June 2006 News Archive

In a world full of Mariahs and Beyonces, Britneys and Jessicas, and even nasty, sickly Paris-ites, Kelly Clarkson is the anti-diva.

For that reason, the inaugural American Idol winner is on the Entertainment Weekly "Must List" -- people in the entertainment world we must know more about -- she's nowhere to be found in the tabloids, due in large part to the fact that she's always working. With concerts, award shows, and even a Navy flight, she's powered her way to the top of pop.

This week, she embarks on a 24-city tour, and Kelly was kind enough to share some thoughts on that and other pressing issues with EW...

On her least favorite part of fame:
"Photo shoots are the least favorite part of my job. Photographers ask me if I want to look at pictures of myself and I'm like, 'Dude, why would I want to look at these photos? I'm not that vain.'"

On some of her new tunes:
"I have 40 songs for my next record. I don't stop writing. There is one called 'Yeah.' It's very tour friendly and has an easy hook. It's kind of Prince-ish and Sly & the Family Stone."

On her favorite parts of Kelly Clarkson shows:
"The Bridge of 'Addicted.' It sounds like a scary part of a horror movie, when you know something bad is going to happen. The first part of it is real intense and then I just full-on belt it out. I live for that!"

On her own American idols:
"Oh my God, you know no idea. I'm in love with Patti Griffith. I got to meet her and acted like an idiot. I was like, 'You are so great, but I'm not going to stay very long because otherwise I'm going to say something stupid."

Kelly will be back in the studio starting in August, after her tour winds down, to record her new album, tentatively slated for a February 2007 release.

Two weeks after reigning American Idol champion Taylor Hicks publicly talked about his first crush as a young boy, the girl from his past has contacted People magazine.

In a recent interview with People, the 29-year old Hicks said he never forgot his first crush.

"I was in the second grade, she was in the sixth," said Hicks, who added that he's always liked older women ever since.

After reading the article, 32-year old Christy Lee Worsham, now married, called People. She was surprised she made such an impact on Hicks.

"He was such a fun kid," Worsham said. "I'm married. But I'd like to reconnect. He was like a brother to me."

Hicks was ranked "hottest bachelor" by People earlier this month, and told the publication that he is on the lookout for another love interest -- a mystery blond woman he briefly exchanged glances with on an airline flight.

A spokeswoman for People, who set up an e-mail and mailing address to help track down Taylor's mystery woman, said there had been no luck in finding her as of Thursday. Oh well. We think he'll be alright. If he gets lonely, he could always holler at Katharine McPhee...

Rocker Chris Daughtry -- a.k.a. the fourth-place finisher on American Idol this spring, a.k.a. the 27-year old who many feel was flat-out robbed (no offense Taylor and Katharine) -- is featured in the most recent issue of Entertainment Weekly.

The North Carolina product tells us what we can expect from the forthcoming Idol tour (beginning July 5), how he'll handle the hardships of life on the road, what's next for his career, why he turned down the Fuel gig, and more. Here's the transcript:

EW: So break it down for us — what can we expect from this summer's Idol tour?
CHRIS: Well, I won't tell you what we're singing, but everybody's got at least two songs and a duet, and then a few of us have three or four songs. Everybody seems to have pretty strong sets. It's really cool. A lot of us are playing instruments — a little departure from the show there.

EW: The group numbers — are they going to be like what we saw on the Idol finale?
CHRIS: Not really. Well, kind of. [Laughs] We're doing a couple group songs. They're not, like, totally cheesy or anything. They play out very well.

EW: So there's no danger of it coming off as, you know, a bit Brady Bunch?
CHRIS: Well, we'll see. We haven't done choreography yet.

EW: And you don't strike me as the kind of guy who is necessarily all about the choreography.
CHRIS: I'm not about it at all. But I do what I gotta do and always try to keep it from, you know, looking too silly.

EW: What are you most looking forward to performing?
CHRIS: My first song. Actually, me and Elliott are doing a duet that's going to be awesome as well... It's a rock song.

Continue Reading...

Forget news about Taylor Hicks and other American Idol winner - what about the also-rans?!? Don't worry, we have information on impending music from a trio of close finishers.
First off, rocker Constantine Maroulis has begun recording his debut solo album. He describes it as rock and roll, but not like his former band, Pray for the Soul of Betty.

"It's a bit more commercial, a bit more pop. I'm a little older now, and it's got a mature sound, a bit of a Rob Thomas/ Santana thing. It's got some great Bon Jovi elements, a little Ricky Martin in there. And I'm writing a lot of it too," said the fourth-season finalist.

Bon Jovi elements? That's mighty high praise for himself. Meanwhile, Anthony Fedorov is also recording; A-Fed's album will have a different feel than Constantine's, however.

"It's gonna be Richard Marx meets Marc Anthony," Federov said of his first effort. "It's gonna be ballad-heavy, very powerful and strong."

Finally, third-season finalist Jon Peter Lewis has released his debut single, "If I Go Away." He's even preparing to go on tour with the number.

"I'm working with some other great musicians right now," Lewis said. "I have a drummer who's done some work for Josh Groban and Vertical Horizon, and our piano player plays for Gnarls Barkley."

The new July issue of Guideposts magazine features a cover story on the third season winner of American Idol, Fantasia, who says she won many important battles in life before triumphing on TV's most popular show.

During her rise to the top of the Idol heap, viewers saw Fantasia's talent and charisma outshine the competition. In real life, it was determination and faith that kept her going -- and made her journey possible.

The illiterate, unwed mother was becoming little more than a sad statistic before she forced herself to realize who she really was and how she had to get her life on track to achieve her dreams.

Guideposts brings popular, engaging, and life-changing stories of hope and inspiration to millions of readers. Regular people and celebrities alike share their insight into relationships, health, family, self-help, and more.

Former American Idol contestant Kimberley Locke is apparently still recording and will release the first single from her sophomore album, Based on a True Story, early next week.

The first track is entitled "Supawoman." This most likely is a misspelled, clever hybrid of the words "super" and "woman."

"It's about being a strong, independent woman and finding a partner, a man who can come in and work with you, with all of your strong attributes, and not be intimidated by you," Locke told Billboard.com of the single, which will be available July 4 via iTunes.

The album is set for release in September via Curb Records. "Supawoman" is one of the nine songs Locke helped pen for the album. The artist, who lost out to runner-up Clay Aiken and winner Ruben Studdard on the second season of Idol, says the writing process was therapeutic for her during a rough time in her life.

"I was engaged, and the engagement fell apart. There were so many emotions and feelings inside of me that (songs) literally were just pouring out of me," Locke said. "It was a really great experience. I think being paired with people who have a strong talent for writing really brought something out in me. Otherwise I don't know if I would have been able to do it."

Based on a True Story is the follow up to Locke's 2004 debut, One Love, which peaked at No. 16 on the Billboard 200. The singles "8th World Wonder" and "I Could" both reached the top 10 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.

Mobbed by fans in public, confessing her personal struggles and generally making headlines everywhere she goes, Katharine McPhee is already a star. But the American Idol runner-up still has time for us geeks.

The lovely, computer-savvy 22-year old singer is the subject of AOL Music's latest AIM interview. In her instant messages with some lucky dude from AOL, Katharine discussed what it felt like to be on American Idol, what projects she's working on, what she thinks of Iran's nuclear aspirations and a whole lot more. The full transcript appears below.

[NOTE: McPhee is "KatharineIdol"]
[NOTE: She is now on my Buddy List]
[NOTE: She is not online right now]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AOLMusicScottB: hey hey
KatharineIdol: yay
AOLMusicScottB: Where are you IMing from?
KatharineIdol: From my parents house
AOLMusicScottB: you actually have some time off?
KatharineIdol: well yesterday was my only day off
KatharineIdol: I have a photo shoot today
AOLMusicScottB: for the new record?
KatharineIdol: No for OK mag. That shoot will be later this month
KatharineIdol: all my friends are IMing right now!!! AHHHHH
AOLMusicScottB: hahaha
KatharineIdol: yep
AOLMusicScottB: How crazy is everything right now?
KatharineIdol: Pretty crazy
KatharineIdol: My phone has rung about 25 times in the last hour during these interviews
KatharineIdol: I should probably go get it. One sec
AOLMusicScottB: wow, i definitely don't have that problem
KatharineIdol: You don't want that problem
AOLMusicScottB: maybe it's paula abdul asking you on a date?
KatharineIdol: Hahaha
KatharineIdol: No time for dates
KatharineIdol: I can't wait to get out of the country where my phone can't ring
AOLMusicScottB: i'm sure. does it even matter anymore if you come in 1st or 2nd on american idol?
KatharineIdol: I don't think it matters
KatharineIdol: I think I'm going to be fine
KatharineIdol: As long as I get to perform in some kind of way i will be happy
AOLMusicScottB: you gonna try and pull a clay and outshine taylor?
KatharineIdol: I'm just trying to do the best that I can. I'm not trying to outshine anyone really. I'm just in competition with myself
KatharineIdol: that would be cool if I could have as much success as Clay though
AOLMusicScottB: true.
AOLMusicScottB: when you lost you didn't look surprised at all... were you expecting it?
KatharineIdol: I was just happy to be where I was
KatharineIdol: Everyone keeps saying that. I don't know what the other reactions were from the runners up from passed seasons, but you have to be pretty humbled to simply just be where you are
KatharineIdol: Someone has to win
AOLMusicScottB: i'd be pissed and prob would have jumped simon and maybe paula too
KatharineIdol: HAHAHAHA
KatharineIdol: that would have been a site to see
KatharineIdol: I would have liked to be at your finale
AOLMusicScottB: i prob couldn't take him, but paula i think i could handle.
AOLMusicScottB: yeah, you could have seen it on american idol and then right after on cops
KatharineIdol: I think you could handle all of em
KatharineIdol: exactly
AOLMusicScottB: so you've seen how buff i am then.
KatharineIdol: This is much better than regular interview over the phone
KatharineIdol: I have been stalking you
AOLMusicScottB: sweet
AOLMusicScottB: just had to check the windows real quick like to make sure you weren't out there.
KatharineIdol: I am you just can't see me. I have had a lot of experience
KatharineIdol: hehe
AOLMusicScottB: multi talented
KatharineIdol: Very
AOLMusicScottB: speaking of which
KatharineIdol: Yes?
AOLMusicScottB: i hear you have an interest in acting?
KatharineIdol: Yes I do, I have been working on an acting career for years before I even auditioned for idol
AOLMusicScottB: any offers yet?
KatharineIdol: No just have a couple of projects that I’m up for but no for sure things yet
KatharineIdol: I want to make very smart decisions when it does come time to take a part
KatharineIdol: I want it to be something that I know I can do well in
KatharineIdol: It's all about making smart choices from here on out
AOLMusicScottB: no from justin to kelly part 2?
KatharineIdol: I don't think so
KatharineIdol: hahaha
AOLMusicScottB: so your single comes out on the 27th of june, how excited are you?
KatharineIdol: So exciting
KatharineIdol: I hope my fans enjoy it
AOLMusicScottB: i'm already in line waiting for it
KatharineIdol: ahhh sucks!!! thanks
AOLMusicScottB: and getting a little dehydrated actually
KatharineIdol: You better cuz now you’re on my buddy list. that means we’re friends
KatharineIdol: Drink some water
AOLMusicScottB: bff
KatharineIdol: till we die
KatharineIdol: and then after
AOLMusicScottB: exactly
AOLMusicScottB: you go on tour soon too are you ready?
KatharineIdol: yea very excited to play those big houses
AOLMusicScottB: you should learn how to do backflips like B5
AOLMusicScottB: that would rule
KatharineIdol: Already working on it
AOLMusicScottB: ok, a couple more very important questions and you are free to go
AOLMusicScottB: If you had to be in either Slayer or Motorhead, which band would you be in?
KatharineIdol: AHHH motorhead
AOLMusicScottB: good call
KatharineIdol: much better
KatharineIdol: thats like death metal, my kind of stuff
KatharineIdol: haha
AOLMusicScottB: secondly, and equally as important, do you think iran has nukes? and if not how far away are they?
KatharineIdol: what?
AOLMusicScottB: good answer, you'll make a great politician
KatharineIdol: yes I would
AOLMusicScottB: ok, any last words to your fans?
KatharineIdol: that I love them and that I'm eternally grateful to them for getting me to the position that im at today
KatharineIdol: they are the greatest
KatharineIdol: And so are you!!!
KatharineIdol: hehe
AOLMusicScottB: hahah
AOLMusicScottB: ok, go answer your phone. thanks for taking the time
AOLMusicScottB: peace
KatharineIdol: my pleasure
KatharineIdol: peace out

The typically harsh Simon Cowell called runner-up Katharine McPhee's voice "the best of the competition" on the most recent season of American Idol.

While it's no secret that legions of McPhans became captivated by McPhee's looks and talent on Idol, hardly anyone knew that she risked destroying it all during a five-year battle with bulimia. Self-induced vomiting put her ability to sing in serious jeopardy, not to mention the litany of health problems it exposed her to.

When McPhee hit bottom, she was throwing up as many as seven times a day.

"It's like putting a sledgehammer to your vocal cords," the 22-year old, native Californian tells People Magazine in its new issue.

After successfully auditioning for Idol last fall, McPhee finally decided to seek help.

"When I made it onto American Idol, I knew that food -- my eating disorder -- was the one thing really holding me back," Katharine said. "I was bingeing my whole life away for days at a time... So when I got on the show, I said, 'You know what? I can do well in this competition. Let me give myself a chance and just get ahold of this thing.'"

With the support of parents Peisha and Daniel, and her boyfriend, 41-year old actor Nick Cokas, McPhee enrolled at Los Angeles's Eating Disorder Center of California last October. She spent three months there in group and individual therapy sessions, six days a week.

"I knew I had put off going to a treatment center long enough. I'd been struggling with bulimia since I was 17," McPhee said. "Growing up in Los Angeles and spending all those years in dance class, I'd been conscious of body image at a young age, and I went through phases of exercising compulsively and starving myself. Food was my crutch; it was how I dealt with emotions and uncomfortable situations."

The Eating Disorder Center helped her gain control of her relationship with food, but it was far from easy.

"I really had to surrender and give up having a free life to do the program, because I'd be there from 9 in the morning until 7 at night... I remember that first night, my dad holding me, crying and saying, 'I don't know why you have to suffer through this, but it's going to be okay.'"

McPhee, who narrowly lost to Taylor Hicks on the show's finale, and whose first single will be released June 27, has dropped 30 pounds as a result of the "intuitive eating" approach she learned at the center.

"I learned that there's no such thing as a bad food. If you look at a doughnut, people think it's a fattening food... why? Because if you eat it you'll get fat? No, you'll get fat if you eat 10 doughnuts," she said.

While she has made great strides in conquering her eating fears, McPhee admits she's still coping with how to best handle stress.

"I still bite my nails," she said.

Simon Cowell unleashed yet another TV talent contest on viewers last night as his much-anticipated America's Got Talent debuted on NBC.

The American Idol judge is producing the show with the same company that puts on his FOX singfest. He's the behind-the-scenes presence this time around, though, as Regis Philbin hosts and a panel of stars (probably lower-level stars these days than Simon himself) serves as judges.

Cowell's contract with American Idol prohibits him from appearing on competing shows, but America's Got Talent follows the same formula as the wildly-successful Idol, with audition rounds conducted in four cities followed by public voting and eliminations beginning next month for a million-dollar prize.

NBC apparently has so much faith in Cowell and company that it's already booked Talen" for the winter, the same route that Idol took.

It will be featured in NBC's Sunday lineup after football season, meaning Cowell will have his fingers in the TV pie 4-5 nights a week when Idol comes back to Fox for a sixth season in January.

What kind of talent is Simon looking for on this NBC series? Singers, dancers, comedic performers, unique novelty acts... pretty much anything.

The Washington Post reported that in a phone conference interview, Cowell promised viewers would see a guy balance a 300-pound oven on his face... while frying eggs on it. Let's see Taylor Hicks do that!

Gimmicky as it sounds, the formula -- like Idol -- calls for the judges to ridicule people willing to embarrass themselves in the early rounds, before the serious contenders steal the show late in the season.

The judges are singer/actor Brandy, David Hasselhoff (really, right), and Piers Morgan, a former newspaper editor and British TV host. A Cowell stand-in?

There's certainly nothing new about talent shows, which can be traced to medieval street fairs, Star Search, and many other variations. But Simon and production company Fremantle Media, along with his ex-partner and Idol creator, Simon Fuller, have put a new spin on the old idea.

With stagy techniques, a PR blitz, a witty host, and judges that are as much a part of the show as the acts, it won't be surprising if the show takes off.

American Idol winner Ruben Studdard was awarded $2 million in his lawsuit against his ex-manager for misappropriating the singer's money and credit cards, USA Today reports.

Studdard, 26, of Birmingham, Ala., edged out runner-up Clay Aiken to win the second season of the hit FOX series in 2003. He filed suit against ex-manager Ronald W. Edwards and Edwards' promotions company, Sez Inc., last year.

Jefferson County Circuit Judge Scott Vowell awarded Studdard $500,000 for actual losses and $1.5 million in punitive damages, The Birmingham News reported on its website.

Vowell dismissed Edwards' promotions company from the suit because it was bankrupt and had no assets. Edwards filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy on June 17, 2005.

The suit claimed that the manager misused more than $246,000 of the singer's money, improperly borrowing against credit cards and even using Studdard's money to repay a $10,000 loan to a Tuscaloosa, Ala., bank.

Studdard has made upwards of $2.2 million from album sales, but the damage his manager caused his credit has made it hard for him to obtain financing to purchase a home, the judge's order said.

Neither party commented on whether the singer had frequented payday loan stores in the past due to his credit problems. They give you cash with no credit check or faxing!