February 2007 News Archive

Nigel Lythgoe, American Idol producer, commented on the Antonella Barba situation this week:

"Without question, any competition like this is part popularity contest," Lythgoe told Extra correspondent (and Simon Cowell girlfriend) Terri Seymour.

"It won't effect anything, Antonella is about her looks and her talent and that's the only thing that will effect her journey on American Idol," Lythgoe added in a second interview broadcast on Tuesday evening's Inside Edition.

This is the fifth time - yes, fifth time - that AJ Tabaldo has tried out for American Idol. So you'd think viewers would know him by now.

It's the first time, however, that Tabaldo has made it this far. Therefore, it's understandable that many fans may not be too familiar with this enthusiastic singer. With that in mind, we've perused his official bio and present a series of fun AJ tidbits below:

• He might be kissing up to Idols from the past, but Tabaldo lists Kelly Clarkson as a favorite pop singer alongside Beyonce and Christina Aguilera.
• AJ cuts his own hair. Not too difficult a task when you look at his buzz cut ... but we'd like to see him try and cut the locks of Chris Sligh!
• He once forgot the words to the national anthem.
• Tabaldo cannot choose between Randy, Paula or Simon Cowell. He says all three judges are his favorite.

So there you have it. A bit more information on this American Idol hopeful. After his performance last night, you'll probably be seeing AJ a lot in the future.

Chris Daughtry isn't burdened by heavy baggage.

The raspy-voiced singer, who last season placed fourth on American Idol, tells this week's Life magazine that when he hits the road all he needs are "a picture of my wife [Deanna], my computer, razors for my head, a Bible ... and I obviously have to get the clothes right."

He also wants to feel right, as reported by People magazine. Before each show, he says, "Normally I do pushups. I've been told that when you get the blood flowing through your body, you have more energy to sing better."

Though the last American Idol wrapped in May, Daughtry didn't sign an agreement with RCA Records chief Clive Davis and Idol creator Simon Fuller's label, 19 Recordings Unlimited until July. The result was his platinum-selling debut album, Daughtry.

"I'm just grateful I didn't wait for something to fall into my lap," he now says. "I took advantage of the opportunity."

Nor is the North Carolina native sorry he married at the relatively young age of 20. "I felt like I didn't need to look anymore, that this was the person I was supposed to be with. If you know that, then you just go with it," he says.

His children – Hannah, 10, and Griffin, 8 – are also musical, he says. "Absolutely. My daughter loves Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood ... There are so many singers my daughter wants to use me for – Hilary Duff, everybody in High School Musical, Hannah Montana. You name it, she's all over it."

- Before we see whether or not Sundance Head or any of the American Idol men can step it up, we urge all readers:

** Turn off your television set after the show is over. Don't encourage FOX by watching the show that should be entitled: Are You Smart Enough to Have Forgotten Useless Information From Fifth Grade Because Now You're an Adult Who Has More Important Things to Remember for Life and Work?

Thank you. Start it up, Ryan Seacrest ...

- Congrats goes out to Jennifer Hudson. That's a nice way to put pressure on these contestants. And acknowledge Hudson's performance, we suppose.

- Whoa. Was that Sanjaya Malaker dressed like Michael Jackson? Wonder if he had any coaching. This is already more of a transformation than Britney Spears with hair to Britney Spears without hair.

- Easy set up here for Phil Stacey: who does he dedicate his song to? The military. That's gonna be hard to beat, fellas.

- STOP SHOWING JEFF FOXWORTHY IN THE AUDIENCE!

- As much as everyone bashes Simon, notice how all the guys acknowledge his opinion? They respect him. Let's see how Jared Cotter (pictured) shows the man - and viewers - the love.

- Love was the operative word, as Cotter wants to "get it on" with .... someone. Maybe his hand at the end? Randy liked it ... but did he just reference McSteamy? And did Paula just giggle over the word "push" just because the song was about sex? Wow. Let's move on.

- Good luck following that, AJ Tabaldo. All the judges at least agree it was better than last week. Sounds like back-handed compliment city to us, though.

- It's the new Sanjaya. And he's scaring us. You're trying, dude, we admire that. But this just isn't you.

- Chris Sligh dedicates his song to his wife. His beautiful wife. And he certainly seems sincere singing about how he's been "saved by a woman." Easy to see how. Simon can't even think of anything negative to say.

- Let's see how Nick Pedro, also dedicating his song to a significant other, follows Chris' romantic, Sligh act. Hmmm ... it's never a good sign when the drummer is the highlight of the performance. Randy and Paula were proud of him. We were bored.

- Do it to us, Blake Lewis. This is either the perfect song choice or one that's almost too easy. We might as well rename this guy "Jamiriquai." And we mean that in a great way ... although we see Simon's point that this is basically a rip-off. Nevertheless, it's fun.

- Brandon Rogers can't skat or beatbox. But he can choose a cheesy song. Randy sums it up well: this show isn't about tributes to your relatives, as touching as those can be. You gotta bring it, B-Rog!

- Let's see if Chris Richardson knows what we mean. The judges sure seem to think so. Simon says Chris was the "best by a mile."

- We already like Sundance because his son has a cool name. Levi. You just don't see enough of that these days. Nor do you see Head acting relaxed enough on stage, do you? Odd, coming from a performing, singing father and all. But, gosh, the guy can whale.

Our picks to be voted out Thursday: Sanjaya and Nick. Thanks for reading, everyone. Now, TURN THE CHANNEL!

Not only have fans had a chance to listen to Sundance Head over the last few weeks - but his famous father Roy Head has been back in the news, as well.

Now, the elder Head is being featured in a nationwide newspaper. Here's the article from USA Today:

Having his son appear on American Idol has turned out to be one of the best things that could have happened to Roy Head. The phone at the Head house has hardly stopped ringing since Jan. 23, when Jason "Sundance" Head blew the judges away with "Stormy Monday" during his audition. And Roy, a singer best known for the 1965 pop/R&B crossover hit "Treat Her Right," has done more interviews in the past month than he has in years.

During its introductory segment on Sundance, Idol introduced a new generation to Roy's joint-defying splits and dance steps with a clip from his performance on the '60s music show Shindig. The full footage has become a popular YouTube clip, showing Roy doing moves learned from such R&B greats as Joe Tex and Jackie Wilson, footwork that once prompted James Brown to ask Roy to leave a tour.

"In a way, it was kind of a compliment, because I was burnin', " recalls Roy, now 66. "He had always been my idol, and I was awed just being on three shows with him."

"Treat Her Right," one of Roy's three top 40 hits in 1965, spent two weeks at No. 2 on the Billboard pop chart behind The Beatles' "Yesterday." From 1974 to 1985, he put 24 singles on the country chart.

Roy originally wrote the song about milking a cow.

"We made a mistake one time doing (Nat Kendrick and the Swans') Mashed Potato," he recalls. "Our guitar player played the wrong lick, so I just made up a song called Talkin' About a Cow. Later, my bass player, Gene Kurtz, said, 'Roy, why don't we make that about a woman? Instead of talking about a cow, we might do some good.' "

Later, Barbara Mandrell made the song a country hit. Otis Redding, Jerry Lee Lewis and George Thorogood also covered it.

Roy has been calling his son Sundance since birth. It was a childhood nickname of his own.

Sundance didn't inherit his dad's "dancing gene," Roy says, but he started performing young.

Continue Reading...

Every week, TV Guide reviews and previews American Idol. So let's get right to the opinions of experts Kimberly Caldwell and Rosanna Tavarez.

TVGuide.com: Let's talk about American Idol in the headlines, namely Antonella Barba and the photos that have surfaced online, some of which appear to show her, how shall we say, "stepping up to the microphone." Which is her biggest liability, the racy photos or her singing?
Rosanna: The best comparison would be Frenchie Davis, who I think they took out for having those porn pictures. She still had a great voice and went on to do [Broadway's] Rent. In the competition, though, it might hurt Antonella.
Kimberly: I think she was kind of destined to not be on the show in the next couple of weeks anyhow, but I think this will definitely hurt her, which is sad because everyone has a past, everyone messes up. Hopefully people will be forgiving, but if you do plan on having a career, you've got to be careful about what you choose to do. The American Idol is very wholesome.
Rosanna: We like our American Idols wholesome, to say the least. But also, she's really got to increase her skills. If she stays in the competition, she's going to have to step up to the plate vocally.

TVGuide.com: Now on to Idol proper. Are the guys a rather unremarkable lot or what?
Rosanna: If I agreed, I wouldn't be saying anything new. The boys are not really standing out.

TVGuide.com: They're blending together for me, except for maybe four of them.
Rosanna: They really are. Chris Sligh is a good vocalist — he's consistent and he doesn't go off-key and he's got charisma and a sense of humor — but man, when those women took the stage, you felt like, "OK, I'm not sure what I watched last night, but now I'm watching American Idol." The boys are going to have to watch out, because the girls are going to take over.
Kimberly: I really enjoyed Chris Sligh. His voice is really great, and I think his personality is helping him a lot, too. I really like Blake, and I really love that he didn't beat-box. He's so talented and versatile.... I think he was actually the best vocal.
Rosanna: For the first couple of weeks, Blake should just kind of sing, but he's going to have to bring it back because it will set him apart, and give him a little flava.

TVGuide.com: Do you have any concerns about Sundance Head?
Kimberly: I'm waiting for Sundance to make his big comeback, and it's going to happen.
Rosanna: I think he's really terribly nervous. It's uncomfortable to watch him because you can almost see him thinking, "Oh, my god, people are watching.... I hope I don't mess up." He's really talented, and I can't get the first audition out of my mind. You don't just happen upon that kind of singing. I think he's just head-tripping, and that can really get to you. He's got to relax.

TVGuide.com: With the ladies, we said goodbye to Nicole Tranquillo and Amy Krebs, as in "the personality of a candle"....
Kimberly: I think that was the rudest thing that Simon could have ever said to anyone, and I am sure Amy is so hurt right now. People say mean things in this business, but to say that pretty much everything about you is forgettable is pretty harsh. I thought she had a pretty voice, but it was the wrong song and she was in the wrong dress....
Rosanna: My reaction to watch those two girls perform was like watching the men the first night: I wasn't wowed, there was nothing that stood out for me. Nicole has a pretty voice and you can work her into a pop star, but really, it's about getting on stage and claiming your space.
Kimberly: My favorite from both nights is Jordin Sparks. I thought the judges were going to freak out over her and how amazing she is, but they were like, "You've got great potential for 17." I'm like, "No, she's amazing for any age." She owned the stage and looked like a star, like the winner of American Idol.

TVGuide.com: Of course, the early buzz is about Lakisha Jones, who had the cajones to go all Effie on us while Jennifer Hudson was waiting to realize her fate at the Oscars. Is there the risk that people will now forsake her when it comes to voting, and instead lend their support to underdogs?
Rosanna: I feel like one of the reasons that's not going to happen is because she is so human. She sang a big song and she sang it well, but you still feel like she's not cocky, and that engages us. I feel like, "Let's see what she's going to do next."
Kimberly: I'm like, "Lakisha is already in, nobody needs to worry about her going anywhere for a while," but that's the mistake people make. That's the mistake they made with Jennifer Hudson. "She's so good, we don't need to vote for her," and yet you do. But as of now, my favorite is Jordin.

The following is taken from an article in The Courier-Post:

The guys of American Idol approached the stage for their first live performance Feb. 20, knowing all eyes were on them. It is up to America to decide now.

The final 12 men chosen by the judges last week each performed one song of their choice while judges Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell took the roles of back-seat drivers. After each performance, America called or text-messaged their votes.

So, how did the singers do for their first time?

"The first live performance by the top 12 guys was just OK," said Rhonda Schaffer, 45, of Marlton. "Interestingly enough, not many stood out from the others."

Maybe it was the pressure.

"It's rough being the opening of the show and the season," said Lorena Melcher, 45, of Somerdale, "but none of the first four singers were that exciting."

Still, some seemed to make the best of the night and attracted the attention of the South Jersey American Idol devotees.

"Phil Stacey, whose wife just gave birth to their second daughter the day of his original audition, performed last and was tops," said Schaffer of the man pictured here. "He'll go far in this competition based on that performance."

Said Michelle Costello, 53, of Williamstown, "My favorites to go far in this competition are Chris Sligh and Blake Lewis. They have a great stage presence."

However, the judges could only agree on one favorite.

"Only one singer got the satisfaction of getting the approval of all three judges and that was Blake Lewis," said Tabitha Dupree, 28, of Lindenwold. "He got the title from Simon for being the best performance of the night."

While most of the guys seemed to have failed in this round, a couple of contestants made an impression.

"Chris Richardson, whom the judges compared to Justin Timberlake, had a great song choice and performed it well," said Schaffer.

Added Melcher, "Chris Sligh's performance was pretty good, but I think he went overboard with his zing to Simon about Il Divo and Teletubbies. Simon is paid to be the nasty one. He's usually right on with what he says and if he needs to revise his opinion he states it, as he did with AJ Tabaldo, when he said he might be better than he originally thought."

The girls of American Idol may not have had a hard act to follow, but still gave their first live performance their best.

Garden State Idol fans are looking forward to see how far Antonella Barba of Point Pleasant will go as more contestants are voted off the show, and how she keeps her composure following the media buzz about risque photos of her that surfaced last week.

Meanwhile, the judges thought the girls posed as a threat to the guys. Some fans thought so, too.

"The girls were amazing," said Schaffer. "I couldn't believe the talent of these 12 women."

Some shown brighter than others.

"Sabrina Sloan took command of the stage and showcased her talent," said Melcher. "She showed America she wanted to win."

To read the rest of the article, click here.

Procter & Gamble Co.'s effort to make its Pringles brand a bigger star is getting a tryout with American Idol.

The consumer products company has launched a partnership with the television ratings blockbuster in TV commercials, special American Idol Pringles cans and contests, including a video jingles competition that can lead to tickets to the talent show's finale.

It's the biggest promotion in the potato chips brand's 37-year history, P&G said. Financial terms weren't disclosed.

"The American Idol tie-in is sort of a bold new step," said Paul Tepfenhart, Pringles brand manager.

Pringles, with more than $1 billion a year in annual sales, has been growing about 5 percent a year, P&G has said. The company has said it wants to heat up the growth, recently extending the brand of chips stacked in cans into packages with a "Select" line of flavors such as sun-dried tomato, cinnamon sweet potato and Szechuan barbecue.

Pringles joins Nestle candy and Dreyer's ice cream among the show's partners, and FreemantleMedia, which co-produces and licenses American Idol, said more partnership deals are in the works. The official on-air sponsors for the show are Coca-Cola Co., Cingular Wireless and Ford Motor Co.

Michele Welch, Freemantle's director of integrated marketing, said the off-air partners are bringing well-rounded promotions for the show. Nestle has a candy-bar wrapper collect-and-win contest, and Dreyer's (which sells under Edy's brand in much of the country) is offering special flavors such as "choc 'n' roll caramel" and "Hollywood cheesecake."

"We want to partner with family brands who can be represented in a fun promotional way," Welch said.

P&G described the deal as a long-term partnership, with promotions continuing past the show finale, such as a Pringles receipts mail-in for American Idol school backpacks this summer. The promotional cans hit store shelves over the weekend.

Be careful what you wish for. So begins an article in The Newark Star-Ledger. Here's more from it:

Whatever 20-year-old singer Antonella Barba expected to gain from auditioning for the star-making machine "American Idol," it was likely fame, not infamy. But Barba - until last month a Catholic University student from Point Pleasant with a nice voice - is now at the center of a perfect storm of celebrity and technology, sexuality and morality.

Photos of Barba topless, hands covering her breasts, and on the toilet, appeared on the Internet just as she emerged as a semifinalist on television's top-rated show earlier this month. Over the weekend, racier photos materialized, including several shots of a beautiful brunette performing a sex act on a man who is not identified.

Her best friend and fellow Idol auditioner, Amanda Coluccio, said the tamer shots are of Barba, including a full-length shot of Barba naked, covered with rose petals, taken for a calendar she made for her boyfriend of several years. But the lewdest of the bunch, she is certain, are not Barba, a Red Bank Catholic High School graduate who had been studying architecture until she got her break on "Idol."

"They were meant to be seen by one person and one person only," Coluccio said at her Holmdel home. "The really bad ones aren't her. I've studied them. It's not her nose. She's never had (acrylic nail) tips in her life. She's the least slutty person I know."

American Idol producers won't make Barba, or any of the semifinalists, available for interviews until after they are ousted. But Coluccio, who speaks with Barba daily, says they believe someone from Catholic University broke into her computer and posted the pictures.

"She's been crying. She's horrified," Coluccio says. "She's most upset about what her parents think."

If it's Barba or not, the unseemly association is likely to persist, regardless of how she does in the competition, said Rich Hanley, an assistant professor of journalism at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Conn., who specializes in interactive communications. Among the semifinalists, Barba's singing has drawn some of the harshest criticism from the judges, so her Idol dreams likely will die faster than her Internet celebrity.

"This is a breaking situation in terms of the digitization of fame," Hanley said. "Young people need to understand that anything they put on the Web is going to come back and haunt them some time in their career. Because it's everywhere, there's never going to be a minimal response. There's always going to be a maximum response."

As for Barba's Idol popularity, it's possible a voting bloc of hormone-addled teenage boys is asserting itself, and there is an influential Web site, www.votefortheworst.com, that encourages viewers to vote for the "most entertaining train wreck." It's backing Barba.

Click here to read the rest of this article.

It's a good week to be one of the talents who did NOT win American Idol.

First, Jennifer Hudson won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress Sunday night. It was a signal to hopefuls everywhere that simply being on the show can do wonders for your career.

Now, it's been announced that a finalist from last season will appear Thursday night. Following in the footsteps of Fantasia from a week ago, look for Kellie Pickler to perform during the American Idol results show this Thursday.

We can't wait.