It's as friendly as a rivary can get.
Jimmy Kimmel showed up at a Clay Aiken appearance a few months ago and expressed his love for this laid back singer. Even it the action was meant to mock, it was done kindly enough.
Last night, season two's American Idol runner-up returned the favor. He showed up on the ABC late night talk show, chock full of love and affection. Just take a look:
You've heard Chris Sligh sing - both on the show and on the clip we provided readers of his band, Half Past Forever.
You've also heard Chris Sligh crack jokes that even make Simon Cowell laugh. Now, thanks to the series' official website, you can read a bit more about this American Idol favorite.
To wit:
That's probably all the information you need to know now, huh?
We'll get back to reviewing various American Idol contestants, such as Rudy Cardenas and Lakisha Jones, from this season in a moment.
But let's talk about Katharine McPhee album sales first. Unfortunately for last season's runner-up, the second week of sales for her debut CD didn't fare as well as her first.
The album was at number-two a week ago - but fell to number-11 this week. McPhee sold 48,000 discs, down 58% from her debut week of 116,000; her rounded total is 163,000.
Kat really needs a boost from the single; if not, her current pace would suggest an album that would top out at somewhere in the 300,000 range. That's safely ahead of Diana DeGarmo/Justin Guarini territory, but would fall behind every other top-two finisher.
Then there's Carrie Underwood.
Thanks to her pre-Grammys hype, Underwood saw sales jump from No. 24 to 19, selling 38,000, an 18% increase. (Next week, after two wins, she could jump a lot higher.) Her total is now 4.86 million.
American Idol is not the most important thing in life for Lakisha Jones.
That would be her four-year old daughter, Brionne.
Nevertheless, this singer is close to leaving her bank job forever, now that she's been approved as one of the final 24 Idol hopefuls. And she resides atop many viewers' lists of early favorites.
It's a goal Jones has had for awhile. After all, the pop star Lakisha lists as her favorite? Kelly Clarkson.
Seen her wiping away tears after the judges relayed such good news last night, Lakisha could one day be following in Clarkson's winning footsteps. Millions will be watching to see if she does.
Rudy Cardenas is no stranger to the stage.
But he is a stranger to taking it by himself.
The American Idol finalist has been the lead singer for the band M-Pact, which won Billboardâs prestigious âBest Unsigned Bandâ contest and subsequently signed with indie specialty label Primarily A Capella.
Rudy graduated from the University of Northern Colorado with a major in vocal performance. As seen on last night's American Idol auditions, he's been able to turn this talent into a trip to the show's final 24.At least.
This is it, American Idol fans. The final 24. An hour from now, the competition will be in our hands. Let's get right to it ...
9:02 p.m. - Ryan Seacrest calls tonight "the ultimate cut." John Wayne Bobbitt may disagree with that.
9:04 p.m. - Sanjaya Malaker is first in the Chair of Decision (CoD). His sister was told to go home last night. But our shy, slightly feminite man is through to the final 24.
9:06 p.m. - Everyone is shocked when Tami Gosnell and Bernard Williams are sent packing. Frankly, so are we.
9:08 p.m. - My beautiful American Idol co-watcher says Melinda Doolittle "needs some plastic surgery" and "needs wider eyes." Simon says she's on to the next round. Probably more for her singing than that need for wider eyes thing.
9:09 p.m. - Damn right Brandon Rogers has earned his spot as a lead singer, Randy. We like the fake happiness other contestants show when fellow hopefuls are approved. We almost buy it.
9:14 p.m. - Gina Glocksen is nervous, but has high hopes. That can be a dangerous combination. Fortunately for G-squared, she's on to the last 24.
9:17 p.m. - But is Haley Scarnato (pictured)? She certainly has the look, as Simon mentioned once his jaw was finally off the floor last week. She also has a good enough voice, apparently, to make the final 12 women.
9:19 p.m. - Okay, Phil Stacy. You have a good story. But enough talent to move on? The judges seem to think so. Congrats. Go callthe family.
9:24 p.m. - The Simpsons Movie, huh? Not at all a plug, huh, FOX?
9:25 p.m. - Chris Sligh is really funny. Like, maybe funnier than that Simpsons Movie coming out (July 27!!! Watch FOX to learn more!). And we'll be seeing more of him, thank goodness.
9:28 p.m. - Simon is trying to scare Blake Lewis a lot. But we can see through you, mean judge! The beat box master is through. So is Rudy Cardenas, Blake's co-singer from the group round last night.
9:29 p.m. - And we return from commercial to the approval of Jordin Sparks. Good. She seems nice. Sadly, Tatiana McConnico is going home. Not that she isn't nice.
9:31 p.m. - AJ Tabaldo makes it to the final 24. After FIVE previous tries. Gotta admire that persistance Wow. Stephanie Edwards just needed one, though. But Simon had us with that, "You haven't ... failed." He's a tricky one.
9:33 p.m. - The YES's keep on comin! Leslie Hunt made it. So did Nick Pedro. They're not wasting any time, are they?
9:40 p.m. - We feel good about Alaina Alexander. Looks like the judges do, too, despite her initial standing freaking them out.
9:42 p.m. - Chris Richardson is in. Hasn't made much noise in the competition so far - but enough of an impression to be in final male 12.
9:43: p.m. - And Sabrina Sloan is the next to get the nod. She's been a quiet one so far, huh?
9:44 p.m. - Darn, the singing cowboy, Matthew Buckstein, was turned away again. No country this year, he says. That's ok. Carrie Underwood has us covered.
9:45: p.m. Laskisha Jones is tugging on our heart strings with that single mother story. Fortunately, she can sing, too. And we'll be seeing more of her.
9:50 p.m. - Nicole Tranquillo is also gonna be seeing more of the judges. They really love using that line, huh? But what about Sundance, guys?!? Before we can get to that, Amy Krebs gets the nod.
9:53 p.m. - Marissa and Antonella Barba share a fake hug in the elevator. But Antonella gets the final female spot. And Marissa is "bewildered," according to Ryan. She definitely sounds that way.
9:56p.m. - Yippee, Sundance Head does make it through! We were afraid there for a minute.
Now, fans, the votes will be ours. Let's not waste them.
When MTV News interviewed Robyn Troup backstage at the Grammys, she had been a celebrity for about 45 minutes. And yet she skirted questions like a seasoned veteran.
After American Idol co-executive producer Nigel Lythgoe revealed a few days earlier that one of the three "My Grammy Moment" finalists had made it to the Hollywood round on the show's sixth season, Troup was asked if she ever had Idol aspirations.
"No, not really," she replied after winning a performance with Justin Timberlake and T.I. on the Grammy stage. "I really didn't know what this was when I got involved in it, but I'm glad that I did and I think it's a lot different from American Idol in a way, 'cause it's one time. You're not on this show for, like, three months and everybody's getting to see you over and over and over again. It's just like, that's your moment. Take it."
As any of the 30 million or so Americans who watched Idol on Tuesday know, Troup was in fact on the show and was eliminated after her group song with early standout Sundance Head. Troup legally had to keep quiet Sunday because the episode had yet to air.
Still, she showed her dodging prowess again when asked if she already has representation to field the calls she was likely to get after her performance with Timberlake aired.
"Um, you know, I'm just going with the flow right now," she said.
So what is Troup's next step?
"Just bigger and better things," she said vaguely.
To read the entire article, click here.
It was a fast and furious broadcast of American Idol auditions in Hollywood last night.
Some early favorites, such as Sundance Head, were shaky in their performances. He was lucky to make the cut, for example.
Others, such as Sanjaya Malakar, impressed the judges immensely. But they were forced to watch friends, family members and other fellow Idol hopefuls head home.
Here's a photo recap of some of what went down ...
The sassy Melinda Doolittle tried to remain calm as she received approval for the next round.
What would Jesus look-a-like, Sean Michel, do? He'd go on to sing another day.
Is Simon Cowell ready to go home already? Chin up, cranky one, we've got a long way road ahead.
An early favorite, Chris Sligh did nothing to diminish his popularity.
With rumors of Michael Jackson on American Idol swirling, we settle in for the first round of Hollywood auditions. Let's see which favorites emerge ...
8:01 p.m. - Taylor Hicks is a music superstar. Really, Ryan Seacrest? That's news to, you know, music fans.
8:03 p.m. - Tonight is girls' night. Does that mean free drinks until midnight? Or cat fighting about ugly hairstyles? Oh, just that only the women sing tonight. I get it now.
8:04 p.m. - Jory Steinberg starts the evening off. We like her. The judges do not, apparently. Ouch.
8:09 p.m. - Perla Meneses isn't too high on herself or anything. She's just gonna beat this Shakira thing into the ground, isn't she? Typically, we wouldn't mind that, of course.
8:12 p.m. - My American Idol cohort says Baylie Brown is very "Dixie Chicks-like." That's a very good thing these days. Simon and company agree.
8:14 p.m. - Ashlyn Carr is going home. Uh-oh, watch out for your gas tanks, judges.
8:16 p.m. - Oh gosh. Some mother is complaining, while her daughter is blaming the song for failing. No, sorry, she's blaming the delivery of the song. Get off the stage.
8:17 p.m. - Slow down, Ryan, we can't keep up with your lists of who made it. Okay, Tatiana McConnico is through. So is Melinda Doolittle. Those weren't hard to predict.
8:22 p.m. - Are we smarter than a fifth grader? With Jeff Foxworthy? Really, FOX?
8:23 p.m. - It's the guys' day. All hail Sundace Head. We're just sayin.
8:25 p.m. - Brian Miller can sing. But he strikes us as that obnoxious kid in class. Jarrod Fowler, however, well, he's in the Navy. Nothing negative to say there.
8:26 p.m. - Matt Sato. Seems like true emotion from this kid. Gotta support that.
8:28 p.m. - Phil Stacey is through. So is Sean Michel, long hair be damned.
8:32 p.m. - It's group night. No one wants to be with Matt Sato for some reason. We'll sing with you, Matt!
8:34 p.m. - Baylie teams up with best friends, Antonella and Amanda! Exciting ... and apparently anger-filled. Knowing the lyrics might help, ladies.
8:42 p.m. - That was a Sato-laden roller coaster ride. Matt forgets his words and is gone. Just like that. See how quickly the dream can die, people?
8:43 p.m. - Gina Glockson (pictured) is not pleased with Perla. We don't blame her. That gal is no Shakira. Simon lets her know it, too.
8:45 p.m. - Chris Sligh won't be hearing anything but praise in the near future. He and his male co-singers show us how it's done. Well done, Blake Lewis.
8:47 p.m. - Uh-oh, Sundance. Pick it up, Sundance! Hey, that's Robyn Troup of Grammy fame you're singing with.
8:51 p.m. - Baylie forgets the words. All the words. So does Amanda. Gee, we didn't see this coming when she was flirting with guys all night long or anything. But the A-train stays. B-squared goes home. That's an upset.
8:52 p.m. - Amanda says she and Antonella got through because "God likes good people." Just one problem ...
8:57 p.m. - Amanda is cut.
This is just a rumor ... but what a rumor it is!
Sources are putting together various reports to determine if Michael Jackson will appear on American Idol later this season.
Realitytvmagazine.com reports that "several signs" point to the possibility that Jackson will have his own Idol theme-week, and might even "mentor" the impressionable young talent on the show.
Why all the Jackson buzz?
First of all, American Idol producers have hinted for weeks at a "big event show" during this season. Also, reports have swirled that Jackson has turned to Idol creator Simon Fuller to help revive his sagging career, perhaps involving a comeback show in Las Vegas.
Finally, in a recent conference call, executive producer Nigel Lythgoe explained the show's impenetrable wall of silence around contestants, and used Jackson as an example, saying they wouldn't want it to "slip out with somebody telling their mom that Michael Jackson is coming."
Would a savvy operator like Lythgoe really let such a big scoop just slip? Reps for the show had no comment. A rep for Michael Jackson could not immediately be reached.
