February 2007 News Archive (Page 10)

Simon Cowell wasn't the first man to be wowed by Ebony Jointer.

Last night, during her American Idol audition, Jointer earned her golden ticket to Hollywood - but many males may have recognized her for other, more bootylicious reasons.

It turns out that Jointer, 23, was a member of a Lingerie Football League team, the Chicago Bliss, that competed in the Lingerie Bowl, the pay-per-view flesh football contest that aired during halftime shows, according to RealityTVMagazine.com.

Her other career highlights include a turn as "Bikini Model #5" in the movie Pauly Shore Is Dead. She is also credited on an Internet modeling site with having been on America's Next Top Model, though not as a contestant.

It's not exactly the background of Tami Gosnell - but variety makes the competition!

One thing last night's American Idol auditions revealed was a new, exciting talent on her way to Hollywood:

Tami Gosnell.

The woman with an alternative look had a fresh sound all the judges cooed over. Now, we've uncovered a clip of a previously released song by Gosnell. See what you think about it below. Is this our next American Idol?

Baylie Brown reminds many viewers of a former American Idol finalist.

Indeed, with their country roots and blonde hair, it's difficult to avoid comparisons between Brown and Kellie Pickler. We doubt either beautiful singer would mind, either.

Baylie was named 2003 Main Street Country Music Showcase "Entertainer of the Year" for her age group. She also holds the MSCMS "Female Vocalist of the Year" awards for 2002 and 2003, as she hopes to turn past success on a smaller stage into major succes on TV's biggest stage.

Meanwhile, the American Idol Six hopeful has a CD on sale. It's called "Big Trouble." Check out the song list and purchase it here.

While some American Idol contestants might fear the bite of Simon Cowell, at least one alum is grateful for it.

"Because of him being mean, millions of people watch that show," said Bucky Covington, who finished eighth last season. "So I say 'thank you' for being mean. You turned on a lot of people to this show, and because of that a lot of great things happened to me."

Cowell and fellow judges Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson have been accused of being nastier than usual this year on News Corp.'s Fox network talent show, pouncing on some of the more awful Idol wannabes during auditions.

Covington, 29, says he doesn't agree.

"I didn't see them being really nice to me - no pushovers, you know," the Rockingham, N.C., native said recently. "I never knew Simon to be nice. If you said, 'Hey, Simon is being nice this year,' you would have caught my attention. But being mean is just what I expect. It's what he does. It's his job."

Covington's self-titled debut album on Lyric Street Records will be released April 17. The first single, "A Different World," is rising on the country charts.

Bucky  said he got everything he wanted from his America Idol experience.

"I didn't really think I was gong to win it. I wanted to be heard and get noticed," he said. "The most stressful thing for me was after this show is over, what's next? Is it back to painting cars? Is it playing clubs? Or is it a career starter?"

On Tuesday night, American Idol viewers watched Dallas-born Akron Watson score a golden ticket to Hollywood after singing Sam Cooke's "Change is Gonna Come" and Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On."

But on Wednesday, news reports emerged that Watson was told three months after his audition by Idol producers that he was no longer invited to participate in the competition. So, what happened?

The 23-year-old singer claims that on Nov. 9, two days before he was set to leave for Los Angeles, he received a phone call telling him not to come.

"From that point I asked why?" Watson tells People magazine. "(The producer) said he didn't have a reason. He didn't know why. He said that his bosses don't divulge that information to him."

TMZ.com reported on Wednesday that it was a prior misdemeanor possession of marijuana charge from 2003 that got him ousted from the competition.

But Watson insists that before auditioning for American Idol, he told producers about his past.

"I was completely open about my background, any trouble I had been in, my medical history – everything!" he sats. "They ask all that information before you audition."

Watson, who's now a full-time student at Collin County Community College in Texas, isn't giving up on his Idol dreams. He's created his own MySpace page to garner support for his story – and is asking people to sign a petition to help him get another shot at going on the show.

"I earned my way in, and you knew about my background, I have no clue why you wouldn't let me go and perform," insists Watson. "It seems like I deserve that opportunity. I still want to know why it is I've been cut. And I still want the opportunity to be on American Idol."

Another contestant, Ashlyn Carr, has ran into legal trouble, as well. We'll keep you updated about her future on the show.

Anthony Federov, who was a finalist during the fourth season of American Idol, will join the Off-Broadway cast of The Fantasticks May 1.

Fedorov will step into the role of Matt in the classic musical, which plays at the Snapple Theater Center. The young singing actor will join a company that includes Thomas Bruce (Henry), John Deyle (Hucklebee), Sara Jean Ford (Luisa), Burke Moses (El Gallo), Robert R. Oliver (Mortimer) and Martin Vidnovic (Bellomy).

After his appearance on American Idol, singer Anthony Fedorov took part in the 2005 "American Idol Summer Tour," playing in 44 cities. He appeared as a celebrity judge on "MTV's Little Talent Show Triple Threat" and as a celebrity contestant on "Fear Factor."

He is currently working on a solo recording.

American Idol fifth-season runner-up Katharine McPhee had a genuine shot at Billboard's peak position, with her eponymous debut album hitting record-store shelves last week.

But ultimately, McPhee couldn't quite contend with Norah Jones.

The singer/songwriter's third studio LP, Not Too Late, ran away with the title belt, opening at #1 with more than 405,000 sales, according to the latest SoundScan figures.

McPhee's LP finished a distant second on Billboard's albums sales chart, selling close to 116,000 units - a respectable total, but not nearly enough to top the chart this time around.

Interestingly enough, Daughtry - the self-titled debut from fellow Idol finalist Chris Daughtry's rock collective — follows McPhee at #3, with 77,000 scans.

Meanwhile Taylor Hicks, the self-titled debut from the man who surpassed them both for the American Idol title last year, slips further out of the chart's top 50. That disc finished this week at #76 after selling just 12,000 copies during its eighth week of release.

Word is leaking around the Internet of the final 24 American Idol Six contestants. We cannot confirm or deny these reports, but discovered the following information via American Idol forums online.

So take these 12 men and 12 women with a Randy Jackson-sized grain of salt, but the rumored final 24 singers (some with first names only revelead) are:

Males:
1. A.J. Tabaldo
2. Blake Lewis
3. Brandon Rogers (pictured)
4. Chris Sligh
5. Chris Richardson
6. Jared "J.L." Cotter
7. Sundance Head
8. Nicholas "Nick" Pedro
9. Paul Kim
10. Rudolpho "Rudy" Cardenas
11. Sanjaya Malakar
12. Phil Stacey

Females:
1. Alaina Alexander
2. Amy
3. Antonella Barba
4. Gina Glocksen
5. Haley Scarnato
6. Jordin Sparks
7. Lakeesha Young
8. Leslie Hunt
9. Melinda Doolittle (pictured)
10 Nicole
11. Sabrina Scherff/Sloan
12. Stephanie Edwards

Do those American Idol screechers really think they can sing? In many cases yes, psychological professionals say.

Besides those who know they stink but accept humiliation as the price of fleeting notoriety, many singers don't know how awful they are. Reasons range from narcissism, with its ego-inflated self-absorption, to an obsession with fame.

"The very narcissistic honestly believe they are awesome even when there's no evidence" of it, says Dave Verhaagen, a Charlotte psychologist and author of Parenting the Millennial Generation. And he says that research suggests people who perform worst at a task often rate themselves best as a means of self-defense.

He also believes a smattering of singers could have Asperger's syndrome or other high-functioning autism, whose features can include difficulty interpreting social cues. Singers could miss others' signals about their poor ability. He says unconventional dress or behavior, another result of misread cues, makes them prime candidates for TV time at the auditions.

For others, an "addiction" to fame, on the rise in our increasingly celebrity-obsessed culture, can affect judgment, says Judith Orloff, a Los Angeles psychiatrist who works with people in the entertainment industry.

"The need for recognition … is such a deep drive, it can put them in denial about how bad they are," says Orloff, author of Positive Energy. "They just want the spotlight."

The goal for many singers is just that one TV appearance, says psychologist Debbie Then, former president of the American Psychological Association's film committee. Terrible singers can attract a following, as William Hung proved. Jonathan Jayne and Kenneth Briggs are now correspondents for Jimmy Kimmel Live. Some rejects receive hundreds of requests for friend status on their MySpace pages.

Then describes the phenomenon as "radiated fame": "Even if they get cut, at least they were on Idol. And if I know them … then a little bit of fame has touched me, too."

In the age of YouTube, celebrity seems more democratic, and some feel entitled to fame, Idol executive producer Nigel Lythgoe says. They don't get the hint after rejection, talking back or continuing to sing despite the judges' protests.

But that is Simon Cowell's doing, too, Lythgoe says. The judge's initial rejection of Taylor Hicks last year has left many singers refusing to take no for an answer.

"It spurred people on. (They think) 'You're wrong, Simon. I am going to be the next Idol, just like Taylor Hicks.' "

Some of our favorite American Idol also-rans appeared on Larry King last week.

The most talkative and seemingly intelligent? Bucky Covington, who's single - "A Different World" - is climbing the country charts.

Also on the show, near the end of this clip? William Hung. Apparently, the awful singer has made over $1 million so far during his post-Idol run. In other words: You don't need to sound like Sundance Head in order to bring in the bucks.