinvigorate the show, but the show reinvigorated her career. She needs to acknowledge that and re-sign…

Photo Credit: FOX

Kat Signs a New Deal

2011-06-12T22:35:00.002-05:00

Here’s great news for Katharine McPhee fans…

Kat has signed a recording deal with Columbia Records. Columbia will also be the label home for the soundtrack of her new NBC series, “Smash,” which will debut in January.

Katharine’s last two albums—“Unbroken” and “Christmas Is a Time To Say I Love You” –were released on Verve Records…

Photo Credit: Will Hart/NBC

Clay Aiken to Guest Star on "Diva"

2011-06-09T18:06:00.001-05:00

Just heard from Lifetime that Clay Aiken will guest star on an upcoming episode of “Drop Dead Diva”…

If you’ve never seen it, the show is about a self-absorbed model who dies and is reborn in the body of a plus-sized lawyer.

Clay’s episode will air Sunday, July 24th at 9 p.m. on Lifetime…

Has Lee DeWyze Burned His "Idol" Bridges?

2011-06-08T20:10:00.001-05:00

Here’s a juicy story I missed during my post-finale break that I had to go back and talk about…

If you read my live blog during the finale, you noticed that I commented about why there was no presentation of the winner’s trophy. Well, apparently Executive Producer Nigel Lythgoe was wondering that too.

After the finale, he tweeted, “I was so upset Lee DeWyze wouldn’t present the winners trophy to Scotty. Especially as he’s been on the show this season. I guess he’s shy.” DeWyze responded by tweeting, “Just for the record, I was not asked to be involved in the finale. It wasn’t until about 2 minutes before they announced that Nigel had approached me and asked if he could ‘borrow’ me for a second. I didn’t feel a last-second jump on stage was appropriate. It was Scotty’s moment. I appreciate ‘American Idol,’ and the opportunity it has given me. And the people who have made that show possible. I am not angry, or bitter etc. It was an amazing finale, and I would have loved to be a part of it. I just wasn’t asked.”

That elicited this response from Nigel: “True, he wasn’t asked to sing, but Lee knows he was asked to present the trophy a week before.” Lee responded, “I have no hard feelings towards Nigel, Idol, or anyone else. I love music, and that’s what I’m going to focus on. I support ‘American Idol’ and all it has done for me. I respect the decisions made for the Finale, and hope all’s well that ends well.”

So, who do you believe? The previous season’s winner has been involved in the finale every year, so it’s hard not to believe Nigel. But Lee has no reason to lie.

What we do know is that Lee DeWyze has probably made his last singing appearance on “Idol.” And whether he’s telling the truth or not, I totally disagree with Lee’s argument that it was inappropriate for him to make the presentation. As last year’s winner, I think it was totally appropriate…

Photo Credit: Michael Becker/FOX

Congrats to Paul McDonald!

2011-06-08T19:10:00.002-05:00

Congratulations to Paul McDonald on his engagement to actress Nikki Reed (“Twilight: Breaking Dawn”).

The duo met in March on the red carpet of “Red Riding Hood.”

You can read more via People.com here.

Photo Credit: Michael Becker/FOX

Lauren Speaks: "I couldn’t pick a better person to finish second to"

2011-05-26T17:17:00.002-05:00

The conference call with Lauren today was a little bit strange…

First of all, she got disconnected before the second question. And when they finally came back, somebody (I’m not sure if it was Lauren.) could be heard saying, “Did you hang up on me?” And someone in the room was talking to Lauren through a lot of the call.

Add to that the fact that Lauren had very little to say about anything. And at times she seemed almost irritated by the questions—especially the one she had to know would get asked. But by the end, she had really started to come around and be the girl we had seen on TV…

So are she and Scotty a couple? “No we’re not. We’re just friends.” That was her answer in its entirety. And because reporters were only allowed one question, that’s all we got.

Here is some more of what Lauren had to say…

On dealing with her voice problems: “The show must go on always. The doctor took good care of me. I had to do the best that I could.”

On why she loves country music: “I was raised on country music. It’s in my heart.”

On why she doesn’t use her real last name of Suddeth: “I knew Ryan would have trouble pronouncing it.”

On whether she’ll keep trying to lose weight (She’s lost 16 pounds.): “During the tour I’m going to work out. I’m going to be at the point where I want to be and not where everyone else wants me to be.”

Is she already getting pressure about her weight?...

On whether she wishes she would have waited a few years before trying out for “Idol”: “No. I feel like people misjudge young people because they think they’re not ready. If they have a dream they should go for it.”

On going to the CMA Fan Fest in Nashville: “I believe I’ll be there. It’s gonna be amazing.”

On her confidence level during the season: “I feel like before the show I had a lot of confidence. But seeing myself on TV, it threw me back a couple notches. That was a good thing. It was really helpful to grow as a person and an artist. Each week I learned something new and I put it all together and tried to make the best of it.”

On something we don’t know about her: “I’m not really a blonde. People call me a dumb blonde. I’m actually really smart. I really love to go to school. I’m really good at math.”

On what Scotty whispered to her at the end of Tuesday night’s show: “He told me I was going to win and I said you’re going to win.”

On what was going through her head before Ryan read the results: “I felt like it was going to be Scotty. Everything happens for a reason. God has a different plan for me.”

On finishing second: “There’s hundreds of thousands of people who would like to be number two on ‘Idol’ so I’m fortunate to have made it.”

On her favorite guest last night: “Being able to sing with Carrie Underwood kind of set off the whole night.”

On whether she’s happy for Scotty: “I will be happy for Scotty forever. I’ve been saying all along if it came down to me and Scotty, I’d be happy either way because we’re such great friends. I couldn’t pick a better person to finish second to.”

On her role model, Carrie Underwood: “I could tell when she was talking with me, she genuinely cared I was there. It was amazing to see that someone I had looked up to for so long was exactly how I thought they were. I want to do the same thing and show people I’m not fake…I can be serious too. I cry a lot…I wanna stay true to who I am…I want to let it be available to little girls to look up to me. It would be such a great feeling for a little girl to look up to me like I look up to Carrie.”

A reminder that Lauren will appear tonight (Thursday) on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” which airs at 11:35 on NBC…

Photo Credit: Michael Becker/FOX

Some Info on Scotty and Lauren's Contracts

2011-05-26T14:51:00.002-05:00

Because Scotty and Lauren are minors, their contracts must be approved by a judge. Which means they’re public record. Which means we can see the details!

The Associated Press is reporting that Scotty will receive $250,000 for winning and for recording his first album. He’ll also receive money for merchandise rights and royalties for his recordings.

Lauren will receive $87,500 for finishing second. That amount will double if she records an album.

By comparison, Jordin Sparks—another minor—received $180,000 upon winning the show and another $180,000 for recording her album. Of course that was four years ago…

What You Might Have Missed This Morning...

2011-05-26T14:30:00.003-05:00

If you missed my appearance on "Dave & Tia in the Morning" on WKEE this morning, you can listen to it on the WKEE website.

Even if you did hear it, you can catch bonus audio that there wasn't time to air this morning.

As you can tell, we had a lot of fun!

Scotty Speaks: "We're more like a brother-sister thing"

2011-05-26T13:24:00.002-05:00

So the big question remaining after last night’s finale was: Are Scotty and Lauren a couple?

On WKEE this morning, I even tried out a new couple name: Scauren. But alas, it looks like I won’t get to use it…

During his conference call with reporters today, Scotty said the big kiss Lauren gave him was a joke.

“She said before the show she was going to do that for a joke,” he told us. “Me and her we’re more like a brother-sister thing. She’s great but it’s more a brother-sister friendship.”

The highlight of the phone call was when a reporter revealed to Scotty that his song, “I Love You This Big” is #1 on iTunes. Scotty just started laughing. “That is wild. This is the first I’ve heard of it.” Scotty could then be heard talking away from the phone to someone in the room with him. “Sorry, I had to tell my mom,” he said when he came back to the phone. It was really cute.

Here’s some more of what Scotty had to say…

On how he’s handling all the attention: “This is pretty wild. It’s a whole lot more than I bargained for.”

On where he goes from here: “We’ve talked about heading to Nashville. We’re trying to get me and Lauren to Fan Fest this year. They’re working on it.”

On whether he ever thought he was going home at some point: “This week especially. Lauren’s something else. She’s an amazing young lady…Everybody this year from the Top 40 down were so talented…I never really gave myself a chance before the show.”

For the record, yes, he did say young lady. He’s so polite…

On his album: “I’m looking forward to getting my music out there. I recorded two songs this week. I’m really excited about the other one too. It’s gonna be a great album. It’s all about picking good songs. Hopefully Lauren and I can do a duet at some time.”

When someone asked about the other song, he said he couldn’t say…

On what made him break down in the limo during his homecoming: “We were driving to the school and I saw all these familiar faces. And I had the window down and somebody yelled, ‘We miss you and love you.’ That really got me. I miss them so much. They were my friends before the show.”

Scotty also revealed that his basket from the balcony went in on his third attempt…

On whether he thought he would win: “I thought [Lauren] amped it up with her last song. That was one of the most beautiful songs I’ve ever heard…She’s been supporting me. We both came out winners last night.

We’ll hear from Lauren in a few hours…

Photo Credit: Michael Becker/FOX

Some End of the Season Thank Yous...

2011-05-25T21:48:00.001-05:00

I was thinking earlier today what a difference a year makes. This time last year, I was so happy to see the show end, I was practically dancing. Even at the beginning of this year, I was wondering if I could still do this.

And now, I’m a little sad to see the season end. I’m sure it will completely hit me Friday when I sit down to write my final column of the season…

So before I go to bed, because I have a VERY early morning wake-up call tomorrow, let

me do some thank yous…

First of all, thanks to the team at “The Herald-Dispatch”: Andrea Copley-Smith, Robyn Rison, Maureen Johnson and Thom Marsh…

Thanks to the “Idol” publicity team for all of their help this season, especially the fabulous Chloe…

Thanks to Dave and Tia at WKEE for allowing me to come on their show each week…

And last but not least, thanks to all of you. I have enjoyed talking “Idol” with you this season, wherever you are. I could not do it without you…

We’ll do it all again next year beginning Sunday, January 22^nd…

But of course I’m not done. There’s still plenty of news to report, so be sure to Stay Tuned…

Season 10 Finale: Did America Get It Right?

2011-05-25T21:29:00.000-05:00

So yes, I was wrong. I should have gone with what logic and conventional wisdom told me. But in my defense, since when does “Idol” follow logic and conventional wisdom? I think I got manipulated by the emotion of it all and I thought America would too. But clearly the Scotty nation would have none of that…

So for the final time this season, let me ask the question I always ask at this time each week. Did America get it right? Honestly, no, I don’t think they did.

Not that I don’t think Scotty is a great choice, because he is. I just think Lauren more embodied the “American Idol.”

And now that we know the winner, the big question now is: Are Lauren and Scotty a couple? Sure seemed like it, didn’t it?

Don’t forget that you can hear my thoughts tomorrow morning at 6:35 a.m. on 100.5 FM WKEE and my final column of the season will appear Tuesday in “The Herald-Dispatch.”

So now, what do you guys think? Did America get it right? And do you agree that Scotty and Lauren would be a super cute couple?

Let’s discuss! And don’t forget you can hit me up on Facebook or Twitter as well…

Season 10 Finale: And the Winner Is...

2011-05-25T21:08:00.002-05:00

Let’s do this!!!

10:01 We’re back…Lauren looks like she’s going to pass out…The official vote counter comes out with the envelope…Scotty and Lauren are teasing each other…Dim the lights…I think Lauren might throw up…The winner is…Scotty McCreery…The judges are on stage to hand him a microphone trophy…Raleigh, not Garner, goes nuts…JLo handed him the trophy while we were seeing Raleigh…The Idols surround him…Lauren has a big smile on her face. It almost looks like relief…Ryan raises Scotty’s arm…Scotty says he and Lauren are going to stay together. Hmmm…Ryan thanks the judges…Scotty gives a hug to Thia…Scotty is not sure what to do with the trophy. Why didn’t we see an actual presentation?…

10:03 Scotty starts his song and goes off toward his parents…He hands the microphone to James…He’s only hitting every other word or so as he hugs everybody in his family…They cut away to Raleigh. Why? This is his moment…He’s just laughing now…He hugs all the contestants now…Apparently no one told him that he’s supposed to stand under the confetti…He tells Lauren, “I love you baby”…He’s still singing while he hugs the judges…He stars laughing again…James brings him back his trophy and puts it on the floor…Scotty collapses onto the floor and cries a little while the Idols surround him…He sticks out his tongue to catch the confetti…Lauren goes over and kisses him several times…Scotty yells, “Thank you so much!” as we go out…

Final thoughts in a moment…

Wait! I just realized something. We didn’t get the annual reunion of “Idol” winners. I wonder why not? And we didn’t get to hear Scotty and Lauren duet. Was that because of her voice? Boo Hiss to both!

And why didn’t Pia get a solo song? Because she has had so many already?

Season 10 Finale: Steven Takes the Stage

2011-05-25T20:57:00.000-05:00

Michael Slezak just tweeted that he’s going to have to “rise above” the show not giving some of his faves a solo performance. It’s interesting who they’re not giving one to. I would’ve thought Paul would get one, but I guess there’s still time…

9:53 We’re back…Ryan is sitting at the table with JLo and Randy. Woo-Hoo! Steven Tyler song…Ryan intros Steven…He’s playing the piano to start out “Dream On”…He sounds great, although he’s concentrating pretty hard on the piano…He stands to take his scarfed microphone…Stupid Aerosmith. Do they see what they’re missing?…And the scream is awesome. The crowd is going nuts and so are JLo and Randy…It’s a pretty short version of the song…After the break…

We sat through that whole “Spider-Man” thing and only got one verse of “Dream On”? Stupid Aerosmith…

Season 10 Finale: Time to Plug "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark"

2011-05-25T20:50:00.000-05:00

9:45 We’re back…Ryan plugs audition cities…Ryan intros “Spider-Man” song,” “Rise Above”…Spider-Man actually swings from the top of the theatre…Reeve Carney the star, however, is on the stage with Bono and The Edge…Bono is singing too…Bono is actually singing more than Reeve Carney. I thought they were trying to promote the musical here…Bono and The Edge are the composers of the Broadway musical, “Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark,” by the way…I like this song, but I’d like to hear the actual star of the show sing it…”Spider-Man” drops down in front of JLo. She lifts up his mask like she’s going to do the kiss from the movie, but she bops him on the nose instead…After the break…

Season 10 Finale: Carrie and Beyonce Returns!

2011-05-25T20:41:00.001-05:00

9:30 We’re back…It’s Lauren doing “Before He Cheats.” Of course, Carrie’s going to be there…Lauren’s a little hushed…Carrie comes out for the chorus. I’m sure that had to be adjusted for Lauren’s voice…They’re circling each other…Lauren shows some voice now taking the harmony. There you go Lauren…Now Carrie’s doing the harmony…I can’t believe how skinny Carrie is now…Sparks are flying everywhere…Lauren looks like she’s going to cry…Jennifer Love Hewitt…

9:34 Website plug…Video of what their fellow contestants think of Scotty and Lauren…They’re joking about their ages…Ryan intros Beyonce to do her new single, “One Plus One.” Huh? I thought “Run the World” was her new single…She says it’s her favorite song…She’s in the dark with red light behind her…You know just a few years ago we wouldn’t have heard a song with the repeated phrase “make love to me” on the show. Or have seen that dance that Lady Gaga was doing with that guy. Or JLo all over her husband. The show is definitely spicy tonight…That was pretty but such a stall tactic…Still have “Spider-Man” thing to go too…

Season 10 Finale: Gaga Takes "Idol" to the "Edge"

2011-05-25T20:28:00.000-05:00

9:18 We’re back…Singles download plug…Ford Music Video…“Whenever You Remember”…Montage of clips from the videos…Scotty and Lauren are in the audience with Ryan…Ford is giving a gift to the teachers that most influenced Scotty and Lauren…It’s a donation up to $10,000…And they’re invited to the finale…It’s Scotty’s music teacher and Lauren’s principal…Miss Vandemer (sp?) and Mrs. Clayton…Scotty and Lauren present them with keys to new cars—the Ford Focus. They’re so surprised…Ryan tells Scotty and Lauren they’re getting any Ford vehicle they want. Now Lauren just needs a license…

9:22 The audience goes nuts before Ryan can even get the intro out…It’s Lady Gaga doing “Edge of Glory”…She’s on top of some mountain thing in a wild headpiece…There are dancers around the bottom of the mountain just sitting there…So I guess she’s officially abandoned “Judas” as a single…The dancers are up dancing now…Gaga is perfectly still while she sings…She flips her cape thing off to reveal some kind of bikini…She throws off her headpiece and starts moving a little bit…She turns to play a keyboard…Now there’s a guy on the top of the mountain dancing with her…Clarence Clemmons on the sax, I think…They’re barely showing him…Considering that dance going on, they probably need to show him more…Now the guy’s on top of Gaga while she’s singing…Now they’re holding hands. And then they jump and land behind some kind of rock thing and smoke flies out. I presume they’re okay…JLo jumps to her feet…I know Gaga’s a little strange, but I still love her…After the break…

Season 10 Finale: JLo and Marc Anthony Get Spicy

2011-05-25T20:16:00.001-05:00

8:58 We’re back…Ryan is sitting with Randy and Steven only…Ryan throws it to Big Joe Ripka, the radio DJ contestant…Video of some of the worst moments…The chick who sang “Behold the Lamb”…Video of a girl falling down the stairs…The guy smashing the camera with his backflips…The girl who came out doing her vocal exercises…Montage of the logo censoring contestants…

9:00 Ryan intros Marc Anthony…Clearly JLo is going to sing with him since she wasn’t at the desk…Man, I’m sorry, but he is looking rough…There are dancers with some kind of big fans…Ooh! Sheila E on the drums…JLo emerges from the back with her back turned and then she comes up and dances next to him…Okay, this might be a little too spicy for the “Idol” stage…She’s seriously shaking it with her back turned while he sings…Ryan is still sitting at the table. I think he’s enthralled…JLo dances with the other dancers…Marc gets out of the way and calls out to Sheila E for a drum solo…JLo dances over toward her…JLo dances toward the audience…She ends next to Marc in a sexy pose…Big kiss…Randy blows kisses…

9:05 Video of contestants talking about getting eliminated…Casey is joking that he got eliminated twice…They’re arguing about who was the most shocking—Casey or James…This is funny…Pia walks up wearing a crown and sash that says “Most Shocking”…

9:07 Ryan intros the guys of the Top 13…Stefano starts out “Kiss”…Is Prince actually there? He’s been pretty picky over the years about letting the show have his songs…Oh no, it’s Tom Jones because they’re doing “She’s a Lady.” Boo hiss…Scotty is with them, by the way… “What’s New Pussycat?”…Sorry, I don’t know these other two…Will any of the young fans in the audience know who Tom is when he comes out…The guys are having fun with “Delilah”…They just showed the giant screen with the lyrics on it…Casey intros Tom Jones... “It’s Not Unusual”…Let’s see the Carlton dance…Jack Black is dancing in the audience…The guys think this is a hoot. You can tell…Steven looks bored…Wonder what he has to plug?...Apparently nothing…After the break…

Season 10 Finale: Tony Bennett, TLC and Tim McGraw!

2011-05-25T19:56:00.001-05:00

8:38 We’re back…Tour plug…Ryan intros Steven salute…They’re showing all his Tylerisms…Nicely edited…Ryan says we should’ve seen the stuff they couldn’t broadcast…Steven salutes the audience…

8:41 Ryan intros Haley and Tony Bennett…“Steppin’ Out With My Baby”…Haley is good doing this music…By the way, Stevie Nicks reportedly turned “Idol” down. I would guess she was supposed to sing with Haley…Somebody apparently didn’t show Tony how to hold these microphones. You can barely hear him at times…That was good. But I would’ve liked to have seen her rock it out…Judges standing ovation…Ryan plugs Tony’s album and says he’s celebrating his 89^th birthday soon…

8:44 JLo tribute video…Showing contestants gushing over JLo…They’ve edited in Marc reacting to the performances…Well done again…JLo waves to the audience…Oh yeah. She’ll be back next year…

8:46 Ryan intros TLC with Lil John and the girls… “Scrubs”…They’re clearly lip synching…The cameras are barely showing close-ups…Why do they keep adjusting the microphones? We know they’re not singing…Naima, Karen, Thia and Ashton come out, but we’re still hearing only the TLC track. What is the point of this one?...We can barely hear Idols singing…I don’t think they worked this one out real well…Now the Idols are riffing over the TLC track…And what was Lil Jon’s purpose other than to do the intro?...THAT was pathetic!...

8:49 Ryan asks to hear from Scotty fans…Ryan intros Scotty and Tim McGraw to do “Live Like You Were Dying”…Tim starts it…Scotty comes out…Man, Scotty just never loses that confidence does he?...They sound good together…Ryan says Tim has been named the most played artist over the last 10 years…And he plugs his tour…Ryan promises a big surprise…After the break…

Season 10 Finale: Jack Black and Beyonce!

2011-05-25T19:37:00.001-05:00

8:25 We’re back…Casey is doing “Fat Bottomed Girls” sitting on a couch…He gets up and shoves the couch away to reveal Jack Black lying on the stage…I would like this better if Jack didn’t have a film to promote…They actually harmonize pretty good together…Girls on bicycles come out on the stage and then start dancing. Huh?...Now that I think about it Jack Black has been a part of several finales. I guess every time he has a movie to promote…He and Casey try to outscream and angry eye each other…They end in a staredown…The judges give them a standing ovation…Ryan plugs Jack’s movie…Does everyone have something to sell tonight?...Ryan vamps while the girls of the Top 13 take the stage. Ryan promises to get the results in before DVRs shut off…

8:30 “Single Ladies”…It’s all the girls except Lauren… “Irreplaceable”…It’s a Beyonce medley. That means Beyonce is there…Thia and Karen are taking the lead on this one. I wonder if they’re not getting dream duets?...I don’t know this one… “If I Were a Boy”…They’re struggling with the lower register…Haley takes it and she’s awesome, of course…Where is Beyonce?...Ashthon…She and Haley sound good together…This is a long medley to intro Beyonce if she’s there…Pia takes the lead on “Déjà vu”…There she is from the back of the stage…They’re doing “Crazy In Love” and the girls are dancing with Beyonce…Surely she’ll do “Run the World”…There are extra dancers to help out…Man that chick has got the moves. And in heels!...Where was “Run the World”?...Maybe since she did it on “Oprah” already this week? Or “Crazy” was easier for the girls to learn?...After the break…

Season 10 Finale: James and Jacob Get Their Dream Duets

2011-05-25T19:22:00.001-05:00

8:10 We’re back…Ryan intros James Durbin to perform with Judas Priest…They put James first? Huh? I would’ve thought they would’ve saved that one…They’re looking old, but they sound good…The song is “Living After Midnight”…James nailed his scream…James really needs to front a band instead of going solo…Maybe they put them first since there’s so much fire on the stage…Now they’re doing “Breaking the Law”…Now there’s sirens…Man, that Rob Halford can seriously scream…

8:14 Ryan plugs the Judas Priest farewell tour that starts in June...James is still trying to talk to the audience but they turned off his microphone…Ryan intros some sort of tribute to the judges…It’s a video of Randy’s soundbites from the season…They’re making fun of how many times he said, “What is this?” “What kind of show is this?”…Uh-oh. They just showed Allen Lewis and his chocolate comment again. He says that was edited that way…Now they’re making fun of “in it to win it”…Randy stands for the audience…

8:17 Ryan intros Jacob with Kirk Franklin doing “I Smile”…Gladys Knight comes out…She’s always at this thing, isn’t she?...Chris Daughtry just tweeted that he’s watching the finale. I guess that means I won’t get the Santana/Chris performance of “Photograph” I wanted…Kirk talks about the storms while a Red Cross graphic comes on the screen…Gospel choir…That was great…Ryan plugs Gladys’ show in Vegas…After the break…

Season 10 Finale: And We're Off!

2011-05-25T19:09:00.001-05:00

Let’s do this!!!

8:00 Dramatic Intro…125,000 to 2…With their dreams on the line, it all comes down to you…THIS is “American Idol”…I’M SO PUMPED!!!...Opening credits…

8:01 Ryan intro…Still don’t like the bowtie…Mark L. Walberg (the game show host)…Michael Johns…Ryan announces the “world record” of over 122 million votes…Over the season, 2 votes per every person living in America…Ryan asks who the audience is for. Lauren seems to get more noise…Judges intro. They’re already seated…Steven always gets the most love. Stupid Aerosmith…

8:03 Ryan intros Scotty and Lauren. They’re both dressed in white, of course…Lori Loughlin…David Cook…Shot of Chattanooga, TN, Lauren’s hometown. I thought she was from Georgia…Garner, NC (Scotty’s) appears to have more people…Ryan doesn’t talk to them. Wonder how Lauren’s voice is?…

8:05 Top 13 doing “Born This Way.” Didn’t they already do this one?...Guys start…Jacob is seriously getting into it…They’re all wearing something white, of course…I have to say that some of these people I actually forgot about. LOL…They’re actually doing some real choreography…I know Robin Antin (Pussycat Dolls) worked with the girls. Don’t know about the guys…Wonder if Lauren is singing?...Scotty and Lauren come to the front…They take turns stepping in front of each other…Harold Perrineau (“Lost”)…There’s always such random celebs in the audience for the finale…After the break…

Are You Ready?

2011-05-25T18:50:00.001-05:00

Are we ready to do this?

All the mayhem starts in just 10 minutes. I'll be back then...

Randy Changes His Mind

2011-05-25T18:44:00.002-05:00

Last night, Randy seemed to declare Lauren the winner. But this morning on Ryan's radio show, he predicted Scotty will take the title.

Think he knows something we don't? Hmmm...

Interestingly, the media conference call for Scotty is scheduled for 12:15 ET, while Lauren's will not be until 4:30 ET. I'm sure that has some sort of significance as far as winner's obligations, I'm just not sure which would be which.

You could say that Scotty is getting it out of the way so he can fulfill his other winner's interviews or Lauren could be fulfilling all of her winning interviews and will do the call later in the day.

Hmmm...

Why Didn't I Feel Manipulated?

2011-05-25T17:44:00.001-05:00

Last night on this blog and this morning on 100.5 FM WKEE, I predicted that Lauren will be crowned our new American Idol tonight.

Today, I scoured the Internet to see if anyone agreed with me. And both EW.com and BuddyTV do agree, but my Idol, Michael Slezak of TVLine.com predicts Scotty will win.

But interestingly, their reasons revolve around the same thing—the show manipulating us into voting for Lauren. EW.com and BuddyTV believe the manipulation worked, while Slezak thinks it rallied the Scotty fans to vote for him.

My question is this: Why didn’t I feel manipulated? Looking back on last night’s show, it’s clear that the judges were pushing Lauren, so why didn’t I say anything about it? You know how I love to point out manipulation…

Maybe I was so busy concentrating on the performances I didn’t notice. Or maybe I was so manipulated I didn’t care. Or maybe I had decided I wanted Lauren to win…

I agree that last night’s show could have caused Scotty fans to rally. But I still believe in my gut that Lauren is going to win this thing…

We shall see...

The Ratings Are In...

2011-05-25T17:19:00.001-05:00

So here’s some interesting ratings numbers from last night’s “Idol”…

“The Hollywood Reporter” reports that last night’s performance finale was down seven percent in the key 18-49 demo from last year’s performance finale.

HUH?! Is it because people thought it was a foregone conclusion? This year was definitely a better one to watch…

“Idol” was steady compared to last year in total viewers…

FOX Releases the Vote Totals

2011-05-25T17:14:00.001-05:00

FOX announced today that 122.4 million votes were cast last night. It’s the highest number of votes in the show’s history.

The total votes case during Season 10 were over 730 million, the most of any season.

And check out this number. 4.8 billion votes have been case since season one. WOW!

A Music Publishing Company Sings Lauren's Praises

2011-05-25T17:06:00.001-05:00

The publishing company behind Lauren’s debut single is already singing her praises…

ole publishing sent out a press release today about “Like My Mother Does,” which is in its publishing catalog.

From the release:

“The Internet was all "a buzz" following last night's soaring rendition by Lauren Alaina of the ole-published "Like My Mother Does", as she wowed the judges and brought the studio audience to its feet. Coming into last night's final performance, the general consensus was that fellow country teen Scotty McCreery all but had American Idol Season 10 in the bag.”

The release reminded us that this is the third release of the song. It previously appeared on Kristy Lee Cook’s album in 2008 and in 2010, it was a single for new artist Jesse Lee.

I guess the song just needed the right singer…

Top 2 Performance Show: Did Lauren Do Enough?

2011-05-24T20:27:00.001-05:00

Last week on 100.5 WKEE on “Dave & Tia in the Morning” and in today’s column, I said I thought Scotty made a mistake by deferring the choice of who should go first or second to Lauren. I thought that he was risking giving her a real moment that could sway undecided voters.

See what I meant?

Lauren’s final song was a true moment. But was it enough to overcome Scotty’s fan base of young girls who do most of the voting?

Before I answer that, let me say a few things about the show itself. The director nearly robbed both Scotty and Lauren of any moment at all during their last song by focusing more on their journey video playing in the background than on them. And how can anyone concentrate on the songs with those people annoyingly swaying back and forth?

Thankfully, the debut singles are actually good songs. It’s nice to see Jimmy Iovine deviate from the rainbow-mountain climbing-destiny songs of the past and just go with two good songs.

And let me also say that I am so glad Lauren was able to go tonight. As much as I love Haley, that would have been wrong. It wouldn’t have been who America voted for.

Now back to the big question…

This finale reminds me so much of Season 7 with the two Davids. Everyone was sure David Archuleta was going to win in a landslide because he had the young girl vote going for him. But David Cook ended up winning by a pretty substantial margin.

So do I think that will happen again? Did Lauren do enough to overcome Scotty’s young girl fan base?

Yes. I think she did. She gave the three best performances. She had a true moment. And quite frankly, I think she just wanted it more tonight. It will be close, but I think America is going to reward her for her efforts. And quite frankly, if you’re going on tonight’s performances, they should.

What do you guys think? Do you agree with me or do you still think Scotty has it sewn up?

Hit me up on Twitter, Facebook or post a comment here…

Just two more hours to go!

Top 2 Performance Show: David Cook Takes the Stage

2011-05-24T19:59:00.000-05:00

David sounds so good on this song. I really wish it could’ve done something as a single.

And is it just me or is he getting more camera time than Lauren or Scotty did during their final songs?

Final thoughts in a moment…

Top 2 Performance Show

2011-05-24T19:53:00.001-05:00

Lauren Alaina, “Like My Mother Does”: 14

Okay, I admit it. That one got me pretty bad. It’s the perfect song for her and that moment with her mom was incredible. I have no idea how she held it together.

See what I meant about the coin toss?

Round 3 to Lauren by a long shot.

Judges: Randy gives Round 3 to Lauren, JLo gives Round 3 to Lauren even if she wouldn’t say it. Steven gives it to Lauren as well.

Stay tuned for David Cook…

Top 2 Performance Show: Scotty Does His Single

2011-05-24T19:43:00.001-05:00

Simon Fuller is looking very dapper in the audience behind Camryn Manheim…

Debut Single

Scotty McCreery, “Love You This Big”: 13

It’s a good song, but it just sounded a little blah to me. Maybe because it sounded so much like the other two. And why did they have to bring back the swaybots?

Top 2 Performance Show: Carrie Picks for Lauren and Then...

2011-05-24T19:26:00.001-05:00

Lauren Alaina, “Maybe It Was Memphis”: 14

That was a great choice by Carrie. It was perfect for Lauren’s voice. And a great tempo for the middle round.

And finally judges’ comments. Randy says Round 1 a slight edge to Scotty and Round 2 a slight edge to Lauren. JLo agrees. Steven gives both rounds to Lauren because she’s prettier. Okay, now I see why they didn’t let them talk earlier…

They’re debuting the Coke Perfect Harmony song in the middle of the finale performances? What? Seriously?! This is the song “America helped write.” It’s called “Positive”…

So no videos of George Strait or Carrie Underwood picking those songs so we could get this. Wow…

Round 2 to Lauren easily…

Top 2 Performance Show: George Strait Picks for Scotty

2011-05-24T19:23:00.001-05:00

Idol’s Choice: George Strait (Scotty) and Carrie Underwood (Lauren) (My score will be out of 15)

Scotty McCreery, “Check Yes Or No”: 13

It was a good performance but it just came off kind of blah to me.

So why are the judges even there? I know they’re trying to shove all of this into an hour without cutting into “Glee,” but seriously? Is it because they couldn’t compose their comments ahead of time since Lauren didn’t finish rehearsal? Hmmm…

Top 2 Performance Show: Lauren Goes "Flat On the Floor"

2011-05-24T19:15:00.000-05:00

Lauren Alaina, “Flat On the Floor”: 18

I think I heard some definite adjustments in the song to compensate for her voice. And I think I saw a little fear in her eyes. But the performance was good. And I like the new rasp her voice has tonight.

So apparently we’re not letting the judges call it, so I will. Round 1 to Lauren by a hair…

Top 2 Performance Show: Lauren is Ready and Scotty is "Gone"

2011-05-24T19:10:00.002-05:00

The show begins with a cute video showing Carrie Underwood and David Cook as kids and Scotty and Lauren as kids. I would think that if Lauren is not performing they would have scrapped that…

And what’s up with the bowtie, Seacrest?

Ryan tweeted that he’ll address Lauren’s voice at the beginning of the show. She does come out with Scotty. She says, “I’m here, I’m ready to sing and I’m ready to go.” The doctor comes out and says she strained her vocal cord during rehearsal but she’s had plenty of medicine and she’s going to do great.

Alrighty then. Let’s do it!

Round 1 is contestant’s choice, Round 2 is Idol’s choice and Round 3 is their debut single should they win the competition. That’s different than what had been reported which was that they’d both release singles…

Contestant’s Choice

Scotty McCreery, “Gone”: 18

This would have been my choice too since the rest of the show will most likely be ballads. But it seemed lost in the Nokia Theatre. I think the sound might be off tonight.

Apparently we’re holding judges’ comments until the end, or at least until the end of each round…

Phew! I need the break to catch up…

Breaking News: Will Lauren Alaina Not Perform Tonight? UPDATED

2011-05-24T18:45:00.004-05:00

HUGE “Idol” news breaking right now…

TVLine.com is reporting that Haley Reinhart is rehearsing to take over for a sick Lauren Alaina if necessary.

The website is reporting that Lauren lost her voice earlier today and is now receiving medical attention so that she can take the stage.

The show did tweet a picture of Scotty and Lauren in makeup, so it looks like she will take the stage. I would think that wild horses couldn’t tear her away from it tonight, but how will she do?

Stay Tuned! I’ll be back in 10 minutes…

Here’s an update…

TMZ.com is reporting that Lauren lost her voice earlier today and could not finish rehearsing. She was silent in the makeup chair by doctor’s orders in a last minute attempt to save her voice.

According to the report, Haley is in wardrobe and ready to perform three songs if necessary…

More on the Debut Singles...

2011-05-24T16:04:00.001-05:00

So what will be the debut singles for Lauren and Scotty?

Stop reading, if you don’t want to know…

“Taste of Country” reports that Scotty’s single is called “Love You This Big,” while Lauren’s is called “Like My Mother Does.” Lauren’s single was previously recorded by Kristy Lee Cook.

We’ll hear both singles on the show tonight and then both will be available on iTunes late tonight. The report says both singles will officially be released Thursday.

What Are Lauren and Scotty Singing Tonight?

2011-05-24T15:55:00.002-05:00

In its weekly press release, FOX did not disclose any details about what Lauren and Scotty would be singing tonight. But as usual, details have come out…

If you don't want to know, stop reading now...

“Idol Chatter” on USAToday.com reports that Lauren and Scotty will sing three songs tonight—their favorite song they performed earlier in the season, their debut single and a song chosen by their personal musical idols Carrie Underwood (Lauren) and George Strait (Scotty).

Carrie posted on her fan club page that the song she chose for Lauren is one she wanted to sing on the show, but never got the opportunity…

Photo Credit: Michael Becker/FOX

What Do We Know About the Finale?

2011-05-24T15:48:00.001-05:00

So here’s what we think we know about tomorrow night’s star-studded “Idol” finale, courtesy of MJ’s Big Blog…

If you want to be surprised, stop reading now…

Casey Abrams will perform with Jack Black. Ellen DeGeneres informed him of that when he appeared on her show following his elimination…

“Good Day NY” reported that Pia Toscano is going to sing with Charice on the finale…

Bono and The Edge will team up with Reeve Carney, the star of “Spider-Man Turn Off the Dark” to perform a song from the troubled Broadway musical…

Aerosmith will not be performing after the other members of the band turned down the show’s offer. There is a new rumor going around that Steven Tyler will do “Dream On” accompanied by a full orchestra. Man, do those guys want to sell albums or not…

Lady Gaga will sing “Edge of Glory,” accompanied by E Street Band saxophonist Clarence Clemons…

Executive Producer Nigel Lythgoe tweeted that there was something special in store for James Durbin. The rumor is that he will perform with Judas Priest…

More as it comes…

Is Haley Getting a Single Too?

2011-05-24T15:25:00.001-05:00

Pia Toscano is not the only non-Top 2 finalist getting a single…

Haley Reinhart’s parents revealed during a concert Saturday that Haley will get a single and if it works out, she’ll get an album.

They also said Haley will likely sing the song during Wednesday’s finale and that she rejected two other songs before settling on the one she recorded.

We know that Jimmy Iovine really likes her, so I think he’ll push it as hard as he can. But are there going to be too many singles?

Michael Becker/FOX

More Information on Pia's First Single

2011-05-24T15:21:00.001-05:00

Ryan Seacrest revealed more information about Pia Toscano’s first single on his radio show.

According to Ryan, it’s called “Counterfeit.” He said, “Jimmy Iovine is itching to get this track out ASAP.”

It looks like we might have several “Idol” singles coming out this season…

A Kris Allen Song Comes to "Glee"

2011-05-24T15:15:00.000-05:00

Tonight on the season finale of “Glee,” Matthew Morrison will sing his new single, “Still Got Tonight.”

The song was co-written by Kris Allen.

“Glee” airs tonight at 9 on FOX, but you can also hear the song here.

Who Won the Coin Toss?

2011-05-21T11:29:00.000-05:00

Thursday night after the results show, Ryan Seacrest flipped the coin to determine who would choose the performance order for Tuesday’s show and according to “The Hollywood Reporter,” Scotty won, but…

He gave the choice to Lauren and she wisely chose to go second, meaning she will be the last performer we see Tuesday night.

Could Scotty’s chivalry have cost him the title? I think it could be a problem for him since you know she’s going to have that whole All-American girl in the gorgeous gown singing the beautiful ballad thing going for her.

What do you guys think? Do you think the coin flip really matters?

Top 3 Performance Show: Did America Get It Right?

2011-05-19T20:15:00.001-05:00

So at this point, I always ask the question, Did America get it right? I’m a little torn because I don’t think they picked the best singer from this week, but they didn’t pick a bad singer either. And since they gave us the finale we all expected—until last night—I’m okay with it.

And now, we move on to the finale. Some people have said a Lauren-Scotty finale would be boring since they’re both country, but I think they’re so evenly matched it will be fun. And it will be interesting to see who the judges shower with praise…

But after seeing tonight’s Homecoming videos, I believe even more than ever that this thing is Scotty’s to lose.

What do you guys think? Are you okay with the finale? And do you think Scotty’s got this thing wrapped up?

Let’s discuss…

And don't forget that there will be LOTS of news coming out in the next few days, starting with the coin toss, so keep checking back for all the latest...

Top 3 Performance Show: And the Finale Will Be...

2011-05-19T20:01:00.000-05:00

8:51 We’re back…Dim the lights…First person through is…Scotty…Told ya. That way all the drama can be with the girls…Scotty gives Lauren a big hug and says something. I think he said “I’ve got a good feeling”…Haley gives Lauren a big hug…

8:52 The second person is…Lauren. Haley looks shocked and a little mad or something…Ryan grabs Haley by the hand and brings her centerstage…She blows kisses and waves. I’m not sure what’s going through her head…Goodbye video with lots of homecoming footage…I don’t know if she’s just focused or what. She doesn’t look happy…

8:54 Haley says, “I rocked it out and had a blast”…JLo looks very happy…She’s doing “Bennie and the Jets”…She walks in front of the judges…She fits their names in the song…She walks over to the former contestants. Naima and Jacob are totally rocking out, but Karen looks a little off…They show Casey in the audience…Her dad gives her a big hug in the audience…Haley says something at the end, but I couldn’t tell what she said. Something about see you later or something…Steven is the first judge out of his seat to give Haley a hug…And we’re out…

Final thoughts in a moment…

What about that “The X Factor” preview? Bring it on, baby…

Top 3 Results Show: Lauren's Emotional Homecoming

2011-05-19T19:50:00.000-05:00

8:43 We’re back…Audition info plug…Lauren’s homecoming…She’s already crying before touchdown. Her mom’s excited too…AT&T store…Her high school…Why were the people so late arriving? Some of those shots make it look like there’s no one there…Lauren is looking at the tornado destruction…She can’t stop crying…The high school where she cheered her last basketball game is a wreck…She meets with an 11-year-old who saved his whole family…What a cutie…She’s a wreck and he’s fine…She’s got a pretty good crowd at the parade through Chattanooga, TN…Concert…Throwing out first pitch for Chattanooga Lookouts…

8:48 Ryan brings Scotty and Haley over to join Lauren…Dim the lights…You know they’re putting Scotty through first…After the break…Lauren’s a little angry about that one, but Haley just shakes her head…

So I’m confused. Lauren is from Georgia, but they did the concert and parade in Tennessee. Was there nowhere in Georgia to do it?

Top 3 Performance Show: Scotty Kisses the Girls and Makes Them Cry

2011-05-19T19:41:00.001-05:00

8:30 We’re back…Scotty’s homecoming this time…People are waiting outside the radio station for him…He grabs a donut from someone to eat. Not sure I would’ve done that…He’s a little speechless…A sign in a yard says, “Scotty for President”…He lays in his bed and just laughs…Garner High School…He got so much better weather…He pitches with his baseball team…There’s a poster in his high school that says, “Garner High School: Where Stars Are Born”…Scotty loses it as he leaves the school. And I mean loses it…Back at Whole Foods where he worked…Was that someone dressed like his bride? What?...Parade…Girls are crying everywhere…Women are crying. Wait, that’s his mom…Scotty loses it again during the parade…WOW! I don’t know how many people there are in Garner, but there are A LOT of people there…Josh Turner getting ready to surprise Scotty…Scotty walks over to him without realizing who he is and then freaks out…They sing together…He tells them he’s going to work his tail off to win this thing…He cries again…Okay, he’s getting me too, I admit it…Ryan is sitting in the audience with Scotty and his parents…

8:36 Ryan intros Nicole Scherzinger with 50 Cent to do “Right There.” It’s on tape, of course…Wow that outfit is hideous…I hope she’s a better co-host of “The X Factor” than she is here. This is not a good song…50 Cent is at the back of the stage. Where has he been—music wise I mean…Wow, that was a short rap. Why was he even there...Thank goodness that’s over…After the break…

Top 3 Results Show: Jimmy Iovine's New Thing Takes Over the Stallfest

2011-05-19T19:27:00.001-05:00

8:21 We’re back…Ryan lets a little girl, Rihanna, bring it back from commercial…Ford Music Video…“Smile”…They’re at the beach and in the car watching videos of their day at the beach…Ryan is hanging out with them on the couch…Ryan intros Il Volo…Think of them as a teen Il Divo…And in case you’re wondering, they were signed by Jimmy Iovine to Geffen/Interscope, which is why we’re putting up with them right now…They’re really good if you’re into this kind of thing, which I’m not…After the break…

Top 3 Performance Show: Haley's Homecoming

2011-05-19T19:18:00.001-05:00

8:12 We’re back…Tour plug…Haley’s homecoming is first…To Chicago…Haley walks past the limo not realizing it’s her…On her way to Wheeling, her actual hometown. The weather is nasty…Parade in Wheeling…She tells one fan, “Thank you for freaking out”…She’s got a pretty good crowd for the weather…She teases her bodyguard about crying…Meeting with her family…Why are they playing “Secrets”? That makes it sound kind of ominous…Parade to her high school. The crowd is a little sparse here…And now the tears she didn’t want come…A sign at her high school says, “Goldilocks rocks.” I like that…“Hello World” from Lady Antebellum. Great song. That video makes me cry every time…Concert at the same park where Lee DeWyze performed…“Sweet Home Chicago”…Haley says 30,000 people were there…Haley’s security guy, Aaron, is on stage with tissues…After the break…

It’s hard to judge Haley’s support from that because of the rain, but it didn’t look that good…

Top 3 Results Show: The Beginning of the Stallfest

2011-05-19T19:10:00.000-05:00

7:59 Dramatic intro with clips of Homecomings, video of last night’s performances and Jimmy Iovine’s comments…Jimmy rides the fence on the girls, but agrees that Scotty is a lock by saying the finale will have a guy in it…Opening credits…Judges Intro…Former contestants in the house…Ryan intro…What is that ugly dress Pia is wearing?...

8:02 Over 95 million votes...15 million more votes than last year’s finale. Big surprise there…Ryan lets us know what’s up for tonight’s show…Top 3 intro…Haley appears to be having fun, but Lauren looks to be a wreck…

8:04 Video of Top 4 meeting J.J. Abrams at Bad Robot Productions to preview “Super 8”…Don’t know why we didn’t see this last week. I guess there were too many musical performances…Haley and Scotty are jumping through the entire thing…Lauren is totally freaking out…Lauren asks to see more…J.J. told them hardly anyone has seen the footage they just did…J.J. gives them super 8 cameras to take to their homecomings…Scotty says, “J.J. is in it to win it”…Ryan talks to Elle Fanning from “Super 8” in front of the former contestants…Elle tells that her six-year-old cousin is a big fan of Scotty, but it took her forever to tell us while she giggled like she was six…Why must we drag this out so much…After the break…

Tonight's Results Show

2011-05-19T18:32:00.002-05:00

Today, my Idol, Michael Slezak of TVLine.com. said he also thought Lauren was going home.

But are we actually right? Did Haley manage to overcome "the one"?

I always say that the homecoming videos will share some insight, so pay close attention to the size of the crowds.

I'll be back in 23 minutes...