Brooke White's New Album

Source: www.americanidol.com

Season 7's fifth place finalist, Brooke White, won the hearts of fans around the world with her passionate and vibrant performances. Brooke is back! On July 21st, her album, "High Hopes & Heartbreak" will be released.

The album was produced by Dave Cobb and executive produced by Idol's own Randy Jackson. This is Randy's first project with an Idol alum. He also co-manages Brooke. "I wanted to work with Brooke from the moment I met her," Randy said. "When she sang, I instantly heard the legendary greats that inspired her: Carole King, Carly Simon, Joni Mitchell. She truly is an artist for all ages. And this album is a great collection of songs from a great new artist who was birthed on the stage of American Idol. I'm so happy to be working with an amazingly talented artist at the beginning of her career." Since her time on Idol, Brooke has also formed a new indie label, which Randy is also involved with.

On High Hopes & Heartbreak, Brooke channels her own idols- Carole King, Fleetwood Mac, The Eagles, and Elton John. Brooke co-wrote the entire record and said, "The goal was to create a very free-flowing, adventurous type of record. I wanted it to have the feel of a classic, timeless album."

Earlier this year, Brooke released "Hold Up My Heart," which hit number 2 on the iTunes Pop Singles Chart. She also performed "Hold Up My Heart" on the Idol stage during one of the Top 36 results shows this season.

Brooke White was known for being the nanny with a bubbly personality, who often played musical instruments during her run on Idol.

Adam Lambert Responds To Clay Aiken's Blogs: 'If He Wants To Ride My Coattails, Good For Him'

Access Hollywood - May 28, 2009 12:10 PM PDT

NEW YORK, NY -- Adam Lambert has no hard feelings after "American Idol" Season 2 runner-up Clay Aiken bashed him then apologized over a series of blog posts late last week.

"I don't know Clay," Adam told Access Hollywood on Thursday morning after performing on the "Today Show." "I'm glad he's getting headlines now though, because he wasn't before."

Last week, Clay hit his official blog, and slammed Adam, this season's runner-up. Clay revealed he only watched one episode of the FOX reality series all season, and it was the one where Adam Lambert took on Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire."

"At that moment, [I] thought my ears would bleed. Contrived, awful, and slightly frightening," Clay wrote.

A day later, Clay hit his blog again, to apologize for his comments.

"I do apologize to Adam for my colorful (and negative) choice of words. I hope he can forgive me," Clay wrote. "I imagine he doesn't give a damn! :-) God knows he shouldn't."

And it appears Adam didn't actually mind.

"If he wants to ride my coattails about it, good for him," Adam told Access, giving Clay the thumbs up sign.

Adam also told Access he wasn't unnerved by the news that AT&T employees handed out cell phones at two pro-Kris Allen "American Idol" parties in Arkansas during the final round of the competition show, and showed people how to send multiple texts at once.

"There are plenty of standards and practices set up where they make sure that there's no, foul play. And I don't think it's a conspiracy," Adam told Access. "I think people are making a big deal out of nothing. A couple of employees handed out a couple of phones and showed people how to use them. I don't think that's a conspiracy of any kind."

"Allenized" T-Shirt featured on Cafepress

I checked the Cafepress site today and found my "Allenized" design featured on their homepage! This is very exciting and such a huge honor.


The shirt design is green, which is Kris's official tour color. Other color shirts are also available. You can find this shirt and other American Idol designs at www.cafepress.com/designpro1.

Gokey may give ‘Dancing with the Stars’ a whirl

Wheeler News Service
Published Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Danny Gokey on “Dancing with the Stars?” The “American Idol” finalist won’t rule it out.

The American Idol finalist from Milwaukee says he’d consider it if it would give him exposure for the foundation which honors his late wife who died last year of a congenital heart defect.

Tuesday night, Gokey put on a free show in downtown Milwaukee to thank his fans for their support.

He’s still contracted with “Idol’s” production company, and could not perform because he’s going on a tour this summer with other nine finalists from this year’s Idol competition. But Gokey’s friend Jamar Rogers performed Tuesday.

Gokey says the judges told him he couldn’t dance and he’d go on Dancing with the Stars to prove them wrong.

He says he wants the Sophia’s Heart Foundation to provide music and arts programs for children.

Gokey says he’d like to release an album before next year’s American Idol season begins in January, but it all depends on his contractual situation.

It's Not Kris Allen's Fault

Posted Tue May 26, 2009 12:47pm PDT by Lyndsey Parker in Reality Rocks

I'm beginning to feel bad for Kris Allen. It's not his fault that America made a mistake.

Now, my regular readers know that as an avid Adam Lambert supporter since Hollywood Week, I am still reeling over Adam's defeat on American Idol last Wednesday. I truly feel Adam was the REAL Idol. Many other viewers and readers agree with me. And I have a feeling even Kris Allen agrees with me a little bit, since the first words out of his mouth, upon hearing the news from Ryan Seacrest that he'd won, were: "Adam deserves this."

But poor Kris, deserving or not, hasn't been able to fully savor his victory, and not just because he might be suffering from survivor's guilt. His win is the most tainted and bittersweet in Idol history.

For instance, the entire finale--which was supposed to be a celebration of the WINNING Idol--was instead The Adam Lambert Show, since the only real finale highlights people were chattering about around the watercooler the following morning (aside from Kara DioGuardi's Bikini Girl duet) were Adam's history-making performances with Kiss and Queen. (Yes, I know Kris sang with Queen as well, but "We Are The Champions" was completely inappropriate for his style and he was utterly upstaged, only taking on the lower, easier parts and then stepping back into the woodwork while Adam belted out all the big power-notes.)

And then, from the minute Kris entered the finale night press room about an hour after winning, the question on the lips of every reporter at the Nokia Theater was not "How does it feel to win?" but "Are you surprised you won?" or "Are you surprised Adam lost?" (I was in the press room and I can assure you, the reporters were much more excited when Adam showed up backstage to field press queries.)

And of course, the big news on every blog and in every newspaper last Thursday morning was not "KRIS ALLEN WINS!" but "ADAM LAMBERT LOSES!" Despite coming in second, Adam was still the bigger story.

Conspiracy theories abounded--about the "Christian vote," about Arkansas phone-banking, about the voting being rigged by 19 Entertainment because Adam didn't "need" to win as much as Kris did, about anti-Semitism and homophobia. The fact that more Americans might have simply preferred Kris's musical style, hard as that may be to believe, was rarely discussed.

And then everyone was crying out, "What will Adam do next?"--record with Queen, go on the road with Kiss, star in the next Spiderman movie?--while no one in the media seemed to care about Kris's next crucial career move. (Then again, Kris-friendly finale acts Jason Mraz and Keith Urban weren't exactly offering jobs to Kris, were they?)

I understand the lack of general media interest in Kris. He's just not as interesting. I mean, I'm a member of the media and I've never been all that interested in him. But then both versions of "No Boundaries" came out, and it seemed like the powers-that-be at Idol weren't all that interested in Kris, either.

Adam's recording was a lushly produced, speaker-rustling power-ballad that sounded like it was slaved over in the studio for several days. Kris's single comparatively sounded like it was recorded in a closet during a studio lackey's lunch break. Additionally, Adam's cover art featured a slickly styled picture and lots of cloud-flare Photoshop effects, while Kris's resembled a student project from a basic Quark Xpress 101 class, with just some Helvetica slapped across a Kris photo that looked like it'd been taken at a kiosk in a mall.




And on top of all that, the record label that reps both Kris and Adam sent out a press release declaring Adam "the real American Idol." Yes, I wholeheartedly agreed with this statement--I do deeply believe, down to my very core, that Adam was totally robbed--but still, I felt bad for Kris that he didn't even have the support of his own label.

Of course, it's hard to actively dislike Kris. As angry as I am that he won, I've never been angry at him, since he's been extremely, self-effacingly humble about his Idol win and it's clear that he has nothing but admiration and respect for his good friend Adam. If the conspiracy theories about the "Christian vote" are at all true, that stuff had nothing to do with Kris, and Kris himself would surely not approve of any sort of anti-Adam hate campaign. (Kris made that clear on CNN's Larry King Live show last Friday, telling guest host Ryan Seacrest: "I guess me and Adam were doing an interview before the show. [And I was asked] 'Kris, do you think you're going to get the Christian vote now that Danny's gone?' And that was rough, that was kind of upsetting, because the show's not about religion...we are there to do music and there to sing, and hopefully people vote on that.")

Obviously, many people, myself included, are unhappy that Kris won American Idol. But it's not really his fault that he won. He knew he wasn't the best singer (he said so, flat-out, at his audition), but he shrugged his shoulders, crossed his fingers, and tried his best. He's not the one who messed up. It's the voters who messed up.

I wonder if any of this bums Kris out. I wonder if he worries that he won't ever sell as many records or get as much press as Adam. I wonder if he feels like a fraud. And I wonder if Adam Lambert feels kind of bad, too.

AT&T May Have Swayed Idol Outcome to Favor Kris Allen

Us Magazine

The New York Times is reporting that American Idol's Kris Allen may have had a little help from AT&T, one of the Fox show's biggest corporate sponsors, in winning this year.

According to the Times, AT&T provided phones for free text-messaging services at two Allen parties in Arkansas on the night of the finals. Citing sources, The Times reports that AT&T reps showed party-goers how to "power text" -- cast 10 votes at the touch of a button -- which violates show rules.

Power texts, according to the Times, "have an exponentially greater effect on voting than do single text messages or calls to the shows toll-free phone lines."

No similar efforts appear to have been made to provide free texting services to Adam Lambert fans.

Angry Lambert supporters are now claiming in online chat boards that the competition's voting was rigged.

While Fox has yet to comment, AT&T issued the following statement: "In Arkansas, we were invited to attend the local watch parties organized by the community. A few local employees brought a small number of demo phones with them and provided texting tutorials to those who were interested."

The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette first reported on the possible skewed voting last week.

Clay Aiken On His Adam Lambert Blog: 'I Hope He Can Forgive Me'

Access Hollywood - May 23, 2009 3:09 PM PDT

NEW YORK, New York -- Clay Aiken has retracted some of his "colorful" criticism of "American Idol" runner-up Adam Lambert.

"Since my previous blog got dissected like a biology lab frog, I suppose I should clarify and even retract some of what I wrote," Clay wrote on his official Web site on Friday, following a Thursday post where he suggested Adam's performance of "Ring of Fire" from earlier in the "Idol" season was "contrived, awful, and slightly frightening."

In the earlier post, Clay also claimed that when he heard Adam's rendition of the Johnny Cash classic, he thought his "ears would bleed."

"I hope no one actually believed that blood truly poured forth from my ears when I heard him. I obviously meant it as a colorful statement to imply that I did not enjoy what I heard," Clay wrote on Friday, adding that he didn't expect his opinion to matter "so much to so many people."

Clay, himself Season 2 "American Idol" runner-up (to Ruben Studdard) went on to praise Adam's talents - though he noted they weren't his cup of tea.

"He could not have gotten on 'Idol' (nor made it as far as he did) without an immense amount of talent. He surely doesn't need my approval to know he has a gift," Clay wrote. "I imagine he'll be around for years to come."

The former "Idol" star admitted that he didn't expect every listener to enjoy his own music.

"God knows, I am SURE there are PLENTY of people who can't stand to hear me sing either. I wouldn't dream of assuming that, and I am sure that far worse things have been said about my performances than I would even venture to type here," Clay wrote. "To me, that's fine. I don't expect unanimous, nor even majority support for my music. My guess is Adam doesn't either."

Finally, Clay offered an apology to Adam, adding that the new "Idol" star didn't need it.

"So, I do apologize to Adam for my colorful (and negative) choice of words. I hope he can forgive me," he wrote. "I imagine he doesn't give a damn! :-) God knows he shouldn't."

While Clay may not be an Adam fan, the raven-haired singer definitely has one in Kris Allen, who bested him for the season's title.

"I love Adam and I think he's one of the greatest people that I've met so far," Kris told Access Hollywood's Billy Bush on Thursday morning. "[Winning was] a total surprise for me."

Could Adam Lambert Become Queen's New Front Man?

By Adam Bryant Mon May 25, 7:52 AM PDT

If you thought Adam Lambert looked like a natural fit with iconic rockers Queen during American Idol's finale, you weren't the only one.

Hours after it was announced that Lambert was Season 8's runner-up last week, widespread speculation began circulating that the 26-year-old singer had been offered a job as Queen's new front man. While that's not true yet, guitarist Brian May isn't ruling out the possibility.

"Amongst all that furor, there wasn't really a quiet moment to talk. But [drummer Roger Taylor] and I are definitely hoping to have a meaningful conversation with him at some point," May told Rolling Stone. "It's not like we, as Queen, would rush into coalescing with another singer just like that. It isn't that easy. But I'd certainly like to work with Adam. That is one amazing instrument he has there."

Queen recently ended a four-year relationship with Paul Rodgers, who was handling the vocal duties for the band.

Lambert auditioned for Idol with Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" and instantly became a buzzed-about contender for the show's Top 36. His revved-up, glam-rock numbers and hauntingly restrained ballads made him the front-runner all season before ultimately coming up short. While the show has produced more pop artists than rockers, May recognizes that springboard it provides young artists.

For now, Lambert must first complete the 50-city tour with his fellow Top 10 members, and the Idol producers, 19 Entertainment, will likely have first dibs on anything Lambert does next. May said whatever happens, he's excited to see what Lambert and Idol winner Kris Allen (who also shared the stage during "We Are the Champions") do next.

"Both those boys are well worthy of big success," May said. "So it's pointless for someone like me to stand on the sidelines jeering. I'm confident Adam will make great use of this wonderful opportunity. I hope I'm there to see it."

Scott MacIntyre Blogs that His Finale Performance Was Cut

Scott MacIntyre wrote a blog that he was set to do a dueling piano performance with Matt Giraud at the finale, but it was cut out of the show. I was wondering why Matt and Scott weren't featured very much. I think this would have been cool to see. Too bad they cut it. Here's what Scott had to say:

"We got to the Nokia Theatre on Wednesday morning (show day) and out of the blue about 9:30am found out the duet had been cut and the decision was final. Needless to say, I was shocked. American Idol had originally invited Billy Joel himself to perform with us, but he was unable to make it in the end; and because our duet was the only duet not involving another celebrity, it was the first thing to be cut when the show was condensed. Over the last few days I have tried to reason this out every way possible, and it makes no sense to me why one of the most compelling and unique performances of the show would be cut simply because the original artist wasn’t present. (Perhaps Tatiana and Bikini Girl were more important after all… :P) There will most likely not be another set of competent pianists on the show anytime soon, and this would have been an opportunity to make American Idol history."

Aiken's Lambert Rant: Claymate Turns To Clayhate

Posted Fri May 22, 2009 11:03am PDT by Lyndsey Parker in Reality Rocks

Clay Aiken and Adam Lambert's names have been linked quite a bit in the media lately--not just because of rumors (reported in the Chicago Sun-Times last week) that Clay actually wanted to record a duet with Adam, but because after Adam's shocking second-place finish on American Idol this week, many Lambert supporters have predicted that Adam will follow in Clay's footsteps and ultimately be more successful than the singer who actually won this year, Kris Allen.

But yesterday on his official website, ClayOnline.com, Clay Aiken made it clear in a personal blog titled "Silence Broken" that he is not a Lambert supporter at all.


Posting in the subscription-only "Ultimate Membership" section of his site, Clay responded to a fan's query about his opinions on Wednesday night's Idol finale with this rant:

"Now that it's all over, and for the record.... I couldn't be happier about the way AI ended this year. I only turn the show on once a season, and only to see what the set looks like each year. This year, I happened to turn it during the minute that Adam Lambert was singing 'Ring of Fire' and, at that moment, thought my ears would bleed. Contrived, awful, and slightly frightening! I wasn't really a fan and found myself surprised whenever folks told me that they liked him. Granted, I never saw another performance (and many folks who I trust said that he was great) but I can't imagine I would have enjoyed it. Just not my cup of tea at all. To each his own. I never saw Kris sing on the show, but whether he was good or not is really relative. It's usually a matter of taste, right? But Idol is not always a matter of musical taste only. It's about the person you like. From what little I saw, Kris seemed likable. (That's not to say that Adam isn't just as likable as anyone.. maybe more so... I don't know) When Ruben and I were standing next to each other every night (many years ago) you had two equally talented, equally unlikely, equally unpolished contestants.... so it really was a matter of taste as to who was voted for. While some may argue that one of us was hyped more than the other, I don't feel that was the case. However, this year, there was an obvious bias. Not even having watched the show, I can tell you that I was WELL aware of the bias from the judges as to who should win. In my opinion, that is awfully unattractive. I don't think I am alone."

Wow! And...MEOW!

Surely some will jump to the conclusion that Clay's bitter post was spurned by his un-amicable split with BMG and 19 Entertainment, or by 19's rumored attempts to prevent Clay from collaborating with Adam. And it does seem that if there's any "feud" going on here, it's between Clay and the Idol machine, not Clay and Adam himself.

The blog continues:

"In my opinion, it all often comes down to that last night of voting. Until the finale, folks are voting for the contestant that they want to see continue. But, I believe that on that last night, the dynamic changes. No longer forced to choose one person that they want to see win, the audience can effectively vote AGAINST the person that they don't want to see win. In the case of season two this might have happened. There may have been some folks who voted for myself or Ruben because they didn't like the other of us. I was the nerdy little girly boy who some didn't want to see win, so they may have voted for Ruben. I don't know. .. But again, I feel that Ruben and I were fairly matched. We both had our detractors and negatives, but I feel we were both very worthy of being on that stage in that moment, and either of us would have been worthy of winning. The show was different then, and folks made it in seasons 1-3 because they were 'real' people who happened to sing/entertain well. But, somewhere along the way, AI stopped being about real people.

In a battle between David and Goliath, my money is on David!

I think many voters got sick of being 'told who to vote for'. I think many were turned off by the blatant favoritism shown towards one contestant. Therefore, on that last night, they used their votes against a contestant that they were tired of hearing about and for the contestant who had been written off. And, at the same time, I think they voted AGAINST an American Idol that has, for four years now, been more about the slick productions and polished contestants than it has been about finding the raw talent that it did in its first three seasons.

Those votes for Kris were also votes to return the show to its roots of finding 'real' contestants with undiscovered talent and giving them the chance to grow and shine. They were votes that said 'we're tired of seeing contestants who already seem to know it all'.

Will American Idol choose to listen to the resounding and clarion call that those voters gave them?.... 'Enough with the pretention. More Rubens, more Clays, more Fantasias and Tamyras and Kellys please.' My faith has always been in the voters. I think they have gotten it right every year (mine included). It's now up to American Idol to decide if it will finally REALLY listen to the folks that keep it on the air."

Hmmm...but you know, maybe Clay's motives aren't so sinister after all. Maybe (despite his claim that he never saw Kris perform on the show, which seems odd) he just prefers Kris Allen's music--which, like Clay's, is pretty safe, sweet, and mellow. However, if Clay WAS trying to record a duet with Adam, this blog sure isn't going to help his chances. Maybe he should try to collaborate with Kris instead?

Phil Stacey blog: My pick is Kris Allen, but not to win

The gauntlet has been thrown down and tomorrow we will crown a new American idol. Adam Lambert and Kris Allen both gave performances worthy of the title, but will America cast its votes with "guy next- door" Allen or "guy-liner" Lambert? Who will get the fame, glory and the major-label record deal?

OK, enough joking around and drama manufacturing. Honestly, both of these guys have had a great ride on "Idol," securing a spot in the music business. It is now up to them what they do with it.

I know it is the unpopular opinion - and I will be SHOCKED if Adam doesn't win - but I pick Kris Allen as the better talent. Let me explain:

Every week, Adam comes out and does a fresh arrangement of a song, but it is an arrangement that has already been done. For example, his arrangement of "Ring of Fire" was taken from an artist named Dilana.

But every week, Kris brings a new arrangement that is all his to the table. He wrote it! And he comes out with a guitar, a piano or just by himself and nails it almost every time.

Adam may be the better singer, but Kris is the better artist. You may disagree - which is your prerogative - but that is my opinion.

I thought both of them performed at a finale caliber tonight. And I think Adam will win. But I will personally buy Kris' album the day it is released.

My last post for this season will be tomorrow night. I have deeply enjoyed our time together, and the e-mails you have sent. I have a record coming out on Aug. 25 and if you would like to hear an album full of songs that go deeper than anything I could have done on my own... Check the record out. It's called "Into the Light." Thanks and be blessed.

-- Phil Stacey

Photo: Kris Allen. Credit: Fox

Lambert name edited out of Perry video on iTunes, TMZ says

Anthony Castro
The Journal Gazette

The video of Katy Perry's performance from last Wednesday's episode of "American Idol" is now available for download on iTunes.

But according to TMZ.com, one thing you won't see in the video is Adam Lambert's name embroidered into the cape Perry wore at the top of her performance of "Waking Up in Vegas."

Perry sent the blogosphere into an uproar last week with the cape, which apparently declared her choice of who should be the next "American Idol" winner. At the time of her performance, the remaining contestants were Lambert, Kris Allen and Danny Gokey.

Gokey was eliminated that night, setting up the first part of the "AI" season finale tonight between Lambert and Allen.

In a video at TMZ, the edited version is shown side-by-side with the original one.

Where the camera shows Lambert's name in the original, the edited video shows a shot so far away from Perry you couldn't tell there is writing on the cape.

The video runs $1.49 at the iTunes store.

Review: 'American Idol's' season is all about Adam

(CNN) -- This season on "American Idol," there's a huge question looming around Adam Lambert.

No, not that one. The one about whether this season would have been as exciting had he not been a part of the show.

Love him or hate him, Lambert has added an element to the competition that has been woefully lacking in seasons past: a contestant so unique that you can't wait to see what he will pull next out of his bag of tricks.

Regardless on how the season concludes, with Lambert being named "American Idol" or losing the title to competitor Kris Allen, it's obvious that a star has been born, and we all got to watch.

"I don't think there would be nearly the interest that there is if it weren't for Adam," said Brian Mansfield, who blogs about the show for USA Today. "Really, all season long it's been Adam and the rest of the field, and is there anybody in the rest of the field that can beat Adam." Read and watch the best "Idol" performances »

Indeed, the talent level for "Idol's" 2009 edition has been fairly high. Once upon a time, the show plucked apparent unknowns from auditions and thrust them before millions of viewers for a ready-made career.

Now, "unknown" has become a relative term as more contestants like Lambert, who toured with a production of "Wicked," have shown the polish of veteran professionals.

But not everything has worked at a high level. The show's ratings have declined a bit from unbelievable to simply juggernaut.

And then there's the tried-and-true format, which producers attempted to mix up a bit this season. Among the changes: more semifinalists -- and fewer semifinal performance shows.

That meant viewers didn't have the opportunity to see the contestants perform more than once. At least a few felt cheated.
Don't Miss

"It's a situation where they get who they want to get, and they pimp those people, which takes away from some of the really good singers," said "Idol" fan Ricky Hoggard Hollman, who gained fame during season six for correctly guessing the top 24 semifinalists.

This season's robust group of 36 contained some fine potential finalists, Hoggard said, but he believed it wasn't a level playing field partly because producers chose to focus more on back stories than talent.

There was also the addition of a fourth judge, Kara DioGuardi, to the longtime triumvirate of Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul, which in the end added nothing but time. Producers also added a "judges' save," which became a throwaway.

Much of the criticism has fallen on DioGuardi, a Grammy-nominated songwriter who was supposed to bring a fresh and informed perspective.

Instead, she brought uninspiring critiques, some crazy costumes based on the week's theme and the magical ability to force Abdul into a few weeks of coherent comments.

Even Cowell wasn't acting like the Simon we have come to alternately adore and want to shake a finger at.

He engaged in juvenile antics with Abdul (at one point drawing on her face) and at times stared into space with such complete boredom that you wondered whether Susan Boyle's "Britain's Got Talent" performance had forever altered his state of consciousness.

"Simon has shown a level of disinterest and a level disdain for the show that I think is kind of alarming," said Michael Slezak, who writes about the show for Entertainment Weekly.

"We sort of expect Simon to speak for us as viewers. We expect him to be up-front and honest and the voice of reason, and he's just been completely disinterested.

"I think it's disrespectful to the contestants, and I think even more so it's disrespectful to us as viewers," Slezak added. "For better or for worse, and crazy or not, we take this show and what's happening up on that stage seriously. It's our escape from reality for the week."

And boy, do viewers take it seriously.

As CNN.com's regular "Idol" blogger, I have never been more lambasted -- pardon the pun -- than on the weeks I have dared to give Adam Lambert anything less than a flawless critique on the "American Idol" blog.

My sanity has been questioned. So has my nationality. (Hey, critics: My last name is "France." It's not the location of my blog posts.) Question Lambert's ability, and the Lambs -- his devoted fans -- come out in force.

I haven't been completely sold on Lambert. He can be over the top with the dramatics, and the way his tongue hangs out during certain notes is, frankly, bizarre to me.

Yet, for all of his antics, Lambert is unbelievably interesting to watch.

It took me a while to warm up to him, but with Lambert, I wanted to watch if for no other reason then I didn't want to be left out of the watercooler conversation the next day.

He was the pathway that allowed me to also fall in love with Allen's musicality, Allison Iraheta's mature-for-her-years voice and Anoop Desai's determination to be the first Indian R&B star.

I was able to cheer Scott McIntyre's persistence, jeer the lack of the use of the judges save for Alexis Grace and puzzle over Megan Joy's quirky performances.
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Regardless of who takes the title Wednesday night, Kris Allen or Adam Lambert, I can at least say I was entertained.

And isn't that what good television is all about?

Michael Johns: I'd Kiss Susan Boyle

Although Susan Boyle admits she was just joking when she said she's never been kissed, former American Idol star Michael Johns is happy to do the honors.

"I already said I'd kiss her myself if I ever saw her," the Australian singer told Usmagazine.com at the L.A. premiere of Wolverine Tuesday.

The Scottish singing sensation -- who is favored to win Britain's Got Talent -- has gotten as much attention for her frumpy look as she has for her voice.

"As a person that loves music -- when did you have to be good looking to be a good singer?" Johns, 30, tells Us. "It doesn’t matter what you look like. Idol's proven it doesn't matter what you look like. If you can sing, America will vote for you. Susan Boyle is a good story, I like that."

What will Johns' wife think of a potential smooch with Susan?

"I think she'd let me pass [on] that one," he says.

Johns -- who was a Season Seven finalist on the Fox reality show -- performed his new single, "Heart on My Sleeve," on Idol this season and served as a mentor to the current contestants.

"That was really fun, but you always feel a little unsure, you know what I mean?" he says, adding that he'll be on the season finale as well. "It's weird, my stomach starts churning and everything. I don't know. I love it. It's a great family, and they've been so good to me."

American Idol: Adam Lambert Featured In Entertainment Weekly

May 14, 2009 01:07:46 by Britteny Elrick

Adam Lambert has taken America by storm. Not only is he a crowd and judges’ favorite on American Idol, but the rest of the media seems to have Adam fever as well. Adam was featured in the May 15, 2009 issue of Entertainment Weekly, keep reading for more details…

The following story appeared in the May 15, 2009 issue of Entertainment Weekly:

“There is nothing more valuable to the health of an eight-year-old TV series than a surprise, and for American Idol, it rarely happens. But once in a very long while, someone arrives who doesn’t just dominate American Idol, but challenges and even changes it. And that has happened with the current season’s contestant Adam Lambert. With his mop of glam-rock cobalt-blue-on-dyed-black hair, his hearing, his sneering, and his unambiguously ambiguous sexuality, Adam would have probably been brushed off early on. And there was also a time, more recently, when Adam would have made it to Hollywood but been dismissed as “too Broadway” or “too musical theater.”

Then in walked this 27-year-old from San Diego, a chameleon of a singer who was unashamedly everything that the Fox reality show thought America didn’t want. And he flattened the competition. He has been able to morph from a quasi-punk whom the judges accused of being “like something out of Rocky Horror” to a Rat Pack sharpie to a grown-up crooner. Other contestants who have tried this on Idol routinely get accused of lacking identity.

There’s always been a fracture between how you succeed on Idol and how you succeed beyond Idol once you enter a world in which being the cookie-cutter product of a network series is a liability. But Adam has taken a battering ram to that aesthetic. And he’s doing so while playing out the big issue – the gay question – with a complicated mixture of caution and shrewdness. Though Adam is widely assumed to be gay, the most he would say to EW about the public scrutiny is “I know who I am. I’m an honest guy, and I’m just going to keep singing.”

Now the question is whether an openly gay contestant can win American Idol? The question is being considered everywhere from fan blogs to The New York Times – but we’re still one openly gay contestant short of a test case. Adam’s sexuality offers a fascinating challenge to the show’s status quo. Is Idol ready for a gay winner? Possibly. After all, its British forebear Pop Idol crowned a contestant, Will Young, who came out shortly after he won. And Idol itself came close when Clay Aiken, then closeted but somebody who even house plants surmised was gay, finished second. But is Idol ready for this gay(ish) winner? Perhaps not. Clay, after all, never sang “I’m gonna give you every inch of my love” while wearing skintight pants and green glitter guyliner.

Unlike his counterparts, who commodify their lives on their sleeves, Adam isn’t talking about it. Maybe it’s still too costly to say who you are. It’s certainly costly not to. Does he feel he can’t? Does the show feel he shouldn’t? Is his choice personal or strategic? Will it pay off? And does any of this represent progress? Check out this EW cover story on page 24 of the new issue.”

Carrie Underwood Returning to American Idol

American Idol champ Carrie Underwood is returning to the hit Fox show that made her famous.

She will perform on next week's finale as Adam Lambert faces off against Kris Allen.

The four-time Grammy winner, 26, will sing this year's farewell song, a cover of Motley Crue's metal ballad "Home Sweet Home," her rep tells MTV News.

Underwood last appeared on Idol in March, performing a duet with her country idol, Randy Travis.

"I am always thrilled to return to the Idol stage," she said at the time, adding that the show gave her her "start."

Underwood became the first country singer to win Idol in 2005 during the show's fifth season.

New T-Shirt Designs for Idol Finale

Here are a couple of t-shirt designs for the American Idol finale next Tuesday. More coming soon!

Design Pro T-Shirts Mentioned in Idol Forums

I check out the Idol Forums from time to time. People are talking about American Idol shirts, and mine were mentioned a few times. Here's one post from a fan. Thank you to everyone for supporting my t-shirts and talking about them. Word of mouth is great advertising!

American Idol's Danny Gokey Sets His Sights on Eyewear

Danny Gokey hasn't just set his sights on landing a recording contract once the American Idol summer tour is over. He wants an eyewear deal as well.

"I want to come out with a line of glasses," says the third-place finisher, known for his fashionable array of eyewear. "And hopefully somehow tie into the foundation [his deceased wife Sophia's Heart Foundation]. Maybe some of the proceeds can help whatever we try to do for the foundation. I would really like to start a Danny line or a Gokey line."

Danny says he started out the season of Idol with only 15 pairs of glasses, but since appearing on the show, "glasses have been raining out of the sky," and he's up to more than 50 pairs.

He also says he'd like to model.

In addition to having his own line of eyewear, the Milwaukee singer says he'd jump at the chance to model glasses as well. "I would love to be an eyeglass model. I'm serious," he says. "That would be so cool. I haven't been offered anything yet because I'm just leaving the American Idol bubble right now. I hope I made glasses cool for kids. That was kind of the word that I got on the street—that kids were kind of excited to wear glasses again."

In case it wasn't clear: "On the record, I would love to do anything glasses-wise," he adds.

Oh, and for the record, the heart that Danny's been making with his hands all season? That has nothing to do with the LensCrafters commercials featuring the same symbol. It's just a coincidence. Danny insists, "It has no affiliation with a glasses company." Instead, the singer says the heart symbol stems from a photo of a child doing that symbol that's been up on his website, www.sophiasheart.org, since December 2008.

"It's my symbol for my music," he explains. "It has no affiliation with a glasses company. I did some research on it, and they started their campaign April 16."

Now we'll have to see if fans heart Danny's eyewear as much as they do the singer himself.

Design Pro T-Shirt Featured on Cafepress Blog

I feel so honored right now. A design that I uploaded this morning is featured on the Cafepress blog. Making t-shirt designs for American Idol is what I love to do. It combines two of my favorite things - graphic design and American Idol. I feel so lucky to be able to do what I love for a living. Waking up and being creative every day is the best feeling.

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My design is the top left image.

Main 'Idol' challenge is preserving the suspense

By JON BREAM, Star Tribune

Last update: May 13, 2009 - 10:00 AM

"American Idol" would like to make this year's competition into a real horse race. But Adam Lambert, already crowned on the cover of the current Entertainment Weekly, is the front-runner by what seems a mile. Yet Simon Cowell reminded "Idol" watchers on Tuesday that viewers favoring Lambert should vote for him and not take anything for granted.

Lambert merited those votes Tuesday by unleashing his emotional scream on theatrical readings of U2's "One" (Cowell's pick for him) and Aerosmith's "Cryin'," two songs suited to him. But dark horse Kris Allen came rushing into the final turn with a so-so "Apologize" by OneRepublic (chosen by Randy Jackson and Kara DioGuardi) and a remarkably reimagined "Heartless" by Kanye West, two songs totally familiar to teenage females, the key "Idol" voting demographic.

Danny Gokey, who had been running second into the final turn, stuck to oldies, the obscure "Dance Little Sister" by 1980s soul man Terrence Trent D'Arby (chosen by Paula Abdul) and "You Are So Beautiful," the classic ballad made famous by Joe Cocker. His D'Arby was competent at best, but his "Beautiful" was gorgeous, breathtakingly soulful with a hint of gospel fervor.

"I'd call that a vocal master class," Cowell said of Gokey's "Beautiful."

The most influential and honest of all the judges, Cowell explained that he had counted out Allen until "Heartless."

All the judges gushed over Lambert. Jackson called him "one of the best we've ever had. You should be a rock star." Cowell said Lambert earned his way into the finals. DioGuardi and Abdul said they'd see Lambert next week in the finals.

Of course, it's up to the voters to decide. Tonight at 8, "Idol" fans will find out if it's Lambert in the finals or if the two dark horses pass him in the home stretch.

Performing tonight will be 2007 "Idol" Jordin Sparks and Katy Perry.

Hey 'American Idol' judges, you stink! Poor song picks for Adam Lambert, Kris Allen and Danny Gokey

BY Jim Farber
DAILY NEWS MUSIC CRITIC

Wednesday, May 13th 2009, 10:47 AM

It's official: Song choice isn't the determining factor in dooming the performance of an "American Idol" finalist. Song arrangement is.

Last night's "Idol" proved that conclusively since the same four judges who regularly bitch and moan about a singer's song selection finally got to do the picking themselves.

As it turned out - in two out of three cases, - it wasn't the material that made the singer crash or soar. It was the tone, tempo, tune, and style which the band and singer together brought to the piece assigned.

The most obvious example concerned twinkle-eyed Kris. Kara and Randy saddled him with that whiney OneRepublic drone "Apologize," which the singer dutifully delivered in a near mimic of the original.

Then the judges slammed him for it.

"Show us who you can be," Randy pleaded.

A different version of this Catch-22 plagued dorky Danny Gokey.

Paula commanded him to deliver Terence Trent D'Arby's "Dance Little Sister," a song with plenty of rhythm and grit but no melody whatsoever. Gokey stuck close enough to D'Arby's take to seem imprisoned by it.

Of course, Adam Lambert wasn't having any of that in his run at U2's "One." He came at the song from both extremes - first sensitizing its opening then sending the second part shrieking through the ceiling. It may have been weird, but that's also why it was winning.

At least when the final trio shook free of the show's initial conceit, and got to select their own songs, they brought on the quirks. Gokey's take on Billy Preston's "You Are So Beautiful" may have lacked the violent subtext that helped Joe Cocker's version avoid the song's essential corniness.

But corniness is next to Godliness in this context. So Gokey's sappy version will only help him in his race for the gold.

Kris did something even rarer with Kanye West's "Heartless," delivering it as Jason Mraz might. It had no organic heart, but it did snow the judges with its oddity.

Not to be outdone, Adam delivered Aerosmith's "Crying" as if he were in the world's showiest version of "Jesus Christ Superstar," howling the big notes to the heavens.

What viewer/voters will make of it all won't be known until this evening. But their decision will likely to have far less to do with what the guys sang than with how they sang it.

jfarber@nydailynews.com

Did Simon Cowell's Lobbying For Adam Lambert Cross The Line?

'American Idol' judge unabashedly requested that viewers vote the singer into next week's finale.

By James Montgomery

If you watched Tuesday night's "American Idol," you're no doubt buzzing about Kris Allen's left-field take on Kanye West's "Heartless." But you're probably also talking about the actions — and comments — of Simon Cowell.

The cantankerous "Idol" judge spent the early portion of Tuesday's show sparring with fellow judges Kara DioGuardi and Randy Jackson, and closed the night out by openly campaigning for contestant Adam Lambert, telling viewers to "take nothing for granted" and vote the flamboyant singer into next week's finale.

It was a move that raised more than a few eyebrows in the "Idol" community. Sure, Cowell has openly declared his support for contestants in the past, but it's always been on red carpets or talk-show couches (earlier this week, for example, he told Oprah Winfrey that he wants Lambert to win), never from behind the "Idol" judges' desk. It seemed a bit odd — dropping any airs of impartiality and openly instructing viewers to vote for a particular contestant — and it made us wonder: Did he cross a line last night with his comments?

"I don't think so. I see it more as an evolution of the judging of the show ... it shows a natural progression," Rickey Yaneza, who runs "Idol" blog Rickey.org, told MTV News. "The whole judging thing has become a little more sophisticated now. It's not the same show as it was during season one. Things have happened. There are repeat customers, they know the drill, there are obsessive online fans, and then there are the casual viewers. And I think Simon was reaching out to them with his comments."

Yaneza added that Cowell probably realizes that there are two distinct camps of "Idol" viewers — those who populate message boards with discussions about the show, and those who, well, don't. And while one of those groups is firmly behind Lambert, the other isn't. So basically, Cowell may have been attempting to shore up support for the contestant he believes is the best.

"We live in a different world online, because as far as I'm concerned — and I have stats for whenever I do a post about him, or how many people are searching for him on Google — Adam Lambert is pretty much a lock to win, and he's been that way for about a month now," he said. "But if you're not following the show as intensely as we are, well, then perhaps you don't know about him, or you just assume he's going to make it to the finals, so you don't vote for him. And that was Simon's point: to put that question in viewers' minds. And, of course, it makes for good TV, too."

Fellow "Idol" blogger MJ — who runs the comprehensive MJ's Big Blog — didn't find Cowell's comments to be out of line, either. In fact, the way she sees it, he was trying to prevent the mistakes of previous seasons.

"I thought it was kind of smart, actually. I think he's looking at 'Idol' history and trying a different path, because he knows the show has lost people he liked in the past. And I think it's up for grabs tonight. ... Simon is probably worried about Adam's chances," MJ said. "He doesn't want another Chris Daughtry or another Melinda Doolittle. I think he really wanted her in the finals in season six, and she didn't make it, even though everyone sort of assumed she would. So even though everyone's telling [Lambert], 'See you in the finals,' he wanted to remind the casual voters that they need to vote for him. And when he reminds people to do things, they generally do."

So even though Cowell's campaigning may have been a questionable move, it's a component of "American Idol" these days: Just because some of the show's fans seem to think Lambert's a lock, there's a huge number of viewers out there who might not see it that way. Cowell reminded them of that fact, regardless of what people might think.

"I think it bugged a lot of people, the fans online were really irritated, but the casual person at home, it sort of put a thought into their heads," MJ said. "I actually didn't think it was a bad move, because what he said is kind of true. You can assume someone will make it to the finals ... but you have to actually vote for them to get there."

'American Idol' 8: Kris Allen's big surprise (Week 9 Power Rankings)

Surprise! After looking despondent last week and still being saved, Kris Allen realized that he could still win this thing.

In his usual, low-key way – how many times is Seacrest going to call him “humble”? – Allen simply made a musical argument that he would likely be the biggest-seller of the bunch because he is the only one who could be played on the radio right now. Turning Kanye West’s icy “Heartless” into a warm, Jason Mraz-ish strummer was a move of David Cook-ian genius.

Danny Gokey, on the other hand, was plagued by bad decisions. While Adam Lambert’s credit-sharing comments and actions seem generous and genuine, Gokey’s attempts seem forced. Adding a sax solo into “Dance Little Sister” and then dueling seemed ridiculous because (cue Cowell) it’s a singing competition. Then underselling “You Are So Beautiful,” like Allen would do, seemed ill-advised. Allen’s power is in his sweet likability. Gokey’s power is in his soulful voice and he gave it away, probably sending his chances of winning away with it.

Lambert’s wild rearrangement of U2's “One” actually makes more sense over the course of the whole song, but in its abbreviated “Idol”-ized form, it was too jarring. It was too much wail and not enough setup. His take on “Cryin’” worked much better, reminding folks that other wailing rock banshees have succeeded in the past and the he plans to be another. That said, he would have been far better served to do a Guns 'N Roses song – “Paradise City”? “Welcome to the Jungle”? Can you imagine? – though I’m guessing Axl Rose isn’t too keen on lending out those songs right now.

A Lambert-Allen matchup. Who knew that could even be possible?

THE RANKINGS (and six-word reviews)

Kris Allen, “Heartless”: Could be a hit right now.
Adam Lambert, “Cryin’”: A good bid for rock relevancy.
Adam Lambert, “One”: Crazy-good, but Sam-Harris-like. Needed more restraint.
Kris Allen, “Apologize”: Smartly lowered the key. Still cute.
Danny Gokey, “You Are So Beautiful”: Understated, restrained, but still kinda boring.
Danny Gokey, “Dance Little Sister”: Way beyond shouty! With bad scatting!

SHOULD BE CUT: Danny
WILL BE CUT: Danny
ACTUALLY CUT: ???

PHOTO: Kris Allen from AmericanIdol.com

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‘Idol’s’ Adam Lambert already a hit on eBay. Items for sale include lock of hair, ceramic cat in singer's likeness

Access Hollywood
updated 6:42 p.m. CT, Tues., May 12, 2009

LOS ANGELES - Adam Lambert has stood out as one of the most unique contestants on “American Idol’s” Season 8, so it’s only fitting that a slew of equally unique items related to the star-on-the rise have cropped up on eBay.

From a locket allegedly containing some of Adam’s hair, to a shower curtain featuring Adam’s likeness, the raven-haired singer is all over the popular selling Web portal.

On Tuesday, 662 items related to the member of “Idol’s” final three were available for purchase.

One item currently up for auction is “Catbert,” a ceramic cat made in Adam’s likeness. The seller notes that “Catbert” is wearing a “white suit and white tie, just as Adam did when he sang ‘Feeling Good,’ during Rat Pack week.”

Another item called the “Adam Lambert Necklace,” allegedly features a lock of Adam’s hair, saved for her by someone who cuts the “Idol” hopeful’s hair, the seller claims.

Sellers are also offering more traditional items like mouse pads, purses, hip flasks, money cases, and T-shirts all featuring his image.

Kris Allen, also an “Idol” finalist, has just 53 items devoted to him on eBay including key chains, buttons and original artwork.

And as for Danny Gokey, just 68 items at press time were devoted to the gravelly-voiced singer including a clock, wrist bands and an Italian charm bracelet.

'American Idol' Alum Justin Guarini Isn't Sure Adam Lambert Will Win 'It's time for everyone to step up,' he tells the top three.

By Jocelyn Vena

Back in 2002, Justin Guarini came in second to Kelly Clarkson during the first season of "American Idol." Now, the singer and TV personality has some advice for this year's top three: Adam Lambert, Danny Gokey and Kris Allen.

"I think it's going to be very interesting, 'cause everyone assumes Adam will go to the finale," he told MTV News. "The competition this week will be Danny and Kris trying to make it as well."

Although fans (and Simon Cowell) have their money on Adam, Guarini warns that anything can happen. "At this point in the game, you never ever know," he said. "I think that if Adam keeps doing what he does best, then he has a great chance to go to the finale. Now, really, it's time for everyone to step up."

"Idol" fans have had mixed reactions to Kara DioGuardi joining the judging panel this year, but Guarini thinks she adds a little bit of spice to the show. "I think she's great. I think she's a great mix of the other judges on the panel," he said. "She gives great advice from many points of view, as an artist and songwriter."

The final three are only a week away from learning who will be crowned this year's American Idol, and Guarini still can't believe that fallen contestant Alexis Grace didn't get a better shot on the show. "You know the most surprising thing for me has really been the early exit of Alexis," he said. "I think she went way too early, far too early. I think she deserved to be on the tour."

Five reasons Adam Lambert will be the next American Idol (and five reasons he won't)

WHY ADAM LAMBERT WILL BE THE NEXT AMERICAN IDOL

1. His performances have outshined the rest of the contestants by a mile.

2. He has become a cultural phenomeon, drawing new viewers and voters into the show.

3. Tween girls and Silver Foxes love him.

4. As they get into multiple-song territory, he alone posses the musical ingenuity to take on that burden.

5. In a "change"-oriented cultural climate, Lambert is a new type of star to carry "Idol" into a new era.

WHY HE WON'T

1.His backstory is too Hollywood/Broadway professional, defying the rags-to-riches narrative that is at "Idol's" core.

2. He has captured the heart of Blue State America, but Red State America owns "Idol."

3. His onstage banter is too controlled, less emotive and less cuddly than the others.

4. His style is too far afield from those that have dominated "Idol" in years past.

5. At the time of this writing, the tween vote remains divided.

Adam Lambert vs. Danny Gokey in 'Idol' finals, Randy Jackson says

Adam Lambert and Danny Gokey are going to face off in American Idol's finals, judge Randy Jackson is saying -- which can't make Fox executives happy.

Kris Allen fans can't be happy either, that Randy seems to think it's such a slam-dunk that nobody was going to care if he said it out loud.

Randy made the comments to People magazine, during an appearance in Washington for Amtrak’s National Train Day. (Wait, what?! Was Joe Biden not available?)

“Adam Lambert is definitely the lead winner if we had to choose today. He’s got the vocal chops, he’s a good-looking guy like myself, and he’s got that star potential,” Jackson said of the “fearless” performer. “I think it’s going to come down to him and Danny [Gokey] in the finale.”

I don't think it's such a sure thing that Kris will be cut --Danny is totally capable of singing really poorly, as proven by the last note last week.

Danny Gokey, 'American Idol' crews visit Milwaukee

By CARRIE ANTLFINGER
The Associated Press
Saturday, May 9, 2009; 10:20 AM

MILWAUKEE -- Danny Gokey was so shocked by his young wife's sudden death last summer that he couldn't cry during her funeral at Faith Builders International Ministries.

On Friday, the 29-year-old "American Idol" finalist returned to the church for a joyful event, singing gospel songs to 1,000 or more people, including friends, family and fans.

"To see him from where he was, because I was here for the funeral, this room packed out for a funeral and now: joy," said his friend, Ruben Burgos, 26.

Gokey returned to his hometown Friday to film footage to air in the two weeks leading up to the May 19-20 finale. The church music director is one of three finalists, along with Adam Lambert from San Diego and Kris Allen from Conway, Ark.

Gokey's wife, Sophia, died during surgery for a congenital heart defect four weeks before he auditioned for the show.

"I couldn't even cry. ... I was so shocked," Gokey told the crowd. "Me and my family, we didn't know how to say goodbye. ... It was the most tragic event I ever had to face in my life."

The couple had agreed he would try out for the show, and Gokey has called Sophia his "biggest inspiration."

He started his day early Friday morning at the local Fox affiliate, WITI-TV, where hundreds of people, many young girls, screamed his name and held signs that read "Ga Ga Gokey, ur our idol" and "We love you Danny."

After the visit, Gokey said he's struggled with song selection on "Idol."

"I've always done gospel music and I don't know much about the music outside of that realm," he said. "Literally every song I pick, I'm learning. I don't know what to pick and song choice has been the most difficult thing for me, and it only gets harder as it goes."

On Tuesday, "Idol" judge Simon Cowell criticized Gokey's performance of Aerosmith's "Dream On." Cowell said Gokey's final note _ an elongated scream _ "was like watching a horror movie."

But Gokey laughed about it Friday.

"Rock wasn't my thing, and I bit off a song that was bigger than me," he said.

"I loved it. It was terrible sounding, but it was funny. ... The thing is I can hit the note but that was like the 40th time. Finally, you get to a point your voice can only handle (so much). Right now my voice is sore from the rock."

At the church Friday, he returned to his gospel roots, singing "Glorify Him," "Keep on Praising" and "Praise Medley." His voice raspy from singing, he thanked God, his pastor Jeff Pruitt and his family for their support.

"Here all I got to do is sing and focus upward," he told the crowd. "On the 'American Idol' stage I got to work on focusing on the camera. I'm not the kind of guy to be all funky and crazy in front of the camera, but I'm developing that."

Ruben Burgos, 26, and his wife, Annie Burgos, 27, belong to the church but usually attend services at its Beloit location. Ruben Burgos said he and Gokey met in high school.

"He slept over at my house. We ate pancakes," he said. "It's amazing. You know, to see where he is at now. People are just getting to know the gift that's in him for people."

At one stop Gokey met Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who gave him an autographed jersey. Gokey later gave a free concert at the lakefront festival grounds.

The singer wrapped up his day by performing the national anthem and throwing out the first pitch of the Cubs-Brewers game at Miller Park.

He took to the rubber and pretended to make an underhand toss before winding up and nearly throwing the ball to the backstop if not for infielder Casey McGehee's leaping catch.

'Idol' Kris Allen returns to Ark. hometown, parade

By NOAH TRISTER

CONWAY, Ark. (AP) — Kris Allen has brought a little bit of rock back to his Arkansas hometown.

The 23-year-old "American Idol" finalist came home on Friday, when an estimated crowd of more than 20,000 packed an area of downtown Conway, about 20 miles north of Little Rock, to hear him belt out songs such as Michael Jackson's "Man in the Mirror."

Allen appeared a little overwhelmed by the swooning fans, telling them: "You guys are crazy."

The concert was the last big public event on Allen's schedule Friday, which included performances in Little Rock, at the University of Central Arkansas and a parade in his honor just before the Conway show.

All this is for Allen, who's competing for the "Idol" crown and a record contract against Danny Gokey of Milwaukee and Adam Lambert of San Diego when the Fox TV singing contest finale airs May 20.

In Conway, support for the hometown hero is clear. Messages cheering for Allen popped up everywhere — in windows of salons to a bail bonds office.

It's a big change for Conway, where MTV was briefly dropped from a cable lineup in the 1990s over concern for its content.

"MTV was just a little too graphic for us," resident Crissy Stevens said with a laugh.

Rachel Burks, an 18-year-old fan of the competition, said she loves judge Simon Cowell, but added that she "wasn't OK" with his recent comparison of Allen's cover of the Beatles' "Come Together" to "eating ice for lunch."

At the evening concert, a fan held up a sign that said: "I'll have ice for lunch any day!"

At the University of Central Arkansas show earlier in the day, 24-year-old Chris Rodriguez said Allen "is what you see on TV. Rodriguez, who said he grew up with the Idol finalist in Arkansas, called the singer "a good guy. He's incredibly talented, and he is what you see."

Leann McEowen, 38, said Allen's success has helped the town unite.

"It's just amazing to see a town get behind somebody," she said. "I think it's cool that they're behind him the way they are."

Celebrities aren't foreign to Conway. Scottie Pippen played his college basketball at UCA before going on to win six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls.

So what's more impressive, six NBA titles or one American Idol crown?

Rodriguez sides with the singer.

"American Idol's a one-person thing," he said. "Scottie Pippen had Michael Jordan."

'American Idol' judge Simon Cowell ready to move into his $22M Beverly Hills mansion

BY Catey Hill
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

A few months ago, American Idol judge Simon Cowell was installing a private tanning salon in his $22 million, 11,550 sq ft Beverly Hills home, the Daily Mail reported.

And now, he's ready to move in, the Daily Mail reports.

The Daily Mail says the following:

Cowell will have a solarium off the master bedroom that includes a full-sized tanning machine and a smaller ‘booster’ facial tanning machine.

And that's not all. Cowell will enjoy a gym, spa, steam room and lap pool. He will have a butler and a live-in maid.

And it gets better: He'll be surrounded by A-list neighbors like Tom Cruise, Madonna, the Osbournes and the Beckhams.

"I’ve been involved in every aspect of the design of the new place, right down to the doorknobs. I have other houses but this is my dream home," Cowell said.

And he's set himself up for success if he ever wants to hop over to America's other favorite reality show "Dancing with the Stars."

With a tanning bed at home, he might just become bronzed enough to join the ballroom dancing squad.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/real_estate/2009/05/07/2009-05-07_american_idol_judge_simon_cowell_installs_tanning_bed_in_22m_beverly_hills_mansi.html#ixzz0ErMQGIOS&B

Paula Abdul proves she's still got it on 'American Idol'

Paula Abdul performs on "American Idol" for the first time, doing "I'm Just Here for the Music." Or at least we think it's Paula, it's all dark for the first minute so it could be anyone. She's surrounded by guys in suits as she dances around in a small black number.

It's a pretty good song; she's a bit stiff and precise in her performance, like everything is just so. She's still got the showmanship though, best part is when she jumps down into the arms of the guys and they carry her around like she's a queen.

Big smile at the end, as she walks off, not even out of breath. They weirdly go right to commercial-- no sarcastic comments from Simon?!

Allison Iraheta slashed on 'Idol,' leaving 3

By DERRIK J. LANG, AP Entertainment Writer Thu May 7, 2:57 AM PDT

"American Idol" finalist Allison Iraheta has a reason to cry.

The flame-haired 17-year-old high school student from Los Angeles, who crooned Janis Joplin's "Cry Baby" for her rock performance this week, was revealed Wednesday to have received the fewest viewer votes, leaving three singers in the popular Fox singing competition.

Iraheta seemed to take her dismissal in stride, belting out an energized "Cry Baby" reprise then razzing the last three dudes standing -- Kris Allen, Danny Gokey and Adam Lambert. Throughout the competition, judge Simon Cowell chided Iraheta for not showing off more of her personality, but she finally lashed back at the acerbic British judge on Tuesday.

"He was asking for it," she said.

Before the results were revealed, the final four were joined by this week's mentor, former Guns 'N Roses guitarist Slash, for a frantic rendition of Alice Cooper's "School's Out." Also taking the "Idol" stage -- for the first time ever! -- was judge Paula Abdul in a smokey pre-taped performance of her new single, "I'm Just Here for the Music."

Tuesday night's pre-show drama didn't seem to linger during the lead-up to Iraheta's elimination. The behemoth "Idol" logo which toppled over was back -- and glowing -- in place above the audience. And that moving staircase was also operational Wednesday after a crew member was sent to the hospital following a reported 20-foot fall from the top Tuesday.

However, Seacrest still seemed a little shaken up following all of the tumultuous tumbling, especially after No Doubt singer Gwen Stefani strutted down the steps, behind the judges' table and through the crowd while belting out "I'm Just a Girl" for an elimination episode performance. Seacrest joked she was making him nervous running around the stage.

"It's been a high-risk place this week," he said.

The finalists left in contest are Lambert, a 27-year-old theater actor from San Diego; Gokey, a 29-year-old church music director from Milwaukee; and Allen, a 23-year-old college student from Conway, Ark.

This week, the three singers will travel to their hometowns before performing two songs next week: one of their choosing, another from the show's judges.

The next "Idol" will be crowned May 20.

American Idol Recap: Adam Lambert's Zeppelin Earns 'Rock God' Comment; Is Danny Gokey Headed Home?

Joshua Molina--HispanicBusiness.com

American Idol's Adam Lambert scare last week appeared to have lit a fire under Paula, Simon, Randy and Kara. The judges on Tuesday night all but crowned Lambert the American Idol winner, after he ended up in the bottom 2 the week before.

"You are a Rock God," screamed judge Kara DioGuardiKara DioGuardi, practically frothing at the mouth after Lambert's performance of Led Zeppelin's "A Whole Lotta Love."
Lambert certainly didn't play it safe after he was nearly eliminated from the No. 1 show on television. He bounced back this week in full glam rock mode. With heavy facial makeup, tons of black mascara, and a bazillion cans of hair spray holding up his black hair, Lambert reminded the audience that he clearly lives in a world of his own.

And when it comes to talent, based off last night's show, Lambert is also in a league of his own. He's so comfortable on stage that his performances come across as effortless.

American Idol's final four each sang one song and then they paired up to sing a duet. Lambert teamed with 17-year-old Allison Iraheta. The two show chemistry in performing "Slow Ride." This duet blew away Carrie Underwood and Randy Travis' duet of country classic "I Told You So," from a few weeks ago, and that's saying something.

The judges seem determined to get Lambert into the finals and are willing to sacrifice any and all of the remaining contestants to get him there.

Kris Allen, who has been gaining steam in recent weeks, deflated on stage after a string of criticism from the judges. Allen is one of those guy's who face twists up when people criticize him; his nonverbal reactions to Simon's badgering were uncomfortable to watch.

Same goes for Danny Gokey, who last night clearly suffered from Adam envy. He sang, more appropriately, screamed, "Dream On," in what was his performance of the season. Something about Gokey bugs; there's an undercurrent of arrogance that comes across in his interviews.

The 29-year-old embarrassed himself on the final note of "Dream On," attempting an Adam-style wail, but sounding more like a screeching cat that was accidentally stepped on. Simon called his final note, "a nightmare."

Gokey's duet with Allen was equally brutal. It's like these two guys didn't want to share the stage together. They stumbled through "Renegade," in a boring and awkward performance that put both of them in jeopardy of getting bounced from the show.

In his solo performance, Allen delivered a decent version of "Come Together." But he looked demoralized on stage, like a little boy who just got scolded, lacking any semblance of confidence.

Iraheta sang Janis Joplin's "Crybaby," in a performance that the judges didn't really like either, although they noted that it was better than Gokey's dismal effort.

Tonight's results show will certainly be a heartbreaker for someone. In addition to performances by Chris Daughtry and the returning Paula Abdul, one of the final four is going home.

Although he's never been in the bottom 2, Gokey might get sent home tonight, all because of that terrible final note. But who knows? It's been a wacky season full of surprises and the only safe bet is that American Idol, in its eight season, continues its unlikely reign as the No. 1 show on television.

'American Idol' salaries for Paula and Simon

The L.A. Times' "Idol Tracker" has tracked down the salaries of Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul. Cowell gets about $36 million from each season of the show alone, whereas reports say Abdul gets about $2 million.

Abdul does, however, have a new album coming out -- and we'll get a sample of that on tonight's show. Negotiations to renew her contract as judge have begun, and Cowell has said that all four judges will be back.

"American Idol" Scream Heard Around the World

I thought this video was hilarious! The note that Danny tried to hit at the end of "Dream On" was horrible! Michael Johns' version last year was way better.

'American Idol': Attack of the Adam Lambert clones

By Chuck Barney
Contra Costa Times

How fortunate for Adam Lambert. After suffering through a stunning Bottom 2 comedown, he returned to the "American Idol" stage on a night that seemed custom-built for him.

Not only did he dominate the stage with Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love" and a rousing duet with Allison Iraheta on Foghat's "Slow Ride," he watched as all the other contestants appeared to channel him.

Kris, Allison and especially Danny let loose their inner Adam and did a bit of their own screeching. But the attempt to match Adam's leather- lung power esstentially took them out of their games.

What did you think of tonight's performances? Who got in touch with their inner rock god?

Now here's what our panel thought of the night:

Althea Battle: Catch Adam if you can! He is so far ahead of the other Idols, until I agree with Simon, "nobody can top him tonight!" His vocals were powerful, and when he sings; he demands your attention! I'm not to impressed with Danny and Kris' duet. Danny out singed Kris, and he totally upstaged him throughout the whole performance. I can appreciate the both of them doing something different for the first time on the show, and their harmony was on pitch.

Danny is still on top in my book. However, when screamed at the end of the song, it sounded like he burned his hand on a hot skillet, and held it for too long! Danny should have picked more of a ballard type of rock song, and that would have kept him for falling to the bottom.

Meanwhile, Allison didn't show her originality this week at all in her solo performance. All I can remember about her is hearing "cry baby" over and over. I liked her duet with Adam and she was more orginal in the second song choice over the first one. She is a much better singer than that, and I hope her song choice doesn't land her in the bottom. No matter how many times Kris sings tonight, he's just not one of my favorites. Rock is out of Kris' league, and he may not be safe this week!

Collen Gonzalez: Why did they call it "Rock Night?" They should have just called it "Adam Night." Adam Lambert owned that stage! The night belonged to him. He was completely in the zone, looking glammed-up to the max.

Danny Gokey took the biggest risk of the night, and he's definitely going to need his fan base to save him after that. That was not musical screaming; it was just blood curdling screaming. I hope the judges feel bad about ripping into Kris after Danny made everyone's ears bleed. What I will say, to Danny's credit, he's here to win.

Kris Allen's performance was passionate and impressive. I was totally feeling it and thought he did a fantastic job. I think the judges want him out and would never say he was good no matter what he did. All in all, it's not fair to send Kris packing just because it was not a favorable genre for him. He was able to sift out what would work for his voice and a song he could connect with.

I would like to give a personal thank you to Allison Iraheta for not singing "Piece of My Heart." That has been done so many times on "Idol" it should be retired. Her vocals were strong, but I would've liked to see her command the stage like she did singing with Adam. Maybe Adam just brings out the rocker in all of us!

I thought Kris would nab that number three spot but here's how it's going to go down: Allison secured her spot by her duet with Adam, Danny's phone banks will go crazy because his fans should be fearful and Kris will just be left out. Don't worry Kris, you'll be fine out on your own. Chat up Chris Daughtry tomorrow night for some pointers.

Carrie Hults: Rock night came at the perfect time to keep Allison and Adam in the competition. I was very happy when Ryan Seacrest said that the contestants would be singing with each other. I first thought, 'Adam will be with Allison,' and I was correct. Allison and Adam sang, "Slow Ride." They totally rocked it! A perfect duet. Kris and Danny sang, "Renegade," and I agreed with the judges that the harmonies sounded hot.

The beginning of Danny's solo performance of "Dream On" was OK, but the ending sounded like a cat dying very painfully. I still like Danny, but he needs to watch his song choices.

Adam sounded like a pro when he sang, "Whole Lotta Love," but the eye make up is just way too much.

Allison sang, "Cry Baby," and she is a natural rocker. I disagreed with Randy when he said that she didn't choose the right song. I love how she stood up to the judges too. She was feisty!

Kris gave "TMI" when he said that he was going to pee in his pants because Slash was right in front of him. He sang "Come Together." He tried his best, but 'Kris is 2 cute 2 b a roxstar!' It was an awesome night, but I think that Kris needs to pack his bags. He's going home.

Eddie Estrada: Getting ready for rock n roll night, I was expecting a lot out of Allison and Adam, worrying about Kris, and not even caring about Karaoke Gokey.

I really enjoyed the new duet part of the show and was not even a little bit surprised about the pairings. Adam and Allison were the PERFECT duo! They complemented each other so well, and I was having a great time standing up dancing to their song (while my younger sister was yelling at me to sit down). If they make it to the finals together, this is just a tiny taste of what we will be enjoying!

Together, Kris and Danny sounded amazing but separate, I wasn't so sure. For me, Kris outshined Danny in this performance, I don't care what Simon said! Danny just seemed like didn't care, and that he was struggling.

OK now for the personal performances. Allison was beautiful. SO GOOD! She really brought it tonight. She met my expectations and even exceeded them.

Danny (or Karaoke Gokey as I call him now) sounded almost identical to the original song. The only difference was that he was WAY worse! He was pitchy and screamy and it literally made me cringe. He was horrible.

Adam did very well tonight, but for the first time, I don't think that was his best song choice. I was looking for something a little different from what he did, but he still amazed me. He had the rock vibe flowing through his body, but the song vibe was not flowing through mine.

Kris was so good! Perfect song choice. He must have a cheat sheet that he looks at to pick his songs each week because they are always right on. I was nervous but I hope that America will see what I saw and keep him here for another week. My hope for tomorrow is GOODBYE DANNY!

Tom Hart: Advantage: ADAM! He actually sounded better than the original. I've run out of superlatives to describe the indelible mark he is leaving on the "American Idol" stage.

Alison not only sounded like an authentic queen of rock but thanks to Adam's hairstylist she looked the part too!

Kris picked a good song for him but not a good song for the competition ... and the reality is that he just doesn't have the pipes to carry him to the final two.

And Danny, poor Danny, all I can say is that my cat still hasn't come out from under the couch after hearing you desperately try to hit that nightmare of a last note. I hope America gets the vote right because there are clearly two incredible performers who are front-runners and two other likeable singers who are visibly fading down the home stretch.

Simon Cowell Says Kara DioGuardi Will Be Back For Next Season

Simon seems to think that Kara will be back next season. He also said that Adam Lambert should win American Idol because he is fearless and original.

Simon1 ellen
by krunkyou

One of my t-shirt designs (GoKey to My Heart) has been featured on the website www.fox6now.com! This is such an honor!

WITI-TV, MILWAUKEE - American Idol and Cafepress.com have teamed up to launch an American Idol fan portal on the popular user-generated design site.

Fans can show their support for the contestants - including Milwaukee's own Danny Gokey - by purchasing (and wearing) licensed shirts, hats, underwear and buttons along with mugs, steins, magnets and bags.

You can get your very own Gokey gear, including a shirt that says you've gone "GaGa over Gokey," by visiting Cafepress.com.

Top 9 Best American Idol Finalists (Who Didn't Win)

You guys! There's only three weeks left till the American Idol finale! Which means there's only three more weeks until Adam Lambert is our country's first, um, truly fabulous Idol! (Right? Right!)

After seven seasons, we all know that it doesn't really matter who wins—just as long as they make it to the finals. Past finalists have won Oscars, conquered song charts, and stormed Broadway, while winners like Ruben Studdard and Taylor Hicks are belting power ballads at county fairs.

So with universe's cruel indifference in mind, let's celebrate our Top 9 favorite Idol finalists (but not winners), with No. 10 left open for you to decide:

1. Sanjaya Malakar (season six): What if a unicorn could gallop into the Idoldome, stand upright, highlight his bangs, and hold a microphone? Would he be as jaw-droppingly amazing as Sanjaya? Unlikely.

2. Bo Bice (season four): Like bathtub hooch, some contestants get better with age. Bice the Elder (a descript 29 years old) rode the lightning all the way to second place. And some say that with the declaration of Bo Bice Day in Alabama (May 24, y'all!) all the old wounds of the Old South were healed.

3. Melinda Dolittle (season six): If grown-ups could text as fast as tweens, Melinda could have taken top prize over Jordin Sparks. Sadly, her brassy vocals and unshakable sweetness were no match for the lust of the ruthless training-bra voting block.

4. David Archuleta (season seven): You could wear a purity ring on each finger, but you'd still never come near the soft-spoken innocence and eerie fragility of this little man-angel. Watching him sing was so pure and beautiful it was like a butterfly landing on a baby's face.

5. Jennifer Hudson (season three): Hudson proves our E! Theory of Idol Finalists, that contests are better off lost. Since her sixth-round elimination, Hudson, an undeniable talent, has racked up more praise and awards than any B-list celebrity judge could ever dream of.

6. Jason Castro (season seven): When Hippie McDreadlocks botched some Dylan lyrics, we knew it was time for him to go. It was painful to hear Simon hiss that Castro's final performance was "a massacre," but take heart, Castro. In the words of Dylan: "Everybody must get stoned."

7. Nikki McKibbin (season one): Nikki took a page from the Courtney Love playbook of fame: This pixie did a little too much dust and landed herself in Celebrity Rehab and Sober House. But she'll always be the punky upstart that gave the toothless talents of Justin Guarini and Kelly Clarkson a run for their money.

8. Clay Aiken (season two): Who knew he'd be the best thing to happen to comedians since cocaine?

9 Tamyra Gray (season one): Tamyra had one of the most scandalous, premature exits in Idol history. Questions still remain about shadowy cell phone conspiracies and tweens' unquenchable thirst for diva tears.

10. You tell us! The E! Online offices have split into hostile camps with hourly knife fights because of this list. Time for you to weigh in: Who did we miss? Daughtry? Blake Lewis? Nadia Turner? Tell us!